Hebrews 12:1-3, gives us incentive to live a lifestyle patterned after Christ. Verse 3 gives a challenge to you and me: “Consider Him (Christ) who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” If you are seriously living the Christian life, Satan will continually throw stumbling blocks in front of you. People will tell you to “cool it, you are getting too fanatical.” Or, “Don’t you like having fun anymore?” Or, “This (or that) isn’t so bad.” God gives us motivation in the above Scripture to consider Christ’s life.
Philippians 2:1-11, reminds us that Christ came to earth to be like us. He was ridiculed, tempted and severely tested. Yet, He didn’t falter in living a godly life. We are told to consider Him. God reminds us in Hebrews 12:4, “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” So think of Jesus so you can handle temptation as He did. Be strengthened as you think of Jesus’ courage and His resolve of life. Life can be hard at times as you live your faith. However, consider Jesus and His resurrection. Be strong!