“Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men.”
Proverbs 22:29 (NKJV)

JUNE 17 - While mediocrity of spirit plagued the scribes and chief priests in Jerusalem as they ignored the Messiah’s birth, the Wise Men of the East paid attention to the spark that lit the Middle-Eastern air. A priestly class, most likely from the region of Persia, they lived in spiritual excellence—potently able to interpret dreams, blessed with supernatural visitations. Mediocrity cruelly infects all of mankind. In our contemporary culture, there is a magnetic pull towards mediocrity. People foolishly attempt to get by in life with the attitude of “just good enough.” That mentality eventually debilitates a person’s potential. The moment we do not press forward, we move backward. We must  continually rise above the temptation to accept the status quo.

The individual who does not desire to excel is deceived into thinking that going further is not worth the effort. However, God wants more for us. The desire to excel is really the desire for a fuller, richer, and more abundant life, which stems from God. When God enters a life, He deposits a relentless desire for betterment. Many quickly reject that desire, either because they have been taught conversely or because they consciously choose laziness.

Nevertheless, we must give our attention to principles of excellence. As in our example of the Wise Men of the East, people of excellence are tools God uses to influence kings and great men across the entire globe. If we neglect to become more, we reject our duty to allow God to express Himself through us.

Daily Confession

Father, I thank You that I am a person who excels in my work. I will stand before great men and kings. I continually press forward to a fuller, enriched life that glorifies You.

Family Scripture Reading

Proverbs 3

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Posted under Excellence

“…and He will give you all you need from day to day if you live for Him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
Matthew 6:33-34 (NLT)

MAY 10 - There are all kinds of lists in the world: best-seller, government watch, crime statistical, animal endangerment, trendy dress, and weekly shopping lists. But excellence is not simply another list, filled with principles to be checked off as though on our daily “to-do” list. Nor is excellence reaching a particular destination. Excellence is a journey. It is becoming the very person God destined you to become.

Heaven’s message is clear: A casual attitude toward life leads us to a place of disappointment and defeat. If we want to realize God’s best and go further than our present state, we must answer His call, launching out on the jet that leads us to a lifelong mission of excellence.

Too often people say they want excellence in their lives, but they stop pursuing excellence because the price is too high. Many people become discouraged and quit the moment they realize excellence requires a daily striving for improvement. They are simply unwilling to pay the price to obtain the prize.

Excellence is something we must pursue continually, something we must earnestly seek, like water in a dry, barren land. It is the quest to become healthy in all areas of life. We must ask ourselves, “Why should I embrace this message of excellence?” Because the existence of God living within you demands that you improve—daily.

Daily Confession

Father, I thank You that I seek first Your Kingdom and Your principles. I never settle for just good enough because my desire in life is to walk the journey of excellence. I press toward the goal to win the prize for which You called me.

Family Scripture Reading

Genesis 18

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Posted under Excellence

“Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king…Amaziah did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, but not like his ancestor David. Instead, he followed the example of his father, Joash. Amaziah did not destroy the pagan shrines, where the people offered sacrifices and burned incense.”
2 Kings 14:2-4 (NLT)

MAY 7 - Every woman alive knows it—either you are, or you aren’t. Pregnancy is not a mediocre process; it is impossible to be “almost” with child. Either you are, or you aren’t. As a natural example for us all, when God creates life, He never does it half way. How many of us can recall King Amaziah? Almost none of us, right? But who knows David? Virtually the whole world does, even those who are not believers. David stood for the extraordinary, but Amaziah accepted the ordinary, doing things half way. Notice, Amaziah wasn’t displeasing to God. The Scriptures say that he did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, which means that he must have had a certain degree of integrity and goodness to him. Nevertheless, he didn’t do what it took to make things great, like his ancestor David did.

Mediocrity doesn’t mean that we live a lazy, worthless life. No, mediocrity means that we let just a few things slip through the cracks on one hand, while we hold together everything else with the other, doing a balancing act. I wish I could say that God understands, but that just is not true. God gave us His grace so that we are able to become extraordinary, going all the way in every area of our lives. Ask yourself: What areas of my life have I allowed mediocrity to penetrate? While it may be difficult to stand for the extraordinary at first, it is the only way to make a lasting impact in your world.

Daily Confession

Father, I thank You for empowering me to stand for the extraordinary so that You can be glorified in my life.

Family Scripture Reading

James 5

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Posted under Mediocrity