A Spirit Of Excellence

0:00:01.080 --> 0:00:03.840 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:00:03.880 --> 0:00:07.040 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 0:00:07.120 --> 0:00:09.720 enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 0:00:09.800 --> 0:00:12.440 share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 0:00:12.480 --> 0:00:15.840 for God's very best in your life. Well, God bless you, 0:00:15.960 --> 0:00:18.720 and thanks for letting us come into your homes. We 0:00:18.880 --> 0:00:21.280 love you, and if you're ever in our area, please 0:00:21.320 --> 0:00:23.680 stop by and be a part of one of our services. 0:00:23.960 --> 0:00:26.240 I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 0:00:26.440 --> 0:00:28.720 But thanks so much for tuning in and thank you 0:00:28.760 --> 0:00:31.240 again for coming out. I'd like to start with something 0:00:31.280 --> 0:00:34.560 funny and heard about these two little boys, ages four 0:00:34.720 --> 0:00:38.040 and six. They were brothers. They were spending the night 0:00:38.080 --> 0:00:40.800 at their grandmothers and she told them before they went 0:00:40.800 --> 0:00:43.760 to bed to make sure they said their prayers. They 0:00:43.800 --> 0:00:46.280 went to their room, got down on their knees. The 0:00:46.360 --> 0:00:50.280 youngest boy started praying at the top of his lungs. God, 0:00:50.360 --> 0:00:53.280 I pray for a new bicycle. I pray for a 0:00:53.320 --> 0:00:56.400 new PlayStation. I pray for a new DVD. His brother 0:00:56.440 --> 0:00:58.680 punched him and said, why are you screaming? God is 0:00:58.720 --> 0:01:01.680 in death? He said, I know that, but grandmother is 0:01:03.680 --> 0:01:06.039 hold up your Bible, say it like you mean it. 0:01:06.520 --> 0:01:09.320 This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:01:09.840 --> 0:01:12.240 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:01:12.319 --> 0:01:14.840 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:01:14.920 --> 0:01:18.600 taught the word of God. I boldly confess my mind 0:01:18.720 --> 0:01:21.920 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:01:22.040 --> 0:01:26.880 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:01:26.920 --> 0:01:30.280 to talk to you today about having an excellent spirit. 0:01:31.200 --> 0:01:34.920 We live in a society where mediocrity is the norm. 0:01:35.520 --> 0:01:38.320 Many people do as little as they can to get by. 0:01:39.080 --> 0:01:42.160 They don't take pride in their work and pride in 0:01:42.200 --> 0:01:46.360 who they are. If somebody is watching, they'll perform one way. 0:01:46.920 --> 0:01:50.040 But when nobody is watching, they'll cut corners and take 0:01:50.040 --> 0:01:53.720 the easy way out. And if we're not careful, we'll 0:01:53.760 --> 0:01:57.960 get pulled into this same mentality, thinking that it's okay 0:01:58.040 --> 0:02:01.120 to show up late to work, not look our best, 0:02:01.360 --> 0:02:05.160 not give it our all. But I've learned God doesn't 0:02:05.200 --> 0:02:10.960 bless mediocrity. God blesses excellence. When you have an excellent spirit, 0:02:11.200 --> 0:02:14.200 you do the right thing, whether anyone is watching or not. 0:02:14.840 --> 0:02:17.440 You go the extra mile. You do more than you 0:02:17.520 --> 0:02:21.639 have to other people may complain, they may go out 0:02:21.720 --> 0:02:27.520 looking sloppy cutting corners, but don't sink down to that level. Well, Joel, 0:02:27.600 --> 0:02:31.440 everybody's doing it. Everybody slacks off when the boss is 0:02:31.480 --> 0:02:37.160 gone at my company, everybody compromises at my school. Everybody 0:02:37.200 --> 0:02:40.359 doesn't take care of their yards in my neighborhood. Now 0:02:40.360 --> 0:02:44.040 here's the key. You're not everybody. You're a cut above. 0:02:44.520 --> 0:02:47.600 You are called to be excellent. God wants you to 0:02:47.639 --> 0:02:52.080 set the highest standard. You should be the example your 0:02:52.160 --> 0:02:56.480 company uses as the model employee. Your boss should be 0:02:56.520 --> 0:02:59.520 able to say to the new hires, watch this person 0:03:00.160 --> 0:03:03.360 develop their skills, learn their habits. They are the cream 0:03:03.560 --> 0:03:07.320 of the crop. They're always on time, they always have 0:03:07.400 --> 0:03:10.280 a good attitude. They do more than they have to. 0:03:11.360 --> 0:03:14.680 When you have an excellent spirit like that, you're not 0:03:14.760 --> 0:03:18.360 only going to see promotion, but you are honoring God. 0:03:19.160 --> 0:03:21.000 A lot of times we think, let me go to 0:03:21.080 --> 0:03:23.800 church to honor God, let me read my Bible and 0:03:23.840 --> 0:03:27.160 pray to honor God. And yes, that's true, But do 0:03:27.200 --> 0:03:30.160 you know it honors God to get to work on time. 0:03:30.960 --> 0:03:34.760 It honors God to be productive each day. It honors 0:03:34.840 --> 0:03:39.040 God to go out looking your best when you are excellent. 