He Who Hesitates

Posted on November 8, 2017 by jesustrek

An overly cautious driver hesitated as he attempted to merge with traffic on a busy freeway, finally coming to a complete stop on the ramp. The traffic thinned out a bit, but the driver still waited, hoping for a better opportunity to make his way onto the highway. The driver in the car behind him finally let his frustration be known, shouting furiously, “The sign says to yield, not give up!”

Sometimes we are hesitant to witness about our faith in Jesus Christ. We don’t recognize opportunities to share our faith as they materialize. We think that perhaps the situation will get better if we wait a while longer. Then maybe the conditions will be more suitable for evangelism to take place.

If we wait too long, we might lose the opportunity to witness altogether.

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

 

Posted in Christian Living, Humor | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What’s On the Inside?

Posted on November 4, 2017 by jesustrek

A couple paid $2 million for a luxury condominium in Weehawken, New Jersey and decided to do some renovations on the unit. What was discovered hidden in the dwelling shocked them. Behind the walls they found bottles of urine, rodents and rotten food! The couple is suing a construction company for leaving behind such a hidden mess.

Jesus chastised the Pharisees for appearing to be clean on the outside, while harboring inner sins (Mark 7:1-23). He taught his disciples that it is what’s on the inside that matters most.

We can often hide our sins from others, but we can never hide them from God. Let’s be careful not to put up a facade that makes us look good on the outside. This calls for self-examination and honest repentance.

“For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”—Mark 7:21-23.

 

Posted in Christian Living, Communion Meditations, Leadership | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What’s The Purpose for That?

Posted on November 3, 2017 by jesustrek

A church decided that they needed to upgrade their sound system, so they had a professional come and evaluate their needs. As the technician studied the layout of the sanctuary, he noticed a huge opening in the wall behind the stage. He approached the opening and leaned way over to check it out. From this position, his question echoed from the baptistery, “What’s a bathtub doing in a church?”

It’s a shame that so many non-Christians have no clue about the significance of baptism. It’s a greater shame when those who claim that Christ is their savior do not understand the meaning of this important Christian ceremony.

“And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.”—Acts 22:16.

 

Posted in Christian Living, Church, Humor | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Escape Room

Posted on October 31, 2017 by jesustrek

Our church is currently sponsoring an escape room. This is a game where people are given clues to solve in order to be able to gain their freedom. I haven’t tried it yet because I feel stupid enough already. Others seem to enjoy that kind of thing, and several people have come to play the game.

A temporary sign was made to help newcomers know what door to use. It said, “Escape Room”, with an arrow pointing to the church building.

I thought that was appropriate. The church is going to escape the wrath of God that will be poured out on all those who reject Jesus.

Have you made your escape yet?

“For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”—1 Thessalonians 5:9.

 

Posted in Christian Living, Church, Communion Meditations | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Good Support

Posted on October 30, 2017 by jesustrek

Feeling nostalgic, I bought a pair of the old style Converse All-Star basketball shoes. The pair I chose are low-cut and black. I like the retro look of the shoes, but they aren’t as comfortable as the newer styles of athletic shoes they make these days; nor do they offer much support. I think that, as far as support goes, they are just a notch above your average pair of house slippers!

I walk gingerly when I wear my Converse All-Stars, afraid that the next step will result in a sprained ankle. I can’t believe that we used to play basketball in these shoes! It’s a wonder that there weren’t more injuries back in those days, considering the lack of support offered by the shoes back then.

Thank God, we have a good support system in the church! We have brothers and sisters upon whom we can rely to see us through tough times. I don’t know how people outside of Christ go through life without the support of the church. Let us never take this support for granted!

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”—Galatians 6:2.

 

Posted in Christian Living, Church, Sports | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Picture Being Born Again

Posted on October 26, 2017 by jesustrek

I just finished reading an article on the subject of being born again. It was based on John 3:1-8, where Jesus teaches Nicodemus that one must be born again in order to see the kingdom of God. Jesus says that one must be born of water and the Spirit.

