Monday, July 27, 2015

Focus on Christ

What do you focus on amidst adversity? Do you remain salty?


Saturday morning's warm and humid 11+ miler was one of the better regular runs--absent a prescribed workout or preset agenda--in a long time. I ran relaxed, felt strong and had FUN--including singing "Lift High the Cross" during the 8th mile @ 6:07. Yes, I feel sorry for those @ White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX that heard my out of tune voice...lol.


Tuesday evening in Kearney, Nebraska, my sister received a bone cancer diagnosis that reminds me to appreciate every moment of health and to fully apply our God given talents. It's easy to take life and health for granted when healthy.


Additionally, adversity forces us to choose between hiding our candle under a bushel by dwelling on the doom and gloom of bad news or to let our light shine before men (Mt 5:13, 14-15, 16), glorifying God by focusing on the Lord Jesus Christ and the life, hope and peace found in Christ alone from the Father by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Yes, once again warm and humid weather greeted us Dallas runners Saturday morning, yet I focused on the joy in Christ and the gifts of life, family, friends, health and running.


First Baptist Dallas Easter Run, March 28, 2015
Focus on Christ in Fellowship with other Runners, including Christ working through other Runners to comfort you during adverse times.

November 1995
Focus on Christ in Running, Business, Community, School, Church and all else
"Whatever you do, do your work heartily as for the Lord rather than for men." Colossians 3:18


See Christ, Believe Christ, Achieve with Christ!


Rick E. Meyer

Boston Marathon 2015
Focus on Christ when competing across America and with those from around the world.
Running on Faith Ministry Inc.




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Friday, July 24, 2015

Runner's Bible Study: Run to Win


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 Corinthians 9:24, NASB95)

I distinctly recall the first time that I heard 1 Corinthians 9:24 as a stand-alone passage for runners. We gathered in a teammate’s home to devour spaghetti the night before a cross country meet near the end of the season; crunch-timethe state meet—quickly approached.

While I initially grasped the direct message of the verse, I automatically assumed that this passage verified the innate desire for our team to win.


Let’s begin with an overview of the Corinth and the book of 1 Corinthians.

Introduction


(written for an assignment for Dr. Stan Tousaint)


Corinth—a city of Achaia—located between the Aegean and the Adriatic Seas with proficient commercial imports and exports, enjoyed significant economic benefits. Corinth served as the hub for all north and south tertiary travel, including the pathway to Athens.[1] Early history indicates Corinth’s industry comprised of ship manufacturing, “pottery, bronze metal work, and decorative handicraft.”[2] Romans destroyed Corinth in 146 B.C., plundering the city’s amazing art. In 46 B.C., Julius Caesar sent discharged military veterans to Corinth in an effort to rebuild the city.

Eventually the city’s population and attractiveness exceeded the original. Unfortunately, idolatry, “luxury, pride, vanity, effeminacy, greed”[3] and immorality also thrived. A plethora of shrines and temples included Apollo and Poseidon, the goddess of love—Temple of Aphrodite—which provided a home for approximately one-thousand religious prostitutes.[4]

This temple stood on a 2,000-foot elevated granite mound, otherwise known as Acrocorinth which served as the acropolis—literally high city—for defense. 1 Sufficiency of space enabled this as the refuge for Corinth’s citizens, and the surrounding rural population in the event of an enemy attack. Secular principles infiltrated the Corinthian church, directing the members’ thoughts, decisions and resulting actions. Paul lived and preached for eighteen months in Corinth during his second missionary journey (Acts 18:11).

The Lord used a night vision during this visit in AD 51 to instruct Paul to preach with assurance of safety (Acts 18:10). During Paul’s initial visit to Corinth he met fellow tent makers and believers, Aquila and Priscilla. A Pauline authorship date of 54 or 55 AD from Ephesus, during his third missionary journey, proves congruent with most scholars.

Purpose


(Written for an assignment for Dr. Stan Tousaint)


Paul writes with applied directives of corrective Biblical principles for the local Corinthian church. The aforementioned secularism infiltrated the church. Chloe’s household (1 Cor. 1:11-12) and Apollos who returned to Ephesus (1 Cor. 16:12),[5] each sent Paul letters expressing concern of this secularism causing division in the church. Other letters may have existed.

Human generated wisdom began replacing wisdom from the Spirit of God, with causative effects of intra-church lawsuits, division, immorality, idolatry, denial of the Resurrection and secularizing communion. Additionally, three men from Corinth came to Paul, apparently presenting him with a letter of inquisitions (1 Cor. 7:1; 16:7). Paul clearly articulates the significance of sanctification and unity.