0:03:39.440 --> 0:03:43.000 Your life is giving praise to God. That's one of 0:03:43.040 --> 0:03:46.920 the best witnesses we could ever have. Because some people 0:03:47.080 --> 0:03:50.120 will never come to church, they'll never listen to a minister. 0:03:50.680 --> 0:03:54.960 They're not reading their Bible. They're reading your life. They're 0:03:55.000 --> 0:03:58.800 watching how you live. Now, don't be sloppy when you 0:03:58.920 --> 0:04:01.560 leave the house where you're wearing a suit or a 0:04:01.600 --> 0:04:04.560 pair of shorts, make sure you look the best that 0:04:04.640 --> 0:04:09.240 you possibly can. You are representing Almighty God. When you 0:04:09.280 --> 0:04:12.440 have a spirit of excellence, you do more than you 0:04:12.560 --> 0:04:16.720 have to. You don't just do the minimum amount required. 0:04:16.920 --> 0:04:20.520 You go the extra mile. In fact, this phrase comes 0:04:20.600 --> 0:04:23.560 from the scripture. Jesus said it in Matthew five, p. 0:04:23.680 --> 0:04:26.799 Forty one. If someone asked you to walk a mile 0:04:26.880 --> 0:04:32.280 with them, do more, go two miles. Back in those days, 0:04:32.360 --> 0:04:35.280 a Roman soldier, when they were traveling through the city, 0:04:35.880 --> 0:04:39.360 they could require by law a person to carry their 0:04:39.480 --> 0:04:43.000 armor for one mile. After that mile, they would have 0:04:43.040 --> 0:04:46.719 to find somebody else. Jesus said, if they ask you 0:04:46.760 --> 0:04:50.120 to carry it for a mile, go beyond the call 0:04:50.160 --> 0:04:54.320 of duty. Do more than is expected, carry it two miles. 0:04:54.960 --> 0:04:58.159 That's the attitude we should have, Not I'm going to 0:04:58.200 --> 0:05:00.560 go to work and do his little as I can 0:05:00.680 --> 0:05:03.000 to try to keep this job. Now i'm a person 0:05:03.040 --> 0:05:06.200 of excellence, I'm gonna go beyond the call of duty. 0:05:06.240 --> 0:05:10.200 I'm gonna do more than is expected in me. That means, 0:05:10.440 --> 0:05:12.760 if you're supposed to be at work at eight, you 0:05:12.839 --> 0:05:15.719 show up ten minutes early. You do more than you 0:05:15.839 --> 0:05:19.440 have to. You don't start shutting down thirty minutes before 0:05:19.480 --> 0:05:23.360 the day's over. No, you go the extra mile. Some 0:05:23.400 --> 0:05:27.360 people go to work fifteen minutes late, walk around the office, 0:05:27.440 --> 0:05:29.880 get a cup of coffee, get to their desk about 0:05:29.880 --> 0:05:33.120 eight thirty, spend the next half hour surfing the internet 0:05:33.360 --> 0:05:37.360 making personal phone calls. They wonder why they don't get promoted. 0:05:37.680 --> 0:05:42.560 Here's why God doesn't reward slopping. This. God rewards excellence. 0:05:43.880 --> 0:05:47.760 One time in the scripture, Abraham told his assistant to 0:05:47.839 --> 0:05:51.440 go to a foreign country and find a wife for 0:05:51.560 --> 0:05:54.839 his son Isaac. He said, the way you know you 0:05:54.880 --> 0:05:58.080 will find the right girl is when you go to 0:05:58.120 --> 0:06:00.800 the well. She'll not only offer you so to drink, 0:06:01.279 --> 0:06:04.560 but she'll offer to get your camel's water as well. 0:06:05.120 --> 0:06:07.800 This assistant got to the foreign land. He was at 0:06:07.800 --> 0:06:11.600 the well about sunset. Here comes this beautiful young lady 0:06:11.960 --> 0:06:15.520 named Rebecca. He said, ma'am, I've been traveling all day. 0:06:15.560 --> 0:06:19.320 I'm so thirsty. Would you mind lowering your bucket and 0:06:19.360 --> 0:06:22.880 getting me some water to drink? She said, sure, I will, 0:06:23.160 --> 0:06:26.440 but let me get your camels something to drink as well. 0:06:26.960 --> 0:06:30.800 Here's what's interesting. A camel after a long day's walk 0:06:31.120 --> 0:06:34.799 can drink thirty gallons of water. This man had ten 0:06:35.040 --> 0:06:38.159 camels with them. If she had a one gallon bucket, 0:06:38.279 --> 0:06:40.680 she was saying, yes, I'll dip down once and get 0:06:40.720 --> 0:06:44.560 you something to drink. Plus I'll dip down three hundred 0:06:44.600 --> 0:06:48.280 more times to get your camel's water as well. That's 0:06:48.279 --> 0:06:52.680 going way beyond the call of duty. Now, notice what happens. 