Have You Done It Yet?
Beloved,
WE HAVE MADE IT!!! We are at the end of another month thanks to God's covering, keeping, providing and protecting. Has it been easy? No. But, by the grace of God, we have made it.
When we think about making it, what is the process that we follow? What is our procedure? What is our game plan for our lives?
In the word of God, the writer of the book of Hebrews gave us a process, a procedure, a game plan for our lives. It is quite simple - lay aside, run, and look.
In Hebrews 12:1, the writer instructs us to, "lay aside every weight and sin that clings so closely". Have you looked at your sin, named your sin, and put your sin away? Or, in prideful deference and defiance, have you looked at your sin, named your sin, and claimed your sin like it is some type of valued treasure to be held onto so dearly that you do not have room to receive the grace, mercy and love of God that comes along with conviction, repentance, reconciliation and restoration if you will let your sin go?
What is your process, procedure or game plan? Have you adopted the one in God's word? Have you done it yet?
The writer continues, "and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us". Have you taken up your cross? I mean, have you taken up YOUR CROSS? I mean, have you taken up YOUR CROSS and stopped being obsessively minded, distractingly intrusive, and narcissistically hurtful to others because you would rather focus on them rather than to focus on you? When Peter wanted to know what would happen with John when Jesus told Peter what Peter's life would be like, Peter asked Jesus, "What about him?" In John 21:23, Jesus told Peter, "what is it to you?" Basically, Jesus told Peter to mind his own business and run his own race.
Have you made the decision that, since you have given your life to God through Jesus Christ as guided by the Holy Spirit, you might as well live your life for God through Jesus Christ as guided by the Holy Spirit? Are you living, are you working, are you running for God?
What is your process, procedure or game plan? Have you adopted the one in God's word? Have you done it yet?
And, then the writer brings clarity and focus for what we are running after in Hebrews 12:2, "looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith". Beloved, for all of the examples and role models that you can look to for a measure of being your standard, do you look at those who have books written about them or do you look at the one who was the holy inspiration for His own book that tells the story of how life begin, how life is to be lived, and how life will be transformed with an eternal blessing to be received by the faithful? In your profession, vocation, or whatever you do, are you trying to be like someone else? Is that someone Jesus? If not Jesus, then are you setting your standard way too low?
You see, some of us would declare that we would be happy if we could be like someone else, be somewhere else, and do something else; but, Jesus saw things quite differently. The writer continues, "who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God."
Beloved, do you have joy in your life? I do not mean happiness. Happiness is based on what is happening and life can change from moment to moment; but, a living, faithful trust in God endures. It produces joy. Have you gotten your joy? Are you looking to Jesus?
What is your process, procedure or game plan? Have you adopted the one in God's word? Have you done it yet?
Beloved, trust God enough to lay aside whatever He tells you to lay aside. Beloved, love God enough to run in the direction that He sends you. And, beloved, have enough faith in God to always look to Jesus so that you can find, keep, grow, and share your joy.
If you have not done it yet, DO IT!!!
And, remember, God loves you and I love you too!!!
Be blessed,
Rev. Cain
