Overcoming Excuses to Embrace God's Blessings
Summary
In Jesus' name, amen. Hallelujah! God is good, and all the time, you are welcome into God's presence. Today, we reflect on the theme: "Excuse Hunters Become Losers." We often find ourselves delaying or even halting our blessings and promotions by hiding behind excuses. This message challenges us to confront the excuses that hinder our participation in God's kingdom and other areas of our lives. Proverbs 20:4 and Proverbs 26:13 remind us that laziness often disguises itself as excuses, preventing us from doing what is necessary. We must not exaggerate our problems or allow them to dictate our actions, as the Israelites did when they spied the Promised Land.
The main text from Luke 14:15-24 illustrates a parable where a great supper is prepared, and many are invited. However, those invited make excuses, prioritizing personal matters over the invitation. This parable teaches us that excuses, no matter how reasonable they seem, can lead to missed opportunities and the anger of the master. We must evaluate our excuses in light of God's kingdom and not let them rob us of our blessings.
We are encouraged to be kingdom-minded, planning our lives around God's kingdom rather than our self-centered desires. Excuses can delay or prevent the blessings God has for us. We must be ready to respond to God's call, just as those who were invited on the same day of the supper showed up. Our excuses can lead to losing our place in God's kingdom, and we must strive to maintain our value and usefulness in His eyes.
Key Takeaways:
1. Excuses as a Form of Laziness: Proverbs 20:4 and 26:13 highlight how excuses can be a mask for laziness. We often justify inaction by exaggerating obstacles, but God calls us to recognize and overcome these tendencies. Laziness can prevent us from fulfilling our potential and receiving God's blessings. [15:48]
2. The Danger of Missing God's Invitation: The parable in Luke 14:15-24 warns us about the consequences of prioritizing personal matters over God's invitation. Excuses may seem reasonable, but they can lead to missed opportunities and the master's anger. We must evaluate our excuses in light of God's kingdom. [27:22]
3. Kingdom-Minded Living: We are called to plan our lives around God's kingdom rather than our self-centered desires. Excuses can delay or prevent the blessings God has for us. By seeking first the kingdom of God, we align ourselves with His purposes and open ourselves to His blessings. [31:17]
4. The Importance of Readiness: Like those invited on the same day of the supper, we must be ready to respond to God's call. Our excuses can lead to losing our place in God's kingdom, and we must strive to maintain our value and usefulness in His eyes. [46:55]
5. Maintaining Our Value in God's Kingdom: Excuses can lead to losing our place in God's kingdom. We must strive to maintain our value and usefulness in His eyes by being dependable and ready to serve. Our gifts and talents should be used to advance God's kingdom, not wasted on excuses. [51:20]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[14:42] - Introduction to Excuses
[15:48] - Proverbs on Laziness
[16:42] - Exaggerating Problems
[18:05] - The Israelites' Report
[18:45] - Main Text: Luke 14:15-24
[19:56] - The Great Supper Invitation
[21:11] - Excuses for Missing the Supper
[23:06] - Reasonable Yet Costly Excuses
[25:04] - Kingdom Principles in Parables
[27:22] - The Master's Anger
[30:09] - Instant Invitations Accepted
[31:17] - Planning Around God's Kingdom
[32:20] - The Reality of Excuses
[40:35] - Being Kingdom-Minded
[46:55] - Readiness for God's Call
[51:20] - Maintaining Value in God's Kingdom
[56:36] - No More Excuses
[57:44] - Admonition for Christians
[58:30] - Living Beyond Feelings
[59:50] - Prayer for Grace and Strength
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Proverbs 20:4: "The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing."
- Proverbs 26:13: "The lazy man says, 'There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!'"
- Luke 14:15-24: The Parable of the Great Supper
#### Observation Questions
1. In Proverbs 20:4, what excuse does the lazy man use to avoid plowing, and what is the consequence of this inaction?
2. According to Proverbs 26:13, how does the lazy man exaggerate his excuse, and what does this reveal about his character?
3. In the parable from Luke 14:15-24, what are some of the excuses given by those invited to the great supper? [23:06]
4. How does the master of the house react to the excuses given by the invitees in Luke 14:15-24, and what action does he take as a result? [27:22]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How do the excuses mentioned in Proverbs 20:4 and 26:13 reflect a deeper issue of laziness, and what might this suggest about the nature of excuses in our own lives?
