Slow Learners

Posted on September 10, 2018 by jesustrek

Two men flew into a remote part of Canada to hunt elk. When their pilot returned to pick them up, he told them that he could only take four of the six elk they had shot, or else the weight would be too heavy for the plane.

The hunters protested, “But the plane that picked us up last year was exactly like this one. The horsepower was the same. The weather conditions were similar. And we had six elk last year.”

Hearing this, the pilot reluctantly agreed to give it a try. They loaded up and took off, but the plane did not have enough power to make it out of the valley with all that weight, and they crashed.

As they stumbled out of the wreckage, one hunter asked the other where they were. “Well, I’m not sure, but I think we are just a mile or two away from where we crashed last year.”

Some people never learn! They keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again!

“Take notice, you senseless ones among the people; you fools, when will you become wise?”—Psalm 94:8.

 

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Working Together

Posted on September 7, 2018 by jesustrek

Two men were riding a bicycle built for two when they came to a hill that was very long and steep. It took a great deal of struggle for the men to complete what proved to be a very difficult climb. When they finally got to the top of the hill the man in front turned to the other and said, “That sure was a hard climb!” His partner replied, “Yes, and if I hadn’t kept the brakes on all the way we would certainly have rolled down backwards!”

Make sure you aren’t the one holding others back and making life more difficult for people! Get your foot off the brake and start pedaling!

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”—Romans 12:11.

 

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Looking Ahead

Posted on September 6, 2018 by jesustrek

Someone once said that there is a reason the rear view mirror is so small and the windshield is so large. We need to spend more time looking toward the future and less time dwelling on the past. True, we can learn from past mistakes, and we can take joy from wonderful memories of days gone by. But we are far too easily distracted and discouraged by past sins, failures and disappointments. We are much better off when we put the past behind us and look ahead to the future.

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and staining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”—Philippians 3:12-14.

 

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Taking a Break

Posted on August 13, 2018 by jesustrek

Every couple of years or so, I take an extended break from writing this blog. Now is one of those times. The Bible recommends an occasional long rest from your labors, so I am taking sort of a sabbatical for a couple of weeks or so. I never want this writing opportunity to become burdensome. Hopefully I will come back refreshed and invigorated, with many new ideas for articles.

In the meantime, perhaps you would like to check out the archives of Jesustrek. There you might find something to make you laugh, or something to make you cry, or something to make you mad or something to make you think. You will almost always find a verse of Scripture. Hopefully, through it all we will become more intentional and more focused as we journey through this life together with Jesus.

God Bless!

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls…’”—Jeremiah 6:16.

 

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Federally Protected

Posted on August 9, 2018 by jesustrek

Tern eggs that were disturbed

Over the July 4th weekend a large group of people boated out to Sand Island, which is about a mile off the coast in Mobile Bay in Alabama. There they set up tents and volleyball nets and began to play. However, there were many bird nests and eggs in their way, so they cleared enough space for their games. Sadly, their actions led to the death of many young coastal seabirds. These particular birds, called least terns, are federally protected. The headline of the article I read said: “Beach volleyball players in AL accidentally kill hundreds of birds.

Switch that scenario to human embryos and see if the logic would hold true. Would the headline have said that humans were killed? I doubt it.

I wish that baby humans in the womb were federally protected.

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”—Psalm 139:13.

 

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All She Wanted to Talk About

Posted on August 8, 2018 by jesustrek

On the ride home from church one Sunday, a father asked his young daughter, “How was Sunday School class today?”

“It was fine.”

“Who was your teacher?”

“I don’t remember her name, but she must have been Jesus’ grandmother because she didn’t want to talk about anyone else.”

It certainly is true that grandparents love to talk about their grandchildren. It is also true that Christians should love to talk about Jesus.

“…You will be my witnesses…”—Acts 1:8.

 

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Raised

Posted on August 7, 2018 by jesustrek

A little girl was quite sad and upset because her beloved cat had died. Her mother tried to cheer her up by pointing out that her cat was with God in heaven now.

“Really?” the little girl asked.

“I think so,” her mother replied.

After thinking about that for a few seconds, the little girl asked, “Why in the world would God want a dead cat?”

Little girls aren’t the only ones who sometimes have a problem comprehending what it means to be resurrected. That’s why the Scriptures urge us to focus on the resurrected Jesus and to reflect on the fact that Christians, too, have in a very real sense already been raised to walk with him.

“Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead…Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”—Colossians 2:12; 3:1.

 

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Vengeance Is Mine!

Posted on August 6, 2018 by jesustrek

A mother heard her 4-year-old son let out a scream, so she came running into the room. There she saw her two-year-old daughter pulling mightily on her brother’s hair. Mom gently released the little girl’s grip and comforted her son, “There, there. She didn’t mean it. She doesn’t know that hurts.”

Mom was barely out of the room when the little girl let out a loud scream. Rushing back in, she asked “What happened?”

“She knows now,” the boy replied.

“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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Eye of the Beholder

Posted on August 3, 2018 by jesustrek

Abraham Lincoln

A mother once came to President Lincoln to ask him to spare the life of her son who had been sentenced to death. After listening to her pleading, Lincoln issued a pardon. As she left her meeting with the president, she exclaimed to the man who accompanied her, “I knew it was a lie!”

“What do you refer to?” the man asked.

She replied, “Why, they told me he was an ugly-looking man, but he is the handsomest man I ever saw in my life!”

Those who aren’t attracted to Jesus simply haven’t comprehended the fact that he has offered them a pardon from eternal death. Once they understand this, Jesus becomes the most handsome man they know!

“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”—1 John 2:2.

 

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Warning Signal

Posted on August 1, 2018 by jesustrek

The railroad crossing about a mile from my house has a warning signal with flashing lights and mechanical arms that come down when a train is approaching. This warning signal malfunctioned recently. The lights were flashing and the arms were down, but there was no train nearby. Drivers cautiously drove around the arms of the signal and went on their way. A worker came out later that day and fixed the problem.

I suppose an even greater problem would be if the warning signal malfunctioned in a different way—by not flashing its lights and lowering its arms when it was supposed to do so. After all, that’s what a warning signal is for—to warn people of impending danger. If it doesn’t do its job, the result could be tragic.

Part of our job as Christians is to warn others of the wrath of God that is coming on all those who ignore him or oppose him. That wrath that is surely coming will be swift, complete and eternal.

Have you warned anyone lately?

“Save others by snatching them from the fire…”—Jude 23.

 

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