9-2-2023 West Palm Beach 7th Day BAPTIST Pastor Garfield “Steadfastly Pressing” I Corinthians 15;52, 55, 58, Philippians 3;12-14
God’s promises still stand. God makes a way when there seems to be no way. God is our way maker. Hallelujah! Today we want to talk about the word “Becoming”. In order to become there needs to be some pressing, some processing. Just like with an old van that was trying to go up a hill, we need to be pressing the gas in difficult circumstances. It doesn’t matter how slow you are going, do not stop. It does not matter how difficult the task is looking, just keep pressing and do not stop. There is a joy we will experience if we do not stop but keep pressing.
Before you can “become” you must go through the process of becoming and that is the pressing. In I Corinthians 15;52 it says in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, the trumpet will sound and the dead in Christ will arise incorruptible. We will be changed. This is the “Become”. That is who we are aiming to become. Until that time comes, we have to work on the becoming. Brothers and sisters it continues in verse 55 saying “O death where is they sting? O grave where is thy victory?” There is not one of us who can say we have the victory yet over death. For now we have to contend with death. The Bible says in the middle of life we are in death. So we don’t have the victory yet. We are still becoming.
Verse 58 is stating who we will become. Paul says for them to be steadfast, unmovable. Always abounding in the work of the Lord. Knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Paul was calling them to be resolute. To be unwavering. He was calling them to have consistency and to be hopeful. There are some of us that have started something but have not finished it. Others are still in the process of doing something but are on the verge of stopping or quitting. Others are seeing the obstacles and are already feeling defeated. Brothers and sisters whatever category you fall in, you are being called to be steadfast. You are being called to be unmovable. A part of being steadfast and unmovable depends on how deep your roots are. There are some trees in Florida that have roots that are only a foot deep. Wonderful looking trees. Then there are other trees that their roots seem to go all the way down to Hell. Those with shallow roots grow very quickly. These are the attractive trees that we want in our environment. But when the breeze comes they cannot be steadfast.
I am saying the same thing about us who are Christians. It is important that our roots become very deep. So when you are steadfast, you are resolute, you are determined, you are loyal, faithful and committed. Its like with Joshua. He said as for him and his house, they will serve the Lord. That is being steadfast. The woman at the well who told Jesus to give her the water He had described to her. She was becoming steadfast. Brothers and sisters when you are steadfast, you are fixed on a direction. You are fixed on a purpose and you are fixed on a mission. When you are steadfast you are unmovable. God is the God of faithful promises. He has proven that He will do what He says. God, who gave you what you have now, He will replace it and give you more. Whatever you lose, prepare to gain more. Make room for more than what you have lost.
Remaining steadfast has nothing to do with your circumstances. You are steadfast in your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Learn that when you speak the Word, it will come to pass. This is how we become steadfast. When you are being steadfast, there are some things you are clear about.
1) You are clear that the plan of Jesus has not changed in your life despite the circumstances.
2) God’s calling on your life is still in effect.
3) You are clear and understand that God is still waiting on you.
4) You understand that Jesus is preparing to return.
5) You understand that Satan continues to be the enemy and he must be stopped.
We must be steadfast in righteousness. We must be unmovable in the truth about Jesus Christ. We are called to abound in the work of the Lord because people must be saved!
Lets talk about pressing. The word pressing implies deliberate action toward changes. Are you satisfied with where you are in your life? If the answer is no then there is a need to change. A need to advance, a need to pick up the speed and to push on for something else to happen. It is your effort, your mindset to be steadfastly working toward a change. Progress. Whether one day or 100 days, The Word of God must come to pass! Becoming is a process. It is causing something to be attractive. When we “become” we are attractive to God. The word becoming also means to be suitable or appropriate for a given situation. When we “become” then we are fully ready to be used by God for His purpose. God said about Jesus “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased”. God was saying my son has become. Well done my good and faithful servant. When you talk about becoming, there has to be a goal and a process. We need to evaluate what is the goal that we have.
In Philippians 3;12-14 Paul says even though he has accomplished a lot and he is a leader in the church, he is pressing on to perfection. Paul says one thing he does it to forget those things which are behind and to reach forward to those things that are ahead. He presses toward the goal. There are things in our past we need to forget. But this forgetting is not limited to the past. It is for anything that will stop you from “Becoming” for the Lord.
