Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Do Not Grow Weary
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken
18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire. (ESV)
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,
What a great verse to read first thing in this morning. If you are tired or feeling discouraged this morning, I pray this verse will give you energy to run for Christ today! There is so much in this world and even inside of ourselves wanting to slow us down…let us throw it off! Let us fix our eyes on Jesus who did not compromise and is a constant source of strength! And let’s run after him today!
I think of the bobsled I saw on TV last night. When those guys start they are running in unison and yelling and going all out. They are trying to set a world record in their olympic sized effort. May that be the way we run this weekend at True North! Who’s with me?
Hebrews 12: 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
What a way to end the chapter. Our God is a consuming fire. We owe him acceptable worship, what He has done deserves the highest praise. The kingdom of God cannot be shaken, how encouraging is that!?! Knowing that my God’s kingdom cannot be shaken is one of the most encouraging things in this entire world. We, as weak humans can be shaken, but our Father, our God, He cannot. I think we give thanks to God because we realize that He really does deserve it, but doesn’t he deserve more? Doesn’t He deserve ALL of us? He’s our all consuming fire…we owe Him everything. We need to realize how much thanks we owe God. God is good all the time, and all the time God is good. He is my all consuming fire, and I cannot thank Him enough for that.
Wow, thank you so much for this commment! It was really encouraging.
Aw I guess you’re welcome! I’m glad I could help in any way possible.
I love this chapter. Especially on the coattails of a very brutal past couple of years, filled with discipline from our generous and loving God, Who demands holiness and desires only the best from us, who represent Him.
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jesus DESPISED the shame He had to endure. But He did so for the JOY that was set before Him. I must remember this when I go through the many more rounds of discipline throughout my remaining years (should the Lord give me such time) here on earth. EYE ON THE PRIZE. One of my mantras as I go about my days…
I also like verse 12:
12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,
I’m very much a person who likes a straight shot, buck up, tell it like it is way of instruction. I don’t need the fluff. So verse 12 puts it to me like I need it, to shake the self-pity and step it up, and persevere the path lined out by my good and loving God, Who escorts me on to eternity. We only win if we prove to stay the course and remain standing when the battle is over. There is no other OPTION but to lift our drooping hands and strengthen our weak knees. IT’S ALWAYS TIME TO STEP IT UP!
Yes! Verse 12 is so great!
A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken: (This was the title for verses 18-29)
My view of God, His Kingdom, His glory, His power, His might, and His bigness fall way short of what it should be. You could say that I feel convicted…
Starting in verse 18, it describes Mount Zion, the place where God presides, as a “blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest”, and “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned” Moses was afraid enough to say: “I tremble with fear” as he was approaching the mountain of God. This is what God is, supremely powerful and a “consuming fire”.
The author then says that we should:”offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe”.
I believe tonight I should be more reverant to God when I am singing songs to him, and worshiping his name.
This is the God I am worshiping:
He is the Creator of the universe, the Judge, and the one who has justified us by crucifying his son on a cross. I need to worship God as a “consuming fire” and as a God who “so loved the world that he sent his one and only son to die for us” that we might be saved from hell.
Face down before God. He is big. Praise His name!
Yes Spence! This is pumping me up for some real worship at True North this weekend! The kind where we want to fall down in reverence and awe as his glory shines around! Looking forward to seeing you there!
Yes! I used to sing for the music, now I sing for Him with my whole heart. Its so much more personal and he totally deserves our praise!
9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?
Two think really stuck out to me about this verse. The first was the part about how we respect our earthly fathers who discipline us. Today being strict parents and being disciplinary isn’t popular. Parents these days let their children do whatever they want. But this is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that disciplinary parents show that they care for their children. I may not like it when my parents ground me, but afterwards I am thankful, because I know that they care for me and want to see me live a holier life. I am thankful for my parents, because they have helped me grow so much in my walk with God.
Secondly, this verse tells us that as we respect our earthly fathers who discipline us, so we need to respect our Father in heaven who disciplines us. The same principle stands. While I may not like the chastening that God gives me, it is for my good, so that I may learn from my mistakes and live a holy life. It may be painful at the time, but I am disciplined by God because He loves me! That is so comforting! God, I pray that when You are chastening me that I have a joyful and enduring heart. I pray that I would learn from my mistakes and grow closer to You each day. Help me to respect my parents and know their love for me, and to then respect and love You so much more!
