DAILY WORD 1/18/22

1. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our Faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Hebrews 12:1–3 KJV

Today’s Passage is decidedly random in that I’ve not had the time to write my DAILY WORD posts of late. So, what I’d been doing with daily posts has waned with my new schedule. However, now that I have a few extra moments, I thought I’d scribble down a few thoughts from the first Verses that came into my mind this morning. I will try to get better organized as things even out. In the meantime, here you go!

This Passage is among my favorites, and even though it seems relatively simple at face value, there is much that can be mined from its depths when you start digging. Here’s how it reads in the NLT, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of Faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

“We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our Faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.”

Let’s begin by looking at the first clause of Verse one. Paul writes, “Given the vast amount of Believers that surround us, wouldn’t it be prudent and judicious to give attention to the ever-present and encumbering indulgences that always strive to throw us off course?”

Paul implies that with as much support and encouragement as they have at their disposal, Christians entrenched within the nurturing walls of a God-believing Church should have no trouble casting off the abundant sins that the enemy troubles us with. We have tools at our discretion that give us the leg up that we need to be victorious.

That tool is Accountability. We’re also blessed with Encouragement, Inspiration, Reassurance, and Reinforcement to help boost and uplift our spirits when things get tough. That is why it is vital to remain connected to those around you who stand on Faith. Their Strength is there for our support. They can help us recognize and identify the things we may have missed which drag us away from God and help us get rid of that added weight.

Once the burdens of our transgressions are cast aside, and we are free from their weight and the effects they bring with them, that is the time to move forward. We can run the Race of Life with patience and perseverance. This way, no matter how difficult the path, we can always keep pace. Exhaustion and fatigue will be no issue because we’ve set an acceptable tempo.

That seems simple enough, but if these sins are as numerous and profuse as Paul suggests, then even with the backup of fellow Believers, how can we possibly expect to toss them all aside as easily as that?

Paul makes the answer plain in Verse 2 by telling us exactly where to place our focus. He writes, “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.” If we keep our concentration and attention on Christ, we will have no room for distraction.

But the enemy is not content to just let that focus stray from the useless aims he tries to engage us with. Today’s technology, entertainment, and many of our relationships are designed to distract us from the only place we can focus on that will lead us toward life and not death.

Therefore it is imperative to remain singularly dedicated and resolutely fixated on Jesus and His Sacrifice for us. When this becomes a problem, and the things of life are drawing our thoughts away from God, Paul again offers us a blueprint that will help us maintain the proper persistence.

Whenever you’re having trouble maintaining focus on Christ, consider His shame and the pain that He endured for us. But more so, Think of why He did all that. Why did Jesus allow Himself to be brutally murdered for a crime He was innocent of? It was because of Joy!

Jesus can see the future before it happens. He can experience the Joy of our Salvation and the Thrill of our Praise offered to Him before we are ever there to offer it. So, God knows what kind of Bliss, Delight, and Rapture we all will enjoy, including Him, when we are all together in His Presence worshiping Him in His Glory.

That is a time that both He and we will enjoy. The reason for Jesus’s Crucifixion was to facilitate that moment in time. So, if you’re ever having issues maintaining focus, borrow God’s motivation for a moment, and look forward to what He’s anticipating!

God looks forward to having us in His Presence more than even we anticipate it! He wants us to be with Him, it is His inspiration, and He’s given His Life for that cause. Now, if that doesn’t stimulate you to look to God and let go of that extra weight of sin, I don’t know what will. Think about His Passion for you and mirror that. It will alter your perception and streamline your purpose to always stive to be more like Him!

Have a Terrific Tuesday and Remember to Keep Your Focus on Christ To Disarm The Enemy’s Weapons of Mass Distraction!

#dailyword