When Jonathan Edwards was 19, he wrote a series of resolutions, 70 of them.

Years ago I read them all. I was a little older than he and I remember one lodged

itself in my heart with a strong desire.

God, I want to be that way.

Number six, resolved to live with all my might while I do live. My hope is that the years you've spent here at Bethlehem College and Seminary has kindle in you that fervent disposition of mind while you live to live with all your might, all your life with all your might.

There's a name for that in the Bible.

It's called zeal, and that's what I want to take a few minutes to talk about.

So I was sitting beside my wife several weeks ago reading Romans 12 and I read verse 8 having gifts that differ

according to the grace given to us let us use them. The one who

contributes in generosity, the one who leads with zeal, the one who does acts of mercy with cheerfulness.

And I turn to Noel and I said,

what's the common denominator

between contributing generously, generously and leading zealously and showing mercy cheerfully.

What's the basic point in saying do what you do generously, do what you do

zealously, do what you do cheerfully and she said you really want to do it

You're not being forced

You're not being forced. You're not half-hearted. You're all in. And I thought, that's right.

Six verses earlier in chapter 12 of Romans.

Verse says, moments. can prove what is the will of God.

And now I realize in view of verse 8,

that verse does not just mean that God wills for you to do certain things, but that you

do them in a certain way.

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