Dead in Medocrity or Alive in Excellence

Have you ever noticed how often people will complain about their lives, but do nothing about it? You will find it all around us, people appearing to be content with "just getting by". Doing just enough, barely enough to stay afloat. They have become comfortable in their circumstance, and are satisfied with the ordinary. These people have chosen to live in mediocrity, a place of stagnation and death. It is these "just getting by" folks that run to gossip about and attempt to tear down, anyone, who strives and seeks for more in life. They become so excited when someone who is "trying" is knocked down. They find joy in making fun of other's dreams, and will do many things to hinder some one's desire for excellence.

If you are someone who refuses to live a life of "ordinary", "just getting by" and "mediocrity", then ignore those who would steal your dreams and begin to live a life excellence. You and I are barely able to know what we can accomplish and what capabilities we have. God has created us in victory, to live a life of fullness and one of fulfilling our potential. I don't believe that we have even begun to understand all that God has created us to be. If you and I are to have an impact, anywhere at anytime, on the world we live in--then we must set the bar as high as possible.

We should be pursuing life, with a can-do spirit and refusal to entertain failure. If we allow the cold fingers of mediocrity to touch us with unhappiness, illness, emptiness and failure, then we have stepped from "living in excellence" to "sitting dead in mediocrity". We must commit ourselves to achieving personal excellence, and modeling it for other plants. Never allow yourself
to give up or quit, stand your ground and do all you can do. Choose to live that life of excellence.

That's No Hill For A Climber

That's no hill for a climber! It doesn't matter what the battle is, it's no battle for the child of God. We are destined to live in victory, over comers and winners. No matter how high the hill may seem to be...that's no hill for a climber. The battle for you and I was won at Calvary, and we are able today to claim that victory. Never allow yourself to focus on the "hill", keep your focus on the promises of God, knowing he will make a way.

That's No Hill For A Climber!!

God Uses Those Who Fail

If you could talk to the majority of us, and we were open and honest with you, you would find that almost all of us have experienced many failures during our lives. How many of us are haunted by bad choices we have made, feeling guilty because of our shortcomings and failures. I have lived through enough to know that the world around us is filled with those who are broken, weak and hurting. I think we would be shocked to know just how "human" most of us really are.

Have you ever wondered if you were the only one going through what you were experiencing? Have you asked yourself if you were the only one who had to fight this same battle over and over? We all battle the same temptations, weaknesses and struggles as we live our lives. We all do, and we have all failed. Did you know that there isn't one person without "sin, failures or a past?" Even those that we respect so greatly, are not without sin, failures and a past in their lives. We all have them. The Bible tells us of our greatest heroes of faith, and it also tells us just how human they were. It tells us about how they struggled with sin, with bad choices, faults in their character and their weaknesses.

We find it much easier to talk about our "successes", than to open up about our failures. I suppose that's just the "human" part of us, fighting to protect ourselves. Not wanting anyone else to see our past, and know we have had our share of mistakes and failures. So, we talk about everything but those weaknesses and those sins, trying to push them deeper and deeper into our past. We just don't want people to see us that way, to learn we too are just of the "human" kind. Common flesh and bone. Why is it then, that we are so quick to want to write someone off, or judge them, when we find they have had personal struggles in their lives. You and I live in a real world, with real sin and people who are fighting real struggles. It may well be that you aren't struggling with overeating, drugs, alcohol, lying, stealing, cheating, gossiping or fornication. But how many of us are dealing with inner struggles such as depression or even thoughts of suicide. How many of us deal every day with failures, that no one knows about, and then struggle with the guilt that fills us.

I just want to in some way today, let you know, that in spite of what the "guilt" tells you or the devil tries to tell you, that God uses failures and will always forgive us and heal us. God knows us, the real us, with all our faults and struggles. We have to only ask for Him to forgive us, repent and rely on Him. God specializes in using the broken, the empty, the failures, the weak and the struggling. We are made in God's image and there is no way, God is close to being finished with us. If you fail, just go to Him and ask to be forgiven, knowing He is just to forgive. Never give up!
Never quit! You are worthy, and you are a winner with a calling of God. He wants to use us all, all of us even if we are broken, wounded, empty, tired, weak and human. God uses failures.

