December 29, 2005  PRESS, PUSH, AND PURSUE

The new year is just around the corner. This is typically the time of year we reevaluate different areas of our lives and resolve to make positive changes. I've made a list of goals myself. I don't call them "resolutions" because I think the word has taken a negative connotation since people resolve to do or not to do things then after a short period of time they fail and subsequently give up by the end of the month or so. Therefore, I made goals for the year. This gives a cushion of time to make changes and set new habit patterns.

One thing I'm going to do is PRESS, PUSH, AND PURSUE! I'd already made a similar determination, but only put these particular words to it after reading a December (2005) Charisma magazine article by Judy Jacobs titled "Press Toward the Mark: You must press, push, and pursue!" The key verse is Philippians 3:13 in which Paul writes, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended [in other words, I'm still not all I want to be]: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (KJV, emphasis added).  You can't read the entire article on the Charisma site without subscribing to the magazine, but here are a few quotes:

• "I believe that's [God's] purpose for your life--to birth whatever He has put in your spirit. But it could be that you've gotten stalled on the journey because of your past." (p. 60)
• "You need to stop reaching back and start reaching forth. How often do you find yourself dragging up the past, replaying the memory of it, rewinding it in your mind, and watching it over and over again? Paul says 'Forget it.'"
• "Instead of reaching back, reach forth toward your miracles, your restoration, your financial breakthroughs and your divine purpose in God. Talk to yourself, and encourage yourself in the Lord."
• "God is telling you now that there is ground that has not yet been covered, people who still haven't heard, lives that are still waiting for you to get finished with your test so that you can have a test-imony that will radically change their lives. There is still somebody, somewhere, who is waiting on you to get finished with your mess so that you can have a mess-age that will catapult them to the next level."

That word "catapult" resonates with me. I use it jokingly when we play a domino game with friends called "Mexican Train." You can be in last place for most of the game, but suddenly, in one hand, you can catapult into first place. I've said several times triumphantly, "I've now catapulted into first place!"

I believe it's the same in life. No matter where we find ourselves, we can always catapult into a higher place! But it won't happen automatically. We must press, push, and pursue! Here's a final quote from the article:

• "...Your life depends on how willing you are to press, push and pursue the things that God has said belong to you. Your spouse, your children, your grandchildren, your dreams, your destiny and everything that belongs to you depends on how willing you are to shake yourself loose from those things that entangle you and to go after your stuff with violent force."

(The Charisma article by Judy Jacobs was adapted from her new book, Take It by Force!, published by Charisma House.)

December 19, 2005  FAITH

Faith is a must for anyone who wants to please God.

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Faith is the necessary prerequisite to becoming a child of God.

Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

In fact, anything not of faith is sin! (Romans 14:23)

James says that "the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well" (James 5:15). So what if I pray for a sick person and they don't get well? Does that mean there was no faith? Seems like it, according to the book of James. After all, how many times did Jesus tell people "your faith has made you whole," or "according to your faith be it unto you"? (Matthew 9:2, Matthew 9:22, Matthew 9:29, Matthew 15:28, Matthew 21:21, Mark 2:5, Mark 5:34, Mark 10:52, Luke 5:20, Luke 7:50, Luke 8:48, Luke 17:19, Luke 18:42.)

Is faith the most important thing? No, love is (I Corinthians 13:13). Faith works by love, so if you are not walking in love, your faith is not working (Galatians 5:6).

More later, perhaps...