"PRESS ON!"

by Diana Kriesel

Monday, 6/13/11 –1 Kings 13,14; 2 Chronicles 12; Philippians 3 – “Press On!”

S– Philippians 3:13-14 –“One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

O – Unlike the Judaizers, Paul did not claim to have attained spiritual maturity, but he was determined that he would forget the past and focus on the prize. He knew that our calling as believers is heavenward. Paul exhorts us not to look back; for when we look back we tend to go back. We are to stretch toward what is ahead, that which is of the Kingdom; pressing on, pursuing Christlikeness, like a runner in a race.

A - So many times we live divided lives. One part enjoys the things of this world and the other part wants to live for the Lord. We get ambitions for ‘things’ and earthly ambitions. Our calling is a high calling, a heavenly calling, and if we live for this world we lose focus on what are true calling is. Paul did not attempt to mingle the things of this world with the things of the Kingdom. He had one great purpose, one goal, one aim. It is our calling to be of one mind and one purpose. This will cost us, but it is nothing in light of the price that was paid for us, or the prize that awaits us.

P – Lord, teach us to live from an undivided heart and mind, with a single-minded focus that, in spite of anything that tries to distract us or take us off track. Teach us to “to press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call in Christ Jesus.”