Peter thought about what he'd just witnessed. He'd watched a rich young ruler turn away from Jesus. He wouldn't leave all and follow Christ. But Peter and the other disciples had. Just saying.

When running in an endurance race, ample reasons to quit do surface. Overwhelming fatigue, blisters, and other irritations will grate on your resolve. Eating the wrong food will cause your energy to deplete. You might experience dehydration. You might even become mentally depressed when alone on the course. As each malady presents itself, the temptation to quit is strong. But the experienced endurance racer pushes through and finishes their course.

Revelation 20 has caused no small controversy throughout the life of the church. My view is that the received position of the early church was that Jesus would one day return literally and visibly to reign on earth for a thousand years. Over and over again -- six times! -- Revelation says Jesus will reign for a thousand years (Revelation 20:2, 3, 5, 6, 7). Though many I love and respect do not, I take this to mean that Jesus will reign on earth for a thousand years after he returns.

Have you ever seen those UFC advertisements where they put the pictures of the two fighters next to each other? Sometimes they have their fists up like they're ready to pounce right on the poster — Guy #1 vs. Guy #2. A battle is brewing.

The first thing we must notice is how the LORD God commanded the man (16). He told Adam what was good (and bad) for him. He told Adam he had a choice -- life or death.

Hebrews addressed believers who were losing their place of privilege in society. They'd begun to experience mistreatment for their connection to Jesus. Like Moses, they were driven from a comfortable life because of Christ, so it makes sense that Moses' faith would stand as an excellent example for them (and also us).

Many in modern science might say that what is seen was made out of other visible things. But it must be asked, where did those visible things come from? The believer says, what is seen was not made out of things that are visible, for God is the originator.

Have you ever had a dream where you could breathe underwater? It is a violation of the senses because it goes beyond our everyday experience. In Romans 6:5-11, Paul will take his readers to a place even more counterintuitive than underwater breathing. He will teach us we are dead to sin and alive to God, right now.

Like the blast of a cannon, the book begins. There is no long preamble, with no introductory comments. Instead, we are thrust into the story, and the story starts with God, which immediately throws us into the metaphysical realm. We live in the physical, but God is above and beyond the physical realm, though He is present within it.

Imagine farmland prepared for its next planting. The soil is cultivated, the seed distributed, and the plot watered and tended. Due to the diligence of the farmer, eventually, the seed springs forth into visible life. Soon, a harvest arrives.