Romans 12:10-11

Pastor Jeff had a great message this morning at church and we had stomp practice for the freedom fest here in town on the 4th! After that Erin, Zion and I went to Fort Smith to eat and hang out, then came home and rested as we caught up on season 4 of the 4400! That is an awesome show, I suggest watching it starting with season 1! Anyway, a scripture that Pastor Jeff read today stood out to me especially after getting back from Infusion this week. Romans 12:10-11

"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."

What a fitting challenge, to never be lacking in our zeal but keeping our spiritual fervor. The dictionary says zeal is:fervor for a person, cause, or object; eager desire or endeavor; enthusiastic diligence; ardor. How cool is that? Now check out what fervor is: 1. Great warmth and intensity of emotion. See Synonyms at passion. 2. Intense heat. Wow! Intense HEAT! Talk about being of fire for God! So I find it cool that one ingredient for zeal is fervor. You can't have a zeal for God (which is fervor for something) without having an intense heat for it! So Paul encourages us to NEVER lose our heat or fire for the things of God! Man, I have become guilty of being a boring follower of Christ! So many times I am so caught up in everyday things and trying to exist without an intense FIRE for the things of God! Now I don't think we have to be jumping off the walls to have fire for God, but I do think it means we need our intensity and desire to be boiling in our hearts! I mean we are the only ones that know how we truly feel in the inside! Only we can be the temperature gauge of our hearts. I know that sometimes how I feel on the inside isn't what truly comes out on the outside, but I know where my heart is and sometimes it isn't an intense fire for the things of God it is a flicker at best! I don't know about you but I accept the challenge from Paul and God's word to never be lacking in zeal and fervor, but to follow hard after the things of God because that is where LIFE, POWER, FREEDOM, WISDOM, TRUTH, COMPASSION, STRENGTH, PEACE, JOY, PURPOSE, ETC.. is found!!! God let my life be an example of zeal and fervor for YOU! May my fire never run low but teach me to fan into flame the gifts, and calling you have for my life, AMEN!