With All Your Heart

Jesus deserves energetic and enthusiastic followers. You have friends awaiting an example of an exuberant follower of Jesus. You are the best Christian somebody knows.

Are you regressive and depressive – or – aggressive and expressive?

Before the completion of the New Testament texts, people were won to faith in Christ and faithfully followed Him not because of a passage of stirring Scripture, but because of a person of spiritual stability. They still are.

Un-cowering and uncompromising confidence in and commitment to Jesus attracted others to Him. It still does.

In Colossians 3: 23 we have a main vein of Spiritual truth. It speaks of – – – action. “Whatsoever you DO…”.

Our Lord has established certain goals and standards of things for us to do in order to prove to ourselves and demonstrate to others our devotion to Him.

From a secular world view comes the spiritual nugget of truth spoken by legendary football coach Vince Lombardi: “The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence, regardless of his chosen field of endeavor.”

That is Colossians 3: 23 applied.

Whatever you do be certain to do it as to the Lord and do it with feeling. Be enthusiastic.

Knowing the derivation of the word enthusiasm helps. It comes from two Greek words. The prefix ‘en” means “within.” The Greek word “theos” means “God.” Enthusiasm means “the God within.” When Jesus is the God within your enthusiasm it is in direct proportion to the extent of control He is allowed over your life.

Historian Arnold Toynbee said, “Apathy can only be overcome by enthusiasm, and enthusiasm can only be aroused by two things: an ideal which takes the imagination by storm, and a definite intelligible plan for carrying that ideal into practice.”

When devotion to Jesus takes your imagination by storm, prayerfully seek His will regarding His plan for you to carry it out daily.

Enthusiasm is faith that has been set on fire.