2 DEDICATION To my wife, Tracy. You are endlessly fantastic. I love you and our journey together (Ruth 1:16) To my family and friends. Your zeal continues to inspire me. Lifelong Zeal: How To Build Lasting Passion For God Published by Mile2Media 2012 by Phillip Shumake International Standard Book Number: 978-1475037722 Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible,Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973,1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.lockman.org) Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Up to 500 words from the text of Lifelong Zeal may be quoted and reproduced in any form without written permission, provided the full name of the book, author, and page number reference are included alongside the quote or in a works cited lists at the conclusion of a publication. If quoted online, a link to www.lifelongzeal.com must be included. All other rights reserved. Contact the author for all other permissions. www.lifelongzeal.com
3 TABLE OF CONTENTS DISCOVERING THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT ZEAL 1. God's Vision: Every Christian, A Zealous Christian.......... 5 2. God s Solution: The Fire Triangle....................... 10 3. God s Process: Seven Steps To Follow.................. 15 STEP ONE: PREPARE 4. Finding Your Starting Point........................... 5. Purifying Your Environment........................... STEP TWO: IGNITE 6. Drawing Near To God............................... 29 7. Getting Closer Through Christ......................... 33 STEP THREE: FUEL 8. Increasing In Wisdom............................... 9. Embracing Loving Service........................... 10. Intensifying Your Courage........................... 11. Amplifying Your Energy............................. 12. Finishing With Diligence............................. STEP FOUR: PROTECT 13. Exposing Satan s Lies.............................. 14. Recovering From Burnout........................... STEP FIVE: USE 15. Changing Your Corner Of The World................... 73 16. Leveraging Your Strengths........................... 78 STEP SIX: SPREAD 17. Encouraging Your Friends & Family.................... 18. Stirring Up Your Local Church........................ 19. Mentoring Your Replacements........................ STEP SEVEN: TEND 20. Adjusting Your Habits............................... 98 21. Imitating Your Heroes.............................. 102 22. Fixing Your Hope Above............................ 106 20 25 38 43 48 53 58 63 68 83 88 93 Notes............................................. 112
4 FOREWORD ZEAL THAT DOESN T FIZZLE OUT MARK S QUESTION Mark said, I was baptized just a few years ago, but I already feel less on fire. What can I do to get my zeal back? At the time, I told Mark I wasn't sure. I knew spending more time in prayer and Bible study would help him, but like many Christians, he was already doing those things. He deserved a more specific answer. Maybe you ve felt like Mark before. If so, take courage because God is eager to ignite lifelong zeal in every Christian. The Bible includes all the examples and instructions you need to live with a greater passion for God. This study guide will help you: Build a spiritual fire that doesn t fizzle out. Discover seven steps Jesus used to enhance Peter s zeal (and yours) Gain a mature understanding of zeal from over four hundred Scriptures. Share the good news in an even more compelling manner. Experience the satisfaction found in imitating Jesus zeal. In 1 Peter 3:12-14, God promises you have nothing to fear in this journey, so open your Bible and get started. *Names in this book have been changed to respect privacy.
1 5 God s Vision EVERY CHRISTIAN, A ZEALOUS CHRISTIAN who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. TITUS 2:14 GOD S VISION God sees what could be and what should be in every person. In this lesson, you ll examine God s desire for His people to imitate His zeal. Warming Up Describe your initial thoughts about Christian zeal: DEFINING ZEAL Zeal is far more than the ambition of youth or the burst of energy from a cup of coffee. In the Bible, zeal is a burning desire to please God.1 Formally, zeal is defined as great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or objective. 2 This definition is fine for talking about zeal for sports or hobbies, but it s not precise enough to describe what God envisions for His people. What aspects of zeal would you like to learn more about? There are five essential qualities that set a Christian s passion apart from raw enthusiasm. The Bible directly links these traits to the concept of zeal. They are courage (1 Peter 3:13), wisdom (Rom. 10:2), energy (John 4:34), diligence (Ezra 7:23), and loving service (Rom. 12:11).
