The Daily Dose

Keep your eye on joy

“looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”   Hebrews 12:2

Have you ever despised the shame of something?  Maybe you had a humiliating moment at a sporting event?  Maybe you have things in your past that you are ashamed of or maybe you have been criticized for your faith?  Everyone at some point has things that have embarrassed or shamed them.  It is inevitable.  Our lives here on earth are a series of trials, tests, and struggles.  Our goal is to overcome. Today’s verse is about Jesus keeping His focus on what was beyond the cross to overcome death and give us the victory.  The truth is, without a trial, test, or struggle, there can be no victory. 

A good example of this is athletics.  An athlete that competes must first prepare for the competition.  He must discipline himself to eat the right diet and to do the daily training required to even have a chance at the prize.  He cannot skip even one day of his training.  Most days, he probably doesn’t feel like training, but he overcomes his feelings because he knows he must suffer in order to be prepared for the competition.  He keeps his focus on what his desired outcome is . . . Victory!  In order to get to that victory, he must go through the struggle, discipline, and intense training required.  He does it because he knows there is joy in his accomplishment. Never focusing on the pain and intense effort of today, but his eyes and thoughts are always fixed on the joy of the prize at the end of the race.

It’s the same thing with issues and problems we face each day.  If we sit idly by or just ignore difficulties, most of the time they will derail us from our overall goals and victories.  We need to keep our eye on the prize and remain single minded (focused).  This is where the preparation time becomes so crucial.  You have to build your faith and trust in God day to day so that when the difficult times come, you are ready to overcome with the Word of God and your faith anchored strongly in Him through your relationship with Him.  Think of it this way.  If a thief breaks into your home, that is not the time to start looking for your weights to be strong enough to overcome him.  You must make those preparations ahead of time.  It works the same way with overcoming the obstacles of life.  You must do the daily workout before the trial/“breaks in” happens The common mind set in today’s world is to take the path of least resistance. It seems easier when a crisis comes to make a course correction to avoid it, but without the struggle and pressing through, you can never get to your desired results/goal.

Today’s verse also said that “joy” was set before Jesus.  He knew that after he went through it all, there would be great joy at the end.  We don’t always have a choice about going through things, but we do have a choice to be prepared and where to focus.   Keep reminding yourself there is joy coming in the victory you are heading toward.  Even though you are not there yet, it is time to be confident in God’s love to make you more than a conqueror.  That’s what He did in our Savior Jesus, and that’s what He wants to do in you!

Today I want to encourage you to strengthen your faith by getting more of God’s Word in your heart. Make spending time fellowshipping with God a priority in your daily “workout.” Get prepared for all obstacles by being focused on what is on the other side of your fight and get ready for the joy of victory through every trial that comes your way.  Thank goodness we will never have to suffer like Jesus did, but we can still prepare like He did.  Start today by pressing into your relationship with your Heavenly Father through Christ Jesus and be prepared for every trial, test and struggle that comes your way.

Today’s scripture reading: Hebrews 12:1-11

Get rid of weights

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”  Hebrews 12:1

Chapter 12 of Hebrews continues talking about the old testament saints and describes them now as a cloud of witnesses, or engaged spectators as the race continues that they once ran in.  It says that even though these witnesses have gone on, they are still involve in what God is doing today by surrounding us with the stories of their lives that encourage us to lay aside our own weights/distractions and the sin that holds us back from the things God has for us to accomplish. These distractions are things such as media, possessions or people that draw us away from the plan of God. they can also be worry, fear, anger, anxiety . . . Things that we hold on to that are not necessarily sin, but keep us from seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness.  We are also encouraged to get rid of the sin that we get trapped in continually.  It is our choice to put these things away and then run with endurance and patience in the “race” of life that is before us.  This passage says that when we try to live a Christian life with these things attached to us, they are like weights that disable us from winning in life. The writer encourages us here to put these things away.

The very next verse tells us how we can do this. It’s by looking to Jesus, the beginning and ending of our faith and our ultimate example. He completed the work God sent Him to do here not because He was the perfect Son of God, but because He kept His attention on the joy that was set before Him, the prize.  He is our example and standard for living the “faith” life!   He lived this example by keeping His eye on His prize/purpose which was the end result and the promise that God made to Him that He would be the first born of many children of God.

