Hebrews 12:1-2

 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.—Hebrews 12:1-2

Hebrews 12 describes the Christian life as a race that God has set before us.  According to the BLB, race is the ancient Greek word agona, a word used for conflict or struggle of many kinds.   John MacArthur describes it as an athletic metaphor that presents the faith-filled life as a demanding, grueling effort.  The English word “agony” is derived from the Greek word used here. 

 Life in this fallen world IS a struggle...filled with conflicts and trials.  The author of Hebrews tells us to run our own faith race with endurance.  The word endurance or patience  is translated hupomone in the Greek and means to line up under and remain there.  I am to run this race remaining under all the difficulties and challenges that God brings my way.  I am to stay in the place He has put me and endure by faith trusting that He who called me is faithful and will give me the grace and the strength to get through and to finish well.  I liked the way the BLB’s Outline for Biblical usage described endurance:

“in the NT the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings”

We are to do this, verse 2 tells us, by fixing our eyes on Jesus.  The Amplified  says it this way:

“[ looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus”

I LOVE THAT!  Look away from all that distracts and focus our eyes on Jesus.  Jesus is not only the Author of our faith, but He is also the Finisher.  Look away from everything and unto Him who has promised to complete the good work He began in us.  Our sufficiency for this race is from Him. God is able to make all grace abound toward us so that we, having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.  

You will keep him in perfect peace,

Whose mind is stayed on You,

Because he trusts in You.

Trust in the LORD forever,

For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.—Isaiah 26:3-4

Let Not Your Heart be Troubled….

 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.—Hebrews 11:1-2

This was so good to read this morning.  This world is not my home.  As the past several weeks have shown me, placing my trust in anyone or anything other than God is foolish and bound to disappoint.  Today I am grateful that my God changes not...He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  His promises are sure.  He is faithful. 

My faith is my assurance...my title deed to all that is divinely guaranteed to me as a believer.  (See Ephesians 1 below). My faith understands and “sees” as facts what I cannot experience in the physical realm.  

As Christians our faith is what marks us...without it, the Bible tells us, it is impossible to please God.  At the moment of salvation through faith, we are bound eternally to Jesus and are preserved through this life by His power...not by our own human efforts.  All of it is by His grace...those who are in Christ stand in God’s unmerited favor both now and forever.  This said same grace IS sufficient for every trial that we will face here on this earth.  John 10 tells us that as His child, no-one can snatch us out of His hand. Romans 8 reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Our sins...past present and future are forgiven and our destiny is assured because we have been sealed by His Spirit. Beloved, if our God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.  

Father,  Thank you that none of those who wait for you will be ashamed.  We, who believe, desire a better, that is, a heavenly country.  Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called our God, for He has prepared a city for us.  

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.—John 14:1-3

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.—Romans 5:1-5

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.  7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.—Ephesians 1:3-14

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. 30 I and My Father are one."—John 10:27-30

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:

"For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."  37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.—Romans 8:35-39

7 "For the Lord GOD will help Me;

Therefore I will not be disgraced;

Therefore I have set My face like a flint,

And I know that I will not be ashamed.

8 He is near who justifies Me;

Who will contend with Me?

Let us stand together.

Who is My adversary?

Let him come near Me.

9 Surely the Lord GOD will help Me;

Who is he who will condemn Me?—Isaiah 50

Unless the Lord Builds the House…

 1 Unless the LORD builds the house,

They labor in vain who build it;

Unless the LORD guards the city,

The watchman stays awake in vain.

2 It is vain for you to rise up early,

To sit up late,

To eat the bread of sorrows;

For so He gives His beloved sleep.

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,

The fruit of the womb is a reward.

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,

So are the children of one's youth.

5 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;

They shall not be ashamed,

But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.—Psalm 127

I need to read this Psalm every day not only as a prophylactic for my tendency to act first and pray later, but also to help me take a step back from the many microcosms that tend to consume my life and see the reality of the big picture.  What is the big picture?  Without Him I can do NOTHING. Without Him all I do is vain and futile. Jesus made it pretty simple in Matthew 6:33:

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

And again John 15:5:

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Beloved…the Lord is Your Keeper. He is Your shade at Your right hand. Don’t leave Him out of your life. The most profitable time you will ever spend is the time you spend with Him. Choose as Mary chose, the better part…the part that can never be taken away. (See Luke 10:38-42 below)  Abide in His love.  Seek His wisdom and strength for everything you face. Make Him Your highest priority.  Commit Your way to Him The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His hand.

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.—Proverbs 3:5-6

1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—

From whence comes my help?

2 My help comes from the LORD,

Who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not allow your foot to be moved;

He who keeps you will not slumber.