2. In the parable of the great supper, what do the excuses given by the invitees reveal about their priorities and values? [25:36]
3. How does the master's anger in Luke 14:21-24 illustrate the potential consequences of prioritizing personal matters over God's invitation? [27:22]
4. What does it mean to be "kingdom-minded," and how can this mindset help us overcome the tendency to make excuses? [31:17]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you used an excuse to avoid a responsibility or opportunity. What was the underlying reason for your excuse, and how can you address it moving forward? [32:20]
2. Consider the areas in your life where you might be prioritizing personal desires over God's call. What steps can you take to realign your priorities with God's kingdom? [31:17]
3. Think about a time when you missed an opportunity due to an excuse. How did it affect you, and what can you learn from that experience to avoid similar situations in the future? [27:22]
4. Identify a specific area in your life where you feel God is calling you to be more active or involved. What practical steps can you take this week to respond to that call without making excuses? [46:55]
5. How can you cultivate a mindset of readiness to respond to God's invitations, even when they come unexpectedly? What changes might you need to make in your daily routine to be more prepared? [46:55]
6. Reflect on the value and usefulness you bring to God's kingdom. Are there gifts or talents you are not fully utilizing due to excuses? How can you begin to use them more effectively? [51:20]
7. Consider the impact of your excuses on your spiritual growth and relationships. What is one specific change you can make this week to minimize excuses and enhance your spiritual journey? [59:50]
Devotional
Day 1: Excuses Mask Laziness and Hinder Potential
Excuses often serve as a disguise for laziness, preventing us from taking necessary actions. Proverbs 20:4 and 26:13 highlight how we can exaggerate obstacles to justify inaction. This tendency can lead us to miss out on fulfilling our potential and receiving God's blessings. By recognizing and overcoming these tendencies, we align ourselves with God's call to action and open ourselves to His grace. [15:48]
Proverbs 19:24 (ESV): "The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth."
Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you have been making excuses. What practical steps can you take today to overcome this laziness and move forward?
Day 2: Prioritizing God's Invitation Over Personal Matters
The parable in Luke 14:15-24 warns us about the consequences of prioritizing personal matters over God's invitation. Those who made excuses missed out on the great supper and faced the master's anger. This teaches us that excuses, no matter how reasonable they seem, can lead to missed opportunities in God's kingdom. We must evaluate our priorities and ensure that God's invitation takes precedence in our lives. [27:22]
Haggai 1:9 (ESV): "You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house."
Reflection: What personal matters have you been prioritizing over God's call? How can you rearrange your priorities to align with His kingdom today?
Day 3: Aligning Life with God's Kingdom
We are called to plan our lives around God's kingdom rather than our self-centered desires. Excuses can delay or prevent the blessings God has for us. By seeking first the kingdom of God, we align ourselves with His purposes and open ourselves to His blessings. This kingdom-minded living requires us to evaluate our goals and desires in light of God's greater plan. [31:17]
Matthew 6:33 (ESV): "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
Reflection: Reflect on your current life goals. How can you adjust them to better align with seeking God's kingdom first?
Day 4: Readiness to Respond to God's Call
Like those invited on the same day of the supper, we must be ready to respond to God's call. Our excuses can lead to losing our place in God's kingdom, and we must strive to maintain our value and usefulness in His eyes. Being prepared to act when God calls is crucial to fulfilling our role in His kingdom. [46:55]
1 Peter 3:15 (ESV): "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect."
Reflection: Are you ready to respond to God's call at any moment? What steps can you take to ensure you are prepared to act when He calls?
Day 5: Maintaining Value and Usefulness in God's Kingdom
Excuses can lead to losing our place in God's kingdom. We must strive to maintain our value and usefulness in His eyes by being dependable and ready to serve. Our gifts and talents should be used to advance God's kingdom, not wasted on excuses. This requires a commitment to being active participants in God's work. [51:20]
Romans 12:6-8 (ESV): "Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."
Reflection: What gifts and talents has God given you? How can you use them today to serve His kingdom and maintain your value in His eyes?
