Posts by Carlos Valenzuela
SOUND WORDS, APRIL 13, 2025
HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT! Life is full of trials, and suffering is an unavoidable part of the human experience. Whether physical afflictions, emotional burdens, or spiritual struggles, everyone faces hardships that test our faith and endurance. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV), the Lord told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” This powerful truth reassures us that no matter the nature of our suffering, God’s grace is always enough to sustain us. Suffering manifests in…
SOUND WORDS, APRIL 6, 2025
SHOULD GOD EXPECT LESS? We as a nation have certain expectations of our government. We pay taxes with the expectation that the government will use those funds honestly. We expect our leaders to protect the civilian population from military oppressors and to render assistance to our friends. We respect and comply with civil law, and expect our government to punish those who do not. We require fairness in government, and we want our judges to render consistent verdicts. We…
SOUND WORDS, MARCH 30, 2025
DEFINING THE CONCEPT OF WORSHIP Worship is defined as “the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration; devotion” (Oxford English Dictionary). One of the Greek words translated “worship” in the New Testament suggests the idea of “prostrating oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore)” (Strongs 1,190). Another Greek word for worship means “to revere, i.e., adore” (Ibid.). Scholars render the Hebrew and Greek words for “worship” variously as “to bow down, do obeisance,” “to be reverential, pious,” and “to kiss…
SOUND WORDS, MARCH 23, 2025
DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2). Is it just me or does it seem like, in many ways,…
SOUND WORDS, MARCH 16, 2025
SERVANT OF ALL Recently I was considering the Lord’s teaching regarding those who “desire to be first” (Matt 20:25-28, Mark 9:33-35). The apostles disputed as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus dashes their expectations of greatness with the reality of God’s design. The one who desires to be first must “be last of all and servant of all”. This is one of many ironies demonstrating the wisdom of God (1 Cor 1:20, 27; 3:18-20). It is human…
SOUND WORDS, MARCH 9, 2025
NEITHER CATHOLIC, PROTESTANT, NOR EVANGELICAL Back in the days when churches had tract racks, one that was popular among brethren was titled Neither Catholic, Protestant Nor Jew. It was in a time when people in our nation categorized all religious people into one of these three ways. The tract was an effort to distinguish true Christians from those simply professing to be God’s people and to issue an appeal to be simply Christians. The religious makeup of our nation has changed…
SOUND WORDS, MARCH 2, 2025
A SENSE OF SHAME “And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: if this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah” (1 Kings 12:26-27). Whether or not Jeroboam’s fears were well founded is uncertain.…
SOUND WORDS, FEB. 23, 2025
WHAT DOES GODLY WISDOM REQUIRE? Living in any given culture and time requires that we have the wisdom and will to be what we ought to be for the Lord. Serving the Lord is not just about obeying a few commandments. Rather, it is a lifelong commitment to be faithful, loyal, and true to the end (cf. Rev 2:10). Developing a heart for wisdom cannot be stressed enough (Prov 2:2), and this begins with the fear of the Lord (Prov 9:10).…