Such A Great Cloud of Witnesses Part 2

Such A Great Cloud of Witnesses Part 2
Hebrews 11 & 12

All who are willing to live a life of a living sacrifice have qualities that I know I want. So I found my heart pounding and aching to be like them and to possess qualities that will help me to stand, live, and even die with the confidence and dedication that those who are watching exhibited. One of the qualities they had was that they pleased God. Hebrews 11:5 tells us that Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death and was not found because he obtained the witness that he was pleasing to God. The thought that I would be pleasing to God seems impossible. What does it take to be found pleasing to God? Matthew Henry breaks down the statement “he walked with God” to mean “That he walked with God, that is, that he was really, eminently, actively, progressively, and perseveringly religious in his conformity to God, communion with God, and complacency in God.” (Definition of complacency: self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies.) His relationship with God wasn’t passive. It was an active engaged relationship. He walked with God. Matthew Henry goes on to describe the later part of the verse saying, “That before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. He had the evidence of it in his own conscience, and the Spirit of God witnessed with his spirit. Those who by faith walk with God in a sinful world are pleasing to him, and he will give them marks of his favour, and put honour upon them.” Enoch’s spirit testified within him that he was pleasing God. He had a peace within him that he was pleasing to God. There is a contentment, confidence, and boldness that comes only when a person is walking in a manner that is pleasing to God. (Gen. 5:21-24, Heb. 11: 5)

 Of course our greatest example of One who pleased God was Jesus. Everything He did was pleasing to His Father. From the way He cared for His mother, the way He lived among the least of them and loved them, the way He invited in the little children, to the way He stood up for the woman caught in adultery, proclaimed truth in the synagogues, and embraced the cross. He did nothing without His Father’s leading. John 12:49 “For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.” In John 14:31 He says, “… that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me.” It is because of this total, single focus on His Father that we read, “ and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” Mark 1:11. In the Greek another meaning for well pleased is to find pleasure in.

 How do I please God? How do we please God? I want Him to find pleasure in me. So what things please Him? I think the obvious first answer is that we love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength. Everything about us should point to Him, glorify Him, love on Him, and praise Him. When I was looking at the stars one night a thought came to me. I am a sort of a writer and so I think about things from different perspectives. Sometimes this is good and sometimes it is just weird. This particular night a thought came to me. You see every time I look up into the sky at night and can see the stars the first thing I say is, “Wow God You are so awesome!” or “Wow God You are incredible!” or “Wow God You are so magnificent”. I never say, “Wow star you are so cool, awesome, incredible, or magnificent”. Never. That star always turns my entire attention to its Creator. So then I began thinking, imagine how awesome it must be to that star knowing your soul purpose in living was for your Creators highest creation to look at you and automatically praise Him. Then it hit me. It is my purpose. Whenever someone looks at my life they should be able to say, “Wow God You are so incredible!” If I love Him with all of who I am I will do everything that pleases Him. I will not be influenced by mans opinion, I will take care of the innocent, poor, and strangers, I will be generous, show mercy and grace and so much more. (1 Thess. 2:4,Heb 13:16, James 1:27, Isaiah 1:17). Is it possible to be perfect? Not to my knowledge. However, I do believe that we can live a life that is purposed to please Him and is quick to return to Him when we fall. How I long for my Heavenly Father to look at me and say well done my good and faithful servant.

 These great witnesses not only pleased God they also had a tested faith that was founded in their confidence in God. Verse 6 of chapter 11 says’ “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” I believe that Abraham is a great example of this trait. He had his weak moments but there were many more times he acted with confidence in God. In chapter 11 starting in verse 8 we see a man who was willing to leave everything he knew to go where God told him to go. He didn’t know where he was going, living as an alien in strange lands for years. This takes a great confidence in your relationship with God. Leaving familiar, safe, and comfortable for the strange, unsure, and challenging is not easy. He also had a tested faith when it came to trusting Him with Lot, trusting Him with a covenant, trusting Him with His only son, and so much more. (Gen. 12-25, Heb. 11: 8-12, 17-19) Job rested in what He knew about His God during trials. (Job 13:15) Daniel and the three Hebrew children trusted their God. (Dan. 6:10, Daniel 3) David over and over again clung to His God that he knew was faithful. The disciples, Paul, Stephen, and so many more who experienced difficult times but never lost faith. To the many today that truly have only their God and yet can still sing songs of praises. They have a faith that has been tested and found to be true.

