FEAR THIS…

As Christians, we have chosen to follow the unusual rather than the accepted path of the world.  Jesus said…

“13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-4 NIV

The truth is that following God is unusual; it’s not the norm.  In the verse you just read Jesus said that living for God is the way of the few.  It is not the norm.  Most people do not follow the Bible or respect God, or fear God.  I want to share with you two conflicting truths:

The first truth is that it’s impossible for the world (for people) to survive & thrive without God. 

The second truth is that it is normal for people to try and live without God and the Bible.  Which means most people will not survive their sin, nor will they enjoy the blessings of that eternal love relationship that we can have with Him.

I’m not saying this because I want to be part of some exclusive group or church.  I’m just stating a sad reality; it’s just not the norm for people to live for God.  And here is why I think that is the case… Most people do not fear God. 

What I mean by “fear” is that they do not respect God; they do not appreciate that God loves them and wants to save them.  Without God, we are in trouble.  God is our only hope!  I heard a story about a first grader who stood up in front of his class to give his very first speech, “What I Want To Be When I Grow Up.” He said, “I’m going to be a lion tamer and have lots of fierce lions. I’ll walk into the cage and they will roar.” He paused for a moment, thinking through what he just said, then added, “But of course I’ll have my Mommy with me.”  Children are brave when their parents are around, but when a child feels lost or alone, they get scared.  Why?  Because they believe that the only hope they have, the only place that is safe is with mom and dad.  They have godly fear of their parents.  The fear I’m talking about is about having an appreciation of that special relationship that a child has with his or her parents.  That fear drives them to stay near to parents, to want to please their parents, and to obey their parents.  If we can learn to fear God the way a child fears their parents, it means we have found that small gate, that narrow road, that path too few people choose to follow.  If we fear God, we will joyfully follow that wonderful and unusual journey that leads to life. 

- Vic

Mayan Ruins of Chacchoben

We recently went on a Disney cruise.  One of the places we went was to the Mayan Ruins of Chacchoben not far from Costa Maya, Mexico.    This ancient Mayan city was huge, and we had so much fun walking around it.  That is why my children are smiling in the picture.  But as I was walking around the ruins of this ancient city, I tried to imagine how one of the ancient Mayans would have felt seeing their city now in ruins.  Imagine

if one of the ancient Mayans who had built that city had been transported by a time machine into the future; what would that be like for them?   I believe that if they saw the remains of this once great city, they would cry because all they would see would be the broken building, temples, and pyramids.  Their once great city is now just ruins.  Imagine coming home from a trip to find your house broken and in ruins.  It would be a test of faith.  Isaiah prophesied about moments like that, in which God’s people were too busy focusing on the ruins of their city to even notice the wonderful things God was doing for them.  In Isaiah 52:9 the people were not only described as living in the ruins but they themselves were actually called ruins.

 

“8 Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy.
       When the LORD returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes.

 9 Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.

 10 The LORD will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.”  Isaiah 52:8-10 NIV

 

Even though the people are called ruins in Isaiah 52:9, they are called not to weep but to rejoice on the rebuilding power of God.  The prophecy of Isaiah 52 is not one of destruction but one of redemption and comfort.  God can take that which has been broken and rebuild it into something greater.  That is what God does for us through Jesus.  Through Him, we are no longer broken ruins.  We are rebuilt into the image of Christ with the full power of God working for our good.  So don’t dwell on the brokenness (the ruins) of your past.  That will only bring sorrow and hopelessness.  Instead focus your attention on the one who builds you up who with His mighty power transforms us into people who overcome our past and praise Him always for the victory found in Christ Jesus.  -Vic

He is Alive!

