Persevere in Faith — Run Smart with Your Eyes on Jesus — Hebrews 12:1-3
Posted by Paul Apple in Christian on August 17, 2010
You must understand that the Christian life is one of walking by faith in Jesus Christ. We entered into this new life by turning away from faith in ourselves to put all of our faith in Jesus. These Jewish believers were being enticed to retreat back to a legalistic religious system where they would abandon this difficult faith journey. This short-sighted perspective would cause them to come up short of the promises that could only be appropriated by persevering in faith.
You must understand also that the Christian life is one of ministry. You have received a call to run a very specific race – a course laid out just for you that takes advantage of your unique spiritual giftedness. This life of discipleship to Jesus Christ – the one who said: “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men” – is filled with dangers and difficulties and the potential for discouragement. At some point – in fact numerous points — there will be the temptation to lay down and quit the race. Genuine faith is characterized by perseverance – by pressing on and continuing to fight the good fight. There is no place for retirement from Christian ministry. The finish line is the doorway of death that ushers us into the presence of the one who has gone before us – the author and perfecter of our faith. Are you growing weary in serving Jesus? Do you feel discouraged or are you tempted to lose heart and back off from your commitment to be everything that God has called you to be and do everything He wants you to do? Why not take the easy road and back away from Christian ministry?
You don’t want to be a flash-in-the-pan Christian. You don’t want to flame out like a Fourth of July firecracker. You want to be in the Christian race for the long haul. You want to reach the goal. How we finish the race is more important than how we start the race.
Preseason Game #1 — Decent Start for Team with High Expectations
Posted by Paul Apple in Baltimore Ravens on August 14, 2010
Ravens: 17 Panthers: 12
Before the heavy rain leveled the playing field, the Ravens were able to demonstrate clear superiority with their front line players in the first quarter. The emphasis was on establishing a rhythm with the passing game and slowing down the inevitable blitzes with a series of effective screen calls. The Ravens depth at certain positions reflects their drafting prowess and expertise at evaluating talent: linebacker, defensive end, tight end, running backs all seem solid. Hopefully the rumors about acquiring a front line cornerback from a team with corresponding needs will prove out. Otherwise, a team can certainly wait until the final cuts and pick up a quality sub from the Ravens in one of these areas. I liked Harbaugh’s decision to limit the snaps of certain key players (Rice, Lewis, Heap, etc.) even more than the limited time allotted for the starting units. I also liked the imaginative play calling — surprising to me, given that we face the Panthers later in the regular season. When you expected a run, they came with another pass to help prepare Flacco. Maybe they were showcasing Clayton for a possible trade? He had a good shot at catching the first deep ball and adjusted well on the TD grab.
The Coming of the Holy Spirit — Part 5 — The Ongoing Ministry of the Exalted Jesus — Acts 2:33-36
Posted by Paul Apple in Christian on August 1, 2010
Logical arguments lead to logical conclusions. Peter not only serves as the supreme example of the ultimate Christian preacher but also as the supreme example of a brilliant lawyer. Remember Tom Cruise in “A Few Good Men” – he showed his lawyering skill by making an argument in court that resulted in the exposure of the truth and the indictment of Jack Nicholson. His argument capitalized on emotion and the understanding of human personality and motivation … but it was still a logical argument.
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