You're not alone

You're not alone if you are still unconvinced about the reasonableness of faith in Christ. But keep in mind Jesus' claim that we don't have to solve our doubts on our own. He said,"If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether My teaching come from God or whether I speak on My own" (John 7:17)

If you do see the reasonable of faith in Christ, the Bible offers to you the reassuring promise: " As many received Him, to chose who believe in His name" (John 1:12). The salvation Christ offers is not a reward for effort, but a gift to all who put their trust in Him.

Honesty Must Be Laid As The Foundation Of All Personal Excellence.

"Good people are guided by their honesty; treacherous people are destroyed by their dishonesty." Proverbs 11:3 (NLT)

While the shepherds' hearts were flooded with great joy, the rest of Bethlehem slept, unaware that the true Savior of the world had come, wondrously called, "The Way, The Truth, and The Life." How can we excel in any area of life without possessing the awesome virtue of honesty? We must be truthful with where we are, where we want to go, and with our Creator. When we walk in honesty, it causes us to progress in life like never before, and likewise prevents us from going backwards. As we cultivate honesty in our lives, excellence is a daily by-product. Many times, people are unwilling to be honest with where they are in life because they know the report would be dismal. Remember, we cannot disregard our actions of disobedience and then haughtily claim we are the righteousness of God. When we evaluate our present position, we discover the truth hidden in the preconceived actions of yesterday.

Examining ourselves causes us to come to grips with the truth. When we embrace the truth our actions declare of us, we begin to move in the direction God desires for us. We cannot change what we don't know. We can only move forward as we are willing to change. God Himself placed leaders over us who see the weaknesses we possess. They understand if our weaknesses are not addressed, our progress comes to a halt. Our leaders prove their love by their willingness to tell us the truth at the cost of our disliking them. Truth hurts, but it liberates us if we learn to embrace it. Ask yourself, and ask those above you, exactly what you need to change. Your response determines the excellence in which you walk.

Daily Confession
Father, I thank You that I am guided and directed by honesty. I choose to be honest with You, myself, with those You place above me.

EXCELLENCE

A Man's Progress In Life Is In Direct Proportion To His Continual Pursuit Of Excellence.

"I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."Philippians 3:14 (NKJV)

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Most Biblical scholars agree; the Middle Eastern landscape, particularly the area known as the "Fertile Crescent", is some of the most excellent terrain for agriculture in the world. Useful plants such as wheat, oats, barley, and rye originated in their natural habitat. Their strains spread throughout Africa, Europe, and finally the West. Without that excellent soil, we might not even enjoy our morning toast!

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Long ago, someone pursued that excellent soil, tilling, weeding, and harvesting it in order that they might receive the prize of fresh grain. Remember "good enough" is not acceptable behavior to a man of excellence. We must refuse the temptation to merely settle.

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Many people have what I like to call the "destination syndrome." People reach a certain goal or point in life, and for some reason, their pursuit stops. They settle contentedly at this one destination they worked so hard to attain, perched like a weary crow. But the moment we settle in life is the moment we no longer make any progress. And nature reveals to us that anything that does not grow (as in those lovely grains) is in the process of dying.

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Daily Confession

Father, I thank You that I press toward the goal for the prize of Your upward call in Christ Jesus. I pursue excellence and therefore I make continual forward progress.