My father in-law was in the Navy for more than 20 years.  He served his country proudly.  I have heard many “back in the day” Navy stories from him over the years, and I enjoyed hearing them all.  We were at his place celebrating Memorial Day enjoying delicious BBQ ribs when he got a text on his phone.  The text was from a friend saying, “Thank you for your service.  Happy Memorial Day.” My father in-law got several other texts just like that one.  He laughed and said, “You know, I get these texts and calls every Memorial Day and yet I get nothing on Veteran’s Day”.  Memorial Day is a day we remember those who served and died for our country.  Veteran’s Day is a day we remember those (many of whom are still living) who served our country in the armed forces.  His thought was, “I’m still here.  I’m not dead.  I’m still here with you.  Why do you associate me with a holiday for those who have died and not think of me on a holiday for those who are alive?”  He brings up a good point.  We sometimes get things mixed up, especially the purpose of things. 

 Sometimes we think of Christ as one who has died.  Not just died, but who is still dead.  We do not serve a dead savior; we serve a risen savior.  He is alive!  That changes the context of things doesn’t it?  If Jesus Christ is alive, we should think of Him as alive.  Our faith should come alive; our boldness in Him should come alive.  So let's go and live our faith!  

- Vic

Let’s Agree to Agree

“1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends! 2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.” Philippians 4:1-3_NIV

In Philippians 4 the Apostle Paul is about to confront two women who are fighting. We don’t know anything about Eudia or Syntyche or the cause of their feud. They may have been prominent women in the church. To the Apostle Paul who they were and what they were feuding over didn’t matter. Instead, he pleads with each woman to stop fighting and reconcile. What’s interesting is that Paul confronts these two women in a letter that is to be read to the whole church. Apparently, their fighting and division had become a serious matter that affected the entire church. Paul does not tell us what the problem is, because what’s important is the solution. When we read Philippians 4:1, we get the idea that not only will we face conflict, but that we will not always agree with each other. Surprised? Not really. We all know that we will not always agree on everything; we will have disagreements. The real surprise in this verse is that Paul says the solution is very simple. We don’t have to agree on everything, but we do need to agree on Jesus. Paul is saying that whatever happens does not matter. He is also saying the conflict itself does not matter. However what does matter is that we are both connected to Jesus. Apparently, Paul believed that conflicts and divisions, no matter what they were, could be resolved if both parties could connect with the truth and grace of Jesus Christ. The kicker is that Paul is not telling these women to agree on everything or for there to be a winner and a loser in the dispute. He just says agree on Jesus, focus on Him, and continue to focus on kingdom work. That if they (and we) would do such things that we would stop fighting and start uniting. To God be the glory. -Vic

change in your circumstances

The following is from the March 23, 1992 issue of Newsweek in their “Perspectives” section, page 21. Someone in the Department of Social Services in Greenville County, South Carolina mindlessly adapted a form letter and sent the following communication to a dead person:

 

“Your food stamps will be stopped effective March 1992, because we have received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances.” 

 

That article is both funny and sad. I like the part from the form letter that said they could reapply if they have a change of circumstances. What would be a dead person’s change of circumstance? Until Christ comes, there is no change. And if there was, they would still never need food stamps again. This poorly thought out letter gives me a hopeful thought; that through Jesus we can have a change of circumstances. That’s a good thing.  If you haven’t noticed, this world is filled with sorrow, pain, and death. Without Jesus those circumstances are the only ones we have to look forward to. But with Jesus, we can look forward to a wonderful change of circumstance; one that does not include pain, sorrow, death, or even food stamps.

The END…

“31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 32 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.” Mark 13:31-33 NIV

Have you seen any meteors or asteroids lately? They happen. An asteroid got uncomfortably close to the earth this past weekend as well as a meteor shower on Friday. Some of us say, "Cool."That would be those of us who did not have meteors crash nearby. Others of us get a little uncomfortable, because we don’t like the idea of giants rocks crashing down on our heads. Then there are others, people who hear about these things and think of it as a sign of the end of the world.

