Hebrews 12:12-29  "Therefore"... since we are God's children, under His instruction/discipline, partakers of His training that yields righteousness.. "strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight the paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather healed." 

These verses are quotations from two sources:

 Isaiah 35:3 "Encourage the exhausted and strengthen the feeble."" Isaiah goes on to say, "Say to those with anxious heart, take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; the recompense of God will come, but He will save you." Be encouraged because the Day of redemption is coming.. the "Highway of Holiness" will be opened and the "redeemed will walk there." 

And Proverbs 4:25-27""Let your eyes look directly ahead, and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Watch the path of your feet, and all your ways will be established." It continues.. "Do not turn to the right nor to the left; turn your foot from evil."

We.. as believers and followers of Jesus Christ, who is our Great High Priest.. have come, not to Mount Sinai.. but to "Mount Zion and to the city of the living God.."  We are on this journey.. together.. and some are growing tired. "Therefore... "  we need to encourage one another.. to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.. to keep walking straight ahead towards the goal, towards Eternity.. towards the Kingdom that cannot be shaken. 

We do this by pursuing peace.. and "the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord".  We do this by helping one another so that "no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled."  In other words.. we do it together.. Christ in us and we in Him.. One body, One faith, and One God. 

"Therefore since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire." (v28-29)

We sometimes forget that the root word of encourage is "courage".. we are called to encourage one another... give courage to one another as the walk of faith becomes exhausting and it is tempting to turn off the path. Let me encourage you today.. that Jesus is coming for us and that He has given us the spiritual armor so that we can stand firm and resist evil. Fix your eyes on Him. 

Father in heaven, Your Word is Truth and we wrap it around ourselves today, so that we can stand firm. Your Son is our righteousness and we are covered by His blood, so that we might stand firm today.  You are our helmet of salvation.. our saving strength who covers our heads in the day of battle. You have given us peace.. to stand firmly and to share with those who come along side us. We take up our shields of faith.. that the enemies fiery darts cannot harm us. We take up the sword of the Spirit, Your holy Word, that pierces hearts and souls and spirits.  Again we pray that Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. For to You we give honor and glory and praise. In Jesus' name. Amen.