Therefore, 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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3
Brothers and Sisters in our Sovereign LORD,
What a powerful scripture this is for encouragement and instruction. God's Sovereignty is personal, like sweet perfume, causing me to dance in delight and praise. I am awed that there is a race personally marked out for me! There is security and rest knowing nothing can come my way without first receiving His permission. All passes through His hand for His approval. Nothing is overlooked and nothing sneaks past His will for me. Not one thing. Why? because the race I am running is marked out for me by Jesus Himself. The warnings intimate there will be encumbrances and sin ever ready to entangle us. Anything to keep us from running the race He has set before us. Therefore I am instructed to run with patient endurance. Most importantly, as I run, I am to fix my eyes on Christ. This requires a conscious choice to focus on Him instead of whatever opposes me. I am to consider Him, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross. To put my mind on Him who endured such hostility of sinners against Himself, so I will not grow weary and lose heart! (quit running, give up, lose focus, or embrace discouragement)
Consider Him. 'Consider' indicates to ponder, to think over by weighing or comparing...we are to consider all our Savior endured in His life and death. This key opens the door to a good race. Would He ask us to endure if it were not possible? Each of us has met with the temptation to quit. We have all 'felt' like throwing in the towel! When I have felt most compelled to quit are, I am ashamed to say, when living is about 'me'. On the contrary, when I have taken a long, deep look at the Cross I am strengthened to take up my cross and my living is "not I, but Christ". (Galatians 2:20) This Cross of death gives life and Hope. Have you ever placed yourself at the foot of the Cross? What do you see? really focus, look past the blood spreading over the ground. Can you hear the groans of pain? Hear the thunder and see roiling clouds? Listen to the words He speaks with strained effort? This man who looks so ordinary until you lock eyes with Him and hear words uttered out of unspeakable suffering. See beyond the physical suffering. This One who hangs in naked shame and has chosen to shoulder the worlds sin out of nothing less than Love, is He who marked out your race! Shall we complain? The Father marked out the race for His Son and His race took Him to the Cross. Prostrate in awe of the Most High God.
When we finally understand that the Lord Jesus is our Life, we will no longer think in terms of 'me'. In my prayer should my attention be to unite God's will with mine? Is He a cosmic vending machine who is supposed to crank out what I ask for as I push the right buttons (go through the motions)? I read that the mark of a truly classic spirituality is rare today. "The saints of centuries past struggled in a different way-- not to get God to do our will, but to die to ourselves so we can accept God's will." GT
A woman I greatly admire at church has struggled for many years with health issues resulting from a car accident of which she was not at fault. She is my heroine. I have never heard her complain. She also has suffering as a mom and mentioned her daughter was struggling with infertility. Anyone familiar with infertility is aware of what a painful journey it is. Though painful it should not be hurtful. Yet this young couple were told they needed to search themselves to see if there was any sin of which to repent, as this may be God's discipline. This was cruel, hurtful and wrong. I think of Paul who suffered much and it wasn't because of sin.
God marked out Paul's race and it included much suffering. Read what Paul wrote...
We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. II Corinthians 6:3-10
Surrender doesn't come easily for me! I am independent. I like the fast lane and the shortest route to get where I am going. God allows enough speed bumps or a slow car in front of me to cause me to stop, focus, and take a deep breath and swallow the complaint that was playing on my lips..."Why do they have to move so slow?" It may be I should ask 'why do I move so fast?' True faith considers Him and listens for His voice. Surrender enjoys His Presence and though it may be a struggle, comes to a point of realizing it is not my great my faith, or how 'perfect' my prayer, but how great and how perfect He is yesterday, today and forever. Believing He is sovereign means I can pray the perfect prayer in any situation, "LORD not my will, but Your will be done" and mean it! This would certainly reduce the amount of presumptuous prayers. A 'God heal me or else mentality.' Though we do not phrase it as such our attitude is that we assume only healing will bring God glory. Why do we think that or is it we just want our own way? God heals. God also chooses not to heal. God gives and God takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.God carefully chooses the vessels He allows to suffer the mystery of His will. He trusts them with a trial the average Christian will not be allowed. As He creates the likeness of Christ in these chosen ones, they bring forth the sweet fragrance of Christ, as trials crush and press and relentlessly. Those who have been hurt deeply, He often uses greatly. May God have mercy on those who in presume to judge others. Things may be going well in their life and so they speak out of shallow, self-righteousness. It reminds me of Job's 3 friends who criticized Job without hesitation. God had harsh words for them. God instructed them to humble themselves and 'go to Job and he will pray for you' so that God would not deal with them according to there folly. Job 42:7-9
'The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.' Galatians 5:7 Let those words find a place in your mind and heart and digest them and pray them and feed on them. Love doesn't wound a brother or sister. If you who have been wounded by a fellow Christian I encourage you to forgive. Hear Jesus words from the Cross: "Abba, forgive them for they know not what they do." God in love is preparing you for His purposes by the race He has marked out. Are you dancing? This is so amazing. . Life is a battle and it will always be. Give thanks for we only have to live it one moment at a time.
