Over-Coming With Excellence 2
The Road To The Blessed Place • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Handout
Handout
Leveling Up
Leveling Up
“Here’s another old saying that deserves a second look: ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’ Is that going to get us anywhere? Here’s what I propose: ‘Don’t hit back at all.’ If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.
“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Biblical Counseling Keys on Perfectionism C. What is Excellence?
What Is Excellence?
Excellence is
Lets Look at other Words that the bible reflect’s the topic of Excellence
Biblical Counseling Keys on Perfectionism The Divine Mandate
THE DIVINE MANDATE
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Biblical Counseling Keys on Perfectionism The Divine Mandate
There are recognizable differences between the demand for perfection and the desire for excellence. The perfectionist not only fails to rely on God, but also places trust in self-effort. The Bible calls this sin.11
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Infirmities are crippling weaknesses that sabotage our happiness and relationships and keep us from taking responsibility for our own lives. These weaknesses may be mental, moral, or emotional and will be worked out in our lives through our attitudes, feelings, and behaviors…
Biblical Counseling Keys on Perfectionism The Divine Mandate
Q “What is the difference between being perfectionistic and aiming for excellence?”
Perfectionists feel defeated if they are found at fault in any area. However, Christians are called to rise over and above immaturity, to excel in maturity.
“Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
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But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Biblical Counseling Keys on Perfectionism Perfectionism vs. Excellence
PERFECTIONISM VS. EXCELLENCE
Easton’s Bible Dictionary Martha
“Mary and Martha are representatives of two orders of human character. One was absorbed, preoccupied, abstracted; the other was concentrated and single-hearted. Her own world was the all of Martha; Christ was the first thought with Mary. To Martha life was ‘a succession of particular businesses;’ to Mary life ‘was rather the flow of one spirit.’ Martha was PERFECTIONISM, Mary was EXCELLENCE. The one was a well-meaning, bustling busybody; the other was a reverent disciple, a wistful listener.” Paul had such a picture as that of Martha in his mind when he spoke of serving the Lord “without distraction”
I am trying to help you and make things easier for you and not make things difficult, but so that you would have undistracted devotion, serving the Lord constantly with an undivided heart.
Wanda:
Many Christians fail to excel because of the ignorance of one Important Scripture.
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Worship Always Comes Before Service:
Talk About That:
Biblical Counseling Keys on Perfectionism Perfectionism vs. Excellence
Perfectionists take great pain and cause great pain!
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
Biblical Counseling Keys on Perfectionism A. What is Perfection?
A. What Is Perfection?
Perfection has two different meanings.
• The contemporary connotation
Perfection is being sinless, flawless, free from fault or defect.
“As for God, his way is perfect:
The Lord’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
Biblical Counseling Keys on Perfectionism A. What is Perfection?
The biblical connotation
Perfection is being mature, complete and whole.2
In Hebrew the word kalil means “completeness, wholeness.”
Biblical Counseling Keys on Perfectionism A. What is Perfection?
3 Satan, who was called the “model of perfection,” was created perfect and without sin. Later, he chose to sin.
Biblical Counseling Keys on Perfectionism A. What is Perfection?
Complete, But Not Sinless
In Hebrew the word tamim means “entire and complete,” and in a moral sense, righteous.4 God has completely provided all that is necessary for you to walk righteously.
Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him, Thus says the Lord God: You are the full measure and pattern of exactness [giving the finishing touch to all that constitutes completeness], full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
Biblical Counseling Keys on Perfectionism A. What is Perfection?
Morally Righteous
In Greek the word teleios means “complete or mature” in the sense of full grown. 5 Jesus states that you are to fulfill your potential to become “spiritually mature.”
This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
Biblical Counseling Keys on Perfectionism A. What is Perfection?
— Spiritually Mature
God in His goodness has designed how He will grow you into spiritual maturity, which is the process of sanctification. The apostle Paul readily admitted that he had not finished maturing, but that Christ had taken hold of him to bring him to maturity.
Since you are children of a perfect Father in heaven, you are to be perfect like him.”
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
I admit that I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into his abundance so that I may reach the purpose that Jesus Christ has called me to fulfill and wants me to discover.
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
ROB
This Is How We Over-Coming With Excellence
This Is How We Over-Coming With Excellence
1. Loving the Unlovable
1. Loving the Unlovable
“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer,
Jesus radically transforms the concept of love by commanding us to love our enemies. Such a command challenges worldly wisdom and calls us to reflect Christ's love as the path to overcoming. This love is powerful and sacrificial, embodying the very heart of the gospel. Through loving those who oppose us, we are not merely conforming to a divine standard but are empowered to exhibit Christlike excellence in adversity.
2. Strength in Weakness
2. Strength in Weakness
Illustration (need a young man)
Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,
My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.
weaknesses and struggles, like Paul's 'thorn in the flesh,' are opportunities for God's power to be perfected within us. In these moments, we draw strength from Christ's sufficiency. This paradoxical power found in weakness assures us that through Christ, we can overcome with excellence. Beloved, trust in God's grace and rely on His strength to transform trials into testimonies.
3. Joyful Journey of Trials
3. Joyful Journey of Trials
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
James encourages us to view trials as means for producing perseverance and maturity. Rather than resenting or avoiding challenges, embracing them as part of God's refining process aligns us with His purpose. This mindset fosters an attitude of joy amidst trials, which is transformative and leads us to perfection in faith. Such an approach exemplifies overcoming with excellence, deeply rooted in Christ's perspective on suffering.
Wanda
4. Trusting in Perfection
4. Trusting in Perfection
As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.
God's ways are perfect & it inspires Us to trust even in difficult times. Understanding His ways as 'perfect' assures us that His paths lead to protection and strength. The reliability of the Lord's promises assures us that we are overcomers when we align with His perfect plan. Brothers & Sister we must respond to life's uncertainties with faith in His unerring path, finding confidence despite challenges.
5. Pressing Toward the Prize
5. Pressing Toward the Prize
It’s not that I’ve already reached the goal or have already completed the course. But I run to win that which Jesus Christ has already won for me.
Paul's perspective of pressing on towards the goal of Christlikeness. Striving for excellence involves a persistent pursuit of spiritual maturity and the heavenly prize. This ambition requires a forward-thinking focus — one that is centered upon Jesus. TKE keep striving for the true prize, aligning your heart and actions toward reflecting Christ's excellence in your lives.
“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”
Growing Up- Requires Leveling Up
Kingdom Subjects- Knowing Who you R MEANS you understand what an ambassador is….diplomat sent by a state as its permanent representative in a foreign country:
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
And God has made all things new, and reconciled us to himself, and given us the ministry of reconciling others to God. In other words, it was through the Anointed One that God was shepherding the world, not even keeping records of their transgressions, and he has entrusted to us the ministry of opening the door of reconciliation to God. We are ambassadors of the Anointed One who carry the message of Christ to the world, as though God were tenderly pleading with them directly through our lips. So we tenderly plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Turn back to God and be reconciled to him.”
Rob
Now live like it.
Live out your God-created identity.
Live generously and graciously toward others,
the way God lives toward you.”
