Thoughtful Conversation

Posted on August 12, 2019 by jesustrek

Carol Burks relates this story:

After finishing our Chinese food, my husband and I cracked open our fortune cookies. Mine read, “Be quiet for a little while.” His read, “Talk while you have a chance.”

The art of conversation is difficult to master. Even spouses who have been together for a long time still need to work at having thoughtful discussions where listening is just as important as speaking. May we always be striving to become better listeners.

“The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.”—Proverbs 17:27-28.

 

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Only the Best

Posted on August 5, 2019 by jesustrek

A friend of mine used to get great cell phone service at his house. This was to be expected since he could literally stand in his yard and see the tower that provided his service.

Then he noticed that his service wasn’t as good as it used to be. Instead of getting full bars, he only had two bars on his cell phone. He wondered why, so he called the company that provided his service and asked if they could explain the change.

The customer service representative told my friend that vandals had broken in and stolen some of their equipment. He replied that they must have replaced the equipment, or else he would have no service at all. He was informed that they had indeed replaced the stolen equipment. However, thinking that they would probably be robbed again, the company decided to use lesser quality equipment to replace what had been stolen.

God doesn’t use inferior materials to build his church. He only uses people who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus and empowered by the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit!

“For in him you have been enriched in every way…Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift…”—1 Corinthians 1:5-7.

 

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Raising Children

Posted on July 30, 2019 by jesustrek

A man was at the airport waiting to board his flight. He observed a mother who was travelling with three young children, all of whom were running around yelling and annoying the other passengers. The mother tried to calm down her children and get them to behave, but she was having little or no success.

The man asked the lady, “If you had it to do all over again, would you have children?”

She thought for a moment and then replied, “Yes, I would. I just wouldn’t have these!”

Raising children can be difficult. It requires much prayer and patience. But it can be a very rewarding experience when they grow up to live for the Lord.

“It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.”—2 John 4.

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Missing Worship

Posted on July 26, 2019 by jesustrek

I am not sure who wrote this poem, but I want to share it with you. It’s about someone who missed the church service.

“You missed the fellowship that’s there,

You missed the handshake, missed the prayer.

You missed the Word of God when read;

You missed the things the preacher said.

You missed the worship’s wondrous hour,

You missed the Spirit’s tender power.

Not only did you miss the chance

Your life in Jesus to enhance,

You missed your chance to do your share,

To build His church, the house of prayer.

And so the loss is yours indeed—

God had no chance to meet your need.”

The early Christians understood the need to gather on a regular basis to worship the Lord together. Let’s make sure that we understand that need too.

“On the first day of the week we came together…”—Acts 20:7

 

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Great Opportunity

Posted on July 24, 2019 by jesustrek

I enjoy playing “Words with Friends” on the phone. This is a word game similar to “Scrabble”. Recently I started a new game, and with the letters I was given, I was able to score 20 points on the first play, which is pretty good. In addition to this, the letters I was given to replace those I had used included Z, Q and J, three of the highest scoring letters. With such a good start, I have an excellent opportunity to win this game.

With all that we have been given by God, we have an excellent opportunity to lead a winning life. Let’s not squander that opportunity!

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.”—Colossians 4:5

 

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Producing

Posted on July 22, 2019 by jesustrek

What do you call a cow that does not produce milk? Either a milk dud or an udder failure!

Just as cows are expected to produce milk, Christians are expected to live productive lives for Jesus. We are supposed to speak and act in such a way that the fruit of the Holy Spirit is seen in our lives. We are supposed to shine our light in the darkness and be the salt of the earth that makes a difference in the lives of people we interact with.

Let’s not be duds or failures! Let’s be productive!

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”—John 15:5

 

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Believe in Prayer

Posted on July 18, 2019 by jesustrek

When a nightclub opened on Main Street, the only church in that small town organized an all-night prayer meeting. The members of the church asked God to burn down the club. Within a few minutes, lightning struck the club, and it burned to the ground. The owner sued the church, which denied responsibility.

After hearing both sides, the judge said, “It seems that wherever the guilt may lie, the nightclub owner believes in prayer, while the church doesn’t.”

Actually, the church does believe in prayer. At least we should.

“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”—Acts 4:31

 

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Power Source

Posted on July 17, 2019 by jesustrek

Magellan

On Wednesday, October 11, 1994, NASA’s Magellan space explorer fell silent. The Magellan had circled Venus more than fifteen thousand times since arriving at the planet in 1990, but on this day NASA scientists intentionally changed the satellite’s course and sent it veering into the planet where it burned to a crisp in the atmosphere.

Why would NASA send the Magellan—which cost nine hundred million dollars—plummeting into the planet? Because the Magellan was virtually out of power. One final experiment had drained its batteries to the point where it could no longer transmit data.

Without power, even the highest technology is worthless. Without the power of God, even the most committed Christian can bear no fruit.

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Most Sincerely Dead

Posted on July 12, 2019 by jesustrek

In The Wizard of Oz, when the house landed on the wicked witch of the East, the coroner was called to the scene. After examining the body, he famously proclaimed, “She’s not only merely dead, she’s really most sincerely dead!”

When Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins, he was really dead. He did not merely swoon on the cross, only to regain consciousness in the coolness of the tomb, as some liberal scholars have claimed. A Roman soldier thrust his spear into Jesus’ side to confirm that he was indeed dead (John 19:34).

The innocent Son of God willingly laid down his life to pay for the sins of the world. He really and truly died for us.

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”—Romans 5:6-8

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Unafraid of Death

Posted on July 10, 2019 by jesustrek

In 100 Meditations on Hope Wayne A. Lamb writes:

In the midst of a storm, a little bird was clinging to the limb of a tree, seemingly calm and unafraid. As the wind tore at the limbs of the tree, the bird continued to look the storm in the face, as if to say, “Shake me off; I still have wings.”

Because of Christ’s resurrection, each Christian can look the experience of death in the face and confidently say, “Shake me off; I still have wings. I’ll live anyway.”

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”’—John 11:25-26

This question is not just for Martha; it is for everyone. Do you believe this?

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