Excellent Ones...

It is interesting to note that the term “excellent” is not often used to described individuals in the Word - so these ones who are excellent are worthy of special observation:

In the Bible we can find three excellent women…

• Ruth 3:11 Ruth—she is known throughout the city as virtuous, excellent, noble, brave, strong. Ruth is excellent in loyalty, faithfulness and Godliness in days of corruption and rebellion. She was a convert from paganism, and she gave up all she knew in order to serve another (Naomi). Not only that, Ruth had to be very courageous in order to leave her home - excellent endurance saw her through to her destination and into history.

• Prov. 12:4 Unknown Woman—she is a crowning joy to her husband. She is earnest and strong in character.

• Prov.31:10 Unknown Woman—she is worth more than rubies, capable, intelligent and virtuous. She is excellent above all others (Pr. 31:29):

Verse 10 – she is valued above rubies

Verse 11 – she is trustworthy

Verse 12 – she is good to her husband all the days of her life

Verse 13 – she is able to work excellently with her hands

Verse 14 – she is excellent with all manner of cooking

Verse 15 – she is a hard worker and a servant to all

Verse 16 – she is a good gardener and enterprising

Verse 17 – she is strong on the inside and the outside

Verse 18 – she is intelligent and industrious

Verse 19 – she is able to spin and weave clothing

Verse 20 – she is kind to those who are poor and needy

Verse 21 – she is brave and properly prepared for all weather

Verse 22 – she is clothed in fine garments, which she has made

Verse 23 – she is represented in the gates of the city by her noble husband

Verse 24 – she is an excellent businesswoman

Verse 25 – she is clothed with strength and honor

Verse 26 – she is wise and kind of speech

Verse 27 – she is responsible and guards her household

Verse 28 – she is honored by her family – those who knew her the best

Verse 29 – she is excellent

Verse 30 – she walked in the fear of the Lord

Verse 31 – she is fruitful and praised in the gates

...one excellent man (no comments)

• Dan. 5:14—The Spirit of God was in him, also light and understanding and excellent wisdom.

...one excellent King...

• Ps. 45:2 Solomon/Christ—You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever (NIV).

The word "excellent," here, means that the excellent one has built the family name.

...and multitudes of excellent Believers...

• Ps. 16:3 Unknown Saints of God—excellent, majestic, glorious, noble ones—The delight of the Lord is in these.
In the NLT He calls them His true heroes: the Godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!

It is fascinating to me that the majority of excellent ones found in the Bible are unnamed. Only Ruth and Daniel are identified by name. We are called to be excellent in God's kingdom - the story of God's excellent ones is still being written - our names need to be added to God's list of those who are excellent! Whatever you put your hand to - do it well - do it excellently as a reflection of the Most Excellent One - Jesus!

More on excellence: HERE and HERE and HERE

7 Things - Revival Fire

I am taking a little detour into one of the points from last night – the verse in 2 Chron. 7:1.

When Solomon became King, he offered lavish worship to the Lord. In fact, the very first thing he did after being crowned king was to worship. He built an altar to the Lord and then just offered more and more to the Lord. Then he made bigger and bigger altars until he placed himself in the middle of the whole thing!

This would be like us passionately worshiping God and then increasing expanding our hearts (altar) so that we could give God more of our time and more of our heart to Him.

God responded to Solomon’s prayers and offerings with fire from heaven. In this scripture we are confronted with the challenge for revival. Seven aspects of revival are found in this one verse:

                                          

Prayer is the.................. preparation and provision for revival

Fire is the...................... nature and necessity of revival

Heaven is the................ origin and order of revival

To be consumed is the... cost and condition of revival

Burnt offerings are the.... fuel and focus of revival

Glory is the.................... purpose and product of revival

The whole house is the.. extent and evidence of revival

Prayer is the first foundation of revival. I don’t think there has ever been a revival in the Church that has not been preceeded by fervent, all-out, heaven-shaking prayer. Prayer makes way for the manifest presence of God.

Fire is the nature of revival. Look at the fires of God’s presence I talked about yesterday – God’s fire must touch every area of our lives – this is what revival is all about.

Heaven is where revival originates. Moses told God that if He didn’t go with  Israel into the promised land then they would not go (Exodus 33:15). We need to say the same thing – we must have God – nothing, snd no one else will satisfy.

                           

Being consumed is the cost of revival. The Lord must have all of us – just as we cry that we must have all of Him. He calls us to be living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1). Every sacrifice requires death. We are not put to death physically, but we need to pray with Paul that we would die daily to all selfishness and pride (1 Cor. 15:31).

Burnt offerings are the fuel for more and more revival – they keep the fires burning. Our offerings are our worship, surrender, and daily laying down of self.

Glory is the purpose of revival. The Lord has promised that His glory would cover the earth like the waters of the sea (Hab. 2:14). God desires to fill us with His glory and the world with us!

The whole house is the whole Church. God does not want revival fire for just a few – He invites the whole Body of Christ to experience His presence and glory in these days. We know it is revival when the power and presence of God touches churches and nations beyond our little group.

(Congratulations to the Catholic Church for the election of Pope Francis today. May he be filled with the fire, Word and wisdom of God! We need to pray for the Catholic Church – they experienced the Charismatic renewal in the 1960’s and like all of us, they need a fresh revival in these days!)  

Every one of us needs such a fire in our lives and ministries. We will remain barren and passionless without the revival fire of God burning within us.