The Scariest Paragraph in the Bible

Posted on August 6, 2010 by jesustrek

I think that the scariest paragraph in the Bible is found in Hebrews 10:26-31. It talks about the wrath of God that will come upon those who deliberately keep sinning against him. It speaks of vengeance, judgment and raging fire. The paragraph concludes with this chilling statement—“It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Many people have convinced themselves that a loving God would never throw anyone into hell for all of eternity, so they live in rebellion against him. They reason that since there will be no consequences for their actions, they might as well live as they please.

These people are wrong…dead wrong. The Bible continually warns about the wrath of God that will be poured out on all who oppose him. The God who is supremely loving and forgiving is also completely just, therefore he cannot reward those who reject him; he has deemed that they must be punished.

What triggers this message of doom in Hebrews 10? What heinous sin is the writer talking about that leads him to warn about God’s judgment in such frightening terms? Is it murder? Greed? Sexual immorality? Child abuse? What sin is it that compels him to write such a scary paragraph?

The answer is in the text. Always look at the context when you are reading. The verse that precedes this scary paragraph is v.25—“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

I’ll see you in church this Sunday!

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Will Marriage Survive?

Posted on August 5, 2010 by jesustrek

 

Beach Wedding

The institution of marriage is taking a beating from all sides. Activists for “homosexual rights” continue their efforts to redefine marriage. Politicians preach about “family values” while cheating on their spouses. Christians give up far too quickly on their troubled marriages. Many choose to ignore marriage completely and live together without making an official commitment to one another.

Will the institution of marriage continue to exist as we know it? Or will it fall by the wayside as a result of these constant attacks?

I have seen recent evidence that marriage will indeed survive.

In June of this year, a brash young man at the swimming pool of a beachside hotel in Florida boasted loudly about his partying exploits. But this arrogant young man—along with some other interested observers—stood to watch in reverent silence as a wedding ceremony took place on the beach. Even this obnoxious young man honored what was happening.

A few weeks later, I conducted a wedding ceremony in the back yard of the bride’s sister. I noticed neighbors standing attentively outside their own homes, deeply aware that something very important was taking place.

More recently, a girl—about six years old, I suppose—danced by me at a wedding reception and called out to me, “I saw you at the wedding! You read the Bible!”

There’s the key! As long as people read the Bible and value what God has instituted to ensure the greatest happiness for families, marriage will do just fine!

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The Heavens Declare God’s Glory

Posted on August 5, 2010 by jesustrek
Northern Lights

Psalm 19:1-3—“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.”

The heavens are declaring the glory of God even more loudly than usual, with the current display of the northern lights visible in many northern locations around the globe.

Until recently, the sun had been going through a phase with relatively few storms. However, solar storms flared on Sunday, shooting tons of plasma directly at Earth. These sun storms have caused the colorful show commonly called the northern lights.

Usually only regions closer to the Arctic can see this display of rippling reds and greens, but solar storms pull them further south. The lights are now visible not only in Alaska, but also in other states in the northern part of the U.S.

Many will make the effort to see this spectacular display of lights. How many will understand its message?

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Who Can Judge?

Posted on August 4, 2010 by jesustrek
Ellen DeGeneres and Simon Cowell

Fox is scrambling to come up with a team of judges for its hit television show, “American Idol”. They have known for some time that Simon Cowell was leaving the show. Now, Ellen DeGeneres has announced that after just one year, she too is departing.

One reason DeGeneres gives for bowing out of the job is that she found it hard to judge people and sometimes hurt their feelings. If only more people were so hesitant to be judgmental! Fortunately for Fox, there are a number of candidates who would jump at the chance to display their skills at judging others.

If we are not careful, we can find ourselves being far too judgmental. Jesus saw the need to address this issue in his Sermon on the Mount. Matt.7:1—“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”

Jesus is not teaching that we must never attempt to correct anyone’s poor behavior. In the verses that follow he clarifies what he means by saying we shouldn’t try to get a speck out of someone else’s eye when we have a plank in our own eye. Remove the plank from your eye first; then get the speck out of your friend’s eye. Jesus is teaching that we shouldn’t judge in a hypocritical manner.

It is sad to say that hypocritical judging takes place where we work, where we live…and even where we worship. There is no shortage of judges who can’t see their own faults, but have keen insights on other people’s shortcomings and are happy to point them out.

Let us not rush to judgment. Always remember the picture Jesus puts in our minds of a ridiculous man with a 2 x 4 sticking out of his eye, trying to help someone who has a minor vision problem.

