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Friday, April 8,
2022
"Pressing
On"
Message
summary: Keep faithful in
your journey today. Keep pressing on!
“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13,14).
When the
valley is deep
When the mountain is steep
When the body is weary
When we stumble and fall
When the choices are hard
When we’re battered and scarred
When we’ve spent our resources
When we’ve given our all
When the mountain is steep
When the body is weary
When we stumble and fall
When the choices are hard
When we’re battered and scarred
When we’ve spent our resources
When we’ve given our all
Once Brooksyne showed me a piece of jewelry that stated, “It’s all about the journey not the destination”. She observed, “Isn’t this the way so many live their lives?” Indeed so many live their lives giving little to no thought about their final destination. In fact a purely secular viewpoint would be, “You live, then you die, that’s all there is.”
But viewing
our journey with the goal of having our spiritual gps set
to heaven will greatly affect the perspective of our
life’s journey that leads to our final destination. Today
let us consider a Biblical truth which is of first
importance; preparing for the afterlife is our final but
never-ending destination.The Christian life is like a long journey and today’s Scripture portion teaches several key components to living this spiritual journey. The apostle Paul is writing to the Philippians (and through the Scriptures to each of us).
Paul begins
the verse, “Brothers, I
do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.” In the context he has just stated his desire to
attain to the resurrection of the dead (v.11). It seems he
is focusing on a destination outlook.
This spiritual journey begins when we receive Christ Jesus as our Lord and Saviour and place our faith in Him and His plan for our lives. The earthly journey concludes at our death (or at the rapture for those living at the time of Christ’s return). It’s a long, sometimes grueling, journey here below since the cloud of sin impacts the entire human race, even those who are the redeemed. As the old hymn expresses and many of us have experienced, we will go “through many dangers, toils and snares”.*
“But one thing I do.” This describes Paul’s singular focus. He breaks down this singular focus to several components:
Fellow followers of Christ, today we do well to memorize these words of the great Apostle. How are you doing in your journey? Do you have the focused attention that Paul is describing? Or to ask it another way – What is your primary focus in life? What drives you? Where do you invest your time, energy, and talent? Paul said, “This one thing I do". For me that is very convicting!
One day we can say as Paul did late in life in his final letter, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). Keep faithful in your journey today. Keep pressing on!
This spiritual journey begins when we receive Christ Jesus as our Lord and Saviour and place our faith in Him and His plan for our lives. The earthly journey concludes at our death (or at the rapture for those living at the time of Christ’s return). It’s a long, sometimes grueling, journey here below since the cloud of sin impacts the entire human race, even those who are the redeemed. As the old hymn expresses and many of us have experienced, we will go “through many dangers, toils and snares”.*
“But one thing I do.” This describes Paul’s singular focus. He breaks down this singular focus to several components:
"Forgetting what is
behind" Now certainly we remember
our past, memories that are both pleasant and
pain-filled. As people age most experience short term
memory loss but for the most part, apart from a serious
disease or brain injury, they remember long-term. The
Expositor’s Bible Commentary notes that, “Forgetting did
not mean obliterating the memory of the past (Paul has
just recalled some of these things in 3:5-7), but rather
a conscious refusal to let them absorb his attention and
impede his progress.”
“And straining toward what is ahead.” “Straining” conveys the intensity required in running this race. Visualize a runner seeking to lengthen his stride and thrusting his body forward with each step.
“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” “Press on” powerfully communicates the perseverance and steadfastness required for staying faithful and finishing well in this lifelong journey to reach life's ultimate goal.
“And straining toward what is ahead.” “Straining” conveys the intensity required in running this race. Visualize a runner seeking to lengthen his stride and thrusting his body forward with each step.
“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” “Press on” powerfully communicates the perseverance and steadfastness required for staying faithful and finishing well in this lifelong journey to reach life's ultimate goal.
Fellow followers of Christ, today we do well to memorize these words of the great Apostle. How are you doing in your journey? Do you have the focused attention that Paul is describing? Or to ask it another way – What is your primary focus in life? What drives you? Where do you invest your time, energy, and talent? Paul said, “This one thing I do". For me that is very convicting!
One day we can say as Paul did late in life in his final letter, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). Keep faithful in your journey today. Keep pressing on!
In Jesus’
name, we press on
In Jesus’ name, we press on
Dear Lord, with the prize
Clear before our eyes
We find the strength to press on
In Jesus’ name, we press on
Dear Lord, with the prize
Clear before our eyes
We find the strength to press on
Be
encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)
Stephen
& Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer: Father,
we find life’s journey to be enjoyable
and entertaining in the straight
stretches of life where we travel most
of the time. Other times we learn to
navigate life’s twists and turns, and
must exercise steady endurance as we
press on through the cavernous potholes
that usually appear without notice.
Through it all we keep our eyes on the
goal of our faith, straining toward what
lies ahead, the prize for which You have
called us heavenward in Christ Jesus. We
can press on, even when circumstances
are grim, because our strength comes
from You. As the Apostle Paul wrote,
When I am weak, then I am strong. In our
weakness You become our strength. You
are the light that breaks through our
gloom and guides our every footstep. We
will fight the good fight, we will
finish the race, and we will keep the
faith as we remain faithful in our walk
with You. It is in Jesus’ name that we
pray. Amen.* “Many dangers, toils and snares”: Each day we consider those who are facing great hardships. Some deal with situations making international news such as the downing of an airplane, or at least 50 victims who were killed in rocket attack on a Ukraine train station. Others are more localized such as events that happen in our region, although we may not personally know the people involved. But sometimes it may affect us or we can sympathize in a very special way.
Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental
Resources
"Marching
On" Video
Free Presbyterian Church, Magherafelt,
Northern Ireland.
"One
Day (When We All Get To Heaven)"
Video
Matt Redman
This
morning I visited with these three young
men, ages 19, 20 and 21, at JK
Mechanical. What a blessing to speak for
a few minutes with these men who are
working hard and being responsible and
productive in a field we all benefit
from. Two of them are graduates of Thaddeus Stevens
College of Technology, a premier,
residential, two-year, accredited
technical college that prepares students
for skilled employment. I told them to
share this photo with their parents and
teachers who are to be commended for
doing a good job!
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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