DO YOU HAVE SPIRITUAL ADD?

“So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak? And God confirmed the message by giving signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose.” – Hebrews 2:1-4.

ADD (Attentive Deficit Disorder)has become more and more common. Although the symptoms can be complex and varied, the commonality is difficulty in staying focused on one thing at a time.  People with ADD are easily distracted and wandering attention makes it difficult for them to stay on track.  ADD can have a devastating effect in school, at work, and in family relationships when you have a problem sustaining attentiveness.

Does this exist in our spiritual lives? Is spiritual ADD a concern? We are more easily distracted from the important issues of our lives moment by moment. The nature of the digital world is that we are endlessly distracted. These distractions often keep us from focusing on God. Our minds wander and we have trouble focusing on the things that matter most.

Sustained attentiveness to God is one of the hardest things for us to do, largely because it is a discipline that has gone by the wayside in our culture. We live in the era of sound bites and social media, consuming an endless stream of content without ever pausing to reflect upon it or weigh its merits or significance. As soon as we see it, we double tap to like and quickly swipe on the next thing. While this may be fine for online habits, this is not a recipe to follow for a deep and substantial life with God.

The Bible communicates very clearly that we need to focus on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But life happens so fast in the 21st Century that staying focused on God in today’s ever-changing world is not easy. Jesus had an incredible ability to stay on target. His ability to focus is a strong characteristic of His life. His life never got off track. From the day Jesus started His ministry, He was relentlessly focused on one task – the task that mattered – to reconcile mankind back to Himself again by opening up a way of salvation. He was so focused that His final words were, “It is finished.” (John 19:30)

So how do we have that same type of focus? Reading Hebrews 12:2 reminds us to take our eyes off ourselves and our circumstances and fix them squarely on Christ. Because our focus determines our direction. When we look at ourselves, we see our weaknesses, past failures, and the many excuses we make.

“I want to take my focus off myself and focus on God. It’s like setting your spiritual compass so no matter which way you turn during the day, whatever comes up, then my thoughts go back to Him and whatever He said that morning.” – Anne Graham Lotz.

Discussion Questions

  1. What types of things cause you to get spiritually sidetracked? 
  2. How do you refocus to get back on track?

OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM IS…

As the salt flavors every drop in the Atlantic, so does sin affect every atom of our nature. It is so sadly there, so abundantly there, that if you cannot detect it, you are deceived. ~ Charles H. Spurgeon.

The race for the 2024 elections has begun. Several days ago eight Republican presidential candidates gathered for the first primary debate of the 2024 cycle, offering Americans one of their first major chances to start weighing who will be the GOP standard bearer next year. The democrats will likewise give the voters the chance to hear what they view as the biggest issues facing our country today.

Some point to education inequality, poverty, racism, lack of economic opportunity for all, security, crime, and war, and climate control as the biggest issues facing our country today. All of those are important issues, but none of those is the biggest issue facing us as Christians today.

Our biggest problem is sin. There is no greater calamity that has fallen upon mankind than the problem of sin. Not surprisingly, the topic of sin is not generally a popular one. However, the Bible speaks about sin throughout the Old and New Testaments. God says that we have all sinned. “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23). 1 John 1:8 adds, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” Sin is a reality that is a part of all our lives. We all sin, we are all sinful.

The Bible talks a lot about sin. But more importantly, it also talks a lot about the answer to sin. That’s exactly who Jesus is: the answer. The message of the Bible is that Jesus Christ was perfect and sinless. He is declared in the pages of Scripture to be God. He is uniquely qualified by His perfection to stand as a substitute for humanity’s sin problem. “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus suffered the penalty we deserved. His death now makes it possible for a righteous God to forgive our sins and offer us salvation. Jesus Christ suffered the excruciating horror of a torturous death of which all mankind was deserving. He died on the cross willingly to give people throughout the ages the opportunity to be reconciled to God.

