...But I Press On

Good evening. Welcome to Voice in the Wilderness. I'm Don Noble of Pure

Heart Ministries, and I welcome you today with exceedingly abundantly and overflowing joy.

Well, happy New Year to all of you. Tonight's message is, but

I press on, Wow, what a year this is going to be.

I hear the Lord say there is going to be a lot of change and

lots of changes. I'm a creature of habit like many of you, so

I'm not necessarily excited about change. But change is coming at a very rapid

pace. In the whirlwind of change, there is one constant. His name

is Jesus. In Malachi three, verse six, it says this, I

am the Lord. I do not change. Let those words reverberate in your

spirit. I am the Lord. I do not change. You may wonder

why is it that the Lord cannot and will not change? Because he says

of himself in Hebrews thirteen eight, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today,

and forever. We see changes in technology, politics, political parties,

national and international population shifts, and the greatest moral shift has been away from

Christianity to all things secular and the removal of God from everything and so it

is. But Jesus is the same yesterday, the same today, and the

same forever. That Greek word for the word same emphatically states unchangeable. The

word yesterday means all time that was up until this present moment, and today

means at this very present moment. So this Jesus is emphatically unchangeable, yesterday,

all time that comes up until the present moment, unchangeable today at this

very present moment, and unchangeable forever. When the ball dropped last night in

New York City at twelve midnight, and after watching all that confetti, tons

of confetti flew lying everywhere, well, suddenly it's time to make our New

Year's resolutions. I don't know about you, but I've made those New Year's

resolutions year after year with the greatest intention and great sincerity. And then I

forgot all about them, and maybe maybe I kept one for a few weeks,

and then I never thought about the resolutions again. I decided that this

year, I wasn't going to provide you a list of wonderful spiritual goals to

set for twenty twenty four. Instead, I want to infuse in you a

fresh start, but not just to get us moving forward, although that is

part of my intention, but to help you be grounded, like the old

hymn, on solid row, on this solid rock I stand. I'm not

going to be standing. We're not going to be standing on sinking sand this

year. Okay, We're going to be standing on solid ground. So when

the change and the changes come, you'll be a strong anchor that won't be

moved. Paul the Apostle said in Philippians chapter three, verses twelve through fourteen.

And I'm reading out of the New King James. First, it says

this, Paul wrote, not that I've already attained or am already perfected.

But I press on that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus

has also lay hold of me. 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. I press toward the

goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. So

I'm pressing on, and you're going to press on, and I am forgetting

those things which are behind me, all those past wrong words, wrong ideas,

wrong actions, wrong motives, wrong counsel that I acted upon. Well,

it's past, it's behind me. In fact, it's so far behind

me that Jesus has no memory of it. So why should I. I'm

reaching forward to the things ahead. You're going to reach forward to the things

ahead. We're going to do this. We are pressing on, Paul said

in Romans, chapter eight, verse thirty seven. Yet in all these things

we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. You see, some

of you have been a Christian for a very long time. But the writer

of Hebrews says in chapter five, verses twelve through fourteen, and again this

is in the New King James. For though by this time you ought to

be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the

oracles of God. And you have come to need milk and not solid food.

For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness,

for he is a baby. But solid food belongs to those who are

a full age, that is, those who, by reason of use,

have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. So why is it

that many of you listening to me are not teachers. Well, first of

all, most likely you have not sat under solid teaching from the pulpit.

There are very few churches today that teach the solid word of God, and

that is a very sad state of affairs. Therefore, the sheep are not

taught these first principles of the oracles of God. But maybe you did get

those first principles, but some thing happened to get you off track, and

you never matured to be able to handle solid food. So Paul tells us

the result of only still needing milk, and the result is you have become

unskilled in the Word of righteousness. You're still a baby. Now to those

who live in the Wheeling area, I teach a Bible study every Wednesday at

six pm. We meet at top Hat Pools and Stoves for two hours.

We are a small group. It's a very relaxed setting, and you know,

I allow people to ask questions even in the middle of my teaching,

because sometimes when I have people that are young in the Lord and they have

a question that's on their mind, it's better to just go ahead and address

that question. And I find that it's much more effective that way, and

sometimes that gets us off course. For the moment. But Holy Spirit is

in charge, and I allow him to take us where we need to go.

We have a time of prayer, we pray for the needs of others.

So my desire is I got to get you trained and equipped so you

will no longer be unskilled in the Word of righteousness. And I would assume

that by now the state of affairs of our nation and the world, that

you would be saying to yourself, I just need to do this. So

I'm just saying, come and join us, because many of you need to

make a commitment to be hungry for God's word. So happens. I know

all about life happening, and it can just get you right off track.

