Stephen De La Vega

  Look up. Into the sky. Can you see the end of the sky? We can’t see the end, can we? And we don’t have to. It’s satisfying to know there is no end. In fact, the phrase, “The sky’s the limit,” means there is no limit. No limit to the length of the sky. No limit to how successful we can be. No limit to how much money we can earn. No limit to what we can accomplish ... No limit. Aim High. Eyes on the prize. We can get there. It works the same with resolutions. Resolution #3: I Will Aim High We discussed worshiping and obeying God in Resolutions 1 and 2 . Worshiping the true God while also worshiping other “gods” is not really worshiping the true God. Obeying God sporadically or less than wholeheartedly is not really obeying God. But if we aim high, we will be more consistent in our worship and obedience. We will be less prone to compromise and, instead, position ourselves to succeed rather than fall short. What I mean by aiming high is honoring God more earnestly. I mean...

  The Scorpion Weed, also known as phacelia hastata, or Silverleaf Phacelia. I’m not a plant buff – not even in the slightest – but I’ve seen these plants in the wild. They boast pretty clusters of purple blooms 1 to 2 feet above the ground. The image above was captured a month ago, in late Fall, so the stems and blooms have died off. But the plant itself is perennial so it retains life, and it returns to vibrancy in the Spring. I spotted this Silverleaf where it can be easily trampled but it is a survivor, nonetheless. I expect it will endure the snow and flourish again after the winter. It even defends itself against human predators. Like poison oak, its hairy flowers, seed pods, and stems are equipped with rash-inducing oils. So, if we don’t respect this plant when we see it, we might respect it later if we touch it. Many of us respect life in nature, but not all of us. Many of us respect human life, but not all of us.   This post is Episode 6 of an 8-episode series about...

God’s gift of eternal life is worth celebrating. Our freedom from the leash of sin is better than any other freedom. The love and adoration we enjoy from our Heavenly Father is comforting beyond measure. Praise God for His ever-reaching mercy and grace. But the Christian life is not all fun and games. God didn’t intend for us to stop at celebration. When we start off on the road called Hope, we should quickly merge onto the road called Holiness. Do we Christians and faith communities (and even churches) cruise up and down Hope and steer away from Holiness? Do we celebrate and thank God for His forgiveness, glibly excusing our humanness as that part of life God no longer holds against us? God expects more. We’re not only saved because it’s good for us. We’re also saved to sacrifice for God. Timothy wrote that God “saved us and called us to a holy life” ( 2 Timothy 1:5-10 ). And, of course, we remember Romans 12:1: …I urge you…in view of God’s mercy, to offer you...