AMEN
God’s promises still stand. God makes a way when there seems to be no way. God is our way maker. Hallelujah! Today we want to talk about the word “Becoming”. In order to become there needs to be some pressing, some processing. Just like with an old van that was trying to go up a hill, we need to be pressing the gas in difficult circumstances. It doesn’t matter how slow you are going, do not stop. It does not matter how difficult the task is looking, just keep pressing and do not stop. There is a joy we will experience if we do not stop but keep pressing.
Before you can “become” you must go through the process of becoming and that is the pressing. In I Corinthians 15;52 it says in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, the trumpet will sound and the dead in Christ will arise incorruptible. We will be changed. This is the “Become”. That is who we are aiming to become. Until that time comes, we have to work on the becoming. Brothers and sisters it continues in verse 55 saying “O death where is they sting? O grave where is thy victory?” There is not one of us who can say we have the victory yet over death. For now we have to contend with death. The Bible says in the middle of life we are in death. So we don’t have the victory yet. We are still becoming.
Verse 58 is stating who we will become. Paul says for them to be steadfast, unmovable. Always abounding in the work of the Lord. Knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Paul was calling them to be resolute. To be unwavering. He was calling them to have consistency and to be hopeful. There are some of us that have started something but have not finished it. Others are still in the process of doing something but are on the verge of stopping or quitting. Others are seeing the obstacles and are already feeling defeated. Brothers and sisters whatever category you fall in, you are being called to be steadfast. You are being called to be unmovable. A part of being steadfast and unmovable depends on how deep your roots are. There are some trees in Florida that have roots that are only a foot deep. Wonderful looking trees. Then there are other trees that their roots seem to go all the way down to Hell. Those with shallow roots grow very quickly. These are the attractive trees that we want in our environment. But when the breeze comes they cannot be steadfast.
I am saying the same thing about us who are Christians. It is important that our roots become very deep. So when you are steadfast, you are resolute, you are determined, you are loyal, faithful and committed. Its like with Joshua. He said as for him and his house, they will serve the Lord. That is being steadfast. The woman at the well who told Jesus to give her the water He had described to her. She was becoming steadfast. Brothers and sisters when you are steadfast, you are fixed on a direction. You are fixed on a purpose and you are fixed on a mission. When you are steadfast you are unmovable. God is the God of faithful promises. He has proven that He will do what He says. God, who gave you what you have now, He will replace it and give you more. Whatever you lose, prepare to gain more. Make room for more than what you have lost.
Remaining steadfast has nothing to do with your circumstances. You are steadfast in your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Learn that when you speak the Word, it will come to pass. This is how we become steadfast. When you are being steadfast, there are some things you are clear about.
1) You are clear that the plan of Jesus has not changed in your life despite the circumstances.
2) God’s calling on your life is still in effect.
3) You are clear and understand that God is still waiting on you.
4) You understand that Jesus is preparing to return.
5) You understand that Satan continues to be the enemy and he must be stopped.
We must be steadfast in righteousness. We must be unmovable in the truth about Jesus Christ. We are called to abound in the work of the Lord because people must be saved!
Lets talk about pressing. The word pressing implies deliberate action toward changes. Are you satisfied with where you are in your life? If the answer is no then there is a need to change. A need to advance, a need to pick up the speed and to push on for something else to happen. It is your effort, your mindset to be steadfastly working toward a change. Progress. Whether one day or 100 days, The Word of God must come to pass! Becoming is a process. It is causing something to be attractive. When we “become” we are attractive to God. The word becoming also means to be suitable or appropriate for a given situation. When we “become” then we are fully ready to be used by God for His purpose. God said about Jesus “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased”. God was saying my son has become. Well done my good and faithful servant. When you talk about becoming, there has to be a goal and a process. We need to evaluate what is the goal that we have.
In Philippians 3;12-14 Paul says even though he has accomplished a lot and he is a leader in the church, he is pressing on to perfection. Paul says one thing he does it to forget those things which are behind and to reach forward to those things that are ahead. He presses toward the goal. There are things in our past we need to forget. But this forgetting is not limited to the past. It is for anything that will stop you from “Becoming” for the Lord.
AMEN
