The Exceeding Life!
And God is able to make every grace abound to you, so that in everything at every time having every sufficiency, you may have an abundance for every good deed.
2 Corinthians 9:8.

I must remember that God has not called me to “succeed” on my own strength. He has called me to “exceed” on His strength. Success is something that I should not be concerned with. I must be diligent in giving glory to Him. The scripture above states very clearly that God will supply in making all things for every task as abundant as we submit to Him. Furthermore, He stated unless my righteousness shall “exceed” the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees” I will not enter the Kingdom of God. (Matthew 5:20).

The problem with the religious community is they want all the credit instead of glorifying Father God. This is the sin of pride. It is God who provides all that we need for the tasks the He calls us to do. We must remember that Jesus did not come to match earth’s best, but to produce heaven’s better. We as disciples must produce all things in that glorifies God.

Jesus Christ in in the business of producing the greatness of Father God. The two sins of Israel, basically, were forsaking God and not glorifying Him more. There were many Israelites who were not idolaters, but they were still had a religion of works rather than faith in God for salvation. The sin of the Laodicea church is that they became indifferent and apathetic. (Revelation 3:14-2). They were going through the motions of being religious but no longer interested in the message of the cross. This made them very attractive to the world-because they no longer needed God. They relied on their earthly knowledge, riches, and sophistication but Jesus called them pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.

Jesus has called us to exceed, overflowing with the Masters love for a dying world. I must stand up for the righteousness of God as the prophets did. I am a poor disciple if the world sees no difference between themselves and me. I must make the world either to despise me or desperately longing of the righteousness of God working within me. I can only do this through Him who is “made into us…righteousness”. (I Corinthians 1:30).

Godliness is Not Geographical!
God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth.” John 4:24.

I must remember that my relationship with Father God is not determined by a certain place. Godliness is not produced by topography. Man builds himself tremendous, large cathedrals thinking that this impresses Father God and proves their holiness. This is exactly what Jesus confronted with the religious leaders of His day.

Jesus vividly made this point to the woman at the well (John 4:4). She was emphatic about Mount Gerizim: the place where men ought to worship” (John 4:20). Jesus replied that it did not matter where she worshiped, it was how to worship that she needed to be correct about. The house of worship is in spirit, that is, and being properly tuned to God spiritually.
Jeremiah stated in his parable regarding the ripe and the spoiled figs. (Jeremiah 24). The good figs were the Jews, who had been taken to Babylonia, while the rotten figs were the Jews who remained in the holy land.

The parable ends forever the sin of place. Babylon was supposed to be the evil place, Judah, the good. But that was not true of the figs, for the rotten ones were in the good place; the good ones were in the rotten place.

How this speaks to my heart just now! Babylon with all its evils did not corrupt the captive Jews. Why? Because the right kind of geography was inside of them, not outside. Their hearts were right though their surroundings were evil. It was exactly the reverse with the Judean Jews, whose hearts were wrong though they were surroundings were right.

How often I have blamed my friends, my family, my job, or my environment for hindering my progress with God. False! The blame lies in my own negligent heart. The battle is one or lost within me. Babylon can become my purest heaven or Judea, my deep as hell, depending upon the state of my heart. The Lord God said in His Word that Jesus was a tender plant in a dry desert. (Isaiah 53:2). Father God, you want me to make sure to be the opposite of my surroundings, a touch of heavenly beauty in a barren land.

Playing with Fire!
Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Ephesians 6:13.

Lord, I know that I cannot serve two masters. There are many examples of people who try to obey their own fleshly desires, inspired by Satan and at the same time trying to serve God.
I remember the bitter lesson King Asa learned trying to play both ends against the middle. He appeased the King of Syria, an archetype of Satan, by giving him expensive gifts from the Temple. Result? “He helped him not.” (2 Chronicles 28:21). Distressed Ahaz turned to Syria and sacrificed to its gods, “but they were the ruin of him” (v23). The king made the mistake thinking that he could satisfy Satan. The more he tried to appease Satan his situation grew worse.

How many believers are self-deceived thinking if they give into grip of sin over them will weaken. They really believe if they don’t make waves and give in a little Satan will leave them alone. There are many examples of people who try to obey their own fleshly, desires, and Satan who inspires them and at the same time trying to serve God. I like what Paul stated when he said we should give no opportunity to Satan. (Ephesians 4:27). Look at the ruined lives of those who gave him a chance-Eve, David, Judas, Ananias and Sapphira. The price is too steep.

My carnal nature loves to bargain. I shrink from pain and struggle; because we think it is easier to keep Satan quiet. Appeasement is the habit of a careless life, not the habit of a soldier. There is something inwardly begins to crumble if I do stand up to Satan. Appeasement is my confession of defeat and failure, my resignation from discipleship, my surrender to the one who nailed Jesus to the cross. Paul stated, “not for one moment do we yield”. (Galatian 2:5). Each time I refuse Satan and his lies I will be strengthened; each resistance will make be a better solider of Jesus Christ.

