FOXNews.com had an article posted yesterday entitled, “Energy Drinks – Do You Drink Them?” It was an interesting article from the “Whole Food And More” blog.

Although some people may drink energy drinks to keep them active and alert, I’d say the drinks are more about an energetic rush mixed with two parts of flavor and a pinch of social status.

Have any of you had an energy drink lately? There’s several (270+) to choose from.

Here are just a few:

• Full Throttle
• …Lost
• Bawls
• Bookoo
• Kronik
• Amp
• Liquid Ice
• Monster
• Mountain Dew
• N-Motion
• Radioactive
• Red Bull
• Red Celeste
• Rip It
• Rockstar
• Rush!
• Sobe
• Starbucks Doubleshot
• Stacker 2 Products
• Xyience Xenergy
• 5-Hour Energy
• Hype
• Bomba
• Blue Streak
• Jolt Sodas
• Steven Seagal’s Lightning Bolt
• Source Burn
• 180
• Nature’s Nitro2Go
• OC Energy

Consumer market research tells us that when it comes to food and drink products, taste is king. If something tastes good, then people will consume it even if it’s not-so-good for them. But just like the energy drink article indicated, there’s a major following behind these drinks ⎯ people under 30 years of age ⎯ especially college students and athletes.

You know an energy drink has moved beyond simple drink status when a MySpace Energy Drink Club is created and has 393 members! So what do these members have to talk about? The latest threads on their forum are:

• Show us your collection
• How many energy drinks r out there????
• WTF on energy drinks!?!?!?
• Wanted: Energy Drink Tester’s

There’s definitely some social status mixed in with the energetic rush!

So what gives you energy? What fuels you? What drives you?

Not surprisingly, the Apostle Paul has something to say about this.

Colossians 1:24-29 (NLT)
24 I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. 25 God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. 26 This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. 27 For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.

28 So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. 29 That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.

That word “power” in verse 29 comes from the Greek word energeia (en-e’r-gā-ä) and in the New Testament is used only of superhuman power, whether of God or of the Devil. It’s also the Greek root word for our English word, “energy.”

So where did Paul get this superhuman energy? Did he run down to the local Quickie Mart and grab a flask of “Flailing Yack”? I highly doubt it. Instead, I believe this passage reveals two important keys about the source of Paul’s energy.

First, in verse 25 it says he was given a responsibility to serve the church by proclaiming God’s secret of “Christ living in you” to the Gentiles as well as the Jews.

And second, verse 28 tells how he went about completing that responsibility by telling, warning, and teaching everyone.

Apparently this was not an easy job to do. Paul tells us in verse 29 that he “worked and struggled so hard” and out of his working (or doing) his job, he came to depend on Christ’s superhuman power and energy that worked within him.

So what’s your personal job from God, and are you doing it?

We may not all be apostles (special messengers) like Paul, but I know for a fact that God does have a special job for each person he created.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

More than that, there are over 100 verses in the Bible that talk specifically about the plans and purposes God has for his people.

Do you know what your God-given purpose is? Do you know what your job is? If not, simply ask him! Jesus himself personal revealed to Paul what his job was (Acts 9:1-19) and he will do the same for you. If you have an honest desire to know, Jesus will reveal it to you.

Then get busy doing your job! Yes, it will be invigorating. Yes, it will be exciting and scary. There will be good days and bad. There will be ups and downs, just like any other job. And, just like Paul experienced, you will need to depend on Jesus for superhuman energy to complete it.

Taste maybe king in energy drinks, but Jesus is Lord of the superhuman energy that will work within you as you do what God has called you to do.