Good Morning True North!
Man, Paul really refers to the OT a lot in this book! It suprises me, he has such great knowledge of those people. I hear a lot of Non-Christians just say that the OT is just a bunch of stories, well it’s a lot more than stories. A lot of what happened is for us to learn more about God’s characteristics and the example of people who lived & how we should compare that to how we live!
Hebrews 12:
14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;
v-14 This verse really hit home! Strive for peace with everyone! There’s some people who I do not get along with or don’t have the same mindset. I’m just thinking if I can have peace with everyone my street cred swagga will go up! I really am trying to apply this verse! (well I’m not trying, I’m relying on God.)
v-15 This verse also really hit me. Bitterness. Well I’m going through some tough trials right now. I can eaisly have bitterness in my heart. I have had a lot of bitterness in my heart in the past and it really leaves a negative effect. I think if you have bitterness your heart will start to become hard and it will leave you hopelessly.
I’m gonna write a new post in my blog. I expect it to be up Monday!
I will see you guys Sunday! :)
-KJ
Good Morning KJ! Verse 14 is exactly what we are going to talk about at True North this weekend! We need to strive for peace, especially with God’s people! We can get along with other Christians because we are united by the gospel! Great comment! See you there!
Nice! looking forwarded to it even more now Bobby!
15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; we need to work on evangelizing to every one so that they will have a chance to go to heaven. i need to work on evangelizing to everyone.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely
The end is too near to be caught up in trivial sins and worldliness. I have to make sure every day I am drawing closer to God and making my heart ready for Jesus’s return.
This is a great perspective Matt! We need to be ready for the day of our Lord’s return! Let’s live today like it could be the last! See you at True North!
Matt’s Back!! Missed you Bro!
Heb 12:17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
In just a heartbeat, Lord willing, you all will be out from under your parents discipline. Subject (still) only to God’s discipline. Just believe what this chapter says about discipline being an act of love – but time is short and God warns us to be ready when He comes, both secure in our salvation by Him and obedient to His commands. ‘Cause there are no second chances on the day of reckoning… But be encouraged that He has given us everything we need for life and godliness already! Don’t wait to do the business!
Wow!! What an amazing chapter!!! There is so much in here!
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
These verses really hit home for me. I can find myself complaining a lot about how hard it is being persecuted for Jesus. My friends are constantly making fun of me because I am a Christian. This is not the right attitude to have though! I need to consider it a priveledge to suffer on Christ’s behalf. compared to what Jesus had to go through… being tortured and death… my suffering seams like NOTHING! I need to first of all, praise Christ for enduring so much pain for my behalf and second of all, the least I can do is endure a little persecution at school with my friends for Christ.
11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
I loved this whole chapter because discipline does not feel good but reading this verse it shows that discipline is there for us to grow and stop the sins that get us in trouble! It is for our benefit to grow stronger in our relationship with the Lord and stop sinning.
Nice post Shelby! I am totally feelin that verse to!
14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
in everything we do, we need to do it in a way that would not stir up reason to argue or break peace among you. we need to make sure what we do keeps the peace with everyone.
c u all at true north today :)
9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
God disciplines us for a purpose as do our fathers on Earth. To me this verse really shows how if we listen to our fathers, why not listen to our true Father. That yes our dad’s help us grow and learn form our mistakes, I’m not trying to say don’t listen to them, but listening to God when he disciplines us we grow in our faith in him and grow to become more holy like him.
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us
This verse is saying as Christians we need to be aware of others around us!!! There are always going to be people watching us to see if we are going to stumble!!!! I have people in my life that watch my every move. I have been striving to be holy so that I can be a light!!!!!
MARANATHA
4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
I really like this chapter because it talks about getting rid of obstacles in my path and enduring for Christ. These verses give two foolproof reasons that give me no excuse for giving in. First, it says that while I may be tempted and tried, I haven’t died on the cross like Jesus did! (and i highly doubt anyone else at TN has either :P ) Second, it says (both here and in Proverbs/Psalms) that when God disciplines me, it’s only to make me a better Christian. If I don’t get punished for what I do wrong or tempted now and then, then how can I grow in Christ? It seems painful now, but when I get to see Jesus on that day that I go in front of the Lord, I will thank Him for giving me all those chances to prove myself and overcome the obstacles.
