“Pressing Toward the Goal”

Happy New Year! In this new year, May your lives give glory unto God by the grace of Christ Jesus, and may you know the inner working of the exceeding abundant power and goodness of God, and the joy of joining the ageless throng giving Him glory. Amen. (See Ephesians 3:20-21.)
As we begin a new year I would like to remind you of the call that the Apostle Paul gives us in the Scriptures: Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14). I believe that it is vital for us to embrace this spiritual attitude or disposition.
Here are some spiritual goals that together we can commit to press toward:
• Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest (Matthew 9:38). We know that Jesus gave this charge to the very disciples He was sending into the harvest. Therefore, our power in prayer is proportionate to our willingness to serve in the harvest work. Let’s press toward prayerfulness for and service in the harvest!
• Witness to (share) the gospel. In the marketplace (workplaces, schools, neighborhoods) let’s testify to the gospel. Some of us are called to defend the faith but all of us are called to testify to our salvation.
• Partner in discipleship, Church revitalization, and Church planting. As pastors, church leaders, and devoted Christians, pray, strategize, and plan ways to work together to see that your congregation is Kingdom focused! I am praying that all of our churches will take steps in 2018 to be a church planting congregation.
The list could be expanded, but I believe that if we truly commit to these things in our personal lives we will see wondrous things accomplished for the Kingdom in 2018. Let’s pray that God would do such a mighty work among us that everyone will be unable to credit it in any other way but to say, This is the Lord's doing, it is marvelous in our eyes (Psalms 118:23).
In Our Savior’s Service Together!
Rev. Dan Gilmore