Surviving or Overcoming?
For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4

I am determined not merely to survive as a Christian, but to overcome. Too often my life has been a “hanging in there” kind of thing, God has called me to be an overcomer. Do I get into one problem after another and then say, “Thank God I got out of that one alive”. Is that all there is, getting out of things alive?

The secret to overcoming is to have adequate resources, and the secret of adequate resources is tapping the infinite supply of God’s provision. When I read over the acts of mercy of Father God I remember the poor widow’s plight. (2 Kings 4). She had a little oil, nothing more. Creditors were pressing her to sell her sons as slaves. Elisha advised her to procure all the empty jars she could get and begin to pour the little bit of oil into these jars. Then it happened! By God’s wonderous power the oil kept flowing until every jar was full. She was obedient to the word of the prophet and her need was met.

Where did the oil come from? Where else but the same place as the loaves, the fish, the wine, the manna, and the thousand other things God sent His poverty-stricken people. God simply was supplying out of His storehouse. The people could not see this but God moved on their behalf. We see God’s abundance through our eyes of FAITH. Faith calleth those things that are not as though they were. (Romans 4:17). I am an overcomer because I believe what God has said in His word. Sometimes to my natural mind it does not make sense but FAITH SEES THE ANSWER even before it is manifested in the physical realm.

I overcome because Jesus is the great overcomer. His redemptive sacrifice on the cross of Calvary paid for it all. As we BELIEVE, we SPEAK. And as we believe and speak, we LIVE a life of faith. He stated that He has provided everything for us according to our faith. (Philippians 4:19). Our measure and our supply are according to our faith. If you are lacking in any area don’t blame God blame your lack of faith.

Going Beyond Feelings!
He has made it clear to you, mortal man, what is good and what the Lord is requiring from you—to act with justice, to treasure the Lord’s gracious love, and to walk humbly in the company of your God. Micah 6:8

For so many Christians faith stops with their emotions. We sing, we dance, and we yell amen but when we reach difficult situations our faith stops. Walking by faith means we have an eternal perspective because we fix our eyes on what is eternal because we know what we see is temporal. (2 Cor. 5:6-8). We think that when we have an emotional feeling God has blessed us with His presence. But this is not so because His Word says He will never leave us. The prophets were most emphatic that repentance shows itself in justice, in equity, in helping the fatherless and widows. To them the way we treat others is the way we will treat God. Service to God means it rends our hearts not our garments. (Joel 2:13). If we humble our selves before God but continue to be the same then we have just the shell of religion.

Many decisions we make are based on our feelings. But once our feelings have passed, we tend to return to our old ways. Many people come to the altar crying seeking forgiveness only to return to their former lives. Why because their tears were just emotion. They were not based on true repentance by turning their back on their sinful lives. True repentance produced disciples and warriors for Jesus. It is easy to go forward to the altar but how crucifying it is to go back to being the same old you.

Holiness and repentance are not putting on a long face crying trying to impress others of how holy you are. A transformed heart before God produces fruit of the Holy Spirit that glorifies God by the way we believe, speak, and live a life of faith.

The Neighbors Sheets

What dirty sheets our neighbor hung up on her clothes’ line a women stated to her husband. “Maybe she needs to use a new brand of soap. I wish I could help her to wash her sheets!”
The husband looked at her without saying anything. Every two or three days the women repeated the same comments about her neighbor’s sheets as she looks through the window.

In about month the woman was very surprised to see that her neighbor hanging clean sheets and they looked brand new. She said to her husband, “Look! Finally, she learned how to wash her clothes. I wonder if another neighbor taught her how to wash?” Her husband responded, “No, today I got up very early and I washed our windows…..”

How easier it is to criticize others. Sometimes we criticize others because we don’t understand their actions. But before we judge others let’s take a long look at ourselves! Only God knows the hearts of people. Psalms 19:14

Learning How to Lose!
For whoever wants to save their life, they will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. Matthew 16:25.

Lord, I will try to learn the lesson. You have been teaching me all my Christian life-how to lose. The Christian life is the life of great losses. The natural man always wants to come in first; the true disciple of Jesus learns how to come in last.

Look how Jesus lost. He lost the confidence of John the Baptist (Matthew 11:3). He lost many disciples (John 6:66); and He gave up His dignity, respect, and clothing (Matthew 27:29,35); and most important He gave up his life. Look how Paul lost. “For Christ’s sake I have lost everything (Philippians 3:8). That ‘everything’ included his life.

I will never amount to anything for Christ until I attend my own funeral. A disciple is like a house in a cyclone; every part gets blown away bit by bit until there is nothing left but the foundation. Then God builds a new structure. The trouble with me-and with most Christians-is that I want to live; I dislike dying. Paul said something profound about that: “Death worketh in us” (2 Corinthians 4:12). Lord, there have been many times when death did not work in me at all.

