Our Lord demonstrated zeal. And He also calls US to zeal. John 2:17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. The Lord challenges the Lukewarm Church - to be zealous: Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. God loves the Laodiceans enough to rebuke and chasten them. Our Lord challenges us: Shake off your complacency, your lethargy! Leave the comfort zone! Zeal in the Bible refers to spiritual truth. Christianity has been described as ‘The Truth on fire’. The Bible talks about God’s people being sheep, but the unsaved are pictured as goats. Goats will swallow anything. In some churches the pastors are starving the sheep, but feeding the goats. Some have a zeal that is misguided. Romans 10:2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Knowledge speaks of spiritual truth and insight. Sadly, there is a lot of deception around. There’s a falling away from the truth. The Lord says, ‘My people perish for lack of knowledge.’ People don’t want truth. When we are saved, the spiritual truth that we have leads us to service – to labours more abundant – Good Works. Activate your faith – put your spiritual overalls on. Romans 12:1 Not slothful in business. fervent in spirit; serving the Lord. Galatians 4:18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing... Zeal is good - if it’s for a good purpose. God calls us to be … a peculiar people zealous of good works Titus 2:13. People with a zest for good works - eager to do right. Paul says, Colossians 3:23-24 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men… ye serve the Lord Christ. Are we active and busy – or inactive? Or do we settle for a second-rate, second best? Let us press through for Heaven’s best. Zeal in the Bible refers also to Spiritual Gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way. Covet them. In other words, set your heart on them. We need to be Spirit-empowered. 1 Corinthians 14:12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to he edifying of the church. We need a holy zeal, that is empowered by the Holy Spirit – His truth, His service, His gifts. What are the characteristics of a zealot? Focus, Fight, and Fire. Focus. We want our Lord Jesus to be the focal point of all that we do. Is Christ and pleasing Him a focus in our lives or just a casual interest? When someone has a focus… They… • Talk about it – they don’t tire of it. • Study it – to learn and know – think of a fan’s knowledge – they know their stuff, back to front and inside out. • Live it – they eat it, drink it, breathe it, sleep it; they are addicted. • Love it • Spend – devote time on it, money to it – they won’t care about the costs; they Give - devote effort – take pains and make great effort. • Work at it – There are three kinds of people – those who make things happen; those who watch things happen; and those who wonder what happened. Let’s be among those who make things happen. • Hunger for it – they have a desire. An eagerness, craving… a willingness/earnestness – a willing mind and heart. Satan will try and distract, deter, discourage… we must maintain our focus. Our motivation, our burden, our work. Make Christ your focus. Fight. When you think of someone with zeal they are like a fan who strongly barracks for their team. They defend and support their team. Where has the fight gone? A believer can be aggressive, uncompromising, unbending. Jude 1:3 …ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. Stand up. Fight against all the odds. Fire. John 5:35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. Let the Lord set us afire with the zeal of God. Let us take Baxter’s dying words as our motto: “Lord, what Thou wilt, where Thou wilt, and when Thou wilt.” John Knox cried out in his earnestness: “Give me Scotland or I die!” Sam Jones was a preacher who held revival services, which he called "quittin' meetings." His preaching was directed primarily to Christians, and he urged them to give up the sinful practices in their lives. Sam's messages were very effective, and many people promised to quit swearing, drinking, smoking, lying, gossiping, or anything else that was displeasing to the Lord. On one occasion Jones asked a woman, "Just what is it that you're quittin'?" She replied, "I'm guilty of not doing something -- and I'm going to quit doing that too!" Even though she had no bad habits to give up, she wasn't actively living to please God. Let us give up inactivity and seek God for a holy zeal to live actively for Christ. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwJYXbPW7z0

We thank the Lord for His faithfulness and blessings, over 25 years now. We give God the Glory. After spending 12 years in the outback Julie and I came to this area and joined Morning Star Independent Baptist Church, at Gawler. Around February 1998 Morning Star was left without a designated Pastor. I helped take the reins as the main preacher. But without a Pastor or suitable building it dwindled to a small home meeting at Freeling. In February 1999 Morning Star Baptist had its final meeting. One week later on February 14th 1999 we commenced our first meeting at Craigmore South Primary School. Our 4 family members were joined by four other Christians for our first time of fellowship as a new church. Early on we started a youth program and Sunday School. We purchased buses to help provide transport. In June 2001 Julie and I purchased the first church building and we undertook extensive renovations. The Lord has blessed - with some folk with us from the early years, such as our dear brother, Mr Don Harvey. Julie has always been a blessing with the music ministry. It’s been wonderful to reach so many lives over the years. I know another Don has been with us from the very early years, especially working with some of the young people we have reached. Sister Hazel Berry along with her late husband Roy have been very longstanding members. My mum and dad, Davis and Monica also joined us early on. It’s been wonderful to have been able to construct the present building on what was some empty land, where we are seated now. We thank God for Brother & Sister Stuart & Jackie Harvey running the children’s sunday school for many years, aided by young Will Berry, who has grown up in the Sunday school and has also been a faithful helper. There’s so many folk who have since joined and have become a special part of the church family since. We have so many photos we could share. Some people are a little bit camera shy. We thank God for our church committee, Brothers Brenton Williams, Neil Ridings, Peter Guttridge, and Micheal Orlino. Numbers of people have been with the church for more years than we can reckon, for example Sis Mandy, and Bro Peter Guttridge. We thank God for all of you joining here today and for being faithful and supportive over all these years. We look forward in faith for what the Lord has in store, as we learn to lean upon Him and to minister to our little part of the world, and regions beyond through the missionaries we support. We give glory to God, for His wonderful provision as a church over the years. We appreciate all those who have helped to serve with us in the community, where the Lord has placed us to serve. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpMCPahwg4g