Striving for Excellence

If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.  And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.  If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.  Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Matthew 5:39-42

We as Christians aren't taught to do the bare minimum.  We are instructed to go that second mile, beyond what's asked so that everyone would know that the reason for what we do isn't from ourselves, but from God.  

Through life, we encounter many situations where we just want to do the minimum so that our conscience is clear... and I'm one of them.  The simple fact that we're selfish and look towards ourselves first shows why we do things.  In my life, I look at specific situations why I don't go that extra mile and sometimes it's because of bitterness, selfishness or just laziness.

God desires that I go beyond what's needed or asked because He went beyond any imagination on earth first.  In my job, I can see myself limiting God's blessing because of one of these 3 things.  Same in ministry and most importantly my home.  To die to myself takes on a different light when I look at how I don't go beyond what's asked.  I guess that's the definition of excellence!

Glorious and Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us countless ways to learn this valuable lesson about dying to ourselves and living in Your glory.  Life is full of distractions that point our minds on our flesh but Your mighty Word always points us back to kingdom purposes.  I pray LORD, that my senses are sensitive to the reminders of the Holy Spirit so that You are always priority number 1!  Amen!

Knowing God's Word

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God...' "  Matthew 4:4

Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test...' "  Matthew 4:7

Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' "  Matthew 4:10

Jesus was being tempted by Satan to turn from the Father's ways and follow him.  A similar thing happened at the beginning of time where the fall of man happened with Adam and Eve.  What happened with Eve was she didn't know the Word of God.  She kind of knew a little bit of what God wanted but not enough to stand firm on and be bold and confident.  Satan was able to deceive her and lead her to introduce sin into the world.  Jesus on the other hand countered all temptations with the mighty Word of God.  He knew that the power of God will only come through His Word.

Another thing I noticed, Jesus rebuked the devil and he left.  Eve didn't do this; she allowed herself to be tempted.  Jesus countered with scripture and rebuked the attacks by Satan and he left.  It makes sense that the devil will not grow tired and give up.  It was God's word in rebuking Satan that allowed Him to be free of these attacks.

When the devil attacks me, it's pretty obvious but I don't really do anything about it.  I stand there just allowing him to chip away.  Yes, I pray for protection and deliverance but I don't strike back with scripture and casting the devil away by Jesus' name.  In practical means, this is nothing more than reciting scripture that applies there and then casting Satan away.  The devil will flee but it depends on if we have confidence and authority of the Word of God.  We are made so powerful through the mighty Holy Spirit.

Sweet Jesus, thank You for enduring such a heavy burden so that we may be set free from sin and this fallen world.  By Your sacrifice You saved us but also You give us wonderful lessons such as this so that we'd have examples of how to combat the evil one.  I pray Lord that I remember Your teachings and that I can be a vessel of the most power weapon, Your Word!  In Your powerful name Christ Jesus I pray, Amen!

Jealousy Leads to Destruction

As they danced, they sang: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands."  Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him.  "They have credited David with tens of thousands," he thought, but me with only thousands.  What more can he get but the kingdom?  And from that time on Saul kept  a jealous eye on David.

1 Samuel 18:7-9

Saul knew all that was going on, the battles won, the enemies defeated.  He knew that David killed more than he so why did Saul get angry at this point?  Because praises were being sung about David and not  him!  His heart became cold and bitter with the thought that God was with David and not himself.

What could Saul have done to do right and turn back to the LORD at this time?  In his eyes, the only thing that he could've done was give his kingdom to him... anointing him king.  But other things he could've done was to repent of everything he'd done.  He could've embraced the new king, David; instead of hating him.  His heart was selfish, prideful and evil; God could not work there.

Thinking about my life, I'm wondering where jealously is brewing.  Is there something within me that craves something that another person has?  Do I wish for more intellect, finances or responsibilities?  Do I catch myself looking at what someone else with envy?  There's a few things that pop into my head that don't seem like a big deal but I need to keep those thoughts captive and not allow them to grow.  I need to offer those thoughts to God right now, nip it in the bud and pray for deliverance.

Heavenly Father, You know exactly what brewing in my heart whether or not I know about it.  That's why Your mighty word teaches us to examine the motives of our hearts, because sin starts off quietly and out of consciousness.  But that's when it's most easily defeated too.  So I pray LORD God that You purge any thoughts not worthy of You and that my life is ready and available to head into battle.  Amen.

