Posts by Carlos Valenzuela (Page 8)
SOUND WORDS, MARCH 26, 2023
THE ANTI-GOSPEL The gospel is rooted in the fact that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23). The wages of sin are death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 6:23). Mankind, left to himself, is lost, without hope, and unforgiven. There is no grace without Christ, and no path to God without the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). The gospel message is that we can…
SOUND WORDS, MARCH 19, 2023
FIRST PRIDE AND THEN THE FALL A story is told of a plane that suffered engine failing and was quickly falling to the earth. The plane was carrying four passengers that were all running out of time. An even bigger problem was presented when it was realized that there were only three parachutes on board the plane. One passenger was the pilot of the plane who said to the others, “I must survive in order to report what happened to…
SOUND WORDS, MARCH 12, 2O23
AN OPEN LETTER FROM NADAB AND ABIHU Brethren, it is with the utmost humility that we inform you of a change of worship practices in your normal sacrificing. Be assured that we are bringing about this change only after much prayer and study. We have recently concluded an in-depth re-study of the Law as delivered by our brother Moses. After this re-study of the matter and following a period of discernment, we have decided to bring about a change in…
SOUND WORDS, MARCH 5, 2023
THE UNTHINKABLE COMMANDMENT With every advancing sentence in Matthew 5 (v.21), Jesus has taken an ever larger bite out of the human ego. Every new contrast between the popular Pharisaic perversions and the real demand of kingdom righteousness has served to heighten the moral challenge. What the Lord at last commands in the sixth and last of these antitheses must have stunned His audience (Matthew 5:43-48). He has spoken the inconceivable when He said, “But I say to you, love your…
SOUND WORDS, FEB 26, 2023
A BIG FAMILY If you are over the age of thirty, when you hear the words “Family matters” a four-word question probably comes to mind… “Did I do that?” The catchphrase made famous by the character Steve Urkel on the American sitcom that aired in the ‘90’s called Family Matters. It is no secret that family is very important, family does matter, and there are a number of benefits that come from having a close-knit family. I love my family,…
SOUND WORDS, FEB 19, 2023
A REMINDER ABOUT SIN When we consider the topic of sin as the Bible teaches, we see that sin can and does do permanent damage to all who engage in it. Sin will bring eternal suffering to all who die in it (Matthew 25:46). God makes it clear that sin is no joke, and that the end of the road for the sinner is a serious and deadly one. But what is greatly disturbing in our generation today is how…
SOUND WORDS, FEB 12, 2O23
NO PAIN, NO GAIN After my recent surgery, there was a lot of trouble controlling my pain. I woke up hearing someone moaning, and after a minute realized it was me. My pain meds had not fully kicked in yet, even though I was conscious. I immediately asked the nurse for help, and shortly after the pain was under control. Then a couple times, they were a few minutes late dispensing my next dose of medication, and the pain returned…
SOUND WORDS, FEB 5, 2023
ENJOYING THE BIBLE Grisham. Clancy. The Oprah Book Club. Hillerman. Amazon. Rowling. Barnes & Noble. Homework. What do all these have in common? Whether it is Clancy’s latest technothriller, Grisham and his lawyers, Hillerman’s Navajo mysteries or Rowling’s wizards they can all be found (with a good cup of coffee!) at Barnes & Noble, ordered online at Amazon. com, or maybe even recommended by Oprah in her book club — and they all show how Americans love to read. Many…