Not Forsaken

Posted on October 1, 2010 by jesustrek

A record number of children have died in hot vehicles this year. According to a group that keeps track of such deaths, 48 children have died after being left or becoming trapped in a hot car or truck. The previous record of 47 was set in 2005.

Experts say that leaving a child in a hot vehicle is not always the result of negligence. Quite often these tragedies occur because the parent or guardian becomes distracted or has a sudden change of routine, and forgets that a child has been left in the car seat.

Your heart has to go out to a parent who has to pay such a high emotional price for a forgetful moment. It reminds us that even the best parents are not perfect.

We can be thankful that we have a perfect heavenly Father who will never, ever forget us. Deut.31:8 says, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

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Good Role Player

Posted on September 30, 2010 by jesustrek
Shaquille O’Neal

Shaquille O’Neal has been an All-Star for most of his NBA career. However, as he enters his 20th season, he is expected to come off the bench for the Boston Celtics. Rather than sulk about his new role, Shaq is not complaining at all. He realizes that the first part of his career was all about him scoring and being the star of the team. Shaq says, “That part of my game is over now. It’s time for me to be a …good role player.”

You have to admire O’Neal’s willingness to take a lesser role and allow other players to be in the spotlight. It shows maturity on his part. He is willing to do whatever it takes to be the kind of team player that Boston needs in order to be a winning team.

The church at Corinth had too many members who wanted to be the star of the show. Others thought that they weren’t important because they weren’t as gifted as other members. Paul wrote to them about this issue. In 1 Cor.12:12 he says, “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.”

He goes on to say that the parts of the body shouldn’t think that they are any more or less valuable than other parts; every part is needed. The body couldn’t function properly if every part did the same thing. So in the church, we have diversity, and at the same time, we have unity.

V.27 sums it up with these encouraging words—“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”

Like Shaq, your role might change over the years. But you are designed to be an important part of your local church. We should all relish the role that God has prepared for us and joyfully offer our unique contributions to a winning team.

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Winners!

Posted on September 29, 2010 by jesustrek

The Cincinnati Reds have just won the Central Division championship in the National League. The Reds clinched the title in dramatic fashion, with a walk-off home run by Jay Bruce in the bottom of the ninth inning. It was the 45th come-from-behind victory for Cincinnati this season. It feels especially good when you can turn things around and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Sometimes it feels like the world is winning and the church is losing. On many issues, the battle is going the wrong way. But we can take heart in knowing that we will be ultimately victorious. We have read the story, and we know how it turns out in the end.

Jesus sent a message to the church in the last part of the first century. The book of Revelation was addressed to believers who were struggling to hold on to their faith in a world where evil was prevalent. The early Christians faced persecution and many other hardships. They were discouraged in the face of such severe adversity. But Jesus urged his people to remain faithful to him, no matter what happened. The promise he made to them applies also to believers today—“…Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Rev.2:10).

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The World’s Greatest Christian

Posted on September 28, 2010 by jesustrek

I once met the world’s greatest Christian. How did I recognize her as such? She had no halo or aura to signify how special she was. So how did I know? She told me. Oh, not in so many words. But by the way she went on and on about all the good things she had been doing that day, and about how others should be doing the same but they weren’t, I got the message–I was standing in the presence of greatness.

When confronted with such cartoonish behavior, we might tend to focus on the arrogance of the offensive individual. Instead, I must take a good look at myself to see if I am practicing humility, or if I am blowing my own horn. Do I bring up a certain matter as a prayer concern, or as a means of fishing for compliments by showing how involved I am in trying to minister to people?

Prov.27:2 says, “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.”

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Scarred Hands

Posted on September 27, 2010 by jesustrek
Tom’s hand post-op

I have a condition called Dupuytren’s contracture. If left unchecked, it can cause one or more fingers to bend toward the palm, so that you cannot straighten them. Until recently, the only way to correct this condition is through surgery. I had my right hand operated on about five years ago. Then I had the left one done about a year ago. The surgeries were successful to the extent that I have full use of both hands now. However, the operations have left my hands noticeably scarred.

Sometimes when I look at my hands, I think about the hands of Jesus. But his scars and mine are quite different. My wounds were made with a surgeon’s scalpel, not a Roman soldier’s hammer and nails. I had good anesthesia when my wounds occurred; Jesus refused the painkiller that was offered him. My wounds didn’t help anyone but me; Jesus’ wounds paid for the sins of mankind.

Thank God for scarred hands!

