Pressing On Toward Our Goal

Pressing On Toward Our Goal

Lord, I echo this scripture today: 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Philippians 3:12 NIV. I have not obtained anything apart from the mercy you have given me, Lord. You give me grace, mercy, and faith. I don’t have anything good that lives inside of me except your Holy Spirit.

Dear child, I am with you and forgive you for falling short of my standards. You will be striving to attain my standards the rest of your earthly days. Be patient, loving, and forgiving with yourself.

Thank you. Here is what comforts me Lord God: 13 Brothers and sisters, 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. Philippians 3:13-14 NIV

The prize that awaits you in far greater than you can possibly imagine or comprehend. My love, joy, and peace are beyond human comprehension. Never will you understand until you are with me in heaven.

Lord, please take me home. This world is such a struggle. There is so much pain and suffering. I just read last night of another mass shooting in the United States. It is truly horrible what we humans do to each other. Louisville is the 146th mass shooting so far this year! Please rescue me from this insane world.

Dear child: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NIV

Yes, Lord, you have overcome this world. But it does not mean that I want to be here. I want you to take me home. I don’t want to experience any more of this pain and suffering that this world has to offer.

My child, reflect on the words of the Apostle Paul: 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Lord God, thank you for Jesus Christ. Thank you for saving me from myself and my carnal nature. Thank you for your Holy Spirit and for your comfort. Please help me to remember that you have overcome this fallen world. Thank you for the love of Christ. It is nothing that I deserve. You have given me a free gift, without strings. You love me. Not because I have earned it in any way at all. You have had mercy on me and you have given me eternal life. Thank you.

Dear child, I am with you and I will bring you home in my time, when I am ready.

Yes, Lord. It is up to you. In the interim, please make me into the man you want me to be here on earth. Please take over my life and run my life for me. I don’t want to run it.

Dear child, my Holy Spirit will run you life to the degree that you allow. Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1 NIV

Yes, Lord Jesus. I surrender to you. I offer myself to you. Do with me as you wish. Just please take over so that every thought and action is captive to you and your will.

3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NIV

Yes, Lord Jesus. In your name, the name that is above every name, Jesus Christ, I surrender to you. I surrender. I surrender. Lord Jesus, I surrender.

Dear child, I accept you. I accept your surrender. I will have my way with you.

Thank you Lord Jesus. Until you take me home, I am yours. Do with me as you want. But please control me and bring me in full alignment with your will in all that I think, all that I feel, and all that I do. Amen.

Your aspiring servant,
Daniel M.
11 April 2023