WEBVTT 00:04.370 --> 00:07.892 [SPEAKER_00]: as we continue this week on the marks of a true Christian. 00:08.652 --> 00:12.834 [SPEAKER_00]: Today we're going to look at what it means to be fervent in spirit. 00:14.054 --> 00:16.796 [SPEAKER_00]: You were made to live with a fervent faith. 00:17.616 --> 00:20.737 [SPEAKER_00]: Zalis in response to God's passionate love for you. 00:21.898 --> 00:26.980 [SPEAKER_00]: May God fill all our hearts with his love and a meaningful authentic way. 00:27.841 --> 00:32.283 [SPEAKER_00]: And may we find the courage in him to live our faith passionately. 00:33.301 --> 00:35.503 [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to the first 15 podcast. 01:08.475 --> 01:23.398 [SPEAKER_00]: Our Scripture for today comes from Romans chapter 12, verse 11, Scripture says, Do not be thoughtful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 01:27.600 --> 01:33.521 [SPEAKER_00]: God shares with us is disciples an important command in Romans 1211. 01:34.722 --> 01:38.062 [SPEAKER_00]: Scripture says, do not be slothful in zeal. 01:38.943 --> 01:40.723 [SPEAKER_00]: Be fervent in spirit. 01:41.443 --> 01:42.804 [SPEAKER_00]: Serve the Lord. 01:45.144 --> 01:47.485 [SPEAKER_00]: Do you ever feel slothful in zeal? 01:48.925 --> 01:53.246 [SPEAKER_00]: Here Paul is talking about feeling sluggish in your relationship with God. 01:54.467 --> 01:58.249 [SPEAKER_00]: He's describing a feeling of laziness, a lack of desire. 01:59.430 --> 02:02.811 [SPEAKER_00]: Do you ever feel like your spirit is anything but fervent? 02:04.212 --> 02:07.994 [SPEAKER_00]: The word fervent here is better translated as boiling over. 02:09.515 --> 02:12.857 [SPEAKER_00]: Do you ever feel like your spirit is more like stagnant water? 02:14.417 --> 02:20.981 [SPEAKER_00]: Let's look today at how we as followers of God can stir up our affections for the Lord. 02:22.260 --> 02:31.364 [SPEAKER_00]: Let's make space for God to put fire under any area of our spiritual life that feels stagnant that it might boil over in him. 02:33.585 --> 02:43.950 [SPEAKER_00]: Foundational to understanding Romans 1211 is the knowledge that God will never ask you to do something or be something without his help. 02:45.351 --> 02:48.492 [SPEAKER_00]: You are never alone in your spiritual growth. 02:50.225 --> 02:56.088 [SPEAKER_00]: Your job is simply to create space in your heart for God to mold and shape you. 02:57.749 --> 03:04.112 [SPEAKER_00]: Your job is to engage with Him and let the Spirit teach, lead and fill you. 03:05.973 --> 03:08.294 [SPEAKER_00]: Your heavenly Father is near to you. 03:09.755 --> 03:15.058 [SPEAKER_00]: He has a perfect plan to guide you into spiritual growth and forever. 03:16.877 --> 03:28.625 [SPEAKER_00]: So in light of that understanding, how can you engage with God and allow Him to mold and shape you into a person of greater fervor and zeal? 03:30.986 --> 03:38.251 [SPEAKER_00]: Psalm 19 verse 7 says, The Law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. 03:48.547 --> 03:59.054 [SPEAKER_00]: Scripture makes clear that to be zealous and fervent in your service to God, you must spend time allowing his word to inflame your spiritual fire. 04:00.676 --> 04:14.265 [SPEAKER_00]: Spending time reading about the depths of God's love for his people, the length he will go for you as his child, and the example of lives empowered by the Spirit will assuredly 04:18.413 --> 04:28.879 [SPEAKER_00]: When you spend time in God's Word, you are not only reading incredible stories, but hearing the voice of your living and active Heavenly Father. 04:30.560 --> 04:39.225 [SPEAKER_00]: Spend time with His Word, allowing the voice of God to direct your soul to finding its rest and passion in Him. 04:40.846 --> 04:47.490 [SPEAKER_00]: When you spend time with God, you will naturally be filled with a desire and passion to serve Him. 04:49.095 --> 04:57.039 [SPEAKER_00]: reflect for a moment on how different you feel when you are inflamed with passion in comparison to feeling slothful. 