We are Surrounded By Gods Witnesses
The men and women of Faith in the old testament were commended for their faith without receiving the promise.
We are surrounded by these people of faith whose lives demonstrate that we can do what God asks us to do.
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses…
Hebrews 12:1
As they focused upon what was promised to come, the messiah, we focus upon that which had already come on our behalf…Christ.
…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2 KJV
The author and finisher means that he wrote the story of our lives before the creation of the world and has written the end of the story as well.
Author: Founder or originator of our faith.
Finisher: Perfector, not just to complete but with full skill and ability to perfect the object of his attention.
Christ fought greater battles than we have fought and did not waver.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Hebrews 12:3-4 KJV
God chastens us to keep us on track with our calling He makes us submit to his lordship. If we are not chastened, it is as if we are not his children.
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?| 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye illegitimate children and not sons.9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Hebrews 12:5-11 KJV
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