Month: June 2015

Morning Dew

Key Word: –Psalm 16:3 – “As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”

There is a lady somewhere at one of the busy road intersections in Lagos. She has the onerous task of directing traffic. That in itself is a big challenge in a ‘bursting at the seams’ Lagos. The traffic in Lagos is legendary. But this tiny woman, makes the job of a traffic warden look so glamorous. She has raised the game as it were. Her uniform is always clean and well pressed. Her boots or shoes are well polished. Her gait is always upright and she directs the crazy drivers of Lagos with a very warm and broad smile. If you live on the Island in Lagos, you know this woman. This is a great contrast to the thousand others who just don’t care; the sloppy, nonchalant, money grabbing others, who make our lives a misery. She is simply an excellent person.

Excellence is in our DNA and we all love an excellent person. But we should not leave excellence to just the few ‘super humans’ we think are so special, no one can attain their lofty heights.

The bible says that we children of God are the excellent ones in the earth.

Psalm 16:3 – “As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”

Here are some qualities of excellent people from the bible:

1. Excellent people are humble people – They do not try to cover up their weaknesses; instead they expose them and develop ways to become better at these weaknesses. They are never too good to never make mistakes and never too proud to become vulnerable. This seems to be something consistent with all the excellent people of the bible.
2. Excellent people know that excellence is not a destination but a journey. So they work at it daily. They keep it as an ideal and make the pursuit of excellence an integral part of their value system.
3. They know excellence is both a skill and an attitude. They know it starts in the heart and then affects what you do. The bible says David shepherded Israel with the integrity of his heart and the skilfulness of his hands. Psalm 78:72. You don’t develop skill unless you are ready to practice. Like they say ‘repetition is the mother of skill’. You can’t be excellent unless you have the right heart attitude. You must want to do your best. You must push your limits. Whatever they do, they do it with all their heart and mind.
4. Excellent people always finish tasks and projects. They never leave jobs undone or fail to complete assignments. Moses finished the tabernacle, Solomon finished the Temple, Jesus finished our salvation. Excellent people are finishers.
5. Excellent people are people of LOVE! If we are to move in the excellence of God, we must be consumed with the love of God. Love inspires us to do our best for others at all times.
   1. Excellent people love themselves (not in a negative way). They have a healthy self-love that makes them give their best always.
   2. Excellent people love others. (just think of that special birthday cake someone made for you. I have a friend who makes cakes. He just always seems to surpass himself every time he makes a new cake.)
   3. Excellent people love God. They do everything ultimately for the glory of God and to honour him.

This does not sound like rocket science and something way out of our reach. Can I encourage you today to unleash the excellence that is already placed inside of you by God? You were created excellently by an excellent God to be an excellent person, living an excellent life glorifying the excellent God who made us!

Tomorrow, I will talk briefly about one more key to excellence and the rewards of excellence; but let’s pray today.

Father God, thank you for making me an excellent person. I ask for your forgiveness for my bad attitude sometimes and for allowing myself to do less than I could have done. Please help me from now on to always work towards excellence and always remember that being excellent is love expressed. I ask this in Jesus name. Amen.

Morning Dew

Key Passage: Colossians 3:23-24 – “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”

Key Text: “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord

Stop today if you can and pick up a blade of grass. Look at it intently and you will begin to notice that this seemingly inconsequential blade of grass is nothing short of a masterpiece. Look at the horizontal lines; can you see the web like formations? How about the central stem? Is it a perfect straight line? Did you notice the greenness of the blade? How perfect is that colour? Look at your self; The bible says we are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are a masterpiece. God did not spare details when he created you. Have you ever wondered how many nerves are in your body? How many neutrons or neural ends connect to make you lift your small finger? How about your heart? Do you know it beats at least 72 times per minute and it has been doing that everyday without fail from the way before you were cut off your mother’s umbilical cord? This is not an accident. Everything in God’s creation is a deliberate act of excellence by our Father in heaven. WOW!

I have been sort of consumed with just appreciating the creation of God recently. I have always been a lover of nature and wildlife, but recently I have begun to look more closely at the perfection in God’s creation. God is actually quite detailed. He is an absolutely excellent person. This though has challenged me to push myself further and become excellent in every area of my life. After all we are children of God and we have to be like our Father. So excellence is part of our DNA.

Job 37:23 says “Touching the Almighty, we cannot find Him out; He is excellent in power; and to justice and plenteous righteousness He does no violence [He will disregard no right].

Ps 8:1 – O LORD, our Lord, how excellent (majestic and glorious) is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory on [or above] the heavens.

An excellent God wants an excellent people. God is not wishy-washy so we should shun all forms of mediocrity and sloppiness and give God the very best we have. Excellence is in our DNA.

Col 3:17 – “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Col 3: 23-24 – “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”

Excellence is both an attitude and a skill. In begins in your heart and then it becomes something you acquire a knack for. Let me encourage you today to imitate God and become excellent in all that you do.

Tomorrow, I will give some qualities of excellent people, but today let’s just pray that we would become excellent people and then set out on this great journey of discovery.

Let’s pray: Excellent Father, Our hearts are stirred in awe and wonder at you magnificence and your excellence. Dear Father, please help us to receive and manifest your excellence in our lives and let us not be happy with mediocrity ever again. Help us to remember that you created us to be excellent and so we should be. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen.