God wants us to do everything in the BEST way à  WITH EXCELLENCE

When God created the world, after each day He said it was good

We need to be people with the character of God in our lives
Actions ,Words ,Attitude
WORK, Studies , Business
Your YES must be yes and your NO must be no

GOD IS LOVE

We need to demonstrate that love to all around us
We cannot show partiality
We need to pray and ask God for His AGAPE love to flow to us so that it will touch loves around us.
Especially now in Ireland there are so many people from different nations
We need to learn the language so that we can communicate with them
You are missionaries to Ireland

TODAY - I want to share a message entitled

 TO EXCEL IN EVERYTHING  
READ : 2 Corinthians 8: 1 - 9

What can we learn from the Macedonian church about Giving?

Church in Macedonia was going through difficult times v1
Much trouble, Hard times, Deep poverty
Anyone in that category
Many of us have come from similar backgrounds
But coming to Ireland - has transformed you
You see everything in Euros
There is so much and you have your plans

They gave with  much - Deep joy - overflowed in rich generosity
How could they give with joy when they don’t enough for themselves?
How could giving be a joyful experience?

They realise that a few things about Sowing - 6 things
The Harvest is according to the Sowing
Galatians 6:7-8 ‘ Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.’

The Harvest is determined by the kind of seed sown
Genesis 1: 11 - 12 ; Matt6: 14 -15; Luke 6: 36 -37
Forgiveness = forgiveness, apples = apples

We reap in a different season than when we sow
Ecc 11:1 ‘Cast your bread on the surface of the waters for you will find it after many days.’
Gal 6:9 ‘ Let us become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.’

The Harvest is in proportion to our sowing
Mathew 7:2 ‘with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.’
2 Cor 9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.’

We reap more than we sown
Luke 6:38 ‘Give and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be ber measured to you.’

Our future harvest can be determined now
We can determine the next season of harvest by the KIND of seed, the QUALITY of seed and QUANTITY  of the seed which we sow.

Not only they gave but far more
They did it out of a free will
They begged us to give them the privilege of giving to brothers in Jerusalem
They just wanted to be part of the giving
What will many of us do in that place?
We will say let those who can afford do it - they should ask from, us because we are not wealthy.

They dedicated themselves to God and leaders v5
The sign of a matured believer is that they dedicate themselves to God first
The Word becomes the standard of their instructions
They then respect and submit to the leadership above them
You see the blessings flowing through your life as you submit to your leaders.

We are called to Excel in Everything
Faith , Worship, Hospitality, Deep hunger for the Word
Prayer , Love
Is there any area in your life that you need to excel?

To prove your love for God is real
How do you show your love for your wife ?- not only in words but also in action
You will say that is not fair
For we really love the Lord - we attend church
We do this and that
But why is it that when it comes to giving EVERYONE have a problem?
It hurts your pocket
You don’t mind giving your energy, your time, your knowledge
But money is my hard earn money
I have plans with that money that I am earning
It is not for the church to use it as it wants

Poor widow who gave from her nothing 1 Kings 17: 8 -16
God prepares the heart of the giver
God wants us to give from our lack            
God wants to bless us as we step out in FAITH
God blesses Obedience which leads to the supernatural

Why is giving so important to the Gospel? Matthew 6: 19 -24
It shows where your heart is
With our heart we can say that we love God
But how do you show your love for God?

How can we give today?
Many ways that we can give to see the Gospel reaching the ends of the earth
Tithing & Offering
YOU DON’T BECOME POOR BY PAYING YOUR TITHE
YOU CAN LIVE WELLWITH THE 90% & BE MORE JOYFUL
Many struggle with Tithing - giving of 10% to your local body
It is not an Old Testament law because it was initiated even before the law was step up - when Abraham gave a tithe to Melshedick , the King
We are not under the law but under grace
How much more should     we give for the furtherance of His Kingdom?
Every Believer ought to pay their Tithes - not half/quarter but your full Tithe to the store house which is the Church you are planted.    
We cannot run a church with no support or little support
You cannot be attending here and don’t give your Tithe

Mission Faith Pledge

Calvary CC - Supports the Mission work around the world
We do it every 6 months during the Mission months in January and July
You make a pledge and you honour it every month during the duration of that 6 month
We are going to support the following     
Many of you like to give to orphanages or homeless by yourselves because you receive the praises
Your feel that you have done something to help them
But when you give to the church - no one praises you
We want all of us in this church to be part of this giving    
So that the whole will come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour of their life
So heaven will be populated and each experiencing the eternal life that
God has promised us.