God’s Mirror
“The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more.” Romans 5:20 We gaze into the mirror every morning counting on it to show us the …
2 min read
Rich Vega
Rich Vega
A Glorious Substitution
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.” 1 Peter 3:18 Prisons are full of men …
2 min read
Without Strength
You see, at just the right time, when we were powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. This past weekend another unexpected fire hit our little mountain town. Laughter and joy of celebrating my daug…
2 min read
His Chosen Vessels
“I was found by those who did not seek Me, I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me” Romans 10:20 Sometimes God really surprises us with the people He decides to save. Saul of Tarsus was o…
2 min read
The God of Second Chances
“He told them, this is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, begi…
2 min read
Treasures in Jars of Clay
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” Mathew 5:8 Looking back at our lives, we can remember promises that were made to us and not kept. The bigger the promise, the more painf…
2 min read
Hard to Believe
“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.” Ma…
2 min read
Aquainted with Grief
For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to …
2 min read
Our Greatest Burden
Your children are always on your mind. You’ve wanted what’s best for them since they were little and no matter how old they get, you worry about their souls. Jesus delivered you from the wrath to c…
2 min read
Weak But Strong
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 2 Corinthians 4:17You woke up thinking it might be over today. Your mind is free for the moment, but you fear those dreadful thoughts may come back. It’s your private battle and...
2 min read
Through His Poverty
The day of His visitation was foretold. In eternity He was not bound by any means. At the right time, the Son of God entered a world that would now limit Him. When He created this world, He knew o…
3 min read
Our Guarantee
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a dep…
2 min read
Another Man’s Righteousness
When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this Jesu…
2 min read
Keep Asking the King
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” 3 John 4 There is no greater agony of mind and worry than the destiny of our precious children’s souls. As the years …
3 min read
Through His Poverty
As we approach Christmas, once again I ponder the coming of the Son of God. The day of His visitation was foretold. In eternity He was not bound by any means. At the right time, He entered a …
3 min read
An Envelope to Hand Out
On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 1 Thessalonians 2:4 I once worked for a law fir…
2 min read
You’re Still Mine
“And I will ask the Father and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But…
2 min read
A Most Difficult Trial
His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arr…
3 min read
Pilgrims Perspective
The warmth of love can only be kindled in the heart by God’s Spirit. How marvelous that when we had rebelled against Him, He would by a display of such amazing love seek to draw us back. We w…
1 min read
Father Forgive Them
Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. Luke 23:34 This is an amazing request. It was heard by the soldiers and …
2 min read
Don’t Be Afraid Anymore
Often, unpleasant thoughts seek to occupy as soon as we awake. Resistance flies away and then comes anxiety and dread flooding our soul with despair. Hours and days pass without relief. Exhausted, my soul cries out, how long Lord? But peace feels far away and unattainable.
2 min read
Without Strength
Are you comfortable in what you love to do? Don’t quiet your conscience. The flames of sin can bring you quickly to an eternal place you don’t want to go.
2 min read
They are Countless
“Therefore, I tell you, because her many sins have been forgiven, she has loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” Luke 7:47 It is the goodness and kindness of God that led us…
2 min read
Who did He come to die for?
“For when we were still without strength (totally powerless), at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet perhaps for a good man someone…
3 min read
With His Own Blood
Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties. Again, and again he offers the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one…
2 min read
Found by Those Who Weren’t Seeking
“Jesus went up on a mountain side and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.” Mark 3:13 What God wants is easy to define. Who God wants is more controversial. Jesus said, “My sheep he…
2 min read
The Greatest Testimony
“We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God which he has given about his Son.” 1 John 5:9 Eternity is on the hearts of all men, though hopes are da…
2 min read
Not From Yourself
I was on my way to another funeral today. I saw death standing closer, almost around the corner. A good friend died unexpectedly. He was my age. He died in faith and I thought about my own fu…
2 min read
He Will See His Offspring
Often, it’s good to appreciate what you have by looking at what you didn’t get. Take John 3:16 and let’s imagine it differently. What if God didn’t love the world. He wouldn’t have given His Son or…
2 min read
Thank Him for the War
“For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14 Becoming a Christian in my early twenties, I often reflect how my actions are often disappo…
2 min read
Shown Openly, But Not to All
“But God raised Him from the dead on the third day and caused Him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses God had already chosen – by us who ate and drank with Him after He …
2 min read
Greatly Misunderstood
“They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.” Acts 1:14 Me and my brother hadn’t spoken for a while. At first, unanswere…
2 min readPilgrims Perspective
Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go t…
1 min readIs He Keeping Something Good From Me?