Questions and Discussion



  1. What does “run the race” refer to in regards to both individual Christians and the local Church in Corinth?
    1. Does the preceding verse, 1 Co 9:23, affect the interpretation and application of 1 Co 9:24?
    2. Does this principle of “run the race” apply to our lives in 2015 and beyond?
      1. If so, how and why?
        1. Professionally
        2. Personally
  2. Why does Paul use the analogy of running a race?
    1. How does the definition and action of Run compare to Walk?
  3. How do we discipline our body in running?
  4. How does this affect our daily decisions?
  5. What, if any, sacrifices do we make to run to win (run our best) a race?
  6. How do or should we discipline our body in regards to running and becoming a partaker of the gospel?
  7. How does this affect our day to day choices?
  8. What similarities do we find in our response to #4 with choices regarding our running for the sake of the gospel?
  9. How does our conduct and interactions at races affect how others perceive Christ?
    1.  What steps may we take to increase our striving to live for the sake of the gospel?
  10. Whether running a race or living our daily life, should we using “winning” or “losing” right as stand-alone standards to measure our value?
  11. Reflect back over the past week, month or year and share or write out how you chose the incorruptible prize over the corruptible and vice versa.
  12. Reflect again on how God used one of your perceived failures to serve and glorify Him and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Rights of an Apostle 9:1-27


(Written for an assignment for Dr. Stan Tousaint)


Paul illustrates applying the principle of love preceding knowledge within Christian liberty. The first issue focuses on his financial support from those whom he shares the gospel, including as a spiritual mentor.
He lays out six reasons for paying him:
  1. His apostleship
  2. Common for workers to receive pay
  3. God’s law allows monetary pay
  4. Other leaders receive payments for their services
  5. A widespread practice
  6. Jesus approves it.[6]
Expecting affirmative responses, Paul rhetorically addresses his freedom, apostleship, seeing Christ, and preaching the gospel in Corinth during his second missionary journey which generated the believers whom he now writes. He continues by giving examples and asking questions to further his point of each of the six reasons. The Corinthian church had questioned its responsibilities of supporting Paul’s ministry. Paul illustrates his sacrifices, such as avoiding food and drink, to prevent offending others when necessary. He also instructs this in chapter eight, as well as avoiding offending Jews in various situations, and he did this to reach non-believers.
In 1 Corinthians 9:24, he asks about a runner who races to win—Paul sought to win the incorruptible award in Jesus Christ. This running illustration carries power, as a runner’s training causes every fiber in their body to ache during their workouts, and throughout the day. Runners who train to win, sacrifice social and professional opportunities, and are often sick to their stomach several hours after training runs. A winning runner’s training consumes and affects every aspect of their life. A winning runner increases flexibility, and adjusts to every imaginable physical and emotional scenario.
Paul uses this extreme comparison of a runner training to win a corruptible prize to the spiritual training and life consumption necessary when seeking and preaching the incorruptible prize of Christ. The champion pastors and evangelists--including those serving in the market place--must also adapt to every imaginable scenario, increasing their flexibility in communications, and relationships. Paul concludes describing how a primary key to winning resides in controlling your body, instead of your body’s desire of controlling you, the Corinthian Christians.


Additional Notes:
1) Men gave and received a pine wreath that represented the crown for winning a race in Corinth's stadium during the biennial games. Paul illustrates that this pine wreath is a temporary, corruptible crown.


2) Conversely, Christ presents incorruptible, eternal crowns (3:13–14; 2 Cor. 5:10). "Paul’s crown would be the consummation of the reward (1 Cor. 9:18) he partially enjoyed, the opportunity to glory before Christ in those he had been able to win (2 Cor. 1:14; Phil. 2:16; 1 Thes. 2:19)." Bible Knowledge Commentary

Running on Faith Ministry Inc. passionately focuses on Discipleship and Evangelism with runners. You are welcome to join Running on Faith Ministry in serving God through evangelism and discipleship of runners either as a Runner or through your Prayer and Financial Support.

While waiting for the Elite Runner shuttle to pick us at the airport, these Kenyans graciously agree to take their picture with my nephew's "Flat Stanley". We later enjoyed powerful discussions of the Gospel, Family, Farming, Fishing and Running.
We prayerfully, joyfully and gratefully desire that you diligently pray like Solomon (a) for a hearing heart (1 Kings 3:9), responding to God's desire placed on your heart.
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http://www.rickemeyer.com/running-on-faith.htm
Award Winning Speaker, Certified Trainer and Dallas Theological Seminary graduate, Rick E. Meyer illustrates Biblical truth and love as the foundation of enduring success in business, academics, athletics and all relationships. During his uplifting presentations, Rick connects these truths to creating success in our daily lives, sending listeners away with the ability to imagine greatness while encouraging them to trust God in Christ.


