Hebrews 11;32-40 (KJV)
And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and inprisonment:
They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
And these all, having obtained the good report through faith, received not the promise:
God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Today's encouragement is fairly simple, in that you should be able to, already, see the greatness of faith. When you lay hold to your faith in Christ Jesus; the GOOD REPORT of Christ Jesus, you will be able to endure whatever it is that has to be endured. These verses highlight that the Bible does record the actions, exploits, situations, and circumstances of certain individuals who believed on God (to follow his commandments), as well as some who faithfully believed on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But, these verses highlight that there were, also, those individuals who were not named yet suffered just as much for the Gospel. Why must they be highlighted? Because you are the eventual hope of their reason for suffering. You have a GOOD REPORT that is spoken of to this day. The Gospel of Jesus Christ IS being spoken: told to millions daily. These nameless individuals suffered because of the Gospel (v39 records that they didn't receive the "promise"); their listening, and taking in of the news of Jesus Christ ONLY. Let that sink into your spirit........
Your encouragement is that you HAVE received the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and you HAVE received the "promise" as well. How can you not endure? I mean, how can you not deal with that slightly irritating co-worker? How can you not suffer the difficulty that is currently present in your marriage? Why must you flee from the very light persecution of having to stand up for Christ within your social circle? Seriously, these are probably a few of the minor incidents we all go through; here in America, where we allow for an avalanche of "beliefs" to be expressed, constantly. But, we (the followers of Christ Jesus) care more for the self-salvation of comfort than the suffering of ridicule, separation, or mockings for the expression of Salvation in Christ Jesus.
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
Those are the spoken words of Christ Jesus (John 16;33). Our Savior, whom we believe we are paratakers with, said that He "overcame" the world. Then, shouldn't we, since we are "in" Him, be OVERCOMERS too?
I close out this bit of encouragement with what, I would suggest, is the resolution we possess due to the endurance of all those un-named individuals. You can read it for yourself.
Hebrews 12;1 (KJV)
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Holla,
Yer Brova Catalyst
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