Post by Cindy on Jun 12, 2015 9:29:16 GMT -5
More than ever I hear believers say, “We’re worried about what’s happening in the world. If things don’t change in our country real fast, we’re finished.” Christians shouldn’t live that way. We don’t live by the news; we live by faith in God. When Bulstrode Whitelock was preparing to embark as Oliver Cromwell’s envoy to Sweden in 1653, he was feeling anxious about the tumultuous state of his nation. England had recently gone through civil war, and—for the first and only time in its history—it executed its own king (Charles I). The army and the government were at odds with each other. So were the Presbyterians and Cromwell’s Independents, two branches of Puritans (spiritual heirs of the Reformers from the previous century). It was difficult enough figuring out which direction the country was headed, let alone representing it to another country. The night before his journey, Whitelock nervously paced about. A trusted servant, noticing his employer was unable to sleep, approached him after a while. This exchange took place:
“Pray, sir, will you give me leave to ask you a question?”
“Certainly.”
“Pray, sir, do you not think that God governed the world very well before you came into it?”
“Undoubtedly.”
“And pray, sir, do you not think that He will govern it quite as well when you are gone out of it?”
“Certainly.”
“Then, sir, pray excuse me, but do not you think you may trust Him to govern it quite as well as long as you live?”
The question left Whitelock speechless. He headed for bed and soon was fast asleep. Likewise, we do well to ask ourselves those same questions when fearing what will befall us in today’s world, then rest easy when realizing the obvious answer.
The author of Hebrews was keenly aware that many such concerns in running the Christian marathon would plague us. Therefore, this is what he said to do: “Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin” (Hebrews 12:3–4). In other words, “I don’t see any of you bleeding. It may be a little rough at the water cooler, you may get hassled in class, and you probably won’t get preferential treatment by the government or anyone else, but you haven’t been crucified like Someone I know.”
When you start thinking it’s too tough to live the Christian life, consider One who endured such hostility that He went as far as death—and realize you haven’t gone that far yet. Having that in mind has a way of keeping your anxieties in check. When you grow weary in the race, focus that much more on Jesus. Remember that His life of faith led to joy and triumph, and yours will too.
MacArthur, J. (1993). Anxiety Attacked. MacArthur Study Series (57–59).
God asks us to make a clear mental choice to unburden ourselves. Sometimes we are so caught up in our feelings and our misfortunes, we need to put them aside and as the Bible says “consider Him … so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Heb. 12:3).
Redman, B. (2010). God knows my name: Never forgotten, forever loved.
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;” (Hebrews 12:1–4)
I would like to add something about the above verses, specifically about the part that says we "have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us." At first glance that sometimes seems to be saying that those who have gone to heaven before us are watching how we live our lives, but that's not at all what's being said! The word, "witnesses" doesn't mean spectators, our word for martyrs comes from the word used here in the original language for "witnesses". These people that are being spoken about are the hero's of our faith that were spoken of in the preceding chapter. The knowledge of what they went through and persevered, is a witness or testimony to us and an encouragement to us to keep on keeping on. (Hebrews 11:2, Heb 11:4–5, Heb 11:33, Heb 11:39) He gives us a snapshot of these people in chapter 11 to remind us that others have run the race before us, and encourage us to get to know them and their stories to help us as we go through our own trials in this life. Those people who don't read the Old Testament are missing out on a huge amount of spiritual help, comfort, and encouragement. The little bit we learn of them in Hebrews 11 should cause us to want to know the rest of their stories.
Looking to Jesus instead of ourselves, our problems, etc isn't just a single act, it's an attitude we develop; it's the attitude of faith. Jesus lived by faith when He was here before. He lived His life as a model for us to follow. It was because of His faith in the Father that He was able to endure the Cross by looking ahead to the joy that He would soon have. This is one of the reasons the Lord tells us what He does about Heaven and the rewards He will have for those who are obedient. He's giving us things we can count on and look forward to. He wants us to dwell on those things and on Him instead of the trials. He wants us to know that He will make the trials we go through here, more then worth it. His Word gives us much to look forward to. So much that Paul says: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17–18) also reminding us to keep our eyes on the Lord and the joy He has set before us, and not on ourselves and our trials. He also said: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)
I thought this addressed what many of us have or are feeling about how things are going in our country and in the world today, so thought it would be good to share with everyone. It's a short excerpt from a book called, Anxiety Attacked" by John MacArthur and a short quote from God knows my name by Redman. Hope it was encouraging for all.