“Why would God do this for me?” John 3:16 answers that question:“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). 

The Good News of the gospel is the solution to our biggest problem.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are some euphemisms people use today for sin (e.g. “white lies”)? Why do you think people use them?
  2. What can we do this week to sin less?

THE BIBLE AND THE SMARTPHONE

“We cannot suppress our souls’ appetite for what is awe-inspiring. The goal is not to mute all smartphone media but to feed ourselves on the right media. We were created to behold, see, taste, and delight in the richness of God’s glory…Our insatiable appetite for viral videos, memes, and tweets is the product of an appetite for glory that God gave us. And he created a delicious world of media marvels so that we may delight in, embrace, and cherish anything that is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, or worthy of praise. “ – Tony Reinke, 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You.

Smartphones create an interesting paradox. On one hand, people lament that smartphones make us more self-focused, short-tempered, less able to interact with real people, eager for the approval of others, and unable to read and communicate in-depth while, on the other hand, they believe they are essential: the smartphones are there to wake them in the morning, there to play their music library, there to keep their calendar, there to capture their life in pics and video, there for them to play games, and there as their ever-present portal to Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Smartphones are such a part of daily life, that people rarely think self-reflectively about them. The smartphone can be put to good use spiritually as well.

There are advantages to handwritten Bible notes, but there are also just as many, if not more, advantages to taking digital Bible notes. When it comes time to do some serious Bible study, digital technology gives you several significant advantages compared to the handwritten alternative. Almost every smartphone has a built-in app that lets you record audio. This can be a useful tool for helping you capture your thoughts about Scripture. For example, you could create a summary for each book of the Bible. It doesn’t have to be theologically detailed, just something that will aid your understanding.

You can also make audio recordings of your thoughts and insights after your daily Bible reading. By labeling and organizing them by chapter and verse, you can easily create commentaries and study tools to help you remember what you’ve learned.  Attaching your notes to a book, chapter, or verse is great because it means your notes are visible to you as you read the Bible. In many ways, it’s like a study Bible where you can glance down at the bottom half of the page to read the commentator’s notes.

Another advantage of digital Bible notes is their ability to be searched in a matter of seconds. Just imagine the process if you were to do this with your written notes. First, you would need to have some method of cataloging your information so you can find it. You’d then have to find the notebook, flip to the section, scan, and find your reference. With digital notes, you can perform the same search with little to no effort, because the computer does all the work for you. You don’t have to remember where or how you organized that note. All you need to remember is a word, phrase, or passage from your note and you can perform a search.

Finally, you can backup and store digital Bible notes in multiple places. Why is this important? Because physical notebooks can be lost or ruined.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you have a bible note-taking system that works for you? Have you tried to use a digital note-taking system? Why or why not?

SWITCHED ON: THE CHRISTIAN AND TECHNOLOGY

“And he built structures on the walls of Jerusalem, designed by experts to protect those who shot arrows and hurled large stones from the towers and the corners of the wall. His fame spread far and wide, for the Lord gave him marvelous help, and he became very powerful.” – 2 Chronicles 26:15.

Many Christians remain perplexed about modern technology. New iPhones and social media platforms, self-driving cars, and huge engineering projects all prove that human innovation is not slowing down for anyone.

Technology has played a big role in our lives, and as it continues to evolve, it will only become more popular. So, it is your responsibility to stay up-to-date with technology and use it for good. Technology is not the problem, how we use it is. The way we choose to use it and how often determines if it’s good or bad, and helpful or harmful.

Is it bad to spend all that time staring at those high-resolution glossy screens? Studies indicate too much technology can sometimes be a bad thing but there is another side to that coin: The use of computers and smartphones allows us to communicate with anyone, anywhere in the world, in seconds. If you don’t have time to run to the bank or the post office to pay a bill, no problem. Online banking allows you to pay bills, transfer money, and even deposit checks now. And most importantly, the technology in your hand can help you grow closer to God and other people. Technology can be a helpful tool in your Christian life.