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and cle…
2 min readIf Mercy came to an end
I had a dream I was in heaven and it was a most dreadful day. God’s mercy had come to an end. He had changed His mind regarding the sins we had committed against Him. His anger had flar…
2 min readIf I Could Get My Kids To Heaven
If I could get my kids to heaven, I would say ten prayers a day, And give an offering God would hear and see… If an entrance could be bought with up to all that I owned, I would gladly surrender al…
2 min readFaithful Messengers
They have been watching and observing us and been here since the beginning of time. A few men have had encounters with them. We have always had a fascination with angels. Consider these brilliant, …
2 min readDon’t Be Afraid, Just Believe
“Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader came and fell at Jesus’ feet pleading with Him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about 12, was dying.” Luke 8:41-42 Growing up i…
2 min readUnanswered Questions
What would happen if the world did end?Would everyone’s troubles and heartache mend?Is there a god and what does he think?Will he make this world of ours sink?Why can’t everyone’s head just stay le…
2 min readSomeone Has to Pay the Penalty
Have you ever questioned whether the cross of Christ was necessary? Afterall, God sees the heart, why can’t He just forgive me if I’m truly sorry for my sins? Being sorry is good, but your sorrow c…
2 min readRemember the cost
There’s always a cost in being set free. Those forgetting this soon fail to appreciate what they have been given. A slave released from years of bondage wouldn’t need to be informed that it w…
1 min readTreasure in Jars of Clay
Looking back at our lives, we can remember promises that were made to us and not kept. The bigger the promise, the more painful the letdown. God never lies. He promises that the pure in hear…
2 min readGreatly Mistaken
Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?” Mistakes are always costly. In business, errors are eventually revealed, and though unintentional, …
2 min readTruly this was the Son of God
God always makes the first move. He seeks those that are not looking for Him. We love Him because He first loved us. He chooses to forgive sinners who have no idea the magnitude of the offenses the…
2 min readFaithful to the end
Often, we get a better understanding of what something is, by what it is not. Unfaithfulness is one of those words. There is nothing sadder than the harm that comes to a relationship after one of …
2 min readWhat Comes Easy for You?
Peter declared, “Even if all fall away I will not”. “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today yes tonight, before the rooster crows twice, you yourself will disown me three times.” But Peter insis…
2 min readGiving Us Just What We Need
When John, who was in prison heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask Him, “Are You the One who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Mathew 11:2-3 This is an ast…
2 min readCalled Out of the Dark
The dark can be a scary place. My imagination runs to places I never think of in a lit room. I have never felt comfortable in the darkness. When I was a young boy, my older cousins tied me to a tre…
2 min readEntrusted with the Gospel
He answered, “Then I beg you father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have 5 brothers. Let him warn them so that they will not also come to this place of torment.” Luke 16:27-28 In this life, a man…
2 min readThe Best Short Story Ever Told
“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God since we are under the same sente…
2 min readMore than a Helper
The first time I began to hear His voice brought discomfort and fear. I stayed away as long as possible. He persisted and shone a bright light on the utter darkness of my heart. Then in my worst de…
2 min readFollow the Good Shepherd
“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I Myself will search for My sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. …
2 min readAnother Man’s Righteousness
Yesterday I buried my dad. I always knew if I lived long enough, this day would come. I could never prepare for the moment I watched him being lowered into the ground. My heart sank knowing I would…
2 min readClose to the End
There is a door of death that awaits us all. When this door opens it does so quickly and often without warning. It ushers us into eternity, then closes securely behind us, never allowing us re-entr…
2 min readJustified Anger
I like the story of Jonah. It’s an easy read. I pity the mockers of the whale story. They miss the mercy and compassion of God to sinners. Looking closer, I notice the anger of Jonah and peer into …
2 min readHis Chosen Vessels
Sometimes God really surprises us with the people He decides to save. Saul of Tarsus was one of these. He was a terrible person dragging men and women to prison and torturing some of them to death.…
