ZEAL

Zeal: the Good, the Bad, the Ugly
by Keith Green
"And [Jesus] found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers seated. And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple... His disciples remembered that it was written, 'Zeal for Thy house will consume me.'" (John 2:14,15,17)Imagine how the disciples felt watching their Master upsetting the lovely decorum of the temple. The noise, the dust, the shouting, the money spilling, the tables upturned - how dare He do such a thing! The disciples were probably shocked at first, then elated. That's how I would have felt. "Good job, Jesus! Show everyone who's boss!" When it was over, the disciples thought back to the Scripture that says, "Zeal for Thy house has consumed me." (Psalm 69:9) They thought, Now we see what that means. Jesus loves His Father's house so deeply that He won't tolerate sin in it.No doubt Jesus' action that day excited everyone. The common people were thrilled to have a hero who could kick around all the religious windbags and money-grubbing scum. If it meant popularity - or flexing their muscles - the disciples were all for it. The only problem was, they didn't understand one fundamental fact about human nature: our zeal lacks direction.
Right and Wrong ZealZeal is simply earnestness or fervor in advancing a cause. But that cause can be good or bad, focused or misguided. And as we read throughout the Gospels, we see that the disciples' zeal was often misguided.The Pharisees were zealous, too - and often misguided. No one could say these guys didn't have zeal. Everything they did involved religious duties and doctrines. But their zeal was founded on legalism, not on knowing God. They promoted a cause that was cold and lifeless - a cause that made their hearts proud and arrogant.We love to poke fun at the Pharisees. We like to read the rebukes that Jesus used to level them. But we're just as capable of misdirecting our zeal to useless religious activities. Things that are all for outward show - stuff that generates heat but not light.That's how I was when I first became a Christian - I had lots of zeal. I never gave too much thought about where my energy was directed, and I did a few things that were pointless, ungodly, and unproductive. They didn't advance my relationship with the Lord, or the Kingdom of God here on earth. We can all misdirect our zeal at times.But some of us, like the Pharisees, get trapped by our own zealousness. We replace our relationship with the Lord with our "righteous" activity, and end up trying to earn our salvation by proving how zealous we are.There are four ways Christians commonly misuse their zeal. They are: fighting causes that aren't God's causes, judging others, arguing over the Bible, and seeking blessings more than the Giver of those blessings. I want to focus on these areas because they cause destructiveness and havoc in the body of Christ. Let's take a look at each of these four areas and see what true zeal for God is not.
Zeal Of the FleshFirst, we can be zealous for God yet totally miss His big picture. If we're not careful we can be zealous for causes that aren't God's at all.Peter seemed to be the most zealous of the twelve disciples. Wherever there was trouble he was ready to jump in and save the day - at least in the flesh.In the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter provided us with a perfect example of misplaced zeal. As the soldiers came to take Jesus away, Peter pulled out his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest's servant.Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matt. 26:52,53)What did Peter think he was doing? The same thing many of us think we're doing - protecting the Lord's reputation with ungodly methods, and hurting innocent people in the process. Peter, like the other disciples, totally missed God's big picture - His plan to send Jesus to the cross.Peter had another plan. He still hoped Jesus would be the conquering hero. Sure, Peter had a lot of zeal for that. But he lacked the same zeal when it came to being a spiritual companion to Jesus. Peter, who was so courageous about swinging his sword in public, was the same guy who abandoned Jesus at the moment He took on His most difficult spiritual mission -humbling Himself and going to the cross.How is it that we're so zealous to put on outward, heroic shows of loyalty for our faith -and so reluctant to set aside our own agenda and do what Jesus wants us to do? Our zeal is misdirected. We need to transfer our zeal from outward things to inward spiritual things. We need to be less willing to cut off ears in Jesus' name, and more willing to humble ourselves, go into our prayer closet alone with Him and get His agenda for our lives.Paul reminds us: "The mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Rom. 8:7,8)Much harm has been done to God's name by so-called spiritual battles waged in the flesh. Look at all the religious wars that have been fought, the crusades that have been carried out. All the blood and destruction. How could zeal be so misdirected? How could people think they were committing such atrocities in the name of God? But before standing in judgment of anyone else, we'd better realize we're all capable of pushing our own agenda ahead of God's agenda.
Zeal In JudgmentSecond, we Christians have to admit that we have a problem - a bad habit of judging each other. In Luke 9, it says, "[Jesus] sent messengers on ahead of Him. And they went, and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make arrangements for Him. And they did not receive Him, because He was journeying with His face toward Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, 'Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?' But He turned and rebuked them." (vv. 52-55)I doubt that James and John were expecting a rebuke. Here was a whole village of people who had rejected Jesus - they deserved to be fried. They'd blown their chance to welcome Jesus. As far as these zealous disciples were concerned, it was time for this village to see the power of God.How many times have you acted like James and John? How often do you become a judge, and bring down the gavel on someone who's obviously in the wrong? Some people have a lifelong preoccupation with sitting in judgment over every ministry, every elder, every pastor and every Bible study leader. They call down fire - bringing down the gavel of judgment hard and heavy. They say they're trying to bring correction, but they