Living for God

Posted on October 27, 2020 by jesustrek

Psalm 101 contains some timeless wisdom for those who want to live for God. Let’s take a look at these principles and see how we can put them into practice in our lives.

Verse 1 says, “I will sing of your love and justice; to you, Lord, I will sing praise.” Here the Psalmist promises to sing, first to others about the Lord’s love and justice. God loves us enough to create us for his pleasure. He loves us enough to send his Son Jesus to die for us. Surely we have something to sing about when it comes to God’s love! Then he says he will sing about the Lord’s justice. Justice is a much-discussed topic these days. Some talk a lot about justice, but their actions betray that what they really want is vengeance. Our justice will always be flawed. Even with the best intentions, justice is not always perfectly administered by imperfect humans. We must constantly strive for justice, but remember that the Lord will eventually mete out justice that is pure and true.

The second part of the verse promises to sing praise to the Lord. In addition to singing to others about the Lord’s goodness, we must also sing to the Lord himself. Our singing is one of the many ways that we worship the Lord in spirit and in truth. We lift our voices together when we meet on Sunday morning. However, our praise is not limited to congregational singing. Through Jesus, God has put a song in the heart of every Christian, and it is fitting and proper to praise God for our salvation every single day.

Verse 2 lets us know that our singing must be backed up by right actions—“I will be careful to lead a blameless life—when will you come to me? I will conduct the affairs of my house with a blameless heart.” It is terribly hypocritical to sing the Lord’s praises on Sunday and then live the rest of the week as if you never even heard of the Lord! Careless living is a poor witness to others and an unacceptable offering to the Lord. While we can never attain perfection, Christians must strive to live a life that is holy and pleasing to God. The second part of the verse expresses a deep desire for God’s presence. This desire is a logical companion to one’s pursuit of holy living. We should seek God’s presence with every waking moment. The last part of the verse points out the important impact your godly living has on the members of your household. Don’t just do the right thing for your own benefit. Do it for the benefit of those you love most.

Verse 3 says, “I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it.” I recently voted (early) to express my disapproval of abortion. I recently wrote a newspaper column and preached a sermon expounding on the evil of sexual immorality. I hate it when the Lord’s name is used as a swear word. I stand opposed to gambling in every form. These are just a few of the evils we must stand against. If we don’t take a stand against evil, we cannot rightly take a stand for what is good. Romans 12:9 is a companion verse—“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”

These timeless principles for godly living need to become more and more ingrained in our lives. Let’s be diligent as we continually strive to live for him.

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Rejoicing Together

Posted on October 26, 2020 by jesustrek

“Rejoice with those who rejoice…”—Romans12:15.

A few weeks ago I was watching our local high school team play a home football game. I like to attend because some of our kids from church play, and I want to give them some encouragement.

At one point our quarterback dropped back to pass. He lofted a long throw down the left sideline that found its target. All of a sudden one of our receivers was streaking toward the end zone, and our fans erupted in excitement. It wasn’t until the public address announcer called out the names of the quarterback and the receiver that I realized that the player who caught the touchdown pass was one of our kids from church! That made the play all the more enjoyable for me.

I wanted to make a point of talking to the young man at church that Sunday, so that we could celebrate his touchdown. However, I didn’t see him until after the service had started. We didn’t have time to talk then, but I caught his eye and raised both of my hands high in the air, signaling a touchdown. That put a big grin on his face!

Sometimes we can rejoice with each other in big ways. At other times, just a small gesture can be much-appreciated. In any case, let’s celebrate each other’s victories as often as we can.

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His Blood Be on Us

Posted on October 23, 2020 by jesustrek

Yesterday I wrote about how Caiaphas unwittingly prophesied that Jesus would die so that people could be saved. Another prophecy that was uttered unbeknownst to the speakers is found in Matthew’s gospel, where Pilate is trying to resist the Jews as they pressured him to sentence Jesus to death. “When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood,’ he said. ‘It is your responsibility!’ All the people answered, ‘His blood is on us and on our children!’” (Matt.27:24-25).

Little did they know how true their words were! The blood of Jesus is on all of us, one way or the other. Since we are all sinners, in a sense we are the cause of his death, because that is what was necessary to pay for our sins. The blood of Jesus is on every human being.

However, the blood of Jesus is on believers in a different sense. It is his blood that covers our sins and saves us from the wrath of God. His precious blood redeems us.

One way or another, the blood of Jesus is on us all. I hope that his blood is on you in a good way!

