Whatever you do, give 100% - Unless you’re giving blood - Bill Murray

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone - Author Unknown

If you think you’re too small to be effective, you have never been in the dark with a mosquito - Betty Reese

Go the extra mile; It’s never crowded - Author Unknown

I don’t call my people fans, I call them believers because they go above and beyond - Big Sean

Today I want to challenge you & invite you to come with me as we -

GO BEYOND!!!

Matthew 5:38–41 NKJV

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. 41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

Doing Beyond What is Expected Invites Blessing

2 Bible Examples:

Rebekah:

Genesis 24:14 NKJV

14 Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”

Genesis 24:17–20 NKJV

17 And the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher.” 18 So she said, “Drink, my lord.” Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink. 19 And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.” 20 Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.

A thirsty camel can drink as much as 30 gallons of water in 13 minutes.

The servant took 10 camels on the journey.

If each of the camels drank 30 gallons of water, Rebekah would have hauled 2,505#’s of water and if her vessel only held 3 gallons of water, she would have taken 100 round-trips to the well to fully water the camels.

Rebekah might have transferred 2,505 Pounds of Water & took 100 trips to the well

All that was culturally expected of Rebekah was that she would show kindness to a stranger and give him a drink of water.

Rebekah went beyond the expected & served water to Abraham’s servant & 10 camels - opening the way to marriage into the family that would bless nations.

The Shunammite Woman (2 Kings 4:8-37)

2 Kings 4:8–10 NKJV

8 Now it happened one day that Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable woman, and she persuaded him to eat some food. So it was, as often as he passed by, he would turn in there to eat some food. 9 And she said to her husband, “Look now, I know that this is a holy man of God, who passes by us regularly. 10 Please, let us make a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.”

I’ve got a question for you:

Is there such a thing as going too far in purposely creating a place for the presence and power of God to visit your life?

Ephesians 3:16–19 AMP

16 May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality]. 17 May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, 18 That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; 19 [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!

2 Insanely Practical Christian-Life Applications:

The Tithe & Offerings

When it comes to the tithe, I have invariably found it to be true that when someone asks if they have to participate in the Tithe, it’s not because they want to know if it’s okay to give more than 10%.

Malachi 3:8–10 NKJV

8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.

Let’s not only return the tithe, but let’s go beyond what is expected by bringing 100% (10/10th’s) to the Lord - every day.

Pastor Jolie and I have done this for many years & will continue to lead by example!

Mark 12:30 NKJV

30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.

Let’s love the Lord with ALL!

Personal Investment

Many people think that it is only expected to attend their church and do a good job of receiving, focusing on personal growth (what’s in it for me), and adding another head to the headcount.

That may be the expectation of a church, a religious institution, or an organization, BUT...what is God’s expectation???

I think this is partially why it is very easy to for some people to leave a church.

Wanna love the church where God has planted you & have longevity there? Or love wherever you are at (job, marriage, children, etc) -

Here’s the key:

Luke 12:34 NKJV

34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Bury Your Treasure where God has planted you!!!

Treasure can be anything you value - Time, money, energy, pride, family time, relaxation, LIVE football games, etc.

Go beyond what is expected!

Here’s what God is looking for:

Ephesians 4:11–12 NKJV

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

God expects every one of us to do the work of the ministry

It’s actually the Pastor’s job to equip us to the the work of the ministry, not to DO the work of the ministry.

Don’t forget the mosquito!!!

-You don’t have to be big or strong in order to be effective

Ephesians 4:15–16 NKJV

15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

God expects us to go beyond ourself and to step into loving others cheerfully.

(Loving is an action)

2 Corinthians 9:6–8 ESV

6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

Let’s go beyond the 90-10 principle

The 90-10 principle is simply that 10% of the people tend to do 90% of the work.

2 Important Culture Points at The Ark:

We Win Together - We emphasize “we” over “me” and our purpose over our preference. It’s not success if it’s secured solo. We are a Team Church!

We Love Sacrifice- We know that when we sacrifice, it’s not about what we’re giving up, but what we’re giving to. It’s not something we have to do, it’s what we want to do.

Whatever culture you have come from, we invite you to leave that culture behind and walk with us in OUR culture:

Just One Thing:

Go beyond what is expected and invite the blessing of God into your life like never before.

Discussion Questions:

If you could know the truth behind every conspiracy, but you would instantly die if you hinted that you knew the truth, would you want to know?

What has typically been your perspective of “going beyond what is expected?” Positive or Negative? Please share a little.

Please read 2 Kings 4:8–10 (or all the way through verse 37 for the bigger picture) & share about what it means to you to make room for the presence of God in your life.

How will you help your church body (The Ark) to grow in this next year by doing Ephesians 4:16-17 and supplying the need???