On a very small scale I understand this kind of faith. When God began moving on my heart to move to West Virginia I thought I needed some serious help. I was not an adventurous person. I liked to be surrounded by people, places, and things I knew. They brought security to me even if it also contained some dysfunction. I was good at my job, just finished my masters, about to be tenured as a teacher, things were going great, mostly. God wanted me to move to where? Where I knew all of 2 people very superficially. No job. No church. No friends. By myself. The more I tried to run the more He confirmed until I had to give in and say yes. Then when I began telling friends and family I began hearing things such as: You are moving to where? Where is that? Why?! There are mountain people there who will kidnap you and kill you and we will never be able to find you! That is too far away! Are you in a cult?! Etc. Needless to say most weren’t very supportive. I had a few who believed and encouraged. So I came. And the first day my sister and her family left I called home and said I made a horrible mistake and wanted to come home. The second day I got lost in some mountains and thought, “Great I am never going to see my family again!” But I knew God was faithful. I knew He had been faithful before and He never changed. He had seen me through many things so He would see me through this. Within a few weeks things began to sort out. I found a job. I found a good church. Made some friends. And things began to settle.

The final characteristic I want to talk about, though there are many more, is that they had an endurance, courage, attitude of self-sacrifice and denial that is so opposite of what even Christians have these days. Their whole perspective, paradigm, and strength shakes the very foundation of the boxed in version of God that many carry with them everyday in their pocket. Noah is one example of this kind of relationship “He did not dispute with God why he should make an ark, nor how it could be capable of containing what was to be lodged in it, nor how such a vessel could possibly weather out so great a storm. His faith silenced all objections, and set him to work in earnest.” I can’t imagine what it was like to have God tell you that you were suppose to build this huge thing to prepare for a storm no one had ever seen in the existence of mankind. He persevered through the scorn, laughing, mocking, and cursing. He endured through the pain his family must have endured. (Gen. 6-9, Heb. 11:7) Moses chose to leave a mansion and the perfect life for a life in the desert with His God. He then came back to a people whose faith was weak and fear was great to lead them to freedom. They stood often aside watching to see what would happen. He faced Pharaoh again and again knowing that he could die at anytime. But he chose to endure and obey. (Exodus 2-14, Heb. 11: 24-29) Chapter 11 goes on to mention the many who are nameless that endured so much for their God. Never considering their lives sacred or their own, they stood to gain the approval of the only one that mattered, their God. (Heb. 11:32-40)

Of course, our greatest example of this is Jesus. Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross for our sakes. (Heb. 12:2) He endured cursings, beatings, mockings, and the burden of the world’s sins in obedience to the Father and out of love for His bride. His life was the ultimate model of endurance, courage, self-sacrifice, and self-denial. 1 Peter 2:21 tells us “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.” In times coming we will have the opportunity to endure, have courage, exhibit self-sacrifice and self-denial in the face of danger and persecution. How will we do? It will highly depend on how we build our faith now. If in the easy times we do not turn our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths to Him alone then in the hard times I fear our foundations will crumble and we will fall in the shakings.

Such A Great Cloud of Witnesses Part 1

Such a Great Cloud of Witnesses Part 1
Hebrews 11-12

 Athletes are aware of those who are watching how they perform. Usually it is family, friends, coaches, and just what they would call normal people. Though a good athlete will always want to do their best, these people watching do not usually produce a higher level of anxiety or pressure. However, when it is a game where there are scouts watching or high-ranking players watching the stakes are suddenly higher and more pressure is felt. This pressure occurs because now that player knows that those who know the sport and the details of every play are watching. The observers know what it takes to make the plays and they know what didn’t happen when a mistake is made. They are not just playing in front of those who just enjoy watching the sport or have come to cheer on their friend or family member. They are playing in front of experienced, seasoned experts. Experts who could not be fooled and whom excuses would not be accepted.

 I have read Hebrews many times. I have heard Hebrews 11 preached and I have heard Hebrews 12 preached. However, I have never heard Hebrews 11 and 12 preached together or connected. In fact I never really connected Hebrews 11 to the therefore of Hebrews 12. Recently in my reading of Hebrews I read chapter 11 and decided to continue into chapter 12 and something clicked. That great cloud of witnesses that are watching me changed from just being friends, family, and people to the great witnesses that chapter 11 had just described in great detail. Suddenly, I realized I am not just running this race in front of those who are watching for enjoyment or because they know me. I am running this race in front of experienced, seasoned martyrs who know the cost, paid the cost, and now watch me run. They have passed the baton and it is my turn.

