EXCELLENCE IS PURE: ENVISION IT TO EXCEL!
“HOLDING the MYSTERY OF THE FAITH in a PURE CONSCIENCE” 1 Timothy 3:9.
“And herein do I EXERCISE myself, to have always a CONSCIENCE VOID OF OFFENCE TOWARD God, AND TOWARD men” Acts 24:16.
Sometimes when I hear some so called Gospel Ministers and Christian faith believers say this: “IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT THEY DO AS LONG AS GOD STILL LOVES THEM’, I begin to wonder what this life of grace has become to some, especially in the 21st century. Is it true that God STILL LOVES US IN FAITH NO MATTER WHAT WE DO? Who then will QUESTION the UNSAVED and what right do we have then to PREACH THE GOSPEL to the unsaved. Then the Scripture of Romans comes to mind, that we can’t continue in sin in the name of grace. And we can’t continue also in the fleshy [carnal] ways of doing life that’s contrary to the freedom we’ve received of God in Christ Jesus, as caution against in the Galatians scripture, otherwise we will be without guildrails to enable and ensure we stay secured in the grace from the enemy and cohorts intent on our redemption.
“What shall we say [to all this]? Should we CONTINUE IN SIN and PRACTICE SIN as a habit so that [God’s gift of] GRACE may increase and overflow? 2 CERTAINLY NOT! How can we, the very ones who died to sin, CONTINUE to live in it any longer? 3 Or are you ignorant of the fact that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” Romans 6:1-3/Amplified.
“It was for this FREEDOM that Christ SET US FREE [completely liberating us]; therefore keep standing firm and do NOT BE SUBJECT again to a YOKE OF SLAVERY [which you once removed] . . . 13 For you, my brothers, were CALLED TO FREEDOM; only do not let your freedom become an OPPORTUNITY for the SINFUL nature (worldliness, selfishness), but through love serve and seek the best for one another” Galatians 5:1, 13/Amplified.
Know full well that God LOVES us, but that does not mean He does COMMEND a life being lived outside His WORD. As I have always said time and again that our God will ONLY COMMEND what He had COMMAND and ORDERED. All things [good or bad] will work together for the good of those who not only love God BUT walk and do life according to the course of His Word in Purpose just as Jesus Christ did in humanity. [Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:11-12; John 18:37; 1 John 3:8].
Many times, God’s purposes of excellence to us, is so clear before us, but we need to walk and work in the course of that envisioned covenant of His grace; and if one begin to do any act of life outside His Word, we will surely loose out in our place of grace to excel. Apostle Paul says this in Galatians 2:21 “I do not FRUSTRATE the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain”. Meaning I do not do things that will make the GRACE of God INOPERATIVE and INEFFECTIVE in my life. Amen.
An example of FRUSTRATING GRACE to rob one of EXCELLENCE in Christ Jesus stead is as this:
What happened to Reuben the first born of Jacob. Though born for an envisioned excellency to attain, he lost his place of blessedness to excel to his younger brother Joseph, for sleeping with one of His father’s wives in the SCRIPTURAL context as found in Genesis 49:1-4. You can’t eat your cake and have it. Grace for EXCELLENCE is not cheap or not to be taken for granted and done with despite as Hebrews 10:29 warns and enjoins:
“Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done DESPITE unto the Spirit of grace?”
When you look through the heroes of Faith in Patriarchal order of HEBREWS CHAPTER ELEVEN, you will noticed after Patriarch Jacob, the next name that comes is Patriarch Joseph instead of Patriarch Reuben, though he was his father’s excellency of dignity and first born worthy of double honour as the Scripture does recommend – Genesis 49:3; Deuteronomy 21:15-17; Genesis 25:31-33. That’s why you must be on guard on your ENVISIONED EXCELLENCE to avoid derailing in the grace of actualising your place in God’s grace and BLESSEDNESS, in Christ Jesus stead, of our REDEMPTION in Him. Acts 20:32; Hebrews 6:10-12; Ephesians 1:7 (Colossians 1:13-14; 1 Corinthians 1:30).
EXCELLENCE IS PURE! So, if you crave to have God’s good and best, watch your PATH OF LIFE to the ENVISIONED EXCELLENCE. [1 Timothy 3:9; Philippians 4:8]. Therefore, answer yourself this question – Is it Scriptural true, that, it doesn’t matter what people do simply because God loves them? – [Romans 6:1-4; Galatians 5:1, 13].
SELAH – PAUSE AND THINK.
SCRIPTURAL THOUGHTS WORTH PONDERING IN CONTEXT:
“Moreover THE WORD of the Lord came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, WHAT SEEST (ENVISION) THOU? And I said, I SEE (ENVISION) a rod of an almond tree. 12 Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well SEEN (ENVISION): for I will hasten MY WORD to PERFORM it” Jeremiah 1:11-12 (Emphasis Mine).
“And Jacob CALLED unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. 2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father. 3 Reuben, thou art MY FIRSTBORN, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: 4 unstable as water, thou shalt not EXCEL; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then DEFILEDST thou it: he went up to my couch” (Genesis 49:1-4).
“. . . By FAITH Isaac BLESSED Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By FAITH Jacob, when he was a dying, BLESSED both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. 22 By FAITH Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. . .” (Hebrews 11:20-22).
“HOLDING the MYSTERY OF THE FAITH in a PURE CONSCIENCE” 1 Timothy 3:9.
“And herein do I EXERCISE myself, to have always a CONSCIENCE VOID OF OFFENCE TOWARD God, AND TOWARD men” Acts 24:16.
“Unto the PURE all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled” Titus 1:15.
“I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with PURE CONSCIENCE, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day” 2 Timothy 1:3.
“Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a PURE heart, and of a GOOD CONSCIENCE, and of faith unfeigned: 6 from which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; 7 desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm” 1 Timothy 1:5-7.
“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are TRUE, whatsoever things are HONEST, whatsoever things are JUST, whatsoever things are PURE, whatsoever things are LOVELY, whatsoever things are of GOOD REPORT; if there be any VIRTUE, and if there be any PRAISE, THINK on these things” Philippians 4:8.
REV. CHUKIE MORSI