In practical areas we must do this. I remember leaving the roof window in our motorhome open, it rained, and the water came in on my wife’s laptop computer. This caused damage and we had to pay the consequences of my forgetting.

If you have an accident with your car, then you have to live with the results: you may not have transports or you may have a court case. We spend a fortune on insurance, but that does not solve everything. We are motivated to drive better and carefully to avoid these consequences. This is a reality.

In our practical Christian walk, we are often not so disciplined and careful. In our effort to stay free from guilt, or in our effort to stay ‘free and live by grace’, we often over-emphasize God’s sovereignty, emphasizing that no matter what happens, ‘God is in control’.

A Christian in a moment of anger kills someone. What does he tell the court or judge, ‘God is in control’? No, he is forced to be realistic and he may in fact spend life in prison.

As God’s people we must aim higher and we must not ‘pass the buck’. We must be careful not to blame God for the mess we have got ourselves into.

I believe it is because of a lack of vision, reality, action, prayer and hard work that the world is not evangelized 2000 years after Jesus gave the command. About 25% of the world’s population has not even heard or read the Gospels. Is this God’s fault? Has He failed? No!, this is our fault and the fault of every believer who has lived since Pentecost. Some have failed more than others due to many factors. Much of the clear blame has to go to those who are (were) in leadership.

If at this moment you are not walking with God and doing God’s will, then you are in fact hindering God’s great program. That’s the last thing some lukewarm, lazy backslider wants to hear, but I believe it is the truth.

Wow, what should such a person do? It’s simple; they must repent, cast themselves at the foot of the Cross, the mercy of God and the cleansing blood of Christ. From that point, by grace and discipline that person must change. Change and growth in action: love and reality must not be optional. We will start to live in spiritual and practical reality. We will deny self, take up the cross everyday just as Jesus and God’s word teaches us.

If we only have one talent, then we must make sure we are using it. If we have five or ten, then we need to make sure we are using all of them. It will take time and all the fruit of the Spirit will be needed. It will not happen overnight, though there may be areas where we suddenly grow and greatly improve.

We have to be in God’s daily training program with a huge emphasis on discipline and hard work taking hold of all that God teaches in His Word. We will be quick to bounce back when we fail or fall.

I’m very aware of being too simplistic and not considering enough all the complexities and weaknesses of human nature.

For example, people with emotional and mental difficulties and also with serious spiritual weakness will have to take these into account. Everyone is different and in our pursuit of excellency and spiritual goals we must face the wide range of ways that God works and the human factors which are always there. What may seem like an excuse can be a legitimate excuse or reason for failure. We can live in reality and obedience, but it will not be easy. We can find the balance and stay free from compulsion and legalism, but it will be a long journey.

False teaching and extremism will try to stop us or side-track us along the way. I’m convinced that without good local churches and good leadership very few will persevere in this great task. Our salvation is not linked with this as that is a gift of God and settled the moment you really believe. But getting God’s work done and being the person he wants us to be is linked to this way and this walk.

Here are a few of the non-negotiable, non-option areas we must pursue excellency and reality.

1. Our love for God and people
2. Our prayer life and ministry
3. Our sharing our faith and reaching the whole world with the Gospel
4. Our building up of other believers and the church

There are many more!

George Verwer