The word "glory" comes from the Latin word "gloria," which means "exalted reputation, honour, or distinction. The Greek word “charis” is translated into grace.

It means a favour bestowed; a generous benefit freely given.

It is an Unmerited favour or undeserved favour. It is favour bestowed by God through His power to transform a person’s life, starting at salvation unto eternal life; we are a product of God’s grace.

We do not qualify for what we received, we do not have personal capacity to achieve what we achieved, we do not have resources to do what we did; we are simply a product of God’s grace and benevolence.

God’s immeasurable resources, power and wisdom is made available to us so that glory can rightly belong to Him, this is product of His grace.

No wonder the most important prayers of believers is anchored on three things which are led by His grace! May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy spirit…. Grace is required for our journey and there is abundance of grace for all we go through either pleasant or unpleasant.

God is able to make sufficient grace available to us all. “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8 NKJV)

We will look at the sufficiency of His grace and how it brings glory unto the Lord.

The glory of God is a concept deeply woven throughout the Bible. Let’s explore what Scripture reveals about it:

1.

Creation Declares His Glory: Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” When we gaze at the vastness of the universe, the intricate design of nature, and the beauty around us, we catch glimpses of God’s magnificence and splendour.

2.

Humans Were Made for His Glory: Isaiah 43:7 tells us that humans were created for the glory of God. We bear His image, and our purpose is to honour Him with our lives. Genesis 1:27 emphasizes that God made us in His image.

3.

Jesus Reveals God’s Glory: Hebrews 1:3 describes Jesus as “the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature.” Through Jesus, we see the invisible God made visible. His life, death, and resurrection display God’s glory.

Grace is a word we use very often. Sometimes I wonder if we haven’t lost touch with the full meaning or impact of the word.

Biblically, grace is said to mean:

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Unmerited favour or underserved favour.

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A gift that cannot be worked for or earned.

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Grace gives and gives freely.

Grace comes from God – God is the source of Grace – Ephesians 1:6-7.

God is the God of all grace – 1 Peter 5:10.

Grace begins with God.

God is grace, just as He is love, etc.

The Psalmist concludes this Psalm 84 in verse 12:

“O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.” NIV

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How lovely it is when our lives become the dwelling place of God, when He inhabits our innermost being, when we find our home and our rest with Him.

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How rich and wonderous is the life of those whose sun and shield is God Himself.

Truly blessed are the men, women, or children who put all their trust in Him.

TASTE AND SEE THE LORD IS GOOD.

EXCEEDING EXPECTATION I BIBLE STUDY WRAP UP SESSION I NOVEMBER 29, 2023

“In the old days, men condemned murder; and truly murder is forever wrong.

But I tell you that not only are man’s outward actions under judgment; his [innermost] thoughts are also under the scrutiny and the judgement of God.

Long-lasting anger is bad; contemptuous speaking is worse, and the careless or the malicious talk which destroys a man’s good name is worst of all.

The man who is a slave of anger, the man who speaks in the [tone] of contempt, the man who destroys another’s good name, may have never committed murder in action, but he is a murderer at heart.”

To rephrase what I stated earlier, “The one who exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees is not the person who is satisfied in knowing he hasn’t committed murder; it is the person who is satisfied only when every inch of his heart is right with God.”

We all have varied expectations. The list may be inexhaustive and influenced by situations and circumstances.

Waiting is a hard task. Imagine being in the waiting room of a labour ward! When waiting is properly done, and particularly for the Lord, it will include: watching, including being alert.

The act of staying or remaining in expectation. Attendance, service, etc.

Psalm 37:7

Waiting on the Lord can be tough, demanding and testing. However, God’s timing is always the best and leads to Exceeding Expectations!!!

Your testimony is assured in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Life is made up of a chain of relationships linked by exchange of services and accompanying expectations.

These relationships on the human level include family, marketplace, workplace, school, etc. On the spiritual level we also have our relationships with God and with our brothers and sisters.

The expectations inherent in these relationships include:

• The quality of services rendered.

• Promises and commitments made and kept.

• Quality of communications.

• Integrity, harmony, empathy, etc.

When these expectations are met or exceeded, there is satisfaction, harmony and progress. If not, the result is always, disaffection, confusion and retrogression.

Satisfying God’s expectations ought to be our major preoccupation in life. Not every act of worship, prayer, offering is acceptable to Him (John 4:22-24). After all, all that matters at the end of the day is whether or not the Lord commends us. (Matthew 25:21-22; 2 Corinthians 10:17,18)

In this study, I want us to focus on our relationship with God and ask, ‘How can I live a life that consistently meets and exceeds God’s expectation?’

It is our responsibility to study the word of God and learn the ways of God and relate with Him accordingly. When we do, He is satisfied and in return blesses us. (Daniel 11:32; Ephesians 1:17-19; Hebrews 3:7-13)

God has given us all the support we need and justifiably has expectations of us. (Ephesians 1:3; 2 Peter 1:3-11)

For us to exceed expectations as our Awesome God intended, we need to key into His purpose for creating us; love Him above all else and diligently walk in obedience to His Word, trusting His timing on all things.

Our limitations in understanding God’s mighty greatness may stem from the fact that we see Him in parts.

Our God is indescribable. He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. Believers should approach His throne of grace in humble adoration, trusting that He will exceed all expectations we can ever imagine or dream of.

“Delay” in our expectations is only a timing challenge. Always trust in God’s timing, keep faith, and hold on to Him.

He is our God of exceeding abundance. May we always remember that God’s greatest gift is our salvation, the exceeding blessedness of eternal life with Him now and forever.

The path to exceeding expectation will not always be easy and smooth. We live in an era when we want everything made easy.

In discussing the topic – Path to Exceeding God’s Expectation today, I will focus attention on:

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Explaining God’s Expectation

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Establishing the Basis for God’s Expectation, and

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Exceeding Expectation – Not always an easy pathway.

The word ‘Excelsior’ is used to describe something that is higher in quality than the conventional. It refers to something in the upward direction for good. Excelsior has to do with excellence.

Our theme is “Exceeding Expectation.” This means going well above the standard requirement. It is a known fact that the first class students don’t rely only on what they get from their teachers but do extra studies and gather extra materials and knowledge for themselves.

Similarly, those who perform exceedingly well in their places of work, vocation, calling or leadership, are those that deliver more than expected. Companies that deliver more than what their customers paid for will always remain on top in the marketplace.

Today, we shall be considering the concept of Excelsior (Exceeding Expectation) from three standpoints:

1.Excelsior and God

2.Excelsior as the way up

3.Excelsior and Divine Attraction