Category Quotes & Verses

Keep Climbing

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I did not have time to finish writing yesterday, but I did read this note on Hebrews 10:35-38 from the Life Application Study Bible –

“The Bible gives us a clear choice between two life directions. Because life often forks off in two directions, you must take the higher road, even though it looks more difficult and treacherous. That road gets steep in places. The climb takes a toll on your energy. It gets lonely. Not many on it, but more than you imagined, and some because of your example. It gets slippery; the devil blows ice on the narrow passages. Despite its dangers, the higher road is bound for the peak, and you’ll make it—God has a lifeline around you. When you are tempted to falter in your faith or to turn back from following Christ, keep focused on what he has done for you and what he offers in the future (see Rom 8:12-25; Gal 3:10-13). Then keep climbing.”

Today is a new day.

The Part of Us That Matters

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“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” – 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Note the contrast between what is: outer, wasting away, light, momentary, affliction, seen, transient.

And what is: inner, being renewed, eternal, weighty, glorious, beyond all comparison, unseen, eternal

Both are part of us, but one matters infinitely more than the other. Don’t confuse the two, or you may lose heart.

Reflections on Philippians #4: Be an Example

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“Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.” – Philippians 3:17

At the time of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, the gospels of Mark and John probably weren’t written yet, and the other two may not have been broadly available. New Christians couldn’t easily read about Christ, so Paul recommends learning about Him through His other followers.

Today, most will not search the Bible for God. What can people learn about Christ from you and I on our blogs and elsewhere?

Reflections on Philippians #3: Pressing On

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“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made [Christs righteousness] my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 3:13-14

In the life of the Apostle Paul, author of Philippians, “what lies behind” includes overseeing the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:57-58), and “ravaging the church, and entering house after house, [dragging] off men and women and committ[ing] them to prison.” (Acts 8:3) We all have different shameful things in our past, but God forgets them. His purpose is to always make us more like Christ, so we press on and strain to move forward. The prize is worth it.

Reflections on Philippians #2: The Problem of Good

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“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” – Philippians 4:8

The news that seems to get the most attention is bad news.  Good news is hard to come by, but it’s out there.  Make an effort to find it, think about it, praise it, and emulate it.  Be intentional.

“Even if you’re an atheist, you face…the problem of good…if the world is a chance assembly of accidental phenomena, why is there so much that we want to praise and celebrate?” – NT Wright[1]

[1] N.T. Wright, Evil and the Justice of God, P. 19