Hebrews 12:3-11

"Dear Father, Help me to keep my eyes on Jesus. Despite the hostility poured on him by sinners, he obeyed you, even to the point of death. Help me..."

"And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he..."

"How happy are tried Christians, afterwards. No calm more deep than that which succeeds a storm. Who has not rejoiced in clear shinings after rain?..."

Inspirational illustration of Hebrews 12:5 -- And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you..."

"We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But...."

So how long will you work to see what you've worked to grow? Teresa Bell Kindred encourages us to endure and do the work necessary to grow strong roots in our children and compares it to growing strong roots to grow strong trees and tall bamboo plants.

What a sweet dedication in a book, just wish it were my own! Russ Lawson writes about finding a book with a special inscription for fathers, dads, that reminds us that changing the world comes at a cost and so we step up to the plate and do what a dad is supposed to do.

Jesus entered a world we recognize as our own. He did it to redeem us from the messes we have brought on ourselves. Phil Ware reminds us that the grit and gore that surrounds Jesus' birth is there to help us know that he came to a world like our own to redeem it.

Do disappointments and discouragement keep knocking you down? I want to encourage you in the Lord to never, ever give up.

Are we locating ourselves strategically, yet dangerously, as God's people so we can make a difference in the world as we rely, together, on God's protection? Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in an online, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to remind us of God's promise to protect and deliver his people and be their safe harbor.

What in the world is willy goo? A wise woman who loved, encouraged and disciplined her children.

How do you know if you have made the right decision? Rebecca Dowden shares an emotional look at a decision to not have children.

Have you ever hurt this badly? Sometimes life hurts us so badly it feels like we can't breathe.

While we can get frustrated by our lack of choices about some things in life, the most important choice of all is ours because of Jesus! Max Lucado reminds us about our freedom to choose Jesus and eternal life or not.

Is God a party pooper? My dogs just want to chase squirrels. What they don't realize is the danger that puts them in. They don't understand that the fence that seems restricting is actually something put there to protect them.

Area all your debts paid? The greatest words we can hope to hear are "It's been taken care of" both in life and also for eternity.

As Abraham showed us, God's greatest promises often come packaged as our greatest sacrifices, hardest challenges, and longest journeys. James Nored and Phil Ware remind us of God's incredible journey of redemption and how Abraham was the one who began this journey demonstrating great faith when he followed God for a destination he did not yet know.

Can you break away from the things that are holding you back? We need to realize that sin and bad habits are the leash holding us back from being all God wants us to be.

What's the greatest danger to participating in a great move of God? Phil Ware finishes up his series on Nehemiah and emphasizes the importance of leaders being people of integrity.

So is there anything good that can come from our time of challenge and hardship? Mark Frost of http://www.interimministrypartners.com shares part two on the journey through the wilderness during the interim and how God is preparing his people for great things.

"Dear Precious One, Encouragement matters! You were not created to do life alone. We — Father, Son, and Spirit — made Adam to need Eve....."

As we come to understand God as the King willing to show us his wounds, then share our wounds, the birth of Jesus takes on a fresh and powerful new meaning. Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in virtual worship through words and music using YouTube videos and invite us to welcome Jesus, God who came to us to share our wounds and we see this in his manger and cross, the thrones on which he was exalted and

Can you get rid of that sin that entangles you? Throwing away the ring, getting rid of our sin is crucial if we are to bring peace to our world and those around us.

Do you just keep your head down and focus on only what might be dangerous? Sarah Stirman talks about running and rolling her ankle and how it made her afraid to focus on the goal and see the sights.

What are you seeing in your walk with Christ? God is calling us to more than just settling for the lax spirituality many of us find ourselves in.

Can you keep running and not grow weary? Burn out seems to happen more and more frequently, but when see why it happens, we realize that folks are losing sight of the goal and are often motivated for the wrong reasons.

My eyes are on Him! Phil Ware reminds of the Bible's repeated call to make the LORD the center of our lives and our focus and how Jesus must be that for us if we dare call ourselves Christians.

When is finishing third actually about winning? Olympic Marathon 2004 was wild with Vanderlei de Lima finishing third because of a weird attack, but he still finished.