Dear Daily Message Readers,
READ: Hebrews 12
Hebrews 12:2 (NIV) "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."
As the season of fall marathons begins, many runners in training ask themselves, "Why am I doing this?" This question pops in a thousand times while these people are trying to get in shape for a long-winded 26.2 mile race. On the other side, it would certainly be easy to quit and give up on the endless weeks of training. However, over the long haul, each runner realizes that he or she is making progress. Then, when the race day arrives and the finish line is crossed for the first time, each runner can say, "Mission accomplished!"
If you have ever tried out for a sport and gone through training for competition, you know exactly what these runners experience. And it is no coincidence that the Bible uses such word pictures to compare and contrast our spiritual lives with Jesus Christ. For instance, the writer of the Hebrews used athletic word pictures when he discussed the difficult process of becoming more like Christ and living for Him.
If you were to read Hebrews 12today's featured Bible sectionyou would find it is not an easy process. As Christians, we have to resist all kinds of temptations that can trip us up or slow us down (12:1). We also have to persevere and keep our eyes on the goal (12:2-3). We even have to endure hardship and God's loving discipline that is designed to mold us into the kind of people He can use to make a difference in the world (12:4-12).
With the goal of becoming more like Christ before us, nothing in life is too bad to endure. The pain will be worth all we gain in heaven for eternity.
John 17:19 "For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified." Faith Lesson: The Father's ultimate goal in our spiritual lives is to make us like His Son Jesus Christ.
In Christ,
Darin Smith
READ: Hebrews 12
Hebrews 12:2 (NIV) "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."
As the season of fall marathons begins, many runners in training ask themselves, "Why am I doing this?" This question pops in a thousand times while these people are trying to get in shape for a long-winded 26.2 mile race. On the other side, it would certainly be easy to quit and give up on the endless weeks of training. However, over the long haul, each runner realizes that he or she is making progress. Then, when the race day arrives and the finish line is crossed for the first time, each runner can say, "Mission accomplished!"
If you have ever tried out for a sport and gone through training for competition, you know exactly what these runners experience. And it is no coincidence that the Bible uses such word pictures to compare and contrast our spiritual lives with Jesus Christ. For instance, the writer of the Hebrews used athletic word pictures when he discussed the difficult process of becoming more like Christ and living for Him.
If you were to read Hebrews 12today's featured Bible sectionyou would find it is not an easy process. As Christians, we have to resist all kinds of temptations that can trip us up or slow us down (12:1). We also have to persevere and keep our eyes on the goal (12:2-3). We even have to endure hardship and God's loving discipline that is designed to mold us into the kind of people He can use to make a difference in the world (12:4-12).
With the goal of becoming more like Christ before us, nothing in life is too bad to endure. The pain will be worth all we gain in heaven for eternity.
John 17:19 "For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified." Faith Lesson: The Father's ultimate goal in our spiritual lives is to make us like His Son Jesus Christ.
In Christ,
Darin Smith
