“I PRESS ON!”

 Philippians 3:12-16                         (ESV)

Straining Toward the Goal

“[12] Not that I HAVE ALREADY OBTAINED THIS or AM ALREADY PERFECT, but “I PRESS ON” to make it my own, because CHRIST JESUS has made me HIS OWN. [13] Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: FORGETTING WHAT LIES BEHIND and STRAINING TO WHAT LIES AHEAD, [14] I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of GOD in CHRIST JESUS. [15] LET THOSE OF US WHO ARE MATURE THINK THIS WAY, and if in anything you think otherwise, GOD will reveal that also to you. [16] Only let us hold true to what we have attained.”

Even though WE ARE MATURE, most of us are NOT ALREADY PERFECT!  The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Phillipi “I PRESS ON” to make it my own, because CHRIST JESUS has made me HIS OWN.”  Paul follows that up by writing “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: FORGETTING WHAT LIES BEHIND and STRAINING TO WHAT LIES AHEAD, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of GOD in CHRIST JESUS.”

Like most people, my life has been a testimony of miracles that I have to SLOW DOWN sometimes to SEE!  Do you understand that the very breath you have in your lungs right now was formerly exhaled by someone or something else? However, knowing the magnitude of all of this, “I PRESS ON” to be ALL that CHRIST has CALLED me to be in HIM!  

I could GLORY in the miraculous ways that JESUS has delivered me through “the valley of the shadow of death”, but “I PRESS ON” because CHRIST JESUS has made me HIS OWN!!!