Godly Confidence

Saul replied, "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth."

But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." 
      Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you."

1 Samuel 13:33-37

How did David grow so confident to know that God will deliver the Philistine to him?  Was this a spontaneous calling that David received from the LORD?  Did he have any previous message from God saying that he will confront this giant?  I don't remember any scripture about this but what we do know is that God prepared David by allowing the lion and bear to cross his paths.  

Up until this day, David may have prayed to God asking why all these challenges and struggles.  We, as man, are very short-sighted and fail to see far into the future.  This is a good thing!  Imagine how much less we would depend on God!  But going back to David's previous encounters with the lion and bear...  God was preparing David for this monumental occasion to defeat the Philistine giant.  We see that David just didn't kill him, he was bold and confident that the LORD would triumph and glory would be the LORD's.  

Godly confidence is built upon obedience to what's presented today; not yesterday or even the future.  That confidence will come with being faithful and obedient, not with successes or failures. 

Have I Godly confidence?  Another way to say this is, "Do I trust Him?"  If I say yes then why don't I have the boldness or confidence to walk into a situation, proclaim it for Jesus and walk away with joy?  Have i been fighting my lions and bears?  

I'm guilty of trying to pick and choose what battles to fight.  I want to fight big battles because I feel it's doing more for the kingdom; but I haven't even conquered the smaller ones.  These are challenges in the people right in front of me at this very moment.  My faith and boldness will come through obedience with those right in front of me.

Heavenly Father, thank You for knowing Your children so well.  Help me LORD to keep focus on the eternal goal and the calling You've given me.  But at the same time, open my eyes to see what's right in front of me because that has a piece in the bigger plan.  In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen!

Over-Thinking Assignments

Why did you not obey the LORD ? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD ?" "But I did obey the LORD," Saul said. "I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal." But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

1 Samuel 15:19-22

It seems so obvious that what Saul did was wrong. He went beyond what the LORD had asked him and did as he thought was right. But when we look at ourselves, don't we do the exact same thing? When God calls on us to carry out a task, don't we take it a step further and get into trouble or at least confusion? When God calls on us to do something, we over-complicate the task and before you know it we've lost the heart of God and replaced it with something much lesser. Simplifying the task God gave us is to trust Him; complicating the task is to take control ourselves, relying less on Him. So what it all comes down to is this: life becomes complicated because we think for God.

I'm so guilty of this! I'm the poster boy for "Paralysis by Analysis!" I look at some of my easier choices in life and how God has used that for kingdom works; and compare that to more difficult choices. Where did God move the most? Was the task that great?

The biggest assignment God has given me this past year was to become the best husband I could be to Michelle. Even though this is a huge responsibility the task is quite simple. I need to love my wife the way God intended. God designed us so that we follow, in order; Jesus --> Family --> Ministry (church/work/neighbors...). This I know, it's simple and not complicated. But my mind starts thinking about how to do this and say, Sundays are His days, Monday/Wed/Fridays are my wife's days and Tues/Thursdays are ministry days.

What's wrong with this picture? I'm becoming legalistic! What happens if I'm at ministry on Tuesday but my family needs me on that same day; do I tell my family I can't because today is dedicated to ministry? And what happens if I'm with my family and God calls me to minister to a person with only hours to live? What's happening here is that I'm worrying about the 2nd step, or next 10 steps! Is this how God gave instructions to Abraham, Moses, David, Peter, Paul, James, etc...? No, He gave them just what they needed to take the very next step... simple for those who believe.

I'm not saying to throw all appointments and scheduling out the door and live life as the wind takes us. I believe God wants us to keep focus on Him and let Him do all the planning and decisions so that we can worship Him as we do those things. When our minds are free from anxiety and confusion our hearts are in tune with God's voice. This will allow us to be sensitive the the promptings of the Holy Spirit to: go, stop, turn & reach out... life becomes simpler but more effective.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your unending reach into our hearts. You are so faithful and powerful yet we still don't trust You enough to let you do what You desire. Help us Lord, to let go of over-complicating the tasks and assignments You give us. We love You, we trust You. Amen!