Sharing Life and Christ

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 In the above passage, Paul compares the Christian pilgrimage to the Olympic games. The athletes have been training for one race for their entire lives. They have been extremely disciplined with their training regiments and their diets as well as devoted their entire lives to this one end. The amazing thing is that after years of dedication, only one can win the prize and be crowned the winner. Paul tells us to run so that we may obtain the prize at the end of our lives. Run as if there is only one winner and that our entire eternity depends ...

The first passage is the account of the first martyr, Stephen, being stoned by the Jews. The second is the Apostle Paul’s profession of faith. The third is an astonishing account of the Apostle Paul after his conversion. Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And Sau...

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will. Hebrews 2:1-4 In the larger context of Hebrews chapters 1 and 2, the writer is giving evidence that supports the claim that Jesus Christ is infinitely more valuable than angels, and His Gospel message of salvation for all who repent and believe is an infinitely more important message than that of the Law which the angels delivered to Israel. The beginning of chapter 2 is a brief tangent serving at least two purposes. We see the first purpose immediately in verse ...

Greetings from Zion, Illinois, my new home. This blog will be a bit different than most others since I want to catch everyone up to speed on what has been happening in my life over the past couple of months of transition. I spent 30 days on leave. I spent about two thirds of that time in Nebraska with family. I spent about a week of it down in OK and TX visiting some great friends and having wonderful time of fellowship and throwing some frisbees of course! I also made a very short, very unplanned, wonderful trip to Michigan to visit my beautiful girlfriend and meet her family. Leave was refreshing, relaxing, and just about the right amount of time. Near the end of August, I made my way up to Great Lakes to check into the band. I feel like things are finally starting to quiet down a bit, and I'm beginning to find a routine to settle into. It only took about 3 days for me to find an apartment that I liked and I moved in a couple of days later. I'm about 10 miles from t...