Sunday, 4th May, 2025
DON’T MAKE EXCUSES
“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”
Philippians 3:14 (KJV)
Do you know why very few people are doing great things for God?
Most people easily settle for less and also choose the easy path. Most people are not willing to share in the desire of the Lord.
They live with the mantra:
“Whatever will be, will be”. Therefore, there is no need to press on when things seem impossible.
But that is not faith-living.
Have you ever failed to do what you are instructed to do in Church, and do you think God understands that you failed?
Or did you fail to act on the Word of God and think He still understands?
Sometimes, even before you make that mistake or decide not to honour that instruction, you yield to the idea that God will understand your choice.
Is it to comfort yourself for that wrong, or use that to affirm your excuses?
How do you think God understands?
And what do you mean by “God understands”?
As in, God is ready to go against His Word and the governing light of His economy?
There is nothing you can do in God without a bold step of faith.
David didn’t automatically defeat Goliath. He has to take a bold step. Complacency has no space in the Kingdom. You have to press on to the price of high calling.
Whenever God entrust a target into your heart, you have to invest in prayer without excuses.
When you fail to pray, don’t make the excuse that, “Oh, though I have failed to pray, God understands my situation”.
“Oh God understands if I don’t preach in the bus, or don’t win a soul in the school.”
“God understands if I don’t excel in the workplace.”
“There is always another time, if I failed today, I will get it right tomorrow, and God understands”.
The more you think this way, the more you keep procrastinating.
Yes, God understands, right?
So you justify your failure and laziness with:
“Don’t try too hard to complete the task you are expected to do, after all, you can’t do everything till you depart from Earth.”
“Take it easy, God understands your situation. It is not by force to wake up early to pray or start your day with prayer.”
“If you miss Church meetings, there is no harm; God understands”.
“Just live your life and do what you feel you can do. God understands, and He will not kill you for not doing it.”
“God knows your heart. What you are able to do and not able to do doesn’t really matter to God, but the condition of your heart.”
Does God truly understand things the way we claim He understands?
Does God water down His plans and assignments for us because of our situations or challenges?
Does God even have standards, and does He uphold His standards?
Some of these thoughts may seem justifiable, but understand that in as much as,
GOD LOVES YOU, HE ESTEEMS HIS WORD, HIS PLANS AND PURPOSES.
God will not change His plans because of your excuses, challenges and situations.
God will not pause His eternal plan to wait for you to resolve your challenges.
Though our walk with God is not mechanical but essentially organic, it is not without a well-established system.
Don’t be quick to quote this:
“This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses…” Hebrews 4:15 (NLT)
“For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses…” (NET Bible)
And then arrive at this conclusion:
“You see, there it goes, our High Priest sympathises with our weaknesses. Don’t trouble yourself, if you can you can, if you can’t you can’t.”
“Everyone has a weakness and God understands.”
Really? Is that the implication of this verse?
Don’t be too quick to end there.
Get this, the LORD TRULY understands our weaknesses! Glory to God.
However, get it in perspective.
“Inasmuch then as we [believers] have a great High Priest who has [already ascended and] passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith and cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in Him as Savior]. For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin.
Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment]. for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.” Hebrews 4:14-16 (AMP)
SURE, contextually, this chapter has an extensive matters discussed than what we are looking into here.
Nevertheless, the above verses provide the answer that puts our thoughts in the right perspective.
Jesus being our High Priest:
a. Sympathises and understands our weaknesses and temptations.
b. He is able to sympathise and understand because He faced what we face as men.
c. And He did not fail when He faced these temptations or challenges.
d. He doesn’t just understand your weaknesses and failures, He also doesn’t want you to remain in that failure. He wants you to advance beyond the realm of that failure and weakness.
c. He wants us to also enjoy the victory He had over all the things He faced.
d. He didn’t just “correct” your failures, but supplies you with the richness of Himself for your living.
e. He has made a provision for you to have limitless access to the rich supplies He had. He has given you limitless access to the throne of Grace. Not just GRACE but to the source and governing realm of GRACE for your continued supply and enjoyment of GRACE as much as you need or will take.
f. Therefore, hold fast, cling tenaciously to Him in an absolute trust.
Beloved, because God understands your weaknesses and incapabilities, He has provided or supplied you with all the grace and help you need for exercising yourself unto godliness.
Don’t settle for less with many excuses.
The LORD’S DELIGHT IS THAT YOU LIVE THE FULLNESS OF THE LIFE HE HAS GIVEN YOU NOW.
When it feels like you just can’t do it, don’t give up and don’t settle for less.
PRESS ON!
Be tenacious in the Lord, for He is YOUR STRENGTH.
DON’T DO WHAT YOU CAN, DO WHAT GOD WANTS YOU TO DO BY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF GRACE.
Press on! Enlarge the scope of your vision and desire.
The extra mile is for those who dare to be EXTRA.
YOU ARE SUPPLIED WITH ALL YOU NEED BY THE LORD.
You have the Holy Spirit in you for the EXTRAORDINARY, don’t make excuses.
Have the mindset of a KINGDOM CHAMPION.
Selah.
Apostle Benjamin Nana Amissah Ansah
THANK YOU LORD JESUS FOR MACHAIRA WITH APOSTLE BENNIE!
What an eye opening episode…
I used to think God will always understand and accept any flimsy excuses I give no matter what…
Thank You Lord Jesus for the Enlightenment I have received from Machaira!
Now I know that once God gives me a divine assignment, I have absolutely no excuse not to carry it out…most especially, considering the fact that the Holy Spirit has supplied me with the needed ability.
I am greatly enabled by the Holy Spirit to do extraordinary things for the Lord!
I press on!
I don’t give up!
I don’t give excuses!
I don’t quote the Word of God amiss to back any form of laziness and procrastination!
I quote the Word of God in context.
I am tenacious in the Lord for He is my strength!
I don’t lose my fire!
I reject all forms of inconsistency!
I don’t act on the Word out of convenience…I act out of consistency!!
I HAVE THE MINDSET OF A KINGDOM CHAMPION!!
THANK YOU LORD JESUS FOR THIS VERY REFRESHING WORD!
THANK YOU LORD JESUS FOR THE MACHAIRA!!
THANK YOU LORD JESUS FOR APOSTLE BENNIE!!
GLORY TO GOD!!!
I have the mindset of a kingdom champion
I don’t give excuses.I press on.
I enlarge the scope of my vision
I rise above all limitations.I am unstoppable