LIFE IS ABOUT EVOLVING. DON’T LIVE THE SAME DAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN

I welcome you to this special meeting as we exalt God together. We are still in our year of greater glory/ month of divine upliftment. Greater glory is the year of the best. Greater glory in the year of excellence. Greater glory in the year of witnessing impossibility made possible. Micheal Oboma once said, ‘When they go low, we aim and go higher’. All over the world: Effort or actions result to Rewards. The world rewards hard work and excellence, God also do the same – See the parable of Tenants [Matt 25:14-30]

• Daniel 6:1-10
• 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
• Luke 16:10-13; 12: 41-48

Talents [God’s approach]

1] Kind of stewardship [our responsibility in the God’s kingdom]

2] Tells us where we serve well, we should be rewarded and given greater responsibilities.

3] We do not serve well, we  shall be demoted, relieved of our positions

4) The basic concept of Stewardship is: Responsibility, Accountability  and Reward.

– The question is: How do you serve well, do you go for the best (excellence) or for the worst? or it does not matter Don’t mistake activity with achievement ~ John Wooden

– If God examine our works, how do you think, you will fair?

 Excellence does not require perfection.“ —  Henry James American novelist,

Another Word – The best or excellent: could means or stand for –

1] Eminence

[2] Brilliance

[ 3] Distinction

[4] Superiority

[ 5] Class

[6] Competence

[ 7]Accomplishment

Also It could mean– 1] Exceptional  [2] Extra ordinary  [3] Epitome of an over achiever; [4] Great Virtue [5] Incredible [6] Distinguished  I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence I can reach for; perfection is God’s business ~ Michael J. Fox

-Having an excellent spirit comes from the conviction that God is great and whatsoever you do for God must be great ( the best) because you are a reflection of Him
-God is glorified in your best. You will get promotion

-Excellent spirit is being filled with the spirit of God

-God calls us to be excellent!

1] God saw what he created and it was very good – Gen 1:31

2] The very spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you as a believer

3] Being excellent in what you do points back to who gives you the ability to do the work

4] It brings glory to God (to parents, community, Church or nation)

5] Shows those around us the spirit of Christ in you (Colossians 3:23: “Whether you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for man.”)  Perfection is impossible; just strive to do your best ~ Angela Watson

Spirit of excellent

1]It is doing things well done, decent and in order

2] It is doing something and asking will God be pleased with this work?

The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection ~ George Orwell

Excellent: Is not the act of perfection

• God is not asking you to be a perfectionist
• He is asking you to be excellent: Your best –given your talent/gifts
• Perfection will hurt/ kill you, but excellence will honor and reward you.
• Perfectionism is trying to please people Excellence wants to please God (Proverbs 22:29: Do you see someone skilled in their work they will serve before Kings; moral excellence); Titus 2:7: Show yourself in all respect to be a model of good works and in your teaching, show integrity, dignity)  “Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection is demoralizing” – Harriet Braiker
• Daniel had an excellent spirit
• A man of purpose (Daniel 1:8)
• A man of prayer
• A man of perception
• A man of power
• A man of work
• Daniel could have quit under peer pressure among wicked culture;

Instead:

• Daniel determine not to compromise his faith
• Daniel a man highly esteemed- Dan 10:19
• Daniel prayed and thank God – Dan 6:10
• Daniel exercise his wisdom and discretion – Dan 2:14
• Daniel risked everything even his own life because he trusted God –Dan 6:20-23
• Daniel had the divine key to stay built up by praying in the Holy Spirit – Jude 20/Rom 8:26
• Daniel carried out responsibilities: He did the work –James 2:17 for faith without work is useless
• Something special about effort or action, it’s being rewarded
• You can pray all you want but unless you put some work with it – an act of your faith alone it’s not going to bring success.
• Something comes on the inside, when you know you have done your job, when you know you have put in all you can( your best);You can stand ( Eph 6:13)
• Many of us want to stand on the word of God when we have not done all that is necessary
• There is something I must do: i) I must use my faith; ii) I must also use my effort and work

