Back before Vic lost 4,213 lbs, he was morbidly obese with the worst case of sleep apnia in history.  This is a video I posted on You Tube.  This is how one of our meetings ended up.  Jerry Grieser is very happy this no longer occurs; otherwise, he’d shoot Vic.

http://www.youtube.com/v/tEcH3f_UFK4

I know the Pope was in town all week, and certainly he got all the press, but let me tell you this: Vic Cales should’ve been in Yankee Stadium Sunday morning.  If you don’t subscribe to Oasis-Wauseon’s podcasts, stop reading right now, head to iTunes and search for Oasis-Wauseon, hit the little “Subscribe” button at the bottom and be prepared for a full-meal every week.  We started, what I believe to be, the most important teaching series of our history.   Vic’s teaching is entitled: I Am Convinced: Intro-Removing The Noise.  I am not kidding; it will change your life.

This week was more than a meal; this was more than a banquet, it was like a food frenzy at the Fulton County Fair.  I don’t care where you’re from or what you’re looking for, there is something delectable in the mix for you.  It is hilarious, provocative, engaging and will make something so powerfully clear to you, that it will affect you for the rest of your life.  No crap, it’s that good.  So why are you still here?  Get over to our website (www.oasis-wauseon.com) and listen or just subscribe to the whole dang series at iTunes.  Whichever, go now.  Hurry.  Get moving…

Max Smith is one of my best friends for many reasons.  Let me say a few: He’s one of those guys that knows when to leave me alone, knows when not to, doesn’t mind if I can’t talk at the moment he calls, is always, always encouraging, strong on truth, strong on grace, great teacher, excellent revelation into God’s Word, never minces words, knows the right moments to speak into my heart, is absolutely funny, hates things that don’t make sense, loves things that do, loves God and maintains flawless timing of when to drop a much needed cuss word.  You can’t have enough people like Max in your life.

Saturday, he emailed me this email, which is pretty appropos for his style.  Write it clearly, briefly then release it to let people do what they want with it.  I’m posting it exactly as it appeared in my Inbox.  I think it’s a jewel.

Because…

we have not one shred of physical evidence…

we have no audible voice to hear….

we have nothing that the five senses would behold…

we have nothing that the carnal mind can logically make sense of….

THAT is why God loves faith so much.  It is believing in what is truly blind and seeing what is truly unseen in the natural realm.  The greater blessing is on those who believe but don’t see anything.  This is the ONLY thing that the word says pleases him and this is why righteosness is rewarded for faith.  faith.  It works by love.  To a world who says, “where” and “when” and ”how” our only argument or defense can be, “faith”.  It’s how he formed and framed everything.  God operated in faith when he spoke and it came to be.  He deposited that faith in man.  When man chooses to believe, something happens in his inner being.  That thing called faith is released in him and life comes as a result of our decision.

Last night, I watched Bill Mahre on HBO and he had the author of the book “the God delusion”, Richard Dawkins.  He and Mahre talked about God as “our imaginary friend”.  I thought, that’s true!  We have to imagine God, but through the scriptures, not by man’s design.  The imagination; our image of who God is and how he works, and what he does is the key.  Paul talked about it at length…”one time, in your mind”… “set your mind on things above”… “consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God”…. these are ALL mindsets. 

Faith. That’s all we’ve got.  Faith.

What do you think?

Max