“Living to Capacity”

Joshua 17:14-18

            Living to capacity is what Joshua was asking the children of Israel to do. Excuses are the reason they never did. Take what the Lord has given you and do the best you can with it. When you stand before the Lord at the Judgment Seat of Christ you should be able to say “I did the best I could with what you gave me”. That is living to capacity.

            It Ain’t FAIR  (Verse 14)

   They wanted a special deal.

   Joshua was of the tribe of Ephraim also( they figured they deserved a little extra, Hey brother)

   We are in God’s family. (We figure we deserve a little extra)

    (Matt.5:45) “…he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.”

      We don’t deserve any special deal! We deserve HELL!

      They thought they got a raw deal.

      (Verse 14) “….the Lord hath blessed me hitherto?”

      They thought they were special, because of the Lord’s blessings they had already received.

      We do the same. We think it ain’t fair, because we perceive the blessing that we have now are proof that we are in God’s will.

      God decides what is fair, we don’t. Brother Roloff said, “It ain’t none of my business what God does to me.” He is correct.

     Reading Bible, 3% of Christians have read thru the Bible once,  is that Capacity?

      (Ps. 138:2) “….for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”

      You will never live to capacity if you hold on to “It ain’t fair.”

                  It Ain’t ENOUGH  (Verses 15-16)

     God called it a mountain, they called it a hill / not thankful.

      It is never enough, Young, old, rich, poor, single, married, sick, healthy.

      Paul’s thorn in the flesh, “My grace is sufficient for thee.”

      When you pray:

Don’t pray for easy lives; pray to be stronger people.

Don’t pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for powers equal to your tasks.

     Example of Luke 19:11-27, a picture of living to capacity, Each got a gift of the same value.

     We have the gifts and experiences that God has given us and we don’t put them to use or increase.

      Prayer of average Christian is 7 minutes per day, including praying over meals? Is that Capacity? It Ain’t enough is the theme of most of our prayers.

               It Ain’t POSSIBLE  (Verses 15-16)

     Chariots of Iron, (Verse 16) / they were living with the enemy.

       It Ain’t possible to live to capacity with one foot in the world.

     ( 2 Cor.6:17)“….come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord”

     Giants, (Verse 15) / Living with fear. (I am Scared)

      (2 Tim.1:7) “God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind.”

       It Ain’t possible, you are right:

     (Mark 10:27) …all things are possible  ( Don’t minimize God)

     (Mark 9:23) ….It takes faith.

       Giving/ Tithe, living to capacity?.

        We can’t see what God sees.

     We must walk by Faith, not Sight.

These three excuses should never come out of a Christian’s mouth.