Quotes
"In Jesus' name, amen, amen. Hallelujah god is good and all the time you are all welcome to the presence of god hallelujah i say you are welcome into god's presence god has gathered us to bless us and i know we will not live the same way we came amen uh yesterday we were privileged to you know launch the seniors program and i believe we all admit that it was a blessing amen we all admit that it was good and that you know god honored himself and we pray that it will continue uh yesterday in the night" [00:10:54]
"excuse hunters become losers or managing or making excuses will cost you you praise the lord and so this service i doubt it no excuse worship service praise the lord no excuse worship service because it is important that we come to terms with some truths of scripture because many of us are delaying a lot of things in our life without knowing that we are delaying them because we are hiding behind excuses and it is either delaying or even stopping our promotion and our blessings because we become so comfortable to hide behind excuses and so i i want us to see you know how some excuses are affecting us that we are not aware of and we are going to look at it in the light of scripture so excuses when it comes to your participation in the things of the kingdom of god and excuses in other places of your life excuses in you know your personal life excuses when you have other things to do you decide to procrastinate and all of that and so that is why we are going to i'm trusting god that we will be able to learn some few things that will equip us so that we will not just you know take everything for granted and you know end up losing more than we have already lost may god help us amen now the first scripture i want us to look at is proverbs chapter 20 verse 4." [00:12:39]
"The lazy man will not plow. He will not plow because of winter. So, they will use winter as an excuse not to do what is needful. They will hide behind the excuse and the justification of winter not to do things. But of course, such a person, a lazy person. So, when we are hiding behind, you know, certain happenings or certain seasons, in order not... in order to excuse ourselves from doing what is needful, the Bible says we are lazy. May you not be lazy. And may I not be lazy." [00:15:35]
"I pray that I will not be lazy. So, the lazy man says, there is a lion in the road. A fierce lion. So, he goes on to even exaggerate. A fierce one. So, not just a lion, but a lion who's very wild. A lion, you know, who is waiting to pounce, and catch me. And I believe God is giving us these scriptures to bring our mind to the fact that sometimes we can exaggerate our problems. Remember the Israelites." [00:17:17]
"When the twelve are going to spy the Promised Land, and they came, they gave a report. Bible says that, this is what the Bible says. It says, they gave a report according to what they saw. So, sometimes what you see may inform the decisions you make. However, what you see may not always be true. Praise God. What you see may not always be true. So, what they saw, yes." [00:17:54]
"And they all with one consent. Note, note that. They all with one consent. Look at this translation. And they all with one accord began. That is, it's as if all those who, all the invitees had a meeting and decided on something. So the school said they all who were invited to this great supper were with one accord. With one accord for what? With one consent began to make excuse. They did what? They began to make excuses." [00:21:52]
"So that was the first type of excuse. But the excuse he gave sounded very reasonable, isn't it? It sounded very reasonable. Maybe the land needs to be prepared. Maybe there are rodents. Maybe there are things happening on that land. Or something like that. So it sounded very reasonable. But let's see what happens. Let's proceed. Verse 19. And Anna said, I have bought five yoke of oxen. That's animals." [00:23:55]
"Because others may approve of you but you may be inheriting the anger of God. I may be carrying the anger of God. So we need to evaluate our excuses. It may sound very logical, very you know Sam. But the truth is Are we looking at the worst curve of life... at things in the light of the kingdom but we are just looking at things in our own way we need to plan our life around the lost kingdom plan your decisions around the lost kingdom it is very important many times our decisions are self -centered ones are selfish ones i've got me this i am this i am that i am this i am that and because it sounds good to us and it keeps us in our comfort zone we stay there but it has consequences such excuses have consequences and one of the consequences would be that the master may be angry and that can hold a certain blessing that was supposed to come your way that can you know hold a certain you know things that's supposed to you're supposed to receive it can delay or rob you of something that belongs to you may god help us let's continue so the master was angry and said to his servants go out" [00:27:34]
"Find this group of people or find certain people and just invite them. This was instant invitation and they unedit. So, between the two, which one would the master be pleased with? You had enough time to make a decision. You had enough time to prepare for what God wants you to do. Many people don't even you know what they are planning out. They don't plan anything to do with church or their devotion or anything like that. They just focus it. Yes, I'm going to work. It's good to work." [00:30:13]
"Because we need to pay the bills. The bills have to be paid. Right? But the truth is that Bible said that it is he that gives power to make world. If it does not give you the help, how are you going to be able to go to the way? It is he that grant you the grace so that you avoid mistakes at your workplace which may might result in you getting fired. So, we've got to understand that God is. Always working for us." [00:30:50]
"Some prayers have been delayed because the action to back it for the answer to be released is not. We are not backing for that action. We are comfortably hiding behind excuses. So I am tired because I am late. You know there are times I sleep late but I still have to make sure that I wake up early. The same way if you are wet and you know that if you don't go you are going to get fired. Even though you sleep late you put yourself on alarm." [00:41:14]
"Because others may approve of you but you may be inheriting the anger of God. I may be carrying the anger of God. So we need to evaluate our excuses. It may sound very logical, very you know Sam. But the truth is Are we looking at the worst curve of life... at things in the light of the kingdom but we are just looking at things in our own way we need to plan our life around the lost kingdom plan your decisions around the lost kingdom it is very important many times our decisions are self -centered ones are selfish ones i've got me this i am this i am that i am this i am that and because it sounds good to us and it keeps us in our comfort zone we stay there but it has consequences such excuses have consequences and one of the consequences would be that the master may be angry and that can hold a certain blessing that was supposed to come your way that can you know hold a certain you know things that's supposed to you're supposed to receive it can delay or rob you of something that belongs to you may god help us let's continue so the master was angry and said to his servants go out" [00:27:34]
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