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By Stephen De La Vega

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Goliath!

By Stephen De La Vega

We are fearful. Our hearts are heavy. We face real issues. There are legitimate threats – perhaps monumental threats. This is the current reality worldwide. The threat is pandemic. The fear is pandemic. We tremble at the face of genuine risk. How do we go on? Goliath was an obviously formidable opponent. One look. One listen. That’s all it took to accept defeat. That’s how it was for Israel’s army because they couldn’t see past the giant to see their God ( 1 Samuel17:4-11 ). We stand before Goliath Do we shrink in defeat or do we rise with confidence in the LORD of hosts? David called God the “LORD of hosts” ( 1 Samuel17:45 ). This is like calling Him the God of armies. Israel was often defeated and they were ready for a victory. They were held captive as slave laborers for over 400 years. They wandered their way to the promised land for 40 years – 40 years longer than it should’ve taken! They survived at least two multiple year fam

Yielding to the Holy Spirit to Accomplish Great Things
(Gaining a Boldness Like Peter's, Part 3 of 3)

By Stephen De La Vega

Why are we still here on earth? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a grand get-together in Heaven with our God? Yes, but wouldn’t it be better if it were grander, with more of our friends and family present, and others we may meet? Well, that’s why we haven’t had our grand gathering yet. God wants more people to enjoy it with Him ( 2 Peter 3:9 and 15 ). This really speaks to our purpose on earth: As a unified body, preach and teach the gospel, and help people follow Jesus well, so they in turn will do the same ( Matthew 28:19-20 , Acts 1:8 ). The Disciples wanted to head straight to the grand get-together, too. They’d been waiting for God’s kingdom for far too long. They were ready for the resurrected Jesus to begin His great reign and free them from their uncomfortable lives after generations of war and oppression. “Yes, Jesus. Let it be now,” they yearned. But it wasn’t now. This is what Jesus told them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own

A Gift for Jesus (A Short Poem)

By Stephen De La Vega

Hi friends. Enjoy this short poem. Jesus deserves the best gifts. Share your thoughts in the comments below. A Gift for Jesus What gift will we bring For Jesus the King? What gift will we lay ‘neath the tree? Our gifts are in spots A few, maybe lots But none are for Christ, can we see? We care for those near For those we hold dear But He is most dear, let’s agree He’s done much for us Gave life, love, and thus We’re dear to Him, though without plea We owe Him our all Oh, hear the King’s call Ourselves in return, let it be So, what will we give? How then will we live? What gift will we lay ‘neath the tree? Find all of my Christmas posts here . If you want to know more about Jesus and His gift that He offers freely to all, please email me at authordlv@att.net. Read more blog posts here .

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Goliath!

By Stephen De La Vega

We are fearful. Our hearts are heavy. We face real issues. There are legitimate threats – perhaps monumental threats. This is the current reality worldwide. The threat is pandemic. The fear is pandemic. We tremble at the face of genuine risk. How do we go on? Goliath was an obviously formidable opponent. One look. One listen. That’s all it took to accept defeat. That’s how it was for Israel’s army because they couldn’t see past the giant to see their God ( 1 Samuel17:4-11 ). We stand before Goliath Do we shrink in defeat or do we rise with confidence in the LORD of hosts? David called God the “LORD of hosts” ( 1 Samuel17:45 ). This is like calling Him the God of armies. Israel was often defeated and they were ready for a victory. They were held captive as slave laborers for over 400 years. They wandered their way to the promised land for 40 years – 40 years longer than it should’ve taken! They survived at least two multiple year fam

Yielding to the Holy Spirit to Accomplish Great Things
(Gaining a Boldness Like Peter's, Part 3 of 3)

