Philip Dampier's Blog

“And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.” The writer reminds his readers of Proverbs 3:11, 12, and Job 5:17. His point is that God treats his children appropriately…

“In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” The Hebrews author makes sure we understand who we are fighting. It’s the sin that so easily gets us off track. As Christians, we have secured a victory over sin, but we are…

“Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” The subject of our attention is moved from the cloud of witnesses to the Son of God. It certainly is moved from our own difficulty to what was endured by our…

“…looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” This is a profound thought. That anyone would find in the prospect of…

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…” We are in a contest and in the contest the winner receives…

“…since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us, they should not be made perfect.” All the people of faith, from the beginning to the end, will receive the same reward at the same time. Would it have been fair to reward Noah or Moses with something…

“And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised.” Does this seem unfair to you? As you read the chapter and relive the great trials of their faith, it seems odd that they still have not received the promise. We can only conclude that God…

“…of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” Kings and prophets, shepherds, and widows, all who chose God over the rulers of darkness paid a price for their faithfulness. And, their faithfulness won them great victories. Regardless of…

“Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—” The people who truly believed in God and in His promise persevered through all…

“Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release so that they might rise again to a better life.” This reference sounds as much like the New Testament as it does the Old. I’m sure we will have no difficulty finding the references whichever way…