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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Monday, 9 September 2024:
Hebrews 12:1-4 — Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us….” Sin and other things (such as unnecessary or unprofitable activities) are compared to extra weights carried by an endurance runner – it sucks the strength out of you and makes you a loser. Abandoning sin and worldly distractions is an act of faith by someone focused on Jesus, fully committed to the only thing that really matters. A follower of Jesus is ready to suffer and has no shame. A faithful Christian is a runner ready to win the endurance race of life.
- 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 — Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
“…looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith….” Jesus is not just our example, He is our goal, our prize, our strength, and our motivation.” If you are looking to Jesus to help you accomplish all that you hope to accomplish in life or to remove all the struggles in your life, you likely have your eye on the wrong prize. What is God’s goal for your life? “that (you) may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death….” (Philippians 3:10) “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” (Romans 8:29) To rightly perceive, interpret, and respond to what is happing to you through your circumstances, you need to see them from the perspective of God’s agenda for you, which quite often will be at odds with your agenda, as long as your agenda is something other than oneness with God and Christlike character. When your goal is His goal, you will see your circumstances as God’s best for you as He accomplishes His will in your life to draw you closer to Him and reveal Himself to others through His relationship with you. When you begin to be see all things as God’s perfect will and learn to be thankful for every situation as 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to do, you won’t just accept your situation, you will embrace it and seize the opportunity. When you learn to stop staring at what you think you are losing in any given situation, you will start to see all that you are gaining. When you stop thinking about what you can’t do, or what someone else is doing to you, you will start to see all that God is doing. You will start to be strong and courageous because the most important fact influencing your behavior is the presence and perfect providence of God the Father.
From Henry T. Blackaby – “Sin is our most persistent, determined, and pernicious enemy. Sin seeks to rob us of every good thing God has designed for us. Paul tells us that sin brings death (Rom. 7:11). Yet it is very subtle. Sin creeps into our lives when and where we least expect it. It packages itself so attractively that we are lulled into thinking that it cannot really harm us (2 Cor. 11:14-15). Sin stealthily and relentlessly entangles our lives. We will never be able to run the race marked out for us as long as we are entrapped in sin. We free ourselves from sin’s only if we recognize it for what it is. If we call sin a ‘mistake,’ a ‘bad habit,’ or a ‘weakness,’ we will never escape its grasp. We must not blame our sins on others. We must not allow pride to convince us it is too humiliating to admit the sin in our lives. Sin can blind us to its presence. It does not always command our attention but rather, it subtly and pervasively robs us of the spiritual power and victory that could be ours. The good news is that there is no extent to which sin can entangle us that God’s grace does not abound still more to free us (Rom. 5:20). Has sin robbed your joy? Has it prevented you from being the best husband, wife, son, daughter, or friend you could be? Is it keeping you from spiritual maturity? If you have become entangled with sin, God can release you immediately, no matter how desperately entangled you may have become!”
Do you have godly joy? Joy (not happiness or pleasure) enabled Jesus to endure the cross. The author of Hebrews reminds us that our struggles against the temptations of sin are nothing compared to what Jesus joyfully suffered on our behalf. If we are struggling to resist sin, we have a joy problem which is, at its roots, a love problem. John said, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3) If we find His commandments to be burdensome, we need to examine the condition of our heart. Joy overcomes near term sorrows and sufferings with a confident anticipation of an outcome which makes the suffering seem trivial comparably. “Joy is not pleasure, a mere sensation, but a pervasive and constant sense of well-being. Hope in the goodness of God is joy’s indispensable support…. Jesus taught us to abide in God’s love “that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full” (John 15: 10 – 11, NASB). Our joy is full when there is no room for more. Abiding in God’s love provides the unshakable source of joy, which is in turn the source of peace. All is based in the reality of God’s grace and goodness. Faith, hope, love, joy, and peace—the “magnificent five” — are inseparable from one another and reciprocally support each other. Try to imagine any one without the others!” (Dallas Willard) When we abide in God, and He abides in us, joyful obedience is a natural condition, fruit of our spirit which is in His Spirit.
