S) "1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us"
Hebrews 12:1 (NASB)
O) This is a very inspiring verse! We, having attained righteousness through faith (as discussed in Hebrews 11), are now in some pretty amazing company. It was indeed a great cloud of witnesses when this was written, and that list of amazing men and women of God has only grown larger in the last 2000 years. Since we are in such good company, we need to honor that position and the righteousness that has been gifted to us, by pressing on in our good works and protecting this righteousness by avoiding sin as we run this marathon of life.
A) One of the most frustrating things, as a parent, is when your kid plays dumb. It really galls me. It's a lame attempt to skirt responsibility and shift blame. Yet I do it all the time with God and my sins. In the middle of temptation, God will convict me and I'll play dumb like I don't know what's going to happen next under the two scenarios (fighting or conceding). Flirting with disaster, I'll act like I'm naive when I'm really being ignorant. There are some sins that might surprise me; fluke-type stuff that's not at all the norm. That's no less damaging or needing of repentance, but it's not the same as a sin that easily entangles. The solution is to be resolute ahead of time. Laying aside every encumberance means removing anything that will lead to temptation. If there are ropes lying accross a 100M track, they're likely to entangle me. I can either leave them there and do my best to avoid them with tricky footwork, or I can remove them. I need to remove that which encumbers me.
P) Father, give me wisdom, and Holy Spirit, open my eyes. Let me see every obstacle for what it is and remove all of them that can be removed. Help me be bold in my confessions and honest in my convictions. I cannot lie to You, Lord, so remind me of just that fact. Be severe with me, God, because I want to run your race with endurance and succeed in obtaining the prize. I want to be fitting in my place amoung that great cloud of witnesses and I want to be effective in ministry for You, to my family first and then to others. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
A) One of the most frustrating things, as a parent, is when your kid plays dumb. It really galls me. It's a lame attempt to skirt responsibility and shift blame. Yet I do it all the time with God and my sins. In the middle of temptation, God will convict me and I'll play dumb like I don't know what's going to happen next under the two scenarios (fighting or conceding). Flirting with disaster, I'll act like I'm naive when I'm really being ignorant. There are some sins that might surprise me; fluke-type stuff that's not at all the norm. That's no less damaging or needing of repentance, but it's not the same as a sin that easily entangles. The solution is to be resolute ahead of time. Laying aside every encumberance means removing anything that will lead to temptation. If there are ropes lying accross a 100M track, they're likely to entangle me. I can either leave them there and do my best to avoid them with tricky footwork, or I can remove them. I need to remove that which encumbers me.
P) Father, give me wisdom, and Holy Spirit, open my eyes. Let me see every obstacle for what it is and remove all of them that can be removed. Help me be bold in my confessions and honest in my convictions. I cannot lie to You, Lord, so remind me of just that fact. Be severe with me, God, because I want to run your race with endurance and succeed in obtaining the prize. I want to be fitting in my place amoung that great cloud of witnesses and I want to be effective in ministry for You, to my family first and then to others. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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