Have you ever reflected on the heroes of the faith listed out in Hebrews 11? I mean REALLY reflected on them?
Think about, these folks were so passionate about God that they endured some crazy, crazy things!
Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning;[e] they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated…. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. (Heb 11:36-38)
And, here’s the kicker, they did this WITHOUT the Scriptures or the Holy Spirit.
Yeah. Really.
Without the Scripture – without a record of anything…. I mean, come on, these are the folks who literally WROTE the Scriptures or, at the very least, had the Scriptures written ABOUT them.
And without the Holy Spirit as the Spirit was not poured out on everyone until AFTER Jesus came, died, rose again and went to the Father.
So…ummm….if they could endure all that they did and still walk about God, why…umm….do I have such problems doing the same thing WITH the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit?
Makes you think doesn’t it…
Here we are on the other side of the Cross complaining about how tough things are when we have been given more tools and more of the presence of God than EVER BEFORE.
Yeah, we are wimps.
We – read “I” – need to get up and start walking after Jesus. I need to stop letting the pressures and worries of this current evil age keep me from doing the things Jesus have told me to do. After all His Spirit lives within me and the King of Kings – the Creator of Everything – as given me (and you) the authority to go into the world (i.e. nowhere is off limits) and tell folks about Jesus, heal the sick, cast out demons, cleanse leapers, raise the dead, and basically continue with the mission given to the heroes of Hebrews 11.
It is our turns guys and gals.
Our turn to carry the baton of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Let us not fail. Let us not give up. Let us continue along the race set before us.
After all, we HAVE the Holy Spirit in us and we HAVE the Scriptures to guide us. We have NO excuses.