Press

To press forward as a believer is to ask, seek, and knock, asking God for His direction,

power, and strength. Matthew 7: 7“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

We are constantly growing in our faith walk, and part of this growing experience is to deepen our walk with the Lord through studying His Word. Not just reading His Word, but studying His Word takes us to a deeper level of understanding of the mysteries of God. Too much of our knowledge of God's Word is second-hand information that is tainted with someone else's thoughts about a scripture, or we immerse ourselves in following some person's take on what God is saying. As I write these blogs, I am very cognizant of all of this and only offer what I believe and see what scripture is saying to me. My desire is for these blogs to draw you into a deeper look at what scripture says to you, because, even though I am growing in my walk, I too miss things and look at them from a flawed perspective. God's Word is perfect in every form, and His Word misses nothing at all.

So go to the source, but make sure the source is right, and God is perfect in every way, and His Word never fails.

The Holy Spirit is faithful to convict me and draw me into a time with God in His Word and in conversation, and I have always come out of these times with true wisdom and great encouragement from God. He is the source, and the source is excellent. Another thing that happens in these times with God is He leads me to "press" to a deeper understanding of certain things. There are certain elements of my faith that need to have a deeper understanding to help me grow, and some on the short list are: grace, self-righteousness, judging others, forgiveness, miracles, and many more. When I pursue righteousness, as God tells me to do, I find answers that explain a lot about life itself, and that is good. Philippians 3: ¹² I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. This "pressing" is stimulated by God. It causes me to be unsettled until I get the satisfaction from the pure truth of God's Word, wherein is peace. Real peace.

Some things are just things I know in the remedial part of my faith, but God calls me to "press" and move on to a deeper level of understanding. It doesn't mean I think I am better than someone else, but it is totally a blessing given by God to make me a more mature believer, and that it good. The writer of Hebrews was aware of the need for each of us to press on to a deeper look at our lives, and in Chapter six, he spoke to this very subject. Hebrews 6: 1 So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. ² You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. ³ And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.

Remember, when seeking God in His Word, the Bible is its own best commentary, and God makes truth more clear the more we pursue it. Rely on the Word of God and ask Him to show you His truth, and He will do it!!! When God sends us out on mission, He doesn't leave us to our own devices. God shows us the way. The Psalmist David said the following about God showing us the way. Psalm 25:⁴ Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.

⁵ Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Press and see what comes out. There is a good chance you will experience what David did when he wrote the following words. Psalm 139:²³ Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. ²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,

 and lead me in the way everlasting.

The Pilgrimage Continues,

David Warren