By Stephen De La Vega

Why are we still here on earth? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a grand get-together in Heaven with our God? Yes, but wouldn’t it be better if it were grander, with more of our friends and family present, and others we may meet? Well, that’s why we haven’t had our grand gathering yet. God wants more people to enjoy it with Him ( 2 Peter 3:9 and 15 ). This really speaks to our purpose on earth: As a unified body, preach and teach the gospel, and help people follow Jesus well, so they in turn will do the same ( Matthew 28:19-20 , Acts 1:8 ). The Disciples wanted to head straight to the grand get-together, too. They’d been waiting for God’s kingdom for far too long. They were ready for the resurrected Jesus to begin His great reign and free them from their uncomfortable lives after generations of war and oppression. “Yes, Jesus. Let it be now,” they yearned. But it wasn’t now. This is what Jesus told them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own

A Gift for Jesus (A Short Poem)

By Stephen De La Vega

Hi friends. Enjoy this short poem. Jesus deserves the best gifts. Share your thoughts in the comments below. A Gift for Jesus What gift will we bring For Jesus the King? What gift will we lay ‘neath the tree? Our gifts are in spots A few, maybe lots But none are for Christ, can we see? We care for those near For those we hold dear But He is most dear, let’s agree He’s done much for us Gave life, love, and thus We’re dear to Him, though without plea We owe Him our all Oh, hear the King’s call Ourselves in return, let it be So, what will we give? How then will we live? What gift will we lay ‘neath the tree? Find all of my Christmas posts here . If you want to know more about Jesus and His gift that He offers freely to all, please email me at authordlv@att.net. Read more blog posts here .

I Had COVID-19

By Stephen De La Vega

COVID-19 hit us like a giant brick. Its presence changed the world. It disrupted our lives. Many of us were hit hard. How can our everyday normal be so overturned by something we can’t even see!? It’s my pleasure to introduce Alynda Long. She is an Energizer bunny …and a writer, blogger, editor, wife, homeschool mother, grandmother, graduate student, and, most importantly, Christ-follower. She endured a month-long battle against COVID-19, and she had never experienced a viral infection like this one. COVID-19 is a beast! But Alynda ‘kept on going’ as well as she could and she maintained a productive faith in God who is greater than this virus and in full control. I was encouraged by her story of victory as she suffered through the invasion of COVID-19 in her body and her household. It’s God’s story of victory, really, through Alynda’s faith, and I want to share it with you. Here is an interview with Alynda about her experience. Hi Alynda. Thank you for agreeing to take th

The Narrow Gate Is Worth the Cost of Admission

By Stephen De La Vega

I took a few major road trips with family this year which included visits to 21 different National Parks in 8 different states. That’s a lot of nature and far too many miles. We spotted a variety of wildlife: grizzly and black bears, moose, elk, a fox, bison, bighorn sheep, pronghorns, deer, prairie dogs, jack rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels, and scores of flying animals, including, an owl, turkey vultures, quail, and even a bat. We had our share of adventures, too! We hung from cables to hike a rock slab mountain. We navigated snow cover in search of marked trails. And, possibly the most rewarding, we began a hike in the rain to see one of the most photographed natural arches in the world. And, on a typical day, there are tens and sometimes hundreds of people surrounding the arch, but we managed to get sun-shiny pictures without anyone else in the frame! But that hike to the arch was not for the faint of heart, and some of the other trails and trail heads were anyth

Trust Jesus. It’s Time.
(Post 5 of 5)

By Stephen De La Vega

When I was 8 years old, I knew enough to know that someday I would “get saved.” At the time, I didn’t know how to get saved, but I knew it involved Jesus and sacrifice. Sacrifice of time, at least. But getting saved was for later, because it was summer time and I had better things to do. 3 rd grade was coming fast. Of course, 3 rd grade came and left. Then 4 th grade. Then 5 th . And, before I knew it, I found myself in high school with no intention to learn about Jesus. It wasn’t a priority and it would’ve never happened if God hadn't worked out the situations in my life so that I landed square in the face of the gospel and the decision to “get saved.” This post offers a deeper look at Life Pursuit 4 in The Most Important Life Pursuits . Life Pursuit 4 is: Don’t delay to trust Jesus as Savior . We’ve detailed the other 3 life pursuits already. This is the final post in this series, and I write it to those who don’t yet know Jesus, and to those who do, because we Chri

