Definition of press: an action of pressing or pushing, pressure. 

Pressing forward, to keep going, never give up. 

Pressing forward while having bulldog faith. A bulldog can bring down a bull. When they bite they don’t let go. Sometimes we see ourselves as tiny dogs and our problems that we are facing as huge bulls. How can we get through it when there is such a size difference between us? We have to change our perspective and see how God does. It’s not about how big we are, it's about how strong our bite (faith) is. To have faith in never letting go of God. Not us holding on to our problems, but holding onto God and never letting go of Him. The world is going to throw crazy things at us while we are here. Worry, fear, anxiety, or depression. But we can put our confidence in God that He will always be there no matter what. Standing with us while we are facing the bull. To have this bulldog faith it needs the action of holding on with praise, thanksgiving, and prayer. Just these three actions keep us grounded in God. Spend time with Him quality time, don’t forsake this precious time with Him. 

While we are pressing forward in our race that God has set before us, we won’t let go of the truth that is His word. We won’t be hearers, only we will be doers of His word. But what if we fall? You get back up, dust yourself off and get back into the race. Press forward with all your might and rest in God. Cast all of your cares on Him. Have you ever had to run with a weighted vest on during track practice? It’s much more difficult. Or even hiking with a backpack full of your essentials? Wishing you could drop it all and be free from the weight to make your journey easier. That’s what happens when you cast all of your cares on God. He takes that weight off of you. But you have to give it over to Him. Don’t pick it up again. Lighten your load while you run your race. Have the bulldog faith, take the action of never letting go of God and His truth. Give your cares over to Him and don’t pick them back up. Press forward in your race, don’t let up, and don’t give up. If you fall down, dust yourself off and keep going. Finish strong. 

1 Timothy 6:12 “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

James 1:22-25 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”

James 2:17 “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”

2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

(Scriptures are from NKJV)

Posted 11/15/2022