11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans12:11-12
A lot of church-leadership authors advise pastors to use new believers to do outreach, launch initiatives and take the church forward because people who have been Christians for a long time seem to be "stuck in the mud" and "have run out of steam."
What an indictment!!!
Unfortunately it seems to be a true trend.
When we are new believers, we are blown away with a sense of God's love and God's forgiveness. It brings tears to our eyes to think that Jesus died on the cross for us and we are motivated to take risks for Him because, after all, He came all the way from heaven to earth just for us.
And then, like the weeds in Jesus' parable about the sower and the seed, life chokes our enthusiasm, blunts our passion and takes the edge off our devotion. We drift into mediocre, un-prioritised living.
In verse 11-12 Paul urges us to be resolutely passionate. We must _choose_ to prevent the weeds of the cares and busy-ness of life from choking our fervour and passion. We need to do what it takes to maintain spiritual momentum.
If you think of a steam train, it is easier to keep the steam going than to rebuild the fire to re-heat the water when we've run out of steam.
There are some practical steps to keeping up a head of steam:
- Keep up the fervour
- Serve the Lord
- Joyful hope
- Patient in affliction
- Faithful in prayer
I'll deal with these next week.
Are you in danger of running out of steam, or has it already happened? It's time to make a decision.
Why not bow your head right now and ask God to light the fire in you again. And then stir yourself up to be on fire for Him!
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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