Attribute of people who have an excellent spirit

– Do not compromise

• – Know that you are never alone
• – Are always successful
• – Are unshakeable even in the face of trails
• – Believe for more –Unlimited mindset- Strive to give their best: Excellence is a choice. You choose to be excellent. Greatness is a choice. You don’t make the choice to operate in greatness, it won’t happen. So make up your mind. Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better ~ Pat Riley
• – Detail Oriented:  Pay attention to minor things can have major impact. Details will help you know what you have done, what can be done and what need to be corrected.  Don’t  over look errors rather fix them;  do not settle for good, look for best!!!
• – Be guided by the golden rule: “Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.” Or treat people the way you want to be treated. What you sow you will reap.
• – No one likes crappy work, so why do it to others. If you don’t cherish people gossip with your name why do it against other people. Be an embodiment of your expectation. The work we give is the work we receive. What goes round comes back around.
• – Do not be slothful in your work for God. (Psalm 37:5 – “Commit everything you do to the Lord, trust Him and He will help you.”); 2Timothy 2:15- Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handle the word of truth.)
• When we were young in the age of rascality- we had dreams, things we would like to become. Or evolved to be. As we grow up we seem to have completely discard those thoughts.
• In the beginning of the year, we made some resolutions not weighing the implications, consequences and or demands of it. As February comes to an end or even before we get there, there have been disregarded and appear empty.
• Coming even closer home, before we completed our Sanctuary, many had lofty ideas of what we shall do for the Lord. Now we have completed and moved into our new Sanctuary, we seem to have brushed aside those commitments and attempted none
• i) Church Regular attennce;
• ii) Late coming to Church programs, Fellowship meeting except work;
• iii) Meeting your financial obligations
• Checking in your fellow brethren
• Inviting a guest to the church

 

• Daniel gave his God the best. He put a mark of excellent in all he did
• Excellent spirit is in the heart of every born again Christian. You need not buy or borrow it. You simply need to make a choice
• His work could not be faulted
• Refuse to settle for less
• He was the best among his equals
• By so doing, your year of greater glory will manifest.

Every born again Christian posses an excellent spirit in him/her

• It is your choice to provoke and develop the spirit within you
• Just as human mind can train, intellectually so is the human spirit, it can also be trained spiritually.
• It can be built up in the strength just as the body can be built up in muscles
• Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy: (1 Tim 4:7-10):
• “Have nothing to do with godless myth and old wives tales, rather train yourself to be godly; for physical training is of some value but godliness has value for all things, holding promises for both the present life and the life to come. This is why we labor and strive, because we have put on hope in the loving God, who is the Savior of all people and especially of those who believe.”
• We go to school to train human minds.
• We do sport to train human body
• WE do spiritual exercises to train human spirit
• If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude ~ Colin Powell
• Proverbs 20:27 – The Spirit of man is the candle of the Lord. It means God is going to use our human Spirit when it’s regenerated (or born again) to guide us and to communicate His plan and purposes.
• Daniel and his friends studied and practice the word of God daily
• They obeyed God’s voice through human Spirit
• God communicates with our spirit not with our reasoning factors. The Spirit of man is the candle of the Lord searching all the inwards parts of the belly.
• To develop an excellent spirit we allow the spirit of God to educate our spirit
• We do that by practicing the word of God, not only hearing it
• (Mathew 12: 24- that the abundance of the heart is what the mouth will speak
• ( 2 Timothy 2:19-22)

The Responsibility and Reward of an Excellent Spirit

• Dan 1:8, 2:19-23, 3:17-18, 4:27, 5:17, 6:10

Ingredients of Excellent Spirit

• Integrity
• Gratefulness
• Security
• Wisdom and Knowledge
• Courage

1] For as much as an excellent spirit was found in Daniel (Daniel5:12)

2] Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes because an excellent spirit was found in him – Dan 6:3.

Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence ~ Colin Powell; To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often ~ Winston Churchill

– Prayer:  I reject and repent  from all non-challance and mediocrity. I commit myself afresh to excellence, may the Lord help me.  I step into my season of ease- the best and pray that every struggle with my decision to do the best, perish. Father, I thank you for this in my year of greater rewards. I must therefore give my best, in Jesus name, amen.

 “The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential; these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.”- Confucius. 2.- “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”- Aristotle. 3.- “Dreams can become a reality when we possess a vision that is characterized by the willingness to work hard, a desire for excellence, and a belief in our right and our responsibility to be equal members of society.”- Janet Jackson; “Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection is demoralizing” – Harriet Braiker