Head-dibs

“ Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win .” (1 Cor. 9:24) Recently athlete Adam Coccia was quoted to say this about CrossFit. "This is CrossFit. No one is going to stop you from stopping. Nobody is going to be disappointed if you scale down. You have nothing to prove to anyone, but to yourself. And that might be the most important aspect of CrossFit."   There is a connection between Paul’s encouragement to the Corinthian Christians who were struggling, learning what it meant to be God’s saints in a hostile world and Adam’s comment about CrossFit. I find this illustrated best by the Monday’s workout following a fairly hefty warm-up: 200m run   4 minute jump rope   400m run   3 minute jump rope   600m run   2 minute jump rope   800m run   2 minute jump rope   Sounds easy. Looks good on paper. I had to jog (not run) the 600, and walked the...

What is a perfect life?  How woefully short I come because when I try to process living the perfect life, I find myself considering how I would live my life unlike the way you live yours. When we look to scripture, we find two aspects of the perfect life. The first is found in the life of the perfect God-man Jesus who lived in time and space, keeping every command of God. Boggles the mind, but He lived the perfect life. The second description of the perfect life begins with our Creator who is our Savior. “You said that already.” No, I said, “begins.” “ There is one God, the Father, of whom are all things and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live .” (1 Corinthians 8:6). “ He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of...

How Study Bibles can limit Bible Study .  A.N. Martin answers the question, "What is a Biblical Christian?" Here's a photograph seemingly plucked from  The Twilight Zone . If snack food labels told the truth . . . Only a few know how badly I want to do this:

I don't know what book or books you are reading right now and at this point, I really don't care.  Put it down.  Put them all down and pick this one up , open it, read it.  I triple-dog-dare you (that's right, I'm skipping the "triple dare," and am going straight for the throat)! Buy it. Borrow it. Don't steal it (stealing is sin).  Check it out from the library (and if they don't have it, get it by Inter-library loan).  Buy a case, give them away.  Wish-list it.  Trade for it.  Have someone read it to you.  Read it over someone's shoulder (ask, first.  Have some couth). Read it out loud in Sunday School. Get it in large print. Get it in Braille. Get someone to translate it for you. It will wreck your life.

Dr. Warren Larson , the director of the Zwemer Center for Muslim Studies at Columbia International University is often sought out by the media for a biblical view on Muslim-Christian relations. As Americans commemorate the anniversary of the 9-11 attack on the United States, Larson recorded an interview with the nationally broadcast radio show "Prime Time America" on the Moody Radio Network. In the interview, Larson is asked how Muslims view 9-11, and how Christians should be responding to them. You can hear Larson's comments on the Sept. 11th broadcast of "Prime Time America," beginning at 4:00 p.m. Central Time. Log on to listen .

"Ideal" is what you wish you were (fame is a vapor); "Reputation" is what people say you are (popularity is an accident); "Character" is what you are. Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894) told the story of a Muslim veiled prophet who was a great teacher and was considered to be a light among the people. He wore the veil, he said, because his countenance was so glorious none could bear the sight of his face. But, eventually the veil decayed and fell away revealing nothing hut an ugly old man. Stevenson stressed that, “however high the truths the preacher taught, and however skillfully he might excuse the blemishes of character, the time comes when the veil falls away, and a man is seen by people as he really is." Think of what this means for those in ministry. Charles Spurgeon wrote in his "Lectures to My Students:" "Traveling one day on a train from Perth to Edenburgh, on a sudden we came to a dead stop, because a very small screw in on...

A horse can’t pull while kicking, This fact we merely mention, And he can’t kick while pulling, Which is our chief contention. Let us imitate the good horse, And lead a life that’s fitting; Just pull an honest load, and then There will be no time for kicking. (Anonymous)

“A student asked the president of his school whether he could not take a shorter course than the one prescribed. ‘Oh yes,’ replied the president, ‘but then it depends on what you want to be. When God wants to make an oak, He takes 100 years; but, when he wants to make a squash, He only takes 6 months.’” (A.H. Strong)

“It is always great to see evidence of an eagerness for growth in the Christian life. I remember asking a boy once how hold he was. Quick as a flash he said, ‘I’m twelve, going on thirteen, soon to be fourteen.’ I like that eagerness to grow up. But it is encouraging to us to realize this is a process of time and we do not need to be discouraged if we do not find we are completely like Christ yet.” (Ray Stedman, “On Growing Up.” Sermon on Ephesians 4:13-16)

“The reason people have trouble with defining our God is because they can’t see anything in us. Heine, the German philosopher said, ‘You show me your redeemed life, and I might believe in your redeemer.’ God is honored when we bear fruit. God is glorified when we bear fruit.” (John MacArthur, “How to Glorify God.”)

”We must lead Christians beyond the realm of knowing in the superficial sense of the word. A Christian can know many things about God without sensing His greatness, His power, His riches, and His grace, without being moved by the marvel and wonder of it all. It is possible to know every jot and tittle in the scriptures and still to lack the conviction and motivation to live out one iota of its truth.” (Gene Getz, “Sharpening the Focus of the Church.”)