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
Jesus Christ is the perfect example of how to properly face persecution. Through his whole life, there were always many people who not only didn’t like him, but hated him and wanted him dead. In all his travels going around teaching people, the Pharisees were trying to play “Stump Jesus” on him. They wanted to trap him in his words to bring him down. After his arrest, Jesus endured all sorts of crude remarks and people spitting on him. He was whipped 39 times by the cat of nine tails, a whip split into many chords with each having sharp pieces like glass all the way down each chord, lest he probably fall dead on the 40th stroke. A crown of thorns was jammed down to fit around his skull. All the people yelled, “Crucify him!” And he was nailed to the cross and it was erected to let him hang. And against all of this, Jesus never sinned. As he died on the cross, he cried out to God the Father for the forgiveness of those who had just nailed him to the cross.
Using Jesus as an example, the types of persecutions we face in South Orange County are so weak. The author of this book writes to his audience that they are yet to shed blood because of their faith, and the same can be said about me. I haven’t suffered to the point that I have been beaten to gush out blood or anything near that intensity. So I need to never be scared facing persecution, but instead get excited! In the book of Acts, Paul is joyful after being beaten to have been counted worthy to be beaten for the sake of Christ. I need to rely on God’s strength at work in me so that I may not grow weary or frightened over persecution. I need to see it as a way that I can grow in my faith, and rejoice whenever persecution comes my way! So bring on the persecution!
28 “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.”
This is such a convicting verse. God is so good, He deserves more than my worship. But somtimes I don’t even give Him the “acceptable worship” that He deserves. The God I’m worshipping is a “consuming fire.” This is a good thing to keep in mind when I sing to Him, I need to worship with more reverence and awe. I need to give God the worship He deserves.
!!!MARANATHA!!!
Great comment Nicholas! I am also looking forward to worshiping God like that this weekend at True North! He is a consuming fire…let’s come to him with hearts that give him the fear he deserves!
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
Life can be difficult, but to keep things in perspectice, look at what Jesus had to go through! Nothing i’ve ever been through or ever will experience will be as bad as what He went through. And He endured, He carried out God’s will. If Jesus could endure in way harsher circumstances than me, so can i! i will not grow fainthearted!
I agree with Matt the is near and our sins are killing us. Any day Jesus can return and to be caught doing something not right is not how I would want to be seen. Though we are not perfect there is no reason that we cant make an effort to be like Jesus. We go through some rough trails in life and sometimes we endure things we don’t deserve our reward on heaven will be greater than we can imagen
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
This reminds me of how parents discipline there children. Without discipline we will continue to go through the same paths which lead to sin. I think its interesting how it says without discipline you are illegitimate children and not sons. Thats kind of scary because if you are not a christian you don’t have to Holy Spirit to convict you of your sin. As Believers in Christ we are given the Holy Spirit to convict us and feel bad when we sin. I think it is such a blessing and gift that God gave us the Holy Spirit. Maranatha.
Great comment Katie! The Holy Spirit is a blessing from heaven. Im so happy to see you on SOTD!
I liked verses 7-11. It is about discipline and respect.
I completly agree with them in that we/I need discipline. We see spoiled celebraties getting worldly things and not having rescept to others or authority. But it also goes in my life. If I get away with something I have that sinful desire to do it again. And then slowly not care about repect. This is bad. From Revival WInter Edition we learned that our hearts are great white sharks, and they are. They have that evil, sinful desire to keep sinning. My focus needs to be on God and I shouldn’t be bothered or focused on any other thing. I need to repect others and respect my parents for their discipline. Even if I don’t recall doing something wrong, I still need to repect their authority and obey. I am called to obey. :]
***PRAYING FOR HIS WILL TO BE DONE!!!***
Its cool to see how you really made this verse personal! I see what your saying, sometimes I feel the same. Sin can become a habit but im so thankful to have His word to keep me accountable! Ill pray for you Payton! Keep up the great comments!