4 Behold, He who keeps Israel

Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD is your keeper;

The LORD is your shade at your right hand.

6 The sun shall not strike you by day,

Nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;

He shall preserve your soul.

8 The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in

From this time forth, and even forevermore.—Psalm 121

3 Trust in the LORD, and do good;

Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

4 Delight yourself also in the LORD,

And He shall give you the desires of your heart.—Psalm 37

38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."

41 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."—Luke 10:38-42

Then Our Mouth Was Filled with Laughter…

There are certain situations in my life where I am in God’s waiting room, so to speak.  I have obeyed and done my part and now each one of them is in His hands.  It is a good place to be even though I admit I would soooo also like to be here:

1 When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion,

We were like those who dream.

2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,

And our tongue with singing.

Then they said among the nations,

"The LORD has done great things for them."

3 The LORD has done great things for us,

And we are glad.—Psalm 126:1-3

But instead I am here…

5 Those who sow in tears

Shall reap in joy.

6 He who continually goes forth weeping,

Bearing seed for sowing,

Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,

Bringing his sheaves with him.—Psalm 126:5-6

Here is the thing…despite where I am…heartbreak or joy..I can still sing and give God praise. 

Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. —Ps 30:4-5 

David, in his lifetime, experienced many trials.  Part and parcel with those trials came the experience of God’s deliverance and the overwhelming realization that no trial lasts forever.  We, as God’s beloved children, stand in His grace...in His PERMANENT favor.  His  lovingkindnesses are ALWAYS before our eyes.  His gifts to us, even in the darkest of times, are steadfast. (Think on Matthew 28:1). Weeping, Warren Wiersbe reminds us, comes as a guest, but God’s gracious favor is with us for a lifetime.  Your steadfast love, Father, is better than life, my lips WILL praise you. I WILL extoll You! 

For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you.  In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you," says the LORD, your Redeemer.  (Isaiah 54:7-8, ESV)

To console those who mourn in Zion,

To give them beauty for ashes,

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

That they may be called trees of righteousness,

The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."—Isaiah 61:3

Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.  When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.(John 16:20-22, ESV)

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, ESV)

10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return,

And come to Zion with singing,

With everlasting joy on their heads.

They shall obtain joy and gladness,

And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.—Isaiah 35:10

They shall come with weeping,

And with supplications I will lead them.

I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters,

In a straight way in which they shall not stumble;

For I am a Father to Israel,

And Ephraim is My firstborn.—Jeremiah 31:9

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.—Gal 6:9

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:

"For Your sake we are killed all day long;

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.—Romans 8:35-39

Chasing Shadows…

 The Levitical priests served the copy and shadow of the heavenly things....

For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.  For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins.  But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:

“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,

But a body You have prepared for Me.

 

In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin

You had no pleasure.

Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—

In the volume of the book it is written of Me—

To do Your will, O God.’”

Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law),  then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second.  By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.--Hebrews 10:1-10

Beloved, Jesus makes us perfect. He fulfilled the law.  Grace and truth came through Him.  Mercy and truth met together at the cross and there righteousness and peace kissed.  Don't look to the shadows...Look to the substance which is Christ.  So often when we are grieving or angry or short tempered, we turn to temporal things to bring us relief or comfort...We turn to SHADOWS and are cheated out of our reward here on earth...to be "present" with Him!  CHRIST IS THE REALITY.  HE IS WHERE REST IS FOUND.  HE ANSWERS ALL QUESTIONS...IN HIM DWELLS ALL THE FULNESS OF THE GODHEAD BODILY.  Put your trust in the reality...the body not the shadow.  The law had the shadow...we have the very image.  Shadows cannot be grasped.  Flee to Him for refuge and lay hold of the hope that He has set before us.  

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,  where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.--Hebrews 6

Jesus is speaking to each of us here in Matthew 11.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Let Christ be your all in all...let Him be to whom you resort continually.  As you have received Christ Jesus, the Lord, so walk in Him...rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.  Praying that this is our song today.

O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;

You maintain my lot.

The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;

Yes, I have a good inheritance.

I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;

My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.

I have set the Lord always before me;

Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;

My flesh also will rest in hope.

For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,

Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.--Psalm 16:5-11

“If It Had Not Been the Lord Who Was On Our Side."

"If it had not been the Lord who was on our "my" side,"--Psalm 124:1

I read the verses posted below last night before bed and began to think about Israel and how much they have faced over the course of their history...There have been many attempts to annilihate them as a people. All have failed. Israel has maintained its national identity despite being scattered throughout the world for almost 1900 years. No other nation of people have done this. Their very existence today is a testimony to our God...to His sovereignty, to His providential care and to the inerrancy and truthfulness of His Word.