0:06:53.200 --> 0:06:57.080 She is chosen to marry Isaac, who comes from the 0:06:57.080 --> 0:07:01.120 wealthiest family of that day. I doubt she had to 0:07:01.200 --> 0:07:05.679 draw three hundred gallons of water. Ever again, friends, God 0:07:05.960 --> 0:07:10.120 rewards excellence. When you do more than what's required of you, 0:07:10.120 --> 0:07:14.160 you'll see God's goodness in a new way. Well, you say, Joel, 0:07:14.200 --> 0:07:18.600 I'm declaring God's favor. I'm declaring promotion and increases coming. 0:07:18.840 --> 0:07:22.480 That's great, that's one part of it. But the second 0:07:22.520 --> 0:07:25.920 part is are you getting to work on time? Are 0:07:25.920 --> 0:07:28.800 you doing more than you have to? Are you better 0:07:28.840 --> 0:07:33.400 this year than you were last year? Your company shouldn't 0:07:33.400 --> 0:07:37.480 get along nearly as well without you. You should be 0:07:37.560 --> 0:07:42.360 so skilled, so productive, so valuable, so needed they can't 0:07:42.360 --> 0:07:45.840 afford to lose you. See, we live in a very 0:07:45.960 --> 0:07:52.080 competitive marketplace. If you're not growing, improving, learning new skills, 0:07:52.320 --> 0:07:55.920 you're falling behind. If you're at the same skill level 0:07:55.920 --> 0:08:00.520 today that you were five years ago, you're at a disadvantage. 0:08:00.640 --> 0:08:04.480 You need to take steps to grow whatever you do, 0:08:04.600 --> 0:08:08.520 get better at it. If you're a carpenter, an architect, 0:08:08.560 --> 0:08:14.360 a computer programmer, take classes, find a mentor study ways 0:08:14.400 --> 0:08:19.080 that you can be more productive, more efficient. Don't get stagnant. 0:08:19.240 --> 0:08:25.239 An excellent person keeps growing. Sunday, afternoons, after our final service, 0:08:25.840 --> 0:08:28.760 I'll sit with an editor and I still edit my 0:08:28.840 --> 0:08:33.040 sermons for the television broadcast. I've done five hundred and 0:08:33.080 --> 0:08:37.960 sixty messages, thirteen years worth. You'd think, surely I don't 0:08:38.000 --> 0:08:40.520 need to watch another one. If I haven't learned how 0:08:40.520 --> 0:08:42.320 to do it by now, I'm never going to get 0:08:42.360 --> 0:08:45.360 it right. No. I study each one of them to 0:08:45.440 --> 0:08:49.160 see what's good and what could be better. This point 0:08:49.200 --> 0:08:52.199 was a little long. That section was really great. I'm 0:08:52.240 --> 0:08:58.120 talking too fast there. I'm constantly evaluating, analyzing not only 0:08:58.200 --> 0:09:02.680 my part, but the production, the lighting, the camera angles. 0:09:03.160 --> 0:09:07.679 My attitude is there's always room for improvement. We can 0:09:07.800 --> 0:09:12.520 always get better. People that watch on television say, Joel, 0:09:12.720 --> 0:09:16.200 we never hear you make a mistake, You never stumble, 0:09:16.280 --> 0:09:19.319 you never stutter, nothing at all. I always tell them 0:09:19.320 --> 0:09:22.920 the truth. It's because I know how to edit. That's 0:09:22.960 --> 0:09:25.439 what I did for seventeen years behind the scenes for 0:09:25.559 --> 0:09:28.079 my father. I know how to cut out the stutters, 0:09:28.080 --> 0:09:31.480 the mistakes, the stumbles. The truth is I don't have 0:09:31.600 --> 0:09:35.240 to It's fine the way it goes out live. Nobody 0:09:35.280 --> 0:09:37.600 has ever complained about it. But I want it to 0:09:37.640 --> 0:09:41.160 be the best that it can possibly be. I don't 0:09:41.160 --> 0:09:43.520 want to be at this same level next year as 0:09:43.520 --> 0:09:45.959 I am right now. I want to be more effective, 0:09:46.760 --> 0:09:52.040 more annointed, more skill making a greater difference. When you're 0:09:52.040 --> 0:09:56.640 a person of excellence, you don't get stagnant. You're always 0:09:56.960 --> 0:10:00.560 taking steps to improve and looking for way that you 0:10:00.600 --> 0:10:05.040 can be better. Here's what I found. Favor and excellence 0:10:05.280 --> 0:10:10.319 go hand in hand. Increase promotion, reaching your highest potential. 