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Press On Toward the Goal - Saturday, May 5th, 2007

“Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
- Philippians 3:12-14

Okay, here is the scenario. We are on day 27 and still going. Every night has been different. Each service has its own flavor. They have been powerful in their own unique way. Without a doubt, the Holy Spirit is moving in our midst. Yet, I can start to feel my mind growing weary. I am beginning to feel overwhelmed with all that is occurring. I can sense my legs getting a little weaker. And as I got ready for the day, I actually began to look forward to the day when my day didn’t go from 5:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. I am longing to wake up and do nothing. Nothing at all. I just want to curl up in a corner and hide. I don’t want to have to answer emails. I don’t want to respond to phone calls. I don’t want to do anything. Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever wanted to justify the situation and say, “Well, things have been good. They have been great. I think it is okay if I relax a bit. Maybe pull back the strings. Maybe just escape.” And let me tell you something, this is exactly where Satan wants us. He wants us to quit before we should keep on going. He wants us to check-out mentally before we finish. He wants us to give only half-hearted efforts. BUT, let me plead before each one of you, don’t give in. Don’t give up. Don’t look at the temporal watch. Why? Because the tasks that lie before us are never-ending. Our role in serving God is not complete until Jesus Christ returns. We are to press on to know and experience more of God. Let us not be satisfied. Paul said, “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.” In other words, Paul “‘pursues with all deliberate speed’ the goal that is before him.” He is on a mission. You see, just as Paul explained, we too are being called to a life-time of pursuit after Him. But so many times, we throw in the white towel. Maybe after growing up in the church, and as we go through the college years, we turn away from Him. We stopped the journey. Maybe we are turning 35 and have no sense of direction with life, so we choose to follow the wide path. Life is easier when we focus on the parties and career desires. Maybe we are turning 65 and we don’t need employment any longer. So we retire.

HERE YE, HERE YE…God wants each of us to keep on going. But how can we, when we are tired? How can we, when we want to stop? How are we to keep up this ongoing battle called LIFE? Well, without a doubt, we are to let go of the past. Sometimes it drags us down. But remember, God is willing to forgive, but we must be willing to forget. The Apostle Paul said, “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead…” It is time to fix our eyes on Jesus Christ. None of us have the daily grind figured out, but at least Paul sheds some light on what we are to focus on. And it is because of this focus, that we are to have an inner drive. A determination. Paul said, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

What are you striving for in life? Is it the temporary quick fix? The better car. The higher-end speaker system. Or is your focus on the “upward call of God in Christ Jesus?” Because I believe when we look at life with eternal eyes, we will be able to keep on going. We will keep pressing on. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:24: “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.” The prize is ours to pursue, but we need to keep on pursuing Jesus for own lives. And even though we might be down and out, tired and weary, remember what we are running after. Because when we do, we will see revival come to us personally.
-klm
" We cannot organize revival, but we can set our sails to catch the wind from Heaven when God chooses to blow upon His people once again."

- G. Campbell Morgan


 
   
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