Serve the Lord with Enthusiasm
Romans 12:11 “Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, and serve the Lord with enthusiasm.”
Jesus taught that we are to love the Lord with all our heart, our soul, our might and our neighbor as ourselves. In Romans 12:11 Apostle Paul admonishes us to serve the Lord with enthusiasm. Through out his life Paul accentuated the positive. He practiced the praise principle. Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I say it again, rejoice!”
Today which of these four songs reveal your attitude toward life?
1. “Make the World Go Away”
2. “Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head”
3. “I did it my way”
4. “ Oh, what a beautiful morning.”
This morning when you woke up I hope you sang out, “Oh, what a beautiful morning.”
The Apostle Paul practiced the joy of the Lord even when confined to a prison. He looked beyond his confinement, beyond lonely nights, and beyond hardships.
He said to the Philippian Christians praying for him: “ Don’t feel sad for me. Praise the Lord because what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. The Roman guards have heard the good news of the Gospel. Jesus is changing lives.” Philippians 1:12-14
I. Serve the Lord with Optimism and Faith
Because Jesus has risen from the dead and is in control of the universe we live with optimism and faith. We commit ourselves to serve the Lord with enthusiasm. Romans 12:11, “Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, and serve the Lord with enthusiasm.”
I know some people who are so pessimistic they won’t even buy green bananas.
I like what Browning says in the poem, “Rabbi Ben Ezra”,
Grow old along with me,
The best is yet to be.
A lady of 83 was asked what she thought of Browning’s statement. She said, I keep five different medical specialists busy. When I think of that statement – maybe Browning overstated it a little. Old age is not for sissies.” With a twinkle in her eye she said, “I’ll tell you one thing, I’d rather spend these years with a man who said “Come grow old with me, the best is yet to be; than with some old crotchety old fellow who can only sit by the window and curse his fate.”
2. Focus on the Positive
You can serve the Lord with enthusiasm as you focus on the positive things in life. The Apostle Paul shouted out in Philippians 4:8, “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think on these things. “
By an act of our will we can choose to focus on the positive rather than the negative. We tend to become what we spend our time thinking and dreaming about. If we allow negative thinking to dominate our minds we have a limited perspective on life.
Once a cranky grandpa lay down to take a nap. To have a little fun, his grandson put some Limburger cheese on his mustache under his nose. Grandpa woke up with a snort, charged out of the bedroom and said, “This room stinks.” On through the house he marched: “The whole house stinks.” He charged outside: “The whole world stinks.” The problem all the while was under his nose.
David Augsburger once wrote: “The thoughts: “The thoughts I think, the words I speak, the actions I take, the emotions I feel – they are mine, for them I am fully responsible.”
An elderly man who was very near-sighted thought of himself as an expert in evaluating art. One day he visited a museum with some friends. He had forgotten his glasses and couldn’t see the pictures clearly, but that didn’t stop him from airing his strong opinions. As soon as they walked into the gallery, he began critiquing the various paintings.
Stopping before what he thought was a full-length portrait, he began to criticize it. With an air of superiority he began. “The frame is altogether out of keeping with the picture. The man is too homely and shabbily dressed. In fact, it was a great mistake for the artist to select such a shoddy subject for his portrait.”
The old fellow was babbling on and on when his wife finally managed to get him and pull him aside. She whispered to him, “My dear you are looking in a mirror.”
3. Practice Biblical Thinking
In order to live and serve the Lord with enthusiasm we need to focus on Biblical thinking. Whatsoever is true, noble, right, admirable, pure, lovely, excellent or praiseworthy, think on these things. Philippians 4:8
Jesus in His darkest hour looked beyond the pain, and sorrow to God’s purpose and victory.
From a human standpoint it seemed the work of a lifetime had been a failure. Jesus was hated by his fellow-countrymen; he was condemned as a heretic and impostor. But, listen to his last words in the upper room before his trial and crucifixion: “Let not your heart be troubled, if you believe in God believe also in me”
To doubt the sovereignty of God – that He is in control, to be pessimistic about the future, and cultivate negative thinking is sin – to be despondent and gloomy about ourselves and the world around us is to flatly repudiate the precept and example of our Lord. Whatever our situation, regardless of how desperate it seems, Jesus says to us: “My son be of good cheer.” Matthew 9:2
We can begin to practice Philippians 4:4 and verse 8 until it becomes a holy habit if our heart. It is often in the odd moments of the day that the termites of negativism and depression get into our minds. We can form the habit of thinking of something else. We can turn away from negative thinking: “I can’t do it; I always ge the hardest job; Nobody appreciates me; Things always turn out this way for me; Why did I get up today?”
We can by an act of our will keep our minds from wallowing in negativism. With a smile we can say: “All things work together for good to them that love the Lord. This is the day the Lord has mad I will rejoice and be glad in it. All things are in God’s hands.”
We have the assurance, “If we are in the will of God, nothing else matters. If we are in the will of God, whatever else happens to us does matter to God, and He is our refuge and strength.”
When I was Conference Superintendent in Florida I was doing some traveling in the Southern area working with several conferences. On a trip through Atlanta I was carrying on heavy luggage and my assigned seat was in the back of the plane.
When I walked up to the counter at the gate I asked the agent if he had any seats closer to the front of the plane. I used the word, “Sir” when I asked him the question. He said, using “Sir,” makes me feel old.” I said, “I didn’t mean that what I meant was that you were dressed neatly and I expecially liked your tie.” He checked his computer and gave me a new seat assignment – First class. “Anyone who treats me with dignity and like my tie deserves to travel first class.”
I always admire and appreciate the child-like faith and optimism of children.
A little boy 3 years old was walking with his father after a very heavy Christmas Day Dinner. After they had walked about a block and a half, the youngster stopped, looked up at his father with a smile and said: “Daddy”…then hesitated. His father responded, “Yes?” The boy paused for a second or two and continued, “If you say “please” I’ll let you carry me.” Now, who could resist that kind of optimistic motivation?”
When we focus on the positive and give affirming words to each other it helps us serve the Lord with enthusiasm.
Use Words to Build each other up.
Philippians 2:5 gives this encouraging word: “Your attitude
Should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” The words you use either build up or tear down. Cursing and put-down words have no place in the Christian vocabulary.
In your family you can choose to build up and focus on the positive. If you are always looking for the faults, what is wrong with your family, you soon create a negative faultfinding atmosphere.
I like the story I read about a group of frogs traveling through the woods and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the negative comments and tried to jump out of the pit. The jumped and jumped with all their might. The group of frogs kept telling them to stop because they would never get out. They were as good as dead. Finally one of the frogs took their advise and gave up. He fell down and died. The second frog continued to jump as high as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. You see this frog was deaf, unable to hear what the others were saying. He through hey were shouting words of encouragement and cheering him to jump higher.
Someone has said: “When life kicks you let it lick you upward and forward.”
Romans 12:11 “Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, and serve the Lord with enthusiasm.”
Determine to serve the Lord with faith and optimism.
Focus your life on the positive and practice Biblical thinking – “. Whatsoever is true, noble, right, admirable, pure, lovely, excellent or praiseworthy, think on these things. Philippians 4:8
“Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.” Philippians 4:4
