A Promise.

Hebrews Chapter 11 is considered the 'faith' chapter of the Bible. It summarizes & compiles the most epic adventures of the heros in the faith! I read it today, almost randomly, and it blew me away! It talks all about the incredible stories of saints in the past, whose stories are almost too incredible to believe, yet we've been desensitized to the impact of it all.

One powerful story is the story of Abraham, a man who God chose to found a nation that would be set apart for Himself. God promised that He would birth a nation through Abraham's wife Sarah, even though they were both quite elderly at the time. By human standards, it was simply impossible. Yet nothing, NOTHING, is impossible with God. He chose to birth a nation in a miraculous way: through a man who was 'as good as dead', whose wife was supposedly too old to birth a child.

God works in mysterious ways, doesn't He?

12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. Hebrews 11:12 (NIV)

Hebrews Ch. 11 is immediately followed by an exhortation in Ch. 12, verses 1 & 2, to run with endurance the race that is set before us, realizing that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. It exhorts us to look unto Jesus, who set the ultimate example of a race well run & carried to the end with excellence.

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
New International Version (NIV)


Our existence is temporal. God is not limited by time.

We are contained by years, months, weeks, days; yet God created time, therefore He sees the end from the beginning.

Let us realize that this great story we have become a part of is so much bigger than ourselves. Let us realize that we are 'surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses.'

Let's throw aside every entanglement and hold firmly onto the promises of the Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who "for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, scorning the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Anticipation.

Today, at around noon, I will embark upon a journey...

Catalyst's 10th Annual Conference!! I'm stoked. Expecting to learn a lot- more posts to follow soon.

--LB

"What's the answer/To the question/I hear inside my heart?" (The Searching Song by LEB)

When I opened the page for My Utmost for this morning, gotta tell ya, it was quite a blow to my pride (once again lol). But then I realized that THIS is the answer to my question (see "The Girl vs. The Cynic").

It seems the theme recently has been God teaching me what it is to be humble, patient, kind, & gracious in the midst of difficulties. Being in a bind is NO EXCUSE to be unkind or nasty. When we're 'squeezed', the character of Christ should come forth. At least, that's the goal in my life.

If I'm in 'the valley' instead of on the mountaintop, that is not a license to despair. In no way am I allowed to give up hope. It has been strongly impressed upon me that this is where the battle takes place; in the midst of adversity. This is where character is shaped, by what I think, say, and do when life is hectic & stress levels are high.
Read the following with a willing heart. I pray that God would show you something fresh & new. <3,
LEB

Go to the reading for the second of October:

http://www.rbc.org/utmost/index.php