The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe
"Consider Him"
How does the born again believer remain strengthened, encouraged, growing, and when necessary, revived in our walk with the Lord? The writer of Hebrews answers…
"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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds" (Hebrews 12:2-3).
Upon proper Biblical consideration, this truth becomes obvious. No believer can be discouraged unless we succumb to devilish, worldly, and fleshly temptations to divert our gaze from the Lord Jesus. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee" (Isaiah 26:3). Circumstances, conditions, and situations do not result in discouragement. They may strongly tempt us to being cast down, and we all feel the emotions and sensations of such temptations. However, the truth of the matter is that we fall not because of what happens or how we feel, but rather because we do not "consider Him… stay our minds… trust Him." More importantly, we arise when necessary by returning the gaze of our hearts to the person and work of the Lord Jesus. "Rejoice not against me, o mine enemy. When I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me" (Micah 7:8).
I once heard a preacher suggest that revival for believers occurs when we focus on our sins. Meaning no disrespect, this is actually the very last focus of our hearts and minds that will result in genuinely abiding encouragement and strengthening. Indeed, in whatever manner we fell, focus on ourselves was the very reason for our fall. Restored faith and faithfulness only occur when focusing on the Lord Jesus, "the author and finisher of our faith." Confession of sins follows, but it cannot lead. We can only know our sin by seeing it in the illumination of our Savior. "In Thy light shall we see light' (Psalm 36:9). In times when we have sinned by succumbing to the temptation to be discouraged, this Christ-centered truth especially leads to hope, contrition, and a restored walk with God through Christ. Conversely, first focusing on ourselves or our sins may result in a temporary catharsis and apparent renewal. But it will not last. Again, the very diversion that led to sin in the first place somehow involved looking away rather than unto the Lord Jesus. Continuing such a misdirected gaze, even with noble intentions, cannot serve to adequately restore us to a consistent devotion to God. We rather require the trusting and repentant renewing of "consider Him." "They looked unto Him, and were lightened" (Psalm 34:5).
Before any of us were ever born, or born again, the Lord Jesus existed in the heart and mind of God as "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8). God had prepared and provided a Savior before sin ever occurred. He had supplied sufficient means of encouragement before discouragement ever tempted the first human. The divine sequence always flows with the current of supply before need. Thus, we look by faith to the Christ ever ready to keep us strengthened as we fix our hearts upon Him, or to restore our strength if we require renewed confidence and enabling. He will be found faithful, and we will find encouragement to continue, or restoration to arise, by "looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith."
"Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else."
(Isaiah 45:22)
"And Peter answered Him and said, Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"(Matthew 14:28-31)
Weekly Memory Verse
"I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin."
(Psalm 32:5)
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