Hebrews 12:12 - Prayer Tents

Hebrews 12

Discipline in a Long-Distance Race

12Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins.G5105G2532G2192G4029G2254G5118G3509G3144G659G2249G659G3956G3591G2532G266G2139G5143G1223G5281G73G4295G22542Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.G872G1519G2424G747G2532G5051G4102G3739G473G5479G4295G846G5278G4716G2706G152G5037G2523G1722G1188G2362G23163When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!G1063G357G5278G5108G485G5259G268G1519G846G3363G2577G1590G5216G55904In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed!G478G3768G478G3360G129G464G4314G2665So don't feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline, but don't be crushed by it either.G2532G1585G3874G3748G1256G5213G5613G5207G3450G5207G3643G3361G3643G3809G2962G3366G1590G1651G5259G8466It's the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects.G1063G3739G2962G25G3811G1161G3146G3956G5207G3739G38587God is educating you; that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as dear children. This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training,G1487G5278G3809G2316G4374G5213G5613G5207G1063G5101G5207G2076G3739G3962G3811G37568the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God?G1161G1487G2075G5565G3809G3739G3956G1096G3353G686G2075G3541G2532G3756G52079We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly live?G1534G3303G2192G3962G2257G4561G3810G2532G1788G5293G3756G4183G3123G5293G3962G4151G2532G219810While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best.G1063G3303G4314G3641G2250G3811G2596G846G1380G1161G1909G4851G1519G3335G846G4111At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.G1161G3956G3756G3809G4314G3303G3918G1380G1511G5479G235G3077G1161G5305G591G1516G2590G1343G1128G1223G84612So don't sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet!G1352G461G5495G3935G2532G3886G111913Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. And run for it!G2532G4160G3717G5163G5216G4228G3363G5560G1624G1161G2390G3123G239014Work at getting along with each other and with God. Otherwise you'll never get so much as a glimpse of God.G1377G1515G3326G3956G2532G38G5565G3739G3762G3700G296215Make sure no one gets left out of God's generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time.G1983G3361G5100G5302G575G5485G2316G3361G5100G4491G4088G5453G507G1776G2532G1223G5026G4183G339216Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God's lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite.G3361G5100G4205G2228G952G5613G2269G3739G473G3391G1035G591G846G441517You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God's blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears.G1063G2467G3754G2532G3347G2309G2816G2129G593G1063G2147G3756G5117G3341G2539G1567G846G1567G3326G1144

An Unshakable Kingdom

18Unlike your ancestors, you didn't come to Mount Sinai—all that volcanic blaze and earthshaking rumble—G1063G4334G3756G4334G3735G5584G2532G2545G4442G2532G1105G2532G4655G2532G236619to hear God speak. The earsplitting words and soul-shaking message terrified them and they begged him to stop.G2532G2279G4536G2532G5456G4487G3739G191G3868G3056G4369G3361G4369G846G336120When they heard the words—"If an animal touches the Mountain, it's as good as dead"—they were afraid to move.G1063G5342G3756G5342G1291G2579G2342G2345G3735G3036G2228G2700G100221Even Moses was terrified.G2532G3779G5398G2258G5324G3475G2036G1630G1510G2532G179022No, that's not your experience at all. You've come to Mount Zion, the city where the living God resides. The invisible Jerusalem is populated by throngs of festive angelsG235G4334G3735G4622G2532G4172G2198G2316G2032G2419G2532G3461G3223and Christian citizens. It is the city where God is Judge, with judgments that make us just.G3831G2532G1577G4416G583G1722G3772G2532G2316G2923G3956G2532G4151G1342G504824You've come to Jesus, who presents us with a new covenant, a fresh charter from God. He is the Mediator of this covenant. The murder of Jesus, unlike Abel's—a homicide that cried out for vengeance—became a proclamation of grace.G2532G2424G3316G3501G1242G2532G129G4473G2980G2909G3844G625So don't turn a deaf ear to these gracious words. If those who ignored earthly warnings didn't get away with it, what will happen to us if we turn our backs on heavenly warnings?G991G3868G3361G2980G1063G1487G1565G5343G3756G3868G5537G1909G1093G4183G3123G2249G654G575G377226His voice that time shook the earth to its foundations; this time—he's told us this quite plainly—he'll also rock the heavens: "One last shaking, from top to bottom, stem to stern."G3739G5456G5119G4531G1093G1161G3568G1861G3004G2089G530G1473G4579G3756G1093G3440G235G2532G377227The phrase "one last shaking" means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered.G1161G2089G530G1213G3331G4531G5613G4160G2443G3361G4531G330628Do you see what we've got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander.G1352G3880G932G761G2192G5485G1223G3739G3000G2316G2102G3326G127G2532G212429He's actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won't quit until it's all cleansed. God himself is Fire!G2532G1063G2257G2316G2654G4442