Today I encourage you to keep your eye on the prize and purpose of what God has not only promised you, but also what He has called you to.  Examine your heart and life and notice if you have any weights or sin that is causing distractions and set backs in your life.  Ask the Lord for strength, faith, and the desire to get rid of them and cast them off so that you can complete, down to the last detail, the plans God has for your life and run out your purpose in victory!

Today’s scripture reading:  Hebrews 12:1-17

Hold on to the promise

All these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. Hebrews 11:39-40

As we come to the end of Hebrews 11, we read the point of the entire chapter.  Each one of the people mentioned in this chapter and even many that were not mention, walked by faith that someday a Savior would come and make things new.  Yesterday I wrote about faith requiring action and obedience.  In today’s reading, we see those who used their faith to endure hardship, did it to receive the promise of the Savior.  The passage never says that these courageous saints prayed for the trouble and persecutions to go away.  It seems that they prayed for the faith to endure because of a promise that was set before them of their Messiah.  Everything the old testament saints and prophet went through was because God promised to send a Redeemer.  None of those faithful people saw Him, but they held on to the promise by faith in God’s word.

Today, we are on the other side of that promise, but have we also obtained that “good testimony”?  Are we as Christians ready to endure suffering as the former saints did?  Praise God we have lived in a time and country that has embraced the promise of God for the most part up until now.  However, it seems times are shifting and around the world many are living by faith to endure for the sake of their love for our Savior Jesus.  Now we have received the promise of salvation and cling to the promise that He is coming back for us.

How do we practically prepare for the days ahead.  With the times being so uncertain, how do we as God’s people walk by faith in these last and troubling days?  We need the Holy Spirit’s help.  Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to the new testament church and when they were filled with the Holy Spirit was when they received the empowerment to not only endure, but to boldly proclaim the good news of salvation and do His good works.  I believe this is the promise that will take us through to the end.  No more can we allow ourselves to be distracted with the comforts that the world offers.  We must stand up and give the good news to the lost and dying people around us.  Time is running out, and our hope and faith is in our salvation by Christ Jesus. The message of His salvation and return must spread like wild fire for all to hear. Only when the message of the gospel reaches the whole earth will He come back for us (Matt. 24:14).

Today I want to encourage you to stand firm in your faith in His salvation and the message of the good news.  Make that message your number one priority each day.  By seeking first the kingdom of God and righteousness, you are seeking how to grow His kingdom and that is by bringing people back to their loving Father’s arms.  God wants to rescue all those who are lost and perishing, and He is depending on us to do our part to make that message loud enough to be heard over the cries for help.  So prepare your heart and prepare your steps to follow in faith as He leads you to the lost. Become so full of the gospel and be so determined to reach others that you do not even notice with the persecutions come.

Today’s scripture reading: Hebrews 11:30-40

What action have you taken

By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.  Hebrews 11:7

In Hebrews 11 there is an extensive list of names and the steps of obedience that each person took as a result of their faith.  It seems that faith requires action.  James 2:20 tells us that faith without the works of obedience is dead, or there is no substance in it.  This idea is obvious in the list of examples given here.  Let’s take a look at just a few of them listed in today’s reading.

Each one of these individuals put action behind their faith by obeying what God said to them.  They didn’t just hope and pray that something would happen, they looked to God for the answer and then obeyed when He gave them the next step.

This concept of faith is still alive and working today.  We look to God with our struggles to get our part of the solution. Then by faith we take that step of obedience and talk to God again for the next step.  Maybe there will be something else or maybe the next thing is to wait on God.  The point is that there is no faith (dead faith) without accompanying action.  Taking your problems to God without being willing to change and line up with His direction is just wishing that He will make everything better again.  I know God is extremely gracious and sometimes this does work, but God wants to do greater things in your life and He wants to do them with you, not just for you.  Your heavenly Father wants to share that joy with you that comes when you believe what He says enough to act on it.

Think about how much joy each of the people above experienced after their obedience.  First, they were given some off the wall instructions the required faith to carry out.  Not because it was so difficult, although some of it was, but because it didn’t make sense in the natural.   Like, God told Noah to build an ark when Noah didn’t even know what rain was, nor had he ever experienced it.  Abraham was told to move and had no idea where he was going.  That doesn’t make any sense and who would do that?  Moses gave the instructions for Passover that God had given him, but how was a lamb’s blood going to save them?  Joshua got this absurd plan from the commander of God’s army to walk around the city walls for seven days and then the walls would just fall down.  What??  However, after they obeyed, the answer came with great joy because they knew they did their part and God made them a hero.

