Skip to main content

CLOUD OF WITNESSES

TEXT: Hebrew. 12:1

Therefore,  since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with patience the race that lies before us.

The right question anyone should ask is "who are these large cloud of Witnesses?"

Well, chapter eleven of the book of Hebrew supplied the answer, and that's why chapter twelve opened with a "therefore". This means that there was  ensuing discourse before chapter twelve. 

Chapter eleven of Hebrews is often called the Faith chapter. It is filled with the testimony of men and women who walked in faith and by faith.

We understand from verse two of Hebrew 11 that these Heroes obtained good reports through faith. This faith is shown not only in what they accomplished, but how they lived their lives. 

All the heroes mentioned in this chapter are the first set of Witnesses. They had fought the good fight of faith and kept the faith.  (2Tim.4:7)

Today, the Lord is still encouraging us in this present generation to lay aside every weight and sin that so easily ensnares us, so we can run the race set before us.

These cloud of witnesses are watching how we are running our race.

A good understanding of what these Heroes (cloud of witnesses) did while they were on earth will help you appreciate their witnesses. Let's take a brief look at some of these Heroes :

1. ABEL: He was the first man to be murdered in human race. He was murdered because he was a righteous man. It was recorded in the scriptures that ABEL was righteous. Matt. 23:35,Heb.11:4. 

God accepted Abel's sacrifice because He had regard for Him, Gen.4:4. Abel had no brethren to model righteous living for him, yet he lived righteously by faith in God. 

You are expected to live a more righteous life than Abel, because you have countless righteous model to  challenge and inspire you today.

2. ENOCH : He was the first man ever that did not experience death. This is because God took him away. Hebrew. 11:5.
Prior to his dissapearance,  he was approved by God because he pleased Him. Who taught him how to please God? He had no bible, no Christian literature, no church building,  no house fellowship; as a matter of fact,  he had no Holy Spirit. Yet he had this testimony that he pleased God. 

For every thing you are going through right now and that you will still go through,  people like Enoch will tell you that you are always at a vantage position to please God. 

Romans 8:8 says they that are in the flesh cannot please God. However,  verse nine says " but you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit,  if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you."

You see,  you have been endowed to please God. The Holy Spirit that is in you is an edge.
The witnesses are saying to you " Hey! you have an edge,  don't blow it away". 

Bible Reading: Hebrew.  11:1-40

PRAYER FOCUS

1.) Father God, help me not to give up in the race set before me.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE GOOD FIGHT-2

Text:  1 Timothy  6:12   Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. Another thing to pursue in fighting the good fight of faith is Godliness. We understand through the Holy scriptures that godliness is profitable unto all things.   *For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.* 1 Timothy  4:8.  You will reap the reward of your godliness not only when you get to heaven, but from here on earth. And this is why we are admonished to exercise ourselves unto godliness. (1 Timothy  4:7), because godliness with contentment is great gain.1 Timothy  6:6. Godliness is the practice of conforming to the image of God by reflecting the nature of the kingdom of God in the course of everyday life. In other words, godliness is living and portray...
Post a Comment
Read more

WAY MAKER-2

Text: Isaiah 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing: now it shall spring forth: shall ye not know it?  I will even make a way in the wilderness,  and rivers in the desert. God promised that He will do a new thing for you, and that He will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. He has done this before, and He will do it again even in your own life.  When the children of Israel left Egypt, the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them, encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.(Exodus 14:9). Just like anyone would react, the Isrealites became so fearful because there is neither way forward nor back for them to escape. Before them was the red sea, behind them were the Egyptian armies. They became perplexed and began to murmur against Moses. It is possible you are also in a situation like the Israelites- No way forward, and no way behind. Things may appear like you are ...
Post a Comment
Read more

BEWARE OF DOGS

Text :  Philippians 3:2. Beware of the dogs! Beware of the evil workers! Beware of the mutilators! Usually, when you see the inscription "BEWARE OF DOGS", you instantly know there's a wild or trained dog around the corner, hence, the need to beware.  However, when God says 'Beware of dogs,' He wasn't actually referring to dogs as in 'animals' but to animals in human skin. Note that this caution was given to believers against other so-called  believers.  That is, some people within the church that we refer to as brothers and sisters are actually operating in the capacity of dogs.Though fellow worshippers in the church are called brothers and sisters, but if they behave like wild animals, know that they are dogs in humans skin- BEWARE. Matthew  7:6 says *Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.*  Essentially, dogs don't have capacity to r...
Post a Comment
Read more