Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Tolerance


I must say that I am more than just a little bit disturbed by the headlines that top our news. Not just today’s news but the news, day after day.

Day after day the news just seems to get worse and worse. I’m not necessarily talking about the collapse of Wall Street and mortgage foreclosures. I’m talking about the ever disintegrating moral fabric that once carried more weight than the political correctness that now supersedes any and all moral convictions people used to have. In fact, I’m not sure that a significant portion of the politically correct even know what morality is anymore. It has been distorted by the voices insisting upon tolerance.

I used to like that word (tolerance). To me it used to mean patience, forbearance, and open-mindedness. Now, it has been twisted into something ugly. Now, tolerance means patience with all religious schools of thought except evangelical Christianity. Now, It means to show forbearance towards all except those who disagree with the popular opinions that are contrary to biblical moral values. It now means open-mindedness to all things except the concept of absolute truth (and the salvation offered through Jesus Christ).

In this year's Miss America pageant Miss California, Carrie Prejean, was asked how she defines marriage. She responded, marriage is a union between a woman and man. She is now being crucified by the gay community and advocates of tolerance (under the new definition of the word). Nevertheless, when asked if she had it to do over again, would she have answered differently. Her reply was, "No. There are some convictions that I cannot compromise." Isn't it amazing that everyone is entitled to an opinion except those who's convictions are shaped by the Word of God?

In 1997, the same month and year I began serving here in Northern Virginia, singer/songwriter Rich Mullins died in a horrible car crash in Chicago. Sometime before he died, he penned the following words:
If I stand, let me stand on the promise that you will bring me through.
If I can, let me fall on the grace that first brought me to you.
If I sing, let me sing for the joy that has borne in me these songs.
If I weep, let it be as a man who is longing for his home.”

The world seems to have gone crazy. Each passing day, it gets more and more difficult to stand strong. The depressing news causes us to weep. The onslaught of immorality causes us to long for our heavenly home. Nevertheless, while we await Christ's return, we must stand, sing and weep while continuing to hold up His standard...in spite of popular opinion.

So, stand strong. And, by the way, if you do happen to take a tumble, thank God that His grace is there to catch you. Not so that you will stay down and wallow in mediocrity. And not so that you can stay down and soak in compromise. But so that you will get back up and stand.

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." Ephesians 6:13 (NIV)

From the heart and mind of Victor, to those who still believe, are still intolerant of sin and who are determined to stand strong.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Happy Ressurection Day!



It almost goes without saying that Resurrection Sunday is the most important day on the Christian calendar.

We celebrate the fact that our savior, Jesus, the son of the living God, rose up in victory and power. The Apostle Paul goes into significant detail in explaining the just how this impacts the believer:
1 Corinthians 15:14-20 (NLT) 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. 15 And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. 16 And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. 18 In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! 19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. 20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead...


May you not forget to stop and take a moment to consider the significance of this day. And when you do…when you reflect on its implication, you will be blessed.

Happy Resurrection Day!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Cover Your Face


When you think about it, prayer is pretty amazing.

To get some idea as to just how amazing it is, read something like Isaiah 40:

" Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale? Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord? Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him?" (Isaiah 40:12-13 NLT)

After reading it, think about this: He is God, of whom all creation declares his glory. Yet He is so compassionate, so loving and so kind that he hears even the smallest prayer uttered in faith by a little child.

Sometimes when I walk into my office in the morning, I am overwhelmed by the need to spend some time in prayer. Yesterday was just such a morning. The urge hit me to pray. And so I did. Later, when I journaled, the words of my prayer crept into that journal. I decided to give you a rare peek into my journal and share it with you in this blog:

"Lord, I prayed covering my face from you this morning.
I prayed covering my face because your holiness is too great for me.
I prayed covering my face because my eyes cannot withstand your brightness.
I prayed covering my face because I needed to ask you for strength.
I prayed covering my face because I needed to ask you for wisdom.
I prayed covering my face because I needed to ask you for courage.
I prayed covering my face because your mercy is too brilliant for me.
I prayed covering my face because your grace is too overwhelming for me.
I prayed covering my face because I feel so unworthy in your presence.
I prayed covering my face because your presence is too magnificent for me to behold.

I prayed covering my face.

And now,...when I remove my hands from my face, let me be a little closer, a little wiser, a little stronger and a little bit more like you."

This was the prayer, on that Tuesday morning, from the heart and mind of Victor.

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen." (2 Peter 3:18 NKJV)