| Our verse to DATE the Word on December 3 (12/3) is Hebrews 12:3 |
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| Hebrews 12:3 says, For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. |
| EQUIPPED TO ENDURE As one moves from Hebrews 11 and the inspirational HALL OF FAITH the writer of Hebrews gets personal about believers RUNNING THEIR RACE. If you did not know it God has a RACE He wants you to RUN! As a reminder let’s read Hebrews 12:1-2. It says, “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, 2 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.” Having read about others who RAN THEIR RACE (HEBREWS 11) we are now called to RUN the RACE set before us. The writer knows that he must be more than a motivational speaker here. The writer is now a COACH who is going to EQUIP the runner on HOW to RUN THEIR RACE. He tells the runner to PREPARE to run by getting rid of the things that would HINDER them. To run God’s race the runner is going to have to CONCENTRATE. They cannot have the cares of this world weighing them down. To run God’s race the runner is going to have to be CONSECRATED. The runner cannot be practicing sin for sin ENSNARES or TRAPS and TRIPS up the runner. Practicing sin may bring about a DISQUALIFICATION. (See 1 Cor. 9:27 and 2 Timothy 2:5) Then to run God’s race the RUNNER must have ENDURANCE. The runner of God’s race is running to win, and winners never quit. They have STAYABILITY! They have tenacity and fortitude! They are PERSISTENT and they PRESERVE. Having ENDURANCE means there is within them a COMMITMENT to finishing! One might look at the phrase “RUN WITH ENDURANCE” as more motivational than equipping. I will say that I don’t discount the need for motivational words, and I definitely do not discount encouraging words to the runner. However, for us to run the difficult race before us in this world with all its hatred, hostility and persecution we need to be EQUIPPED to run. So while being instructed (and maybe inspired) to run WITH ENDURANCE the verses that follow EQUIPS the runner with HOW TO RUN WITH ENDURANCE. To run with endurance there must be the CONSIDERATION of CHRIST! Verse 2 says to endure one must “look 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.” Then our verse to DATE, verse 3, adds for being equipped to endure to “CONSIDER Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.” It is one thing to tell a person to not quit or to not give up, it is another thing to equip a person so they will not quit or give up. More than giving inspiration to run is the writer gives instruction on how to run. The instructions are to LOOK AT JESUS. SEE HIS EXAMPLE. See how HE ENDURED in the face of hostility. The instructions are to CONSIDER what JESUS did as He faced hostility. We know that He did not quit but we must also know WHY He did not quit. And why did He not quit? HE KNEW HIS PURPOSE!! HE KNEW GOD’S PLAN! He had PURPOSED from the very beginning to be about His Father’s business. When push came to shove, He SURRENDERED completely in the garden of Gethsemane, saying NOT MY WILL BUT YOUR WILL BE DONE! He decided to be OBEDIENT to the Father’s purpose and plan for His life. In being EQUIPPED TO ENDURE you look to Jesus and CONSIDER CHRIST and how He endure. Draw more than inspiration from His enduring hostility. Draw insights on why He NEVER QUIT. If you don’t do so you are going to become weary and discouraged running your race. This world is no friend of the committed Christian. It will be hostile to you. Jesus said if they hated Him, they are going to hate us. Thus, get equipped to endure and then run with endurance! The verse to DATE the Word on December 3 (12/3) is Hebrews 12:3. It says, “For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.” With consideration of Christ, you KEEP ON RUNNING the RACE He has set before you! Continue Strong looking to Jesus! And remember to DATE THE WORD |