Today’s blog represents one year of weekly blogs. Without fail I have
paused to write a message every Saturday with the hope it reaches someone and
nourshes their spirit. Keeping up with this weekly commitment has been a joy
but not always easy. During 2015 I was in the hospital for emergency surgery,
my hubby was in the hospital with an infection, I changed jobs and finished 2
certification progroms for my real eastate career, moved my son home from
college, learned to snorkle, and continued writing my books in progress. There
have been weeks that by Friday night I couldn’t magine writing a blog the next
morning. But God was faithful and enriched my spirit each time I was also
faithful to sat down at my computer to give Him the time to write the blog
through me. He reminded me each week of the calling He set before me to publish
“Left-Over Manna” and so, I continued.
He has been so good to teach me new things and show me new sides of His
love through writing and reviewing the years of previous messages saved for
this blog. Zeal has drawn me in to write, and zeal has been my reward. Hebrews
12:1-2 reminds us to follow Jesus’ example and never give up:
“We are surrounded by a great cloud of people whose lives
tell us what faith means. So
let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from
our lives anything that
would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back. Let us look only
to Jesus, the One who
began our faith and who makes it perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But he accepted
the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before him. And now
he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne. New Century Version (NCV)
Luke 12:35-40 and Matthew 25:1-13
speak of keeping our lamps burning. Reading
these stories, I’m reminded of an old TV commercial for Motel 6, which had the
slogan “We’ll keep the lights on”. Keeping the lights on means you are ready at
any hour for the arrival of the expected one, even if you don’t know what time
they’ll arrive. Jesus is telling us to keep the lights on because we are His
servants and his arrival could be at any time.
The light we are to leave on is the light of Jesus in our hearts. We are not to let the light in our life go
out. If we keep watch and keep the lamps
burning, Jesus tells us that the master will be the one that welcomes us and
will serve us at the banquet.
In the Matthew verse we hear Jesus describe this same idea in the analogy
of the coming bridegroom who only finds a few women waiting and ready to go to
the wedding. The others missed out. So
how do we keep our lamps burning or the zeal flowing? We can find many supplements for sale online that will promise all natural
“Zeal for Life” but there is nothing that compares to the supernatural
infussion of real zeal only God can provide.
As you listen, imagine they are speaking about our
spiritual lives
To get started on God’s zeal infussion, lets go to the word of God. There
are many great Bible verses about keeping the faith, but I found a whole list of
things in Romans chapter 12 that we can do to keep the Real Zeal. Here’s are 3 challenge choices and ways to
use the Real Zeal List:
CHALLENGE 1
There are 22 actions listed below. There are 23 days left in November.
Focus on 1 of these each day and see how your life changes.
CHALLENGE 1
You can also take this list and let each item daily lead you to Christmas
in December.
CHALLENGE 3
Begin the new year in January with Zeal. Start a journal and take a few
days to make a list of things that are specific to you that contributes to your
reduced zeal. Next, fill your month with 22 days of the Zeal list. Any remaining days in the month, continue to
journal everyday about the changes you’ve seen, trials you’ve encountered, and
God’s faithfulness in helping you keep the Zeal.
Real Zeal - Romans 12
- Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.
- Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
- Don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought.
- We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. Use your gift.
- Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
- Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
- Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
- Be joyful in hope.
- Be patient in affliction.
- Be faithful in prayer.
- Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.
- Practice hospitality.
- Bless those who persecute you; do not curse.
- Rejoice with those who rejoice.
- Mourn with those who mourn.
- Live in harmony with one another.
- Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.
- Do not be conceited.
- Do not repay anyone evil for evil.
- Take thought of what is noble in the sight of all.
- Live at peace with everyone.
- Do not take revenge.
Here is a prayer to pray each day before starting your Zeal item for the
challenge day.
** Lord, thank you
for your faithfulness. As I begin this
journey to learn more about the real zeal provide the encouragement from the testimony
of others. Show me those things that rob me from zeal and show me the
adjustments I need to make in my life to keep the zeal going. I love you, and
dedicate this period of time to finding your solution for never giving up.**
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