Striving to Excel in 2012
Intro: The Greek word translated excellent or excellency means: higher, better, of more value. So to striving to excel means that we are not satisfied with a lower level but are reaching for a higher one; we will not reach for the worst, but the best; we are not looking for that which is cheap but that which is more valuable. I’m not talking here about material things like cars, clothes, or houses. I’m talking about the real stuff of Life- Our relationship with God; our practical Christian life; our dealings with others. We must strive to excel in 2012.
As I searched the Bible for verses related to excellence, I found at least three areas that I think we all need to strive for excellence in.
I. Excellent Spirit.
You already know that every person has a spirit- that invisible part or being that God breathed into man. When we talk about having an excellent spirit it is twofold: 1) It speaks of one who is allowing the Spirit of God to work in his spirit; and 2) It speaks of the Attitude that such a person manifests in his everyday life.
When you allow the Holy Spirit of God to dwell in you; lead you; direct you; influence you; you are on the way to having an excellent spirit.
When you manifest a spirit or attitude that pleases God; one that is produced by God’s spirit; then you have an excellent spirit.
Pro. 17:27 says that a “man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.”
We must strive for excellence in our Spiritual Understanding if we would have an excellent spirit. Understanding the Word of God; the Ways of God; the Will of God. Three times in the Bible it is said of Daniel that he had an excellent spirit.
When the Writing on the wall appeared during Belshazar’s party and the wise men could not interpret it, the queen told Belshazar about Daniel and said this- “an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, the interpreting of dreams, showing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts are found in this Daniel.” He was respected because he had spiritual understanding. He had a relationship with God and allowed the Spirit of God to move in his spirit. It was evident to all those around him; even though they did not agree with his religious beliefs.
We need to strive this year to have an excellent spirit.
We are living in a Rude and Crude world. Crudeness has been taken to all new levels with the advent of social media where people can disparage and ridicule others in public, while THEY hide behind a curtain of privacy. Rudeness is common in public as well; in places of business; restaurants; grocery stores; banks... Rudeness is even common in many Homes. Husbands and Wives; Parents and Children;
Brothers and Sisters;Sometimes even rothers and sisters in the Lord.
It's bad enough to think some of the things you think; & even worse to Say it!
We must strive in an Angry and Rude world to be Patient and Pleasant; to be Courteous & Kind. When we encounter rudeness we must respond with kindness. When we suffer from another’s crude behavior we must respond with righteous behavior. Striving to have an excellent spirit.
II. Excellent Sacrifice.
In Heb. 11 Abel is commended because he offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain.I know that we do not offer literal sacrifices today- our salvation was provided by the sacrifice Jesus made on Calvary. However, as Christians we are still required to make a Sacrifice of our lives to the Lord.
A. An Excellent Sacrifice is one Offered in Obedience. Are you offering you Life to the Lord in full Obedience to His Word? In every area of life? In every situation? In every way? Disobedience is Sin. You and I need to strive for excellence in offering our lives In Obedience to the Lord.
B. An Excellent Sacrifice is one Presented in Purity. God never has accepted a defiled sacrifice; a deformed sacrifice or an unclean sacrifice.
Rom. 12:1,2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
C. An Excellent Sacrifice is one Submitted in Full Surrender.
A sacrifice made to God cannot be a Partial one, but must be a Complete one. We can’t hold back a part for ourselves, we must Give It all to Jesus. This year we need to strive to make a full surrender to the Lord. Not my will but thy will be done; Not my way but God’s; Not my wants but God’s; Not my wishes but God’s.
III. Excellent Service.
In 1 Cor. 12 Paul wrote about the Gifts of the Spirit and gave instructions to believers concerning their ministry and work for the Lord. He reminded them that we do not all have the same callings, the same duties, the same responsibilities, the same tasks, or the same abilities, but we do all have the same Obligation to do the work of the Lord. He likened the church to a physical body which has many members and each member has its own job to do. When each member does its part, the whole body lives an effective and fulfilling life. Each of us needs to strive to excel this year in our service to the Lord. There are three points Paul makes about excellent service:
1) It must be Prompted by Love.
Paul ends 1 Cor. 12 with the statement that we are to covet earnestly the best gifts, but that there is a more excellent way. He then launches into his powerful discussion of Love. Excellent Service must be motivated by love.
2) It must be for the Purpose of Edifying.
Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 14:12- that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
Excellent service cannot be self serving; cannot be selfish; must not be for any other purpose than that of edifying: building up; encouraging; instructing; promoting spiritual growth, understanding, and holiness.
3) It must be in the Power of God’s Spirit.
2 Cor. 4:7- “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”
Excellent service will be prompted by love; for the purpose of edifying; and in the power of God’s Spirit. Let Us Strive to Excel in 2012- in Spirit, in Sacrifice, in Service.