[1] (MacAurthur 1984, vii, viii)
[2] (Coffman 1984, 03)
[3] (Pringle n.d., 38)
[4] (Boa, et al. 1997, 1252)
[5] (D. S. Toussaint 2012, Class Notes)
[6] (MacAurthur 1984, 200)

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

She anwered the phone in tears...

Last night my sister answered the phone in tears.

She entered the hospital the previous day for tests after having "the crud" for four days with no relief in sight. An hour prior to my phone call, the doctor presented the tests results. She has bone cancer.

"Our family has beaten this once and we will beat it again" she adamantly responded.
Last September (2014) she completed her chemotherapy and radiation to successfully defeat breast cancer after receiving the diagnosis in February 2014.

God willing, I know that she will also win this battle! Psalm 139, along other passages and the totality of scripture, assures us of God's complete sovereignty.

This complete sovereignty includes our willingness to hear and obey His commands. Solomon receives great wisdom and numerous other gifts after replying to God with a request for a discerning heart, which is literally a hearing heart.

Requesting a hearing heart does not guarantee our receiving a physically and financially glorious life. Rather, a hearing heart provides us with hearing God's wisdom, receiving His Peace, Joy, Gratitude and desire for continual Prayer (1 Thess 5:16-18) because this is God's will for us in Christ Jesus. 

God placed on my heart the urgency to once again take Cellgevity which produces intracellular Glutathione, your body's master antioxidant.

With cancer having an affect on every member of my immediate family except me, prudence demands my taking precautions to avoid becoming a victim. Yes, I believe in prayer, a joyful heart, laughter, positive attitude and a healthy diet.

Yet, wisdom demands my accepting and using tools that God places in my path. For example, in the frigid temperature of winter I wear a hat, gloves and coat. Yet, I still accept the heater in my car, my home along with the furnace in my home.

Does wisdom demand you accepting and using tools that God places in your path? Perhaps your immediate family has no history of cancer. Great, neither did cancer exist in my parents' immediate families, yet they still received a diagnosis.

Does increasing your intracellular Glutathione guarantee that you never have cancer? Of course not, neither does following all of the traffic laws guarantee that an automobile will never strike you or that you will never die while driving. Increasing your intracellular Glutathione along with prayer, joy, laughter and good diet DOES increase your likelihood of avoiding cancer.

Glutathione enhances ones ability to exercise which increases one's overall health. Cellgevity increases intracellular glutathione to levels 300% (+/-) greater than other methods and products.

Read more about the benefits for YOUR FAMILY and YOUR HEALTH,
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Let's put ourselves in a position to win with accepting the opportunity to increase our intracellular glutathione with Cellgevity.

Yes, I pray before I drive, yet I also wear my seatbelt and assure that my vehicle receives regularly scheduled maintenance. Let's continue praying for good, cancer free health, yet let's enhance our body's protecting cells with Cellgevity and increased Glutathione.

Your reading this blog and links is for a purpose (Ps 139:14). Would you agree, hearing your loved one answer the phone in tears breaks your heart? How will you respond?

See Christ, Believe Christ, Achieve with Christ!
Rick E. Meyer

http://rickemeyer.blogspot.com/2016/07/we-love-you-dee.html



Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Runner's Bible Study: Can we Really do all things through Christ who strengthens us?


Great achievements demand great performances. Great performances demand exceptional spiritual, emotional and physical power and endurance.
Before tough races and tough workouts we runners (and other athletes) often recite Philippians 4:13 proclaiming, “I can do all things through Him (Christ) who strengthens me.”
The starter's gun explodes, echoing across the landscape, the sound waves ricocheting off buildings like freshly hit pool balls bouncing around the table. Our well tuned bodies' transform potential energy into kinetic energy as we quickly disappear into the landscape. The race is on! 
We surge into the remote, untamed frontier of human performance innately knowing that success mandates pushing ourselves beyond the unexplored limits of physical, spiritual and emotional ability.
Doubt and exhaustion dart through this wilderness like a ravenous bear emerging from hibernation, waiting to pounce on the emotionally weak and underprepared.
Does proclaiming (Phil 4:13) with enough faith/belief (Matthew 21:22) enable us to name and claim any pace for the entire race?
 “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
I can do all things through Him (Christ) who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)
Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction. You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:10–19, NASB95)

Does the context of this scripture (Ph. 4:10-19) support using verse 13 as a stand-alone motivational one-liner?
Does this verse empower any Christian to do whatever we want, whenever we want, wherever we want and however we want to do something?
What is the Holy Spirit (2 Ti 3:16)—through Paul—saying to the Philippians?
Did God provide Paul's needs despite Paul's financial status?
How did Paul respond to the emotional, financial and spiritual challenges>
Let’s examine how we may apply this passage to our lives today.
What is the context of this scripture (Phil 4:13)?