0:10:10.760 --> 0:10:15.400 It is all tied to a spirit of excellence. I 0:10:15.480 --> 0:10:18.720 say this respectfully, but some people are driving a car 0:10:18.800 --> 0:10:22.040 that hasn't been washed in six months. Used to be 0:10:22.080 --> 0:10:25.240 a two tone, now it's a four tone. Well, Joel, 0:10:25.360 --> 0:10:27.600 it's an old piece of junk. I'll do it when 0:10:27.600 --> 0:10:31.000 I get something better. Now, if you don't take care 0:10:31.160 --> 0:10:34.080 of what God's given you, how can God bless you 0:10:34.160 --> 0:10:38.880 with more. I've been in mud huts in Africa, no 0:10:39.040 --> 0:10:43.200 running water, a dirt floor, yet the place is spotless, 0:10:43.840 --> 0:10:48.680 everything is clean, organized perfectly in place. Why is that 0:10:48.960 --> 0:10:52.640 they have a spirit of excellence. Whether you have a 0:10:52.720 --> 0:10:56.680 lot or a little, whether it's new or old, take 0:10:56.800 --> 0:11:00.640 pride in what God has given you. To the service. 0:11:00.679 --> 0:11:03.200 I walk up to the visitors area and if I 0:11:03.240 --> 0:11:06.000 ever see a piece of paper on the floor, a 0:11:06.040 --> 0:11:10.760 gum wrapper, a bulletin, I automatically pick it up. I 0:11:10.800 --> 0:11:14.440 don't have to, somebody will eventually get it. But when 0:11:14.440 --> 0:11:17.760 you have a spirit of excellence, it's ingrained in you. 0:11:18.640 --> 0:11:23.119 Sometimes in between services on Sunday in the nursery hallways, 0:11:23.200 --> 0:11:25.640 there'll be a cracker on the floor that's all crumpled up. 0:11:26.240 --> 0:11:29.439 I'll always ask Johnny if he'll call the cleaning crew, 0:11:29.880 --> 0:11:32.040 because I want to get it cleaned up before that 0:11:32.200 --> 0:11:37.440 next group comes in. See. I realize this building represents 0:11:37.520 --> 0:11:41.000 Almighty God. That's why we do our best to take 0:11:41.040 --> 0:11:43.920 care of it in a first class way. We make 0:11:43.960 --> 0:11:47.840 sure it's painted, the lawn is perfect, the hallways are spotless, 0:11:47.920 --> 0:11:50.800 the equipment works, the cameras are state of the art. 0:11:50.880 --> 0:11:55.360 Why we represent God and God is not sloppy. God 0:11:55.480 --> 0:11:58.640 is not run down. God is not second class. He 0:11:58.840 --> 0:12:03.720 is an excellent God. And that doesn't mean that you 0:12:03.880 --> 0:12:06.840 have to have the best to represent God. It simply 0:12:06.880 --> 0:12:10.560 means whatever God has given you, take care of it 0:12:11.040 --> 0:12:15.640 the best you possibly can. Sometimes a can of paint 0:12:15.679 --> 0:12:18.920 can make a world a difference, pulling some weeds, cleaning 0:12:18.960 --> 0:12:22.480 the carpet, being more organized, do what you can to 0:12:22.600 --> 0:12:27.400 represent God in an excellent way. When our children were younger, 0:12:27.840 --> 0:12:31.040 we used to take them to Disneyland. That place is 0:12:31.160 --> 0:12:35.280 always spotless. I have never once seen a piece of 0:12:35.280 --> 0:12:39.080 gum stuck to the floor. Hundreds of thousands of people 0:12:39.160 --> 0:12:41.880 go through every year and it still looks brand new. 0:12:42.240 --> 0:12:44.920 I thought, how do they do this? One day I 0:12:45.040 --> 0:12:47.720 was there and I saw these men going around with 0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:51.400 tools to scrape up gum. That's all they do all 0:12:51.480 --> 0:12:56.720 day long. If Disney can keep their parks that first class, 0:12:56.800 --> 0:12:59.959 that clean, how much more should we keep God's house 0:13:00.360 --> 0:13:07.360 clean and first class. Now take this to your own life, 0:13:07.440 --> 0:13:11.920 your house, your car, your close, your cubicle, your office. 0:13:12.280 --> 0:13:14.840 I'm not asking you to spend a lot of money. 0:13:14.920 --> 0:13:17.920 It's all in how you choose to take care of 0:13:17.960 --> 0:13:20.520 what God has given you. I'm asking you to do 0:13:20.559 --> 0:13:26.200 it with excellence, knowing that you represent Almighty God. Years ago, 0:13:26.280 --> 0:13:28.280 I was driving to church when it was at the 0:13:28.320 --> 0:13:32.040 other location, and when I got close, for some reason 0:13:32.080 --> 0:13:36.320 that day, I noticed how many people didn't take care 0:13:36.480 --> 0:13:40.840 of their homes. The yards weren't mode, weeds were everywhere, 0:13:41.400 --> 0:13:44.800 things were stored all over the place. I'm not being critical. 