Hebrews 12...a pattern for the believer

Hebrews 12 gives wonderful insight into the spiritual growth and maturity of a believer.

When reading passages of scripture one of the things that usually catches this blogger's attention is pattern.  By unction of the Holy Spirit when reading His Word this is how I came to the following understanding.

The life of a believer is full of ups and downs, peaks and valleys.  We understand the law of sowing and reaping but there is a deeper truth and pattern that emerges from Hebrews 12.
First, based on the previous post regarding weariness, one would ask, "is that all there is in the life of faith?"  This is why Hebrews 12.11 grabbed my attention.

Following the lesson on "chastening" are these words..."afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness." My heart is always desiring that "peace."  While we understand there is a "peace that passeth all understanding," there is a pattern before and after such peace.  Obviously this peace can be disturbed because the writer says to, "lift up the hands which hang down."
  
It is also explained in verse 20 that the children of God "could not endure that which was commanded." They knew that to touch the Holy Mount and things of God was to die.  It was so terrible to see the mountain quake with thunderings and shakings that even "Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake." Again, to enter into the presence of the Lord without a remedy is death!  Ahh, but there is a remedy; verse 22 says we can come "unto Mt Zion...the city of the living God, the heavenyly Jerusalem..." Then, we are told how.

Hebrews 12.24 gives the answer to entering into the Lord's presence: "And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things..."  After this answer, a warning; "See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh." (12.25)

So, here is the pattern I see in this passage of Hebrews:

• .11  "Chastening yields peaceable fruit"
• .12  then praise - "lift up hands"
• .14  which brings more "peace and holiness"
• .20  His way and law are hard to endure during spiritual growth - but enduring yields...
• .22  hope when a view of things clean, right and pure. See Mt Zion - the city where God lives
• .24  the presence of "Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant" (His blood)
• .25  WARNING!: "See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh." 

                 The Reward?

• .28  "a kingdom which cannot be moved" or shaken because of grace

                The Admonition,once more

•       "serve God acceptably with reverance and godly fear."

Hebrews 8.5 explains that these things are an "example and shadow of heavenly things..." and we are to "See...that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount."
Obviously, we are not perfect and can never be until we are in our glorified bodies. But we are to "strive" (Lk 13.24) to be so and to be as "perfect" as possible (Phil 3.15). Also, "he remembereth that we are dust." (Ps 103.14)
So, don't beat yourself up when you mess up.  "Get back in the saddle," ask forgiveness and go again.
It is my hope and prayer that any reader of this blog gets at least a little illumination and help on the journey home.  God bless and "Press along, weary pilgrim..."

weariness...

The preacher's recent message was from the book of Job and titled "Don't let the storm move you."  His "friend," Bildad, was "counselling" him on why all the misfortunes were taking place in Job's life. 

The truth is, I have moved from the tenderness granted during the darkest storm in my life, almost 16 years ago.  Then I read Hebrews 12.3; "Consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds."  Wow! Talk about hitting the proverbial, "nail on the head." A few verses later, (12.8) says, "But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards (illegitimate child), and not sons."
This intense weariness is definitely some of that chastisement because I ignored His bidding some 32 years ago.  Forgiven, yes. Reaping, yes.  His child, yes.  The consolation for this weariness is the last part, I'm His child and I know it because of the reaping/weariness.
I also know I'm not alone and I know that (Heb 12.10) after "a few days chastened..." it is for my profit that (I) might be partaker(s) of His holiness."
In conclusion to this short "sermonette," YES, I'm in!

faith...then "run" with patience

Heb 12.1:

"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,"

God provided all we need to understand His Word.  to "run with patience," seems a bit of an "oxymoron," as they say.  How can one "run" and be patient about it?  Simply put, "pace yourself."  The Lord has a time for everything that is and will be in our lives.  We are to "be about the Father's business," (Lk 2.49) but we are to be "patient" while He fulfills His will in our lives.  In view of that understanding, we will humbly study and compare the spiritual life with the natural life in reference to "running a race."
So, buckle up, your faith is with you and now you must put it to task.

How do you prepare for a running race?