What an inspiring chapter! I like this verse because it inspires me to listen dilligently at True North and have an open heart to the teaching we hear.
25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
I also like this verse:
15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;
This verse is absolute inspirational to me. It reminds me of the encouragement I need to be having towards my brothers and sisters and Christ. If we all encourage and help each other to stay strong in faith or go to church than they will not falter or stray away from God. It’s crucial to make sure that the people around me are getting the encouragement they need! I absolutely can put this verse into effect this weekend!
________________________________________________________________
Maranatha!
Yes Austin! We are going to talk about getting along with other Christians this weekend at True North! See you there!
4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
Man, these verses were really encouraging to me this morning. Lately I’ve really been struggling with some sin, and it’s a constant battle to not give in. But to remember that Jesus suffered so much more than I ever will makes me feel like I really have it easy. It’s good to think about this every now and then, how much Christ paid for our sins, and how our efforts to overcome them pale in comparison to the perfect life He led.
Just as struggling against sin is difficult, it’s difficult to accept the punishment God has prepared for me when I fail. At times I feel frustrated because of both my failure and His discipline, but verse 6 talks about how the Lord only disciplines those He loves. Even though I may not be happy about being punished, it’s encouraging to think about the fact that He wouldn’t be doing any of this if He didn’t love me or want me to grow spiritually.
Great chapter this morning. MARANATHA!!
Dido. His punishment is our blessing so that we can grow!
Nice to see you back on SOTD. I hope that you are feeling better brother.
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
This verse stood out to me, as a Christian parent. I discipline my two year old daughter, not because I enjoy it, but because she needs it to correct her heart that is full of sin and wickedness. If I allowed her to live in her sin and get away with all her disobedience to me, which is truly disobedience to God, I would be a terrible parent. I discipline her because I love her and because it matters more to me that she learns that she is a sinner in need of a Savior than she thinks I’m cool and nice for letting her get her way all the time. God disciplines us a Christians because He cares for us and He knows that the best thing for us is to scold us when we disobey Him. God’s discipline is not about Him being harsh or mean, but about Him being so loving that He corrects us to get us back on track with Him. I am grateful for God’s discipline, even if it doesn’t feel good, because ultimately it is the best thing for me. Thank You, God, for loving me enough to discipline me when I sin.
Great comment Beth, your faith and obedience encourages me sooo much!
28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,
Yes! I don’t want to take for granted receiving the kingdom of God. It’s the best because even though the things around us here in the world might be shaken, in eternity they never will. I want to offer God worship with reverence and awe. Not just worshiping Him through songs but with my life as well.
Mhmm! I strive to worship Him with my life too!
5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
MMMHHHHHmmmmmm! God’s discipline is intense, but it lets me know that I am a legitimate son! I don’t have to doubt my salvation if I am being disciplined in my spiritual life by God, instead I should “cowboy-up” like verse 12 says and learn the lesson that God is trying to tell me.
13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
If believers don’t “cowboy-up” Satan takes adavantage of that and will use the discipline of God to tear us away from Him. I will not let this happen to me! Instead when trials and temptations hit me, I will strike back by running to God, not complaining, rejoicing and thanking God for His love, reading His Word, and committing my heart even more to Him. He disciplines for a reason, and it’s out love, so why should I despair? It’s for my good!
28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,
Now that’s right on! I always need to be grateful that I am a Christian and that I am going to heaven. Sometimes I do take that thoght for granted, and I really shouldn’t! I get to be in the presence of my Savior forever, with no sin, for eternity! Now that is pretty legiT! I need to always be worshipping Him for that and be like this verse says “with reverence and awe” all the time!
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
This verse is especially inspiring after just reading chapter 11 and the some of the examples of faith in the OT. God has done incredible things with people who are sold out to Him with a life of trust. After hearing what faith looks like it makes the sin I struggle with seem so petty. Sin weighs us down and entangles us so that we can’t be used by God the way He’d like. If God is trying to move us to do His will, we don’t get far as we could when we have weights dragging us down and ropes tripping us up. This is all the more reason to cut off the bogging weights and entangling ropes of sin in my life so I can be moved by God to live a life that is pleasing to Him.
Wooooow, i loved the whole chapter…i would right everything down here.
but probly my favorite is 12:1
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
we are running a face with Jesus the founder of are faith.
