A Good Soldier

Posted on November 11, 2010 by jesustrek

Today is Veteran’s Day, a day when we honor those who have served, and are currently serving, in the armed forces of the United States of America. We truly owe a debt of gratitude to those who have risked and sacrificed so much in order to gain and preserve the freedom that we enjoy in this great nation.

It is a good time to be reminded that the Bible likens the Christian life to being a good soldier for Jesus. 2 Tim.2:1-4 teaches us that a good soldier will:

  1. Be strong in the grace of Jesus—Always remember that your salvation was a free gift from God, and live your life in appreciation of his mercy.
  2. Recruit others to join in the work—Pass the faith along to people who in turn will be able to pass it along to others.
  3. Endure hardships—God’s army is no place for wimps! Jesus never promised it would be easy to follow him, but he did promise to always be with us.
  4. Don’t get too involved in the ways of the world—This world is not our home. We must think and act in light of eternity and give kingdom matters our top priority.
  5. Please our commanding officer—Never forget that Jesus is our Lord and Master. We must constantly try to please him with our thoughts, our words and our deeds.

This Veteran’s Day, thank a veteran for serving our country, pray for our troops and be the best soldier for Jesus that you can possibly be!

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Simplify

Posted on November 10, 2010 by jesustrek

Did you hear that the government is going to streamline the way they operate? They have decided to combine the health care system with the educational system. The slogan for these combined programs is going to be—“We will inoculate no child’s left behind!”

Seriously, I suppose a lot of us should make an effort to simplify our lives. Some of the things we do are not very productive, and we can find countless ways to waste our precious time.

Many churches could also find ways to streamline their efforts to impact God’s kingdom. Many congregations have overcome lengthy periods of stagnation or decline because they took a serious look at their programs and traditions and decided to make some changes. Rather than continue to “ride a dead horse”, turnaround churches have “killed the sacred cow” and stopped doing some of the things that at best were non-productive and at worst were having a negative effect on the congregation.

Paul seemed to emphasize focusing on the basics. He writes in Phil.3:13-14, “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Many of us would benefit greatly if we too would focus on the “one thing I do.” In order to do that, we may have to re-examine our priorities.

What are some specific things you can do to simplify your life?

What programs or traditions at your church should the leaders discuss as possible targets for elimination or streamlining?

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Rebel with an Evil Cause

Posted on November 9, 2010 by jesustrek

Numbers 16 tells one of the most fantastic stories in human history. There we read about how a man named Korah, along with a few others, led a rebellion against Moses. As punishment for rising up against God’s chosen leader, the Lord caused the earth to open up and swallow Korah, his followers and their families. They met a gruesome death because they disobeyed God’s plan of leadership.

God’s plan is still to guide his people with the leadership of a chosen few. In the church, the elders are God’s chosen leaders. Modern-day Korahs who rebel against this timeless truth still pay the price for their insolence.

I once served a church where one of the elders tried to cause division between me (the preacher) and the other elders. The earth didn’t swallow up this man and his family, but his daughter, who had appeared to be happily married, went through a terribly painful divorce shortly after her father’s rebellion.

In another case, a deacon stood up in a board meeting and publicly opposed the teaching of the ministers and elders. He vehemently voiced his disapproval of the direction that the church leaders had chosen for the congregation. He insisted that he had Scripture on his side, but he failed to read or even refer to a single verse. Not long after this man’s outburst, he too saw a daughter’s marriage surprisingly—and painfully–break up.

When will people learn that God hates division in the church, and that those who are divisive will be punished severely? 1 Cor.3:17 says, “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.”

You and your family will be much better off if you submit to God’s plan for leadership in the church. Heb.13:17 says, “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

No advantage at all!

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Chubs, the Two-Faced Dog

Posted on November 8, 2010 by jesustrek

A friend of mine has a dog named Chubs. Chubs and his owner live right across the road from their country church. On Sunday morning, Chubs has a friendly greeting for anyone who comes to worship. He’s the nicest dog you could ever imagine. That’s how he is on Sunday.

Any other day of the week, however, Chubs shows a different side to anyone who might come around. He snarls and growls and threatens anyone who comes near. The Chubs you see on Sunday is completely different from the one you see during the week. Chubs is a two-face.

Some people are a lot like Chubs. They seem different on Sunday. They change their vocabulary. They don’t snap at their family members. They have a pleasant disposition when talking to other people. They appear to be focused on God for a change. They, like Chubs, are two-faced.

Jesus doesn’t like two-faces. Some of his harshest words were to religious people that he called hypocrites. They were like actors in a play, wearing a false face to disguise the person who was really behind the mask.

It’s funny to talk about a dog who behaves one way on Sunday, but differently every other day of the week. When it comes to people, however, there’s nothing funny about hypocrisy. Therefore, we must strive to be genuine. Don’t wear a mask. Don’t be a two-face.

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Sounding Good!?

Posted on November 7, 2010 by jesustrek

I attended a traditional music show last night at the local high school auditorium. Several groups played, mostly bluegrass, but there was quite a bit of gospel music mixed in as well. I was reminded of something that has perplexed me for years. Why do so many people who have not accepted the gospel message love to hear gospel music!?

