Raising the Roof

Posted on July 7, 2017 by jesustrek

One of my favorite events in the gospels is recorded in Mark 2. There we read the account of four men who carried a paralyzed man to Jesus. They couldn’t get close to Jesus because it was so crowded at the house where Jesus was preaching. Not to be deterred, these men opened up a hole in the roof and lowered their friend on his mat to where Jesus was.

There were probably people in the crowd who wondered, “Who is going to fix the roof? Who is going to pay for that?”

However, Jesus rewarded these men for their faith. He forgave the paralyzed man of his sins and healed him.

There are many lessons to be learned from this episode, but let’s focus on this—Let’s raise the roof for Jesus! Bring a friend to Jesus! Don’t let anyone discourage you. Don’t count the cost. Don’t think that it is too much trouble. Just bring someone to Jesus. When you do, your faith will be rewarded.

 

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Bright Lights

Posted on July 6, 2017 by jesustrek

I live right across the Ohio River from the small town of Rome, Ohio. Last year on the Fourth of July my wife and I heard some noise about 10:00pm and looked outside and discovered that we could view the Rome fireworks celebration. We sat on our front porch and enjoyed the display.

I had forgotten about the Rome fireworks, but we heard them again this year, and once again we stepped outside to check out the fireworks display.

I doubt that anyone in Rome, Ohio even knows that I exist, let alone that I have benefited from their annual fireworks celebration.

This just reminds us that we never know who will see the light of the gospel as we let it shine in our lives. A Christian life can do much more than we ever imagine to spread the good news about the salvation that is offered in Jesus Christ!

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”—Matthew 5:14-16.

 

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Tall Like Us

Posted on July 5, 2017 by jesustrek

I recently attended the North American Christian Convention that was held in Kansas City. There I ran into David, an old friend of mine. David is about 6’ 5”, so he stands out in a crowd. I am just a shade under 6’, so David seemed to tower over me as we talked.

During the course of the conversation, David asked me if I knew a certain person. When I said I didn’t recognize the name, he started describing the fellow. One of the things he said is, “He’s not tall like us.”

Tall like us!? I wasn’t feeling very tall at all, but David was graciously including me among the tall people of the world. He made me feel good about myself.

Too many people are quick to drag others down. It is much more encouraging to lift them up! Let’s do all we can to make people feel like they are “tall like us”.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”—Ephesians 4:29.

 

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A Father Who Provides

Posted on June 30, 2017 by jesustrek

A father once took his whole family out to eat at a fast food restaurant. As the meal progressed, the father, who had already eaten all of his fries, reached over for one of his son’s fries. This did not please the young fellow. He put his arms out to protect his food and exclaimed, “Hands off my fries!”

The son had forgotten that it was his father who had paid for the fries. And he didn’t realize that his father had enough money to buy him all the fries he could possibly eat, and that his father was more than willing to pay for more food if his son was still hungry.

Sometimes God’s children behave the same way. When God asks for a small part of what he has blessed us with, we say, “Hands off!” We forget who gave us these blessings in the first place. We lose sight of the fact that he can open up the floodgates of heaven and pour into our lives more blessings than we could possibly imagine.

Let’s try to keep sight of the fact that we have a Father who provides.

“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”—Matthew 7:11.

 

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Keeping Things Stirred Up

Posted on June 28, 2017 by jesustrek

The last thing Jesus says to do in Matthew’s gospel is, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20).

These are our marching orders, and the very first order of business in making disciples is to baptize them. Some churches get caught up in so many other endeavors that they fail to take care of their main business. This often leads to trouble in the church.

Someone once said that if a church isn’t stirring the waters of baptism, people will stir up other things, and it usually isn’t something good!

Let’s be about our business. Let’s keep things stirred up…in a good way! Let’s be stirring the waters of baptism as we lead people to become followers of Jesus Christ.

 

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Looks Can Be Deceiving

Posted on June 26, 2017 by jesustrek

Advertisers sure do know how to make food look good to prospective customers. Pictures of luscious meals make people suddenly feel hungry, and often entice them to buy the advertised product.

However, the item purchased usually doesn’t look nearly as yummy as it did in the photo. The fries are overcooked, the pizza is discolored or the burger appears disheveled.

This is how Satan portrays sin. He makes it look tempting, but it doesn’t measure up to what is advertised. The pleasure is never worth the pain it causes.

Whatever the devil is selling, we shouldn’t be buying it!

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”—1 John 2:15-17.

 

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Pre-determined Course

Posted on June 23, 2017 by jesustrek

There are a lot more deer in the area where I live than there used to be. They are beautiful creatures, and fascinating to watch, but they sure can do some damage to your car when they run out in front of you as you are driving along the highway. My wife and I have each hit two deer with our vehicles in the past 6 years or so.

The thing that I notice about deer running across a highway is that it seems that quite often they have made a final decision about their direction. They have chosen a path and they will not deviate from that path for any reason whatsoever. Even if their pre-determined course leads them to their doom, they will stay the course.

Some people are like that. They choose to ignore God and head down a path of destruction. Friends and family members may plead with them to reconsider their ways, but they will not do so. They have already made up their mind, and they continue down the path of destruction.

That doesn’t mean we should stop trying to save them. After all, occasionally a deer will actually turn around and run to safety. Sometimes people will do that too.

“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”—Proverbs 14:12.

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Sacrificial Bam

Posted on June 22, 2017 by jesustrek

Bam Adebayo

Bam Adebayo played close to the basket the one year he spent with the University of Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team. He did not attempt a single shot from 3-point range.

However, in his workouts leading up to tonight’s NBA draft, Bam is shocking people with his ability to shoot the ball from long range. In a drill for the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, he made 13 of 25 3-pointers!

This shows Adebayo’s willingness to sacrifice for the team. Even though he had the ability to shoot from outside, he obeyed the coaches and stayed near the basket, a strategy that the coaching staff believed gave the team the best chance to win. What a team player!

Are you a good team player in your church? What sacrifices are you willing to make for the benefit of the church?

“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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Lost

Posted on June 21, 2017 by jesustrek

Sometimes when people have a pet that gets lost, they put up posters in the neighborhood. These posters contain a picture of the pet and other relevant information, including a number to call in case you find the missing kitty or doggie.

Parents will do the same thing when a child goes missing. Desperate to be reunited with their loved one, they will go to great lengths to see that their son or daughter makes it home safely.

If only we were that diligent with people who are lost spiritually.

“Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.”—Jude 22-23.

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Berry Blessed

Posted on June 15, 2017 by jesustrek

I love berries. I have some type of berries with my cereal almost every day. It doesn’t matter what kind. I just love berries.

You can imagine how pleased I was to discover berries on our property when we moved into our new house last year. First I noticed the black raspberries. Then a few weeks later, the red raspberries began to ripen. After that, the blackberry season started. I picked a lot of berries last year, and still have quite a few in the freezer.

This year, the black raspberries are much more plentiful than last year. I have already picked an abundance of the flavorful fruit. The red raspberry crop that will soon follow appears to be a bumper crop as well.

I recently noticed that we also have mulberries on our property. So, within a short walk from my back door, we have four different types of tasty berries. It’s a good place for a berry lover to live.

In Jesus, our blessings are abundant, and they are available every day!

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”—Psalm 34:8.

 

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