And when you get off track, it's very hard sometimes to get back on

track. And so then we lose, you know, we lose that hunger,

the hunger for God's presence, the hunger for his word. And I'm

telling you you're not going to do well this coming year and the year's following

until Jesus comes back. You're not going to do well if you don't listen

to what I'm telling you. So you need to be hungry for God's word

and learn to live and thrive and not just get by. I mean,

aren't you just tired of just getting by and doing the same old, same

old. It's time to make a shift in your life to become all that

God has called you to become. And sometimes, now, listen to me

carefully. Sometimes you just need to break out of the pack and press on

because either the people you're hanging around or the groups that you associate with,

you know, they're just it's just that same old, same old. And

sometimes you just have to break out of the pack and say I'm going a

different direction. So I'm encouraging you if you need to break out of the

pack, press on. And then there's those of you that sit under dead

Ministry. I don't know how you do that every Sunday. To be honest,

I sit under the one of the most anointed preachers in this country,

I'd say probably in the world. Aren't you tired of sitting under dead doll

ministry? Pinch yourself. Pinch yourself right now and say this, Pinch yourself

and say I'm alive and not dead, and say I want more of life

and I want more of Jesus. Amen. So at the start of this

new year, twenty twenty four. This is going to be a very,

very exciting year. It's the year of pressing on. Paul wrote in Philippians

three, verses twelve through fourteen, which I just read in the New King

James, but I'm going to read it to in the Amplified version of the

Bible. He says, not that I have now attained this ideal, or

have already been made perfect. But I press on to lay hold of grasp

and make my own for that which Christ Jesus the Messiah has laid hold of

me and made me his own. I do not consider, brethren, that

I have captured and made it my own yet. Oh but one thing I

do. It is my one aspiration forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to

what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the supreme and

heavenly prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward. I like

how Paul says that I'm forgetting what's behind me. I'm straining forward to what

lies ahead. Folks, there is exciting things lying ahead. Is there going

to be some bad stuff? Yes? Evil stuff. Yes, that's not

disappearing anytime soon. But it's going to be very, very exciting for you

and me as Christians. And you just got to hang with me because you're

gonna watch what I'm saying is gonna come true. Now, this is Paul,

the Great Apostle, who wrote thirteen of the twenty seven books of the

New Testament, who said he had not obtained, but he said, I'm

grasping and making my own that which Christ has laid of me and made me

his own. That is profound. I mean, Paul was just it's hard

to believe. He was the brightest student. He was the brightest Hebrew Hebrews.

This man was. It was like he went to law school. I

mean, he was brilliant. And yet as a born again believer, he

simplifies the gospel. He makes it very simple. You see, when we

became born again, Jesus laid hold of you, and he laid hold of

me, and he made us his own. That's why we must grasp what

Christ did for us and everything he did to make us his own. I

mean that should just shake you to your core, should do something in you

in your spirit. You see, this is no time to be slothful or

lazy or unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness, which is conformity to the Divine

Will in purpose, thought, and action. So this year twenty twenty four,

say to yourself, else I will be skilled in the doctrine of righteousness.

I will conform to the divine will of God in purpose, the divine

will of God in thought, and I will conform to the Divine will of

God in my actions. As most of you know, we can't do a

thing without the grace of God enabling us as we surrender to Christ and allow

the Holy Spirit to begin a good work in us. So we will press

on. Why because the Word tells us to, and because we've been anointed

with fresh oil and we need the fresh, vibrant, passionate, energetic oil

of the Holy Spirit to help us to press on, to grasp and grab

a ho of what lies ahead. Because we have a goal to win the

heavenly and supreme prize to which Christ Jesus is calling us upward. As you

can see, there is movement. Its forward movement, no backing up,

no stopping, only moving forward. You see if you stop at the rest

stop, beware, Satan is an opportunist and he'll take full advantage of you

on this journey in twenty twenty four, tear off the rear view mirrors.

We're not looking back, We're not ruminating about what could have been, what

should have been. No, that's done and over with. We are like

Paul. Our one aspiration is forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what

lies ahead. Now, what lies ahead regarding the world and the culture we

live in is not only not appealing, it's morally reprehensible. But what lies

ahead for us as Christians brings great hope. We've been anointed with that fresh

oil to do the mighty works of God, to stand as a beacon of

light and a beacon of hope, and a beacon of strength to neighbors,

co workers, family members. These people are in need of salvation, They're

in need of healing. They may be in a crisis situation. Let me

tell you, you're it and you know what. This is what Psalm ninety

two says about us Verses twelve and thirteen. It says this the uncompromisingly righteous.