It seems to me that if you have rejected Jesus Christ and his offer of salvation, the last thing on earth you would want to hear is a song about how wonderful Jesus is. But that’s not the case! Non-believers smile as they hear the words of life sung on stage. They sometimes even sing along. They clap and cheer when the song is over. How can this be!?

They surely don’t understand the fullness of the message. The fact that some people are saved means that they are saved from something. They are rescued from an eternity in hell. Those who are not saved do not have that hope. As a matter of fact, the Bible assures us that those who reject Jesus cannot be with God…ever.

I suppose that Satan has something to do with lost people’s inability to grasp the full implications of the gospel message. He has deceived them into thinking that somehow they will benefit from the good news whether they have accepted it or not. What a tragic mistake!

I think that when that final trumpet sounds for Jesus to return and gather up his people, it will sound like beautiful music to those who have trusted Jesus for their salvation. But to those who have rejected him, the trumpet will make the most terrible sound they have ever heard.

That’s my opinion. What do you think?

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The Winner’s Circle

Posted on November 6, 2010 by jesustrek
Zenyatta

Today Zenyatta will try to earn recognition as one of the greatest racehorses of all time. The big mare is going for her second straight win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. If she wins, she will most certainly be named Horse of the Year. In addition to that, a victory will give her a perfect 20-0 record as she retires undefeated.

We Christians strive for perfection even though we know that we can’t achieve it. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God.

Thankfully, there is One who achieved perfection on our behalf. Jesus never sinned, and through his perfect sacrifice we can have access to God. Jesus makes it possible for us to enter the winner’s circle and experience the joy and rewards that go to those who are victorious.

“…We are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”—Rom.8:37.

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When Love Hurts

Posted on November 5, 2010 by jesustrek

Mary had some initial reservations when an angel told her she would give birth to the Son of the Most High (Luke 1:26-34). But she soon surrendered her will to God’s and accepted the assignment given to her (Luke 1:38).

Soon after Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph brought him to the temple in Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. There they met a righteous man named Simeon, who predicted great things for Jesus (Luke 2:21-35). Almost as an afterthought, Simeon had a prediction for Mary too—“…And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:34-35).

The birth of this newborn baby brought mixed blessings. Along with the joy and celebration came the promise of pain.

Mary’s soul would feel no greater pain than it did at Calvary. She was there at the cross when her beloved firstborn son died a torturous death. Simeon’s prediction had come true.

Would Mary have accepted God’s assignment if she had known how much it would hurt? I think she would have. You see, the blessings outweigh the pain when you choose to follow God no matter what happens.

God wants us to love people (Matt.22:39). He didn’t say it would always be easy; he never said that we wouldn’t get hurt along the way. He simply said to love…even when it hurts.

Some people have figured out that the best way to avoid the pain that is inevitably part of human relationships is to avoid getting close to anyone. This is a huge price to pay. The blessings of loving people far outweigh the heartaches.

Lady Antebellum sings, “I guess I’d rather hurt than feel nothing at all.” That’s what Mary chose to do, and it would be a wise choice for all of us to make—to love…even when it hurts.

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Dispersing the Crowd

Posted on November 4, 2010 by jesustrek

When Elvis Presley was still performing, his adoring fans used to stay long after the concert was over, hoping for another encore, or just one more glimpse of their hero, “The King”. This was a problem for personnel working at the concert, because they were delayed in cleaning the building, locking up and going home. Finally, this tradition developed– an announcement would come over the public address system. You know the phrase they used—“Elvis has left the building.” Only after hearing this news would the crowd leave the concert venue.

We Christians want to honor our King. But instead of being adoring fans, we should be faithful followers. Jesus has given us our marching orders—“…Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” (Mark 16:15).

What other announcement do we need to hear in order for the church to leave the building?

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Books

Posted on November 3, 2010 by jesustrek

My wife and I recently moved. As a matter of fact, there are still a lot of boxes stacked around the house, waiting to be unpacked.

Many of those boxes contain books. These were some of the heaviest boxes we had to deal with in our move. It might have been prudent if I had culled some of my books before the move, but I have a hard time letting go of a book once I purchase it.

So we have been unpacking books. “His” books, “her” books, and “our” books. Books for the office and books for the house. Books about health, books about spiritual growth, books about history, books about nature, fiction books…books, books, books!

Many of the books I own I have not yet read, but I hope to do so. I understand that unless I read a book, it cannot do me any good. I cannot possibly benefit from any book that sits on my shelf unread.

The same is true for the Bible. Happy reading everyone!

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From a Button to the Throne

Posted on November 2, 2010 by jesustrek

The weather is starting to get a bit nippy, so I decided to wear a long-sleeved dress shirt this morning. I was a bit puzzled to find the left cuff unbuttoned, while the right one was buttoned. Then the reason for this dawned on me. I had surgery on my left hand about a year ago. The rehabilitation period was somewhat lengthy, and I had to wear a brace on my left hand for a few months. The last time I wore this shirt, I no doubt had to unbutton the left cuff in order to get the shirt on.

The realization of how much better my hand is now than it was a year ago led me to be thankful for my healing. Even something as small as a button can serve as a reminder to worship God and to give thanks to him.

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”—1 Thess.5:16-18.

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