Its nice to see you on SOTD! I love you Anita!
haha thank u…i love u too<3
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
This is a really good verse because it helps me remember to always be weary of the sin of the world. Every day, sin will present itself to me, but I need to stand firm.
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Like what Bobby preached at Revival ’09, we need to be running on fire for the Lord always. When we start to slow to a jog or even walk, something is wrong and we need to push through it and pray for the Lord’s help.
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
I liked this verse because it says straight forward, people are watching you, therefore drop all sin from you so that you can represent Christ in your walk with Him. A lot of times when we get caught up in sin, people see it and sometimes call you out on it. And how will be people want to become Christians if all they see is you in sin? Thats why we must be constantly praying, reading the bible, and asking for Gods guidance to help you live a better life representing Him. So that we will not be fake christians! :D
I honestly loved this chapter! It was so inspiring!!!
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
This is by far my favorite verse. We should fight every sin that tries to tempt us. Jesus has left us such a wonderful, amazing world and for that reason we as Christians should praise him and spread the word to others.
11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
This verse is so true!!! Our parents seem to punish us when we disobey them, and for us these punishments may seem very unfair. Later in life we will realize that their discipline has helped us grow. We shall obey our parents and thank them every day for the lives that they have given us.
18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.”
This is such a great verse. When I read this is just hit me how great the power of GOD is. Everything we know can and will come to an end, and GOD controls all of it completely. He knows all, sees all, created all. He is the redeemer and judge. Praise be to his name forever amen.
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Sin is a huge weight and can really bring you down. It takes real application to master sin! Recently, I found that constant prayer, getting into the word, and talking with a select few really does help fight sin. I continually am praying for a gentle and quiet spirit before the Lord and that everything I do will be for his glory. There are a lot of people out there that notice as well, and how bad would it be if I was not being a good example!? I would never want to give Christianity a bad name, so it is important to be representing Christ and wearing HIM all the time!
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
These have been my favorite verses for quite some time and I love the message portrayed in it! We need to do more in life than just sit around lazily and go through the motions.. We need to throw away the stuff that tangles us up, and run the race God sets before us, with the strength only Jesus can give!
11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
It is sometimes hard to understand why God disciplines us and why it would be so painful at times, but God always has a plan for our lives. And this verse helps us to realize hat God disciplines us because he loves us so much and doesn’t want to see us fall away. Discipline helps us to grow stronger in Him and when we grow stronger in Him then we will see that peaceful fruit of righteousness. With discipline comes benefits.
14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord
I also love this verse because it is hard to be at peace with everyone when there is so much chaos in this world. God will give us the strength to find peace and have a gentle and quiet spirit if we continue to pray for it because he wants us to be amazing Christian examples to others so that they too may become holy.
looks like 12:1 won the prize as the most convicting pulling away from the other verses. It’s great to watch the HS work and see which verses minister on any given day
ELLO… I read
I like verse 6,”For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
I like this verse because it talks about being punished… not a very common subject. I like when it talks about being punished. When we are punished we often don’t make the same mistake because we fear the punishment. I need to think of things this way so when I sin and ask why is this happening I must remember that GOD chastises those HE loves and HE does this so that I don’t make the same mistake. When I am punished it doesn’t mean GOD is angry with me it means HE is helping me not make the same mistake.
CYA
This is a great chapter! What stood out to me today was the last verse.
29 for our God is a consuming fire.
In light of a God who is the author of our faith, who disciplines those he loves, and whose kingdom cannot be shaken, verse twenty-eight says we are to offer acceptable worship to him with awe and wonder. Then, surprisingly the chapter finishes with how God is a consuming fire. Our generation focuses so much on the love of God that it can lose a biblical view of a God who is to be feared. A consuming fire cannot be contained, it has total power, and it not at the will of anyone but itself. The author of Hebrews is not calling God like a consuming fire but He is a consuming fire. This is not a title that my mind thinks of when I think of the titles of God. I think Alpha and Omega, Yahweh, and I AM. I need to see God like this, throw off entangling sin, and worship God with a sense of awe.
Yes! Great comment Joy!
