Today’s thought “Made strong out of weakness” (December 4)

One of the most uplifting chapters in God’s word is surely Hebrews 11. It provides the evidence of what real belief in God causes us to do (or not do); the factor that should be the spiritual mainspring of our lives. The danger is, we might become too familiar with the lessons in this chapter and the ‘inspiration’ they offer to believers: to say, ‘I believe’ is one thing – but what is the ‘quality’ of that belief?

Chapter 10 ends by making the point (and remember there were no chapter breaks originally)

“… we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls”.

And then, reading straight on into chapter 11,

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”.

Real faith means we have a “conviction”! The minds of those who possess it have a set state of thinking, they really know what the whole purpose of life is – God’s purpose: for all that exists

“was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible” (verse 3).

Those who have this conviction are

“made strong out of weakness” (verse 34)

and Paul lists many examples of those possessing this conviction and ends by stating,

“all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect”.

We each ask ourselves – am I really part of the “us”?

Again, ignoring the chapter break, we try to absorb the point Paul then makes.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, (all these examples of faith) 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, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured …”. {Hebrews 12:1-2}

How much are we enduring?

Let us make a practice of “looking” to Jesus – more – and more.
Do you realize this is the only time the Greek word rendered “looking” occurs in the Bible?
It means to be totally attentive, a fixed gaze! All those.

Preceding

Religion power and authority for mankind

Living stones 5 Abraham’s seed and gentiles

Today’s thought “Therefore I will call on him as long as I live” (March 7)

Today’s thought “Events as yet unseen” (December 4)

The post-Christian world