Hebrews 12:1-3: Where to Focus Our Eyes

In Check Out the Great Cloud of Witnesses, Anything That Hinders, and Are Your Legs Entangled, we talked about important aspects of perseverance in Hebrews 12:1-3.

Now let's look at the most important truth in that passage: 

“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  

If people reject us because of our faith, Jesus understands (John 15:18-25). If we're struggling with challenges and temptations, Jesus can empathize, and His life offers us many examples of standing firm in our faith ( Hebrews 4:15-16). When we consider what Christ did for us, it puts our hardships and sacrifices in perspective (Romans 12:1-2).

So let's keep our focus on our wonderful Savior and His plans and purposes for our lives.  

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For more encouragement, see A Key to Having Peace and Asking God for 20/20 Spiritual Vision.

💙The Bible Love Notes devotional Wisdom for Life features one-minute devotions from Psalms and Proverbs. You'll find some great sale prices on this hardcover devotional on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD. 

And please sign up for a free email subscription to Bible Love Notes online devotions HERE. 

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7 Ways to Shine for Christ

Jesus commands Christians to spread His light (Matthew 5:14-16). 

What does this mean? And how can we do this? 

Let's look at passages using the light analogy to find our answer:

1. We don't hide our light. We want our faith to shine wherever we are, not only at church (Matthew 5:14-15).

2. We remember that when we shine the light of Christ, we bring glory to God, not to ourselves (Matthew 5:16). 

3. When discouraged, we remind ourselves that because God called us out of darkness, we've become His chosen people, a royal priesthood, and His special possession (1 Peter 2:9)

4. We remember that only as we walk in the light can we have true fellowship with other light bearers and experience God's purifying work in our hearts (1 John 1:7). 

5. Because we are no longer in darkness, we seek to bear "the fruit of the light" (Ephesians 5:8-10). 

6. We seek to expose evil and harmful deeds of darkness in our world (Ephesians 5:11-14). 

7.  We remember that God is complete and perfect light without a dot of darkness, and we know that those who walk in darkness don't know Him (1 John 1:5-6).  

 

Perhaps our light can draw them to Christ—another reason to shine!

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See Whiners or Shiners and check out the short, nutritious Bible study on this subject at Bite Size Bible Study.

Click the image to find out more about Wisdom for Life, a hardcover devotional priced lower than most paperbacks.

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Dangerous Prayers

Today I'm sharing another devotion from Marika Marton.*

“How can a prayer be dangerous?” you might ask.

The answer is that many times we pray familiar prayers without truly considering how God might choose to answer them.

We often say things like: “God, help me change”, “Make me more like Jesus”, “Help me obey You”, “Cleanse me from sin”, or “Make me holy.”

We also sing songs with lyrics such as: “Lord, lead me, use me, be glorified through me, teach me Your ways.”

But do we really mean these prayers? Are we truly aware of what we're asking for? Are we ready to accept the way God might answer?

If we imagine that these kinds of prayers would be answered easily, as if with a magic wand, we’re mistaken.

Yes, God does answer prayers like these. But He often does so by allowing us difficult life circumstances—situations where He can cleanse us, shape us, and transform us. And yes, it has a cost.

Hebrews 12:11: “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.”

Still, even though the path may be hard, it is always worth it. If we are willing to receive God’s answers His way, our lives will glorify Him and will be filled with peace, joy, and contentment in the Lord (1 Peter 1:3-7).

So, let us be prepared for God’s way of answering such prayers! Don’t be afraid to pray them, but keep these thoughts in mind next time you pray or sing them.

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For more on this subject, see Nothing Strengthens Faith like This One Thing, Don't Wish for an Easy Life, and Ease or Endurance. 

* Marika lives in Subotica, Serbia. She is the translator for the Hungarian Bible Love Notes A szeretet üzenete, the administrator for the Serbian Bible Love Notes Biblijske Crtice Ljubavi, and the admin for Bible Love Notes English and foreign social media pages. Plus, she is my special friend. I will occasionally be featuring a devotion from Marika on Bible Love Notes. ~ Gail 

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Lines in the Sand

Scripture reveals everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3), but it doesn't explain everything.  

There are areas of mystery in our faith, but we obviously don't need to fully understand them or God would have explained them in Scripture (1 Corinthians 13:12; Deuteronomy 29:29).

We humans have a tendency to claim we know the answer to some of these mysteries, and we start drawing lines in the sand that God didn't draw.(1)

Don't get me wrong—our faith is based on clear absolutes that are non-negotiable. In those cases, we must draw lines that cannot be ignored. For example, we're commanded not to partner with people worshiping other gods (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). 