These are those who God is not afraid to be called their God, who the world were not worthy of and so now my race has a heavier burden to carry as I continue what they have begun. So who are these witnesses? Are they just people from long ago who have nothing to do with life now? Is the way they lived their lives irrelevant to us because it was a different time and culture? Should we really even stop to look at what they did? I believe we should. Primarily, because it is in scripture and scripture tells us that all scripture is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction and training in righteousness. (2 Tim 3:16) Also, because we can learn great truth from others lives and walks with God. Romans 15:4 says, “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope”. I believe that we can learn from their lives. God was pleased with these and I want Him to be pleased with me. Let’s examine those listed in Hebrews 11, others in scripture, and others throughout history, and even modern day to see what we can learn. First there are the men of old found in Hebrews 11. This passage talks about men of old. It starts with Abel and him offering a better sacrifice than Cain and he still speaks though dead by his faith. (Gen 4) Then it talks about Enoch who never saw death because he was pleasing to God. (Gen 5:22-24) There is Noah who built an ark amid ridicule and mocking by faith in a God he revered. (Gen 6-7) Abraham comes next because he left his country and followed God not knowing where he was going. He lived as an alien in the land of promise. Offered up his only son, the promise, and hope of God to him. (Gen 11-26) Sarah was able to have a baby pass the time of child bearing considering Him faithful who had promised. (Gen 18) Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. (Gen 27) Jacob blesses the sons of Joseph and worshipped. (Gen 47-48) Joseph prophesied about the exodus and gave orders concerning his bones. (Gen 50) Moses had faithful parents who hid him, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter and to endure ill-treatment, left Egypt, kept the Passover, led the people through the Red Sea. (Exodus 2-14) Joshua led the children of Israel around Jericho for seven days. (Joshua 6) Rahab welcomed the spies in peace. (Joshua 2) Then there are the others like Gideon (Jdg 6-8), Barak (Jdg 4-5), Samson (Jdg 13-16), Jephthah (Jdg 11-12) , David (1 Sam, others), Samuel (1 & 2 Sam), the prophets.

 There are other examples in the Bible that we can look at that set examples for us to follow. Mary (Jesus mom) agreed to will of God knowing the persecution she would endure. (Luke 1) Joseph chose to obey and follow the hard road and take Mary as his wife. (Matthew 1) John the Baptist chose to live a life of dedication and sacrifice with single-hearted devotion to God, beheaded. (Gospels) Stephen proclaimed the Gospel even through being stoned to death. (Acts 7) Paul laid aside his desires and life to follow God any and everywhere He led him. Suffered beatings, persecutions, being imprisoned, being in want, and so much more. (Acts, Epistles) Soldiers came and led him out of the city to the place of execution, where he, after his prayers made, gave his neck to the sword. Then there are the disciples. To find this information I went to Foxe's Book of Martyrs online. Simon Peter was crucified, his head being down and his feet upward, himself so requiring, because he was (he said) unworthy to be crucified after the same form and manner as the Lord was. Andrew on his arrival at Edessa was taken and crucified on a cross, the two ends of which were fixed transversely in the ground. James (Son of Zebedee) was beheaded in A.D. 44. John from Ephesus was ordered to be sent to Rome, where it is affirmed he was cast into a cauldron of boiling oil. He escaped by miracle, without injury. Domitian afterwards banished him to the Isle of Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation. Nerva, the successor of Domitian, recalled him. He was the only apostle who escaped a violent death. Phillip suffered martyrdom at Heliopolis, in Phrygia. He was scourged, thrown into prison, and afterwards crucified, A.D. 54. Bartholomew was at length cruelly beaten and then crucified by the impatient idolaters. Matthew was slain with a halberd (a weapon especially of the 15th and 16th centuries consisting typically of a battle-ax and pike mounted on a handle about six feet long) in the city of Nadabah, A.D. 60. Thomas preached the Gospel in Parthia and India, where exciting the rage of the pagan priests, he was martyred by being thrust through with a spear.1 James (Aplheus’ son) at the age of ninety-four was beaten and stoned by the Jews; and finally had his brains dashed out with a fuller's club. Thaddeus/Jude was crucified at Edessa, A.D. 72. Simon (The Zealot) was crucified, A.D. 74. Matthias (Replaced Judas) was stoned at Jerusalem and then beheaded.