Now we understand why faith was required.  Their acts of obedience to the Word/instruction of God proved that they believed that if they did their part, God would show up and do His part.  Now that is real faith.

Today I want to encourage you to obey what you believe your Heavenly Father is asking you to do.  When you go to Him in prayer with your lists of concerns and cares, go with the attitude that you are going for the instructions for your part in the solution.  Quickly do your part, then go back to God for any additional steps you may need to take.  In this way you are working together with God to accomplish His desire and yours. It brings God great joy to walk through life with you in faith!

Today’s scripture reading: Hebrews 11:8-29

Hope grows faith

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”  Hebrews 11:6

Have you ever heard anyone say, “Well, don’t get your hopes up”?  Did you know that is a direct quote against God’s Word?  It’s true. We know it is true because Hebrews 11:1 says, faith is the result of things hoped for.  Faith and hope are connected.  In 1 Thessalonians 1:13 Paul says we are not like those who have no hope.  That’s right!  We always have hope in God and His promises.

The scripture today says without faith it is impossible to please God, so if there is no hope there is also no pleasing God.  You cannot have one without the other.  Think about it this way.  When you pray and ask God for anything, you are turning to Him in hope, but then when you add the Word of God to that prayer, your hope is grounded in God’s promise and that produces faith, the God kind of faith. (Romans 10:17) God’s Word is the reason you have something to hope in because by reading His Word, you know what He wants to do and what He has promised to do.

I know you are still going to hear people say “don’t get your hopes up”.  But I’m saying, “You better get your hopes up because that’s the stuff faith is made of and without faith, it’s impossible to please God!”

Today I want to encourage you to get your “hope” up.  Get your hope grounded in the Word of God and begin to believe and hope for that “Word” to show up in your life!  Once you have God’s “Word” on it, peace will fill your heart and will be the evidence that faith is at work on your prayer request.  But, remember it all started with your hope!

Today’s scripture reading: Hebrews 11:1-7

Creative words

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible (God’s words).  Hebrews 11:3

I always heard that God made all of creation out of nothing.  That some how things just started appearing, and that is kind of what happened.  However, nothing would have been created or come into existence if God had not given the words.  Like a commanding officer in the military gives a command and then it is executed by the troops that receive the command and bring it into existence, God spoke words and pulled creation out of the unseen world into the seen.  That is where we live, the seen world.  Everything we can see in the world today, existed in the unseen realm before God spoke it into this world.

Today’s scripture say we understand this principle by faith, and what we understand and believe by faith is that God did not create the world out of nothing, He created the world with creative faith filled words so that things that are now seen came from things that we as people could not see before.

This is essentially what we do when we go to God in prayer.  We are asking our Father in Heaven to change what we can see in this world by bringing an answer from heaven (another world).  When we combine our faith with God’s words of scripture, we can apply this same principle.  Speaking God’s words over a situation brings a supernatural change to the current seen circumstance.

A clear example of this process is what happens at the point of salvation.  When a person comes to the point of recognizing they need a Savior, they take the word of God that says: Confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, then you will be saved from eternal separation from God (Romans 10:9).  You spoke the words and brought eternal results that changed your current circumstances forever.  No one else could speak those words for you and change your life.  You are the only one who can choose and speak faith filled words over your life to bring the unseen world into your natural world.  Then you were made into a brand new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

So today I want to encourage you to begin to speak faith filled words over your life and the lives of those you love.  Prayer is a creative force that can change every area that we apply it to.  As a born again child of God, you are given the power and privilege of pulling down supernatural results form the heavenly realm,  all it takes is spending some time talking to your loving Father and speaking some of His faith filled words over your life.  This is what it means to cover someone in prayer.  As you pray and speak God’s words, you are bringing into the natural world supernatural results.

Today’s scripture reading: Hebrews 11:1-7

Live by faith

Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul (heart) has no pleasure in him.” Hebrews 10:38

I remember the time this verse actually made sense to me.  I had always thought it was a “no brainer” before that.  Of course the just live by faith, that is what being a Christian is, someone who has faith that God sent Jesus to save them.  Yet, I always felt a catch whenever I heard or read this phrase.  This isn’t the only place it is used in scripture, but I didn’t realize that either.  Finally one day, I was listening to a teaching message on giving every area of your life over to God and then letting Him direct your steps in all the places of your heart.  Not just the church part.  Then this verse was used:  The just live by faith, in every relationship in their lives.  In my relationship with God, I certainly do, right?  What about my relationship with my husband and children?  Do I govern all my words and responses to them in agreement with my faith in God?  What about my friends and neighbors, I’m talking about the ones that don’t go to church. Then there is the whole group of people I work with and the list continues.

