February 2, 2016
Good morning beloved. I greet you in the mighty, matchless name of Jesus the Christ. Success comes to those who have the will-power to win over their snooze buttons. Wishing you an awesome morning. Give someone a smile today, even a hug. Speak to someone that no one else wants to speak to. You never know what might brighten up someone’s day.
It seems to me that American people are especially good at making excuses. Sometimes we make excuses to try to keep from hurting someone’s feelings. For example, if you were asked out on a date but really didn’t want to go, you might want to spare the feelings of the person asking and come up with some excuse as to why you had to decline. Sometimes we make excuses to avoid responsibility for our actions. We make excuses for things we did wrong, times we failed, things we don’t want to do, situations we don’t want to be in. How many times have you told someone “I forgot” when in reality you just didn’t want to do what was asked of you?
Life has a way of taking us on such a rollercoaster ride that all we want to do is get off the ride and never get on again. But unfortunately, life is not like going to an amusement park. You stand in line waiting to ride, or your height has to be measured to see if you’re tall enough to ride. Ha, life doesn’t come this simple.
There are things that we go through that we don’t want to do, like to do, or even have to do. As children, we grew up with these same thought patterns but just not as advanced as they are now and for one, our parents wouldn’t stand for it. But now that we are adults it’s much easier to do without opposition. Excuses come in all forms. An excuse seems to roll off our lips as fast as you can say your name. They are so often used in the place of honesty. The shamefulness of this fact is, that it should be the other way around. It should be easier to be honest than to give an excuse.
Excuses are the means for some to create whining, loneliness, complaining, and sympathy. Like crying wolf, if you keep looking for sympathy as a justification for your actions, you will someday be left standing alone when you really need help. But then there’s one more to add, confession. Yes, sometimes confession (I know this one makes you wonder). This is where you use confession to do something again. For example, to sin again. “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.”― Benjamin Franklin
We are skillful at the art of making excuses, aren’t we? “I don’t know how.” “I didn’t understand.” “I have a Doctor’s appointment.” Then there are some of my favorite excuses that we tend to use. How we can find all sorts of excuses not to obey God’s voice: “It’s the preacher’s job.” “It’s not my gift.” “I’ve already served, let someone else do it.” “I’m too busy or too tired or too old or too young.” We tend to be just like Jeremiah when God called him to be a prophet. We have every excuse we can phantom ready when God tells us to go or to do. Or, when we are asked to participate in some type of ministry.
One thing that I’m convinced of is that I haven’t arrived yet. I haven’t accomplished all that God has for me, and you haven’t either. The fact that we’re still alive means God has more for us. God is still changing us into what He wants us to be. God is still working through us to accomplish His purpose through our lives! God has more for us! Phil 3:13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: (NO Excuses) Forgetting what is behind (No Excuses) and straining toward what is ahead, (No excuses).
Moses gave five excuses to God as to why he could not do what God called him to do. People today come up with all sorts of excuses as to why they can’t make an impact. It is time to stop making excuses. Remember, to impact something means to have an effect or to make an impression that would cause a change upon something. That change could be something that is positive or it could be something that is negative. To God, there is no good excuse for not fulfilling the call that He has put in our lives. When God calls us we can say, “I’m not ready; I’m not worthy; I can’t do it, and so on. But listen, none of these excuses matter to God. When He gives us a calling in our lives, He already has a plan for us to fulfill that calling. The only thing that holds us back is us with our excuses. This doesn’t just pertain to God’s calling either. Sure it is the most important one but, it also pertains to that goal you set for yourselves. That business that you want to start or have started and you don’t feel like you can do it. Don’t fall into the trap of excuses as to why you shouldn’t pursue it or try. This is a trick of the enemy. Don’t let other’s nightmares pour into your dreams, which stops them from coming forth. All these are means of creating excuses.
We have to realize that our blessings are not in the perimeter of our comfort zones and that excuses help us to stay in that zone. You have to get uncomfortable at times to make a change in your life. When it’s all said and done any excuse is just a nice way of telling people no or is it? Maybe an excuse is a way we deceive ourselves into not doing what we should do or a way to get us out of doing something we don’t want to do. They are like the “get out of jail cards” on monopoly, a way to avoid something that might be unpleasant or might cost us some time or some money. Making excuses isn’t a good practice and it is especially dangerous when we start making excuses in our spiritual lives!
“But Moses protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” God answered, “I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.” But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” God replied to Moses, “I am who I am. Say this to the people of Israel: I am has sent me to you.” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations.” Exodus 3:11-14
“But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?” Then the Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?” A shepherd’s staff,” Moses replied.” Exodus 4:1-2
Give people hope, live life. Share your heart, wisdom and resources. Never place a period where God says there should be a comma.
As always peace and blessings, be safe. Remember God loves you and so do I. ©krw 2.2.16
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