In addition, Christians must never accept cultural views of morality. God draws those lines by clearly defining right and wrong.

But neither should we make up formulas for healing or explanations for things not fully explained in Scripture. 

God has all the answers. We don't. He gives us what we need and expects us to trust Him for the rest (Job 36:26; Ephesians 3:18-21; Isaiah 40:28; Psalm 147:5).

Our faith gives us confidence even when we can't see all the answers (Hebrews 11:1-2).

God's truth is a vast ocean that washes away our man-made lines in the sand. So let's quit drawing them.

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See One of the Most Arrogant One-Liners Ever Uttered by Man for more on our problem of trying to play God. And check out Scripture vs. The Shack about a popular author who believes he can redefine Scripture to fit his false beliefs.

(1) Drawing lines in the sand is a metaphor meaning we decide how far we will go and no further. It is used in this devotion to illustrate times when we decide we know the full truth about a subject and refuse to admit that the subject is too vast to be contained within our "lines" of understanding.  

Why not add some more of God's Word to your schedule by having a one-minute devotion like this one delivered to your email each weekday. Sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes. Find out more HERE.

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Do You Have a Minute?

Most adults read between 200-300 words per minute, which means they could read 3 John in 1-2 minutes, Jude or the first chapter of Philippians in 3 minutes, or the first chapter of John in 4 minutes.

I'm not suggesting that we speed-read the Bible. I'm just pointing out that there's really no excuse for failing to read it daily. Everyone has time to read a chapter or two and ask God how they can apply it to their lives. 

God’s Word is critically important for our well-being, guiding our decisions, warning us of sin, and protecting us from false teachings (2 Timothy 2:15). 

Sadly, I’m discovering that many people who genuinely love the Lord haven’t made it a habit to spend time with Him each day. If you read Bible Love Notes each day, that’s a good start. But I encourage you to go deeper. 

Find ways to make Bible reading more meaningful. For some, this may be Creative Bible Journaling, regular journaling (8 Reasons to Journal), comparing similar Scriptures, looking up the Greek or Hebrew, and reading good commentaries.(1)

See 5 Ideas for Studying the Bible.

We are living in challenging times, and we must be confidently using the sword of the Spirit (Hebrews 4:12; Ephesians 6:10-17) to protect our faith and destroy false teachings.

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(1) Check out Biblehub.com, which features parallel versions of single Scriptures, original languages, and commentaries. You'll have to deal with some ads on their site, but they offer their resources for free.

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Identifying False Teachings

These devotions explain common methods used by false teachers intentionally or through poor Bible scholarship. It's important to familiarize yourself with these errors so that you won't be deceived by false Bible teachings. 

Why not bookmark this collection and read through a devotion a day to improve your discernment. 

And be sure to sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes so you can get a helpful devotion like these in your email each weekday.

 

Denying the Obvious

Beware of any teaching that denies the obvious meaning of a passage of Scripture. This short devotion offers an example.
 

 

Denying the Overall Message

Beware of any teaching that uses a few passages to deny an important aspect of the gospel. This short devotion offers an example.

 

Digesting Contradictions

Beware of any teaching that says a Scripture means the exact opposite of what it says. This short devotion offers an example.
 

Sure-Fire Way to Identify a False Teaching

Modern false teachers make a claim that tells us up front they are lying. This devotion explains.

 

💙 Have a one-minute Bible Love Notes devotion like these delivered to your email each weekday by signing up for a free subscription HERE. No spam, no ads, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

💙 If you enjoy Bible Love Notes one-minute devotions, I think you'll enjoy my hardcover devotional Wisdom for Life. Check out the great sales on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD.

 

Pretty Weeds We Let Grow in Our Lives

Today I'm sharing a devotion from Marika Marton.*

I love gardening.

Most weeds annoy me, and I usually pull them out as soon as they appear.

But a few times, I’ve come across weeds that actually looked pretty, so I let them grow. Some even bloomed with nice yellow flowers that I cut and placed in a vase on my kitchen table.

Then one day, I read an article warning about that very weed. It explained how, once it goes to seed, it can produce hundreds of new weeds, quickly overtaking a garden and choking out the good plants.

After reading that, I rushed outside and pulled out the “pretty weeds” I had purposely let grow. Some had grown so large that I couldn’t even pull out the roots by hand.

That moment reminded me of a powerful spiritual truth.

How often do we allow “spiritual weeds” to grow in our lives—bad habits or attitudes that slowly crowd out the good fruit God wants to grow in us?

How many sins or distractions do we nurture, while they quietly steal the time, energy, and focus we could be giving to things that truly matter?

