2023/08/29 - Hebrews 12: Cloud of Witnesses, Discipline of the Lord, & Unshakable Kingdom
Jerry Starling
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Reading: Hebrews 12 – Cloud of Witnesses, Discipline of the Lord, & Unshakeable Kingdom
Verse for Today
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight land the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us. (Hebrews 12:1)
Daily Devo
The Cloud of Witnesses
The cloud of witnesses are those named and described in the previous chapter. They form a cheering squad to push us on to higher things, as “we run the race set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.”
We fix our eyes on Jesus as we run the race before us. “Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners.” Do not lose heart. “In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.”
The Lord’s Discipline
Have you forgotten the discipline of the Lord? “Do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when you are punished by Him. The Lord disciplines those whom He loves and chastises every child He accepts.” Accept trials as discipline. Children are disciplined by their parents. God, as our Father disciplines us as well. Should we not accept His discipline, for He disciplines us for our good so we can share His holiness.
Rejecting God’s Grace"
Pursue peace and holiness without which you will not see the Lord. Do not fail to have the grace of the Lord. Do not be like Esau; he sold his birthright for a pot of beans. Then, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he found no chance to repent, though he wept bitterly.
You have not come to what can be touched, as Israel came to Sinai. They heard the voice of God, and begged Moses to go up the mountain to speak to God and come tell them what He said. The mountain was so terrifying even Moses said, “I tremble with fear.”
“You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to angels in festal gathering, to the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and a Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood that speaks a better word than that of Abel.”
Do not refuse Him who is speaking. If they rejected the warnings received on earth, “How much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven!” At Sinai, His voice shook the earth; He promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth, but also heaven.”
“We are receiving an unshakable kingdom; let us give thanks by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe. Indeed, our God is a consuming fire.”
Can we imagine the awesomeness of what we have come to when we face God, the judge of all, in the last Day? That day is what we long to see and become one of those “righteous spirits made perfect.”
Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!
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Pray for Yourself
Father, I pray I will not stop following Jesus as He has called me. In His name I pray, AMEN!
My Prayer for You (and for me)
Father, I offer this prayer for all who read these words. I pray that each one of us looks deeply into the above list of what we have come to in our faithful walk with Jesus and use what you see as further evidence that we are on the right track to glory. This is my prayer, in His name, AMEN!
Updates for Central
SonQuest is September 1-3. If you are going, get ready for three d ays of fun mixed with some great Bible teaching. Come back fired up for Jesus!
The morning Ladies’ Class resumes at 10:00 am Wednesday, September 6. All ladies are invited to participate.
Kid’s Club will be September 16 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Kendra Crist is in charge.
Our Eastern European Mission “Million Dollar Sunday” contribution will be on September 24. Our contribution that day will go to EEM for Bibles for the former Soviet bloc nations. Last year, EEM distributed 1,960,00 Bibles, up 24% from ‘21. They hope for more this year.
PRAYER NEEDS
Susan Allen will have a surgical procedure on Wednesday, August 30. Keep her in prayer.
Cindi Crist will have a surgical procedure on Friday, September 1. Keep her in prayer.
Jennifer San Juan asked for more prayer for her daughter, Dawn. She is not doing well at all, and Jennifer is concerned.
Carl Bolli asks for prayers, as he fell a couple of weeks ago. Joy Bland, who lives four doors from Carl, has been helping him, putting on pain patches, preparing meals, and taking his dog out. He also asks for prayers for her.
Lee Cain asked for prayers for Betty & Mark Harman, one of the board members of CFBC. She had a head-on collision when a car came across the median directly into her. She is out of the hospital, but still has more surgery to face. Pray for both, as he owns his own business, and this is taking much time away from it.
Nancy Gray has been diagnosed as having Covid. Please pray for her as she recovers.
Joan Berry, Joanna Turner’s Mother, needs our prayers.
Carol Grandey, Brenda Schmidt’s sister, is home and ready to enter rehab. Keep her in your prayers.
Jesse Matthews, Sr. Ruth said he is in rehab. Their daughter is also still recuperating from a broken ankle. She needs prayers as does the whole family.
Kristi Holder is planning to be at SonQuest. Jerry says she improves daily and will be taking it easy at SonQuest. Keep her in your prayers.
Joy Bland found she has a broken bone in her foot that requires a boot to help it heal. She will have it for about six weeks, with an MRI (hopefully) coming soon. She recently told me she really needs our prayers to help her through.
Gale Harnish is home, but not well. Keep her in your prayers.
Susan Allen’s sister Debi is not well at all. Please remember her in your prayers.
Please let us know when you have events to publicize, are in the hospital, or are sick and need prayers. If you request prayer for someone, let us know when to take them off the prayer list. You can contact me by text or phone at 407-453-5392.