Good morning, Lord Jesus. I welcome You here in my heart and every moment of my day.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-2).
As I reflect back on my day yesterday it included starting at 7:00am at the Waffle House to enter the lives and stories of my “Church” there. I had a wonderful time sharing about Jesus through Scripture to a person seeking to know Jesus. Lunch with a couple men and a woman who are prophets of the faith. I spent time in the hospital with friends going through a crisis, and came home at 7:30pm in the evening to my wonderful family. Throughout my day God has placed in my path people, “clouds of witnesses” to the Gospel and the Kingdom of God. You as well are surrounded by them everyday. This morning, these witnesses you will encounter, that I will encounter, I give them permission through the Holy Spirit to hold me accountable and remind me to spend my day, to spend my life, "looking to Jesus." When I'm tempted to look to the left or the right, to this distraction or that one in my life, remind me to look to Jesus. When I'm tempted to look back at what "should have been" or look forward with the tainted vision of regret to imagine how it would be "if only I had done this or done that," remind me to look to Jesus.
Jesus, You're the Pioneer and the Pefecter, the Author and the Finisher of my faith. You're the Apha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the One who is and who was and who is to come, my All in All. So I look to You and welcome Your Spirit within me so I can run this race You've set before me--today and every day, full of life, full of joy, full of hope, with my eyes looking ahead to you.
By the power of Your grace, help me lay aside and let go of every weight that would slow me down and be set free and forgiven of every sin that would trip me up. For the sake of the joy You've set before me, I choose to live this day for the sake of the joy of the One who endured so much for me just so that I can. Thank You, Jesus! In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My Family,I pray today you ask the Holy Spirit to put in you path, then seek out and allow those around you to remind you to “look at Jesus.” I pray you run the race set before you with perseverance and grace, looking to Jesus who's always encouraging you and empowering by His Spirit within you to live for the sake of His joy through your life, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. God bless you, my friends!
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