Intro: The Greek word translated excellent or excellency means: higher, better, of more value. So to striving to excel means that we are not satisfied with a lower level but are reaching for a higher one; we will not reach for the worst, but the best; we are not looking for that which is cheap but that which is more valuable. I’m not talking here about material things like cars, clothes, or houses. I’m talking about the real stuff of Life- Our relationship with God; our practical Christian life; our dealings with others. We must strive to excel in 2012.
As I searched the Bible for verses related to excellence, I found at least three areas that I think we all need to strive for excellence in.
I. Excellent Spirit.
You already know that every person has a spirit- that invisible part or being that God breathed into man. When we talk about having an excellent spirit it is twofold: 1) It speaks of one who is allowing the Spirit of God to work in his spirit; and 2) It speaks of the Attitude that such a person manifests in his everyday life.
When you allow the Holy Spirit of God to dwell in you; lead you; direct you; influence you; you are on the way to having an excellent spirit.
When you manifest a spirit or attitude that pleases God; one that is produced by God’s spirit; then you have an excellent spirit.
Pro. 17:27 says that a “man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.”
We must strive for excellence in our Spiritual Understanding if we would have an excellent spirit. Understanding the Word of God; the Ways of God; the Will of God. Three times in the Bible it is said of Daniel that he had an excellent spirit.
When the Writing on the wall appeared during Belshazar’s party and the wise men could not interpret it, the queen told Belshazar about Daniel and said this- “an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, the interpreting of dreams, showing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts are found in this Daniel.” He was respected because he had spiritual understanding. He had a relationship with God and allowed the Spirit of God to move in his spirit. It was evident to all those around him; even though they did not agree with his religious beliefs.
We need to strive this year to have an excellent spirit.
We are living in a Rude and Crude world. Crudeness has been taken to all new levels with the advent of social media where people can disparage and ridicule others in public, while THEY hide behind a curtain of privacy. Rudeness is common in public as well; in places of business; restaurants; grocery stores; banks... Rudeness is even common in many Homes. Husbands and Wives; Parents and Children;
Brothers and Sisters;Sometimes even rothers and sisters in the Lord.
It's bad enough to think some of the things you think; & even worse to Say it!
We must strive in an Angry and Rude world to be Patient and Pleasant; to be Courteous & Kind. When we encounter rudeness we must respond with kindness. When we suffer from another’s crude behavior we must respond with righteous behavior. Striving to have an excellent spirit.
II. Excellent Sacrifice.
In Heb. 11 Abel is commended because he offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain.I know that we do not offer literal sacrifices today- our salvation was provided by the sacrifice Jesus made on Calvary. However, as Christians we are still required to make a Sacrifice of our lives to the Lord.
A. An Excellent Sacrifice is one Offered in Obedience. Are you offering you Life to the Lord in full Obedience to His Word? In every area of life? In every situation? In every way? Disobedience is Sin. You and I need to strive for excellence in offering our lives In Obedience to the Lord.
B. An Excellent Sacrifice is one Presented in Purity. God never has accepted a defiled sacrifice; a deformed sacrifice or an unclean sacrifice.
Rom. 12:1,2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
C. An Excellent Sacrifice is one Submitted in Full Surrender.
A sacrifice made to God cannot be a Partial one, but must be a Complete one. We can’t hold back a part for ourselves, we must Give It all to Jesus. This year we need to strive to make a full surrender to the Lord. Not my will but thy will be done; Not my way but God’s; Not my wants but God’s; Not my wishes but God’s.
III. Excellent Service.
In 1 Cor. 12 Paul wrote about the Gifts of the Spirit and gave instructions to believers concerning their ministry and work for the Lord. He reminded them that we do not all have the same callings, the same duties, the same responsibilities, the same tasks, or the same abilities, but we do all have the same Obligation to do the work of the Lord. He likened the church to a physical body which has many members and each member has its own job to do. When each member does its part, the whole body lives an effective and fulfilling life. Each of us needs to strive to excel this year in our service to the Lord. There are three points Paul makes about excellent service:
1) It must be Prompted by Love.
Paul ends 1 Cor. 12 with the statement that we are to covet earnestly the best gifts, but that there is a more excellent way. He then launches into his powerful discussion of Love. Excellent Service must be motivated by love.
2) It must be for the Purpose of Edifying.
Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 14:12- that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
Excellent service cannot be self serving; cannot be selfish; must not be for any other purpose than that of edifying: building up; encouraging; instructing; promoting spiritual growth, understanding, and holiness.
3) It must be in the Power of God’s Spirit.
2 Cor. 4:7- “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”
Excellent service will be prompted by love; for the purpose of edifying; and in the power of God’s Spirit. Let Us Strive to Excel in 2012- in Spirit, in Sacrifice, in Service.
posted by Junction Hill Pentecostal Church | 6:07 PM
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