What are you looking at?
Hebrews 12:1-3
Continue dialogue from Zaccheus. He rose above the rest of the crowd, and made the extra effort to see Jesus passing through. We talked about getting into position to receive the blessings from God, and how the timing in life is everything. (Marvin & Peyton)
Finally last week, the Lord had revealed unto us, the difference between a casual hiker, and a mountain climber. God is trying to get us to shed off some of the extra weight, which has been holding us back from reaching our destiny.
Immediately after service, The Lord laid this scripture on my heart, Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that does 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.
Weight-the greek word is literally translated as encumberance, which means to be hindered with cares, or burdened down with something.
There are many things that we are carrying, that we do not even realize are weights that are holding us down.
Past failures, not living up to the expectations of what everyone else thought that you would be. Or even worse, a weight could be something that you were not even in control of.
Someone said that you were ugly, or stupid, or not with the in crowd. You grew up less fortunate, and couldn’t wear the nice sneakers like everyone else. And you may not realize it, but those are all weights, which could be holding you back from making it to the place where God has called you to be.
Lay aside the weight.
Your weight may be that someone left when you were a child, and you still hold thoughts of bitterness in your heart toward that person. This is a weight.
Someone gossiped something bad about you 5 years ago, and you can’t even stand to be in the same room with them, simply for the thought of what they said, or didn’t say.
If we are to go higher in the kingdom of God, we must lay aside the weight.
Jesus said come unto me those of you who labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn, of me, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Another scripture tells us to cast our cares upon the Lord, for he cares for you.
Most people will say, “well that’s easier said than done.” You don’t know what I’ve been through……I don’t, but Jesus Does.
He knows us, better than we know ourselves. He knows our struggles, and our victories. He knows our strengths, and our weaknesses. He’s been there with you through your valleys, and he’s the one who carried you over the mountain top. He’s watched you stumble, and he’s given you the strength to rise again.
…….He knows….
Another thing that holds us back from being all that God has for us to be, is the guilt of yesterday. Every time that we fail, we think oh’ God is going to leave me now. But His word said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you.
You can’t control your past, but you can control your future. There are things that you have had guilty feelings about, which have lead you to the verge of suicide, but God sent me here to tell you….Get over it.
The enemy tries to bring up every bad thing that you have ever done in your life, but the bible tells me, that there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.
Jn. 10:10-
There is a devil, whose job it is to try and cause separation between you and God, but the devil is a liar.
Truly, I may not be where I need to be, but thank God I am not where I used to be.
The bible tells me, that when you become a new creature, old things are passed away, behold all things become new.
John 3:16……….3:17
God does not try and condemn you, but rather tries to lift you out of your situation.
Many people want to believe that when you get saved, that you can’t do this anymore, and you can’t do that, but the truth of the matter is, its not about what you can’t do, but what you can do.
Lay aside the weight, and the sin that does so easily beset you.
Our problem is, we are too focused on the problems in our life, and not on the promises of God.
That’s why the scripture tells us to look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.
God did not bring you this far in life to just desert you now. Its no accident, nor dumb luck, that you made it this far, you have made it through everything that you’ve made it through, because God has a plan for your life.
Look 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
There will be trials, there will be mountains, there will be times when you feel like giving up, but its in those trying times, when God can show up the strongest.
He told Paul, my grace is sufficient for you………
The key is, to not focus on the problem, but to focus on the promise.
Ask your neighbor, what are you looking at? Are you looking at the doctors report, or are you looking at the word of God which says he was wounded for our transgressions…..
Are you looking at the stack of bills and saying there is no way I can make it, or are you looking at the word of God which says My God shall supply all of your needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus.
Are you looking at the gifts that God has given you and saying I don’t see how my ministry will ever take off, are you looking at the promises of God, and believing that His gifts and callings are without repentance.
God did not make a mistake when he chose you. He had carefully planned out exactly how he was going to use you, and how he could show you the way to victory by the blood of the cross of calvary.
What are you looking at?
The more you focus on the problem, the bigger it becomes. The more you think about the things that have had you bogged down, the further down they will bring you.
But the more that you focus on God, the bigger he can become in your life. The more time that you spend thinking about his word, the stronger your faith can become, because the bible says faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
The more that you focus on the promises of God, the bigger you will become spiritually, and it’s then that you realize, that no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper.
Its when your focus is upon the cross, and the shed blood of the spotless lamb, that you can see, that the love of God is immeasurable.