Audience:       Philippi


Financial Condition Paul's Supporters: Poor (2 Co 8:1, 2)

Nationality:    Greeks

Paul’s Locale: Roman Prison

Purpose of this letter:
  • What “all things” did Paul do since his conversion to Christianity (Acts 9)?
    1. First Missionary Journey
      1. Paphos (Acts 13:6-12)
      2. Lystra (Acts 14:8-19)
        1. Did the stones thrown by the Jews harm Paul (Acts 14:19)?
        2. Did Paul survive the stoning?
        3. How does Paul respond to the being stoned, dragged and "left for dead."
    2. Second Missionary Journey
    1. Asia (Acts 16:6)
    2. Bithynia (Acts 16:7)
    3. Troas (Acts 16:9-11)
    c. In Rome?

  • How did Paul approach challenges?
    1. Does he have a pity party?
    2. Does Paul continue to serve God and share the gospel of Christ?
  • Does Paul use the “name it, claim it” philosophy advocated by the Prosperity Gospel to alleviate his problems?
  • Or does Paul acknowledge that God allows challenges for God's glory?
  • What is the purpose / motive in doing “all things”?
  • Does Paul seek self-glorification, publicity through his ministry?
    Does Paul consider enduring "all things" to spread the gospel worth it to serve and glorify God? 
  • How do we appropriately apply this to our Running?
  • Can we run any pace in any run or race that we desire?
    Is every run and /or race amazing if our faith and belief are sufficient?
    Does God empower us to endure the all circumstances when we are in Christ, seeking the Father's will?
    What direction does Paul, Luke, Silas and Timothy sail from Troas to Macedonia?
    How does this compare to the typical direction of prevailing winds?
    How long does it take them to sail from Troas to Macedonia, and how long does it late take to sail from Macedonia to Troas?
    When considering the comparison of both the time of travel and the travel direction in relation to the prevailing wind, how do these factors reveal God's power (i.e. being in Christ)?
  • How do we appropriately apply this to the rest of our life?
  • Does this passage guarantee "success" for Christians?
    Does God's word and Paul's example teach us that when we walk with Christ, seeking the Father's will, that we can enjoy a peace-filled heart while enduring whatever challenges arise? 
  • How do we position ourselves to reside and operate in or “through Him/Christ”?
    1. Matthew 7:21
    2. Matthew 22:37-39
    3. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
    4. Galatians 5:16,18,22-23,24-25
  •  Does the Bible provide standards to display our failing to operate in or "through Him/Christ?
    1. Galatians 5:17,19,20-21,26

When you run and live in Christ, your physical, emotional, financial, relational and spiritual (Eph 6:12) may continue to challenge you beyond previously known limits. Your brain, reasoning, physical and financial senses may beg for relief. Yet, your heart will simultaneously experience the internal peace that surpasses all human logic and understanding.


Keep running in Christ, He will provide and sustain us for our every assignment within His will.

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:4–7, NASB95)
Running on Faith Ministry Inc. passionately focuses on Discipleship and Evangelism with runners. You are welcome to join Running on Faith Ministry in serving God through evangelism and discipleship of runners either as a Runner or through your Prayer and Financial Support.

While waiting for the Elite Runner shuttle to pick us at the airport, these Kenyans graciously agree to take their picture with my nephew's "Flat Stanley". We later enjoyed powerful discussions of  Family, Farming, Fishing and Running and the Gospel of  Jesus Christ.
We prayerfully, joyfully and gratefully desire that you diligently pray like Solomon (a) for a hearing heart (1 Kings 3:9), responding to God's desire placed on your heart.
Award Winning Speaker, Certified Trainer and Dallas Theological Seminary graduate, Rick E. Meyer illustrates Biblical truth and love as the foundation of enduring success in business, academics, athletics and all relationships. During his uplifting presentations, Rick connects these truths to creating success in our daily lives, sending listeners away with the ability to imagine greatness while encouraging them to trust God in Christ.

(a) "Solomon requested a discerning heart (lit., "a hearing heart") tuned to the voice of God so he could lead Israel according to God's desires of how to lead the nation."

Thomas L. Constable, "1 Kings," ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 494.