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Hebrews 12:1-29 (MSG)

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¹ Do you see what this means--all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running--and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. ² Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed--that exhilarating finish in and with God--he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whateve ³ When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! ⁴ In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through--all that bloodshed! ⁵ So don't feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline, but don't be crushed by it either. ⁶ It's the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. ⁷ God is educating you; that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as dear children. This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training, ⁸ the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? ⁹ We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly live? ¹⁰ While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best. ¹¹ At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God. ¹² So don't sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet! ¹³ Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. And run for it! ¹⁴ Work at getting along with each other and with God. Otherwise you'll never get so much as a glimpse of God. ¹⁵ Make sure no one gets left out of God's generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. ¹⁶ Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God's lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. ¹⁷ You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God's blessing--but by then it was too late, tears or no tears. ¹⁸ Unlike your ancestors, you didn't come to Mount Sinai--all that volcanic blaze and earthshaking rumble-- ¹⁹ to hear God speak. The earsplitting words and soul-shaking message terrified them and they begged him to stop. ²⁰ When they heard the words--"If an animal touches the Mountain, it's as good as dead"--they were afraid to move. ²¹ Even Moses was terrified. ²² No, that's not your experience at all. You've come to Mount Zion, the city where the living God resides. The invisible Jerusalem is populated by throngs of festive angels ²³ and Christian citizens. It is the city where God is Judge, with judgments that make us just. ²⁴ You've come to Jesus, who presents us with a new covenant, a fresh charter from God. He is the Mediator of this covenant. The murder of Jesus, unlike Abel's--a homicide that cried out for vengeance--became a proclamation of grace. ²⁵ So don't turn a deaf ear to these gracious words. If those who ignored earthly warnings didn't get away with it, what will happen to us if we turn our backs on heavenly warnings? ²⁶ His voice that time shook the earth to its foundations; this time--he's told us this quite plainly--he'll also rock the heavens: "One last shaking, from top to bottom, stem to stern." ²⁷ The phrase "one last shaking" means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered. ²⁸ Do you see what we've got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. ²⁹ He's actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won't quit until it's all cleansed. God himself is Fire!


This passage relates to the following topic(s):
(v. 1) Sin / Wickedness / Satan - Throw off everything that hinders
(v. 2) Focus - Fix our eyes on Jesus
(v. 3) Patience / Perseverance / Standing Firm - Consider him who endured such opposition so you will not grow weary and lose heart
(v. 3) Persecution - Consider him who endured such opposition so you will not grow weary and lose heart
(v. 4) Sin / Wickedness / Satan - Struggle against sin, you have not resisted to shedding your blood
(v. 7) Suffering / Hardship - Endure hardship as discipline
(v. 7) Discipling / Correction - Endure hardship as discipline
(v. 14) Peace - Make every effort to live in peace
(v. 15) Anger / Fits of Rage / Bitterness - Allow no bitter root to grow up
(v. 15) Grace - See to it that no one misses the grace of God
(v. 15) Discipling / Correction - See to it that no one misses the grace of God
(v. 16) Purity / Sexual Immorality / Adultery - Sexually immorality is like giving up your inheritance for a meal
(v. 28) Worship - Worship with reverence and awe

This passage relates to the following question(s):
(v. 6) Is the Christian yoke easy or difficult? He punishes everyone he accepts as a son