For example, Christians have unbelievable access to resources today when studying the Bible. You can look up different translations, definitions, and commentaries to help you get more out of a Bible reading. You can also use the internet to listen to sermons or podcasts that enrich your life.  Technology makes us worship God’s wisdom: It’s God’s mind that conceived computers, radio waves, fiber optics, light, electricity, magnetism, space travel, rocket fuel, etc. Behind every good invention and ingenious design is The Inventor and the Designer.

Technology makes us worship God’s power: It’s mind-blowing to think of the amount of energy that technology uses every day and yet that’s a microscopic portion of God’s great power.

The story of God’s glory is still unfolding regardless of the technology around us. Whether talking about developers inventing new apps in a data center, automated manufacturing robots churning out electric cars, or the eager consumers of these new products and services, human technology serves God’s final purpose for His creation. Science and technology exist by God, through God, and for God. His glory is reflected in every technological advancement.

Technology and smartphones need not be a source of distraction in our lives. Like just about everything else in the world, they can serve as a tool… if we use them well.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How can modern technology’s instant gratification, and distractions distort the life God wants us to experience? Where do these things specifically threaten our walk as Christians?
  2. Technology can distort our sense of significance and offer a weak substitute for meeting our needs apart from God. How can we protect our primary pursuit of God while utilizing tech for its many advantages? In what ways can tech be used to bolster our pursuit of God? Have you seen tech benefit your walk with God in any significant ways?

THE ESSENCE OF CHRISTIANITY

 “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.  Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ.” – Colossians 1:15-19.

If you asked people worldwide who Jesus is, you would probably get a variety of answers. Some may say He is a great teacher, while others would point out He is the founder of a major religion. Still, others may refer to Him as a healer or miracle worker, while some may simply describe Him as a great man. Each of these describes Jesus accurately. But each falls short — very far short — of who He really is.

Colossians 1:15-19 contains the grandest theological statement about Jesus Christ in the whole New Testament. Paul is telling us that Christ is God revealed in the world. There is nobody above Jesus. Nobody ranks higher than Him. He is supreme. When it comes to God, Jesus shows us what God is like.  It tells us He is the visible revelation of the invisible God. Hebrews 1:3 tells us He “…radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God,” Paul is telling the Colossians in the first three chapters of Colossians:  “Please don’t let anybody make you think that you need Christ plus some other angels plus some additional heavy theological knowledge plus some other teachings.  All you need is Christ.  That’s all you need.”

If you want to know what God’s like, look at Christ.  He’ll tell you what God is like.  If God were man, we would expect Him to be sinless.  Jesus was.  If God were a man, we would expect Him to speak the most incredible words ever.  He did. If God were a man, we would expect that He would do miracles easily, and He did.  If God were a man, we would expect Him to love, and He did. 

This is the very heartbeat of Christianity.  This is the very essence of all we believe, the foundation of our faith. When you settle in your mind and in your heart who Jesus is—that He is the Lord, the Savior, the Christ, the Redeemer, and the King, and that He is all these things because He is the Son of God—then you have laid the foundation of faith on which everything else will rest.  

We need to see Jesus in all of His glory constantly. We need never to stop being amazed or in awe of who He is and what He’s done for for each of us.  Or in the words of Peter, “…you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…” (2 Peter 3:18) 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Jesus is God’s Son and reveals God to us. Would you put that first in your list of fundamental beliefs surrounding Christianity? If not why not? 
  2. How do we hang on to that truth each week? 

 

HOW TO LISTEN TO A SERMON?

“Watch your step when you enter God’s house. Enter to learn. That’s far better than mindlessly offering a sacrifice, Doing more harm than good.” – Ecclesiastes 5:1.

