Give to God what is God’s

Posted on August 9, 2010 by jesustrek

Some people once tried to cause trouble for Jesus by asking him, “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” Jesus knew that they were trying to trap him in his words. He asked them to bring him a coin. Then he asked, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” They told him that it was Caesar’s. Then Jesus gave them this famous answer, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” (Mark 12:13-17).

We often think of these words of Jesus at tax time, when we (grudgingly?) prepare to give the government its due. But perhaps we fail to reflect on the second part of his quote, a teaching which is much more important. Here Jesus says that we should also give God what is due to him.

The image of Caesar was stamped on the coin that Jesus held in his hand. In much the same way, the likeness of God is stamped on us. We are created in his image (Gen.1:27). Therefore, we owe it to God to give him what rightfully belongs to him—ourselves.

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Go and Make Disciples

Posted on August 9, 2010 by jesustrek

I baptized my nephew yesterday. It’s a wonderful feeling to witness one of your relatives accept Christ. Many other family members came to visit Drew’s church in order to be present for this very special event.

It’s a five-hour drive from where I live to Drew’s church, so my wife and I spent the night with my parents. There I found an old photograph of Drew. He is only about a year old in the picture. It shows my mother–his grandmother–holding on to him as he appears to be trying to walk.

Drew learned to walk quite well. He went on to run cross country and play football in high school. But before he could run, he had to learn how to walk, and he needed some help along the way.

Now that he is just learning to walk with Jesus, Drew will once again need some help. Jesus says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt.28:19-20).

Many churches are doing a good job of obeying the first part of Jesus’ commission. They baptize a lot of people. However, many churches are neglecting the second part of the disciple-making process—the teaching part. Dallas Willard  calls this “The Great Omission”.

Let’s resolve to do a better job of teaching new believers how to obey all of Jesus’ commands. Drew and other new Christians like him are counting on it. In what way can you rise to the challenge? 

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After God’s Own Heart

Posted on August 8, 2010 by jesustrek

King David certainly was a fascinating individual. As a young man, he fearlessly protected the sheep from dangerous predators. That bravery was later seen on the battlefield as he single-handedly defeated Goliath. David was also a talented musician and a prolific song writer. In addition to this, he was a gifted leader.

However, David certainly had his shortcomings. He proved himself to be a terrible father. He committed adultery and then tried to cover up that sin with another—murder. Toward the end of his life he proved to be quite vengeful. Yet in spite of his great flaws, he is described as a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22).

What made David a man after God’s own heart? Was it his talent? Could it have been because of the great exploits of his life, or the zeal with which he lived?

The answer is given in the text mentioned above. Acts 13:22 says, “…I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.” That’s it! The key is obedience. If you want to be a person after God’s own heart, then do what he wants you to do. It’s just that simple. And it’s just that difficult.

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Check Your Gauges

Posted on August 7, 2010 by jesustrek

I used to drive a vehicle that had a broken gas gauge. I could never trust it to tell me when I needed fuel, so I would try to estimate how much gas I had in the tank. There was always the worry that I might find myself stranded somewhere.

The car I drive now has a faulty speedometer. It consistently misinforms me of the speed at which I am driving. I know this to be true because I have compared it to the radar screens that are occasionally along the highway to help motorists gauge their speed. My speedometer has never gotten me into trouble, but I know that it can’t be trusted to tell me the truth.

Is it possible to be cruising along life’s highway, oblivious to the fact that we are out of synch with God? How can we know that the inner gauges of our lives are telling us the truth?

You can’t trust your conscience. Look at how many people are living outrageously sinful lives, yet think that they are among the best people on the face of the earth. No, your conscience is not the answer.

Your friends aren’t the answer. Oh, sure you can often get good advice from godly friends, but some of the worst mistakes I’ve ever made have been made with the approval of my friends.  Peer approval is no guarantee that you are doing the right thing.

Advice columnists are not reliable. Some of the most ungodly counsel you will ever find comes from well-known people who write for newspapers.

You can’t count on the rules of our society to lead you down the right path. For example, in our culture it’s perfectly legal to kill a baby in the womb. How sick is that?

So where can you turn to find the truth? The answer, of course, is the Bible. God’s Word is a light for our path; it is useful for training us to live righteous lives. So don’t trust your inner gauges. Allow God to correct your thinking and guide your actions.

Safe travel, my friends!

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The First Four Words

Posted on August 6, 2010 by jesustrek

The Bible contains some stories that are so fantastic that many people simply refuse to believe them.

A devastating Flood covers the entire planet, destroying every living thing except for what was on an ark that a fellow named Noah supposedly built? Yeah, right!

The sea suddenly divides into two separate parts, leaving dry land through which God’s people could escape from their enemies. Then, just as quickly, the water rushes together and drowns their pursuers. That couldn’t have really happened, could it?

Who would really believe that a man could turn water into wine, walk on water, calm a storm with a command, heal the sick, cast out demons and raise the dead? No one could actually perform those miracles, right?

And what about those outrageous promises the Bible makes? That our sins can be forgiven; that we can have God’s Spirit living inside us; that our prayers can really change things; that we can live forever in heaven someday. Wishful thinking, perhaps?

How can we trust that everything the Bible says is true? The key is in the first four words—“In the beginning God…” If you can believe in the existence of God, you can trust that he can do everything that he says he has done in the past. You can believe everything that he says he can do today. And you can trust that he will bring to pass everything he promises to do in the future. If you just believe those first four words!

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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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