Posts by Carlos Valenzuela
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).…
SOUND WORDS, FEB. 16, 2025
WHERE DO ELDERS COME FROM? The scarcity of functioning elders (bishops, pastors) in local churches has led some Christians to conclude that they are a rare breed with rare qualities. Otherwise, they reason, why would they be so difficult to come by? Contrary to this rather discouraging view, elders do not have to be imported from outer space. They are generated from ordinary human beings from “every tribe and tongue and people and nation,” and perhaps it will help identify…
SOUND WORDS, FEB. 9, 2025
DO YOU NEED TO BE ENCOURAGED OR WARNED? Next Sunday morning, which kind of sermon do you need to hear: a comforting lesson that helps you deal with discouragement or one that gets in your face and warns you to take God more seriously? Depending on your circumstances, you will probably need one more than the other, but whatever your needs are, the Scriptures have what you need. If, despite your best efforts, you’ve been struggling and doubting whether you’re…
SOUND WORDS, FEB. 2, 2025
DISCIPLINE IS ABOUT SAVING SOULS Collective discipline is so misunderstood and underutilized by Christians that it begs the question, do we really understand how discipline fits into God’s design for saving the soul? The deeper question is, do we believe and trust that God knows best? Discipline comes in many forms. It can be difficult to know exactly what to do or where to start. Fear of immediate consequences sometimes outweighs our fear of eternal consequences. In the cases where…