Will Vaus

The story is told of a British commuter who got on a train in London. He told the conductor that he wanted to get off at Doncaster. The conductor said, “We don’t stop at Doncaster on Wednesday, but we slow down to go through the junction. I’ll open the doors, and you hop off. But mind you, we’re going fast, so hit the ground running.”  The man did as he was told. The train slowed. He jumped off and hit the ground running. In fact, he was running so fast he caught up with the car ahead. Another conductor saw him, opened the door, and pulled him in. “You’re mighty lucky,” the conductor said, “This train doesn’t stop at Doncaster on Wednesdays.” … Doesn’t that story just sound like life? It raises for me the question: How do we press on in the Christian life and not get caught up and taken in the wrong direction again? That’s the issue that Paul addresses in this next section of his letter to the Philippians. Listen for God’s word to you from Philippians 3:12-4:1… Not that I have alre...

My friend Luis Palau used to tell this story about his grandfather… When his grandfather lay dying in a Buenos Aires hospital, Luis sat by his bedside, urging him to trust in Jesus for eternal life. But Luis’ grandfather always put him off saying, “Don’t worry about me, Sonny. I’m alright. After all, I’m Scotch Presbyterian.” And whenever he told this story, Luis would add, “But my grandfather definitely preferred Scotch to Presbyterian!” What are you rejoicing in today? Your heritage? Your church background? The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the church at Philippi, urges us to rejoice  in the Lord , nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. Listen for God’s word to you from Philippians 3:1-11… Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again,   and it is a safeguard for you.   Watch out for those dogs,   those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh.   For it is we who are the circumcision, ...

Many years ago, Mac Davis sang a country song with these lyrics…   O Lord, it’s hard to be humble When you’re perfect in every way I can’t wait to look in the mirror Cause I get better lookin’ each day To know me is to love me I must be a heck of a man O Lord, it’s hard to be humble But I’m doing the best that I can.   The lyrics of that song were close to the truth, but not quite spot on. According to the Bible, it isn’t hard to be humble. It’s impossible, humanly speaking.   I believe only Jesus can give us the power to be truly humble. Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29)   And what is humility? Dag Hammarskjold once wrote, “To be humble is to not make comparisons.” Or, as I like to say, “Humility is the belief that you are incomparable.”    What do I mean by that? I mean that you are literally incapable of being compared to anyone else because y...