SPIRITUAL
DIARY FOR 06-26-03
My
Worship Time Focus:
Keep our eyes on Jesus
Bible
Reading & Meditation Reference: Hebrews 12:2a
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.
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment