THE SPIRIT OF EXCELLENCE

.

.

WHAT IS EXCELLENCE :

In the first definition in The American Heritage Dictionary, excellence is defined as “The state, quality, or condition of excelling; superiority.

The word excel is defined as, “to do or be better than; surpass; to show superiority, surpass others.” Then under the word excel, the following terms are listed and explained as synonyms for excel.

The words excel, surpass, exceed, transcend, outdo, outstrip all suggest the concept of going beyond a limit or standard.

The mark of God is excellence :the theory of Master Designer.

BIBLE VIEW:

Excellence: Being the best we can be with God’s grace.

Excellence refers to pursuing and doing the best we can with the gifts and abilities God gives, giving our best to the glory of God. But ideally, it is done without the spirit of competition or seeking to excel simply to be better than others. Excellence includes doing common, everyday things, but in very uncommon ways regardless of whether people are watching. The reality is that God sees our work and rewards us accordingly (cf. ).

TWO DISTINCT VIEW .

Brian Harbour picks up on this issue in Rising Above the Crowd: “Success means being the best. Excellence means being your best. Success, to many, means being better than everyone else. Excellence means being better tomorrow than you were yesterday. Success means exceeding the achievements of other people. Excellence means matching your practice with your potential.

IMPORTANT CONCEPT

Excellence is not a gift. It must be pursued. It must be sought after. God will give you the desires, but you must cultivate what God has put within you.

Don’t expect excellence to be a gift of the Spirit. If you are given to slothfulness and an attitude of masking your lack of the pursuit of excellence behind the phrase...

"If God wants it done, He’ll be sure it gets done", you are positioning yourself for a great lack of excellence. To excel means "to go beyond, to be superior." Excellence is not a gift; it must be achieved. Pursue excellence.

Light Point to Consider.

PURSUING EXCELLENCE SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED BY THE NATURE OF THE TASK

is that we are to do whatever we do, whether it is viewed as important by society or very menial and insignificant, whether one is the president of a large company or one who cleans the offices at night, all is to be done to the glory of God. Regardless what we do, it deserves our best for in the long run, it reflects on the honor and glory of our God and will ultimately be rewarded by Him

()

PURSUING EXCELLENCE IS A MATTER OF CHOOSING THE BEST

The pursuit of excellence is never a matter of simply choosing between what is good or bad, but of choosing what is best or superior because it will better enable us to accomplish what God has designed us to be and do.

.

EXCELLENCE IS AN ALL-INCLUSIVE PURSUIT

If it is a task worth doing, it is a task worth doing right and diligently.

EXCELLENCE IS A MATTER OF A WHOLE-HEARTED ENDEAVOR

These three passages also point us to the importance of whole-hearted endeavor in whatever we do as Christians. But even more basic than that, and teach us that pursuing excellence is a matter of the heart, of the inner person and proceeds from a inner faith/relationship with God.

Motives for the Pursuit of Excellence

THE GLORY OF GOD

Let men see his glory in you.

TIME AND PRODUCTIVITY. Life reward , the best off you , do it once and do it right.

Opportunity , Daniel secretly work upon Him self

.

ETERNAL REWARD.

Another awesome reason for the pursuit of excellence is that our toil in the Lord is never in vain if done in His strength or by the enabling ministry of the Spirit of God. All Christians will one day stand before the Judgment (Bema) Seat of Christ to receive back for what they have done while alive in this life.

LAST PRINCIPLE

Principles of Excellence:

1. Make the original worth copying. Do it right the first time

· "Many times the difference between failure and success is doing something nearly right... or doing it exactly right."

2. Invest in quality

· "Excellence always endures... it remains long after cost is forgotten"

· “The satisfaction of quality far outweighs the bitterness of a cheap deal”

3. Do everything you do for Jesus: And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord

you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

4. Commit to improvement and growth the rest of your life

“I pledge to live a life of excellence according to God’s word”

5. Release your faith through confession -- You possess what you confess

6. Identify the average areas of your life -- The areas you need to revolutionize

7.

“Excellence is not a gift, but is measured by your desiring and perfecting gifts given. What you do with your gifting will determine if you attain excellence