Cloud of witnesses

Good morning Friends,

Last night before climbing into bed, (literally as our bed is an antique and high off the floor), I was thinking about Mark and wondering if he could see things that are going on down here.

All of a sudden a verse popped into my mind. It is one I had read out loud during his illness. Mark had asked me to find it and I did, here it is now for you to read.
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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, (it seems to me like doubt could be the sin that this is talking about, losing faith)
 
and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
 
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Hebrews 12:1&2a

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Those verses above follow chapter 11 in Hebrews which is what I call the 'faith' chapter. The wonderful 'old-timers' of the Bible that we all know and love, all lived by faith and are mentioned in this chapter. That's not saying they were perfect people, we all know they weren't because the Bible tells us so. They lived by FAITH in God.

Here is the beginning of chapter 11.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
 
For by it the elders obtained a good report.
 
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Hebrews 11:1-3

In verse 6 we read ~ But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

In verse 13 it says ~ These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

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Faith is something we can't see, we can't grab hold of it as a tangible thing, it just IS.

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Faith is believing that ~ Jesus Christ (is) the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Heb 13:8

And ~ it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace;
Heb 13:9

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So, back to my little gestalt leap of last night. My glimpse of a truth that I don't quite see the whole picture of is this, those who have gone on before are witnesses of our faith, so it seems to me that my dear Mark IS watching along with all the rest and I believe they shout for joy when we cling to our faith in Jesus. They all believe God and His word and they are waiting in earnest expectation, as is all of creation, for the manifestation of the sons of God.

May I continue to walk in hope and faith in Jesus and in His loving grace.

I hope that what I tried to convey here makes sense.

I so miss Mark and all of our conversations about Jesus and spiritual things. We always were thrilled with our 'light bulb' moments and felt they were gifts from God. We are not perfect, but our faith is in God.

I will close with the following from Romans 8:24-26

For we are saved by hope:
 
but hope that is seen is not hope:
 
for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for

But if we hope for that we see not,
 
then do we with patience wait for it.
 
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:
 
for we know not what we should pray for as we ought:
 
but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us

with groanings which cannot be uttered.

And

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. Psa 31:24

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FlowerLady Lorraine