The Virtuous Life – Day 192 – Hebrews 12:1-3 – Run With Perseverance The Race – Growing As Disciples
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. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him 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 sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)
Focused On Me
Do you want to run well and finish strong on the course that I have marked out for you? Do you want to stay on course and not become entangled in what would hinder you in your race of faith? Do you want to keep on running so you will not grow weary and lose heart? Yes, I want to run well and finish strong. Yes, I want to stay on course and not become entangled in what would hinder me in my race of faith. What will help me to stay on course? What will help me to run well and finish strong? What will prevent me from growing weary and losing heart? Those are all good questions. You are wise in knowing that much will be much required of you if you want all these things to be true for you in your race of faith. I’m listening. What must I do? What will be required of me? First, you must receive encouragement. You must realize that many, a multitude really, have gone before you. Look at the examples of all those who have run the race of faith before you. You are surrounded by a great cloud of witness. Emulate their lives. Follow their example. Let their lives and their godly character inspire you. Know that this cloud of witnesses is not silent. They are behind you, they are beside you, they are in front of you. They are cheering loudly for you. Do what they did. What did they do? They threw off anything and everything that would prevent them from running well. They did not let themselves become entangled in sin. Nothing distracted them. Nothing diverted them. Will you follow their example? Yes, I will. That will be very good.
We are not done yet. There is more? There is much more. Those who stayed on course, have run well, and finished strong have one thing in common. What is that? They kept their eyes on me. I was the focus of their attention. They wanted to follow me to where I was leading them. They wanted to do what I was asking of them. This single-hearted and single-minded focus kept them from growing weary and losing heart. As they lived in an intimate relationship with me, they were continually refreshed and revived and strengthened. They ran with all the strength I gave them as the relied on me. As they remained in me, they lived a fruitful life. They stayed on course. They ran well. They finished strong. Will you keep your heart and mind and life focused on me? Yes, I will. That will be very good.
Lord, I will throw off anything that hinders me from running well on the course you marked out for me. I will not let sin entangle me. I will fix my eyes on you. Help me to endure any opposition with perseverance. Keep me running well. Help me to finish strong. Amen
Key Question… How is keeping your eyes focused on Jesus helping you to not grow weary and lose heart?
Living It Out… Fix your eyes on Jesus as you run the race of faith that is marked out for you.
Seeing It Happen… Have faith that you will run well and finish strong as you keep your eyes focused on Jesus.
Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are throwing off every hindrance to your race of faith.
Prayer To Bless Others… May you fix your eyes On Jesus and run the race He has set before you
For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:
Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.
Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.
By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved Copying not permitted www.GrowingAsDisciples.com