Hebrews 12:6 – For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.
From Henry T. Blackaby – “There is a tendency among Christians to view anything unpleasant that happens to them as the result of ‘spiritual warfare.’ When a difficulty arises, many immediately ask God to remove their distress. The problem is that their predicament may have nothing to do with Satan or with spiritual warfare. It may appear far more glorious for us to explain our hardships as Satan’s determined attacks against us, rather than admitting that we are merely reaping what we have sown and are being disciplined by our heavenly Father (Gal. 6:7). What is often mistaken as Satan’s attack may actually be chastisement from our loving Father. If you have neglected your role as spiritual teacher to your children, God may allow them to fall into sin. If you have been dishonest at work, God may correct you by letting you face the consequences. It would be foolish to pray that God would ease your discomfort. God is disciplining you in order to gain your attention and bring necessary change to your life. How tragic never to make the connection between your problems and God’s discipline. God’s discipline will not help you if you dismiss it as Satan’s doing or spiritual warfare. Not every hardship you face is the chastisement of God, but Scripture indicates that God will discipline you. If you misunderstand God’s chastening, you may actually blame Him for not answering your prayers or failing to protect you from Satan. Meanwhile, God is warning you of the danger you face because of your sin. Are there difficult circumstances in your life? Could it be the discipline of God? God, whose nature is perfect love, will correct you because He has your ultimate good in His heart.”
Hebrews 12:7 — It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
The Bible gives you a completely different perspective on suffering and says that we should be thankful for it. Let the suffering God is allowing you to endure teach you and grow you to be more like Jesus.
Hebrews 12:8 – If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
Some who claim to be followers of Christ are illegitimate. How they treat those who mistreat them is the proof of their faith.
Hebrews 12:10, 11 – He disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
God intends for your suffering to build you up in holiness and righteousness, but not everyone is willing to be trained by the pain of suffering.
Hebrews 12:12, 13 – Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
No more pity parties. Quit whining and focusing on how hard your life is. Toughen up and stop complaining about what God has allowed to happen to you. Get moving, and start serving God.
Hebrews 12:14 — Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
“Strive” is a powerful word that implies maximum effort. How badly do you want to see the LORD? God wants you to work hard to get along with those who are hard to get along with and to seek holiness that you would truly fellowship with Jesus, truly know Him.
Hebrews 12:15 – See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.
From Henry T. Blackaby – “Bitterness has a tenacious way of taking root deep within the soul and resisting all efforts to weed it out. Bitterness occurs for many reasons. It might come from deep hurts you received as a child, hurts you cannot forget. Time, rather than diminishing the hurt, only seems to sharpen the pain. Bitterness can result from the hurtful words of a friend or coworker. Often the person who hurt you is unaware of the extent of your bitterness. You find yourself rehearsing the offense over and over again, each time driving the root of bitterness deeper within your soul. Bitterness can derive from a sense of being unjustly treated. Bitterness is easy to justify. You can get so used to a bitter heart that you are even comfortable with it, but it will destroy you. Only God is fully aware of its destructive potential. There is nothing so deeply imbedded in your heart that God’s grace cannot reach down and remove it. No area in your life is so painful that God’s grace cannot bring total healing. No offense committed against you is so heinous that God’s love cannot enable you to forgive. When you allow bitterness to grow in your life, you reject the grace of God that can free you. If you are honest before God, you will admit the bitterness and allow God to forgive you. Bitterness enslaves you, but God is prepared to remove your bitterness and replace it with His peace and joy.”
Compare Hebrews 12:16 with Proverbs 25:28
Hebrew 12:-29 — Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
Praise the Lord with gratitude! You are more than victorious in Christ, and an eternity of joy awaits.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 9 September 2024: Practice suffering and enduring maltreatment, returning only forgiveness and love as an act of worship and love for Jesus. Allow suffering to further conform you to the image of Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 12)
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 