Seasoned

Posted on November 28, 2018 by jesustrek

I usually put cinnamon on my breakfast cereal. The spice gives it a little extra flavor, and cinnamon reportedly helps keep your blood sugar regulated.

Recently I grabbed the wrong spice to put on my cereal. It turns out that cumin is not a good substitute for cinnamon!

We are supposed to make sure that our conversations with others, especially those outside of Christ, are properly seasoned so that our words will be well-received. Let’s make sure that we don’t use the wrong seasoning!

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders: make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”—Colossians 4:5-6

 

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Sweet Revenge

Posted on November 27, 2018 by jesustrek

Abe Lemons

Abe Lemons was asked if he was bitter at Texas Athletic Director Deloss Dodds who fired him as the Longhorn’s basketball coach. He replied, “Not at all, but I plan to buy a glass-bottomed car so I can watch the look on his face when I run over him.”

Our sinful human nature tempts us to seek revenge when we think someone has wronged us. But Scripture urges us to have a forgiving heart and give up any perceived right to get back at those who offend us.

“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”—Romans 12:19

 

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Priorities

Posted on November 26, 2018 by jesustrek

A couple of weeks ago I was on the campus of our local high school for an event that was open to the public. Before the program started, a student asked me enthusiastically, “Are you ready for tomorrow?” Seeing the puzzled look on my face, he continued, “It’s opening day of deer season!”

I had to confess to him that I didn’t hunt, and I wished him well in his endeavors. He seemed a bit let down that I didn’t share his enthusiasm for hunting.

This just goes to show that different people have different priorities. It may disappoint us when people don’t share our enthusiasm for Jesus and his church. Perhaps we can win them over some day. Until then, let us keep our own priorities in order.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”—Matthew 6:33

 

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Thinking Ahead

Posted on November 23, 2018 by jesustrek

A man was watching his eighty-year-old neighbor planting a small peach tree. He approached the man and asked, “You don’t expect to eat peaches from that tree, do you?” The old man rested on his spade and answered, “No, at my age I don’t expect that I will. But all my life I’ve enjoyed peaches—never from a tree I planted myself. I’m just trying to pay the other fellows who planted the trees for me.”

The Bible continually encourages us to think about other people rather than just being concerned about our own needs and wants. Try to think of ways you can fulfill the will of God by putting others first.

“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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Give Thanks

Posted on November 21, 2018 by jesustrek

A few days ago I typed out a verse of Scripture about giving thanks. Upon proofreading my work, I noticed that I had typed the word “thank” instead of “thanks”. The thought occurred to me that perhaps we don’t give thanks as much as we should. There are times when one “thank” seems to suffice when in reality many “thanks” are appropriate!

We have so much for which to be thankful!

When I was growing up, we used to sing a hymn in church called “Count Your Blessings”. One line says, “Count your blessings, name them one by one”. Perhaps that would be a fitting exercise as we give thanks this holiday season.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”—Psalm 118:1

 

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It Could Have Been Worse

Posted on November 20, 2018 by jesustrek

When Robinson Crusoe was shipwrecked on his lonely island, he drew up in two columns what he called the evil and the good. He was cast away on a desolate island, but he was still alive—not drowned, as his ship’s company was. He was apart from human society, but he was not starving. He had no clothes, but he was in a hot climate where he did not need them. He was without means of defense, but he saw no wild beasts such as he had seen on the coast of Africa. He had no one to whom he could speak, but God had sent the ship so near to the shore that he could get out of it all the things necessary for his basic wants. So he concluded that there was not any condition in the world so miserable but that one could find something for which to be grateful.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”—1 Thessalonians 5:18

 

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It Won’t Grow Here

Posted on November 19, 2018 by jesustrek

There is a legend of a man who found the barn where Satan kept his seeds ready to be sown in the human heart. The man noticed that the seeds of discouragement were more numerous than other seeds. He asked Satan why this was so, and the devil replied, “I can get the seeds of discouragement to grow almost anywhere.”

“Is there any place where seeds of discouragement will not grow?” the man asked.

Reluctantly, Satan responded, “They will not grow in the heart of a grateful person.”

Thankfulness leaves no room for discouragement.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”—1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

 

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Time of Grace

Posted on November 16, 2018 by jesustrek

In Warren Wiersbe’s Meet Yourself in the Psalms, he tells about a frontier town where a horse bolted and ran away with a wagon carrying a little boy. Seeing the child in danger, a young man risked his life to catch the horse and stop the wagon.

The child who was saved grew up to become a lawless man, and one day he stood before a judge to be sentenced for a serious crime. The prisoner recognized the judge as the man who, years before, had saved his life; so he pled for mercy on the basis of that experience.

But the words from the bench silenced his plea, “Young man, then I was your savior; today I am your judge, and I must sentence you to be hanged.”

One day Jesus will say to rebellious sinners, “During that long day of grace, I was the Savior, and I would have forgiven you. But today I am your Judge. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire!”

“…I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”—2 Corinthians 6:2

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The “Nays” Have It

Posted on November 15, 2018 by jesustrek

A story is told about a church that hosted a birthday celebration for one of its members who had reached the age of 100. One of the newer members of the church approached the guest of honor and said, “You must have seen a lot of changes in the church over the course of your lifetime.”

“Yes”, the old man replied, “And I was against every one of them!”

It has been said that negative people have a problem for every solution. Let’s be sure that we are not among those who oppose every plan that our church leaders try to implement. Let’s take a positive approach toward the changes that our leaders deem necessary in order for the church to prosper and to win more people to Jesus.

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing.”—Philippians 2:14

 

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Career Choice

Posted on November 14, 2018 by jesustrek

Paul Snoddy

For years, my friend Paul Snoddy wanted to be a medical doctor. However, when he grew up Paul became a preacher, and he has had quite a successful career.

Weighing in on this career choice, Paul’s son said, “Dad, just think of all the people you would have killed!”

The Bible says that God gives us different gifts, and that we are to use proper discernment in deciding how he has enabled us to serve in his kingdom.

And, hopefully, we won’t kill anybody in the process!

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us…”—Romans 12:6

 

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