God Disciplines His Sons
Hebrews 12:1-29
1Therefore,
since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us
throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,
and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let
us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who
for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and
sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider
him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not
grow weary and lose heart.
4In your
struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding
your blood. 5And
you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as
sons:
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s
discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes
you, 6because the
Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes
everyone he accepts as a son.”a 7Endure
hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not
disciplined by his father? 8If
you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you
are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9Moreover,
we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them
for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and
live! 10Our
fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God
disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11No
discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however,
it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been
trained by it.
12Therefore,
strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13“Make
level paths for your feet,”b
so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
Warning Against Refusing God.
14Make
every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without
holiness no one will see the Lord. 15See
to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows
up to cause trouble and defile many. 16See
that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a
single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. 17Afterward,
as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected.
He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing
with tears.
18You have
not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with
fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19to
a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard
it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20because
they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the
mountain, it must be stoned.”c 21The
sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”d
22But you
have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the
living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in
joyful assembly, 23to
the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You
have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men
made perfect, 24to
Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that
speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25See to it
that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they
refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn
away from him who warns us from heaven? 26At
that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once
more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”e 27The
words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is,
created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
28Therefore,
since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be
thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29for
our “God is a consuming fire.”f
http://niv.scripturetext.com/hebrews/12-1.htm
LET GOD FATHER YOU TODAY....
I LOVE YOU,
Angelia.
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