The process of bringing all these connections before God, brought clarity and understanding into why some of my relationships needed some work.  Then I read the second part of the passage that says if anyone draws back (from living by faith) my soul has no pleasure in him.  When I keep any area of my life out of God’s reach, it does not please Him.  Not because He is nosy or controlling, it is actually quite the opposite.  God set it up so that He could only have access in the areas that I gave Him an entrance to.  This was all part of His “free will” plan.  God does not force His way into anyone’s life and He certainly doesn’t push people out of the way to get His will done for them.  It is a cooperative effort.  God wants to work with us to accomplish all the good plans He has for us.  His heart is to be invited into showing each one of us the direction to go and the choices to make.  Some are simple and we can follow His Word (scripture) to make them, others require a more intimate relationship with His Holy Spirit to guide you through the more difficult decisions.

The point is, God takes pleasure in us living by faith because we give His access into every area of our lives in that way we work together with Him as He leads us to the green pastures and living water.  God desires to intimately walk through life with each one of His children, but He gives you the choice to acknowledge Him in all your ways.

Today I want to encourage you to live by faith in every area of your life.  Don’t be fooled into thinking that because you go to church or read your Bible every day that you are actually walking in faith in all your relationships.  Make a conscience effort to invite your Heavenly Father into every compartment and ask Him to reveal to you if you are keeping Him out somewhere.  He will because it is His will that you walk by faith, and you cannot do that without being connected Him in all things.

Today’s scripture reading: Hebrews 10:26-39

Stay close to the Shepherd

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.  Hebrews 10:24-25

So there I was, just a little spark trying not to be extinguished as I continued to step further away from support and godly encouragement. A single mom, independent and motivated to work 2 jobs and take the next promotion wherever it would move me.  This particular advancement took me into the next state.  3 hours away from anyone I knew and basically forced me to start a whole new life with no accountability. It seemed like every time I tried a new church or to get involved somewhere, I was quickly distracted by work or play.  I was unstable and being tossed continuously and the worse part about it was, I didn’t know I was deceived, messed up and making continuous bad decisions.  I thought I knew better, but couldn’t handle being out there in the world on my own.

This is one of the oldest tricks in the book.  Luring away sheep from the flock so they can be devoured.  Like the wolf in the old cartoons, Satan always goes for the ones that have wandered from the group. This is exactly what todays scripture is talking about.  We need to be around other believers that will stir up love and encourage us to do good wherever we go.  Not to be self-focused and centered, but to be people focused and God centered.  Especially, don’t stop meeting together with other believers and meet even more often because there isn’t much time left.  Whether it is church services, small groups or special meeting and conferences, stay connected with the body and don’t make excuses when it is time to meet.  Meeting with other Christians is your lifeline and far more important than any other appointment or commitment you may have.  Coming together with the body of Christ is how His blood flows through us.  We, God’s children, are His body and if we do not stay connected into that body, our part of the body will die.  It needs the support and strength of all the other parts (people) to grow and thrive.

So many things you can do to be in that safe, connected place.  Commit to go to church every week instead of just when you feel like it, that is a good place to start.  Serve at your church and get to know people on the teams there.  Join a small group or lead a small group each week.  Listen to podcasts and audio books that encourage and train you to help others find freedom in Christ Jesus and send messages to those you know to encourage them to stay connected.

Today I want to encourage you to stay connected.  If you are actively involved in a congregation of believers, love and encourage those that you meet to do good to those around them and love others into the kingdom of Heaven.  If you have strayed to the edge of the flock and are no longer getting the love and support, turn around and get back to the safe place, right in the middle of the sheep where the Shepherd is.  Most of all, do not neglect coming together to meet regularly and do it more often as we see the day approaching.

Today’s scripture reading: Hebrews 10:19-25

Saved by God’s grace

But in those sacrifices, there is a reminder of sins every year.  Hebrew 10:3

Reminders.  They are good, especially if you need to remember something important like, anniversaries and birthdays.  Many people keep a calendar of important dates to remember and other keep a schedule to keep track of meetings and other appointments.  Then there are those reminders that are not so good like memories of hurts and pains from your past, or when a “friend” or family member reminds you of mistakes and blunders you have made in your life.  Really?  Do we have to go there?

