A Faith Like That ‘Great Cloud of Witnesses’ Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: A Faith Like That ‘Great Cloud of Witnesses’ -------------------------- Date: 12/11/2000 Keywords: "faith" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passage: Hebrews 11:32-40* 32. And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33. who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34. quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35. Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection; 36. and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. 37. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated 38. v(men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. 39. And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40. because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Question What did the heroes mentioned in verses 32-40 have in common with each other?   Practical help The short answer to the question above is simple — they all trusted God. The longer answer is that they each set aside the pursuit of pleasure in this world and pursued, instead, the values of the world to come. They held to a firm belief that God, His truth, and the next world were greater realities than what they saw. What was true for Gideon, Samson and David over a thousand years before Christ is just as true for you and me today. What’s more, they successfully — not perfectly, but faithfully — navigated their way through life with God, and so can we! The next chapter of the book of Hebrews begins with these words: "Therefore, having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." If involvement with porn is your particular struggle, remember this: Every man or woman who has passed through this life trusting God for victory is right now cheering for you to do the same. So are we at eXXit! eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2000 by eXXit *"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."