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Easy Decision

Posted on September 26, 2010 by jesustrek
Joe Gibbs

Joe Gibbs is an NFL Hall of Fame coach and the owner of a NASCAR team. He is also an outspoken Christian. Recently Gibbs had the opportunity to speak to 600 inmates in South Carolina. He told them, “On the one side, I’m being told I’m an accident. And on the other side, I’m being told that it’s a loving God who made me. That was an easy decision.”

Looking at the evidence, it should be an easy decision for all of us to accept the idea of a loving Creator and reject the suggestion that we are just the end result of a series of random, but fortunate events that occurred for no reason at all.

Gen.1:1—“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Gen.1:27—“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

Jer.1:5—“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…”

Ps.139:13—“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

Once you make this important, but easy decision, your life will never be the same. You are not here by accident. You have a purpose. Now, live a meaningful life!

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Cohabitation

Posted on September 25, 2010 by jesustrek

Figures released by the Census Bureau Thursday show that the number of cohabiting opposite sex couples increased by 13% last year. This sharp increase is thought to be partly due to people trying to save money in these tough economic times. The AP article I read on the subject made no mention of the morality of such living arrangements.

It should come as no surprise that the world sees nothing wrong with sexual immorality. Those who hold no claim to Christianity are not bound by its views. What should concern us is the worldly attitude about sexuality that is creeping into the church.

The Bible is quite plain about this matter. Heb.13:4 says, “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” Paul told the Corinthian church that anyone who has improper urges toward the person he/she is engaged to should do the right thing and get married (1 Cor.7:36). 1 Cor.6:9-11 says that the sexually immoral are among those who are not part of God’s kingdom.

As a preacher, I have been put in situations where I might have been tempted to ignore the truth about sexual immorality. I have officiated at a few weddings where I had to make reference to the couple’s improper living arrangements and point out that getting married was part of their repentance.

My philosophy is that a church should welcome all sinners to attend, but hold its members to biblical standards of behavior. What is your approach?

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In Training

Posted on September 24, 2010 by jesustrek

My aerobics instructor really worked me hard yesterday. That’s right, aerobics! It was my first class ever. I have participated in other types of exercise, but this workout was especially grueling. It’s been a long time since I’ve sweat so much. Today my muscles are tired and sore, but it was worth it. I plan to go back again.

Paul gave Timothy this advice—“…train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1 Tim.4:7-8).

This Scripture points out the value of physical training, but the emphasis is on something far more important—training in godliness. Spiritual exercise is the only way to become stronger spiritually. Prayer and Bible study are just a part of a Christian’s training regimen. When you serve God and people in the name of Jesus, you really begin to develop your spiritual muscles. You have to actually do some of the things you learn and pray about if you want to grow stronger in the Lord.

Many people avoid physical exercise at all costs. They don’t put in the effort, and they never see the results of better health, strength and overall well-being. In the same way, many don’t put forth the effort to become all they can be spiritually, and that’s a shame. They could benefit themselves and others in so many ways. Oh, and don’t forget about the eternal benefits of spiritual exercise!

Let’s get to work!

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Not So Gaga

Posted on September 23, 2010 by jesustrek
Lady Gaga

As the U.S. Senate was considering ending the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, entertainer Lady Gaga weighed in on the issue on Monday. The outspoken singer appeared at a rally in Maine, and used words such as “prejudiced”, “hates” and “homophobes” to describe those who have formed their opinion on homosexual behavior based on the teachings of Christianity, Islam, Judaism or just about any other major religion that exists.

No culture has ever endured long after labeling homosexuality as “normal” behavior. I doubt that ours will be the first.

I don’t think that Lady Gaga’s acceptance of perversion is very ladylike, and I am definitely not gaga over her attempts to influence the American culture with her ungodly views.

The first chapter of Romans is one of many Scriptures that plainly speak of God’s view on homosexual behavior. Read this chapter closely, especially the last verse. It is a grim warning, not only to those who practice homosexual behavior, but also to those who give their approval to it. Don’t come down on the wrong side of this issue!

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You Reap what You Sow

Posted on September 22, 2010 by jesustrek

 

On Monday, September 20, 2010, an aspiring rapper pleaded guilty in Virginia to killing his 16-year-old girlfriend, her parents and her friend. The murders took place just days after the adults chaperoned the teens at a music festival featuring artists rhyming about raping, killing and mutilating people. Richard “Sam” McCroskey, 21, was sentenced to life in prison.

The Bible says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” (Gal.6:7-8).

The results of sowing bad seeds are not always as disastrous as the above example, but the principle holds true—You reap what you sow.  Armed with this knowledge, we all should be careful what kinds of seeds we sow with our thoughts, our words and our actions.

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