6 These traits are consistently found in the most zealous people in the Bible, and they create a clear picture of this burning desire in action. By combining them, a good working definition can be formed: Christian zeal is the courage to exercise great wisdom, great energy, and great diligence in loving service to God. This definition provides a detailed understanding of zeal and a biblical standard to measure yourself against. Keep it in mind as you study the Bible s use of this powerful word. GOD S ZEAL The prophet Isaiah connects God s zeal with some of the Lord s most impressive actions. Isaiah 9:7 says that God would use His zeal to establish the kingdom of Jesus Christ. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this. (Isa. 9:7) Later Isaiah 59:17 describes the zeal of the Lord as all encompassing. His zeal is like a mantel, which is a large outer cloak that is very visible, and it wraps His other wonderful qualities together. He put on righteousness like a breastplate, And a helmet of salvation on His head; And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle. (Isa. 59:17) There is no doubt that Christians serve a very zealous God. The incredible thing is that He wants you to be so much like Him God desires for every Christian to be a zealous Christian. This desire is firmly established by looking at the mission, instructions, and actions of Jesus. THE MISSION OF JESUS Titus 2:14 summarizes the mission of Jesus on earth. When God described the kind of people He desires, He specifically chose the word zealous. Notice the four-part message of this amazing verse. He Purchased You who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed Jesus purchased you with His precious blood. He knew His mission would bring Him to Cavalry, but He came anyway because of the incredible value He places on your soul. He gave Himself to purchase you and all people.
7 He Purified You and to purify for Himself Jesus doesn t leave you in a sin-stained condition. He purifies you. Jesus cleanses His people like He is restoring a priceless work of art. He gives every Christian a new and pure life. In Jesus, all your sins are washed away so that you stand before the Lord sparkling and new. He Took Possession of You a people for His own possession Because of the excess of American culture, it is common for people to purchase things they never fully use. It is not so with your Lord. His mission took Him beyond payment and purification. When Jesus saved you from sin, you became one of God s most prized possessions. He loves and admires you and wants only the best for your future. To Produce Zeal In You zealous for good deeds. This was the mission of Jesus: to purchase, purify, and possess you and make you zealous for good deeds. Soak in this truth for a moment: Jesus mission was to create a zealous people. He wants you to live with a burning desire to please God. THE INSTRUCTIONS OF JESUS In addition to His mission, Jesus also gives Christians the direct instruction to be zealous. In Revelation 3:14 19, Jesus urged the lukewarm Laodiceans to stop trusting in their comfortable lifestyles, be zealous, and repent. The Lord s instructions are just as relevant to lukewarm Christians today as they were to the saints at Laodicea. Blinded by wealth and security, modern Christians can easily get stuck in lukewarm routines. This disgusts Jesus With passion and great love for His sheep, Jesus commands everyone to come back to a zealous relationship with Him. THE ACTIONS OF JESUS Jesus is also Christians ultimate example. In John 2:13 22, the Lord was so consumed by zeal that He drove away the livestock and money changers who were turning the temple into a common house of business. However, this is far from His only expression of zeal. Jesus shows true lifelong zeal in everything from His fervent prayers to His unending love for the lost. Above all, His zeal is evident in His relentless pursuit of the Father s will, even to the point of death (John 6:35 40, Matt. 26:42).
8 First John 2:6 instructs, the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. Because the Bible describes Jesus as living with such great zeal, His followers must seek to do the same. ZEALOUS CHRISTIANS Thankfully, God not only desires for you to be zealous, but He also fully equips you in Christ The lessons that follow will help you develop a Christ-like zeal that honors God, enhances your influence, and brings blessings into your life and the lives of those around you. THE BOTTOM LINE Every Christian, A Zealous Christian: This is God s extraordinary vision for your future It is not just what could be. It is what should be. With His help, you can develop the lifelong zeal Jesus gave His life to ignite. THINK 1. What do you learn about God s zeal from the following passages? Isaiah 37:32 Isaiah 42:13 Isaiah 63:15 Ezekiel 5:13 For Only A Few? Do you think most Christians today exercise the same level of zeal found in New Testament role models? Why? Facing The Facts Imagine observing the event of John 2 as a faithful Jew. A young man storms into the temple with a scourge of cords making demands. Some might say, I see why he s upset, but I don t like his approach. How does seeing this side of Jesus character impact you? Joel 2:18 2. When God exercises His zeal, it always produces beneficial results. What benefits do you believe will result from personally developing greater zeal?
9 3. Zealous people in the Bible often have very little in common outside of their love for God. Describe the differences seen in: Age: Esther Josiah John the Baptist Mary, mother of Jesus Wealth: Background: Marriage: 4. Considering John 2:13-22, what does it mean to be consumed by zeal? Jesus doesn t just call the temple a building. He calls it My Father s house. What effect does this personal connection have on His zeal? During this visit to the temple, Jesus shows His great concern for purity in worship and His great disgust over the greed and dishonesty of the money changers. What did He show zeal for when He visited the temple as a child? (Luke 2:46) PRAY Knowing God s desire for all Christians to be zealous, you may feel guilty about your current level of devotion to God. Don t become paralyzed by this guilt. Instead, choose to repent and move forward. Take this time to pray expressing your thankfulness for the zeal of the Lord, and expressing your repentance for any lukewarm tendencies that have crept into your character. LIVE Memorize Titus 2:14. This is a small, but powerful step in devoting yourself to be one of the zealous people Jesus came to create.