Then I began to think of all the Lord has done in my own life. How He reached down and saved me when I cried out in helpless desperation and brought such beauty from the ashes that was my life. How He has been my strength, my song and my comfort as I face the many physical and emotional setbacks that plague us all in this fallen world. How would I get through them without my God by my side. Where would I be without Him.

I echo then David's words..."If it had not been the Lord who was on our "my" side,"

“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,”

Let Israel now say—

“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,

When men rose up against us,

Then they would have swallowed us alive,

When their wrath was kindled against us;

Then the waters would have overwhelmed us,

The stream would have gone over our soul;

Then the swollen waters

Would have gone over our soul.”

 Addendum…I love what Spurgeon says in one of his sermons about this psalm…copying it here.  

If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say. There is a break here, the sentence is not finished, so finish it for yourselves. If the Lord had not been on your side, what then? You would have been condemned on account of sin! If the Lord had not been on your side as the Redeemer, you would have been left to perish through the natural depravity of your own heart! If He who is "mighty to save" had not been your Helper, just think, Christians, you who are today filled with joy, whose feet are treading Mount Tabor — think what you would have been if the Lord had not been on your side — and then praise and magnify that Grace to which you owe so much!

Thinking on Mercy….

 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,

As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,

So our eyes look to the LORD our God,

Until He has mercy on us.—Psalm 123:2

Thinking on His mercy this morning. Here is the definition I found for it in my Thompson Chain Reference Bible:

A form of love, especially directed toward the needy or unworthy.  I love that...the needy and the unworthy...that would be us!  God's mercy is also described as eternal, everlasting, boundless, prolonging life, encouraging penitence, forgiving sin, making salvation possible and is most vividly seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

Thank you, Father, that You are my God of mercy.  You who made heaven and earth are the God of the poor and needy...of the broken and contrite heart.  You delight when I trust You…when I look to You and wait for your steadfast love to envelop me and carry me through.  Clinging to You always brings consolation.  

Oh Lord, make me aware of the multitude of Your mercies to me each and every day.  Truly, Your steadfast love toward me never ceases. Open my eyes to Your blessings. Help me to dwell there…to see Your power but also to see the gentle cords with which You draw me to Yourself. 

Thank you that when I come to You…

Overwhelmed and Burdened…You give me rest. 

Weak and Afraid…You stoop down and help me

Downcast and Desperate…you renew a right spirit within me. You minister to my heart in such a way that brings beauty from ashes 

Keep me from pride and arrogance!  May I NEVER resist Your call to come.

A bruised reed You will not break and a smoking flax You will not quench. May my own heart, O God, overflow toward others with the mercy, gentleness and goodness that You have so graciously shown me. Let Your love and mercy be my weapons that never fail. May they affect not only the temporal but the eternal as well. May I  walk in Your steadfast love and be a breath of heavenly air to those You have placed in my path.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." --Matthew 11:28-29

Those who look to him are radiant,

and their faces shall never be ashamed.—Psalm 34:5

The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.  He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him.  For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more.  But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children, To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them. --Psalm 103:8-19

Hoping in His Steadfast Love…

 He does not delight in the strength of the horse;

He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.

The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,

In those who hope in His mercy.--Psalm 147:10-11

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,

on those who hope in his steadfast love,—Psalm 33:18

I so love this.  What an encouragement for us to place our trust in Him!  Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him and hope in His mercy.  Our soul waits for Him...He is our help and our shield. Our hearts will rejoice in Him because we have trusted in His holy name. 

Our God's eyes search to and fro over the entire earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal toward Him. He knows and sees our inward man.  When we give Him our hearts and place our trust in Him...we give Him the glory...we magnify His name on the earth. We can shout for joy and be glad because we favor His righteous cause...we can say continually, Let the Lord be magnified who takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.  We who know we are wretched, poor, miserable, blind and naked can magnify His name by clinging to Him!  Are you seeing His mercy and grace to us in this.  How kind and tenderhearted of our Father to make the one thing that we really need to do anyway because of our wretched estate, the thing that glorifies His name.  Oh, but how we resist our weakness and fraility!  How often do we say in our own pride and arrogance instead,  I am rich and in need of nothing.  

Beloved, the God who made heaven and earth is the God of the poor and needy...of the broken and contrite heart. He delights when we trust in Him...when we depend on His wisdom and His power and place all of our hope in Him. Consolation...and I love that word because it reminds me of the kind of comfort you give a crying child...IS IN HIM.  Blessed are we if the God of Jacob is our help and our hope!!