~ Running the Race ~ our Way ~

Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

He ministers heaven, life and strength to us, will transfuse and infuse us with all that He is to enable us to run the heavenly race and to live the heavenly life on earth, carrying us thru all the lifelong pathway and leading and bringing us into glory.

Wonderful Jesus, enthroned in heaven, crowned with "glory and honor", is the greatest attraction in the universe, like an immense magnet drawing all His seekers unto Him. It's by being attracted by His charming beauty that we look away from all things other than Him. Without such a charming object, how could we look away from so many distracting things on this earth?

IF we keep our eyes on Jesus, our ULTIMATE ATTRACTION

Then there will be no DISTRACTION!

Hebrews 1:5
For to which of the angels did God ever say,
"You are my Son;
today I have become your Father"? Or again,
"I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son"

Hebrews 2:6
there is a place where someone has testified:
"What is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

Hebrews 1:8
about the Son he says,
"Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever,
and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.

Hebrews 1:2
in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe

Hebrews 2:10
For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Hebrews 2:11
Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.

Hebrews 2:18
Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Hebrews 3:1
Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.

Hebrews 7:26
Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

Hebrews 8:2
and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man.

Hebrews 8:6
But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.

Hebrews 9:16-17
In the case of a will,[a] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living.

Hebrews 6:20
where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 13:20
May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,

We are to run the race before Him
Knowing that it ain't over unless
He says that it is over.

John 14:6 "I am the Way". The race is best described as "Christ Himself". From Genesis 1-Revelations 22 there has been only one Way and that Way is Christ. Before we could actually see Christ, God used patterns of Christ to show the Way, the tabernacle being the most striking pattern of all, which is the temple of God, as are we.

We have gone from the sacrificial altar to the Holy of Holies, from the dead and lost to the enjoyment of new life, in the Presence of God. God's unique Way isn't distractions from rituals of old. The way is the new temple; Christ within. Therefore the race is run within.

Pick up the pace and change your walk into a run. Running with eyes on the goal, we shouldn't be distracted. Our walk has given us the time to look at our religious background, to see the strength of the buildings and the beauty of the temple. But now is the time to focus on Christ, work Him into our being, making Christ our standard and all of us a reproduction of this standard.

No more standing still or being distracted by the priesthood, the offerings, the temple. For soon they shall be no more. No more shrinking back and letting the enemy distract us from God's Way. Flee to the Holy of Holies where Jesus Christ has opened the Way for us and has Himself entered within.

1 Corinthians 9:23-25



23And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
24Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.