Happy independence day to all
This weekend we celebrate the independence of our nation. It is a time that we take time to recall the principles of freedom that led to our declaration proclaiming our desire and intent to be a sovereign nation not beholding to, or under the yoke of a European monarch.  What is sometimes forgotten is that there was a span of several years, battles, and lives sacrificed in order to make such a declaration a reality. Our countries declaration of independence was proclaimed on the 4th of July 1776. The final battle making such a declaration an accomplished fact occurred in October of 1781.  

When I think of our independence story as a nation, I can't help but draw a parallel to our Christian walk. There was a day in our lives when we declared our freedom from the yoke of slavery to sin.  Our declaration was signed by our proclamation of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and entering the waters of baptism in obedience to His instructions. However, while free from the yoke and consequence of sin, our battle with sin is a process that will require a long life struggle. The difference between our declaration as children of God and our birth as a nation is that our victory is a sure thing.

That it is a sure thing does not in anyway mean our battles with our old nature are easy. We will fight with discontent, anger, envy, lust, gossip, and resentment until we find ourselves at our Lord's feet. Even when some aspects of our old nature seem to be completely eliminated, they can attack our life if we drop our guard. If we recall, thirty three years after the British defeat at Yorktown in 1781, thus sealing our independence as a sovereign nation; British forces burned our capital in 1814 when they again invaded our shores. 

Our battles with our old nature, like the battles for our nation, are not won by an individual but by reliance on others. We not only have the enabling power of the Holy Trinity in this live long battle, we have each other. 

So as we celebrate our independence today, let us remember that like our independence from sin, it is more than "my freedom" but "our freedom" and continually work to face our battles as a body.
Happy independence day
​Vic

a blessed Friday to you all
Over the years scientists have been sending signals to outer space in an attempt to make contact with lifeforms that may exist beyond our solar system.  There have been countless  movies based on a story line that someone answered and the events that followed that answer. I think that in our current social upheaval, if there were life out there, they would come to the conclusion that there is no intelligent life on earth.

There is no question that things have gotten wonky. The current public health challenges, social unrest, protests, disregard for life and property, and politicians that behave like escapees from a mental institution, have left some of us feeling like corks caught in a rogue wave.  These situations have led to polarizing views that have caused divisions, even among God's children.

The solution is to focus on what unites us and not what we differ on.  A well known story in the Gospels is when Peter walked on water but then began to sink when his eyes turned from Jesus to the storm.  In Matthew 14:31 we read [And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt"]  The lesson being that peace in the storm is found by keeping our eyes on Christ.

Life throws all sorts of things at us. Some make us happy, while others are challenging.  What we focus on will impact how we move forward. If we focus on the negative, we can be in danger of entering into a downward spiral. If we focus on the positives, we may feel happy but such happiness is limited by time and circumstance.  Only focusing on Christ can bring constant and permanent peace and joy. 
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As we proceed to navigate the interesting times we live in. let our focus be on the permanence of Christ, His love for us, and who we are in Hiim.
Have a blessed day,
Vic

A blessed Tuesday to all,
There is a saying in Spanish that says, "En todo lado se cuecen habas". The literal translation of this saying is "Lima beans are cooked everywhere".  The translation of the meaning is that there are difficulties and unpleasantries found everywhere and in all circumstances.  A shortened version would say "things are the same all over". 

That saying came to mind when my bride asked me what the guy we hired to do some work at our home said when I spoke with him about the delay in finishing the job.  Without much thought I said "Typical maestro reasons". "Maestro" is a Spanish term for either a trade journeyman and in Chile was often used to what we would refer in the U.S. as a handyman.  I could as easily said "Typical contractor excuses".  Many of us have been frustrated by contractors that juggle several jobs and behave like ours is at the bottom of their priority list. As I pondered the rapidity with which I gave my bride an answer, I realized that my answer regarding the words of the guy we hired conveyed a perception of what was normal with guys in his line of work. 

What we consider normal often flies in direct opposition to what we are taught in the Bible. For instance, we are taught by Jesus that our yes be a yes and our no be a no. Therefore, if a contractor is a Christian, they should arrive when they say they are going to arrive. If they don't plan on arriving at that time, they should not say so. However, we have come to expect nothing different. 

