Daniel 6:3 (KJ21) — Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

Frenemies:

Excellent is defined as: extremely good, outstanding, extraordinary, pre-eminent. When you begin to excel, you will find that people, coworkers, may look for ways to hold you back and tear you down. How should you deal with those who cheer at your failure and even try to cause it to happen?

Holiness:

Conduct your life above reproach. That doesn’t mean perfectly — it simply means you will have nothing to hide. You work hard and produce. You purpose to live a life that would be hard to criticize. You may get criticized for your faith, but not because of the way you act or work. Learn to walk and live according to the word of God — in holiness, living a moral and pure life, serving the Lord in a way that pleases Him, separating yourself for His service.

Purpose:

An excellent spirit is purposing to live a life honoring God, purposing to do things right, not the good-enough attitude. You work hard and purpose to be outstanding or extremely good. It’s becoming more and more difficult to find people who possess an excellent spirit about them. But we can all strive to be better, do better, and live better.

Let’s live a life with excellence.

Just a thought,

PSS

Conviction is one of the greatest gifts God gives us, even though it’s rarely comfortable. When the word of God exposes something in us, that uneasy feeling isn’t God pushing us away. It’s He drawing us closer. Conviction is not condemnation. Condemnation tells you who you are and leaves you stuck. Conviction shows you where you are and invites you forward.

There’s also another side of conviction we don’t talk about enough. Conviction is not just something we feel, it’s something we decide. It’s when we settle in our hearts ahead of time that God’s word is true, even if we’re standing alone. Caleb had that kind of conviction. He didn’t deny the giants. He just refused to let fear rewrite what God had promised.

Here are the questions worth asking: “When conviction shows up in my life, do I soften my heart or harden my position? Do I let God change me, or do I blend in to stay comfortable?” God isn’t looking for perfect people, but He is looking for loyal hearts. And conviction, uncomfortable as it may be, is often proof that He’s still working in us.

Just a thought,

PSS

Pharaoh decreed the death of Hebrew baby boys because he was afraid of Israel’s future. He saw their growth and blessing as a threat, not because of what they were doing in the moment, but because of what they could become. Fear always targets the next generation. When people are threatened by God’s promise, they try to destroy potential before it ever has a chance to mature.

What Pharaoh did not realize was that his decree could not cancel what God had already ordained. The same river meant for destruction became the place of deliverance. The very system designed to kill Hebrew children became the pathway God used to raise up a deliverer. When God has purposed something, even opposition is often used as preparation.

Here is the thought. Fear attacks the future, but God always protects His promise. What feels like pressure may actually be positioning. What feels like delay may be divine protection. And what the enemy intends for destruction, God still knows how to turn into deliverance.

Just a thought.

                — PSS

To move forward, we must be willing to let go of the past.

Don’t look back:

“But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13b-14).” “But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God’ (Luke 9:62).” The apostle Paul says he forgets those things which are behind so he can reach forward to those things which are ahead. Then Jesus says we cannot follow Him if we are going to keep looking back and rehearsing our past.

 Let go and let God:

God is in the now and the future. Our pasts, if we cling to them, will cause us to stumble and never allow us to move forward in our lives. As people (including me), we need to learn to let go of those things we cannot do anything about. Whatever it is has happened: we cannot unring the bell.

Live in the present:

So, let’s live in the present — right now. That is where God is — He is with us now. Letting go of past hurts, past mistakes, past regrets can be a tough job. But if we believe, God will help us to be healed, set free, delivered from what transpired in our past.

Let’s focus on today, and let God know how much we appreciate Him!

Just a thought,

PSS