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Keep Your Zeal

Posted on August 4, 2010 by jesustrek

Kenneth Smith was retired from the military. He was living out his final years in an assisted living facility, battling against the ravages of dementia. On a good day he might recognize his daughter, Merilinda, when she came to visit; most days he did not.

Merilinda stayed with her father longer than usual one particular day. It was a Tuesday in September…September 11, 2001. The two of them did what many Americans did that day; they sat in front of a television and watched the horrible events of the day unfold.

Even through the fog of his dementia, the old soldier knew that his beloved country was under attack. With tears streaming down his face, he turned to his daughter and said, “Merilinda, bring me my uniform!”

What a heart that old man had for his country! And that’s the same type of zeal Jesus wants us to have for his church! Rom.12:11 says, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”

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Sharks and Satan

Posted on August 3, 2010 by jesustrek

This is Shark Week on the Discovery Channel. I have been fascinated by these creatures ever since seeing the movie “Jaws”. I have also been very cautious whenever I go into the ocean!

Some animal activists say that many of the television shows about sharks portray them to be more vicious than they really are. Sharks rarely have been known to prey on humans. Many attacks are thought to occur because the shark mistakes a person for something that it normally eats.

Perhaps we do over-estimate the danger of sharks. On the other hand, we tend to under-estimate the danger of another predator—Satan. The devil would like for us to think that he doesn’t exist, or that he is a harmless, cartoonish figure with a pointy tail and a pitchfork. But the Bible says “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…” (1 Pet.5:8-9). Elsewhere, the Bible urges us to “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Eph.6:11).

So be careful out there, and not just when you’re swimming!

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Life is a Race

Posted on August 3, 2010 by jesustrek

Usain Bolt

Usain Bolt is the reigning Olympic champion in the 100 meter race, and his goal is to win the gold again in that event at the 2012 games in London. The Jamaican sprinter is the current world record holder in the 100 meter race, with a time of 9.58 seconds. Bolt thinks that it is humanly possible to run a 9.4, and he says, “I hope I can be the one to get there, because I work very hard and I want nothing but to be the best.”

Sometimes it seems like the Christian life is a sprint. We rush to church on Sunday, dash to our weekly small group meeting, hurry through our Bible study and prayer time and see how quickly we can get through a service project.

However, Christian living is more comparable to a marathon. Sure, there are times when we have to speed up and go a little faster, but mainly we have to keep moving along, putting one foot in front of the other. This race takes stamina and perseverance. The Bible is filled with exhortations to stay faithful and never give up, no matter what obstacle life puts in our way.

Heb.12:1—“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

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Let Go of Your Nets

Posted on August 2, 2010 by jesustrek

At the North American Christian Convention in Indianapolis last month, Ben Cachiaras–minister at Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, Maryland—preached a sermon based on the calling of Jesus’ first disciples. He pointed out that in order to follow Jesus, these fishermen had to let go of their nets. He urged us to do the same.

Cachiaras made the sermon memorable by placing a 4-inch square piece of fishing net on each seat in the auditorium. Each worshiper was able to take home a visual aid to remind us of the need to let go of certain things in our lives in order to really follow Jesus.

What do you need to let go of in order to become the best disciple you can possibly be? An ungodly relationship, a filthy habit, a much-loved hobby, a desire for a bigger home or a more expensive car…these are just a few examples of the many things that could hold you back and keep you from truly following Jesus.

What is your net? Are you willing to let go?

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Stay Humble

Posted on August 2, 2010 by jesustrek

A few years ago I preached in a small community that had several churches. Occasionally I would walk down the street to have lunch at a restaurant that was operated by a family that attended one of the other churches in town.

One day as I was finishing a meal at this restaurant, I looked at my bill and noticed that the lady taking care of my order had written “Br. Tom” at the top of the bill. I was quite pleased to think that even members of the other churches thought of me as “Brother Tom”. I was becoming well known in the area. I was not merely the pastor of one congregation– I was a pastor for the whole town!

I came back down to earth very quickly when I realized that “Br. Tom” was an abbreviation for breaded tomatoes!

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”—James 4:10.

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Always Give Your Best

Posted on August 1, 2010 by jesustrek

On July 17, 1930, Ken Ash of the Cincinnati Reds entered the game as a relief pitcher. He got his team out of a jam with only one pitch, enticing Chicago’s Charlie Grimm to hit into a triple play. Ash was then removed for a pinch hitter, and the Reds went on to beat the Cubs 6-5. Ash was given credit for the victory, even though he only threw one pitch!

You never know how effective you will be with just one action. A simple word of encouragement or a seemingly insignificant good deed could go a long way toward bringing a much-needed victory in someone’s life.

Col.3:17–“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

If you only have a chance to throw one pitch today, make it your best one!

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