This is difficult to understand, Lord. I thought at first that the Christian life was full of joy, vitality, victory, and an eternity of heavenly blessings. That is the way You treated me at first. Then You began stripping away my selfish life. What a list! Friends, ambitions, carnal desires, promotions, and even family. My life seemed at times without a plot. And I thought that God was angry with me. However, in time I realized that which You were taking away is to build a strong foundation in You. I am thankful for Him through whom all the promises of God are “yes” (2 Corinthians 1:20). When I deliberately say no to my life for His sake, He responds by making it a victorious yes.

Scrapes and Bruises!
For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Matthew 13:15.

Lord, do I know you as my stumbling stone or my building stone? If I am not properly connected to You, I will surely stumble over You, as Peter did (Matthew 26:31). How often You and your Words have been offensive to me when I wanted to go my own way. I was offended when I wanted to choose certain friends, or other things that my flesh craved. Your Holy Spirt gave me gentle tugs on my heart but I would not listen.

There is only one place for the foundation stone, or the cornerstone. If it is not in its proper place in my life, I will only stumble over it repeatedly. I find that when I do not put You and Your Word first place the result is only pain from my rebellion.

Your cross, Lord, is often offensive to me, just as it was to Peter. I often crave a “glory” religion, a religion of feelings, fame, joy, and happiness but on my own terms. I do not like the “cross” religion, the drudgery, and misery of dealing with people deep in their sins and failures. I do not like saying no to myself. I do not like being put on the cross. Peter wanted a kingdom and position and power. So, do I. He could not bear to see it all go down the drain via the cross. How often he hurt himself stumbling over You!

Yet I read, “Who for the joy… before Him endured the cross. (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus found joy in the cross, while I shun it. Not only that, but via the cross He found victory, sitting at the right hand of Father God. God will not deny me victory or power (that He desires for me), but He says I will get these things only by enduring the cross. So, if I keep bumping up against God, something is wrong with me. If my feet are bruised it is because I am rebelling, not submitting. But if I submit, the joy of the cross will see me through many a dark day. This joy is not the cross itself, but its aftermath, for God always deals with ends-final realities-not shortcuts to them. I look for God’s end, my ‘posterity’ (Psalm 37:37) through my cross today.

Sacrificial Preaching!
Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. Jeremiah 1:9.

Lord, am I a Christian by indoctrination or revelation? If I am merely parenting truth, that has been dictated to me, woe is me and woe is any congregation or person that listens to me. When Christ met Paul on the Damascus Road, He revealed Himself to his former enemy. Afterward, Paul did not confer with Flesh and Blood, but escaped into the desert to receive further revelation. (Galatians. 1:15-17). Later, when he emerged to preach Christ, it was an incarnational message he preached, not when he learned at the foot of a human teacher.

All divine knowledge is received inwardly. Cristian education has this place, but only to make Christ revelation to me possible. It cannot make that revelation actual. Too many Christians today have taken on the culture of Christ without taking in His person. What is worse, too many spokesmen for Christ in the world are like the disciples before Pentecost-surrounded by Christ, but not invaded by Him. After Pentecost, the disciples did not need to be taught; they only needed the opportunity to release what had been revealed to them. What had formally been meaningless words now became truths that seared their hearts.

If Jesus did not dare to speak from Himself, (John 17:17) how dare I? If Jesus spoke only what was revealed to him by the Father, (John 7:6), how can we possibly preach anything else unless it is revealed to us? What we need in our pulpits are men who talk about God based on firsthand knowledge. God revealers will never lack an audience. I will do what Habakuk did, “Station myself on the watchtower and wait to see what He will say to me”. (Habakuk 2:1). It is what God says to me that becomes a message, people long to hear!

The Spared Self!
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Gal. 2:20.

I promise with your help not to spare myself, Lord. How loathsome this self-saving is to You is clearly indicated in the words of Jesus to Peter. When Peter said to Him, “Perish the thought, Lord….This (the cross) shall never happen to you! (Matthew 16:22). Jesus turned very forcibly to him and said, “Out of my sight, Satan!” (v 23).

Self-pity is of Satan. I think I can see why, Lord. Self-pity is a wall of defense around the “self” in which the self is defended against anyone-including God. If Jesus had pitied Him-self He would have never gone to the cross. If I pity myself. I will never submit to the lethal principle of God’s will and, therefore, never become the means of life to others.

Self is like Ananias keeping back part of the money he has promised to give to the Lord (Acts 5:1-2). Self is forever telling me to keep back a part of myself. It considers total dedication to God a “waste” (Mark 14:4). In the language of Jesus’ bystanders, begged Him to come down from the cross and save Himself (Mark 15:30).

I must understand that self-pity is not the same as self-preservation. Accepting Jesus as my sin-bearer is self-preservation. Resting when I am tired and need a vacation is also a form of self-preservation.

However, there is no cure for self-pity except in death-spiritual death. And spiritual death comes to one who says yes to God in whatever He wants to do with him. It is impossible to say yes to God and still pity myself. It is my choice to make. When I say yes to Him, He responds with an almighty yes to me, and I rise from the death of crucifixion into newness of life.