0:13:44.840 --> 0:13:47.080 I'm sure they're fine people, but I couldn't help but 0:13:47.160 --> 0:13:50.480 notice it just one house after another, as sloppy as 0:13:50.520 --> 0:13:54.040 could be. As I continued driving in the midst of 0:13:54.080 --> 0:13:59.319 all those houses, one home stood out. The yard was immaculate, 0:14:00.080 --> 0:14:04.400 the house was clean and painted, beautiful flowers out front, 0:14:04.600 --> 0:14:08.200 everything perfectly in place. When I got to church, I 0:14:08.240 --> 0:14:11.439 commented to someone about that house. They said, oh yeah, Joel, 0:14:11.679 --> 0:14:14.320 that's so and So's house. They're some of our most 0:14:14.360 --> 0:14:18.680 faithful members. I thought, that doesn't surprise me. Liaquid people 0:14:18.960 --> 0:14:23.480 are people of excellence. They were a cut above. They 0:14:23.600 --> 0:14:27.560 stood out in the crowd. Now they could have had 0:14:27.560 --> 0:14:31.800 the attitude. Nobody takes care of their loans in our neighborhood. 0:14:31.880 --> 0:14:35.600 Why should we know they have a spirit of excellence. 0:14:36.520 --> 0:14:39.520 You may be in a situation where everybody around you 0:14:39.880 --> 0:14:45.320 it's a little lazy, indifferent, undisciplined. Don't let that rub 0:14:45.320 --> 0:14:47.960 off on you. You be the one to have an 0:14:47.960 --> 0:14:51.280 excellent spirit like this family. You be the one to 0:14:51.400 --> 0:14:54.320 stand out in the crowd. Well, you said, Joel, you 0:14:54.400 --> 0:14:57.640 mean I drove all the way here today. I tuned 0:14:57.680 --> 0:15:01.800 in to hear you tell me to clean up my house. No, 0:15:01.960 --> 0:15:07.720 not just that, mow your lawn too. But seriously, what 0:15:07.840 --> 0:15:11.120 kind of witness is it to our friends, our neighbors, 0:15:11.120 --> 0:15:14.640 our co workers. If our yard is sloppy, our car 0:15:14.720 --> 0:15:17.880 is never washed, we're always running late everywhere we go. 0:15:18.160 --> 0:15:22.120 That's not a good representation. And the truth is that's 0:15:22.160 --> 0:15:25.520 not who you really are. God made you as a 0:15:25.560 --> 0:15:30.360 person of excellence. Maybe all you've seen modeled is mediocrity. 0:15:30.760 --> 0:15:33.800 But God is calling you to a higher standard. He's 0:15:33.840 --> 0:15:36.440 going to take you places you've never dreamed of. But 0:15:36.480 --> 0:15:38.920 you've got to do your part and stir up the 0:15:39.040 --> 0:15:43.320 excellence that's on the inside. Don't make excuses or this 0:15:43.360 --> 0:15:45.840 is a way I've always been, you know, take this 0:15:46.000 --> 0:15:49.720 challenge to come up to a higher level of excellence. 0:15:50.400 --> 0:15:54.560 Even in our personal appearance, how we dress, how we 0:15:54.640 --> 0:15:59.480 present ourselves. They're all different styles. We have different taste. 0:16:00.120 --> 0:16:02.280 One is not right and the other is wrong. You 0:16:02.320 --> 0:16:04.800 may not like to wear a suit, that's fine. The 0:16:04.840 --> 0:16:08.880 main thing is make sure you present yourself in a 0:16:08.920 --> 0:16:12.600 way that you're proud of. Don't leave the house feeling sloppy, 0:16:13.040 --> 0:16:16.120 feeling less than your best, knowing that you didn't take 0:16:16.200 --> 0:16:19.320 time to look as good as you could have. You 0:16:19.520 --> 0:16:23.280 are a temple of the most high God, God lives 0:16:23.320 --> 0:16:27.680 in you. Take time to take care of yourself. Some 0:16:27.800 --> 0:16:30.920 of you, ladies, you're very good at taking care of others. 0:16:31.360 --> 0:16:34.680 You put the children first. You're a great wife, You're 0:16:34.720 --> 0:16:38.280 running the household, but you need to start taking time 0:16:38.560 --> 0:16:41.760 to take care of yourself. Go get your nails done, 0:16:42.200 --> 0:16:45.360 get your hair done, get a massage, Go work out. 0:16:45.440 --> 0:16:47.480 Go to the mall, go have some fun with some 0:16:47.520 --> 0:16:51.640 of your friends. It's scriptural to take care of yourself 0:16:51.760 --> 0:16:55.320 in an excellent way. Some of you men haven't bought 0:16:55.400 --> 0:17:00.600 yourself any new clothes in twenty seven years. That shirt 0:17:00.680 --> 0:17:02.520 you wear has been in and out of style already 0:17:02.520 --> 0:17:07.159 three different times. You're an excellent worker. You're a great 0:17:07.240 --> 0:17:11.760 provider for your family. I'm simply saying, make sure you 0:17:11.840 --> 0:17:15.480 take care of yourself. One time, Victoria asked me to 0:17:15.560 --> 0:17:18.199 run up to the grocery store to pick up something 0:17:18.480 --> 0:17:22.000 so she could finish making dinner. I just worked out, 0:17:22.040 --> 0:17:24.879 and I was very hot and sweaty, and it's wearing 0:17:24.880 --> 0:17:28.240 an old T shirt and run down jim shorts that 0:17:28.320 --> 0:17:30.360 I used to wear around the house. I didn't look 0:17:30.400 --> 0:17:33.840 good at all, but I didn't feel like cleaning up, 0:17:34.240 --> 0:17:36.320 so I decided to just run up to the grocery 0:17:36.359 --> 0:17:40.320 store and hopefully nobody would see me. When I pulled 0:17:40.359 --> 0:17:43.480 in the parking lot, I heard God speak to me, 0:17:44.320 --> 0:17:46.520 not out loud, but you know, just an impression down 0:17:46.560 --> 0:17:49.960 in here. He said, Joel, don't you dare go in 0:17:50.000 --> 0:17:54.480 there looking like that. Don't you know you represent me? 0:17:55.240 --> 0:17:58.400 I am the King of Kings. The creator of the universe. 