That’s what the old testament sacrifices did.  They reminded people every year about all the transgressions and sins they had committed.  They had to bring a spotless animal to the priest so He could examine it and offer it for the sin of all the people.  In doing this ritual, the people were reminded that they were sinners and needed to pay the penalty for their sin by giving of their own livestock.  Sin had to be paid for.

Now we have a new and far better connection to our heavenly Father.  He sent the perfect payment for the sin of the world for all time.  Vs. 12 of this chapter says: But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.  Now, we and God do not look at sin anymore.  As far as He is concerned we are brand new and complete in the payment that removed the barriers between us and our Father.

So when you hear someone say:  “I’m just an old sinner saved by grace?”  You can go ahead and remind them that according to this passage, the old testament way was to remember sin, but the new and better way is to separate from the memory of it.  It would be better to say: “I was just a sinner, but then I got saved by God’s grace and now, He remembers my sin no more.  Therefore, I am no longer a sinner, I am a child of God!” 

Hebrews 10:9 says: “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first (old covenant) that He may establish the second (new covenant). Then in verse 17 it says: “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” He never brings it up again in fact, once it is under the blood of Jesus, He considers it to have never existed.  I have been made a new creation in Christ Jesus.  That old sinful person died and I was raise up a new created being (part of God’s family) that never existed before!  Glory to God!

Today I want to encourage you to put away the old mindset that you have to beat yourself up every time you miss the mark.  Jesus has already been “beaten up” and punished for all the sin you have committed and ever will.  Instead, thank your heavenly Father for making a provision for those failures and choosing to remember them no more.  If He remembers it no more, it would be rude to keep bringing it up as a blockage from moving forward in life.  Reminding yourself of your sin is like saying Jesus blood was not enough to eradicate it.  That just isn’t true.  Jesus blood and sacrifice is more than enough to remove every spot and stain and make you clean for all eternity. Receive this truth today and walk in the newness of life that He died to give you!

Today’s scripture reading:  Hebrews 10:1-16

Total remission

And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.  Hebrews 9:22

Remission.  It’s not a word that is frequently used.  However, probably the most common use of the word is when cancer goes into remission in a person.  It is in reference to being healed, cured or the cancer has been removed from the body in some way.  It is a good thing for sure when you hear of a loved one who is given a diagnosis of their cancer being in remission.

Today’s scripture is referring to a different type of remission, but it is similar in concept.  It is the remission of sin.  The passage talks about sin can only be removed or remitted when blood is shed.  This is probably the clearest passage that explains why Jesus had to die in such a brutal way.  His blood was poured out for the sin of the world.  Not just to cover or make a provision like the blood of calves and goats did, His blood was necessary for cleansing both heaven and earth.

Now, we have total remission or removal of the cancer of sin!  Sin, like a disease or stain, has been totally removed from every born again believer.  It doesn’t mean that sin doesn’t exist anymore, it just doesn’t exist in the body of Jesus, the church.  Sin is a dis-ease in the world and it has been totally removed from God’s family by the blood of His perfect One, Christ Jesus!  Like a disease, sin tries to stick to and get inside of every person.  However, when you belong to God, sin cannot hold on to you.  You become “slippery” so even though sin tries to get all over you in the world, it cannot stain or attach itself to your life because the blood covers and protects you from it.

This portion of Hebrews goes on to say that each person has their appointment with death and after that they will face judgement.  Everyone will stand before the eternal God to be examined for the stains of sin.  The only way to escape that judgement is to be in remission under the cleansing blood of Jesus.  Those who are in Christ Jesus will not have to go under the scrutiny of God’s eternal judgement of every evil done.  In His provision of salvation, God made a way for all to escape the punishment for sin and to be purged through the cleansing blood.  This is true remission, total and complete in Him.  No longer do we carry the weight and stains of sin in life, we have been set free from the cancer of sin that plagues this world.  You can be too!  If you have never received the gift of salvation in the blood of Jesus, invite Him into your heart and life today.

Today I want to encourage you to rejoice!  Rejoice that sin is in remission in your life!  Rejoice that the blood of Jesus cleanses every sin and stain that once covered you.  Celebrate the goodness of God to send us our healing and escape from the curse that this world is under and glorify God for His tender mercy and loving kindness!  God has total remission for you today so let Him remove the sin from your life and live free from the cancer of sin for all eternity.

Today’s scripture reading: Hebrews 9:22-28