Great Cloud of Witnesses
Well, have these devotionals ministered to you? Have you found yourself dipping back into the annuls and deep recesses of your mind? Don’t linger long for there is work ahead and not behind. Enjoy this last day on the topic, “Freedom from Past Failures and Offenses” and purpose to commit this scripture to memory.
SCRIPTURE: “Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having taken hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3: 13, 14
After a failure, try revisiting the lives of those in “the great cloud of witnesses” mentioned in Hebrews 12:1. Their failures and comebacks may become your inspiration to dust yourself off and get back on the course that has been set before you. Look at David, known as a godly King, committed adultery and murder; Peter, known as one of Christ’s loyal disciples, disowned His Lord to save his own life. Though we (just like the saints included in the great cloud of witnesses) would have wanted to avoid the times of shame, regret, isolation, etc. Those past failures and offenses have kingdom purpose.
Our all-knowing God knew we would need ready examples and rescue maps to give us direction after we blew it in the worst ways. Past failures and offenses serve to ultimately benefit us; they can be likened to a type of affliction (mentioned multiple times in Psalm 119). How should individuals of the Way crawl from beneath the holds of haunting and humiliating afflictions? Afflictions, we learn in Psalm 119, have the God-given power to bring us to ourselves; they cause us to find God’s favorite place for us, the place of humility. Afflictions are often the force behind our climb to the next level of faith.
We have certain assurances in Christ to help us regain fervor and embrace our triumphant position after offenses. We are Christ’s possession forever (Ephesians 2:10); He is our Strength and blessed Hope (Deuteronomy 31:8); Our expectation is only from Him (Psalm 27:13, 62:5); and all power belongs to God (Psalm 62:11, I Timothy 1:17). David still triumphed as he is mentioned in scripture as being a man after God’s heart (Acts 13:22); Peter became a mighty leader of the faith, as he was responsible for many souls coming to Christ (Acts 2:38). None of Satan’s strategies to discourage us (after a failure) have dominion to strip us of our eternal value. Hallelujah! We must not lose heart. We can still be used to victoriously declare the work of our Lord! Glory be to God!
Prayer: Lord, thank You for the way You love us. We bless You for Your ways of bringing us out of our points of depression and back to Your Love. You are our Lord, the One who causes us to triumph for Your good pleasure. Help us to embrace Your plan for our lives and to always be ready to give Your Name the glory and the honor it forever deserves. In Jesus’ Name-Amen!
By Sis. Lisa Williams
Our all-knowing God knew we would need ready examples and rescue maps to give us direction after we blew it in the worst ways. Past failures and offenses serve to ultimately benefit us; they can be likened to a type of affliction (mentioned multiple times in Psalm 119). How should individuals of the Way crawl from beneath the holds of haunting and humiliating afflictions? Afflictions, we learn in Psalm 119, have the God-given power to bring us to ourselves; they cause us to find God’s favorite place for us, the place of humility. Afflictions are often the force behind our climb to the next level of faith.
We have certain assurances in Christ to help us regain fervor and embrace our triumphant position after offenses. We are Christ’s possession forever (Ephesians 2:10); He is our Strength and blessed Hope (Deuteronomy 31:8); Our expectation is only from Him (Psalm 27:13, 62:5); and all power belongs to God (Psalm 62:11, I Timothy 1:17). David still triumphed as he is mentioned in scripture as being a man after God’s heart (Acts 13:22); Peter became a mighty leader of the faith, as he was responsible for many souls coming to Christ (Acts 2:38). None of Satan’s strategies to discourage us (after a failure) have dominion to strip us of our eternal value. Hallelujah! We must not lose heart. We can still be used to victoriously declare the work of our Lord! Glory be to God!
Prayer: Lord, thank You for the way You love us. We bless You for Your ways of bringing us out of our points of depression and back to Your Love. You are our Lord, the One who causes us to triumph for Your good pleasure. Help us to embrace Your plan for our lives and to always be ready to give Your Name the glory and the honor it forever deserves. In Jesus’ Name-Amen!
By Sis. Lisa Williams
Archive
2024
January
Gratitude Mixed with Faith Should Equal ObedienceGrace Comes In God’s TimingGOD USES WHOM HE CHOOSESSeeing What God Sees to Get What God HasA Life Verse That Is Good for Every YearSeeing Things as God Sees ThemThree QuestionsDon’t Worry About the FutureForgiveness Is Our Daily CelebrationPeace When We Do RightGod’s True Children Certainly Should KnowRegret In Missed OpportunitiesThe Attitude of Delight Is RightMeditation Deprivation Is EvidentARE YOU A DISCIPLE OR JUST A CONVERT?An Anchored Soul Won’t QuitGod Wants to Be BelievedFinding God in Our PainI Must Be About God’s WordWhat the Wondrous Word of God Can Do in a Willing ServantSeeing Things God’s WayGetting Along for Jesus SakeMeditating Brings Us Success In The Christian LifeThe State of Mind That Pleases GodPraised By the RaisedHaving the Right Knowledge for Real FaithWhose Mind Do You Think With?All My Heart & All My WaysWise with the Lord’s TimeNo Shame About What God Has SaidPrayer Is A Conversation
February
DEEP ARMOR FOR THE STEEP CLIMBDressed in the Whole Armor of God for Spiritual WarfareGRAB THAT ARMORSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLIn My Dressing Room (Putting on the Armor of God)Armored for Any WeatherTruth is Foundation for Our FaithA Work in Progress and A Mouth in TrainingREJECTION OF GOSSIP, SLANDER, LIES, AND DISCORD: THE PERFECTING OF 'FEBRUARY'THE DETESTABLESSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLIf the Lord Hates It, We Should TooThe Offense Ward of the Sin HospitalSpilling the TeaWe are in ChristLet us Do BetterSpread Love, Not GossipSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLThe GREATEST THRILL: Being SPIRIT - FilledTHE HOLY SPIRIT'S CONTROLA Drunken SpiritLookin’ Like Our DaddyFermented or Fresh; How is Your Fruit?We Have it AllSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLJESUS’ LOVE MANDATEHIS Walk, Our Hopethe greatest gift of allTo Love Like Christ
March
LOVE x LOVELove is CommitmentSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor CockrellTHE HIGHEST DEBT OF LOVEPREVAILING IN LOVE, AND IN THE LIGHT OF THE PROMISEReturn Your Love to METhe Loveless ChurchWhat Do You Want First: the Good News or the Bad News?POSITIVE FRICTION THAT MAKES US BETTERSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellHis Love Versus My FearsJESUS LOVES YOUBe Surrendered to 'Love'Victory Over Fear: Life’s Small LessonsJesus, Our VictoryTRUST CHRIST, BANISH FEARSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellHarmony and Discord Aren’t FriendsHOLY PARAMETERSBlinded by HateACT or REACTRESISTING ANGER AND HATE IN CONFLICTPeculiar PeopleSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellONWARD & UPWARDHow To Fall ForwardThe Front Windshield is Much Bigger than the Rearview MirrorONE THING TO DOLooking Back Will Have You SaltyGreat Cloud of WitnessesSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne Cockrell
4 Comments
Amen and Amen my sister!
Thank You Lord for being our Eternal Waymaker!!
Praise be to God! Our looking upward, should always prompt our look ahead, for the tasks before us, and as well our peering side to side, as we strive in company with another ideally, in this sacred sojourn called life.
Hallelujah!!!