0:17:58.720 --> 0:18:03.520 I deserve respect and honor. I turned around, went back home, 0:18:04.040 --> 0:18:06.400 took a shower, comb my hair, put on clean clothes. 0:18:06.800 --> 0:18:09.240 I went back up to the grocery store and picked 0:18:09.280 --> 0:18:16.000 up those TV dinners at Victoria. Warning, but understand, I'm 0:18:16.040 --> 0:18:23.320 not gonna look that way. We represent Almighty God, and 0:18:23.440 --> 0:18:28.200 God does not like sloppiness, even around the house. Of course, 0:18:28.200 --> 0:18:31.600 we all like to be super casual. But make sure 0:18:31.840 --> 0:18:35.320 you still look good for your children, still look good 0:18:35.359 --> 0:18:38.399 for your spouse. Ladies, you may need to get rid 0:18:38.480 --> 0:18:41.880 of that bathrobe that was passed down to you by 0:18:41.920 --> 0:18:45.640 your great great grandmother and get you something new. Oh, Joel, 0:18:45.680 --> 0:18:48.679 it is so comfortable, it's so sentimental. I've had it 0:18:48.720 --> 0:18:50.919 for so many years. Let me tell you what nobody 0:18:50.960 --> 0:18:56.560 will tell you. It's ugly. The truth is you're too 0:18:56.560 --> 0:19:00.560 beautiful to wear that thing. Get your husband's at a card. 0:19:02.160 --> 0:19:09.000 Go up to the mall. There's a certain store. I 0:19:09.000 --> 0:19:12.119 don't want to give away any free advertisement, but it 0:19:12.119 --> 0:19:17.400 starts with my wife's first name, Victoria. I can't tell 0:19:17.400 --> 0:19:23.800 you the rest. It'd be a secret. Find something that 0:19:23.920 --> 0:19:26.560 makes you look like the masterpiece God made you to be. 0:19:29.720 --> 0:19:34.240 Now you men can thank me later. When you're at 0:19:34.240 --> 0:19:37.640 the store shopping and something accidentally falls off the rack, 0:19:38.200 --> 0:19:39.960 don't act like you don't see it and just leave 0:19:40.000 --> 0:19:43.040 it there. A person of excellence picks it up and 0:19:43.040 --> 0:19:45.679 puts it back. When you're shopping for groceries and you 0:19:45.720 --> 0:19:48.359 decide you don't want the cereal anymore, don't just stick 0:19:48.400 --> 0:19:52.520 it over by the detergents. A person of excellence takes 0:19:52.520 --> 0:19:55.800 it where it belongs. Somebody that has a spirit of 0:19:55.840 --> 0:19:58.680 excellence doesn't park in a handicapped spot because they don't 0:19:58.720 --> 0:20:02.240 feel like walking. Bottom line is this, when you have 0:20:02.400 --> 0:20:05.240 this spirit of excellence, you do the right thing, not 0:20:05.359 --> 0:20:08.879 because somebody's watching you, not because they're making you do it. 0:20:09.320 --> 0:20:13.320 You do it to honor God. At our house, we 0:20:13.440 --> 0:20:16.840 used to have these five gallon containers of water. They 0:20:16.920 --> 0:20:19.840 come in big glass barrels and they have a neck 0:20:19.880 --> 0:20:21.760 on the top, and you have to flip it over 0:20:21.840 --> 0:20:23.760 and put it on a dispenser, and that's how the 0:20:23.800 --> 0:20:28.679 water comes out. Well. Victoria lights everything super clean. And 0:20:28.880 --> 0:20:31.680 even though the place where the water comes out is sealed, 0:20:32.119 --> 0:20:34.800 the receptor goes way up into the neck. There's no 0:20:34.880 --> 0:20:37.840 way germs could get up in there didn't matter. Victoria 0:20:37.920 --> 0:20:42.360 lights to wipe down the whole bottle with soap and water. Well, 0:20:42.400 --> 0:20:46.119 even after you dry it off, it's very slippery, which 0:20:46.160 --> 0:20:49.760 makes it extremely difficult to get up there. I had 0:20:49.760 --> 0:20:53.520 debated with her several times about why we do not 0:20:53.800 --> 0:20:57.000 need to wipe down the whole bottle, just maybe the end, 0:20:57.040 --> 0:20:59.760 but couldn't convince her. I gave her my word that 0:20:59.800 --> 0:21:02.800 I would do it, But there were plenty of times 0:21:03.280 --> 0:21:07.800 I was in the pantry all by myself, nobody could 0:21:07.880 --> 0:21:11.199 see me. I'm tired, I don't feel like struggling with 0:21:11.240 --> 0:21:14.119 this bottle of water. I get it almost up, and 0:21:14.160 --> 0:21:16.800 I hear that still small voice said Joel, be a 0:21:16.840 --> 0:21:20.160 person of excellence, do the right thing. You gave your word. 0:21:20.320 --> 0:21:22.200 I'd have to put it down, go get the soap 0:21:22.240 --> 0:21:25.240 and water. What am I saying? A person of excellence 0:21:25.640 --> 0:21:30.360 does the right thing, even when nobody's watching, even when 0:21:30.359 --> 0:21:33.879 you don't agree, even when you don't think it's necessary. 