One day the world will end, and one day your world will end (your life will end). Maybe both events will be at the same time; who knows? Either way, isn’t it a waste of time to speculate when the end will be when we already know that the end will happen? It’s like speculating who will win a football game. We can speculate all day long, but until the game is played you will not know who will win the game until it happens. Rather than exhaust ourselves in speculation over the world’s end, let’s use our time and energy to make the most of it all. As God’s people our focus is not to be on the end of life, our focus should be on having a life that connects with our Lord each day. Jesus said “Be on guard” not to cause us to speculate over the end, but to encourage us to use our time wisely, to find joy in the Lord, and to be a help to others. So if you see a meteor headed your way, it wouldn’t hurt to duck (take cover); and while you are down there, use that time to pray. To connect with the Lord who will one day return. - Vic

courage

Take notice of the following names: Moses, Joshua, Rahab, David, Solomon, Esther, Hezekiah, Peter, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew the tax collector, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, Timothy, and Paul.  These names are just a few of the many heroes of faith we find throughout the Bible.  Could you imagine having to remind Joshua the great warrior and leader he needed to stay focused and be courageous?  Who has more courage than Joshua?  Consider the apostle Paul.  He was a man who was willing to preach the truth to those who had the power and the desire to kill him.  Who has more courage than Paul?

We look back at these amazing men and women of faith and courage, who were willing to stand up for the will of God no matter the odds.  We forget that they too were afraid.  They too needed to be reminded often to be courageous and strong in the Lord.  Paul requested prayers from the church that they would pray he would remain courageous and faithful to God’s will.  Do we do the same?  Do we pray for courage?  Do we pray that we too would have the courage to say no to our desires and temptations?  Do we have the courage to stand up for what is right and pure?  Do we have the courage to serve in the kingdom and to share the story of Jesus with those who are lost?  When we look at the great stories of courage from the Bible, we discover true courage is not from within us but from God.  So how do we find courage?  How do we obtain it?  Do we pray for it like Paul did?  We ask others to hold us accountable, and that they would pray we would be strong and courageous in the Lord.  Finally, don’t forget to read your Bible to be reminded of how God gives His people sufficient courage to do His will each day.  Remember He is faithful.  It is His strength we lean on.  It is His power that brings victory; therefore our courage in Him will lead us into victory each and everyday. - Vic

Why Do You Yell At The TV?

“24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”  1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NIV

Do you yell at your television?  I do.  It’s not the TV’s fault, in fact it isn’t even the TV that I am yelling at.  I’m yelling at my team, the Houston Texans.  Why did the quarterback throw that horrible pass that resulted in a pick six?  Why did the defense line up in the neutral zone on third and one?  Why?  Why?!   Okay, I need to calm down, catch my breath and then ask myself; “why am I so upset?  It is kind of funny that we can see the failure of others along with the areas where they could improve, and yet fail to see our own faults and shortcomings.  Imagine if we could take the passion of a fan for his favorite team and had that same passion for personal spiritual growth?  When Paul gives us the illustration of the athlete in 1^st Corinthians 9, he helps us notice that it is important that the athlete train with purpose, to prepare himself to compete and win.  The commitment and passion an athlete must have to be successful is hard imagine and yet we see the results of their commitment at events like the Olympics or the Super Bowl. 

Let’s use the passion that we exhibit while watching our favorite team play for something greater than yelling at the TV, let’s use that passion to commit ourselves daily to train for the prize.  To read our Bible, to think ways we can apply it’s message in our daily routine, to pray often through out each day, and to commit to loving the people around us the way God loves them.  If we commit to that kind of training, there is no doubt we will receive the prize that lasts forever!

- Vic

It’s Your Serve!

