Pressing Toward the Prize

(In response to Philippians 3:12-14)

Pressing toward the prize 

is what Paul exhorts us to

Pressing on 

to take hold 

of that for which 

Christ 

took hold 

of me

That for which Jesus 

already took hold of

We press on 

to take hold of 

as well

The prize

The prize which God  

 has called us 

heavenward

In Christ Jesus

The prize

The prize is our focus

As is our aim

We run as athletes do

Without hindrance

Without distraction

We beat our bodies 

into submission

For that one goal

To run the race well

In order to win

The prize

The prize set before us

The prize

is

To know Christ

And to know Him 

fully

Not partially

Not mostly

But to fully 

know 

Him

Even as 

we are being 

fully 

known

God Uses Pain

God uses the pains of our past

He allows hurt 

betrayal

violation 

and rejection

His presence 

was with us 

through it all

His “intervention” 

in our times of pain

was His 

companionship

Just as He 

surrendered His power 

to come down 

from the cross

He surrendered 

His power 

to prevent the wrong 

being done to us

Alongside us

He felt the pain

the hurt

the betrayal

the violation 

and the rejection

The sins of those who have done us wrong 

along with our sinful coping 

have nailed Him to the cross

On the cross

He became powerless 

so He could become 

our punishment

and theirs

His love for us 

rendered Him 

helpless

as He was hopelessly 

in love with us

It was His love 

and not the nails

that kept Him 

on the cross

During our times of pain

He once again feels 

the resignation

the dread

powerlessness 

and

helplessness

For He is 

the Great High Priest 

Who has experienced 

all of our emotions

God uses 

the pains of our past

We can now identify 

with His pain 

as He felt 

His 

and our 

pain

on the cross

A Cleansed Heart

A cleansed heart 

Is a clean vessel

Can enter into God’s holy presence

Has “earned” Holy God’s ear

Has clear eyes to see God

Can hear God’s whisper

Sees ourself with God’s eye sight

Can hear what God the Father, Jesus the Savior, and Holy Spirit the Comforter, 

are saying to One Another

Can join in on the Triune God’s conversation

A cleansed heart is bought by the blood of Christ

Length of Days Not Promised Us

Life

Our very breath

We take it for granted

We know we all will pass away one day

But we act like that day will never come

At least, not anytime soon

We waste it on the mundane

Not treasuring that this very moment

Will never come again

We get caught up in the day to day life

Not treasuring our days

Nor our loved ones

Nor our friendships

The limited

finite

time

we have

If we did take our limited time seriously

How would we live it

Would we spend it in fellowship with God

With our loved ones

Actively make our eternity count

In the here and now

Would we be motivated to act as God’s hands and feet

His eyes

His ears

His heart

His mouthpiece

To usher in God’s Kingdom here on earth

 That His Will be done

Here on earth

As it is in heaven

In our lives

As well as in the lives of others around us

Would we consider it a privilege

To have our breath

Today

This moment

Right now

Or would we act in denial

That one day

Any day

Could be our last day

Here on earth

God’s Abundant Goodness
(Response to Psalm 103)

God loves to bless

He blesses us with

Spiritual blessings to the gills

E-ve-ry spiritual blessing!

God takes joy when He sees us, His children

Just the way we are - because He made us

When we live for Him - because that is His desire for us

When we take full advantage of His goodness and blessings

Because He has made all provisions for us

Everything has been prepared for us by our loving Heavenly Father

Our every spiritual need

Our every emotional and mental need

Our physical need – for He takes care of every sparrow in the field

He is our All-Sufficient God

Who loves to bless His own children

Children created after His very own image

Who are like Him

Each possessing a unique glory of the Creator

He has made and created everything for us

He can’t wait for us to partake of all of His abundant provisions

He brims with joy and satisfaction 

When He sees His children enjoying His provisions

Come!

Come to My abundant warehouse of blessings!

Come, partake!

Come, enjoy!

Come and lavish in My goodness and love!

Our Faces Reflecting God's Glory

(2 Corinthians 3:18)

We

who have been set free by the Spirit of God

now reflect God’s

Holy

Fierce

Glory!

Glory! 

Glory be to God 

and unto God!

As we look into the mirror

Instead of seeing ourselves

We see God’s glory reflected back at us!

This glorious image is being transformed

From glory to glory

From one degree of glory to another

With ever-increasing glory

The Spirit of the Lord accomplishes this

He has done it already

He is still transforming us

When we see God face to face

Our glory will be just like His

Like Father, like daughter 

Like Father, like son

Being in the Moment

God calls us to be in the moment

This moment

This very moment

The past is in the past

We cannot go back

To change

Or undo

Our past

It is “set in stone” and “over and done with”

The future is yet to come

We don’t know what the future holds

We are unable to predict

God knows the future from the past

He saw the end from the very beginning

He Who knows the end holds our hands

As we face the unforeseen

This moment

This precious moment

It’s the only moment we “have”

In this very moment we have our being

We live in this very present moment

We are alive in this present moment

Only this moment is “promised” to us

Once this moment is over

It then belongs to the “past”

There are “good” moments and sadly, “bad” ones

Every moment comes to an end

As the next moment begins

The good, the bad, the boring, the exciting

Moments

Each unique in its own

Each moment lasts

In the here and now

And then

It is 

Gone

Embrace this moment and

We have a better chance

At having a better future

Be willing to let go of the past moment

Enables us to embrace this present moment

Which enables us to have a better chance

At having a better future

A future that is not promised us

As this moment might be

The very last breath we will ever breathe

But if God grants us our next breath

He is present with us there

In our next breath

As He does His part in holding us

Our past

Present

And future moments

Let us embrace this very moment

And live it as living sacrifice

Unto Him

Trusting in Him Who holds us

In the palms of His hands

Loving us fiercely

Gently

And faithfully

He will never let go of us

He

The Trustworthy

God of the moment

God of each

And every

Moment

Calls us to live in this moment

Fully present

This very moment

With Him