March 25, 2007pm   Are you a member of the Press?   Philippians 3

By Ronald E. George Jr. at the Fayetteville Baptist Church

 

Phil 3:4 (NIV) though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel , of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. 7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

 

I once was lost.  But now, I am Found.  I know that I am going to heaven.  Now what am I going to do about it?  Are you a member of the press? 

 

I press on, so I forget what lies behind.  I strain forward to what lies ahead.  Reaching forward the torch of faith.  I Press on toward to make it my own, because Christ has made me his own.  I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.  Work for the night is coming when man works no more.  I am on the upward way, new heights I am gaining every day. 

 

The definitions of the Press (used as a verb).  Are you a participating?

  1. Push Against something.  Are you pushing against the forces of evil?  The world, the flesh, and the devil are actively pushing against God. 

 

  1. Squeeze juice out of something.  Are you squeezing the evil out of the world?  Nothing is out of our power, when God is your power. 

 

  1. Smooth something out.   Are you smoothing out the way for the Lord to enter into the hearts of others? 

 

  1. Change something’s shape by squeezing.  Press society so that the shape of things to come will be more pleasing to the Lord. 

 

  1. Hold somebody or something tightly.  Press tightly to the Lord.  Give the Lord your full adoration and love.

 

  1. Force somebody to do something.  We can press people to the Lord by forcing the issue.  Let people know that they have to make a choice in knowing the Lord. 

 

  1. Try to obtain something from somebody.  Trying to obtain the prize by leaving behind the former and striving forward in my life with the Lord. 
  2. Emphasize something.  What are you emphasizing in your life? 

 

  1. Demand something.  What can you demand from the Lord?  Would you put the Lord’s power to work?  What can the Lord do in your life?  Turn on the power.

 

  1. Move as crowd.  The crowd of believers that have gone before press us into serving the Lord.  They are the cloud of witnesses. 

 

  1. Require attention.  Press the Lord into action and press the world to the Lord. 

 

  1.  Dry something out and preserve it.  Preserve your life in Christ by pressing the Lord into service in your life.  Salt of the earth go and make a difference. 

 

  1. Make something with a mold.  Mold your life into the shape of the Lord. 

 

  1. Harass basketball opponent.   Harass the devil by living in the power.

 

Definitions of the press(used as a noun).  Are you a member? 

 

  1. Act of pressing.  Press the issues of life and eternity. 

 

  1. Crowd.  Join in the pressing group. 

 

  1. Powerful movement.

 

  1. Device for squeezing something.

 

  1. Device for flattening something.

 

  1. Linen closet.

 

  1. Machine that applies mechanical pressure.

 

  1. Newspapers or news reporters.  Are you spreading the good news? 

 

  1. Comments by journalists.  Let you word be the Word of the Lord. 

 

  1. Publishing company.

 

  1. Business or skill of printing.

 

  1. Clamp for rackets.

 

  1. Defense in sports.

 

  1. Lifting of weight above head.  Let God press the weight for you, by trusting your life with the Lord.

Are you a member of the Press?  Will you join up with those who are?