How to listen to a sermon? Interesting question, but the answer is obvious. Listening to a sermon is a passive activity because you only have to listen as someone preaches to you. Watching TV is much more complicated than listening to a sermon because you have to deal with the multitude of different channels and that overly complicated remote control. It is active, while listening to a sermon is passive.

Yes, it is easy to drift through corporate worship week by week, distracted and drowsy, listening but not really hearing; the Bible has a lot to say on the subject: “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.”

So, what is the right way to listen to a sermon?  Most churchgoers assume that the sermon starts when the pastor walks out on stage on Sunday.  It starts during the week when we pray for the person who will speak to us.  We should pray for opportunities to share the gospel message, and the wisdom and grace to share it in the right manner. Listen to the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, “Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.” Twelve verses later, this same author states the most simple and profound way to do this: “Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us.” Churches generally get what they pray for.

We need to have our minds right to hear God’s word. Good preaching appeals first to the mind.  After all, it is by the renewing of our minds that God does His transforming work in our lives.  So when we listen to a sermon, our minds need to be fully engaged. Listening to sermons is part of the worship that we offer to God.  It is also a prime opportunity for us to hear His voice.  God is speaking, and we should listen.

Listening to a sermon can never be merely an intellectual exercise. It also requires hearts that are receptive to the influence of God’s Spirit.  Something important happens when we hear a good sermon: God speaks to us.  Through the Holy Spirit, He uses His Word to calm our fears, find joy in our circumstances, uncover truths, heighten our faith, and reassure us of our salvation. We need to receive biblical truth in our hearts and minds.

The last byproduct of sermon listening is applying what we learned to our daily lives.  How we live is the best way to tell if we are listening.  Our lives should repeat the sermons that we have heard. There is always something God wants us to do in response to the preaching of his Word.   As the apostle Paul wrote to some people who listened to his sermons, “The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts” (2 Corinthians 3:2-3).

Discussion Questions:

  1.  Consider asking yourself the following questions after hearing a sermon on Sunday: What is God seeking to communicate to me? Through this sermon, did God encourage me in some way?  What is God seeking to do in my life through this sermon? Does this sermon make me uncomfortable? If so, why?

THE FAITH OF THE CENTURION

“When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” – Matthew 8:5-9.

Jesus, once marveled at the faith He found in a man. It’s the only instance that the gospels record such a response from Jesus (Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10). In other versions, the Bible says that Jesus was amazed, and for good reason. In all of Israel, the people who know of the wondrous works of God, Jesus could not find a more faith-filled person.

This man was not a religious leader, rabbi, or one of the disciples, he was a Roman soldier. It is hard to think of a more unlikely person in those times to amaze Jesus. He was a Roman, who was charged with the responsibility to ensure the Jews subjected themselves to Rome. He was a man of war. He achieved the rank of centurion by distinguishing himself above others in the brutal Roman personal combat arts. He was somebody that you would expect to have faith in his fighting abilities and the abilities of his soldiers rather than faith in the person, power, and authority of Jesus.

The man, wanted Jesus to come and heal his servant, but considered himself unworthy for Jesus would come under his roof. So the request he makes to Jesus is that he should “say the word”, or “Just give the order “ (CEV), for healing.

On hearing the request, Jesus says “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel” (Matthew 8:10). Jesus accepted this as true, active faith; the kind of faith He was looking for, and yet so often did not find. Jesus says “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” Jesus spoke the command and the servant was healed.

The centurion approached Jesus with humility, faith, and love. The centurion didn’t even view himself as worthy enough to go and meet Jesus or make Him walk all the way to his house, instead, he humbled himself and trusted Jesus. He believed in who Jesus was, knowing that his faith gave God room to move and heal in big ways.

How many times have we sacrificed our faith for our pride? It would’ve been so easy for the centurion to hold onto his position and pride instead of exalting Jesus and asking Him for help. Do we have the level of faith to fully believe that Jesus is completely who He says He is?

