The Show Must Go On

Posted on May 3, 2019 by jesustrek

Kelly Clarkson

Hours after hosting the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, Kelly Clarkson underwent surgery to have her appendix removed. Even though she was experiencing a great deal of pain, Clarkson not only hosted the show, but also performed two musical numbers herself. It was a wonderful example of persevering through difficult circumstances.

Jesus never promised that the Christian life would be easy. To the contrary, living for Jesus often includes a great deal of pain and discomfort. We need to keep going no matter what type of adversity we face. Victory is ours if we only persevere!

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”—John 16:33

 

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Reminder

Posted on May 2, 2019 by jesustrek

I put it off for a while, but I finally made a life change that is a concession to my forgetfulness. I started putting my daily medication in a pill box that helps me remember if I have taken my meds for that day. Once a week I place the pills in the compartments—Monday through Friday—AM and PM. Now I don’t find myself trying to remember at mid-morning whether or not I have taken my morning meds.

Jesus has given us a weekly reminder so that we will not forget the gospel message. The Lord’s Supper helps us remember the death and resurrection of Jesus. He died to pay for our sins. He arose triumphantly from the grave to reign forever. Communion helps us remember.

“…Do this in remembrance of me.”—Luke 22:19

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

 

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Happy Times!

Posted on May 1, 2019 by jesustrek

Randy Iery

“Rejoice with those who rejoice…”—Romans 12:15

A couple of days ago our local high school baseball team hosted a district rival for an important game. The pitchers for both teams were dominant, so the game stretched into extra innings with the score tied at nothing to nothing.

The home team got a couple of runners on base, and Randy Iery, the son of one of my friends, came to bat with two outs. Any kind of hit would win the game, and the batter would be the hero of the day. All the home team fans were cheering for his success.

Randy took a mighty swing at a fastball and sent a tremendous drive over the left-center field fence! A walk-off home run to end the game!

The fans went wild! The team celebrated like mad! Randy was interviewed by a local newspaper, which ran a nice article about his heroics in the next day’s edition.

Normally I go home shortly after the game ends, but this time I stayed to celebrate. I rejoiced with Randy’s dad. I hugged his mom. I waited until his interview was over and I shook hands with Randy and offered my congratulations to him. Why? Because that’s what you do. You rejoice with those who rejoice!

 

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Ego in Check

Posted on April 26, 2019 by jesustrek

Teddy Roosevelt

A six-year-old girl was asked, “Are you in Jessica’s class at school?” She replied, “No, I’m not. But she’s in my class.”

We tend to be self-centered, and those inclinations are seen in adults as well as children. One of Teddy Roosevelt’s children said of him, “Father wanted to be the bride at every wedding and the corpse at every funeral.”

We must all struggle against our sinful tendencies to be self-centered and work toward putting others ahead of ourselves.

“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

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Can You Top This?

Posted on April 24, 2019 by jesustrek

The story is told about an old man who had survived the great Johnstown flood. He loved to tell the story over and over in great detail. Everywhere he went he would spend all his time talking about this great historic event in his life.

One day the man died and went to heaven and there in a meeting all the saints had gathered together to share their life experiences. The man got excited and asked Peter if he might tell the exciting story of his survival from the Johnstown flood. Peter hesitated for a moment and then said, “Yes, you may share your story, but just remember that Noah will be in the audience tonight.”

It’s great that we have an urgent desire to share our stories of faith, perseverance and salvation. However, let’s always remember that other people have their stories to share as well.

“And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.”—1 Corinthians 14:30-31

 

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Great Comeback!

Posted on April 21, 2019 by jesustrek

Tiger Woods celebrates

On Sunday, April 14, 2019, many people watched one of the greatest comebacks in sports history when Tiger Woods won the Masters golf tournament. His victory ended a long personal dry spell. Woods, once acknowledged as the best golfer in the world, had gone 11 years without winning a major tournament. During that time he endured four surgeries to rebuild his left knee. His injured back required four surgeries, the last one out of desperation because he could barely walk, much less play golf. Add to this the well-documented personal struggles in his life. Tiger had to overcome a lot of adversity to make such a comeback. Yet come back is exactly what he did, to the amazement of many.

There is another great comeback story that draws people’s attention this time of year. It is the fact that Jesus came back from the dead. After he was crucified to pay for the sins of the world, he did not stay in the tomb in which they laid him. God raised him from the dead, thus putting his stamp of approval on Jesus, his beloved Son, the risen Savior of the world.

Conquering death! Now that is quite a comeback!

“Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.”—Romans 6:8-9

 

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The Way the Story Really Ends

Posted on April 20, 2019 by jesustrek

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson, a great man, nevertheless could not accept the miraculous elements in Scripture. He edited his own special version of the Bible in which all references to the supernatural were deleted. Jefferson, in editing the Gospels, confined himself solely to the moral teachings of Jesus. The closing words of Jefferson’s Bible are these: “There laid they Jesus and rolled a great stone at the mouth of the sepulcher and departed.”

Thank God that is not the way the story really ends!

“If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”—1 Corinthians 15:19

 

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Beyond the Cross

Posted on April 19, 2019 by jesustrek

Every year thousands of people climb a mountain in the Italian Alps, passing the “stations of the cross” to stand at an outdoor crucifix. One tourist noticed a little trail that led beyond the cross. He fought through the rough thicket and, to his surprise, came upon another shrine, a shrine that symbolized the empty tomb. It was neglected. The brush had grown up around it. Almost everyone had gone as far as the cross, but they stopped there.

Far too many have gotten to the cross and have known the despair and the heartbreak. Far too few have moved beyond the cross to find the real message of Easter. That is the message of the empty tomb.

“He is not here; he has risen! …”—Luke 24:6

 

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Slow Down, You Move Too Fast

Posted on April 17, 2019 by jesustrek

A woman who had been living a very high-pressured life moved with her family from the city to the country. The family had resolved to reduce the stresses and tensions that they had been under by embracing a more easy-going lifestyle.

A neighbor came over to visit the mother one day and noticed something that had been pinned on the family bulletin board. She asked about it and the mother said, “Oh, that’s a poem that represents what our moving here was all about. The poem starts out, ‘Lord, slow me down…’ But I haven’t had time to read the rest of it.”

I suppose we all struggle at times with being too busy. We should take seriously the need to slow down a bit.

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”—Mark 1:35

 

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Now I Understand

Posted on April 16, 2019 by jesustrek

A business offered a new pension plan that called for a small employee contribution. The company would pay the rest. Everybody but Sam had signed up for the plan. Unfortunately, 100 percent employee participation was needed. Otherwise the plan would not be adopted.

Sam’s boss and his fellow workers pleaded with him, but to no avail. Sam said the plan would never pay off.

Finally the company president called Sam into his office. “Sam,” he said, “here’s a copy of the new pension plan and here’s a pen. I want you to sign the papers, and if you don’t you are fired immediately.

Sam took the pen and signed the papers.

“Now,” said the president, “would you mind telling me why you couldn’t have signed earlier?”

“Well, sir,” Sam replied, “nobody explained it to me quite so clearly before.”

Let’s make sure we explain the Word of God clearly.

“They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.”—Nehemiah 8:8

 

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