We are surrounded by a great cloud of people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back. Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But he accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God's throne. Think about Jesus' example. He held on while wicked people were doing evil things to him. So do not get tired and stop trying.
The first bit, lives tell us what faith means. Literally just made me think of what a bad witness I've been. At school, yeah people know I'm a Christian, but do i act it? Yeah, i listen to people, yeah i'm willing to help out, but the swearing and backstabbing and drinking? Where's God in all that? More recently I've been trying so much harder to be a better witness, and OH MY GOODNESS, it's so hard. I'm struggling, holding and looking to God for strength during it. So, those people whose lives show us faith,think how hard it is for them. They are being amazing witnesses, showing God through their lives for people. And of course, it's not just about their lives, it's about their hearts and how they are towards God as well. Those people deserve appreciation from God (which they will get in eternity) and from us, because in short; they are amazing. I aspire to be more like them, we all should.
The running the race bit, is a common theme throughout the bible, there's like 4 mentions of running a race. But what stands out for me is never give up. How many times have I gone, I can't do it, being a Christian is hard, I'll never be free from this sin, i'm not a good enough Christian, i'm not a real Christian? Whoever wrote Hebrews tells us to not give up. Stop with all the excuses, and never give up. We need to persevere because at the end of the race is Jesus, and there's nothing more amazing than seeing him, is there?
The next bit is about getting rid of sin, anything from holds us back from Jesus, from running the race. Yeah yeah I hear you, easier said than done. I'm pretty sure given the choice we'd all like to get rid of sins, like addiction, habit, and temptation straight away. WE DO HAVE A CHOICE! You choose whether to have this sin or not, and you're the one who stops and controls it. God loves you, he wants to help you get rid of the sin in your life. Pray, ask him to help you. And when your trying to battle sin, never give up.
This tells us to look to JESUS. Not to your friends, not to family, not to TV, not to Satan, not to anything else in this temporary assignment that is life, but to Jesus. In any situation look to Jesus. Think what he would do, and what you think he would want you to do. I've spoken about this before, but what if his people prayed, what if the people turned to Jesus, stopped asking Oprah what to do? Make Jesus number one, and look to him.
He suffered death on the cross. Jesus. Perfect. Went through agonizing pain forYOU. And yet we constantly sin, go against Jesus, even deny his existence, act like we do not love him, and so many people in the world do not believe he even existed. Times like these, it really breaks my heart, like it must do for him. If I told you tommorow that to pay for your sins you had to be crucified, you would hate it, you'd cry, you'd spent last minutes with your families, not wanting the moment to come. BUT JESUS DID IT FOR YOU 2000 YEARS AGO! He loved you so much he took the wrap for you. That alone makes me wanna sing and dance and praise God. But he took it all in his stride, cause God gave him joy. JOY. you bring Jesus joy!!!!!!
And now he's in heaven with God. How amazing. Hebrews tells us to think about Jesus example. He held on while horrible people were doing horrible things to him. The people who said he was drunk and mocking, and he wasn't the son of God, regardless of opposition, he carried on, he never gave up. And it's the same for us, when we face opposition, we need to never give up, because Jesus did. No, you are not Jesus, but you can try your best to be.
So, unless you hadn't guessed, you should never give up. God is there, he will heal you, he will continue loving you, do not ever give up. He won't let you go, stay faithful, stay true, keep confessing, you're his, and he loves you, more than you can ever imagine. I'm a guilty sinner, and I cannot do anything right, but God is perfect and can do everything right.
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