It will never be our works or worthiness that amaze Jesus, He already loves us endlessly. It’s our faith that Jesus authors and perfects in us that is the platform for His greatness. So let’s let love motivate us to step out in faith, trusting God to work and move through us.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How is the centurion’s position like our own? Why is that? How is the centurion’s position different from ours? Why is that?
  2. How does our own view of Jesus’s authority compare to the centurion?

EVERY CONVERSATION CAN BE IMPORTANT

“ In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. “Lord,” he said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.” Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared.” – Luke 5:12-13.

Jesus was a master at turning casual conversations into life-changing moments.

In the accounts of the meetings Jesus had with various people we can see that whatever the person’s background, beliefs, personality, and issues, they were immediately and individually known and understood by Jesus. Often it is the reply of Jesus that allows us some insight into the nature of the person’s heart. He perceived the underlying condition of every person often more clearly even than the individual themselves. We see that when Jesus interacts with people he is utterly faithful, truthful, and consistent with them. He probes their inner-most condition and deals with it head-on. Jesus knew how to meet people where they were and move the conversation toward spiritual things. How did He do it? How did He take the most mundane moments and make them defining moments?

Look at the discussion between Jesus and the leper (Luke 5:12-15). This man was suffering from the disease of leprosy. Luke’s account in chapter 5 even tells us that the man had an “advanced case of leprosy.” So we are not talking about a mild case here. This man, as we read above, would have been a social outcast with no hope in sight. And though he was meant to keep himself separate from others, he sees in Jesus his one and only chance of being clean. So with his hands shaking, but hope stirring in his heart, he approaches Jesus.

The Leper did not actually ask Jesus to make him clean, only stating his belief that Jesus could do so if He so desired: “…if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.” (Luke 5:12).

This is where every conversation begins. Someone has to start talking. This may be the most difficult hurdle to jump over when it comes to conversations. It is easier to sit in silence, read a book, scroll through your phone, put in your earbuds, roll up your window, look the other way, or do just about anything but talk.

Jesus is not afraid to approach this leper, nor does He act as if this condition is in any way hopeless and incurable. We read that Jesus reached out His hand and touched the leper saying, “I am willing,”… “Be healed!” and instantly the leper was made clean. Jesus tells the leper to tell no one but go to the priest and offer that which the law required for healing.  Our days are full of conversation. Some of these conversations are with strangers and close friends, in coffee shops or at work, over a meal, or on the phone. Some conversations are fleeting, passing by in a moment, whereas others hold weight. Words matter. Conversations matter, and they hold the potential to change a whole day, or, in some cases, a life. Jesus had many life-changing conversations with His disciples, with the men and women He encountered, and with the leaders of His time. Each of these conversations was intentional, crucial, and life-changing. While those conversations happened thousands of years ago, they have the power to change our lives today. His words hold weight and hold the potential to change our lives – to even change eternities.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What can we learn from the brief conversation between Jesus and the leper?
  2. Is listening to others—really listening—easy for you? What steps can you take today to improve your listening skills?
  3. Why is listening such an important part of godly communication? 

THE POWER OF LISTENING

“I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” – Psalm 116:1-2.

There is a vast amount of talking and broadcasting in our world, how much real listening is taking place? The ability to listen to those around you is critical – and listening goes far beyond hearing. Listening is a skill that has to be learned and honed and often serves as the foundation for positive human relationships.

Culturally, the way Americans engage in conversation is akin to an exchange of verbal volleys in a tennis match. If it slows, someone rushes in to fill the silence. If a thought or a comparable experience pops into someone’s head, they feel compelled to share it. It takes practice to break these reflexive habits. Instead of a tennis match, try thinking of your next conversation as an interview. You are a detective trying to get to the bottom of the mystery that sits in front of you.

Do we fidget or get restless and impatient when others are talking? These are obvious signs that we really don’t enjoy what the other person is saying. It suggests we are too rushed or distracted to really engage or if we interrupt or start finishing their sentences, we aren’t listening. As James said in James 1:19 to be “…quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.”

