From: "Beverly French" <frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us>
To: "Heritage" <gheritage.ga@verizon.net>
Subject: Greetings
Date: Sunday, January 12, 2003 7:58 AM

"...I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was
laid hold of by Christ Jesus."  Philippians 3:12

Making "pressing on" the desire of our hearts is natural for the follower of
Christ.  We see in Hebrews 12:1 that we are to, "...lay aside every
encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with
endurance the race that is set before us."  Let us examine our own heart to
see what encumbrance or sin hinders our pressing on the upward way.
Scripture gives examples of the hindrance to spiritual progress here are a
few:
"But his (Lot) wife, from behind him, looked back; and she became a pillar
of salt."  Genesis 19:26  (The allurement of the world prevented Lot's wife
from escaping.)

"Then Saul clothed David with his garments and put a bronze helmet on his
head, and he clothed him with armor."  1 Samuel 17:39  (David was delayed by
Saul's equipment -- man's way.  But God had already prepared David in the
perfect use of the sling!)  Read Vs. 39 & 40

"And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief."  Matthew
13:58  (Unbelief hindered Christ's work in His own home town.)

"But when the young man heard this statement, he want away grieved; for he
was one who owned much property."  Matthew 19:22  (Worldly wealth hindered
this rich man from following Jesus.)

Of spiritual progress, it is a characteristic of one in right standing
before God;
"Nevertheless the righteous shall hold to his way,
 And he who has clean hands shall grown stronger and stronger."  Job 17:9

"The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree,
 He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon."  Psalm 92:12

"But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
 That shines brighter and brighter until the full day."  Proverbs 4:18

"Take pains with these things be absorbed in them, so that your progress may
be evident to all."  1 Timothy 4:15

Of the 'race set before us' as mentioned in Hebrews 12:1, this is what the
great Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:24-25:
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but [only] one
receives the prize:  So run [your race] that you may lay hold [of the prize]
and make it yours."
Of encumbrances:
"Now every athlete who goes into training conducts himself temperately and
restricts himself in all things."  Why?  "They do it to win a wreath that
will soon wither, but we [do it to receive a crown of eternal blessedness]
that cannot wither."

In the end will we be able to say as Paul did in 2 Timothy 4:7-8,
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the
faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day..." ?
Let us run the course in such a way that this is true of all of us!

Now with grateful hearts let us give thanks and glory to the Father who has
qualified us for this inheritance in Christ Jesus the Lord.  Amen.