aBible.com     

Hebrews 12:1,2 - In Tune With Jesus!

Let us run the race that is before us and never give up.
We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way
and the sin that so easily holds us back.
Let us look only to Jesus,
the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect.
Heb 12:1,2 (NCV)

RUN WITH PERSEVERANCE; The Christian life is pictured as a
long-distance race rather than a short sprint. [NIV SB]

FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS; Just as a runner concentrates on the
finish line, we should concentrate on Jesus, the goal and objective of
our faith. [NIV SB]

PERFECTER OF OUR FAITH; Our faith, which has its beginning in
Jesus, is also completed in him; he is both the start and the end of
the race. He is also the supreme witness who has already run the
race and overcome. [NIV SB]

The Christian life involves hard work. It requires us to give up
whatever endangers our relationship with God, to run patiently, and to
struggle against sin with the power of the Holy Spirit. To live
effectively, we must keep our eyes on Jesus. We will stumble if we look away
from him to stare at ourselves or at the circumstances surrounding
us. We should be running for Christ, not ourselves, and we must
always keep him in sight. [Life Application SB]

In the epistle to the Hebrews is pointed out the single-hearted
purpose that should characterize the Christian's race for eternal life:
"Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily
beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." Hebrews 12:1,
2. Envy, malice, evil thinking, evilspeaking, covetousness--these
are weights that the Christian must lay aside if he would run
successfully the race for immortality. Every habit or practice that leads
into sin and brings dishonor upon Christ must be put away, whatever
the sacrifice. The blessing of heaven cannot attend any man in
violating the eternal principles of right. One sin cherished is sufficient
to work degradation of character and to mislead others.  AA312

Enoch kept the Lord ever before him, and the Inspired Word says
that he "walked with God." He made Christ his constant companion. He
was in the world, and performed his duties to the world; but he was
ever under the influence of Jesus. He reflected Christ's character,
exhibiting the same qualities of goodness, mercy, tender compassion,
sympathy, forbearance, meekness, humility, and love. His association with
Christ day by day transformed him into the image of Him with whom he
was so intimately connected. Day by day he was growing away from his
own way into Christ's way, the heavenly, the divine, in his thoughts
and feelings. He was constantly inquiring, Is this the way of the
Lord? His was a constant growth, and he had fellowship with the Father
and the Son. This is genuine sanctification (RH April 28, 1891).