“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,
and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

This Scripture verse truly is preceded by an example of a whole multitude of witnesses throughout chapter 11. And this chapter ends as follows: “And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”

Then follows the verse which we are going to recite for two weeks. It begins with the words: “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…” And then it continues: “…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” The next verse is a continuation of the previous one: “…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…” And we read further: “…who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

Before Jesus raised Lazarus, who had been dead four days, Martha said to Jesus: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Jesus said to her: “Your brother will rise again.” She said to Him: “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her: “I am the resurrection and the life.”

Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So He has the same power and can raise the dead even today, especially the spiritually dead. He can do the same things He did when He was here on earth. When we read the lives of the saints and martyrs, we see that through many the Lord worked great miracles before they died, that is, while they were being tortured. For example, miracles with wild beasts, when the hungry lions in the arena did not tear the martyrs apart, but instead licked them and sat at their feet like sheep. Other times, when they were thrown into prison after cruel torture, their bodies were completely recovered the next day.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him

must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him
must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

This verse is part of the well-known chapter 11 of the Epistle to the Hebrews. It is preceded by the following five verses: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.” (Heb 11:1-5) Next, this chapter presents models of faith, such as Abraham, Moses, the prophets, and points out that not only are we saved through faith, but through faith God also works extraordinary miracles.

The Last Four Words from the Cross

Structure for the second hour of interior prayer

5 minutes: The four fundamental truths (death, judgment, eternity, God’s mercy)

10 minutes: The co-crucifixion

5 minutes: The reception of the Mother of Jesus

5-10 minutes: An introductory motivational word on the last four words from the cross

Watch this video on: https://rumble.com/v4i5cg9-basics-prayer-2.html   
https://cos.tv/videos/play/51233743383598080   
https://youtu.be/OerqjQUy4Y8   

“People are destined to die once and then face judgment.”

People are destined to die once and then face judgment.

The next verse 28 reads: “So also Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.”

The proverb says: A wise person thinks about the end, that is, death. But it is not enough to think about death, we must also think about eternity, which can be either happy or unhappy. The condition for a happy eternity is to keep our faith in Jesus Christ, because the Scripture says: Whoever believes in Him will be saved. The best preparation for death and eternity is through an act of perfect contrition. This consists in admitting your sinfulness to yourself and to God, looking with faith at the cross of Jesus, and calling on His name.

In interior prayer, it is necessary to realize the essential truths that concern each person individually, namely death, God’s judgment, and eternity. Christian contemplation has traditionally focused on two areas. The first area is the last things of man, and the second is Christ’s suffering and His death. We return to these spiritual sources even now.

Watch this video on: https://rumble.com/v4iz6wi-interior-prayer-1.html   
https://cos.tv/videos/play/51326476234036224   
https://youtu.be/hCfd7Wl4u6A   

“For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,

but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,

but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

In this chapter, the Apostle Paul addresses the question of human and divine wisdom. He writes: “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the word preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1Cor 1:20-25)

“For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged,

we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.”

For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.

But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord,

that we may not be condemned with the world.

These words in Scripture are related to receiving the Lord’s Body and Blood in Holy Communion, but they also have a deep meaning as such. We need true self-criticism not only when eating of the table of the Lord, but during the day we also need to stand in God’s light and truly call our sin sin, laziness laziness, envy envy and touchiness touchiness. The essential thing in the relationship to God is truthfulness, and truthfulness is connected with the humility and courage to admit our sin, to admit that we were deceived or not vigilant. Our ego will always find an excuse, a priori rejecting the objective truth that convicts us. True self-criticism convicts our blind selfishness of an unwillingness to accept the truth and shows our limitations, namely that we are not gods but mere creatures.

“The Lord God has opened my ear;

and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away.”

“The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light;

Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,

upon them a light has shined.”

“Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every

one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins;

and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”