Working Towards Excellence Christians have a taste for excellence if they are really trying to be a Christian.

Introduction Our lives must be lived in the quality of the Son of God. We have seen the quality in Jesus and in faithful disciples. It is a quality that we need to adapt for ourselves if we want to go to heaven. Psalm 8:1 “O LORD, our LORD, how excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens”.

Our God Is Most Excellent The excellency of our God. Isaiah 35:2 “ It will blossom profusely and rejoice with rejoicing and shout of joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.” Words just cannot do it justice to speak of our God, Most Excellent.

Our God Is Most Excellent Excellence of the knowledge of Christ. Philippians 3:8-9 “More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith”.

Our God Is Most Excellent Song: Praise Him, Praise Him, tell of His excellent greatness. Psalm 150:2 “Praise Him for His mighty deeds; praise Him according to His excellent greatness”. Peter recalling the Mount of Transfiguration in 2 Peter 1:17 “For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to him by the majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased”;

GOD EXPECTS HIS CHILDREN TO HAVE A HEART FOR EXCELLENCE Philippians 1:9-11 “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God”.

GOD EXPECTS HIS CHILDREN TO HAVE A HEART FOR EXCELLENCE God expects us to live an excellent moral life and follow His principles. Excellence of wisdom to guide one into quality living. Many verses in Ecclesiastes speaks of seeking wisdom in order to live righteous before God.

GOD EXPECTS HIS CHILDREN TO HAVE A HEART FOR EXCELLENCE The principles taught in the “Sermon On The Mount” should describe our life in Jesus’ kingdom. Matthew 5-7 The greatest principle is Love: Paul describes the actions of love as "A more excellent way". 1Cor Love is the foundation of the whole law of God Matthew 22:40

Our Effort Should Be Excellent When God made the world it was "very good". Because God does not do half-hearted things and end with junk. Only man makes junk. Diligence is a very "precious possession". Proverbs 4:23 This should be what we do in everything. Not just in trying to please God.

Our Effort Should Be Excellent God has never appreciated laziness or work as "men pleasers“ Colossians 3:22,23 “Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve”.

Our Effort Should Be Excellent God wants us to set our hands to a task and "do it with your might". Ecclesiastes 9:10; In other words, do a good job whatever you are doing. There is an internal satisfaction when one accomplishes a task that was entered with excellent effort and continued until accomplished.

Excellent Goals & Objectives Righteousness. Phil.3:10-14 The goal is to "know Him and the power of His resurrection". v10 3. The goal is to "attain to the resurrection". v11 4. Pressing on toward the goal with determined commitment. v14

Excellent Worship Where God is treated with special homage and reverence. We need to sincerely treat God as the most important thing in our life. Our worship should reflect that. Our behavior in church ought to reflect that. 1 Timothy 2:15 “but in case I am delayed, I write so that you may know how one ought to conduce himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth”.

Excellent Worship Where the offerings should be the best. Hebrews 11:4 “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts;, and by it he being dead yet speaketh”. Ecclesiastes 5:1 “Guard your steps as you go to the house of God, and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not now they are doing evil”.

Excellent Worship Wanting to give God my best song, prayer, sacrifice, communion, and attention to His word should be on each of our hearts. Wanting my affection and adoration to be expressed more perfectly, more sincerely, than ever before. Always trying to improve and not become stagnant.

Conclusion Since our God is excellent, And since God wants us to be excellent, We should evaluate our every action, thought, and desire to be in conformity to His excellent nature that He wants us to enjoy. Have you given God your most excellent effort? You still have time to do so.