Pressing On

Before you throw darts or spit hairballs at me ... hear me out. I know you've heard this preached time and time again but maybe just maybe there's a different twist here. Don't you love it when you read something you've read 100+ times but see something new in it! I do, and that's what happened for me with this passage in Philippians.

I assumed that Philippians 3 referred to Paul's past struggling - his past sins when he said he was forsaking all of it (we all want to forget bad things) and pressing on. What if he wasn't just referring to past strugglings but to all the great things that had happened in his past. We know he had lots of accomplishments. How many of us take that tiara out of the closet and try it on again - for the umpteenth time - you know, the tiara that you got some bumpity bump years ago!? We keep reliving the good times - thinking if I can just get back to those times. Do you do that? I do it. I have found myself reliving times when I knew that I knew I was right where God wanted me - like teaching in Ukraine - and seeing so many amazing things happening ... and wanting so badly to relive those times. But it's not just about what happened in the past. Put that tiara away! God's ready to do a new thing in every one of us, but He can't work a new thing in us - lead us to new victories - if we're always facing backward!

It's time to embrace Him as Lord in all of His greatness (Phil 3:7b). Instead of pursuing His hand - pursue Him. Yes, it may mean we suffer some. Yes, it may be that we have to swallow some pride, some selfishness, some "me" time - but it will be worth it. Why are we stuck on what He did in the past when He's waiting on us to pursue the future and all that He has waiting on us?

He wants us to pursue Him and His full abundance. He said He came to give us abundant life (John 10:10). And the awesome news ... I don't find an expiration date anywhere in the Bible!

I know that I know that He will continue the maturation process in us and finish the great work in us if we just press on! (Phil 1:6)

Have a great week!!

Phil 3:12-16 TPT I admit that I haven't yet acquired the absolute fullness that I'm pursuing, but I run with passion into His abundance so that I may reach the purpose that Jesus Christ has called me to fulfill and wants me to discover. I don't depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however, I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. I run straight for the divine invitation of reaching the heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus. So let all who are fully mature have this same passion, and if anyone is not yet gripped by these desires, God will reveal it to them. And let us all advance together to reach this victory-prize, following one path with one passion.

When, God, when?

"0-60...Eventually." I actually saw that on the back of a car in front of me at a stop sign. And I laughed out loud. I know that 0-60 speed is a thing with cars--and car buyers. The smaller the number, the better the car's performance. But this car was making no promises - at least not promises meant to impress. "I'll get where I'm going eventually," it seemed to say. And as a subtext: "So if you're behind me, don't be in a rush."

I don't see too much enthusiasm for "eventually" anymore. Hardly anyone gets excited about "one day", and the fact is, neither do I. If I want something, I want it sooner, not later. If I long for a thing, I don't delight in waiting for it indefinitely. "In a little while" doesn't seem much better to me than "someday." Vagaries don't cut it for me... for most of us. We want to know when.

Through the years, however, I've come to know God doesn't always share my sense of urgency. And as far as I can tell, His promises to me do not come with a guaranteed delivery date or even a virtual tracking number to track their progress. (Don't you wish they did!) But with Him, "eventually" is implicitly certain. If He says a thing will happen, it absolutely will. "He is never late," a friend of mine used to say, "but He has certainly missed a number of opportunities to be early." Time to Him is not like time to us. He has all of eternity to make it all come out all right. And He will. Eventually.

Eventually, the lion will lie down with the lamb.
Eventually, there will be no more pain or tears.
Eventually, sickness and death will hardly be a memory.
Eventually, those who follow Him to the end will hear Him say "Well done."
Eventually, we will see Him face to face.

You and I will survive our "eventually" ... and be satisfied in Him forever.

"So, dear friends, don't let this one thing escape your notice: a single day counts like a thousand years to the Lord Yahweh, and a thousand years counts as one day. This means that, contrary to man's perspective, the Lord is not late with his promise to return, as some measure lateness. But rather, his "delay" simply reveals his loving patience toward you, because he does not want any to perish but all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:8-9 TPT