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July 10, 2018

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I Press on Toward the Goal

"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

God has not only commenced a good work in you that you may continue, but He continues to affect our lives in order to complete what He has begun. What is the end product God has in mind? That "we might be conformed unto the image of his Son." What do others see when they look at your life and mine, when our life is on the line, when our faith is tested? What do they see in the life we project in our daily walk? Salvation is wonderful, but there's SO MUCH MORE! Deepen the depth of your commitment. Appropriate His Word for your life in a dimension of faith that is beyond yourself. DARE TO BELIEVE...that "HE IS ABLE to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or even think, through the power that works in you."

Paul gives us his principle of faith. To him, Christ was All in All: "For me to live is Christ." Christ lived "in" him as Paul lived "by" Him. Paul lived "for" Him as Christ lived "through" him. Center your life in Christ, that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and judgment. Your life, lived under the lordship of Christ, will manifest a bold, steadfast, courageous, and compassionate spirit that will penetrate the lives of everyone you encounter. The presence and power of Christ will be so evident in your life that the only explanation others can give is that "you have been with Jesus." It is a life beyond you, HIS LIFE BEING LIVED THROUGH YOU! This was Paul's consuming goal!

Dr. Bill Coker tells of the report that appeared in the news media in March 1954...that Roger Bannister was the first man in history to run a mile in less than four minutes. Within two months, John Landy eclipsed the record by 1.4 seconds. Everyone wanted a race that would allow these two track stars to run against each other. On August 7, 1954, the two met in this historic event. As they moved into the last lap, Landy was leading. It looked as if he would surely win the race, but in the last 35 yards he was haunted by the question, "Where is Bannister?" As he turned his head to look, Bannister in a burst of speed passed Landy and won the race! Later, Landy told a TIME magazine reporter, "If I hadn't looked back, I would have won!" Paul knew something about that. He wrote, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore, I do not run like a man running aimlessly. I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it a slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."

These challenging words will demand from us commitment, dedication, and perseverance, with our eyes steadfastly fixed on Christ. Can we do it? No...BUT HE CAN...AS HE BECOMES OUR LIFE...AND LIVES THROUGH US!

© 2007 by Ed Powell. Used by permission.


This page was reprinted by permission from: http://litmin.org/dare.php?date=2018-07-10


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