Living for Today

Philippians 3:12-14
New King James (NKJ) 

12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 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, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus

How many of us are pressing forward? Are we still holding on to yesterday living in the shoulda, coulda, woulda and the big question WHY? Are we still holding on to something someone said or did to us yesterday or even a year ago? So many of us can't progress in the Kingdom of God because we aren't pressing forward. The Bible says we need to "press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Sometime we take Gods word and we think this is what God is going to do for us and in some cases that is true but in this case we have to press. To continue to push past ourselves, the elements, the storms and everything else in our way to get to the prize.


There are things that God gives us everyday and tells us to do every day that we have not adhered to. We are more concerned with our own desires and fulfilling the plan that we have for our own lives. We forget what the word says.


1 Corinthians 15:31
New King James (NKJ)

I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.


The fact is we will be tried everyday, we will be tested everyday and things are not always going to go our way. We forget that we have told the Lord "not my will but thy will be done in my life." That simple phrase is declaring from your mouth that God is in control of your today and trusting Him is a daily task. the Lords prayer says, "Give us this day our daily bread." Feed us our portion today Father, feed us with the  bread of your word daily.


Now let's deal with the press, because through it all we have a hard time dealing with the press. We don't understand why things have to be so hard or why we have to go through so much. I have learned that what I have gone through is my ministry. I can't tell someone about being healed if I have never been sick, I can't encourage the poor if I have never been poor. The press or better yet the pressure in your life is developing you for your ministry. 


Exodus 27:20
New King James (NKJ)

 “And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually.

Pure oil of pressed olives is what we use to anoint with today. The oil came from the olive when it was pressed. Can you imagine how hard an olive needs to be pressed before the oil comes out of it? The oil of your anointing is in the press. Stop worrying about how your past has beat you up, your past has prepared you for a greater anointing. The press, the pressure of your past has developed greater passion, greater purpose for your ministry. 

Know that what you are going through, what you have been through will not always be. It is producing something in you that will propel you to higher levels in Christ. It is increasing your faith, it is working out your salvation it is preparing you for the ministry work that God has for you to do.

1 Peter 1:6-9

New King James (NKJ)

⁶ In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, ⁷ that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, ⁸ whom having not seen^[a] you love. Though now you do not seeHim, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, ⁹ receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

I say to you, do not worry about the storm you are facing today. Do not concern yourself with yesterday's offence your suffering is just for a while. Wake up everyday and purpose in your heart that despite yesterday, despite any disappointments and hurts you are being tried but you will come out more precious than gold.

1 Peter 1:6-9

The Message (MSG)

^6-7 I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it’s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.
^8-9 You never saw him, yet you love him. You still don’t see him, yet you trust him—with laughter and singing. Because you kept on believing, you’ll get what you’re looking forward to: total salvation.