"ARE YOU FOCUSED ON YOUR WEIGHTS OR JESUS?"

Good Evening to All!

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, 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 12:1-2 NKJV)

Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus. (Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT)

( This is what I have spoken of before about the different versions of God's Word leaving important scriptures, words and passages out. Please be vigilant about making sure that you receive the accurate and full Word of God. Do Not be deceived.)

I like this particular devotion because it goes right along with what I posted last night. If we will stand firm in our love for God and put our trust and faith in Him, our love for Him will continue to grow. The more our love grows, the easier it will be to resist sin.

Granted, we will be in a LIFELONG battle against sin, and temptation, but if we put our faith and trust in God instead of man, we will be able to hear that still, small voice within our spirit guiding us along the way and keeping us on the road to righteousness.

If we will rid ourselves of the temptations as they come up, and ask God for help to keep us from them, He will help us. We must remember that anything that takes our focus away from God is a weight and just like in a regular race, if you wear ankle weights, or wrist weights, you aren't going to run as fast. If you wear heavy clothing or heavy shoes more of the same. When people run, they try to run with as little restrictions as possible so they can run faster. That is what we must do in the Spiritual Realm, run our race with as few weights as possible. Not to be able to run faster, but to make sure our path leads straight to heaven as few curves or detours as possible. We are human, so there will be times that we falter and get on a curve or detour, but as long as we make amends, repent, and ask God's forgiveness, He will get us back on track.

In other words, if you feel in your spirit that God is telling you to quit smoking, then get rid of your cigarettes, ashtrays, lighters, anything that has to do with smoking. Don't be one of those people who "keep a pack around just in case you can't quit. That is definitely not showing faith in God. Besides it is a temptation in a sense that you might think "just one won't hurt". I've been there, and it doesn't work. When I quit, I asked God to help me overcome the nicotine addiction, and I did just what I explained above. The only drawback was my husband smokes like a smokestack, and he wasn't going to smoke outside, so I had to contend with that temptation. You know what? God helped me through it. I have been a non-smoker for almost six years, my hubby still smokes like a smoke stack, and I have no desire to start smoking again. Now ladies and gentlemen, THAT is what I call "a GOD thing". I couldn't have done it if I didn't have the faith in God to see me through those times when my husband was smoking in the same room as me, or I had to empty his ashtray with cigarette butts that were only have gone. I went from over two packs a day to nothing in three weeks. ( I quit cold turkey) with gum, patches and God on my side.

I told you that testimony to let you see what a little faith can do. I quit drinking even before that with His help.

If we will focus on Him and what HE can do, we can rid ourselves of a lot of things that weigh us down. Even things that are not really sins, but that take our focus off of God. The more we focus on Him, the closer we will become to Him and the richer our lives will be.

I have learned this through experience. When I was younger ( and of a different faith), I did go to church, but my focus was not REALLY on my relationship with God. Don't get me wrong. I loved God back then, I just didn't think about having a relationship with Him. I thought of Him as a "Supreme Being" that sent His Son to die for my sins, and who would judge me in the end and would either allow me into heaven, or send me to hell. Nice outlook, right? I look back on that now and cringe.

My whole life and outlook on life has changed completely in the last 13 years. I have grown so close the Lord, and my faith has grown so much! Don't get me wrong, I still have a long journey ahead of me, a life time to be exact, but at least I know I can go to Him directly and ask for help and will receive it. I have changed my lifestyle totally. While my husband doesn't still quite understand what happened, I am much happier, easier to get along with and more understanding. Of course to hear my hubby tell it, I'm still ornery, but now it's because I'm always talking about the Lord, and he doesn't like that. He is more private and thinks that a person's relationship with God is just that private. I'm different, as I like to shout it from the roof top.

Anyway, back to the main focus of this post, if we will keep our eyes upon Jesus, and stay in God's Word, we can rid ourselves of burdens and weights that hinder us with our relationship with God.

If this sounds like a circle it is. For example, if we have a vice that we know is against the will of God, we can pray, and talk to God asking for help. This is showing that we want Him to help us. If we continue to pray and read His Word, it will make it easier to get rid of the vice. By getting rid of the vice (or weight) we become closer to God, which makes us want to do more to make Him happy and increase our faith in Him and so on goes the circle.

Remember the key is to KEEP YOUR FOCUS ON JESUS.

Good Night to All and May God Bless!