Stephen De La Vega

  “ Naysayer: one who denies, refuses, opposes, or is skeptical or cynical about something” ( Merriam-Webster ). We’ve all experienced naysayers to some degree. Sometimes they band together – maybe even carry signs! We can walk the other way most of the time, but when they target us, it might be difficult to rise above their offensive attacks. Job was a godly man who had it all, then suddenly lost it all. And, to add insult to injury, his friends caused him much heartache and torment...continually. Maybe we won’t have as many catastrophic afflictions as Job, but we certainly will experience people like Job’s friends. Let’s call them naysayers. Even those who mean well can be naysayers. They are simply a part of life. Let’s venture further into Resolution #9: I will rise above the naysayers . After Job’s extreme loss, three of his friends sat with him. They were sure God had punished him for disobedience, and they laid into him. Insult after insult – all based on a presumption ...

In February we celebrated Valentine’s Day in nearly every country of the world. It’s the month of love and romance. Relationships are on the mind and heart. In this post I share 3 characteristics of friendship between two people who shared something deeper than a romantic love. They shared an inspiring friendship that possibly rivals the best of relationships. Join me in the retelling of a story of brotherly love set in the drama of triumph, fear, dysfunction, jealousy, murderous rants and scheming, loyalty, and courageous faith in a God who wins battles for His favored nation and for His own namesake. Resolution #5: I Will Nurture Quality Friendships A king’s son and his father’s future successor were the best of friends. Their friendship was probably as good as it gets. It was a deep, brotherly love built on common ground, mutual trust, and enduring commitment. This is how King Saul’s son Jonathan characterized his friendship with David, who was the future king of Israel: Jon...

  How are we doing with our first resolution:  I will worship God alone ? That resolution was from  Exodus 20:24 . In  Exodus 20 , the Israelites promised to worship only God. They did that for a while until their faith leader Moses was gone too long. Then they crafted and worshiped a golden calf instead. A statue. They were too comfortable worshiping in the manner of their captors, the Egyptians, from whom God rescued them. After they misplaced their allegiance onto the statue, they quickly slipped into feasting and carousing – carousing in ways that dishonored the true God. This felt more familiar to them. Worshiping the true God was a promise that quickly faded from their hearts. They had resolved to worship God and only God, but the reality of His presence was not a present reality in their hearts.     Yet God was present.   ****  Click to tweet  ****   Is the reality of   God's presence   a present reality   in our he...