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
Yes! Let’s make sure that we are running the race to win! I need to make sure that I am running the race in obedience; identifying the sin in my life that impeeds me in the race. May I identify these things that slow me down and take drastic measures to remove them. I pray that today I may have the perserverance to run this race blamelessly!
28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
I want my worship to God to always be acceptable…with reverence and awe. Sometimes I become distracted when I worship and then I need to ask God for His forgiveness. There is no excuse for being distracted when I’m praising the Lord. When my mind turns to other subjects in the middle of worship, I know that it’s a problem with my heart that needs to be fixed. I look so forward to the day that I’m in Heaven praising God with a mind that will never become distracted while I praise Him!
12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
This verse is talking in particular about spiritual discipline, but it can be extended to encompass all trials in the Christian life. God has a purpose for every moment of our existence, and every hardship we endure, we endure for a reason. We may not see it at the time (as it was with my shoulder injury) – indeed, we may never see it at all – but that does not give us an excuse to not look for ways to bring God glory through it. Certain teachers in school tend to make me very frustrated; not that this is a major hardship, but it is a situation in which I am presented with a choice. I can complain, feel like a victim, and be bitter about it. Or, I can endure, not merely surviving but thriving, doing everything for the glory of God and aiming to glorify Him through my attitude no matter what happens. I need to constantly have this attitude, so that even in the midst of difficult situations God might be honored by my life.
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
This chapter is so encouraging. It makes me want to fight sin in my life and KILL it before it kills me. Sin is something that we need to not take lightly.`I need to have endurance in my walk with the Lord and run the race with the end in sight.
28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
I like this verse because of how it shows that we need to be constantly grateful for God, and what he has in store for us in Heaven. It also reminds me that I constantly need to be surrounded by the Word,people that know the Word, and things about the Word. I know that I’m awestruck every time I try and think about how giving our God is, are you?
28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
This chapter was so amazing and encouraging! I am so grateful for a God that does not give into humanly desires, doesn’t give into temptation, and doesn’t ever sin! It is so amazing that the kingdom of God cannot fall because Christ is so perfect and he is the Truth!
29 God is the light of the world and we have to be lights in the world as well, witnessing to others so that they can share our hope in faith in God! ” thus let us offer to God acceptable worship”. I pray that I will worship Christ through my actions and through everything I can possibly do to glorify Christ’s name!
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
We have to repent to God in order to get the burdens of our sin off! Repenting isn’t just saying “sorry Lord” but truly realizing our fault and NOT DOING IT AGAIN! I want to run toward God with full speed! I pray that God will allow me to run toward Him to strengthen my faith in Him!!
God is Amazing!!
tiffany this definitely encouraged me! its so great to see you on here all the time:]
I am praying for you too, and I am so encouraged to see you on SOTD. I am also so grateful to serve a God who is completely holy and set apart from sin.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
Discipline was huge in my family. I got my fair share of spankings growing up…but I deserved every one of them. My parents spanked me often because I deserved spankings often but I never questioned if my parents loved me. Even when I was little I knew they disciplined me because they loved me. It is the same with God. He will discipline me when I disobey because he loves me and wants me to be holy. Discipline is no fun. I don’t like it when God disciplines me just like I didn’t like it when my parents disciplined me. But I know that God is doing it for my good and because he loves me. I need to make sure that I am constantly obeying so God doesn’t have a reason to discipline me!
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
Jesus Christ set the absolute perfect example of endurance through persecution. I have absolutely no excuse to complain over persecution, because in comparison to the brutality and cruelness Jesus faced, my persecution is absolutely nothing! This verse is so encouraging to be reminded of all that Jesus went through for my sake so that I can endure the hardships that come my way. Whenever one comes along, I want to remember Jesus’ perfect example, and rejoice in my persecution because I am suffering for the name of my Lord Jesus Christ!
Amen! The fear of God is so much more important that the fear of man.
I really liked this whole chapter. It’s been a theme in our family to run with endurance the race that is set before us, still surrounded by a “great cloud of witnesses” and set aside our sins as hinderances, and run towards the Lord. This was from the first verse.
I feel like I should follow Christ with absolutely everything I have. I know in our hectic lives (especially me) don’t follow Christ, we tend to go towards other things. I am praying that all of us (God’s glorious children:) are striving to show our witnesses that we are running on the wonderful path that God has laid out for us, and our destination is His Kingdom.
