Note for 20241128 - Hebrews - Part 12 - The Race Set Before Us

 

Hebrews - Part 12

The Race Set Before Us

Read Through The Bible

“As it Happened” Bible Reading Plan

Day 012

Job 32-34

Hebrews 12

The Audio Version of today’s note

The House of Bread · Voice Note for 20241128 - Hebrews - Part 12 - The Race Set Before Us_Personal Testimony included

Hebrews 12:1-29 KJV

[1] Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 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. [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. [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 bastards, 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. [12] Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; [13] and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. [14] Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: [15] looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; [16] lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. [17] For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. [18] For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, [19] and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: [20] (for they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: [21] and so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) [22] but ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, [23] to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, [24] and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. [25] See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: [26] whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. [27] And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. [28] Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: [29] for our God is a consuming fire.

https://bible.com/bible/1/heb.12.1-29.KJV

Note for 20241128

I don't know about you, but sometimes when I read the Word, it is as if my mind is in a heavenly Gym of some kind. The thing is that there is so much said here, but the author writes from a preposition that the reader knows, at least, the things of the Old Testament. So, he refers to happenings in the past which are accepted in the Faith, and compares it with what came anew from the New Covenant by The Blood of Christ Jesus our Lord. Even that, how in times past, it was a fearsome thing to approach GOD Almighty, as He explained here what happened at the Mount when Moses received the Law from GOD.

But, the matter that is of interest here for me today, is of the matter of being Chastised by The Lord. Yes, it is of special interest for me, because I pray for the correction of the Lord that I do not go into error. Friends, the price is too high. Who rejects the Kingdom of Heaven, after he has tasted it? Chastisement is for the sake of righteousness, and we lean to righteousness because of our affinity towards Christ. We want to do the right thing, not? We refuse error, even resisting the temptations of the flesh, not? If that is true in you, then correction is a welcome friend, though it can be hard at times, when we discover the error of our ways. The same, when we have a reliable Guide unto all that is Good in the Sight of GOD, in The Holy Spirit that God sent unto us as a Comforter. These things are only true though if we have a heart unto righteousness and not seeking every occasion to give into the earthly pleasures of the flesh that will drag us down into the deepest pit, polluting the sanctity of the Holy Spirit in us. So we can say with Paul then, that which I do not want to do, that I do; that which I want to do, I do not. Now I have come to know that it is not I that sin, but the flesh. I know, this itself feels like a mental workout. The Lord said, resist the devil and he shall flee from you, what then is it to resist? And if then failing to resist that which corrupts the soul, is the chastisement by Him who loves us then not welcomed for the salvation of our soul? Only when we have part in this correction, when we resist that which is as abominable in the sight of GOD, can we step into a place of compassion for those that are still struggling with it. Hence, love thy neighbour as thyself. We must learn the shame of error, before mercy is made manifest in us for others.

So, let me give you a little bit of testimony. Back, when I was much younger, I struggled with alcoholism. I asked for help from friends and superiors at my place of employment. Only, they did not see it as a real problem. So, I was someone that partied hard and often, like many of my age back then; what was the great problem, I would grow out of it as I mature, they might have thought; besides, I was great fun when I got drunk and provided much entertainment for those around. But, I knew I had a problem. I have lost control. My body was screaming for a drink, maybe as a coping mechanism for much deeper things. This brought me to one of the lowest points in my life, when I attempted to take my own life. Thank GOD for His protection, that He gave me a way out of that. Just a few Words that came to mind in a gesture, "The Lord is my Shepherd." That is when I laid down the 9mm pistol beside me, and they could approach me, to take me to receive the help I so desperately needed. Treated then for the attempted suicide, but also given coping mechanisms to deal with alcohol abuse. About 4 years later, I gave up drinking for good, when I learned that it was like an enemy for me. That it would rob me of everything I have in life, including my son, for 20 years.

Chastisement is no fun my friends, and I was hardheaded. But I hope that my testimony will permit you to see the enemy that raises his head even deep within our own flesh. That which is against the Word of GOD, is not a friend of the human soul. I learned that the hard way. But now, I am grateful, for that is checked off on my learning curve. Next month, I will be 28 years sober. It would have been great if that was the only lesson I had to learn in life, even the expense of losing a loved one out of your life, because of who you are. In a brief conclusion of my testimony, it is good that you should know that my son did come back into my life and we have a bond that is a gift from heaven.

Because I did not have someone reliable in the moments when I cried out for help, I learned to be that help for someone in distress, when I see it. To be that, which I needed and didn't have in a human friend. No! It is God Himself that rescued me, multiple times, from myself and from others. Now that deviance is purged from me. It is as oil for my lamp, it will keep my flame burning for the Lord.

Is it necessary for you to bump your head on every sharp corner in your walk of faith like I did? No. But, then you must do what I did not do, and that is to listen to the Lord, the Word of GOD, that speaks on strong drink. How much agony I could have been spared from, if only I took the time to read and understand Proverbs. But, I didn't, and paid an expensive price. Still was it worth it, because of the correction of the Lord. So now, maybe you can understand why I pray for the correction of the Lord.

Don't be like I was, listen to good advice. No party is good enough, to be worthy of the cost you may have to pay for error. Listen to someone that had to pay the price. Not me, but He that saved my life. Listen to the Words of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; for without him, not only would I have been lost, I would not be alive today. I know, because it was my own finger on that trigger. In my life, Satan almost won and I will be forever grateful that GOD stepped in when I needed Him most. 

Shalom

The House of Bread

Verse of The Day

From the YouVersion Bible App (Extended from verse 34)

1 Chronicles 16:34-36 KJV

[34] O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; For his mercy endureth for ever. [35] And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, And gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, That we may give thanks to thy holy name, And glory in thy praise. [36] Blessed be the LORD God of Israel For ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.

https://bible.com/bible/1/1ch.16.34-36.KJV