The Christians in Philippi offered Paul this same kind of loyalty. They supported him through prayer, hard work, and sacrificial giving. Why? Maybe they were inspired by the enthusiasm they observed in Paul when their church was first founded.
July 20, 2025
You remember the story: After being beaten in the town square, Paul and Silas were thrown in jail. They were singing hymns late into the night when an earthquake came and shook the foundations of their jail cell, freeing them from their chains. Paul could have escaped. He could have left Philippi and never come back, but instead he stayed, and took the opportunity to lead the jailer to Christ. Paul believed in what he was doing, and his enthusiastic determination to spread the gospel encouraged the Philippian believers. [Acts 16] Your enthusiasm has a profound effect on others. When you approach anything with an upbeat commitment to getting the job done, people begin to take notice. When they see that you believe in what you are doing, they become willing to join in the process. The secret, then, is to pour your life into something that captures your heart — and give it all you’ve got. Solomon said, “Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.” ~ Psalm 126:5-6 (NLT) ~ ENTHUSIASM MAKES THE DIFFERENCE Former FedEx CEO and founder Fred Smith passed away just last month on June 21, 2025. Smith first developed the idea for an innovative air-freight company while he was an economics student at Yale University. His professor was less than impressed; the paper Smith submitted outlining the concept earned him a “C”. Fifty-two years later, FedEx is the world’s largest express transportation company, with 241,000 employees and more than $27 billion in equity. This short-sighted professor didn’t take a few things into consideration. One was Smith’s persistence — he simply refused to give up. Another was his resourcefulness — when plan ‘A’ doesn’t work, there is always a plan ‘B’ to put in motion. Most important, however, was Smith’s ability to recruit others to his vision. People want to be part of what he is involved in — even to the point of sacrifice. In the early days, for example, his pilots often refueled company jets with their own money. Sometimes they sat on paychecks for months to help keep the company afloat. How did he do it? How did he command such devotion from his employees?
Fred Smith’s greatest asset was his enthusiastic determination to get the job done. It sounds like a cliché, but he believed in what he was doing. As a result, he inspired loyalty. continued
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” ~ Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NIV) ~ You will find that your zeal is contagious, and it will spread to the people around you. Blessings on your week as you hopefully take some time to evaluate your level of enthusiasm for the tasks that God is giving you to do. I am so looking forward to being with you all in worship this coming Sunday. I will continue my sermon series: STRAIGHT AHEAD with my sermon: EPIC CHANGE. Pastor Terrell P.S. Thank you all for the messages of sympathy and comfort Barbara and I received from so many of you on the passing of my mother last Friday. You are an amazing church family!