10/29/2012. Hebrews 12:1-13. FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS-my devotional

Key Verse: 12:2                                                                                      Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF

“ 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. “

     Lord, Jesus. Thank you for helping us to be recipients of your love. Thank you that in you there grace and truth and hope in our lives. Work in our hearts to reveal your gospel to the people of this town and this world. Lord, I pray that you may help us to grow through our study of Luke. May we learn what the kingdom of God means to us personally. Thank you for helping me to pass my oncology exam. Help me to grow in expertise as a nurse. I pray that you may be with the people of East Coast and protect them and draw them to you. Please grant me one word of God to hold onto. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Part 1: Jesus, Our Example And Perfecter of Faith (1-3).

Verses 1-3, “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, ² 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. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Living by faith is compared to a race. Many went before us victoriously as witnesses. We want to win our race too. But there are things that hinder and sins which entangle us, that need to be thrown off. There is also the continual opposition of a sinful humanity. This is why we need to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author (pioneer) and perfecter of our faith. Jesus endured the cross, scorning its shame, keeping the joy of heaven before him. Now he is seated at the throne of God. No matter what we face, Jesus has been there. He is with us and strengthening us each step of the way. We may take courage from him and not lose heart.

I need to fix my eyes on Jesus Christ and run the race of faith. I need to not give up. I need to keep on keeping living by faith in Almighty God. I can not stop running the race. I must not stop. What does it mean for me to keep my eyes focused on Jesus and run the race marked out for me? It means always believing in Jesus. It means never doubting the love of God, no matter what happens. It means being faithful and true to my calling in life as a husband, father and friend and nurse. Some may ask about my calling as a campus shepherd to the students of NIU. I have not abandoned that call. I do study the Bible with a few students. But until God deems it the right time to raise up committed and willing, gospel co-workers for this task, I have to begin to serve atKishwaukeeBibleChurch. It means trusting God in this time of change at work with less hours. It means forgiving and bearing with others’ weaknesses, loving and serving others around me. It means being true to the task at hand that God wants me to engage in. Today it is means finishing my theology homework, dealing with practical matters at home.  These are the ways that I can fix my eyes on Jesus and finish the race.

This also brings to mind a runner who is really tired and wants to give up. They are about to stop the race and give up. But they decide, by faith to fix their eyes on Jesus and keep on to the finish line. I too want to finish the race of faith. I don’t want to give up, but I want to slow down to a slow walk. I guess I am not pressed hard with great loss, sickness, pain, suffering and death. I do not face very much opposition from the world. If anything the “world” simply ignores me. But as one wide woman told me, “You never know what is going to come your way. You just have to be ready holding onto faith.” The people on the East Coast may be suffering like this. I bet there are many Christians tempted to give up the race, doubting the love of God. I pray that through this disaster, they may fix their eyes on Jesus all the more.

Part 2: Endure Hardship As Discipline (4-13).

Verse 4-13, “⁴ In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. ⁵ And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, ⁶ because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” ⁷ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸ If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! ¹⁰ They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. ¹² Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. ¹³ “Make level paths for your feet,”so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.”

Christians at the time had severe hardships. The author encouraged them to see this as God’s discipline. We all want and appreciate discipline but not the pain. Hardships are the evidence of God’s love for his children to discipline them. So when we receive discipline, we should not take it lightly, nor lose heart. Our Father will use it for good to bring a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who are trained by it.

I thank God for his discipline in my life. I have been disciplined through struggles in my with my interpersonal relations of those close to me and the inner anguish that brings. I have been disciplined through my loosing hours at work. I have been disciplined through studying and preparing for my Oncology medication administration exam. God is disciplining me through the Thursday night Bible study. I thank God for all his loving disciplines in my life. Many of them are hard and even draw tears. But they are from God as he works out his loving purpose and will in my life.

The purpose of hardships is to be found in verses 11b-13, “….Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. ¹² Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. ¹³ “Make level paths for your feet,”so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.”  God wants to produce a harvest of righteousness in my life. He wants his peace to take hold and flourish in my heart, and life and family. He is training me so that I may not be feeble and weak spiritually, but so that I can be used by him to promote spiritual healing in the lives of others. I can see God’s purposes. They are good. He is a good God. I pray to submit to the fatherly love of my Father in Heaven and grow through it all.

Prayer: Thank you Jesus for your life of example. You endured the cross for me. Help me endure hardship to grow in your character today.

One Word: Look at Jesus