1 Thessalonians 4:1

 Now then, brothers and sisters, because of the Lord Jesus we ask and encourage you to excel in living a God-pleasing life even more than you already do. Do this the way we taught you.

In life and work, whether inside or outside the church, we sometimes give less than our best to God.  We should offer to the Lord our best in our attitudes, time, and resources.  However, whether out of laziness or sloppiness we no longer give the best we are or have.  What does God expect?  He expects excellence. Read Genesis 4:2-16.   This passage is about the offering of Cain and shows us that God doesn’t like second-best whether wrong attitudes or offerings are brought. Cain’s offering was rejected by God and Cain was corrected.

  It is the little areas I always notice myself slacking off in but most importantly achieving everything else I need to do and then giving God the “leftovers”.  We are not putting God first when we get to him last and have nothing left to offer to him.  In church, we deceive ourselves when we think that putting money in the plate fulfills all our requirements from God or that just by showing up that we are assembled together and God is pleased.  He wants ALL of us not just the areas we want to give him.

God is asking for excellence not perfection.  None of us are perfect but He is looking for our willingness to strive for the right attitude in everything we do; He is looking for good stewards in our time and resources.  Do we prepare ourselves for church and ministry?  Or do we slack off thinking that no one will notice?  God notices.

 As with Cain, God corrects those that He loves, however Cain rejected the correction, sinned and was banished from the presence of God.  To live without God’s presence is not to live at all. Today, repent with me, and make a commitment to yourself and to God that you won’t be lazy or sloppy in areas of your life including your ministry for God.  God is excellent in all his ways and expects excellence from us.

Proverbs 3: 11-12

My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:

For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.