When God created the universe, He just spoke and things appeared, but when God created man He got down into the dirt and got His hands dirty. Nothing else in all of creation called for that degree of focus, that depth of involvement by God.  Man was the only creature created in the image of God.  When we see someone get their hands dirty in a project, it means they are involved, they are invested.  From the beginning, God has been invested in the lives of men and women.  Many nonbelievers think we are just evolved dirt.  If that is the case then we have no purpose; we have no real value.   The problem is, many people (even people who believe in God); treat themselves like dirt.  If we do not see value in ourselves we will never reach our purpose or understand what we are supposed to be.  A lack of value for self keeps us from using our talents, from being fruitful, and from serving in kingdom work.  We are made in the image of God; we are made to be like Him, creative beings that work for the good of others.  Isaiah said it best…

“5 This is what God the Lord says—the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: 6 “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand.  I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, 7 to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.” Isaiah 42:5-7 NIV

Isaiah says here that we were created with purpose, not to waste our time, resources or talents.  We are to use our talents to live righteous lives that work in the kingdom.  Don’t waste your talents and don’t bury them.  It’s time to put our talents to work!  IT is time we follow the example God and get our hands dirty, that we get involved and serve!

Serving the Master

In Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus compares God to a master who gives his servants money to invest.  One servant received five talents, another received two talents, and then another received just one. The servants who received the five and two talents went “at once” and put the master’s talents to work.  Both of them doubled their investment.  They had a healthy and strong relationship with their master, so much so that they knew that their master rewarded bold action and loyalty.  They knew their master’s expectations and His spirit of grace, therefore there was no fear of failure.  However the servant who received one talent had a distorted view of his master; he saw his master as hard and vengeful.  With that distorted view he did nothing but bury his talent.  The master was indeed pleased with the bold behavior of his first two servants, but when it came to his servant who did nothing but hide his talent, he was angry.  It was not so much about the lack of results, the master was angry at the lack of effort and loyalty to his wishes. 

How do you view God?   Our view of God guides our behavior.  Do we see Him as an angry God that waits for us to fail, or do we see Him as a supportive God that rewards faithful obedience? 

When it comes to serving God, which servant are you more like?  Are you using your resources to serve Him and His church, or are you burying your resources in mundane activity?  God wants us to take our resources and serve in His kingdom, but he also wants us to know Him as a loving master who rewards our faithful desire to connect to Him.  So if you are ready to put your talents to work, start by using every resource you have to connect with Him.

one GOD to worship

Imagine being oppressed each day by your slave drivers.  Imagine what it would be like to fear for your children and spouse’s safety as they would go out to build a new temple or pyramid.  The abuse the Hebrew people had to endure at the hand of the Egyptians is almost unimaginable.  With that said, if you were a Hebrew all you have ever known is Egyptian culture and religion.  Of course you have heard the stories of Abraham and the promise his God made to him, some even keep the faith, but most don’t.  Maybe you feel guilty or maybe you don’t give it a second thought, but you have very little connection to the God of your people.  Imagine what it would have been like when Moses arrived with the announcement that God was about to free them from their oppression.  Follow that with ten amazing plagues that destroyed your Egyptian oppressors economically, culturally, and spiritually.  The Egyptians served many gods and each plague was a direct attack on those gods.  The Nile was worshipped as a god, so God turned it into blood.  The sun was worshipped, so the God darkened it.  Scholars believed that Egypt even worshipped the first born; so God destroyed them. 
Imagine witnessing the destruction of Egypt’s gods followed by God’s miracles of provision in the desert.  So would it have been so difficult to understand that God’s first command to His people was simply “You shall have no other gods before me”. Until Moses showed up, I think that the idea of having only one God was a new concept to the Hebrew people.  But ever since that command God has expected His people to throw away the gods of their past so that they would Love Him with all of their heart, soul, and mind.  What gods are getting in the way of your faith?  What gods do you need to throw away so that you can serve the only one true God?   Vic

The Battle Vs. Sin

The battle for Jericho was a sure thing, God delivered the city into Israel’s hands. It was simple, God spoke, the people listened and served, and the victory was secured. After the battle was won, the Israelites were to gather the treasures of Jericho and bring them before the Lord as an offering. As we know, that didn’t happen completely. An Israelite named Achan and his family decided to keep some of the plunder for themselves, in Joshua 7, Achan said “it was too much to resist”. So he took some of the treasure, and in effect stole from God. The battle for Jericho was a military victory, but was it a spiritual victory? The lost battle against sin. In Ephesians 6 Paul said our battle is not with flesh and blood, but against the dark forces of this world that tempt us to disobey God. Sometimes the activities of serving God can be the easy battle to win, the bigger battle is with the secret sin that so easily entangles us. Whatever battle you are going through, remember that our greatest battle occurs in our hearts each day. So when your heart tempted, that is when more than ever you need lean upon, for with Him the battle will be won! Vic

Find God First!