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Jesus Would Die for Them

Posted on October 22, 2020 by jesustrek

I enjoy reading those passages of Scripture where people utter prophetic statements without realizing it. One such passage is John 11:49-52—“Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, ‘You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.’ He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.”

This unwitting prophecy came in a meeting of Jewish leaders who had gathered together to plot to kill Jesus. Caiaphas thought that the Jewish people would be better off without Jesus, therefore he should die. Little did he know that the death of Jesus was part of God’s plan to redeem all of mankind. His prophecy came true in a much greater way than he could have ever imagined! The death of Jesus not only saves us, it also brings us together as brothers and sisters, living together in the kingdom of God.

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When I Am Old

Posted on October 21, 2020 by jesustrek

Old age slowly creeps up on some people. For others, it happens quite suddenly. One day they wake up and can’t believe what they see in the mirror!

Growing older is inevitable for those who manage to remain alive. It is something that we should expect. It is something we should plan for. It is something we should pray about.

Psalm 71:18 records this prayer—“Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.”

In this prayer we see three desires.

First, the Psalm writer yearns for the presence of God. The more we mature, the more we should understand the need for God’s constant presence. Fellowship with our Creator and Redeemer is what we humans need in order to have a truly satisfying life.

Second, he asks for the opportunity to proclaim his message, a declaration of the great power of God. Jesus says that we are to be his witnesses (Acts 1:8), and every Christian has their own story to tell about the great power of God that rescues us from our sins.

Finally, there is a request that this message be passed along to “the next generation”—to “all who are to come.” We need to understand and accept the responsibility of passing along our faith in God to those who follow behind us. Only as we do this will we fulfill our purpose in life.

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Morality Matters

Posted on October 19, 2020 by jesustrek

Years ago my wife and I were driving in Lexington, Kentucky, listening to a local radio station. The announcer was talking about an upcoming ball game between the Kentucky Wildcats and the Florida Gators. At this point Karen exclaimed, “What did he just say!?” I replied, “I don’t know. What do you think he said?” “It sounded like he said that Kentucky was playing against the fornicators!”

To this day this is an inside joke with us. Any time we hear the Florida team mentioned, we call them the “fornicators”.

“Fornicator” is a funny sounding word, but there is nothing funny about the sin of sexual immorality. The Bible clearly and consistently forbids any sexual activity except for a man and woman who are married to each other—no exceptions.

Jesus sent an angry message to the church at Thyatira because of their immorality. In Revelation 2:18-29, Jesus threatens to severely punish some people in that church because of their lifestyle of fornication.

Why does Jesus get so angry when people who claim to follow him choose to live a life of sexual immorality? Here are a few reasons.

First, they are breaking God’s commandments. One of the 10 Commandments forbids sexual sin (Exodus 20:14). If anyone wants to know if the prohibition against sexual immorality is written in stone, tell them that it most certainly is! Jesus hates it when people claim to live for him, yet they live a life of disobedience to God.

Second, Jesus gets mad because sexual immorality in the church harms the local congregation. The apostle Paul describes it as a yeast that spreads throughout the whole church (1 Corinthians 5:6-8). One cannot measure the negative impact on a congregation that is plagued with fornication. When the Holy Spirit is grieved by such behavior, the result is that blessings are taken away and spiritual confusion runs amok in the church.

Third, communion is adversely affected if fornicators participate. Jude says, “These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm…” (v.12a). The Lord’s Supper is only for those who are living in communion with God. The sexually immoral certainly do not qualify!

Fourth, those who are sexual offenders have rejected God (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8). They are not merely rejecting their parents, their Sunday school teacher, their minister or the elders of the church—they are rejecting God himself. No wonder Jesus gets so upset!

Another reason that Jesus gets so angry about sexual immorality in the church is that it tarnishes the institution of marriage. Marriage is a wonderful concept that was designed by God for the benefit of mankind. If we try to redefine it or ignore it altogether, we pay the price. Marriage is intended to be a beautiful illustration of the relationship between Jesus and his church (Ephesians 5:31-32). Sexual immorality mars that picture and makes Jesus mad.

Furthermore, the sexually immoral are not included in God’s kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9-11), and if they don’t repent, they don’t get to go to heaven (Revelation 22:12-15). Since Jesus gave his life on the cross so that people could believe in him and be included in his kingdom and in his heaven, it’s no wonder Jesus gets mad that they would throw away an eternity of joy for a few moments of stolen pleasure.

Well, now you know how Jesus feels about sexual immorality in the church, and you know why. Do you agree with him?

