Our heart may be distracted by many things, but our One and Only Need is to turn it toward the Lord.

[Vine Abider]

Whenever I read this below verse in Hebrews, I normally think of things in the world and my environment, but this has me thinking that it includes unsubjected things in me!

But we see Jesus!

"You have put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus." Hebrews 2:8-9

There are two things to take note of in these verses: first, the fact that "we do not yet see all things put under him"; and second, "but we see Jesus." These two things are going on simultaneously. This means that we may see many things in us that are not yet subjected to Him--things that are not under His feet, under His ruling. But even in such an unfinished state, we still see Jesus! Our heart can be positioned and focused on Christ, despite the existence of the unsubjected things.

Do not be distracted by what you see in yourself. Keep your eyes upon Jesus and trust Him to subdue every unruly thing. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3:16, "Nevertheless when the heart shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away" (KJV). Then he continues in verse 18, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting as in a mirror the glory of the Lord . . ." These verses show us that to behold the Lord with an unveiled face, we need a turned heart, a heart positioned toward the Lord. Our heart has been turned in another direction, away from the Lord, and we need to turn it toward the Lord. Our heart may be distracted by many things, but our one and only need is to turn it toward the Lord. Our tendency is to have our heart turned toward our problems, our defeated condition, or what we see in ourselves that is still not subdued by the Lord. But the most important thing in spending time with the Lord is to get our eyes off ourselves and onto Him. Regardless of how we feel or what we see in ourselves, we still need to keep our heart focused on the Lord.

(from The Supplied Life by B. Freeman)

[farouk]

7 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

Whenever I read this below verse in Hebrews, I normally think of things in the world and my environment, but this has me thinking that it includes unsubjected things in me!

But we see Jesus!

"You have put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus." Hebrews 2:8-9

There are two things to take note of in these verses: first, the fact that "we do not yet see all things put under him"; and second, "but we see Jesus." These two things are going on simultaneously. This means that we may see many things in us that are not yet subjected to Him--things that are not under His feet, under His ruling. But even in such an unfinished state, we still see Jesus! Our heart can be positioned and focused on Christ, despite the existence of the unsubjected things.

Do not be distracted by what you see in yourself. Keep your eyes upon Jesus and trust Him to subdue every unruly thing. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3:16, "Nevertheless when the heart shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away" (KJV). Then he continues in verse 18, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting as in a mirror the glory of the Lord . . ." These verses show us that to behold the Lord with an unveiled face, we need a turned heart, a heart positioned toward the Lord. Our heart has been turned in another direction, away from the Lord, and we need to turn it toward the Lord. Our heart may be distracted by many things, but our one and only need is to turn it toward the Lord. Our tendency is to have our heart turned toward our problems, our defeated condition, or what we see in ourselves that is still not subdued by the Lord. But the most important thing in spending time with the Lord is to get our eyes off ourselves and onto Him. Regardless of how we feel or what we see in ourselves, we still need to keep our heart focused on the Lord.

(from The Supplied Life by B. Freeman)

@Vine Abider Hebrews 12.2 indeed exhorts readers to keep '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'.

[Vine Abider]

23 hours ago, farouk said:

@Vine Abider Hebrews 12.2 indeed exhorts readers to keep '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'.

There really is simplicity in Christ!  It is as simple as just "bring it to Jesus" whatever that may be . . . things outside of us or things inside (so that includes EVERYTHING)!

But my mind likes to wander off from this simplicity and then things start getting complex and more confusing.

A song we used to sing:

Look Away! Oh Look Away!

Look to Jesus, Now, Today!

Look Away from Everything unto Jesus - 

Look Away from Everything to Him!

[farouk]

Just now, Vine Abider said:

There really is simplicity in Christ!  It is as simple as just "bring it to Jesus" whatever that may be . . . things outside of us or things inside (so that includes EVERYTHING)!

But my mind likes to wander off from this simplicity and then things start getting complex and more confusing.

A song we used to sing:

Look Away! Oh Look Away!

Look to Jesus, Now, Today!

Look Away from Everything unto Jesus - 

Look Away from Everything to Him!

@Vine Abider Another one is:

"O fix our earnest gaze

So wholly, Lord, on Thee,

That with Thy beauty occupied

We elsewhere none may see."