One of the ugliest events in Biblical history was followed by one of the most beautiful acts of humility. The ugly event I am referring to happened when Moses had been gone from people on Mount Sinai. The people grew impatient and demanded that Aaron make a golden calf for them to worship. The people gave up on the God who saved them from the Egyptians. The events recorded in Exodus 32 are the epitome of adultery and sinfulness. Moses pleaded God, so He did not destroy Israel, but He was still angry because of their rebellion. What happened? They tried to go to the Promised Land without God. It was a costly mistake that had severe consequences. So in Exodus 33 God told Moses, “take the people to Canaan, and I will send an angel to lead them to victory.” Then God said “but I’m not going with you, I don’t want to be with them anymore.” The people along with Moses were heartbroken and overwhelmed with the idea that God wasn’t going to be with them anymore. Moses pleaded with God saying, “we need you, without you we are no different than the rest of world; the best thing we have going is you.” Of course I paraphrased some of that, but you get the idea; without God they were lost. Being with God was the goal, that was their purpose and it did not matter how much land or blessing they had. The promise land was always secondary to that which was primary, being with God is our designed purpose; without Him nothing else matters.


Are we guilty of doing the same thing today? Are we trying to get to the Promised Land without God? We all want to go to heaven, but do we all want to be with God? What makes life, church, and heaven so special is our eternal, powerful, and loving God. Without Him what’s the point? It is God who created us, who loved us, died for us, and forgave us. What makes us special is our relationship with God, because when we are with Him we become more like Him; we too begin to love, sacrifice and forgive. Don’t try to get to Heaven without God, first of all it’s not possible, secondly it’s a destructive way to live. So if you want to get to Heaven, find God first!

Giants Vs. Partiots

Today is the Big Game, two sides trying to occupy the one title of champion.  Who do you think will win, will it be the Patriots or the Giants?  Who knows?  Being a Texans fan I might just say “who cares?”  I only say that because I wish my team had made it this far.  So who will win?  Patriots or Giants?  Maybe we can look to the Bible for the answer?  You might not know this but in the Old Testament there is an epic story of a battle between patriots and giants that was filled with drama and uncertainty, in this story it was the patriots that were outmatched and it was the giants who were overconfident.  And if it hadn’t have been for a last second throw by a rookie, the Giants would have prevailed.  You know the story I’m talking about right?  In 1 Samuel the Israelites were fulfilling their patriotic duty and fighting for their country against the Philistines who were led by their champion, a giant named Goliath.  Israel seemed outmatched in every way possible, the Philistines were technologically more advanced, better funded, and confident; they were also led by a real life giant?  For some reason Israel was weary and afraid, their heart just wasn’t in the upcoming battle; patriotism was just not enough.  Things got worse, the giant demanded a challenger who would settle the battle once and for all between the two sides.  No one from Israel stepped up.  It looked like the Giants were going to win that day, when all of a sudden a young shepherd boy reminded the king of Israel of the real reason why they were fighting the Philistines.  They were not there to just honor their country, they were there to honor their God.  The shepherd boy named David went up to face the giant armed with only a sling shot and five stones.  When David slung the rock, the giant had no chance against it, because on that day it wasn’t a rock, a sword, or an army of patriots that won the battle, it was the power of God working in the life of a young  man who chose to honor His God above all else.  So, in the bible the Patriots beat the Giants.  Whatever giant struggle you are facing, don’t give up, and just remember that the greatest strength comes when we choose to honor our God above all else.