SPIRITUAL
DIARY FOR 06-26-03
My
Worship Time Focus: Keep our eyes on
Jesus
Bible
Reading & Meditation Reference: Hebrews 12:2a
1.Message of the verse:
“2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for
the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down
at the right hand of the throne of God.”
(NASB) “We do this by keeping our
eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the
cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest
honor beside God’s throne in heaven.”
(NLT)
In the latter part of verse one the writer tells us to run
with endurance the race that is set before us, and in the NLT it tells us how
we are to run this race with endurance.
Endurance means “1a) in the NT the characteristic of a man who is not
swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the
greatest trials and sufferings 1b) patiently, and steadfastly.” The way to run this race with endurance is to
keep our eyes on Jesus. Now when a
person is saved they have to look to Jesus for He is the only way to be
saved. Jesus Himself said that He is the
way, and this means that He is the only way to be saved. Acts 4:12 puts it this way, ‘“And there is
salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been
given among men, by which we must be saved.”’
The writer goes on to say that Jesus is the author and perfecter of our
faith. The word author means, “2) one
that takes the lead in any thing and thus affords an example, a predecessor in
a matter, pioneer. Jesus certainly fits
this in His work for us concerning our salvation. The word perfecter or finisher means, “one
who has in his own person raised faith to its perfection and so set before us
the highest example of faith.” This is
true of Jesus for when He was on planet earth He lived His life by faith like
no one has ever done. He is our example,
and the only way that we can live by faith is to follow His example.
2. Spiritual meaning
for my life today: Jesus Christ is not
only my Savior and Lord, and also my High Priest, but He is my example on how
to live the Christian life by faith. I
want to follow His example, and as I learn more about Him, and then by the
power of the Holy Spirit I can then be more like Him in my everyday life.
The Word of God has been a challenge to me as I read it
this morning.
My
Steps of Faith Today: I
want to turn my eyes upon Jesus, and look full in His wonderful face so that
the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and
grace.
Memory verse for the week:
Psalm 121:1
1. I will look my
eyes to the mountains, from whence shall my help come from?
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