Victory - Be Strong & Immovable!

1 Corinthians 15:57

⁵⁶ For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. ⁵⁷ But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁵⁸ So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

Feel like encouraging someone out there today. Say this: "So you dropped the ball? You missed the mark? Quit beating yourself up! Quit wallowing in your mistake (sin)! Get up again and go on (confess and repent)! You have VICTORY in Jesus Christ. Be strong and immovable. Work hard everyday trying to be the best at what you do and be disciplined to do the right thing. Everything you do for Jesus will be beneficial and rewarding!"

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Change Your Vantage Point

Luke 19:1-6

¹ Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. ² A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. ³ He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

⁵ When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." ⁶ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

Zacchaeus by the world's standards lacked nothing. He was living the life! He may have been hated by the people he cheated but he lived the life he wanted. However, curiosity got a hold of him the day Jesus walked through Jericho. He wanted to see who Jesus was but being "a short man" the crowd obstructed his view. Zacchaeus was not like the rest of the crowd who pressed in close to Jesus. He did not need a miracle. He did not need a financial breakthrough. He was already a wealthy man. Figuratively speaking, Zacchaeus in his own eyes had climbed to new heights in his career but even at that position he was found lacking. He was lost! A truth from this story is that no matter how much money or success you have, you will still be found lacking if your view of Jesus is obstructed.

Change your vantage point to get a clear view of Jesus today. Look to Him as the author and finisher of your faith.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

Stay Focused!

Hebrews 12:2

² Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Amplified Bible)

"Stay focused!" How many times have we heard this statement? We thought about how in sports we would hear our coaches yell out, "Stay focused! Keep your head in the game!" It was a reminder to center all of our attention on the specific task we were engaged in. Think about all of the elite athletes in the world that have achieved some level of success. How focused do you think they have to be to achieve their goals? Or, how about the cardiothoracic surgeon who performs a delicate bypass to help restore blood flow to the heart? Do you think he has to stay focused? I would hope so, especially if you or someone you loved were the patient. If you stay focused on the task at hand, you will get to where you need to be.

Today, stay focused on Jesus! Remember all the things He endured to get to where He needed to be. He is "now seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana

"Keep Your Eyes On Jesus...That Will Shoot Adrenaline Into Your Souls!"

Hebrews 12:1-3

^1-3 Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! (The Message)

After taking last week off from posting a blog, we realized how much fun it is to post our thoughts. Here's today's thoughts:

As we live our lives day in and day out, we have realized that there are many distractions that can hinder us from running "the race that is set before us." When we read the above passage, we felt like we were receiving one of those great pep-talks a coach gives his team when the game is on the line. We thought we would share it with you in The Message translation and hope it "shoots adrenaline into your souls" to keep living your life with your eyes focused on Jesus.

Have a great day! God bless you.

Louis & Elisa Quintana