Some of the greatest men and women of faith, used by God, made some of the worst mistakes. I often look at what they achieved, but today instead of how great they were, let's be inspired by how human they were.

Moses stuttered.

Timothy had ulcers.

Hosea's wife was a prostitute.

Amos' only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning.

Jacob was a liar.

David had an affair.

Solomon had too many women

Abraham was too old.

David was too young.

Peter was afraid of death.

Lazarus was dead.

John was self-righteous.

Paul was a murderer.

Moses was a murderer.

Jonah ran from God.

Miriam was a gossip.

Gideon and Thomas both doubted.

Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal.

Elijah was a burn out.

John the Baptist had a mouth.

Martha was a worried.

Mary was lazy.

Samson had long hair.

Noah got drunk.

Days of Trials

It is a fact that we will face difficult times and circumstances. None of us are exempt. The truth is we will each face trials--for they are a part of life. It doesn't matter how far or how fast we try to run, we can never outrun the trials of life. The Bible is very clear that we all will experience difficulty and tough circumstances.

James 1:2-4 — “My Brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations; (3)
Knowing this, that the trying of your Faith works patience. (4) But let patience have her
perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

James tells us in this verse that it isn't a condition of "if" we will fall into divers temptations, but a condition of "when". He is telling us that it is a certainty. The believer is not exempt from facing trials, no matter how great his faith. Trials are a part of life that we all must encounter and James tells us why.

When trials come, it is important as believers, that we have the right attitude and mind-set. We must possess the belief that whatever God is allowing in our lives will work out for our good. The trial should never hold our focus. We should keep our eyes on God, knowing that He will produce something positive out of the trials we encounter. Often, there will be those who see themselves as a victim of the circumstance and fail to know that God is at work in their life. We may not be able to be excited about the trial, but we should be excited knowing we serve a God who will lead us out and into victory.

James uses the word "fall" in the above verse to tell us that most of our trials will be unforeseen. That we will not be aware of them, until we are in the "midst" of them. So, without warning, trials will come to us. There will those times we will face those circumstances and have no control over them. In these times, we should respond immediately with the attitude of "God is in control", period.

A Song For The One Searching In The Darkness

What an anointed voice, what an awesome young man. Listen to this young man sing, feel the anointing flow out of him--as you let these words minister to you. If you are searching in the darkness, feeling lost and empty, this song is for you.

The Standard of Excellence

If we are to become a person of excellence, then we first should know there is a price to be paid and secondly that a "standard of excellence" must be set. We must without exception, set that standard of excellence and then just do it. You and I can't go through our lives without direction, aimlessly wandering, and believe somehow we will finally end up successful. We must set the standard of excellence for our lives and seek to be all that we can be. The truth is that there are simply attitudes and actions that are unacceptable. Don't allow fear to keep you from setting the standard high; the higher the standard, the higher you will rise.

If we are to live up to our standard of excellence, it will require laying aside those bad habits, breaking free from the day to day ruts and leaving behind the predictable. We will be driven to step away from the mediocre life, seeking "excellence" in all the things we do. It's getting up at 5:00am each morning to exercise, read and pray. It is choosing an apple over candy, it is neatly folding our clothes, it is committing to read 25 books each year, it is developing a new attitude-an attitude of excellence. The lives we live today, are a direct result of our daily decisions to live in mediocrity or in excellence. It has been our choices which have led us to our current place in life. Our health, our relationships, our habits, our jobs...are results of our decisions to live a mediocre life or a life of excellence.

If we are to be successful, living with the highest standard of excellence, then we must make the choices that will lead us out of mediocrity. The standard of excellence we set will determine our rise out of mediocrity, and how much of our potential we will fulfill. What will you continue to accept in your life? Will you make the choices needed to break free and enter the extraordinary life. The life of excellence.

Kenny Hinson "He Will Calm The Troubled Waters"

In the midst of every situation, every circumstance and in the "troubled waters" He will truly come and calm your soul.