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// DAY FOUR //

ARDENT

Ardent people have intense feelings and show theses strong feelings - emitting or reflecting a light readily or in large amounts. They have a deep level of warmth. Ardent literally means “burning” or “glowing” — it’s from Latin ardere, “to burn.”

Scripture: “From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. When they came to him, he said, ‘You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, especially in the trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews. I did not shrink back from declaring anything that was helpful to you as I taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews and Greeks alike about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in town after town the Holy Spirit warns me that chains and afflictions await me. But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.’” – Acts 20:17-24

Reading: Next to Jesus, it would be something to see the life of Paul in action and feel the warmth of his spirit. The scripture above shows how much he cared for people – specifically the church in Ephesus. When he preached, he probably didn’t cite the cliches of the day when he had the ear of the congregation, and if he did, he said just about every word with intense passion. His letters in the Bible are littered with strong feelings – and the warmth of his spirit was a direct reflection of the grace shown to him on the Damascus road. He admonished the people with his tears! How did he actually live and what did he feel in his heart for people? How did he show it? We can be thankful for the glimpse through scripture:

He groaned for the Jewish people saying, “For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race…” (Romans 9:3).

He loved the Philippians so deeply, saying, “For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:8).

And he never placed a burden on anyone as he worked harder than any man he knew, like while he was in Thessalonica. He cared for them in every way, sharing his life with them, saying, “Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you” (1 Thessalonians 2:9).

Where did it begin? The Lord ardently sought him out as he persecuted the church of God, and as he was saved from death to life and transformed into a new creation in Christ, he began his ardency for Jesus and the proclamation of the gospel in word, deed, and emotion as far and wide as the Lord allowed. 

The warm glow of the Holy Spirit is unmistakable. It is unrelenting. It never gives up, and when people are touched with that love, it’s different than anything they have ever experienced. Paul was zealous to persecute the church in the beginning. But Jesus turned the tables in Paul’s life and his zealous spirit was redirected in the ways of Christ. No one can deny that Paul burned with passion for the glory of God in his latter days!

Most people just want to know that we care. As a ministry, in the baseball communities we are reaching out to, there are layers and layers of scar tissue over the hearts of these men. They need your time and attention to peel back the layers, to feel the warmth of the Spirit through you, and to see your ardency, love, and zeal for the Lord as you disciple them into relationship with the Creator. Will you ask God for an ardent spirit?

Prayer Prompts:

Thanks – Lord, in your grace, we not only get a glimpse of the life of Jesus, but men in past and present that are ardent for your glory. Thank you for preserving the letters that Paul wrote to the church. Thank you that you saved him by your persistent grace – and in turn saved us as well. Thank you for your passion for people that are far from you. After I felt the warmth of your Spirit, I could never go back, and I never will.

Confession – But Lord, the glow in me fades continually when I separate myself and when I stumble in my own self-absorption. I begin to search for fulfillment in other things other than you. How terrible! Why do I do that, Lord? And in turn, as I pass by unbelievers, they never feel your warmth. I begin to live passively, and dwell in the fact of your sovereignty in the wrong way, that you will reach who you want to reach… that you have it covered…. that you will do your will. But in my heart, even though you desire to use ME, to use MY hands and feet, to use MY tears, I often fail. 

Ask – Lord, give new life to my heart! Stir my emotions for the souls of the lost. Use my body and my mind to carry the gospel to the confused and broken. Let me burn with passion for you and the building of the kingdom on this earth! Let the glow of the gospel be felt by everything I do, even if it is just for the one man that you’ve placed in my life. God, live in me as I live for you! Give me an ardent spirit for your glory!

Reflection Questions:

1) When did you first feel the ardency of the Lord in your life? Through what person was it displayed?

2) Who comes to mind that has a cold spirit in need of warmth? Who could use your time and attention in your life right now? Are you willing to spend large amounts of time and prayer for them?

3) Who is it today that you can sit with and feel the warmth and see the glow of the Holy Spirit? If you can say “no one,” will you pray that the Lord would put someone in your life that does have that glow?

4) How can you be more persistent in perusing the Lord in your life? How important is it to you to know God in a deeper way? In your pride, do you think you have “arrived” in your relationship with God?

5) Are you too busy with things less important than spending time with the Lord and others? Are you willing to change? Why do you think you are too busy to love God and love people?