=)
Its great to be back!…its been a while from SOTD but not a while from the Lord :)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
These verses really stood out to me because right now on my life this verse is really encouraging. If I want to move forward in my life and have a deeper and stronger lasting relationship with Him, then I’m going to have to stay away from sin and anything that is dragging me down. I can really connect with this verse because I’ve been making some tough internal desicions in my life right now and it can be incredibly tough but I have no regrets. Im going to press forward because nothing can take away the joy that I have in Him, no matter how I feel. He paid the ultimate price therefore I’m not alone.
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
I love this verse because it is such a clear reminder that I need to throw off everything that hinders my walk with God. Whether it is a certain sin, a responsability, a sport, hobby, whatever it is, I need to make sure that I am able to run the race set before me, without being sidetracked by less important things. I need to keep my prorities strait.
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
This is so encouraging that whenever we feel like we are struggling with something and slightly begin to lose heart, we can remember Jesus Christ and his sacrifice. That truth will deliver us from feeling worldly emotions that bring us away from God, and instead bring us closer to him for our comfort and security.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,
Wow these verses are so powerful! Great could of witnesses-having good christian friends that I can run my race with! It says that sin clings on us and we will always have temptation…and having friends that can help us refrain from temptation will help us. Having friends that are going thru the same things as I am is so encouaraging and I can run the race with them along side me. And ultimately I need to keep my eyes focused on the prize and always looking to Jesus as my ultimate help.
So much in this chapter! Verses 12-14 definitely hit me the hardest. Understanding the example of Jesus and the discipline of God should create a response of endurance! Even if I’m feeling tired or tempted, I need to get of the mat and strive for peace and holiness!
This also goes along really well with Bobby’s sermon tonight! I’m excited to hear it again tomorrow!
4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
This is intense! Sometimes I can grow weary and feel discouraged and kind of have a give-up attitude because I’m thinking about how hard it is to fight off sin. But wow, I definitely have not struggled to the point of shedding blood! My prayer tonight is that God would convict my heart with clarity of my sin, that I wouldn’t be deceived by it or comfortable with it. And also that I would draw on the Holy Spirit as he strengthens me to be obedient in struggling against the temptations that I deal with. I want to do what it takes to fight off sin in my life and never make excuses for it.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us”
We have to realize that once we call ourselves Christians, the world is going to hone in on us, and try to catch us in the act of sin so that they can ridicule us. And this is not only going to affect what they think of -you-, but of Christ, because once we call ourselves Christians, we are putting on the name of Christ, and how we represent is going to affect the way the world sees Christ. That is a huge deal. Often what people determine of religion is what they know of someone who claims to be of that religion. So, as Christians, we have to be reppin’ to the highest degree. d:- )
Hello . . .
I read . . .
Hebrews 12 . . .
Ummm . . . so picking just ONE verse to comment on in this chapter is like trying to get a kid to choose one candy from a candy shop!
Everything wasssss soooooooooooo good. I don’t even know where to begin. Ok, well the beginning of the verse was saying. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Run the race with endurance and run towards God. One day the race will finish, but how will your race finish? Will your race finish running to God the almighty creator and savior? Or will your race finish running to some idol that you clinged after from Earth? I know I want to make sure that everyday in my life, I’m running the race and looking at the light at the end of the tunnel. That light . . . IS GOD! He shall be my motivation each and everyday. He is what I shall eat, breath and sleep for. He is what I shall wake up in the morning for. Why, one may ask?
Because He did it for me. I shall run the race that’s in front of me towards God who endured MUCH worse things . . . for ME! He died on the cross with nails put through His hands . . . for ME! <– THAT! is why I shall run the race will full endurance and motivation from my Lord.
Why is God putting me through this trial? Why is He making me suffer SOOO much right now? Why God, why? Well, the Lord disciplines us . . . because He LOVES us. He cares for us, would do anything for us, and HAS done anything for us. If God is disciplining you, than YES! That's a great thing to hear. But, if you do not see the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, than that means that your not a legit Child of God.