 But some would say where are the modern day believers? There are also a multitude of modern day martyrs. William Tyndale was brought forth to the place of execution, he was tied to the stake, strangled by the hangman, and afterwards consumed with fire, at the town of Vilvorde, A.D. 1536; crying at the stake with a fervent zeal, and a loud voice, "Lord! Open the king of England's eyes." There is also a huge collection of the lives of these believers that can be found in biographies, in Fox’s Book of Martyrs, at Voice of the Martyrs, and at opendoorusa.org. At Voice of the Martyrs and in devotionals such as Extreme Devotion you can find current day martyrs.

The Standard

I was making my long trek back home after a visit with my family. I was attempting to do the speed limit and not speed. That was a very challenging task, not that I am a crazy driver but I typically do the 5-10 mph over. At times I would be driving and a few people would pass me and I wouldn't pay much attention. There were other times though that it seemed everyone had passed me and I began to question if I had missed a speed limit sign with a higher limit. I began judging the speed of the cars around me as an accurate reflection of the speed I should be going. At that point I began to anxiously look for a speed limit sign. Of course if would take forever for one to appear, but the funny thing was that when they did appear, I was doing the correct speed. This happened a couple of times and the Lord spoke to my heart about something. You see in life I have recently felt like I am living in two totally different worlds. This is a hard thing to do. I have my world that is all about teaching, politics of education,politics in general, societies definition of tolerance, and a very skewed sense of right and wrong. When I am in this world it is easy for me to just keep doing life as if everything is fine and it is going to continue like this forever. I fall into this trap of allowing myself to blend into this thinking and it is easy, for it is all around me. Then reality hits when I am around other believers who are reading the signs of the times according to scripture and trying to prepare for the judgment that we have brought on ourselves. Here where the heartbeat is crying out for mercy, in repentance for the sins of abortion, human trafficking, self centeredness, and so much more. Here where there is a sense of urgency for time is short to prepare and to reach people. Here where the true reality is so very present. In the midst of this world I remember what my standard is to know if I am "doing the right speed", the Word of God. I have to stop allowing the world that is spinning around me, flying by me, and having a party make me think or feel what I am doing is wrong or crazy and just remember my source and guide is never wrong and never changes.

Entertainment, fame, money, and pleasure

In America we have people throwing cash registers because their burgers weren't made right. In America we have people suing others because they were irresponsible for their own behavior or did not look out for their own children. In America criminals have rights and victims do not. In America if you work hard the government takes away your money to give it to those who don't want to work. In America lifestyle, status, money and possessions are more valuable than an unborn child. In America you can find a church on every corner, but God is nowhere to be found in them. We complain about everything and are thankful for nothing. We expect everything to be given to us and refuse to give anything to others. In America we have no moral code and blame the consequences for our sins on the prejudice of others.
While all this is going on human beings are being trafficked for the pleasures of men, children are being raped and murdered, young boys are being forced into becoming child soldiers, nations are starving, continents are being ravished by disease and America does nothing. And that is just in it's churches.
America has had its fun and soon the bill for it will come. What will we do when we can't pay it?

Interesting

"For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart." Ecc 5:20

While reading through the book of Ecclesiastes I found it quite depressing and negative. But in the midst found some very timely verses, one being the one above. The thought that I could not even think about what had, is, or will be happening in my life because God has filled my heart with so much gladness that is all I can think about. That is an incredible thought!

Just In Time - His Time

There are those times in your life when everything seems out of control and going the wrong way. In the midst of those times it is easy to forget that He is not only right there with you, but He also still has everything under control. That has happened to me the last few days. I knew He was in control but by outward environment was so crazy. Yet in the midst of it He sends me to the place He knows I need to go and speaks through people there the words I need to here. I love having a heavenly Father who loves me so much that he orchestrates everything for my best and to draw me to Him.

The So Great and The So Small

About a week ago I was in West Virginia looking for apartments. We drove through the mountains and were reminded how big our God really is. Semi's looked like toy cars next to these huge formations. The trees were gigantic making us feel like we had been shrunk down. All we could keep saying was wow. There just wasn't any other word. Then a song came on with these words, "Everything You hold in Your hand, yet you make time for me I can't understand." It seemed to put to words what we were feeling. I love it when pictures and songs come together to make something stick in your mind. It was something I will never forget. Thank you Father for the reminder of who You are and how much You love us.