1. WHAT TO LEARN- The bible is a book that teaches us we must learn to do better. If we don’t learn from our past we will surely repeat our mistakes. We should learn from the successes and failures of others as well as from our own. The witnesses mentioned in Heb. 11teach us four valuable lessons, to worship (11:4), walk (11:5), work (11:7) and wait (11:8-10). They also teach us that sometimes in life we will win. But other times things will go wrong. They teach us the thrill of victory (11:32-35), and the agony of defeat (11:36-38). They teach us that some will be successful in life, while others are burdened with trouble and strife. Some were able to make it through (11:29) and others were “sawn in two” (11:37). Sometimes walls were made to fall (11:30), and yet some others lost it all (11:36). But these “all died in faith” (11:13) and they “obtained a good testimony through faith” (11:39). We learn that God is proud of those who believe and that He has “prepared a city” (11:16) for the faithful. Therefore, one of the things to learn from these faithful witnesses is the power of believing or faith.

2. HOW TO LIVE- The Bible is a book that teaches us about righteous living.

These verses teach us what to learn, AND they teach us how to live. We are to “lay aside every weigh”, which means that we are to remove the things that burden us down. Anything that hinders us from doing what we know is right is to be removed. Next, we are to resist the sin that binds us. Any “sin” that “easily besets us” is to be abandoned. (In the context of Hebrews 12 the sin was “unbelief” (Heb. 3:12), which is “the sin” that is the root of other sins.)  Next, we are to keep running the race, we must never give up. The ole saying “quitters never win and winners never quit” has merit. We must stay faithful and stay focused regardless what we face. Will we do it in 2010?

3. WHERE TO LOOK- The Bible is a book that tells us where to look.

These verses also teach us where to look. We are to look to Jesus. We must not look to our family or friends, to our past accomplishments, good deeds, or to what others say or think. We are to look to Him, and to Him alone, for grace and guidance. Jesus saves. He endured the cross. He is the author and finisher of our faith. He is seated at the right hand of God and He has all authority. The question is: Was HE foremost in our mind in 2009? Will HE be there in 2010? What we learn and how we live depends on where we look.

Yes, another year has past. The question is, what will we do with the New? The choice is yours and mine to make.

Borrowed and Edited by: Bill Watkins