Title: Passionate Spirituality (1 Kings 19:9-14)
Contents
In today's text, the words, "I am particularly zealous for the Lord God of hosts" (verses 10.14) are recorded twice. The word 'special' is translated as 'special heart' in the King James Version. Elijah was indeed a man of extraordinary zeal for God. He was a man of extraordinary zeal. Because of his extraordinary zeal, there were trials. He was with Elijah, who was a severe man.
As Elijah prayed, no rain fell on the land for three years and six months. And he asked for rain, and it began to rain on the parched land. The rain that started as a single cloud the size of a palm at first turned into a large rain stream. The miracle that was given to the widow of Zarephath was also caused by zeal to obey God's command to go to Zarephath. When Elijah confronted the 450 prophets of Baal, the 400 prophets of Asherah, and the 850 idolatrous prophets on Mount Carmel in prayer, God came upon Elijah's sacrifice with fire. While he was avoiding Ahab at Cherit-Sinetga, God had a raven ask for something to feed him. God heard his prayer.
In particular, as we can see in today's text, even when he was in despair, tormenting, and having a hard time, God did not leave the person with his special zeal, but met him again, strengthened him, comforted him, assured him, and established him again in his mission. And in verses 10 and 14, there is a saying, “Only I am left.” Even when I was the only one left, my zeal did not cease to be special.
If you analyze successful people, you will be able to find various success factors. Excellent sales skills, expert knowledge ahead of the times, outstanding creativity, leadership that moves people, etc. But more important than anything else, there are common factors that successful people must have. It is none other than that, unlike anything else, there is 'passion'. Passion transcends environmental and genetic factors. Even successful people have failed. But there was enthusiasm in all those who did not give up on failure and rose again. Passion is the energy that makes work. Passionate people are people who are crazy about what they are doing. One of the management principles published by Fortune magazine is "Hire passionate people." Enthusiastic people are sure to pay their wages when hired
There is a book called "A Million Dollar Passion" by General Electric Korea Chairman Lee Chae-wook. It is because of his 'million dollar passion' that the boy, who dreamed of becoming a gentleman in a remote mountain where electricity only came in in the 1980s, walked on the path of dramatic challenges and victories until he became the CEO of a global top company. It is a passion as a powerful energy that drives itself forward no matter what the circumstances. It's not about not losing the first heart you had when you first started doing it, and it's not about 'Jakshim and Samil-hyung excitement' where you make a firm decision and then at some point, it's 'a wise passion' to achieve your goal step by step without being swayed by external circumstances. Chairman Lee Chae-wook said that this is 'a million-dollar passion'.
In the church community, the spiritual atmosphere and the spiritual culture are very important. Most of the growing or healthy churches have the members on fire. We live a life of devotion and faith with joy and passion. No matter how well-versed in the doctrine and interpretation of the Bible of a church, unless the members of that church live a life of faith with a passion to influence others and learn to share that faith with others, that church can be expected to grow. can't. This is why adherence to orthodoxy should not prevent us from expressing our passionate faith in Christ. Passion is ignited.
Today is the time to share the 3rd time, “Passionate Spirituality,” which is the qualitative characteristic of a healthy church.
The driving force behind all the ministry of the church is passionate spirituality. If passionate spirituality is not supported, no matter how good the system is, it will not work properly. A system that is not supported by passionate spirituality is just another program and a heavy burden. The force that moves life is "passion". It is passion that makes our vision come true. Passion is the power that keeps you running without getting tired by sailing on the target. It is passion that enables you to run without knowing your spiritual stagnation.
Therefore, the biggest bankruptcy is the loss of enthusiasm. Even if you lose everything, you must not lose your passion. Then you can stand up again at any time. Our hearts must be warm, and our spirits must be warm. You should pursue the things that thrill you. It's a passion that makes this possible. Passion is the fuel that heats the heart and heats the spirit.
The oldest is not the oldest. The oldest is the oldest who has lost his passion. I pray in the name of the Lord that you may become young Christians with passion, even if they get better. Everyone has different gifts and different styles. But more important than the gift is the passion. A person excels in that field by where he lives with his passion. When we change the attitude of our heart, miracles happen. You must not have a mind that is neither cold nor hot. You must have a fiery heart like a possessed person. More important than technology is passion. More important than talent is passion. You must sprinkle the spices of your life. We need to spice up our faith. That's what passion is.
In ecclesiastical terms, the opposite of passion is not coldness, but wandering. The spiritual way Satan destroys us is to make us spiritual wanderers. A wanderer is a person who gives up with excuses after several attempts have failed. Such a person not only rots himself, but also rots the people around him. When a person of passion comes to the church, his passion soon spreads throughout the church community. Whatever you do, you should do it with passion, never with a wandering consciousness. (Colossians 3:23) Spiritual work and spiritual people need such an active, longing, and burning heart. The important thing in any community is to be a supporter of passion. Don't be a cold water drinker. Such a person cannot be used.
During the Civil War, President Lincoln said of Grant to his lieutenants, "We won, because General Grant has a strong desire to win." A strategist doesn't win a war, and he who writes a good book about war doesn't win a war. Only those who have the passion to win can win the war. God calls passionate people. There are many people who live day to day without any passion. It is not so easy to find people who have a passion for their vision and live a strong life every day.
Being around passionate people creates passion. God is a God of passion God is a God of vision. Hearing God's voice, no matter how deep a person's sleep, he has passion and vision. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, you can have a passionate heart. When you meet God, no matter how insignificant you are, you turn into a person of passion. When you meet Jesus, no matter how unsuccessful you are, you become a person of passion. God is the One who re-heats even the passion that has completely cooled down. He is the One who creates something out of nothing. A fading wick is a state in which the passion of the past has faded and faded over time. It means that the passion you had when you were young seems to fade away soon like a wick that is dying out. God is the One who rekindles the fire, no matter how powerless the passion is. God, kindle a fire of passion in us.