Do We Value Others?
(Post 2 of 5)

By Stephen De La Vega

Violence Rage Manslaughter Murder Trafficking Slavery Exploitation Oppression Injustice Defrauding Harassment Abuse Threats Bullying Intimidation Slander These are everyday terms! We know what they mean: sometimes too well. We can probably add to the list. I wish we couldn’t. God doesn’t like it and it hurts us individually and as a society. It hurts us at many levels, including spiritual. This post offers a deeper look at Life Pursuit 1 in The Most Important Life Pursuits . Life Pursuit 1 is: Recognize that everyone is valuable . One year after COVID-19 directed us to look at others with compassion, do we value people any more than we did before? Judging by what’s going on in the world, maybe not. Do we need to be told that everyone

John Chapter 2 and 3, A Rhyming Paraphrase

By Stephen De La Vega

I enjoyed how my rhyming paraphrase of John 1 told the story of Jesus in vibrant yet plain language, so I had to continue rhyming John 2 and 3. If you didn't read John 1, start there . Then come back to read Chapters 2 and 3. I wrote all three chapters in a fun meter so it might help engage the kids in your life (including the big ones). In the second and third chapters of John, Jesus began performing miracles, explaining He is the Savior, and foretelling His resurrection. Through Him we may have eternal life. John the Baptist announced Jesus' coming in Chapter 1, and in Chapter 3 he announced His salvation. On to the rhymes and the truth about eternal life... The Gospel of John Chapter 2 - He Who's the Son A wedding occurred a couple days later. Guests one and guests all, with joy the host catered. Among those who came Was Jesus acclaimed, And men of His crew. His mother came, too. And wouldn't you know, they drank all of the wine. But watc

Nursing Hope that’s Hidden in Self-Preservation
(Gaining a Boldness Like Peter’s, Part 1 of 3)

By Stephen De La Vega

I’ve been a Christian for over 40 years. I’ve attended church very regularly for each of those years. I was much more than a Sunday Christian - very involved in ministry. But I was also a closet Christian. I didn’t always speak up for Jesus. I still don’t. Too often I shrink in silence. When the guys in the locker room carry on about girls, I do my own thing. When they exclaim, “Jesus Christ!,” I keep quiet. Sure, they know I’m a Christian. They even know I published some Bible studies, but when they occasionally comment about going to church or recite a Bible phrase, I clam up. Why? Am I ashamed of Jesus? The short answer: Yes, I am ashamed of Jesus. I’m a member of Christians Anonymous . Sometimes I prefer to sit on the sidelines and just watch instead of following through with the Great Commission that Jesus expects of us: Do what we can to help people everywhere follow Jesus, who in turn will do the same ( Matthew 28:19-20 , Acts 1:8 ). Who are we when we’

We Thrive with Jesus

By Stephen De La Vega

Aspen trees are possibly my favorite trees because of their picturesque trunks and delicate leaves. In most of Northern America we call them quaking aspen (or trembling aspen) because the leaves quake or tremble, even at the slightest breeze. Did you know that an aspen grove grows from a single tree? Aspens occasionally start as seedlings, but young aspens more typically grow from underground roots, and, as the roots travel underground, more and more sprouts shoot up. (See clonal colonization .) So, the snow-nestled trees in the pictures in this post are one single organism. You might call them one single tree. The larger tree you see in the foreground is the mother tree. All the other trees in the grove (or clone) sprouted from the roots of the mother tree. So, the entire grove grew and thrived as it remained connected to the root system of a single, life-giving tree. Jesus said… I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you wi

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Goliath!

Yielding to the Holy Spirit to Accomplish Great Things
(Gaining a Boldness Like Peter's, Part 3 of 3)

A Gift for Jesus (A Short Poem)