Abba, You who have marked out my race. Who better to mark it out for You who know me intimately and love me immeasurably. God of mercy I thank You for the suffering that draws me near for You are Comfort and Refuge. I long to please You and trust You. I long to bring You glory. When the race takes me to deep places and Your Spirit seems to move away and I am tested with loneliness and failure and inadequacy, carry me. Who else hears my cry for Help? Fill my heart with faith to trust You for all you give, all You allow and All You withhold and with every turn and stop and contradiction. There is so much I do not understand though I long to love You well. You who are power beyond comprehension, i quake exceedingly as I get small glimpses of Your greatness and wonder how can I ever serve You, Adoni, my Adoni... my tears wash your feet as I bow before you. I love You.
az
Brothers and Sisters in our Sovereign LORD,
What a powerful scripture this is for encouragement and instruction. God's Sovereignty is personal, like sweet perfume, causing me to dance in delight and praise. I am awed that there is a race personally marked out for me! There is security and rest knowing nothing can come my way without first receiving His permission. All passes through His hand for His approval. Nothing is overlooked and nothing sneaks past His will for me. Not one thing. Why? because the race I am running is marked out for me by Jesus Himself. The warnings intimate there will be encumbrances and sin ever ready to entangle us. Anything to keep us from running the race He has set before us. Therefore I am instructed to run with patient endurance. Most importantly, as I run, I am to fix my eyes on Christ. This requires a conscious choice to focus on Him instead of whatever opposes me. I am to consider Him, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross. To put my mind on Him who endured such hostility of sinners against Himself, so I will not grow weary and lose heart! (quit running, give up, lose focus, or embrace discouragement)
Consider Him. 'Consider' indicates to ponder, to think over by weighing or comparing...we are to consider all our Savior endured in His life and death. This key opens the door to a good race. Would He ask us to endure if it were not possible? Each of us has met with the temptation to quit. We have all 'felt' like throwing in the towel! When I have felt most compelled to quit are, I am ashamed to say, when living is about 'me'. On the contrary, when I have taken a long, deep look at the Cross I am strengthened to take up my cross and my living is "not I, but Christ". (Galatians 2:20) This Cross of death gives life and Hope. Have you ever placed yourself at the foot of the Cross? What do you see? really focus, look past the blood spreading over the ground. Can you hear the groans of pain? Hear the thunder and see roiling clouds? Listen to the words He speaks with strained effort? This man who looks so ordinary until you lock eyes with Him and hear words uttered out of unspeakable suffering. See beyond the physical suffering. This One who hangs in naked shame and has chosen to shoulder the worlds sin out of nothing less than Love, is He who marked out your race! Shall we complain? The Father marked out the race for His Son and His race took Him to the Cross. Prostrate in awe of the Most High God.
When we finally understand that the Lord Jesus is our Life, we will no longer think in terms of 'me'. In my prayer should my attention be to unite God's will with mine? Is He a cosmic vending machine who is supposed to crank out what I ask for as I push the right buttons (go through the motions)? I read that the mark of a truly classic spirituality is rare today. "The saints of centuries past struggled in a different way-- not to get God to do our will, but to die to ourselves so we can accept God's will." GT
A woman I greatly admire at church has struggled for many years with health issues resulting from a car accident of which she was not at fault. She is my heroine. I have never heard her complain. She also has suffering as a mom and mentioned her daughter was struggling with infertility. Anyone familiar with infertility is aware of what a painful journey it is. Though painful it should not be hurtful. Yet this young couple were told they needed to search themselves to see if there was any sin of which to repent, as this may be God's discipline. This was cruel, hurtful and wrong. I think of Paul who suffered much and it wasn't because of sin.
God marked out Paul's race and it included much suffering. Read what Paul wrote...
We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. II Corinthians 6:3-10
Surrender doesn't come easily for me! I am independent. I like the fast lane and the shortest route to get where I am going. God allows enough speed bumps or a slow car in front of me to cause me to stop, focus, and take a deep breath and swallow the complaint that was playing on my lips..."Why do they have to move so slow?" It may be I should ask 'why do I move so fast?' True faith considers Him and listens for His voice. Surrender enjoys His Presence and though it may be a struggle, comes to a point of realizing it is not my great my faith, or how 'perfect' my prayer, but how great and how perfect He is yesterday, today and forever. Believing He is sovereign means I can pray the perfect prayer in any situation, "LORD not my will, but Your will be done" and mean it! This would certainly reduce the amount of presumptuous prayers. A 'God heal me or else mentality.' Though we do not phrase it as such our attitude is that we assume only healing will bring God glory. Why do we think that or is it we just want our own way? God heals. God also chooses not to heal. God gives and God takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.God carefully chooses the vessels He allows to suffer the mystery of His will. He trusts them with a trial the average Christian will not be allowed. As He creates the likeness of Christ in these chosen ones, they bring forth the sweet fragrance of Christ, as trials crush and press and relentlessly. Those who have been hurt deeply, He often uses greatly. May God have mercy on those who in presume to judge others. Things may be going well in their life and so they speak out of shallow, self-righteousness. It reminds me of Job's 3 friends who criticized Job without hesitation. God had harsh words for them. God instructed them to humble themselves and 'go to Job and he will pray for you' so that God would not deal with them according to there folly. Job 42:7-9
'The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.' Galatians 5:7 Let those words find a place in your mind and heart and digest them and pray them and feed on them. Love doesn't wound a brother or sister. If you who have been wounded by a fellow Christian I encourage you to forgive. Hear Jesus words from the Cross: "Abba, forgive them for they know not what they do." God in love is preparing you for His purposes by the race He has marked out. Are you dancing? This is so amazing. . Life is a battle and it will always be. Give thanks for we only have to live it one moment at a time.
Abba, You who have marked out my race. Who better to mark it out for You who know me intimately and love me immeasurably. God of mercy I thank You for the suffering that draws me near for You are Comfort and Refuge. I long to please You and trust You. I long to bring You glory. When the race takes me to deep places and Your Spirit seems to move away and I am tested with loneliness and failure and inadequacy, carry me. Who else hears my cry for Help? Fill my heart with faith to trust You for all you give, all You allow and All You withhold and with every turn and stop and contradiction. There is so much I do not understand though I long to love You well. You who are power beyond comprehension, i quake exceedingly as I get small glimpses of Your greatness and wonder how can I ever serve You, Adoni, my Adoni... my tears wash your feet as I bow before you. I love You.
az
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