This passage is referenced in the following quiet time(s):
(v. 1) Purpose Driven Life - Using What God Gave You (2008-06-30)
(v. 1) Purpose Driven Life - Becoming a World-Class Christian (part 3) (2008-07-17)
(v. 1) Prayer of the Righeous - God is Preparing a Place (part I) (2013-03-17)
(v. 1) Why We Need Jesus - He Guides Us By His Words and Actions (2009-04-28)
(v. 1) Mind Change - Starting Out (2011-11-06)
(v. 2) Mind Change - Starting Out (2011-11-06)
(v. 2) Why We Need Jesus - He Guides Us By His Words and Actions (2009-04-28)
(v. 2) Mind of Christ - Intro (part VIII) (2011-06-15)
(v. 2) Desire's Journey - Blessed are the Nice? (2010-05-24)
(v. 2) Names of Jesus (part II) (2011-04-08)
(v. 2) 30 Days at the Cross - Mistreatment but Not Misery (2008-08-12)
(v. 2) NT Commands (part V) (2011-03-12)
(v. 2) 30 Days at the Cross - Not Surprise by Joy (2008-08-22)
(v. 3) Followup - Heart Issues (2011-01-20)
(v. 3) Why We Need Jesus - He Guides Us By His Words and Actions (2009-04-28)
(v. 3) 30 Days at the Cross - Not Surprise by Joy (2008-08-22)
(v. 4) God is love (2010-09-15)
(v. 4) Followup - Heart Issues (2011-01-20)
(v. 5) Daughter Needs - Pushover Papa (2011-08-10)
(v. 5) 30 Days at the Cross - Life through Death (2008-07-28)
(v. 5) Power of Spiritual Thinking - Buy Now and Pay Later (2008-05-04)
(v. 5) Power of Spiritual Thinking - The Easy Way Out (2008-05-05)
(v. 5) Wild at Heart - False self (part 2) (2009-09-11)
(v. 5) God is love (2010-09-15)
(v. 5) Followup - Heart Issues (2011-01-20)
(v. 6) God is love (2010-09-15)
(v. 6) Daughter Needs - Pushover Papa (2011-08-10)
(v. 6) Fearing God - Respect for His Discipline (2011-05-29)
(v. 6) Wild at Heart - False self (part 2) (2009-09-11)
(v. 6) Followup - Heart Issues (2011-01-20)
(v. 6) Power of Spiritual Thinking - The Easy Way Out (2008-05-05)
(v. 6) Power of Spiritual Thinking - Buy Now and Pay Later (2008-05-04)
(v. 6) Genesis 8 - The Flood (part III) (2011-10-08)
(v. 6) 30 Days at the Cross - Life through Death (2008-07-28)
(v. 7) Followup - Heart Issues (2011-01-20)
(v. 7) Power of Spiritual Thinking - Buy Now and Pay Later (2008-05-04)
(v. 7) 30 Days at the Cross - Life through Death (2008-07-28)
(v. 7) God is love (2010-09-15)
(v. 7) Power of Spiritual Thinking - The Easy Way Out (2008-05-05)
(v. 8) God is love (2010-09-15)
(v. 8) Power of Spiritual Thinking - Buy Now and Pay Later (2008-05-04)
(v. 8) Followup - Heart Issues (2011-01-20)
(v. 8) Power of Spiritual Thinking - The Easy Way Out (2008-05-05)
(v. 8) 30 Days at the Cross - Life through Death (2008-07-28)
(v. 9) Disciplining Your Children (part I) (2014-04-04)
(v. 9) 30 Days at the Cross - Life through Death (2008-07-28)
(v. 9) God is love (2010-09-15)
(v. 9) Power of Spiritual Thinking - The Easy Way Out (2008-05-05)
(v. 9) Followup - Heart Issues (2011-01-20)
(v. 9) Power of Spiritual Thinking - Buy Now and Pay Later (2008-05-04)
(v. 10) Promises of God - Produces a Harvest (2009-03-18)
(v. 10) Followup - Heart Issues (2011-01-20)
(v. 10) God is love (2010-09-15)
(v. 10) 30 Days at the Cross - Life through Death (2008-07-28)
(v. 10) Power of Spiritual Thinking - Buy Now and Pay Later (2008-05-04)
(v. 10) Disciplining Your Children (part I) (2014-04-04)
(v. 10) Power of Spiritual Thinking - The Easy Way Out (2008-05-05)
(v. 11) Fear of Failure - No Discipline Seems Pleasant (2012-02-28)
(v. 11) Followup - Laziness (part II) (2011-01-23)
(v. 11) 30 Days at the Cross - Life through Death (2008-07-28)
(v. 11) Followup - Heart Issues (2011-01-20)
(v. 11) Disciplining Your Children (part I) (2014-04-04)
(v. 11) Power of Spiritual Thinking - Buy Now and Pay Later (2008-05-04)
(v. 11) Power of Spiritual Thinking - The Easy Way Out (2008-05-05)
(v. 11) Promises of God - Produces a Harvest (2009-03-18)
(v. 12) Power of Spiritual Thinking - Buy Now and Pay Later (2008-05-04)
(v. 12) Fear of Failure - No Discipline Seems Pleasant (2012-02-28)
(v. 12) Followup - Heart Issues (2011-01-20)
(v. 13) Fear of Failure - No Discipline Seems Pleasant (2012-02-28)
(v. 13) Power of Spiritual Thinking - Buy Now and Pay Later (2008-05-04)
(v. 14) One Another - Forgiving One Another (part 2) (2010-02-26)
(v. 14) Power of Spiritual Thinking - Buy Now and Pay Later (2008-05-04)
(v. 15) Wild at Heart - Healing the wound (part 3) (2009-09-17)
(v. 15) One Another - Forgiving One Another (part 2) (2010-02-26)
(v. 15) Falling in Love with God - Bitterness (2008-04-02)
(v. 17) Promises of God - Lord of the Unexpected (2009-03-07)
(v. 22) Names of the Church (part II) (2011-04-26)
(v. 22) Names of the Church (part III) (2011-04-27)
(v. 22) Names of the Church (part V) (2011-04-29)
(v. 23) Names of the Church (part III) (2011-04-27)
(v. 23) Names of the Church (part I) (2011-04-25)
(v. 28) Gratitude (part I) (2011-11-28)
(v. 29) Prayer of the Righeous - God is a Consuming Fire (part I) (2013-01-01)
(v. 29) Gratitude (part I) (2011-11-28)

Definition(s):
Esau (Ee-saw): he that acts or finishes
Jerusalem (Je-roo-sa-lem): vision of peace
Jesus (Jeez-us): savior; deliverer
Moses (Moh-ziz): taken out; drawn forth
So (Soh):