1 Corinthians 15:1-2 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

If you are wondering what this passage has to do with resurrection, let me explain.

In 2013 our church devotional writer needed a relief pitcher. He asked me to fill in for him for a season. There were 18 writings I shared with a group associated with the mailing list Lifelines. It was the beginning of the blogs I post here. I never duplicated those writings here and now I would like to resurrect them to a World Wide Web.

It is an honor to bring the gospel to the world. Believers, novices, and unbelieving seekers of God will now have an opportunity to see my humble beginnings. Every story has a beginning. This is the beginning story of hiscup.net. May it stir the memories of the few who might have seen them before. May it bless the rest.

Psalm 49:7-8 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

Redemption is one of the more perfect words in all of bible literature. It describes a process which is found nowhere in all of the world but in this one place. It describes a process of trading something of no value for something of great value. Our souls are precious to God but our souls are not free. For many it is difficult to admit we are sold under sin.

Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Scream all you want that you are the captain of your own soul. In the end death will swallow you up and your only chance for redemption will die with you. The redemption clause terminates at death. At that point you have nothing left to trade.

John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Why would God trade His Son for me, for His life was the ransom price?

Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

To win a bride.