Wednesday March 10, 2010 (24 Adar 5770)
"Ambitious Excellence!"
1 Corinthians 14:12
(Amplified Bible) So it is with
yourselves; since you are so eager and ambitious to possess
spiritual endowments and manifestations of the [Holy] Spirit,
[concentrate on] striving to excel and to abound [in them] in
ways that will build up the church.
Holy Spirit is given to Believers by God as an endowment, a
downpayment of our Inheritance which signifies that we are
Kingdom possessions. Paul writes these WORDs to us with the
expressed intent of defining the physical manifestation of
God's Spirit, where the POWER and Glory within the heart and
life of a Believer is clearly recognized for and visibly
manifests HIS Purpose of building, supporting and completing a
WORK within the Body of Christ.
Seen as unwavering in his instruction, Paul places great
emphasis upon our conscious effort to Honor and Glorify Christ
Jesus, rather than promoting one's personal ambition, we must
strive towards nurturing others within the Kingdom of God.
Even as Jesus had confronted HIS Disciples concerning their
obvious enthusiasm about their abilities to heal the sick and
command demons to retreat, it was with WORDs of gentle
direction that HE brought the focus of God's Purpose for the
WORK of Holy Spirit to their attention, Luke 10:19-20 (Amplified Bible) Behold! I have given you authority and power to
trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental
strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy
[possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you.
Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits are
subject to you, but rejoice that your names are enrolled in
heaven.
Declaring God's Will that SOULs be brought into the
Kingdom, Christ Jesus clearly emphasizes the role of
importance that our EAGERness plays in the Body. Choosing to
please God by our Obedience to HIS Will, we must realize what
Kingdom Truth is, and then duplicate that in our everyday
life. Whereas Paul writes of the manifestations of God's
Spirit of POWER and Authority within the lives of Believers,
he instructs us to strive with excellence to seek the GIVER of
Gifts, then those gifts of the GIVER will be of greater value
to the Body of Christ in such a WAY that builds, encourages
and strengthens the church, therefore being an acceptable and
pleasing Testimony to our heavenly Father.
O'LORD,
guide me daily by YOUR Spirit of Widsom, that TRUTH prevails
over the enemy's deception. Direct me as I follow YOU by
Faith, abounding in the excellence of YOUR Love. For others
must see YOUR Provision of Life, bringing increase into YOUR
Eternal Kingdom. For YOU will be Glorified in the earth, and
YOUR POWER made known through me as a Believers. All Honor and
Praise belong to YOU, O'LORD, manifest YOUR Dominion with
POWER in me,
Amen
