Liability: Hebrews 12: 1-3

Lately, I had been bothered by my lack (or I should say unwillingness to obey). I had been praying for the Holy Spirit to intervene so that I could overcome the very sin that had been in my own treasure chest all this time. It has become something that I can't do without. If there was one thing that stood out in tonight's message, it was the "liability" which hinders our walk with God. Hebrews 12:1 -3 talked about two things that we should strive for as a man of faith. First off, it talks about relieving ourselves of the "liability" (anything that hinders our walk with God) and the sin that so easily entangles for the sake of those who are watching us (those non-believers or those believers who are not full-fledged - our liability and sin can adversely influence their walk with God). In addition, we should keep up our walk with God. You should not make a decision to obey God one day and then go about sinning on the very next day.

So, what are "liabilities?" As Pastor Iorg succinctly described, it is something that we do not categorize as a sin, but something that hinders our walk with God. If your hobby, physical condition because of lack of exercise, your eating habit, the way you engage with others, your humor, etc. hinders your walk with God, you should immediately do away with them. Wow... Is that easy? I must say that it is not something that can be easily done. It takes the accountability of the Holy Spirit as well as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ overseeing your walk with God.

As a man of faith, we should focus our eyes on our goal or I should say the "taste of success." Jesus exemplified a "man of faith." He showed how a man of faith should behave under persecution to other Christians. He also kept his faith to the very end (i.e. obedience to death). What was the end result? He resurrected (although isn't it harder for God, an immortal being to die than resurrect?). Knowing that Jesus (God as a man) was able to endure the hardship of an ordinary human being and the fact that he resurrected from his death, give us hope and courage that despite our fallibility we have a standard to live up to.

Have a great weekend!

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. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.