Jesus is the ultimate model when it comes to listening. He engaged people throughout Scripture by paying attention and digging a little deeper to find out what was going on beyond their words. He also listened to what was not said. For He was adept at drawing others out, communicating sympathy. He never merely listened to words, but He listened for attitudes and he listened for the whole range of emotions. Jesus listened in a way that communicated compassion and care, taking the time to understand others.

Luke 8: 18 says, “So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them” Listening is not a passive skill. It is not merely being quiet and letting the other person speak. The wise listener is patient, energetic, and focused. They listen to the other person finish without interrupting. They work hard to understand the other person.

Part of living out our faith in a positive way is to create, build, and sustain meaningful connections with others. In so doing we reflect the image of God and, hopefully, pass some of His love on to the world around us. A huge part of establishing connections is done through listening. Listening well is more than being quiet and more than being curious. It’s the process of discovering another person’s interests, likes, and positions on spiritual matters. It’s common to hear Christians say, “Speak the truth with love,” but what about listening? When I stop what I’m doing and listen, it tells the other person that they are important to me.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What makes you feel heard when speaking with others? Do you do these things when listening to others?
  2. Are you prone to giving more truth when you speak, or more kindness? Why do you think this is? How might you incorporate more balance of truth and love into your conversations?
  3. How would your conversations look differently if Jesus were physically sitting next to you? Would you take more time with your words? Show more compassion? Have more patience?

WHAT FIRES YOU UP?

“David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel!” – 1 Samuel 17: 45- 46.

What gets you going? In other words, what motivates you? What captures your interest or stirs a passion in you? What inspires you to cook if you are a chef or spend hours designing a building if you are an architect? What gives you the inspiration, energy, and motivation to do what God has called you to do in this life?   

Passion is what energizes life. Passion gives you a reason to get up in the morning and say, “I’m going to do something with my life today.” Without passion, life becomes routine, even dull. We all need passion in our lives. The question is what are we passionate about? And secondly, is what we are passionate about going to leave a legacy?

Romans 12:11 (NIV) says, ”Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” Notice the word “keep.” It is not automatic, it is a choice.  It has nothing to do with either your personality or your age. It is about having an intense desire to serve others and to serve God.

Of all the wonderful stories in the Bible, the story of David and Goliath is one of the most popular. Just imagining David — a young boy — loading a small stone into a sling and stepping onto a battlefield. By earthly standards, David was woefully unprepared to engage Goliath. The Bible says Goliath was over nine feet tall and covered in more than 100 pounds of armor. Not exactly shaping up to be a fair fight.

What motivated David to risk his life? Goliath told Israel that if any of them would fight him and win, the Philistines would become Israel’s slaves (1 Samuel 15: 9). It sounds like a pretty good deal, fight and win, and Israel will have slaves for years to come. But if Goliath won, the future liberty of his people was at stake.  But there was something more, something greater that moved David from the sidelines to the frontline.  In 1 Samuel 17: 31, we read that the king called David to hear his story because David said that Goliath was mocking Israel, which means he was mocking God. Goliath was taunting and shaming the one true living God. The honor of God was at stake, and that could not be ignored.

Enthusiasm or passion isn’t passive. Being passionate about something means you’re going to do something about it. Passion results in action. As you develop a closer relationship with God, your passion will grow, and as it does, making changes in your life will naturally follow.

So, how are your enthusiasm and passion? Are you filled with excitement and purpose? If not, today’s the day to begin pursuing an increase in passion. God is filled with so much passion for us that He deserves nothing less than whole-hearted passion from us.

Discussion Questions:

  1. When and why did you first fall in love with Jesus? In what ways has your original love for Christ faded? How can you rekindle that flame?
  2. What activity or idea may be replacing your enthusiasm for the Lord?
  3. What can you do to deepen your enthusiasm for Christ this week?