0:21:35.040 --> 0:21:38.000 Sometimes you have to say, God, I don't feel like 0:21:38.080 --> 0:21:41.200 doing this, but I'm gonna do it under you God. 0:21:41.280 --> 0:21:43.320 What my boss is asking me to do is not right, 0:21:43.480 --> 0:21:45.639 but I'm gonna do it under you God. I didn't 0:21:45.640 --> 0:21:47.440 make the mess. I shouldn't have to clean it up, 0:21:47.520 --> 0:21:50.720 but I'm gonna do it. Under you. Some people are 0:21:50.760 --> 0:21:54.159 not seeing God's favor like they should because they're not 0:21:54.359 --> 0:21:59.399 passing the small test. Being more excellent. May not be 0:21:59.560 --> 0:22:03.000 some huge adjustment you need to make. May just be 0:22:03.160 --> 0:22:07.280 something small, like getting to work ten minutes earlier, not 0:22:07.400 --> 0:22:10.080 complaining when you have to clean up, doing the right 0:22:10.119 --> 0:22:13.200 thing even though you don't feel like it. The scripture says, 0:22:13.240 --> 0:22:16.920 it's the little foxes that spoil the vines. If I 0:22:16.960 --> 0:22:19.480 were to put that water on the dispenser week after 0:22:19.560 --> 0:22:23.639 week without washing it, nobody would have known except me 0:22:24.080 --> 0:22:27.119 and God. I could have gotten away with it. But 0:22:27.200 --> 0:22:31.000 here's the key. I don't want something small to keep 0:22:31.040 --> 0:22:35.560 God from releasing something big into my life. Are there 0:22:35.640 --> 0:22:39.840 areas where you know God's dealing with you about coming 0:22:39.920 --> 0:22:43.960 up higher? Anytime God asked you to do something, if 0:22:44.000 --> 0:22:48.359 you will obey a reward, we'll follow. One time I 0:22:48.440 --> 0:22:51.240 was in a parking lot and it was very windy outside, 0:22:51.280 --> 0:22:54.200 and when I opened my car door, several pieces of 0:22:54.280 --> 0:22:57.000 newspaper flew out, and as I reached down to pick 0:22:57.040 --> 0:22:59.960 them up, the wind caught them and they blew fifteen 0:23:00.280 --> 0:23:03.480 or twenty feet in different directions. I didn't feel like 0:23:03.600 --> 0:23:06.120 going picking that up. I looked in the parking lot. 0:23:06.160 --> 0:23:08.720 There was already a whole lot of other trash there. 0:23:09.440 --> 0:23:12.200 I was in a hurry. I was tired. I came 0:23:12.280 --> 0:23:15.240 up with all these excuses as to why I didn't 0:23:15.280 --> 0:23:18.919 need to pick up my trash. Almost convinced myself the 0:23:19.000 --> 0:23:21.760 last moment I decided to be a person of excellence. 0:23:22.320 --> 0:23:25.520 I ended up running around that whole parking lot. My 0:23:25.600 --> 0:23:27.600 mind was saying, Joel, what are you doing out here? 0:23:27.800 --> 0:23:30.760 It doesn't matter, just let it go. Finally got it 0:23:30.800 --> 0:23:33.639 picked up, came back to my car. What I didn't 0:23:33.680 --> 0:23:36.760 realize is there was a couple sitting in the car 0:23:36.880 --> 0:23:40.640 next to me watching all this take place. They rolled 0:23:40.640 --> 0:23:42.840 down their window and said, Joel, we watch you on 0:23:42.880 --> 0:23:46.879 television every week. I'll never forget what the lady said. 0:23:47.160 --> 0:23:51.360 We were watching to see what you were going to do. Thought, Oh, 0:23:51.440 --> 0:23:59.000 thank you Jesus. Whether you realize it or not, people 0:23:59.040 --> 0:24:04.040 are watching you, even in small areas. Make sure you're 0:24:04.080 --> 0:24:07.880 representing God in a great way. In the Book of Daniel, 0:24:07.920 --> 0:24:11.800 it talks about how he had an excellent spirit as 0:24:11.800 --> 0:24:15.760 a teenager, he was brought out of Judah into Babylon. 