The author of the article talked at length about the Holy Spirit, but neglected the part about the water, which many take to be a clear reference to baptism. After all, baptism washes away our sins (Acts 22:16), is the point in time where we are united with Christ (Romans 6:3-4) and is an important part of our response to the grace that God has shown us through Jesus (Acts 2:38). Why would we not conclude that Jesus is teaching that baptism is an important part of being born again?

However, the author’s glaring omission was covered, accidentally perhaps, by the illustration that accompanied the article. Someone chose a picture of a pair of hands barely visible through the bubbly water; hands that were obviously connected to someone who was submitting to baptism. What the article failed to convey in words was beautifully communicated with the artwork.

Sometimes it is true—A picture is worth a thousand words!

 

Posted in Christian Living, Church | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In His Hands

Posted on October 25, 2017 by jesustrek

I remember speaking with a friend of mine shortly before he went on stage to perform in a talent contest. He was going to play his guitar and sing. He told me that he didn’t remember how long it had been since he had put a new set of strings on his guitar, and he was having trouble getting it to sound right.

Finally, he got the guitar tuned, just in time for him to take the stage. His performance was wonderful! He made those old strings sound fantastic! My friend actually won the contest, even with a guitar that was inferior to those used by others in the competition. In the hands of a lesser musician, the guitar would have sounded terrible. However, my friend’s skill had brought out the best in the instrument.

We Christians need to remember that we are simply instruments in the hands of God. His power can overcome any shortcomings—real or imagined—that might lead to a poor performance. In our own hands, our lives are out of tune. But in the skillful hands of the Master, we can make beautiful music!

“Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.”—Romans 6:13.

 

Posted in Christian Living, Communion Meditations, Leadership | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Different Kind of Grief

Posted on October 24, 2017 by jesustrek

A quotation from antiquity tries to explain one of the differences between Christians and non-believers. It says about people of faith: “And if any righteous man among them passes from the world, they rejoice and offer thanks to God; and they escort the body as if he were setting out from one place to another.”

That quote goes a long way to explain the difference between a Christian funeral and a non-Christian funeral.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 says, “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.”

Most of us can attest to the fact that those who do not believe in Jesus usually have a harder time dealing with the loss of a loved one than those who do believe. Grieving is a natural process, but it is much more difficult for those who have no assurance of eternal life. When someone dies in Christ, their loved ones have the assurance that they will see them again.

 

Posted in Christian Living | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Close Bond

Posted on October 23, 2017 by jesustrek

Two ministers who were good friends had a habit of giving each other a good-natured ribbing. They were always comparing churches, trying to prove that their congregation was the best. One day, one of them said, “I have to admit that your people will get to heaven before mine will.” “Why do you say that?” the other one asked. “Because the Bible says that the dead in Christ will rise first!”

1 Thessalonians 4:16 does indeed say, “…the dead in Christ will rise first.” However, I think that, in addition to giving the order of those who will meet the Lord, there is significance in the fact that Christians who are dead are still in Christ. Not even death can sever the bond that exists between believers and their Lord! Death is no match for the power of Jesus Christ to keep us safe for all of eternity!

“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.

 

Posted in Christian Living, Church, Communion Meditations, Humor | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Devastating Fire

Posted on October 20, 2017 by jesustrek

A fire that was started on September 2 has burned 76 square miles of forest land, including scenic land along hiking trails near Portland, Oregon. The fire has removed so much vegetation that authorities expect landslides and rockslides to come with the next significant rainfall. The Historic Columbia River Highway and State Trail was damaged by the fire and remains closed.

All of this devastation was apparently caused by a 15-year-old boy who allegedly tossed fireworks along a hiking trail in Oregon’s scenic Columbia River Gorge. The boy has been charged with multiple crimes.

The Bible warns that, just as a small spark can cause great damage, so the human tongue can inflict much harm if it is used carelessly. Gossip, lies, mean comments, etc. can result in a lot of human suffering.

As the children’s song reminds us, “Be careful little tongue, what you say!”

“Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”—James 3:5-6.

 

Posted in Christian Living, Current Events | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment