Say Yes To God

Why then, since we are watched from above by such a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of all that weighs us down, of the sinful habit that clings so closely, and run, with all endurance, the race for which we are entered. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the origin and the crown of all faith, who, to win his prize of blessedness, endured the cross and made light of its shame, Jesus, who now sits on the right of God’s throne. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Striving To The Goal

When you watch your favorite athlete what do you notice?  Are you impressed by the grace and skill he brings to the game?  Are you awed by his flawless technique? No doubt, you’re also taken with how much he seems to enjoy what he is doing. Because it looks so easy and fun, we should not assume that he is so good just because he was born with all those talents and skills. We know of many talented athletes who were failures through lack of discipline. For most athletes, to get to the top of their profession requires rigorous discipline.

Discipline is also an important element in the call of Christ to us to be people of God. Jesus wants us to receive the greatest prize of all-eternal life. And so he warns us not to fall into the trap that the people of Noah’s time did. They did all the things we do today: eating, drinking, buying, selling, and getting married. There’s nothing wrong with any of these activities, of course. But the problem was that in all their busyness, there was little or no room for God. We are all on the way to heaven, and we should let nothing get in our way!

Yes... To Discipline?

The problem is that the word “discipline” can scare us off, especially spiritual discipline. But spiritual discipline does not have to be depressing! Such disciplines as praying and reading Scriptures every day, doing a daily examination of conscience, Sunday gathering and the gift of communion, when we do things like this we put to death our flesh, avoid temptation, and naturally repent of our sins. Living that way enables us to be merciful and just to others, it is not intended to be a heavy burden, its intended to build us up and make us who we need to be. Scripture tells us to “persevere in running the race.” But then it adds that Jesus died “for the sake of the joy that lay before him” (Hebrews 12:1-2). He didn’t drag his cross-he embraced it! As those who are in training for the next life, we will face our own share of challenges, and yes even suffering. But they will all seem light if we remember that we will overcome them by God’s grace and if we remember to keep in mind “the glory to be revealed for us” (Romans 8:18).

The key to discipline is to maintain our vision of what’s ahead. It may help to use Paul’s imagery of the sprinter. Picture yourself at the starting line looking far down the track, and at the finish line is-heaven! Is there anything that would stop you from running as hard and fast as you can to get there? Whatever it is, just let go of it, and feel yourself fly! Know that no matter how hard things get, you will be rewarded. And this is not some temporary reward, but as Paul tells us, our reward is an “an imperishable one” (1 Corinthians 9:25).

So, let’s “Run so as to win”  (1 Corinthians 9:24).One day, Jesus himself will tell you: “Well done, my good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).

Saying Yes

God believes in us and wants to take us by the hand to lead us to a glorious destiny. Along this path, we will often encounter things that require courage and faith. When we feel resistant, afraid, and tempted to say no to God, we need to remember all the things we are saying yes to. God’s grace, love, help, and purpose are better than anything this world could offer us. The people God puts in our lives will help us if we let them. With God and his people on our side, we will experience victories we never thought possible.

Say yes to God’s purpose

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Those who want to come with me must say no to the things they want, pick up their crosses, and follow me. Those who want to save their lives will lose them. But those who lose their lives for me will find them. What good will it do for people to win the whole world and lose their lives? Or what will a person give in exchange for life?- Matthew 16:24-26

Say yes to God’s people 

If good people correct me, I will consider it a good thing. If they criticize me, I will accept it like a warm welcome.- Psalm 141:5

Say yes to God’s help

He will answer the prayer of those who don’t have anything. He won’t say no to their cry for help.- Psalm 102:17

Say yes to God’s grace

God’s grace has now appeared. By his grace, God offers to save all people. His grace teaches us to say no to godless ways and sinful desires. We must control ourselves. We must do what is right. We must lead godly lives in today’s world. That’s how we should live as we wait for the blessed hope God has given us. We are waiting for Jesus Christ to appear in his glory. He is our great God and Savior. He gave himself for us. By doing that, he set us free from all evil. He wanted to make us pure. He wanted us to be his very own people. He wanted us to desire to do what is good.- Titus 2:11-14

Say yes to spending time with God

“People of Israel, you are unfaithful to me, but come back to me. Come back and I will forgive you for being unfaithful. “Just say, ‘Yes, we will come back, because you are the LORD our God. -Jeremiah 3:22