Not expecting something different or adapting to what we consider normal can also cloud our perception about how we are to behave and act. For instance, it is very common for us to feel as though we should be aware of what everyone in our church body is doing and perhaps even having a say in it. There is nothing wrong with wising to be informed but it does become problematic when our desire to be informed is detrimental to our focus on what we should be doing. 

One of the greatest examples of second chances is found towards the end of the Gospel of John. Peter had denied Jesus after Jesus was arrested. He did so not once but three times. In the twenty-first chapter, Peter is now facing a resurrected Christ who asks him "Peter do you love me?" The question is asked and answered three times and the answer each time lays out a job for Peter.  After being given his assignment, we read that Peter saw John coming toward them and in 21:21-22 we read: [When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord what about this man?" Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!"]  We can understand Jesus words as "don't fret over what he is doing, focus on what the task I have given you."  Each of us need to keep what Jesus has called us to do in the forefront of our daily decisions.  Let us each day strive to be diligent in that endeavor. 
Have a blessed Tuesday,
Vic

Blessings on this Friday,
June 19th, 1865 is a day that is celebrated because it marked the end of slavery in the south.  It did not mean however, that the struggle for equality, social justice, and treatment with dignity was over. As history attests with the Freedom March from Selma to Montgomery in March of 1965 (one hundred years later!) the battle is a long one.

We too have battles that go on as long as we are this side of heaven.  Our proclamation of Jesus as Lord and Savior, attested to by our baptism, was an end to our slavery to sin, but that did not mean the battle to live a life without the effects of sin was over. As we grow in Christ, we will still battle those effects; either by the sins we commit in our moments of weakness or as a result of the sins of others. These can cause us anger at ourselves and others; depression because of the emotional toil of that sin; and can at times make us feel very alone. 

Many years ago during our time in Chile, I was having a very rough week. It led to feeling a deep sense of disappointment and self-questioning. That morning as I sat on my desk alternating between sulking and whining, I opened a letter from the U.S. It was a very short letter written by a little girl.  I said, "Hi, my name is _______. I am seven years old. I love to ride my bike and play outside. I am praying for you."  Those words caused the dark cloud over my head to evaporate and renewed my energy and sense of purpose.  It fueled me for several weeks.  I was reminded of that letter because, in all honesty, I was recently wrestling with some negative emotions when in the course of eighteen hours, I was fed words of encouragement from three different sources.  Those kind of words are like a floatation device given to us when we are drowning.  

In Hebrews 10:24-25 we are told: [And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.] There is no way that the little girl could have known how much her letter meant to me. I doubt that those who gave me words that encouraged me knew how desperately I needed them in that moment.  We can never minimize the power of an encouraging word.  I exhort all of us to go forth today, and offer a positive word to those we know.
Have a blessed Friday.
Vic ​

Blessings on this Friday
As someone whose degrees are focused on cross cultural ministry and missions, my training has caused me to continually look at the world through a cultural analysis lens. I see patterns in cultures, similarities and differences between cultures and subcultures. 
One of the similarities is idioms, one could call them local proverbs, that convey a lesson, a bit of wisdom, or a perspective on life. Sometimes, the beginning of the saying can has a story or at least is motive to explore the history of a culture. 

One saying in English speaking countries is "the devil is in the details". The saying is attributed to an architect who was expressing that the details of a plan that may appear as insignificant, could contain hidden problems.  The saying has been used as a story punchline in some comedies where the devil tricks people by leaving out minute details about an agreement that results in the person bargaining with the devil coming up with a bad deal.

When we look through the working of God through the Bible, we find that a Biblical standard is "God is in the details". God is in the details because He has things worked out in HIs plan and His plan is unstoppable. There are times when our ignorance, our disobedience, the ill behavior of others, may seem at first to be a negative but God working in the details can, when He chooses to, to make such an occasion work in a positive manner for HIs plan.

We see that when Joseph was sold by his brothers; we see it when Amorite kings made an alliance whose army were like sand on the beach; we see it when to many who witnessed it, the lifting of Jesus on a cross seemed liked a defeat.

God is in the details and thus HIs plan, His people, His church will move forward.
have a blessed day
​vic