crush, kill, and destroy.When I was a new Christian I opened up my Bible, then set myself up as judge. I'd go into ministries and get loud about their need for correction. Worse than that, within six months of my conversion I was on stage performing. Thousands of people came to hear me, and I really got into letting them know what I thought - judging things publicly.One day God grabbed me by the collar and showed me something: Judgment comes out of spiritual immaturity. Mature Christians will pray, discern, love, and counsel. If need be they'll rebuke, but never in a critical, destructive spirit, and never publicly to shame and punish. That's the godly way. Immature Christians can have a lot of zeal but little wisdom. They can put fire and noise into things that harm rather than help the cause of Christ. I fell into that trap and, like James and John, the Lord rebuked me for judging others.You see, when we judge we step into the place of God. God alone is the judge of the motives of our hearts. If Jesus had wanted to call down fire on that Samaritan village, He could have done it Himself without the help of His disciples. These guys wanted to usurp Jesus' authority, and so He had to set them straight.I've come to see that my zeal as a disciple - as someone who knows God's Word - has to be directed at me first. The inconsistencies and sin I see in the lives of others - and let's face it, you can't help noticing - should remind me to beware of the sin in my own life. Now, if I find myself having to deal with someone else's sin or failure, I'd rather take Paul's advice to heart: "Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself lest you too be tempted." (Gal. 6:1)Paul knew the Lord's correction is meant to bring restoration in relationship to the Lord and in ministry - not destruction. Restoration takes time, but it's God's goal.
Zeal For WordsThere's another way our critical spirits can harm the body of Christ - when we fight over fine interpretations of the Bible. I've heard people get really nasty with each other -Christian brothers and sisters! Paul says, "Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless, and leads to the ruin of the hearers." (2 Tim. 2:14)When I was a new Christian I spent many useless hours wrangling over words. Added together, those hours probably amount to weeks, even months. I'd argue over anything and everything: When was the rapture going to happen? Can a Christian be possessed by demons? Do you have to be sprinkled or immersed to be truly baptized? Should you be baptized in the name of Jesus only or in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? Some of the arguments produced a lot of heat that looked like zeal for the Lord - but I can't remember any that produced much real light.In some ways I set myself up for this. After concerts, people came up to me and said, "You know, I don't agree with your position on this or that." I loved it! I'd sit down on the edge of the stage, and a crowd would gather. I'd throw out scriptures, and the other person would lob different ones back at me. We'd have a great time, with our "flesh" exposed for all to see. I didn't realize then that my arguing could cause the ruin of those who listened to me. I was just thinking I was a big shot, a spiritual authority, when really I was just a debater with a big ego. I was sharpening a human talent for debate, not a spiritual talent for being quiet, listening, and praying.Paul also said in his warnings to Timothy, "Avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene." (2 Tim. 2:16,17) What a vivid picture. People didn't have the benefit of tetracycline or penicillin in Timothy's day. If you saw a big blue streak going up your arm or leg, you ran to the surgeon and had the infected limb cut off. There was no anesthetic - other than getting drunk or having someone knock you out. Get the idea? This was a drastic and painful condition. So it was the most vivid imagery Paul could use to get his point across. A dispute over words brings out a spirit of contentiousness - and this will spread infection through the body of Christ like gangrene. The only way to remove it is by major and painful surgery.Why is it important to stay in the right spirit? Because there's a lot more at stake than who's right or wrong - I'm talking about eternal souls."The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will." (2 Tim. 2:24-26 emphasis added)Immature Christians mistake a contentious spirit for true zeal. They think they know all the right answers, and that everyone has to see things their way. Paul gave some more strong warnings about this in his letter to Titus: "Shun foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law; for they are unprofitable and worthless. Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned." (Titus 3:9-11)If we want to grow in Christ, we must ruthlessly evaluate our speech. There's only one standard and one motive acceptable to God. Paul nailed it: "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear." (Eph.4:29)
Zeal For PowerThe last thing I want to say about zeal is more than instruction, it's God's warning to all of us. In Acts 8:9 ff., we read the story of a man named Simon, who practiced magic and sorcery. Everyone in Samaria was astonished by the things he could do, and people called him the "Great Power of God." Then Philip came to town preaching the good news. People began getting saved and baptized. A revival hit, and even Simon was converted. After his conversion he began following Philip around, and saw all the miracles that occurred. Word got back to the other apostles in Jerusalem about what was happening in Samaria, and Peter and John were sent to check things out. They discovered that the new converts had not received the baptism of the Spirit, so they began laying their hands on the people and praying for them. Sure enough, the people began receiving the Spirit."Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, 'Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.' But Peter said to him, 'May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!"' (Acts 8:18 20) Sure, Simon's idea was misguided - but didn't he give up his sorcery business to follow the Gospel? Wasn't Peter being a bit harsh with him?I don't think so. Didn't some of us come to the Lord for the wrong motives? We came because we were sick of our lifestyle. Or becausewe couldn't find peace. Or we needed healing, or our marriage was on the rocks. We came for any number of reasons.From the New Testament times until today, there have been people who preach the Gospel for the wrong reasons. They're not following Jesus; they're building their own kingdoms and their own egos. Some people get involved in Christianity simply because it is a market for their merchandise - they can make money. They don't care if people become Christians, they just want to sell their books or records. Some people start with sincere motives but their appetite for money and fame overcomes them - they continue doing seemingly "good" things, but for all the wrong reasons. They're just putting up a front. They've learned how to effectively fake all the right moves and the right language.But God will not be mocked. He never lets someone continue in that place for long. They either burn out because it's a work of the flesh, or they are publicly exposed and humiliated - and the name of the Lord gets tarnished in the process.We always need to check our motives for doing something - even a good thing. And when we are successful in the things of the Lord, we must be careful not to look at the fruit and think it proves we're right with God. Nothing can replace our personal relationship with Him - not even the fruit produced by our ministries.
True ZealGod wants true disciples who will move beyond selfish motives to a pure motive - and that is to know God Himself and the reason He created us. You see, Simon never made that shift. He became interested in the Gospel because of what the disciples had to offer - their "tricks" were better than his. They upstaged him. Scripture says that he truly believed in the Gospel, but it appears that he never got beyond desiring power so he could have more influence than anyone else.Simon had zeal all right. He was ready to do whatever it took to get the power he wanted. But his zeal was directed at self-promotion - not at knowing and sharing the love of God.Working in the music industry, I see this confusion all the time. Today, we see "stars" who become Christians - but they never lay down their music on the altar. They just begin selling Christian versions of their songs. They have lots of zeal - but are they putting it into seeking God? Before I sound like I'm back to the old mode of judging again I have to tell you what I've witnessed. I've seen celebrities come to Christ and get pushed into the spotlight by publishers and record companies before they're ready. When they hit a "pothole," they fall away. Then they say, "Christianity is a joke. It doesn't work." While people looked on and said, "They have so much zeal for God," they were actually using their misdirected zeal to pursue their own interests.That's what Simon did. The whole time he followed Philip around, he didn't accept the lifestyle of discipleship. He had plenty of zeal to pursue miracles and signs and wonders, but not much interest in pursuing God Himself. He had his eyes on the gifts of God, rather than on the God of the gifts.Paul saw the same kind of misdirected zeal among the Jews. He said, "For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God." (Rom. 10:2,3)If Paul looked at your life, would he say the same thing about you? Would he say, "I've got to give you credit, you sure have a lot of zeal for God. You're doing many things in the name of the Lord. But you don't know His righteousness. Are you using your zeal to try to gain something from God, instead of using it as an expression of your gratitude to God for all that He's already done for you?We can be zealous at keeping rules. We can be zealous debaters and defenders of the truth. We can zealously pursue the gifts of the Spirit. We can even be zealously contentious and fight fleshly battles. But none of this is true zeal for God.What is zeal for God then? It's giving all our energy and enthusiasm to God's cause. What does that mean? Jesus made it pretty clear: "the foremost [commandment] is, 'H ear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself' There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:29-31)We are supposed to direct all our zeal into our relationship with the Lord, and then into our relationship with our neighbor. God wants us to get our eyes on Him. Loving Him is to be our cause. He can take care of a lot of other causes without us, but He can't make us love Him with all our heart. That's the work we must do - pursue Him with all our heart and soul and strength.As David said, "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, 0 God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God." (Psalm 42:1,2)David was describing true zeal. He thirsted after God. Do you have that kind of desperation? Do you have within that holy fire to know God? God doesn't want to be a casual acquaintance. He wants to be an intimate part of your life - alive and burning at the core of your being. The second part of the cause we are to advance is to love our neighbor as ourselves. Not correct our neighbor, debate with our neighbor, or judge our neighbor, but love our neighbor. And how do we love our neighbor? We love them by serving them and doing things that bless them."[Christ] gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds." (Titus 2:14) Are we zealous for good deeds? James says, "This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." (James 1:27)Are you zealous for this pure and undefiled religion? Are you self-involved - or are you willing to serve others? The zeal that pleases God is strength and talent directed towards serving others. Jesus reminds His disciples that if we want to be great in the kingdom of God we have to be the servant of all. (Matt. 20:26)Watch out! Our flesh doesn't like the idea of serving others. An attitude of servanthood runs against our egos. Maybe that's why God put so much importance on it. But God doesn't take our flesh into account; He commands us to serve others. The disciple of Christ has no option but to do what He has told us.I can hear what many of you are thinking: But we don't need to prove ourselves to God, or to anybody else. He's given us salvation as a gift. You're right. But He needs to turn on our zeal to make salvation real in every area of our lives. He wants us to train ourselves to eagerly serve others in love and compassion.This is true zeal for God - to know Him and love Him with a deep and consuming love, and to serve others in the same way we would serve Jesus. Anything else is an imitation.Beware of it.
Keith Green, 1/22/2007