2 min readUseful to the End
I went to see my Dad today. He’s 84 and lives with strangers now. He was once our leader and provider. Now he sits alone at the dining table with TV noise in the background. I remember how big and …
2 min readYou’re Still Mine
Sometimes I wake up and wonder if He’s still there. It’s been awhile since the last time I talked to Him. I get busy with so many things. How can I go so long without thinking of Him and confessing…
2 min readA Glorious Substitution
Prisons are full of men claiming their innocence. Though some have been mistakenly pronounced guilty, the majority deserve to be there. It’s the criminals that are never caught that make us uneasy,…
2 min readGod’s choices
Sometimes God really surprises us with the people He decides to save. Saul of Tarsus was one of these. He was a terrible person dragging men and women to prison and torturing some of them to death.…
2 min readWho Am I That You Would Bring Me This Far
As I sat thinking today, I know that I have nothing to boast of… For what do I have that I have not been given? The life that I live and the path that I walk Has been laid out before me by You, the…
2 min readWords to Believe
Men have discussed the meaning of life and death and whether there is a God since the beginning of time. From the moment you were born, you had voices telling you what they thought was best for you…
2 min readNo Deeper Pain
I love my kids. When they were little, they came with me everywhere. Now when I go to bed, I don’t always know where they’re at. Sometimes, I think about an endless eternity without just one of the…
2 min readHard to Believe
Stories travel fast in small towns. “She says she’s a virgin,” they all said. “Come now who is going to believe that?” Even Joseph her betrothed didn’t believe it, until an angel paid him a visit. …
2 min readThe Beautiful Blue World – Part 3
(“What of our children that live with us in the blue world? Will the ruler of the world of Light grant them passage through the blackest darkness, or will they be enveloped in it forever?” Together…
3 min readThe Beautiful Blue World Part 2
Great sorrow filled the hearts of the man and his wife. They now knew that they were in fact rebels against the Ruler of the world of the Light. They also understood that they did not deserve safe …
2 min readThe Beautiful Blue World
There once was a man who lived in a beautiful blue world. It was wonderful, yet it was also a hard, difficult place to live in at times. The man also knew it was a dangerous place to live…with both…
4 min readOur Greatest Burden
Your children are always on your mind. You’ve wanted what’s best for them since they were little and no matter how old they get, you worry about their souls. Jesus delivered you from the wrath to c…
2 min readConversations Overheard in the Abyss
Two spirits discussing the unseen realities on the earth… “That human creature is so vile, despicable and ignorant. I can’t believe as century after century goes by, he still thinks he has to…
1 min readWho did He die for?
If you are like most people, you love your family and would probably do anything to help them if they were in any kind of trouble. If you have kids, you nurture and care for them. In fact, you are …
3 min readWeak But Strong
You woke up thinking it might be over today. Your mind is free for the moment, but you fear those dreadful thoughts may come back. It’s your private battle and you can’t talk to anyone about it. Th…
2 min readThe Death Door
There is a door of death that awaits us all. When this door opens, it does so very quickly and often without warning. It ushers us into eternity, then closes securely behind us, never allowing us r…
2 min readThe Mirror
I stared into the mirror. Terror filled my heart as the commandment, “Thou shall not lie,” convicted me as a liar, and the commandment, “Thou shall not steal,” convicted me as a thief. I understood…
2 min readFor Just a Little While
I always thought I had so much time And that you would always be mine. To take care of, to talk with, To laugh together, and sometimes cry. But I know He only gave you to us… For just a little whil…
1 min readMy Crimes Against the Most High God
I know that my crimes are against the Most High God, And my offenses are well known to Him. “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, But all things are naked and open, To the eyes of Him To…
1 min readIt is well with my soul…(song)
History of the song: Horatio Spafford planned a European trip for his family in 1873. Due to last-minute business developments, he had to remain, but sent his wife and four daughters on ahead as sc…
1 min readYesterday
As the years pass and the end of your journey draws near you will, surely, recall those dreams of yesterday. And if you could capture yesterday, you would keep it forever. We knew many people who w…
3 min read