◄ Looking to Jesus ►

Looking to JESUS, the Author and Finisher of our faith…”

Hebrews 12: 2

Safe Journey

Any mariner knows that a fraction of a degree off-course and he misses his port. He may be 99% correct but that 1° is crucial to his safe arrival at his destination. If he sets his course towards a movable marker his journey will end in disaster. If he anchors his vessel to drifting wood, he will meander across a sea of confusion. If this is physical reality – how much more must this be true in the spiritual realm?

Straight Course

Hebrews is a book that is written to both encourage and warn Christians in their walk. It helps maturing believers to steer a straight life-course through this world of unbelief. It warns that faith in God is the compass that guides us through the dark storms of life. It is a book that cautions against unbelief citing Israel’s faithlessness to be avoided. It is a book that councils the Christian to maintain their trust in God and look to Jesus – and it gives four interrelated and progressive steps towards spiritual maturity.

4 Progressive Steps

FIRST:- We are to strip aside every part of life that hinders our growth in our Christian life,  for a surfeit of earthly things, whether good or evil, will hinder our spiritual walk.

SECOND:- We are to renounce the besetting sin of unbelief, which has caused so many to stumble..  for what God requires of us all is that we have faith Him and trust His Word – for without faith in Him we are unable to grow in our spiritual life.

THIRD:- We are to travel through life with patient endurance as we maintain our trust in God. The author of Hebrews tells us to run with endurance the race God has set before us – and this teaches us godly obedience as the Spirit conforms us into Christ’s image.

FOURTH:- We are to travel towards the goal of our calling, steadily looking to Jesus. We are single-mindedly to keep the eyes of our heart firmly fixed on the Lord Jesus – and we can only do this as we trust His Word, in every aspect of our lives.

Life Journey

The wise mariner takes every precaution to steer a straight course towards his port. He must be 100% correct in his navigation if he is to arrive safely at his destination. He must not plot his course on a movable marker not anchor his ship to shifting sands, and believers in the spiritual realm must be equally vigilant in our own life journey.

Spiritual Growth

We need to willingly strip away everything that hinders our own spiritual growth. We need to renounce the sin of unbelief that was the downfall of the Israelites. And we need to have complete faith in God and trust implicitly in His Word. We need to run with persevering, patient endurance the race that is set before us... knowing that faith in God and trust in His Word produces perseverance. Then we are to let perseverance finish its work in us so that we may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:4