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ENTHUSIASM “En Theos” meaning In God! Tuesday, April 27, 2004 Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said unto me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord”.
WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY: 1- Defines enthusiasm as; “To be stirred or thrilled”. 2- There are two Greek words that make up Enthusiasm; and they are “En Theos”.
HAVE YOU NOTICED? THE WORLD HAS NO TROUBLE GETTING EXCITED ABOUT THEIR EVENTS: 1- Some over a new car and some over a new dress. 2- And we could go on and on; But could it be? 3- Could it be that the time has come again that we; His People should get all excited? 4- And go tell everybody! 5- Could that be?
YOU CAN GET IN A FIGHT RIGHT QUICK OVER THE FRONT ROW SEATING: 1 At the game or the concerts; But how about church? 2 Folks will hop onto telling jokes and sharing other things; 3 But how about the gospel?
A. W. TOZER ONCE SAID: 1- If we Evangelicals had one third of the enthusiasm the cults have. 2- We’d take the continent!
DR. LUKE WROTE; 14: 34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned. 1- Charles Schwabb said: “You can succeed at almost anything for which you have unlimited enthusiasm”. 2- And Ralph Emerson said; “Nothing great was every achieved without enthusiasm” 3- And Norman Vincent Peale said: “Years wrinkle the skin, but lack of enthusiasm wrinkles the soul”. 4- And one more would be; “None are so old as those whom have outlived enthusiasm”
THE WORD IS FULL OF WHAT ENTHUSIASM WILL DO FOR US: 1- Full of what “GOD IN US” will do for us! “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might” Ecc. 9:10 HOW ABOUT THIS ONE? And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 1- And there’s dozens more like it! HOW ABOUT? Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord. Rm. 12:11 OR THIS ONE? Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 1st. Cor. 9:24 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Col. 3: 23
EVERYWHERE JESUS WENT HE CAUSED EXCITEMENT TO HAPPEN: 1- When Jesus made His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem; there was excitement. 2- And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
AND AT HIS BIRTH: 1- The angels sang: “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.” And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 1- They came with enthusiasm! Amen?
EVERYWHERE HE WENT; THE ENTHUSIASM WAS CONTAGIOUS: 1- Beloved; His indwelling us! 2- The mere mention of His name should excite us. Amen? 3- When His Spirit indwells you; it’ll transform the bump on a log to a Fiery Christian.
THE PEOPLE GOT EXCITED ABOUT JESUS: 1- How about the maniac of Gadara in Mark 5 2- Beloved; when demons depart; there is great enthusiasm. Amen? And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him; and all men did marvel.
DID THE WOMAN AT THE WELL GET EXCITED OR WHAT? 1- When you’ve been given the way; 2- There will come with the blessing; excitement and enthusiasm! Amen? The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Jn. 4
THE BLIND BOY IN JOHN 9 1- When Jesus saw him he made spittle of clay and anointed his eyes; 2- And told him to go wash in the pool Siloam; He did and came seeing. 3- The doubters were there as usual. 4- They asked the parents about it. 5- They said; the boy is of age; ask him! 6- They accused Jesus of being a sinner. 7- But he said; “Whether he be a sinner or no I know not; One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see”. 8- Was he excited? Did he have enthusiasm or not? 9- He was excited for Jesus! Excited about Jesus!
HOW ABOUT THE LAME MAN AT THE GATE ASKING FOR ALMS AND GOT LEGS? 1- Peter and John said; “Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, give I thee; in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk”! And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 1- Was he excited or what? Filled with enthusiasm.
DON’T WE THINK IT’S ABOUT TIME THAT WE JOINED THESE IN GETTING EXCITED? 1- God help us to be a thermostat; and not a thermometer! 2- Be the first to lead in the clapping during a song. 3- Be the first to shout “GLORY TO GOD” to the word spoken in truth>
I REMEMBER WHEN I GOT SAVED: 1- When I got saved; it was the greatest thing that ever happened to me! 2- Nothing can ever take the place of knowing that you have a right standing with the Lord. 3- The burden of sin gone! 4- We now have joy & peace & contentment in the Lord. 5- When I got saved; the Lord gave me a new lease on life; a reason to live for. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. 1- You can sleep like a baby at night!
WHEN I GOT SAVED; GOD FILLED MY HEART: 1- And it thrilled me to see others coming into the fold.
WHEN I GOT SAVED I WAS EXCITED ABOUT MY CHURCH: Hello! 1- Church should mean enough to all of us to want all it can afford for us. 2- And ask not what the church can do for me; but rather ask what I can do for the church.
BELOVED; GOD IN US IS THERE TO EXCITE US ABOUT THE FUTURE: 1- I’m excited enough that it won’t surprise me what God does in our midst. 2- God help us all to begin to attempt great things for you! 3- And God help us to expect the same! 4- Beloved; if enthusiasm means in God or God in us. 5- Nothing is impossible to them that believe. 6- For Jesus said unto them. 7- With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go unto the house of the Lord! 122:1 1- Not just 3 times a week; but at any time I might work for the Lord. 2- Work for the Lord; the pay is small but the retirement plan is out of this world.
O’ YES! HINDRANCES DO COME AGAINST OUR EXCITEMENT PATTERN: 1- How about a failure on our part to maintain a level of expectance? 2- Instead of “Good Lord, its morning!” 3- Let it be “Good Morning Lord!” 4- I wonder what He’s going to do today! 5- Beloved; “its exciting serving our Lord!”
REMEMBER WHO IT IS THAT YOU SERVE! He is Omnipotent! Omniscient! & Omnipresent! 1- He is creator of all & Our Savior! 2- He is my soon coming King; & Yet right this moment He is King of Kings& Lord of Lords 3- He is my Heavenly Father! Amen? 4- It’s exciting serving Jesus along this way!
WHEN YOU ASK HIM! EXPECT WHATEVER YOU ASKED FOR! "And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” Mt. 21:22 AND BELIEVE THAT! I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Phil. 4:13
BELOVED; YOU’RE GOING TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH ALL KINDS: 1- You’ll meet the depressed; the sad, the Excited, the sinner and the Christian in this life. 2- After all that Nehemiah had to fight off; he still was able to say; 3- “The joy of the Lord is your strength”! 8: 10 4- Your adversary will distract you in work, the kids, entertainment and the likes!
BELOVED; TO MAINTAIN OUR EXCITEMENT WE MUST: 1- Hear the voice of the Lord first! He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psa. 91: 1 1- Notice it with me! “It’s not enough to just visit the secret places of God!” 2- We must abide there! 3- It’s exciting serving the Lord!
AND WHEN EXCITED; 1- The battles seem a whole lot easier! Amen?
THE TEN SPIES THAT CAME BACK WITH A BAD REPORT: 1- Could not defeat the (2) that had the good report! 2- The 2 also saw the giants; but remembered God’s promises to them. 3- Gloom and despair will have less effect on you when excited! Amen?
O’ YES! EVEN IN THE MIDST OF EXCITEMENT; BAD DAYS WILL COME! 1- Moses had his bad day and broke the 10 commandments! 2- He even smote the rock instead of speaking to it. 3- Elijah had his juniper tree as well feeling sorrow for himself. 4- Thinking he was the only pumpkin on the vine. 5- Jeremiah had a day when he wanted to quit. 6- But remember; “The joy of the Lord is your strength” 7- It’s exciting serving the Lord in it all. 8- And it’s all about “ENTHUSIASM”.
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