Studying God’s Word ping
Natural zeal is disastrous in the kingdom of God. These two were of no use to the Lord until He had humbled them greatly and established that their natural zeal was of no use to Him, and had to die - and be destroyed.
This was the work of His cross in them. After His crucifixion, they found their natural zeal worthless, and they abandoned Him.
It was only after they were totally broken, humbled, brought to nothing in themselves that they with 118 others found themselves on their faces seeking Him with all of their hearts. They had nothing, knew nothing, could do nothing.
Only when they reached that point could God the Father pour out His Holy Spirit on them, filling them with a spiritual zeal that was not of the flesh, not of man, but of His Spirit.
The same is true for every man today who serves God. Is the zeal that of his natural man? His flesh? His self? If so - it must go to and through the cross, and die. It is of no use in God’s kingdom.
Only that which is done by and through His Holy Spirit will last, will build, will edify, will exalt Christ - and will remain.
Everything else will be burned up. I Corin. 3:12 - 15.
I learned something from this. Thanks for posting!
Howdy Ma'am!
We are Elder Zealous and Elder Ambitious...