Less Than Perfect

Quotes:

“The maxim ‘Nothing but perfection’ may be spelled ‘Paralysis’.” - Winston Churchill

“Do not wait until the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect.” - Alan Cohen

“God has a perfect plan for each of our lives. He never applies it all at once, rather, little by little, step after step because He wants us to Walk by FAITH not by sight. ” – Samuel C. Fulkerson

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” - Jim Rohn

“Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.” - Brian Littrell

“Little by little one walks far” - Peruvian Proverb

I Samuel 12:1-22 (22)

They had a:

Theocracy—a system of government in which God is king.

They wanted and got a:

Monarchy –a system of government in which a human ruler is king.

When thinking of the heroes of the Bible, tend to forget that they were more-oft-than-not Less Than Perfect.

Moses was a murderer.

Rahab was a harlot.

Samson was a fornicator.

Jonah was rebellious.

Sarah was a doubter.

David was an adulterer.

Jacob was a deceiver.

Peter was a denier of Christ.

And yet these are among the Bible's greatest heroes.

This clearly indicates that God uses imperfect people who have failed, sinned, and royally messed up. These are men and women whose actions were not consistent with God's character and yet God met worked with them drawing them unto Him and His perfect will.

This should encourage and give all of us hope that despite our many imperfections and mistakes, God will still draw neigh (close) to us that we may acclimate unto Him.

1 Samuel 12:22 “For the Lord will not cast away his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased him to make [H6213] you a people for himself.”

Genesis 1:7 “And God made… [H6213]”

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV) “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

The Bible never expects us to be perfect as in flawless, without making any mistakes. For…

Romans 3:10 , 23 “10- As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 23- For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

And

I John 2:1-2 “1- My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2- And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

The Bible does tell us that we can become “perfect” in another sense of the word: “mature”. Perfection/Maturity is becoming what God designed and desires us to be.

Job 7:17 “What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?”

David said in Psalm 139:13-17 “13- For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. 14- I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. 15- My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16- Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. 17- How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!”

And how pray-tell are we to navigate our lives more closely to Him and His perfect will?

BY FAITH.

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Hebrews 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

FAITH is never passive:

Faith is Abraham looking for a city;

Isaac digging out his father’s wells;

Jacob wrestling for a blessing;

David throwing a rock and rolling a giant;

Job praying desuetude and sick for healthy friends;

Elijah offering a sacrifice and God answering by fire;

Elisha calling down fire;

John the Baptist preaching about the fire;

Jesus brining the fire!

FAITH is Action:

Faith is dipping in the Pool of Siloam;

Taking up your bed and waking;

It is Zacchaeus climbing a tree;

It is the little lady crawling, pressing her way to the hem of His garment!

Jesus was born outside;

Lived outside;