That's a mouthful. The uncompromisingly righteous. That means you and I,

who refuse to compromise, we're going to be the uncompromisingly righteous. Shall flourish

like the palm tree, and be long lived, stately, upright, useful,

and fruitful. Now, if you're saying to yourself, or if you

said in the past, oh you know, I'm probably not going to be

here much longer. Oh you know, you say these negative things over yourself,

stop it now, Stop it now, because this is what the Word

says about you. You shall flourish like a palm tree, and be long

lived, stately, upright, useful, fruitful. It goes on. The

righteous shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon, majestic, stable, durable,

and incorruptible. And as they are planted in the house of the Lord,

they shall flourish in the courts of our God. That ought to make you

really excited. And if it doesn't, then I would say, you know,

fall on your knees and ask the Lord to put some hunger in your

spirit, because those are shouting words. I mean, that's enough to make

me say I just can't wait. I can't wait to see what's gonna come.

So to all my listeners, I want you to make twenty twenty four

a year to press on row in the Word of God and become skilled in

a righteousness you know, I want to share these two other scriptures because to

me, again, this is the word of God speaking to you, you

and I. This is Isaiah three ten, and it says this, say

to the righteous, that it shall be well with them, for they shall

eat the fruit of their doings. So I'm going to say to you.

I'm going to say to you're the righteous. I'm going to say it's going

to be well with you in twenty twenty four, and you're going to eat

the fruit of your doings. Let's just make your doings the doings that are

doings in righteousness. Amen. And then Daniel eleven thirty two. This is

a powerful scripture. It says, but the people who know their God is

that you? Is that you? And I are we the people who know

God? Well, If you are one of those people, it says,

you shall be strong and carry out great exploits. Now let me say something

to you. If you're older, and you're weak and infirmed, and you're

saying I'm not strong, then I'm going to prayer of you. In the

mighty name of Jesus. I command you to be well. I command you

to be whole. I command you to be strong in your body, from

your head to your toes. I bless you with good health in the coming

days and months. I bless you to be well and strong and whole in

the name of Jesus. Amen, So let no grasp grow under your feet

this year. Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you into the wondrous treasures of

His word. This is going to be a good year for you and I.

I said it once, I said it twice. I'm saying it a

third time. It's going to be a good for you and I. We

won't be shaken by change or the changes we will face, and we will

no longer need to feed on milk. If you live in the Wheeling area,

I'm really encouraging you come and grow with us on Wednesdays six p m.

Top Hat Pools and Stoves, twenty to fifty eight Main Street, twenty

two fifty eight Main Street, Wheeling. Trust me, it's worth the drive.

If you live outside the area, this is going to be a great

year for us. We are going to press on brothers and sisters. We

are going to grow and become skilled in righteousness. We are going to advance

His kingdom. We are going to carry out great exploits. You see the

King is coming soon, and we must be like the five wise Virgins.

We cannot be at all, we cannot be lukewarm, we cannot be like

the unwise virgins. Oh no, no, no no, remember this.

You've been anointed with fresh oil and Jesus never ever, ever changes. So

when all the wind, the whirlwind of life starts swirling around you and fear

starts to set in, just settle yourself, put your eyes on Jesus,

and remember that you're pressing on no matter what. I have a incredible prophetic

word that the Lord spoke to me for twenty twenty four. Now you might

think that this was a prophetic word. Well, it is a prophetic word

to press on. That is a word that the Lord gave me for today.

But he actually gave me a word that will also. Now this word's

going to carry you on through twenty twenty four, no doubt. I'm going

to talk about it again. But he gave me a prophetic word for the

body of Christ for the year of twenty twenty four, and he always has

been so gracious to do that. So I'll be sharing that and then we

will be getting back and finishing the Seven Cities of revelation. Don't think I

forgot I did not. So with that, I wish you a very happy

New Year. I'm excited about what God's going to do. I want you

to be excited. Amen. Well, this is Don Noble. You can

go to www dot pureheart dot today and listen to this podcast again. You

can email me at dawn. And by the way, when I signed off

for the Christmas Songs, I made a mistake there when I talked about that,

I gave the wrong email. So the email is down Dawn all lower

case letters. Don at pureheart dot today, So you can email me at

that address. Don at pure heart dot today. You can write me and

I look forward to hearing from you. The address is Pure Heart Ministries,

p O Box eighty five, Vali Grove, West Virginia two six six Oh,

that's Pure Heart Ministries PO Box eighty five, Valley Grove, West Virginia.

Now, I know some of you have written me and told me that

you're praying for me, and let me tell you that is so so important

to me. I'm so grateful for this past year and all the prayers that

were sent my way, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Just excited for all of us to enter into this new year, twenty

twenty four. So with that, I look forward to being with you again

next week. This is down Noble saying Shalam shalam, Peace be unto you