~耶穌與看門的人~

寓意很深的故事~~~~~
> > 我們常執著於自己認為對的事情
> > 並說服別人相信我們的看法 採用我們的做法
> > 因為我們認為是為了他好
> > 其實一件事情有多個面向
> > 你看的這一面 或許跟對方所看的那一面並不相同
> > 爭執 往往就是這樣的發生
> > 唯有把心打開 容納身邊所有的可能與不可能
> > 才能讓我們的心靈得到快樂
~耶穌與看門的人~
> 北歐一座教堂裡，
> > 有一尊耶穌被釘在十字架上的苦像，
> > 大小和一般人差不多。
> > 因為有求必應，
> > 因此專程前來這裡祈禱，膜拜的人特別多，
> > 幾乎可以用門庭若市來形容。
> > 教堂裡有位看門的人，
> > 看十字架上的耶穌每天要應付這麼多人的要求，
> > 覺得於心不忍，他希望能分擔耶穌的辛苦。
> > 有一天他祈禱時，向耶穌表明這份心願。
> > 意外地，他聽到一個聲音，說：
> > 「好啊！我下來為你看門，你上來釘在十字架上。
> > 但是，不論你看到什麼、聽到什麼，都不可以說一句話。」
> > 這位先生覺得，這個要求很簡單。
> > 於是耶穌下來，看門的先生上去，
> > 像耶穌被釘在十字架般地伸張雙臂，
> > 本來苦像就雕刻得和真人差不多，
> > 所以來膜拜的群眾不疑有他，}
> > 這位先生也依照先前的約定，
> > 靜默不語，聆聽信友的心聲。
> > 來往的人潮絡繹不絕，
> > 他們的祈求，有合理的，有不合理的，千奇百怪不一而足。}
> > 但無論如何，他都強忍下來而沒有說話，
> > 因為他必須信守先前的承諾。
> > 有一天來了一位富商，
> > 當富商祈禱完後，竟然忘記手邊的錢便離去。
> > 他看在眼裡，真想叫這位富商回來，
> > 但是，他憋著不能說。
> > 接著來了一位三餐不繼的窮人，
> > 他祈禱耶穌能幫助它渡過生活的難關。
> > 當要離去時，發現先前那位富商留下的袋子，
> > 打開一看全部都是錢。
> > 窮人高興得不得了，
> > 耶穌真好，有求必應，萬分感謝地離去。
> > 十字架上偽裝的耶穌看在眼裡
> > 想告訴他，這不是你的。
> > 但是，約定在先，他仍然憋著不能說。
> > 接下來有一位要出海遠行的年輕人來到，
> > 他是來祈求耶穌降福他平安。
> > 正當要離去時，富商衝進來，
> > 抓住年輕人的衣襟，要年輕人還錢，
> > 年輕人不明究理，兩人吵了起來。
> > 這個時候，十字架上偽裝的耶穌終於忍不住，遂開口說話了...
> > 既然事情清楚了，富商便去找冒牌耶穌所形容的窮人，
> > 而年輕人則匆匆離去，生怕搭不上船。
> > 偽裝成看門的耶穌出現，指著十字架上說：
> > 「你下來吧！那個位置你沒有資格了。」
> > 看門人說：「我把真相說出來，主持公道，難道不對嗎？」
> > 耶穌說：「你懂得什麼？那位富商並不缺錢，他那袋錢不過用來嫖妓，可是對那窮人，卻是可以挽回一家大小生計；
> > 最可憐的是那位年輕人，
> > 如果富商一直纏

2. Unwanted Grace Came to an Unresponsive Heart (Jonah 1:3)

Jonah 1:3 ~ But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.

A. Unwanted Grace Came to a Self-Centered Heart.

Nineveh was in a weakened condition, and Jonah wanted it to stay that way..

Jonah knew of Nineveh’s cruelty and also of its expansionist desires..

Later Hosea, one of Jonah’s contemporaries prophesied that Assyria would take Israel captive, and Jonah knew that could happen..

Yet God told his prophet to go Nineveh – but his prophet didn’t want this grace from God..

Jonah was called to the greatest evangelistic ministry in history, but he turned it down..

He didn’t want God’s unwelcome, uninvited grace..

D. Unwanted Grace Comes as a Opportunity that’s more that we want.

All too frequently we are like Jonah – we don’t want God’s grace initiative in our hearts because it will call us away from our comfort and our security and our desires to care from cruel and troubled place like Nineveh..

Examples: Moses was done with challenge and was satisfied with tending sheep.. But a burning bush got his attention and called him to the greatest leadership opportunity which was key to all that Moses became..

Jeremiah: tired of weeping, of being single, “I do not, I will not say another word from You!”

What made them great was God’s unwanted grace..

Peter – he wanted a crown but Jesus gave him a cross. His response? “Never will I let you take the cross.” “Peter, not only I will take up the cross, you will too.”

Paul – burdened for the Jews would die for them, but God called him to the Gentiles..

And even if this is not the case, God’s initiating grace always calls us to something we cannot do, something that is overwhelming for us, something that frightens us because it is so demanding..

Think of it – Jonah was called to go to a city of 600,000 and tell them about God’s demands on them, but he would be the only believer there.. There was no steering committee, no team, no advance men and women, no counselor training, just Jonah – and God..

And how did Jonah respond. He rose up and went as far in the opposite direction as he could from Nineveh..

NO LEADER BECOMES A LEADER WITHOUT UNWANTED GRACE – The grace to die with dignity and the grace to live with impact..

If you think you can do your job, and you have managed on your own, God’s unwanted grace is always standing at the door.. God never never, never gives us supernatural things to do.. He only has God-sized tasks..

Leadership is not primarily what you do. The real thing about it is HOW YOU GROW. You are in leadership to grow in public, so others can learn how to grow while watching you..