1. Make sleep a priority. Try to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night during your training. ... (Ps 4:8: I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. Pro 3:24: When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet)
2. Practice and plan. ( Lk 14.28 -For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have [sufficient] to finish [it]? )
3. Set a goal and a backup goal. " But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Mt 6.33)
4. Hydrate before and during the race.." But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst..." (Jn 4.14)
5. Stay upbeat and positive. "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil 3.14)
6. Relax and enjoy the run. "Behold [that] which I have seen: [it is] good and comely [for one] to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it [is] his portion." (Eccl 5.18)
7. Start out slow. "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint." (Isa 40.31)
8. Get your doctor's go-ahead. "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."  (I Cor 6.19, 20)

Pre-Race Planning

A simple strategy for the days leading up to a race is to make sure every meal has some high-carb food in it—bagel, bread, pasta, rice, cereals, fruit, etc. Your goal is to eat items that are high in carbohydrates, moderate in protein (meat, cheese), and low in fat. "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (I Cor 10.31)

 

How do you breathe when running?

Bottom line: Avoid shallow chest breathing while running and focus on deep belly breathing. Breathe through both your nose and mouth, but primarily through the latter.
Wow - didn't know there were so many verses about breathing: 

• "The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." (Job 33.4)

• "And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Gen 2.7)
  

• "All the while my breath [is] in me, and the spirit of God [is] in my nostrils;" (Job 27.3)

• "And when he had said this, he breathed on [them], and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:" (Jn 20.22)

• "Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD." (Ps 150.6)
  

Is it safe to run everyday?

Running every day may have some health benefits. ... How many days it's safe for you to run each week depends on your goals and physical fitness levels. Scheduling days for cross training, strength training, and rest should be part of your training plan. They may make you a stronger and healthier runner overall.

• "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety." (Ps 4.8)

• "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." (Eph 6.11)

• "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Phil 4.13)

Simply stated, "running a race is not for the faint of heart."  It is possible to not only run but win when one is prepared.  Of course, this is a spiritual as well as a natural application.

Are you running this race well?

by faith...all others...

Let's look at the writer's conclusion to his examination, by the Holy Spirit on faith:
(Hebrews 11.32-40)

³² And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, (Who me?, Judges 6, 7) and of Barak,(Insecurity, Judges 4.9) and of Samson, (momentary weakness, Judges 13-16) and of Jephthae; (Illegitimate, orphaned child, Judges 11-12) of David also,(Shepherd and tender-hearted but spoiled by wealth and power)  and Samuel, (Godly mother and father raised him in church) and of the prophets:
What was their contribution, to the faith, by faith?
³³ Who through faith

•  subdued kingdoms,
•  wrought righteousness, 
• obtained promises,
•  stopped the mouths of lions. 
• ³⁴ 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. 
• ³⁵ Women received their dead raised to life again:
•  and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 
• ³⁶ And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, 
• yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 
• ³⁷ They were stoned, 
• they were sawn asunder, (killed by the sword)
•  were tempted, 
• were slain with the sword: 
• they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; 
• being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

³⁸ (Of whom the world was not worthy:) 

• they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹ And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
⁴⁰ God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

Faith, is, like much of scripture, sans the practical applications, "a mystery."  To sum up these 17 study's regarding this great subject of "faith," this blogger will quote one verse used before the "Hall of Faith" is penned in scripture; look at Hebrews 10.38 -

"The JUST shall live BY faith

by faith...Rahab

Lesson 16, from "Greenland Bible Studies," on the matter of faith.

Always and forever, the faith of this woman is predicated on her past life, "a harlot."

The walls of Jericho and the faith needed to gain victory over them are mentioned in this passage before the story given for this wicked woman.  Just saying...think on that. I'm not sure I see anything there but will continue with her story...

The name "Rahab" means,  "broad", "large", Arabic: رحاب, a vast space of a land),  according to the Book of Joshua , a woman who lived in Jericho in the Promised Land and assisted the Israelites in capturing the city by betraying her people (Jos 2.1-24). In the New Testament, she is lauded both as an example of a saint who lived by faith,  and as someone "considered righteous for her works. (Heb 11.31, Jms 2.25, Mt. 1.5) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rahab

In Matthew 1.5, Rahab also spelled "Rachab," tells us that this woman is the great-great-grandmother of King David.  Quite notably, she is in the lineage of Christ.   Pretty simply put,

the Lord can use "whosoever in He will," in his service.
(Eph 1.5, 9)