Tell Him How Much You Love Him Today

Let that be our only goal today, our highest priority! When you write a to do list put that as first. It is our only job, our only main attraction, goal, means, idea, it is the only thing that is worth accomplishing or getting done. He is my highest love, my only thoughts let it be of him, and if you don't love him to be your all, their probably parts of you heart that don't love him. And if your not fully given over to him, then your probably lukewarm, and he doesn't want you anyways. He sent people away, when they were "awe struck: by him. He could see into their hearts, he told the rich man to go and sell all his posessions, if he wanted to be his disciple. And the rich man walked away sad because he couldn't do it. It made Jesus sad too to send him away. Jesus loved him and wanted him, he loved his zeal, but Jesus didn't want people that just loved him at a whim. Or were attracted to him, and taken by the hype and excitement.He didn't want idolaters, and he didn't want to be their Idol. He wanted to be their husband, He wanted wifes, he wanted a church that was committed, submitted and that would remain fully his threw sickness and in health. Jesus is always moving and always wants us to ask for his purpose in all things, for his will in all accomplishing works of the spirit. I think in our society, us christians have gotten it all wrong. We have been doing what the world does, we tried conforming, attracting, advertising, we shyed away from showing JESUS in his fullness. We watered it down, we sold the gospel for less, "Gospel for Everyone!" we shout. But Jesus defined who the gospel was truly for, and he detested the proud, shunned the idolaters. We cheapened the product in order for it to be sold to the masses. But when you put the full value on something, and mark it at the price it should cost, and don't cheapen it. You get people that really want it, pay the full price for it, no matter the cost they have set their hearts desires on it.Therefore they won't be at peace, until they have it. Or you get people who want the same product but want it to be cheaper, lessening the true value. Therefore they toss it aside, not knowing if they would've ever payed full price for it, probably not. They are so well fed, they are asleep in the light, as Keith Green would say. The church doesn't know about the darkness of this world, and the misery. Because they don't remember what it COSTS. They don't remember their state of depravity, before they lay hold of the awesome gift that they were willing to pay everything for. They are so well fed, they don't know what it feels like to be hungry. O0O how I wish we were alive! Not back then (as in a time period) to see Jesus. But even now while he is alive more than ever! While he is desperate for laborers, and people that are paying with their blood, sweat, and tears. I wish we were alive to see him now, beloved. But we are in this dead state of complacency, feeding our ego's, self righteousness, and outward adornment too busy with our vain labor to see what God's work could truly be. What it truly is. We have gone about it the way Babylon has, the way the world has, we think we have to lure them in, and make padding for their butts, and tissues for their tears, and ease and comfort for every inconvienance. But it is God's desire that we could suffer with him, partaking in his suffering that love would abound more, and that are evil flesh would die more. To suffer is to let love abound more, because if filth and sin doesn't rise up within us to show us what we're truly made of. If we are not tested and trialed to see our true desire for the Lord. Than how can we realise how poor,wretched, naked, and needy we really are. We must come face to face with the depravity of our souls, by eagerly putting to death our flesh and depriving ourselves. Their is not ANY ONE THING, I would rather have than God. For all is fading and passing away, and the world labors in vain, all seeking vanities,vanities,vanities. But when we come to Christ we cast down our idols, Jesus cannot be conformed into the image of a calf an idol for us to adore. He is an all consuming fire, that we can't stand near unless we are holy. And how can we be holy without the blood of the lamb? and how can we receive the fullness of Grace and the blood of the lamb, without emptying ourselves. Why feed ourselves on his flesh and blood, if we are not hungry? Can he share his flesh with the stomachs of idolaters? Just some thoughts......