“Pray, sir, will you give me leave to ask you a question?”
“Certainly.”
“Pray, sir, do you not think that God governed the world very well before you came into it?”
“Undoubtedly.”
“And pray, sir, do you not think that He will govern it quite as well when you are gone out of it?”
“Certainly.”
“Then, sir, pray excuse me, but do not you think you may trust Him to govern it quite as well as long as you live?”
The question left Whitelock speechless. He headed for bed and soon was fast asleep. Likewise, we do well to ask ourselves those same questions when fearing what will befall us in today’s world, then rest easy when realizing the obvious answer.
The author of Hebrews was keenly aware that many such concerns in running the Christian marathon would plague us. Therefore, this is what he said to do: “Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin” (Hebrews 12:3–4). In other words, “I don’t see any of you bleeding. It may be a little rough at the water cooler, you may get hassled in class, and you probably won’t get preferential treatment by the government or anyone else, but you haven’t been crucified like Someone I know.”
When you start thinking it’s too tough to live the Christian life, consider One who endured such hostility that He went as far as death—and realize you haven’t gone that far yet. Having that in mind has a way of keeping your anxieties in check. When you grow weary in the race, focus that much more on Jesus. Remember that His life of faith led to joy and triumph, and yours will too.
MacArthur, J. (1993). Anxiety Attacked. MacArthur Study Series (57–59).
God asks us to make a clear mental choice to unburden ourselves. Sometimes we are so caught up in our feelings and our misfortunes, we need to put them aside and as the Bible says “consider Him … so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Heb. 12:3).
Redman, B. (2010). God knows my name: Never forgotten, forever loved.
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;” (Hebrews 12:1–4)
I would like to add something about the above verses, specifically about the part that says we "have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us." At first glance that sometimes seems to be saying that those who have gone to heaven before us are watching how we live our lives, but that's not at all what's being said! The word, "witnesses" doesn't mean spectators, our word for martyrs comes from the word used here in the original language for "witnesses". These people that are being spoken about are the hero's of our faith that were spoken of in the preceding chapter. The knowledge of what they went through and persevered, is a witness or testimony to us and an encouragement to us to keep on keeping on. (Hebrews 11:2, Heb 11:4–5, Heb 11:33, Heb 11:39) He gives us a snapshot of these people in chapter 11 to remind us that others have run the race before us, and encourage us to get to know them and their stories to help us as we go through our own trials in this life. Those people who don't read the Old Testament are missing out on a huge amount of spiritual help, comfort, and encouragement. The little bit we learn of them in Hebrews 11 should cause us to want to know the rest of their stories.
Looking to Jesus instead of ourselves, our problems, etc isn't just a single act, it's an attitude we develop; it's the attitude of faith. Jesus lived by faith when He was here before. He lived His life as a model for us to follow. It was because of His faith in the Father that He was able to endure the Cross by looking ahead to the joy that He would soon have. This is one of the reasons the Lord tells us what He does about Heaven and the rewards He will have for those who are obedient. He's giving us things we can count on and look forward to. He wants us to dwell on those things and on Him instead of the trials. He wants us to know that He will make the trials we go through here, more then worth it. His Word gives us much to look forward to. So much that Paul says: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17–18) also reminding us to keep our eyes on the Lord and the joy He has set before us, and not on ourselves and our trials. He also said: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)
I thought this addressed what many of us have or are feeling about how things are going in our country and in the world today, so thought it would be good to share with everyone. It's a short excerpt from a book called, Anxiety Attacked" by John MacArthur and a short quote from God knows my name by Redman. Hope it was encouraging for all.