Why Do We Justify Being Underachievers For God? by ‘Brother Bill’
When Gods bar is high for pole vaulters why do we constantly justify going under it as if we’re doing the Watusi?
RESETTING THE BAR
1. Joy — not HappinessJoy (commanded by God)
James 1:2–3 (NKJV)
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”
Joy defined biblically: inward rejoicing rooted in faith, not circumstances.
Happiness (circumstantial, warned against)
Luke 6:25 (NKJV)
“Woe to you who are full,
For you shall hunger.
Woe to you who laugh now,
For you shall mourn and weep.”
2. Peace — not Coveting
Peace from God
John 14:27 (NKJV)
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Peace defined biblically: wholeness and rest from God, not possession-based.
Coveting condemned
Exodus 20:17 (NKJV)
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
3. Zeal — not Fear
God-given zeal
Romans 12:11 (NKJV)
“Not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;”
Zeal defined biblically: fervent devotion toward God.
Fear rejected
2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
4. Boldness — not Lukewarmness
Boldness commanded
Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV)
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Lukewarmness condemned
Revelation 3:15–16 (NKJV)
“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.
So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”
5. Yes and No — not Double-Mindedness
Clear integrity required
Matthew 5:37 (NKJV)
“But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.”
Double-mindedness condemned
James 1:8 (NKJV)
“He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
6. Holy as God is Holy — not Self-Justified
Perfection & holiness commanded
Matthew 5:48 (NKJV)
“Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
1 Peter 1:15–16 (NKJV)
“But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’”
7. Righteousness Required for Prayer
God hears the righteous
James 5:16 (NKJV)
“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
God rejects prayers rooted in sin
Isaiah 59:1–2 (NKJV)
“Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save;
Nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.
But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.”
8. Justification Comes Through Christ — Not Self
Justified only through Christ
Romans 3:24 (NKJV)
“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”
Self-justification condemned
Luke 16:15 (NKJV)
“And He said to them, ‘You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.’”
Warning against using grace to excuse sin
Romans 6:1–2 (NKJV)
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?”
Summary (Scripture Alone)
Micah 6:8 (NKJV)
“He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?”
1. The Fruit of the Spirit — Kind, Not “Nice”
Galatians 5:22–23 (NKJV)
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
Kindness (biblical sense): active goodness flowing from the Spirit, not passive agreeableness.
Ephesians 4:32 (NKJV)
“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
2. Compassion — Not Enablement
Jesus’ compassion
Matthew 9:36–38 (NKJV)
“But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.
Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.’”
Compassion leads to discipleship, not dependency
3. Fishers of Men — Not Giving Someone Else’s Fish
Matthew 4:19 (NKJV)
“Then He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’
4. Self-Sacrificing Love — Not Lustful Quid Pro Quo
Love defined
Galatians 5:13 (NKJV)
“For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
Contrast with lust
Galatians 5:19–21 (NKJV)
“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Self-sacrificing love
John 15:13 (NKJV)
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
5. Removing the Log — Before Seeing Clearly
Matthew 7:3–5 (NKJV)
“And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?
Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
6. Walking With Jesus — Relationship, Not Works Alone
Warning against false fruit
Matthew 7:18–20 (NKJV)
“A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”
Relationship required
Matthew 7:21–23 (NKJV)
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart
So, we are called to be bold not timid, but salt and light to the dark, tasteless world yet tell the truth in love that the world needs so badly today. We must come aside people and introduce them to our Lord, the prince of peace, Jesus Christ. He’ll take care of the rest.
Blessings on your bold adventure brother bill/dad