I know for sure that when my Father gives me a trial, I should immediately thank Him for it and notice that He's disciplining me because He LOVES ME! Stay strong in the Lord, that you shall endure His disciplining hands. Do not wither like grass, but stay strong with hard corse roots set in Him!
There's so much that I could comment about, but I haveta' go to bed. I think this is the BEST chapter that I've read that is filled with SOOOO many great and wonderful verses! I don't know about you, but I felt like BOOM BOOM BOOM, one verse right after the other that was full of wisdom, knowledge, and encouragement.
See ya'll tomorrow! Goodnighhhhtes. :P
~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~M.A.R.A.N.A.T.H.A~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~
I can't wait for the sermon tomorrow! Super excited! :D
14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
This verse convicted me and how I am supposed to strive to have a good relationship with others!! Like Bobby said in his sermon that if someone does or says something to or about that I don’t like, the last I should do is retalliate and say something back to them!! I need to always be looking for ways to grow my relationship on a deeper level with my christian friends!!
MARANATHA!!!!!!!!!!!!
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire. (ESV)
It seems that having reverence and awe when worshipping would be the least I could do. I have been reading through Numbers recently and my eyes have been opened to the holiness of God. God had the Levites camp around the Tabernacle to ensure that a non-Levite did not accidently come into the dwelling of the Living God unprepared. This was done to keep the non-Levites from the wrath of God. It was a constant reminder to the Israelites of the presence of God and stressed the importance of coming to God with the correct heart. Lord help me to worship you with the respect and awe that you deserve.
I read…
Verse 4… “In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”
I was convicted when reading through this chapter because I have not made enough war on my sin. I need to be active in fighting it. I need to be more like Jesus in my fight by resisting to the point of bleeding. I pray that God would help me in this fight.
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
Jesus had to go through the greatest persecution.. and he did absolutely nothing to deserve it, he just did it for us. Yet I still struggle with resisting sin all the time, and I haven’t even really suffered too much (or shed blood, as the first talks about). Jesus is the ultimate example of persevering through trials and persecutions with a humble heart. All throughout the time leading up to his crucifixion, he didn’t fight it, he didn’t obliterate his enemies like he could have. Instead he remained quiet and humble, not growing weary as this chapter talks about. I need to strive to be steadfast in my persecutions, unwavering in my trust and faith in the Lord. What I go through will be nothing compared to what Jesus went through for me. I need to persevere through the trials I will face, demonstrating how grateful I am to the Lord for sending his Son to die for my sins. He deserves every ounce of effort I have in me – he gave it all for me, so I want to give it back!
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jesus is our example. He is the perfect representation of God and we are to follow in his ways. What really stood out to me was the words “the joy set before him” Jesus eyes were never fixed on the here and now he was always looking ahead, and he knew a great joy awaited him if he persevered through his life on earth. He did not care what others thought. He did not worry about his life on earth. He had the perfect perspective. And then when it was all over he took his rightful place in heaven at the Right hand of God and there he stays until the final day when the trumpet sounds. But for now he sits interceding and going to God on behalf of us. And that is amazing
I pray that in my life when my struggles seem to overwhelm me or my circumstances consume my thoughts that I would look to Jesus as the example. That I would remember that he knew what he was going to endure and did it anyway. Because of his great love and I am to do the same.
“For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
I’m definitely thankful for the discipline of the Lord in my life. It’s the times when God lets me feel the sting of sin that I realize the best how poisonous it is. It’s easy to think like “I hope he goes easy on me this time” when we blow it, but really we should be patiently enduring His discipline, knowing the good it brings about in our lives: “the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”
Hebrews 12
28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
These closing verses really made me ponder how thankful we say we are for our salvation thru Jesus Christ versus our actions that are not always aligned with a heart of gratitude to God. Only thru fear and reverence to God are we able to show faith that leads us to serving God. How can we say that we have fear and reverence for God if we fail to become a slave to his Gospel Without grace and our whole heart we are incapable of acceptable worship. If we are entangled by sin and living a double minded life we are unable to worship with reverence and awe. When we receive the gift of love thru his Holy Spirit we are able to love like he does which leads us to acceptable worship to the Lord.
1 John 4:7-8 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Good Morning!!
I went back and read this……I forgot yesterday. But I did read it so yay!!
Good thing yess!! It’s a good chapter :)