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Truth Decay

Posted on October 15, 2020 by jesustrek

When I lost my baby teeth I noticed that some of them had multiple cavities. I had heard over and over from my parents and teachers how important it was to take care of my teeth. I had never disagreed with them. It all made sense to me. I was all in favor of the principle of proper dental care. I just wasn’t putting the principle into practice.

However, this was a wake-up call for me. I distinctly remember deciding that from that time on I would be diligent about brushing my teeth. After all, I would only get one more set, and they would have to do me for a lifetime!

We only get one chance to live our lives. It’s good to know that God gives second chances and that forgiveness is available for Christians who make a mess of things. But we only get one life. It seems to make good sense to try to keep our lives as free from sin as possible. Let’s be diligent about holding onto the truth of God’s Word and applying it to our lives.

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”—John 8:32.

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Encountering Jesus

Posted on October 9, 2020 by jesustrek

Many people are familiar with the story of the biblical character Zacchaeus, perhaps more so from the children’s song than from the account in Luke 19. Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector, wanted to see Jesus, but because he was a short (wee little?!) man he had trouble seeing through the huge crowd of people who followed Jesus as he traveled along the way.

Not to be deterred, Zacchaeus ran ahead of the throng and climbed a tree in order to get a better view. Now he could get a really good look at Jesus when he passed by. His plan seemed to be working until something unexpected happened. Jesus did not pass by. Instead, he stopped, looked up in the tree and spoke to Zacchaeus. He told him to come down from the tree so that they could go to Zacchaeus’ house. Zacchaeus came down at once and gladly welcomed Jesus into his home.

Meanwhile, people began to mutter and gossip about Jesus going to visit such a sinful man as a despised tax collector. Why in the world would Jesus do such a thing?

At some point during his encounter with Jesus, Zacchaeus declared that he was giving half of his possessions to the poor, and that if he had cheated anybody, he would pay them back four times the amount.

Jesus was impressed with the reaction of Zacchaeus. He stated that salvation had come to his house and declared, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10).

What can we learn from this encounter with Jesus?

First of all, don’t let any short-coming (pun intended), real or imagined, deter you from seeking Jesus. Many people come up with various excuses not to pursue an encounter with Jesus. Show some determination and do whatever you have to do to get close to Jesus.

Secondly, don’t pay attention to the naysayers. Many will question why Jesus should care about people like you. Just know that he does. No matter what sins you might have committed in your past, Jesus wants to come into your life and have a relationship with you.

Third, we should know that Jesus rewards those who seek him. If we show that we are serious about getting close to Jesus, he will invite us to an even closer relationship than we ever imagined!

Fourth, we must realize that a true encounter with Jesus will bring dramatic and lasting change to our lives. Zacchaeus was very likely a greedy man before he met Jesus. After he spent time with Jesus he became extremely generous. The change was indeed remarkable! Jesus still changes people for the better, transforming his followers in ways that are observable, and quite often rather amazing.

Finally, let us understand that the ultimate purpose for having an encounter with Jesus is to experience that salvation that we all so desperately need; the salvation that only he can give.

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Resolving Conflict

Posted on October 8, 2020 by jesustrek

In his book, “Making Things Happen”, Bob Russell relates the following story about how he and his wife handled a disagreement:

“When my wife and I were first married, she wanted to put up the Christmas tree two weeks before Christmas. To me that was sacrilegious, because in my home you put up the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve! We argued about that and finally we came to a compromise. She put up the Christmas tree two weeks in advance by herself! Compromise is not a matter of weakness. It is a matter of wisdom; a matter of tolerance.” (p.72).

Conflict is not pleasant, but it can’t be avoided. Whenever people have differing opinions, there is the chance for disagreement. It happens among friends, in families and in the church. Whenever conflict arises, we shouldn’t try to ignore it. Let’s deal with it quickly, before the situation escalates. Let’s try to remain humble and respect the wishes of others.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”—Philippians 2:3-4.

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”—Psalm 133:1.

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Blessed Are the Poor

Posted on October 6, 2020 by jesustrek

I recently attended a youth sporting event. Once I got there I realized that I had left my billfold at home. Having no money and no credit card left me feeling humbled. I could not purchase a bottle of water from the concession stand. I could not stop for gas on the way home. I felt needy and helpless.

That’s how we all should feel in the presence of God. We come before him spiritually penniless. We can purchase no favor from him. We cannot buy our way into good standing with the Lord. We are totally helpless and must completely rely on his grace and mercy.

Thankfully, through Jesus, God’s grace and mercy are available in abundance. God’s amazing grace is all we need to see us through!

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”—Matthew 5:3.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”—Ephesians 2:9-10.

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