Stephen De La Vega

Last year I started this Journey to Resolve series and began working through every 20:24 verse in the Bible. I knew I wouldn’t finish all 15 posts in 2024, but it’s okay. The 20:25 verses carry the same message because we are digging into the context, the stories, the lessons – and they are great lessons for everyone young and old. Maybe older folks like me will find these resolutions a bit more difficult to put into practice because it truly is hard to teach “old dogs new tricks.” However, it is the same Holy Spirit who indwells each of us, so all of us are capable of following God’s lead and resolving to serve Him better, that is, if we rely on His strength. So, let’s do this. Let’s dig in. One resolution per month, and please pray that I can keep up with posting something meaty to chew on every month of 2025.   (If you want to catch up on the first 3 posts in this series, start here .)   Resolution #4: I Will Trust in God’s Strength Just like in Resolution 3 ( I...

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...

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 ...