Let’s take a moment to identify the “pretty weeds” in our lives—those things we’ve excused or even cherished—and deal with them before they spread or take root too deeply like the thorns described in Mark 4:19.

With God’s help, we can clear them out. And when we do, our spiritual garden will flourish.

“...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.” Hebrews 12:1

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For more insights, see Are You Choking on Thorns? and Discernment: Use It or Lose It.

 

* Marika lives in Subotica, Serbia. She is the translator for the Hungarian Bible Love Notes A szeretet üzenete, the administrator for the Serbian Bible Love Notes Biblijske Crtice Ljubavi, and the admin for Bible Love Notes English and foreign social media pages. Plus, she is my special friend. ~ Gail 

💙The Bible Love Notes devotional Wisdom for Life features one-minute devotions from Psalms and Proverbs. You'll find some great sale prices on this hardcover devotional on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD. 

And please sign up for a free email subscription to Bible Love Notes online devotions HERE. 

 

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A Glimpse Behind the Scenes

God does so much more than we realize, and His timing is so perfect!

He's always working behind the scenes of our lives, often using bad things for our good (Romans 8:28). We don't always see His intervention, but sometimes He gives us a glimpse, like the one in Esther 2–7:

King Xerxes had been tricked into signing a proclamation to kill every Jew in his kingdom. 

The night before Queen Esther was going to beg the king to reverse the proclamation, the king couldn't sleep. 

It wasn't heartburn or too much caffeine. It was God who kept Xerxes from sleeping and prompted him to go through some old records. And that night, he discovered that a Jew named Mordecai (Esther's cousin) had once saved his life. 

When Esther approached the king the following day, Xerxes was grateful for Mordecai and ready to help the Jews. 

God works behind the scenes in our lives as well, guiding our lives, helping us avoid mistakes, and using bad things for our good. Sometimes He even gives us a glimpse. 

Have you had any of these glimpses in your life?

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For more encouragement about God's work behind the scenes, see 4 Puzzle Pieces and When God Has a Plan C.

I encourage you to check out the Wisdom for Life Devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word: Wisdom for Life. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. You can read the first four devotions in the book by clicking "Read Sample" on Lifeway or Amazon.

 

You can sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet. Find out more HERE.

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Are Your Leg's Entangled with Sin?

If we want to run the race of faith with perseverance, we need to learn from those who've gone before, and we need to adjust our priorities.*

But we also need to identify our sins and turn from them:

“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  

What a great word picture this Scripture provides—imagine running with ropes tangled around our legs. We'd be falling on our face, not running a race!

Sin “easily entangles,” holding us back, causing us to wallow in the dirt so we can't stand, let alone run. And this happens “easily.”

If we underestimate, excuse, or deny our sins, we begin pushing God's Word from our lives and calling God a liar (1 John 1:8-10)! 

So let's focus on the prize and deliberately and carefully listen to our conscience, freeing us from the ropes of sin, and run our faith race un-entangled (1 Corinthians 9:24-25). 

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For additional insights, see the one-minute devotion Running the Race of Faith and the short Bible study that goes with it, Running the Race with Perseverance. 

* See one-minute devotions about these other aspects of Hebrews 12:1-3: 

1. Check Out the Great Cloud of Witnesses

2. Anything That Hinders  

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Jesus Asks if We Also Want to Leave Him

Many today believe God's commands are harsh. In fact, some people call specific verses “clobber passages.”

Genuine believers find joy in God's commands (Psalm 19:8). They believe God's Word is without error, providing protection and refuge (Proverbs 30:5). They believe God's words are true, righteous, and eternal (Psalm 119:160).

Perhaps the most criticized parts of the Bible in our current culture are those that define sexual practices (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-13; Hebrews 13:4) or those that share God's view of unborn life (e.g., Psalm 139:13-16; Jeremiah 1:5). But those who reject unpopular passages in Scripture are ultimately rejecting Christ.

In John 6:25-70, Christ talked symbolically about His death, and many of His followers said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” 

“Many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. ‘You do not want to leave too, do you?’ Jesus asked the Twelve.

“Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’”

Governments around the world have approved, legislated, and protected certain sins. And we must make a choice: to be ashamed of God's words (Luke 9:26), or to lovingly defend truth and expose darkness (Ephesians 5:11).

If you don't trust all New Testament commands, Christ is asking you the same question He asked His disciples. Do you want to leave Him? 

How will you answer?

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For more on this and related subjects, see Being Christ-Followers in a Sexually Immoral Culture and 6 Attitudes of the World that Salty Christians Avoid. 

 

It's a great time to buy Wisdom for Life as a gift, thanks to the excellent sales on Lifeway, Amazon, and CBD.

 

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