0:24:16.440 --> 0:24:19.399 The king was training all these young men, and the 0:24:19.440 --> 0:24:23.400 best ones, the smartest, the strongest, the most talented, would 0:24:23.400 --> 0:24:26.840 become the next leaders. They had a certain diet to eat, 0:24:27.119 --> 0:24:30.560 certain program to follow. But Daniel had made a vow 0:24:30.680 --> 0:24:35.160 to God that he would always honor him. The Babylonians 0:24:35.280 --> 0:24:39.720 were worshiping idols. Daniel was respectful, but he wouldn't eat 0:24:39.760 --> 0:24:43.040 the king's fancy food. He didn't just follow along and 0:24:43.119 --> 0:24:47.800 do what everyone else was doing. He made more excellent choices. 0:24:48.280 --> 0:24:53.560 In Daniel chapter six, it says Daniel so distinguished himself 0:24:54.119 --> 0:24:58.159 by his exceptional qualities that the king planned on putting 0:24:58.240 --> 0:25:01.280 him in charge of the whole kingdom. Notice it doesn't 0:25:01.359 --> 0:25:05.560 say that God distinguished Daniel and he got promoted. It 0:25:05.680 --> 0:25:11.800 says he distinguished himself. The message translation says he totally 0:25:12.280 --> 0:25:17.200 outclassed those around him. That's what happens when number one, 0:25:17.520 --> 0:25:20.600 you honor God with your life, and number two, you 0:25:20.720 --> 0:25:25.280 have a spirit of excellence. You don't compromise, You don't 0:25:25.320 --> 0:25:28.520 just go with the flow do what everybody else is doing. 0:25:29.320 --> 0:25:34.000 Like Daniel, you make the more excellent decisions. It goes 0:25:34.000 --> 0:25:37.680 on to tell how Daniel was ten times smarter than 0:25:37.720 --> 0:25:41.120 the other young men. When you have an excellent spirit, 0:25:41.560 --> 0:25:47.480 God will give you unprecedented favor, creativity, ideas that will 0:25:47.560 --> 0:25:51.680 cause you to stand out. You will outclass in humility 0:25:52.119 --> 0:25:57.000 those around you that are not honoring God. My question today, 0:25:57.640 --> 0:26:01.800 are you distinguishing yourself? Are you going the extra mile, 0:26:02.400 --> 0:26:05.880 doing more than you have to, making the more excellent choices. 0:26:06.520 --> 0:26:09.639 God is always dealing with us about some area to 0:26:09.680 --> 0:26:12.879 come up higher in. Maybe it's to be more excellent 0:26:13.160 --> 0:26:15.800 in how you treat people more excellent and how you 0:26:15.840 --> 0:26:18.920 present yourself more excellent. When it comes to your career 0:26:19.280 --> 0:26:23.680 and improving your skills. Don't let something small keep God 0:26:23.720 --> 0:26:27.120 from releasing something big into your life. You are called 0:26:27.480 --> 0:26:31.240 to be a cut above. You have excellence on the inside. 0:26:31.359 --> 0:26:34.040 Now stir it up and bring it to the outside. 0:26:34.359 --> 0:26:37.760 Now believe and declare today because I'm looking at people 0:26:37.800 --> 0:26:40.760 of excellence. God is going to give you more wisdom, 0:26:41.080 --> 0:26:45.600 more ideas, more strength, more creativity. Like Daniel, You're going 0:26:45.640 --> 0:26:49.840 to outclass, outperform, outshine. God is going to promote you, 0:26:50.240 --> 0:26:52.600 put you in a place of honor, and you will 0:26:52.720 --> 0:26:56.679 fulfill your God given destiny in Jesus' name. If you 0:26:56.720 --> 0:27:00.840 receive it, can you say amen? Like to close our 0:27:00.880 --> 0:27:04.320 broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the 0:27:04.359 --> 0:27:08.760 lord of your life? Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, 0:27:09.960 --> 0:27:14.919 I repent of my sins, Come into my heart. I 0:27:15.040 --> 0:27:18.720 make you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed 0:27:18.760 --> 0:27:21.760 that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get 0:27:21.800 --> 0:27:24.840 in a good Bible based church, Keep God first place. 0:27:25.160 --> 0:27:27.600 He's going to take you places that you've never dreamed of. 0:27:28.240 --> 0:27:31.240 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 0:27:31.240 --> 0:27:34.639 you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 0:27:34.720 --> 0:27:37.600 keep you encouraged and inspired all through the week. Help 0:27:37.680 --> 0:27:39.720 us to continue to share the message of hope with 0:27:39.760 --> 0:27:43.280 those all around the world. Visit Joelosting dot com or 0:27:43.280 --> 0:27:46.399 click the link in the description to partner with us today. 0:27:46.680 --> 0:27:49.119 We hope you'll share this message with a friend and 0:27:49.200 --> 0:27:52.000 be sure to follow us on social media. We're praying 0:27:52.080 --> 0:27:55.160 for you. I know God's best is still ahead. We'll 0:27:55.200 --> 0:27:56.040 see you next time.