04:58.780 --> 05:03.282 [SPEAKER_00]: You have the power to choose how you will live life every day. 05:04.783 --> 05:07.284 [SPEAKER_00]: You have the choice to engage with God. 05:07.824 --> 05:14.628 [SPEAKER_00]: Read His word, spend time in His presence, and allow Him to mold and shape you. 05:16.261 --> 05:19.782 [SPEAKER_00]: You also have the power to live a passionless life. 05:20.982 --> 05:22.263 [SPEAKER_00]: The choice is yours. 05:23.623 --> 05:31.325 [SPEAKER_00]: But no God is faithful to fill you with his spirit every day if you will make space for him to do so. 05:32.786 --> 05:36.167 [SPEAKER_00]: He has total grace for the times you feel sluggish. 05:37.327 --> 05:42.388 [SPEAKER_00]: At the same time, he has a perfect plan to lead you out of that state, 05:46.912 --> 05:57.034 [SPEAKER_00]: engage with God today in prayer, meditate on His Word, let Him fill you with the power and anointing of His Holy Spirit. 05:59.155 --> 06:13.158 [SPEAKER_00]: The message translates Romans 12-11 essay, don't burn out, keep yourselves fueled and aflame, be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant, 06:15.175 --> 06:25.002 [SPEAKER_00]: May you experience today the life of a cheerfully-expected person fueled instead of flame by the love and leading of God. 06:59.138 --> 07:12.167 [SPEAKER_00]: As we begin, spend time meditating on God's Word, reflect on a passage, story, or idea that will stir up your affections for God. 07:56.936 --> 08:01.140 [SPEAKER_00]: And next, ask the Holy Spirit to fill you a fresh. 08:02.796 --> 08:08.402 [SPEAKER_00]: spend time in God's presence, allowing Him to fill you with the desire to serve Him. 08:08.422 --> 08:21.957 [SPEAKER_00]: Psalm 90 verse 14 says, Satisfies us in the morning with your steadfast love that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 08:33.132 --> 08:34.633 [UNKNOWN]: Thank you. 09:04.637 --> 09:10.738 [SPEAKER_00]: And last, ask the Holy Spirit to show you ways you can serve God today. 09:12.619 --> 09:19.900 [SPEAKER_00]: God has a specific plan to use you today to bring spiritual awakening to those around you. 09:21.321 --> 09:28.582 [SPEAKER_00]: He could have you give someone a gift, encourage someone, pray for someone, or even simply 09:32.852 --> 09:36.777 [SPEAKER_00]: follow the voice of the Spirit as he guides and directs you today. 10:18.944 --> 10:25.446 [SPEAKER_00]: Finish up the time you spend alone with God today, I simply asking His presence to linger with you. 10:26.986 --> 10:30.707 [SPEAKER_00]: Ask Him to continually fill you with the flame of His love. 10:37.088 --> 10:51.620 [SPEAKER_00]: Whenever you feel sluggish in spirit, he is there to fill you up, continually engage with him, and live today with his grace and love as your foundation and fuel. 11:08.628 --> 11:10.850 [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for listening to today's podcast. 11:11.210 --> 11:13.012 [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Josh Miller with 1st 15. 11:14.053 --> 11:19.898 [SPEAKER_00]: As you go about your day today, if you're not feeling fervent for God, know that is okay. 11:20.899 --> 11:23.722 [SPEAKER_00]: God isn't asking you to be something that you're not. 11:24.949 --> 11:36.261 [SPEAKER_00]: Rather than getting down, we're avoiding the subject, come before God, even for a few moments, asking Him to show you the path to fervancy in Him. 11:37.743 --> 11:46.232 [SPEAKER_00]: For what it's worth, often times fervancy for me comes from not doing something more, but eliminating a source of negativity. 11:47.339 --> 11:55.966 [SPEAKER_00]: And if you haven't already, make sure to subscribe or follow the podcast and even leave a rating or a review if today's episode was meaningful for you. 11:57.047 --> 12:01.831 [SPEAKER_00]: Have a wonderful rest of your day today and may God bless you as you see Kim.