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Hebrews 12:
1. 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, 2. 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.
As I was reading these scriptures this morning and praying about them Father’s voice came to me and he asked me to share with you the following words. He said:
My beloved ones. Where you focus is where you go. Imagine if you are driving and yet your eyes are not on the road but are looking behind you or looking beside you instead of ahead. What will happen to you? You will wreck. Now imagine you are headed to become like my son. Your spirits are complete in him but your minds and bodies are on the road to becoming like him. So what happens if you take your eyes off of where you are going? The same thing happens.
It’s by keeping your eyes on him that you are changed. You will become in the image of whatever you focus on the most. If you focus on darkness and trouble you will be filled with darkness and trouble. If you focus on the glorious light of my Son you will be filled with his light and will shine brightly. If you walk in the light you won’t fall. You will be on the glorious highway of holiness and you will not fail. Jesus is your prize. He is you finish line. If you keep your eyes on him, you will be changed into his image from glory to glory. His glory will change you as you gaze at him.
Could it really be that simple? This is the discipline I speak of in the latter part of this chapter in Hebrews. My discipline and chastening are keeping your eyes set upon him. This does take great discipline. It is so easy to be distracted by the things of the world. Especially now in your day when so many things in the audio and visual realm are competing for your attention.
This is why I said to lay aside every weight and sin that besets you. The weight and sins are the distraction of the world. You must lay all these things aside and focus on my son just as he focused on me.
Do you remember that Jesus said he only did what he saw me doing? This was the key. He was always looking to me and he was able to endure the cross and endure the sins of the world.
Can you even imagine the holiest being in the universe becoming sin? Most people have never deeply considered what it took for him to endure that. Think of the most vile, nasty stench you can imagine, and now don’t just think of being covered in it, but becoming it. Think of not only being trapped in the sewer but becoming the waste that fills it. Now look back at your life and it does not look so bad does it?
Now set your eyes on the glory ahead. Keep your eyes on him. This is your discipline. Don’t take your eyes off of him. This is how you endure the hardships that are normal for everyone wearing flesh. You are not some strange being that is the only one enduring hardships. You are my child and this is part of your training for reigning.
This is what it means to suffer with him. As your mind and body become holy like your spirit you will understand that a holy being living in a fleshy body is suffering. If you suffer with him, you will reign with him. I’m not speaking of suffering sickness or all the other calamities he took away with his blood. I am speaking or knowing that you are a heavenly being and understanding that you are seated with him in the heavenly realm and yet patiently enduring being confined to a physical body for your appointed time on earth.
Keep your eyes on him and think about what he endured and you will be changed. You will learn to live your life with joy knowing that you have a greater day coming when this corrupted body puts on incorruption. You will understand that it’s not for torture that you are confined to this body but for training.
You will reign with us in the next age and that requires patience and understanding and if you are priests and kings then you had to take on the form of the one you are to serve, just as your high priest took on a fleshly body so that he could be compassionate on those whom he came to serve.
So my beloved, don’t look at your problems, don’t look at the worldly distraction that is filled with fear and gloom. Look unto Jesus. Stare at him. Gaze upon him with delight, knowing that this discipline is making you just like him. He authored your faith and he will perfect it until it’s just like his faith.
You can gaze upon Jesus and walk upon the troubled waters of life or you can look at the waves and cry for help. It’s your choice and I hope you choose to ride the storms as a surfer rides the waves. Wind is a blessing to those with eagle wings. Soar high my beloved and know that the one you are gazing upon never takes his eyes off of you.
This was the end of the words he spoke to me this morning. I hope you are encouraged by these words.
Until next time,
Grow Rich in His Grace,
I love you all,
michael
1. 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, 2. 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.
As I was reading these scriptures this morning and praying about them Father’s voice came to me and he asked me to share with you the following words. He said:
My beloved ones. Where you focus is where you go. Imagine if you are driving and yet your eyes are not on the road but are looking behind you or looking beside you instead of ahead. What will happen to you? You will wreck. Now imagine you are headed to become like my son. Your spirits are complete in him but your minds and bodies are on the road to becoming like him. So what happens if you take your eyes off of where you are going? The same thing happens.
It’s by keeping your eyes on him that you are changed. You will become in the image of whatever you focus on the most. If you focus on darkness and trouble you will be filled with darkness and trouble. If you focus on the glorious light of my Son you will be filled with his light and will shine brightly. If you walk in the light you won’t fall. You will be on the glorious highway of holiness and you will not fail. Jesus is your prize. He is you finish line. If you keep your eyes on him, you will be changed into his image from glory to glory. His glory will change you as you gaze at him.
Could it really be that simple? This is the discipline I speak of in the latter part of this chapter in Hebrews. My discipline and chastening are keeping your eyes set upon him. This does take great discipline. It is so easy to be distracted by the things of the world. Especially now in your day when so many things in the audio and visual realm are competing for your attention.
This is why I said to lay aside every weight and sin that besets you. The weight and sins are the distraction of the world. You must lay all these things aside and focus on my son just as he focused on me.
Do you remember that Jesus said he only did what he saw me doing? This was the key. He was always looking to me and he was able to endure the cross and endure the sins of the world.
Can you even imagine the holiest being in the universe becoming sin? Most people have never deeply considered what it took for him to endure that. Think of the most vile, nasty stench you can imagine, and now don’t just think of being covered in it, but becoming it. Think of not only being trapped in the sewer but becoming the waste that fills it. Now look back at your life and it does not look so bad does it?
Now set your eyes on the glory ahead. Keep your eyes on him. This is your discipline. Don’t take your eyes off of him. This is how you endure the hardships that are normal for everyone wearing flesh. You are not some strange being that is the only one enduring hardships. You are my child and this is part of your training for reigning.
This is what it means to suffer with him. As your mind and body become holy like your spirit you will understand that a holy being living in a fleshy body is suffering. If you suffer with him, you will reign with him. I’m not speaking of suffering sickness or all the other calamities he took away with his blood. I am speaking or knowing that you are a heavenly being and understanding that you are seated with him in the heavenly realm and yet patiently enduring being confined to a physical body for your appointed time on earth.
Keep your eyes on him and think about what he endured and you will be changed. You will learn to live your life with joy knowing that you have a greater day coming when this corrupted body puts on incorruption. You will understand that it’s not for torture that you are confined to this body but for training.
You will reign with us in the next age and that requires patience and understanding and if you are priests and kings then you had to take on the form of the one you are to serve, just as your high priest took on a fleshly body so that he could be compassionate on those whom he came to serve.
So my beloved, don’t look at your problems, don’t look at the worldly distraction that is filled with fear and gloom. Look unto Jesus. Stare at him. Gaze upon him with delight, knowing that this discipline is making you just like him. He authored your faith and he will perfect it until it’s just like his faith.
You can gaze upon Jesus and walk upon the troubled waters of life or you can look at the waves and cry for help. It’s your choice and I hope you choose to ride the storms as a surfer rides the waves. Wind is a blessing to those with eagle wings. Soar high my beloved and know that the one you are gazing upon never takes his eyes off of you.
This was the end of the words he spoke to me this morning. I hope you are encouraged by these words.
Until next time,
Grow Rich in His Grace,
I love you all,
michael
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