Christian Zeal**

**warning if you are to zealous you might actually accomplish something for Christs kingdom :-P On a serious note, I am disturbed quite abit when I see athiest, humanists, or even worse yet cults members (mormons, jehovah witnesses, etc) with a zeal, enthusim and determination to accomplish there goals that shames Christians in comparison.------------------Here is a letter written by an athiest concerning Christians (that we should all read carefully and hid in our hearts):"If I firmly believed, as millions say they do, that the knoweldge and practice of religion in this life influnces destiny in another, then religion would mean to me everything. I would cast away earthly enjoyments as dross, earthly cares as follies, and earthly thoughts and feelings as vanity. Religion would be my first waking thought, and my last image before sleep sank me into unconsciousness. I should labor in its cause alone. I would take thought for the morrow of Eternity alone. I would esteem one soul gained for heaven worth a life of suffering. Earthly consequences would never stay my hand, or seal my lips. Earth, its joys and its griefs, would occupy no moment of my thoughts. I would strive to look upon Eternity alone, and on the immortal souls around me, soon to be everlastingly happy or everlastingly miserable. I would go forth to the world and preach to it in season and out of season, and my text would be, WHAT SHALL IT PROFIT A MAN IF HE GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSE HIS OWN SOUL?"------------------We need to remember to walk inline with the spirit of Christ and God's word and not to go off on our own. But the Church of Jesus Christ needs to express more zeal for our state of being, we are spiritual, born-again, God-indwelt Christians who have the most important message in the world to share with our words and holy character.It is still one of the tragedies of human history that the "children of darkness" are frequently more determined and zealous than the "children of light."-Martin Luther King Jr.

John 2:17 (niv) - His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me."Romans 12:11 (niv) - Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.2 Corinthians 8:22 (niv) - In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you.Galatians 4:18 (niv) - It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you. ------------------But here is a somber warnings on zeal:Romans 10:2 (niv) - For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Galatians 4:17 (niv) - Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you , so that you may be zealous for them.

Zeal in Christianity is a burning desire to please God, to do His will, and to advance His glory in the world in every possible way. It is a desire, which is not natural to men or women. It is a desire which the Spirit puts in the heart of every believer when they are converted to Christ, however, a desire which some believers feel so much more strongly than others that they alone deserve to be called "zealous" men and women.This desire is so strong, when it really reigns in a person, that it impels them to make any sacrifice-to go through any trouble-to deny themselves anything-to suffer, to work, to labor, to toil, to spend themselves and be spent, and even to die-if only they can please God and honor Christ.-J. C. Ryle

There never was a grace of which Satan has not made a counterfeit. There never was a coin issued from the mint that forgers did not at once coin something very much like it. It was one of Nero's cruel practices first to sew Christians into the skins of wild beasts, and then bait them with dogs. It is one of Satan's devices to place distorted copies of the believer's graces before the eyes of men, and so to bring the true graces into contempt. No grace has suffered so much in this way as zeal. Of none perhaps are there so many shams and counterfeits.-J. C. Ryle

M’Cheyne was one of the greatest blessings that God ever gave to the Church of Scotland. He was a minister insatiably desirous of the salvation of souls. Few men ever did so much good as he did, though he died at the age of twenty-nine. Yet he says in one of his letters, “No one but God knows what an abyss of corruption is in my heart. It is perfectly wonderful that God could ever bless such a ministry.” We can be very sure where there is self-conceit there is little true zeal.-J. C. Ryle

Take to heart the words of a zealous Christian, who said, when told that he ought to rest a little, "What should we rest for? Don't we have all eternity to rest?"Do not fear the reproach of men. Do not faint because you are sometimes abused. Don't let it bother you if you are sometimes called a bigot, a zealot, a fanatic, a crazy person, and a fool. There is nothing disgraceful in these titles. They have often been given to the best and wisest of men. If you are only zealous when you receive praise for it-if the wheels of your zeal must be oiled by the world's commendation, your zeal will be short-lived. Do not care for the praise or the frown of man. There is only one thing worth caring for, and that is the praise of God. There is only one question worth asking about our actions: "How will they appear in the day of judgment?"-J. C. Ryle

Here is a letter written by an athiest concerning Christians (that we should all read carefully and hid in our hearts)What do you think of the athiest letter Chanin?This is why I can't wait for his return. That every knee WILL bow. Doesn't it just thrill your heart?!ohh yes! What an awesome time but awful at the same time, imagining all those people who cursed his name but are under such conviction that they fall on the faces prostrate before their maker. I sudder at the thought, but also how wonderful it is to see our Lord and Saviour, for we shall be like Him! :-D