Trust him.

The best place to be is undone. Undone to his mercy, love and grace. His will is always better than ours, and it's a war that he doesn't mind fighting, so that we can be fully given over to him. Without hinderence, I want to be fully his, I have been tested and trialed, and I know more than anything that I just want him. When it comes down to it, I've detached myself from many things.. and have done what he's asked. It has been extremely difficult, to give up, and give in, and to realise that over and over again this world doesn't satisfy. But what a beautiful thing, that he cares enough for me, to sweep idols out of my life, to convict me, to pursue me, to refine me pure as gold. I keep wrestling with him over things, I keep wanting my heart to heal, and for him alone to satisfy the longings in my heart. But how can I allow him to heal, if I keep yielding to the desires of my heart. How can I be healed, if I don't trust him enough to heal the wound. I have to be patient and wait on him. I get this feeling in my soul, when I'm longing for something, when I'm yearning. Sometimes I'll want to spend money, or reflect on vanities. Or maybe sometimes I'll drive around thinking of what I'm doing next or who I'm hanging out with. Even though I've hung out with people non stop, and God gives me the words to speak when I'm fellowshipping with other believers and we rejoice in his love and revelation. But thats not the same as our time together one on one, God is soo good so gracious. To accept us, and to faithfully pursue us. I just wish I would yield to him more. It's been really good when I trust him, It's not pleasant at first, and sometimes I don't why he asks things of me, but in the end I really trust him to bring me through. I love him with all my heart, and soul. He is a good father, I promise.

In December he was faithful to to show me that If I go to the internship and trust him, He will free from a relationship, that was hard for me to end. He removed this from my life, so that this relationship wouldn't satisfy, but that I would return to Jesus for him to fully occupy my heart.

I love the girls that I lived with, my job, and the way my life was going. But I didn't have just him, so since I loved my life, my status, my friends more than him. He called me to the internship he removed the prop, the vanity out of my life. And I experienced him once again.

While we were called to do a fast at out internship, which is what we normally do. God told me that I could fast longer than the 3 days, and he removed the idolatry and the comfort of food in my life. He showed me that I didn't need it anymore, he revealed to me when I was lusting after food, and helped me cast down that thought. Because I was going to feed off of his love, and let him be my comfort. There is a lot more to fasting food that just hunger pains, we have an emotionaly attachment to food that satisfies us when were bored, wanting to socialize, food brings us comfort in more ways than we think. But we have to fully trust him.

Jesus helped free me from fear of man, I told him I wouldn't deny him one thing. I'm not perfect at this, but ultimately I trust his ways are better than mine. I preached the gospel, I approached people, and spoke the truth he gave me. He just wanted me to yield to obedience, and I don't mind humiliating my flesh, so that his glory and love might abound. I gave up my "place" in society to fully be his. And yield to the inclination to speak to whoever he wants me to.

I was idolizing a church a ministry that I loved going to. The pastor preached a message about idolatry and told us if we were called to be somewhere else we should be there, instead of being at his church.I remember weeping and crying, because of his love. But also because it was heart breaking to leave a church that I depended on to feed me. I remember crying, cuz I was amazed at his love for him to go out of his way and pursue me. To remove idols from my life, to convict me of idolizing man above him alone. I remember telling him at times God I'm so mad at you right now, but o man lord I love you. He's like a really concerned dad, and he's going to continue to guide and protect us. For him to be the center, our only main source of love.

Just fully delight and be satisfied in him. That is the only thing we can do, is to yield to his word, and ask and delight that he would speak it to us. To refine us, to convict us, for us to be led and developed in truth and love.

I will have to write more about my trip to Kansas City, also the ministry I led in Dallas. I promise I will update about this, but for now. I just need to spend some time with him.