Pressing Onward and Upward

Pressing Onward and Upward

Today's Three-minute Bible Study
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Title: Pressing Onward and Upward--------------- Date: 03/29/1999
Keywords: "goal" "perfection" "press on"

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Passage: Philippians 3:12-14*

12. Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.

13. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,

14. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Questions

1. From these verses, it would appear that Paul is what we might call a "goal-oriented" person. Are you highly motivated by a life goal? What is that goal? What would you say is Paul’s goal in life?

2. As of the writing of Philippians, Paul has not "arrived" at his goal. How does that affect him? How does he live in light of his not having arrived at his goal?

Practical help

Any man who has been redeemed by Jesus wants to live for Jesus. He understands what Christ did for him in dying on the cross and is grateful for that sacrificial love. Consistently living for Jesus is to approach Christian maturity. That is a "goal" worthy of any Christian’s full energies. Yet, even the apostle Paul admitted that he hadn't arrived at such a place of perfection in his own life. His response to his failure to live up to his ideal? Press on! Don’t look back! Look forward!

If you are a Christian man (or woman) who has been wrestling against the temptation of pornography - and failing! - Paul’s words here are for you. Press on! Don’t look back! Look forward! What is past is past. Look to Jesus today when you are tempted and don’t be shackled by the failures of yesterday.

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Copyright 1999 by eXXit
*"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLEŽ, Š Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission."