Excuses for not being extrordinary

The hectic pace of our constantly changing and chaotic world is no excuse for not getting extraordinary things done. We just need to be efficient enough to do it. If I were to look at the key themes of my life as I wind down this year, I would place the following phrase near the top:

“No More Excuses”

One of the Webster definitions of excuse is to “Try to remove blame from”.

I found a website full of quotes about excuses. These are great!:

Marcus Stroup
"There aren’t nearly enough crutches in the world for all the lame excuses."
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Don Wilder
"Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure."
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Edward R. Murrow
"Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts."
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George Washington Carver
"Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses."
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George Washington
"It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one."
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H. V. Adolt
"We are all manufacturers. Making good, making trouble, or making excuses."
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Gabriel Meurier
"He who excuses himself accuses himself."
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Henry Ward Beecher
"The real man is one who always finds excuses for others, but never excuses himself."
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Francois De La Rochefoucauld
"Nothing is impossible; there are ways that lead to everything, and if we had sufficient will we should always have sufficient means. It is often merely for an excuse that we say things are impossible."
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Laura Schlessinger
"People with integrity do what they say they are going to do. Others have excuses."

If you catch me in an excuse today, remind me to read my own blog.

God's response to Man's excuses

Yesterday's sermon kicked off the 4th quarter of our series on Discipleship. In order to get to where we need to be in our work for the Kingdom is is important to look at God’s Answers For Man’s Excuses. In the book of Exodus chapters 3 and 4 we find Moses sparing with God about his assignment to go to Pharoah and demand that God's people be set free. Moses used 4 excuses:

THE EXCUSE OF INABILITY
God's response was that we are able because He is with us.

THE EXCUSE OF INADEQUACY
God’s response to Moses is to remind him that He is the "I AM!"

"Ephesians 3:20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think."

THE EXCUSE OF INFERIORITY
God’s response to Moses is to let him know that when the Lord gets through
working in and through him, there will be no doubt in the minds of others as
to the truth of Moses' story.

THE EXCUSE OF INFIRMITY
God’s response to Moses is that He made man’s mouth and He made man’s mind,

Luke 12:11-12 And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don't worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said."

It is time to move out from the shelter of our excuses and get to work for God. A quote from Former Assemblies of God General Superintendent Thomas Trask:

"If we remain people of the Spirit, we will remain on the cutting edge of ministry opportunity"