WEBVTT

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 me and turn to 2nd Timothy chapter 1. Take the Word of God with me and turn to 2nd Timothy

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 chapter 1. Today, and today only really, we're going to be spending a little time in this chapter

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 talking about stoking the fire. Stoking the fire. And that's why I showed you that video before

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 we got started with this theme, because I think it helps prepare us for what

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 Paul is challenging Timothy here in his second letter to Timothy. This was, for a little bit of

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 background, the last letter that we have recorded that Paul wrote before he died and gave his life

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 for his faith in Jesus. He was in prison in Rome facing certain death. The Emperor Nero had already

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 announced his execution. He would be beheaded for Christ. And shortly before this happens,

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 he writes his last letter to not his biological son, Timothy, but his son in ministry, his son in the

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 faith, Timothy. So let's look here at 2nd Timothy chapter 1, and let's rise together if you are able

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 to physically. And let's read verse 6 together. 2nd Timothy chapter 1 and verse 6. Therefore,

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 I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands. Also,

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 I want to read it to you from the NIV. This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift

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 God gave you when I laid my hands on you. Let's pray together. God, we have all received this same

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 gift, the gospel of Jesus Christ. I pray that we would fan it into flames, that we would rekindle

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 that gift, that we would stoke that fire that you have placed within us. For your glory, it's in Jesus'

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 name we pray. Amen. You may be seated. Thanks for standing. I want to back up now and begin in verse 1

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 as we read from Paul's letter to Timothy. He writes, Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will

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 for the sake of the promise of life in Christ Jesus. To Timothy, my dearly loved son, grace, mercy,

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 and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God who I serve with a clear conscience

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 as my ancestors did when I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day. Can we pause there for

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 just a moment? Paul was able to say, I serve God with a clear conscience. Y'all, we could spend the rest of

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 the morning talking about that topic. Can you and I wake up in the morning and look in the mirror and say,

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 I serve God with a clear conscience? Or is there something that you're holding back? Is there something

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 that you have said no to? Is there something that you have been unwilling to hand over to God and His

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 control? Because I promise you, whatever you refuse to hand over to God will not receive the blessings

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 He so wants to give you in that area of your life. But sometimes we hold things back, don't we? Sometimes

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 we guard things. Sometimes our own weakness gets in the way and we say, man, I can't handle that.

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 I don't want to talk to that person about Jesus. I don't want to make that hard decision and do the

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 right thing as I know ought to be done. So can we say, I serve God with a clear conscience? Paul,

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 despite his many faults, was able to say that. And he encouraged his son in the faith, Timothy,

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 to do the same. And so he said, I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day. I remember

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 your tears. Isn't that interesting? Verse 4, Paul writes, Timothy, I remember your tears. And I long

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 to see you so that I can be filled with joy. Now we don't understand exactly why Timothy had tears the

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 last time he and Paul were together. But clearly there was some kind of issue that Timothy was

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 dealing with. We know from other parts of scripture that Timothy perhaps had some health problems,

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 maybe some chronic stomach issues that he had to deal with. We know that there was probably some

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 resistance that he was putting up with in the church in Ephesus. Y'all remember about a year ago,

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 we were finishing up our series in Ephesians, which was Paul's letter to the church in this ancient

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 city called Ephesus. We would know all these cities, Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi. If we lived back then,

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 they were major cities. And there were churches established in each of these. And Paul had left

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 a pastor in charge of this church in Ephesus, and it was Timothy, kind of his protege, his mini-me,

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 so to speak. And Paul said, Timothy, I know that it's been hard. I know there's been sadness. I remember

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 the last time we were together, you were in tears. Timothy might have been getting worn down. He might

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 have been struggling in the work that Paul asked him to do and God had laid out for him to do.

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 But then he continues on in verse 5. Timothy, I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your

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 grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice. And now I am convinced is in you also. Now before we go on

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 to verse 6, let's stop there for just a moment. We get to see a little picture into Timothy's past,

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 into his upbringing. You know who wasn't mentioned in that verse? They mentioned his grandmother,

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 they mentioned his mother. You know who wasn't mentioned there? His father. Do you know why?

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 Because we find out in Acts chapter 16 that Timothy's father was a Greek. He was an unbeliever. He wasn't a

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 follower of Jesus. And the custom back then was that your faith would be passed down from your father.

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 Whatever your religion was going to be, it would be inherited from your father. You would continue on

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 in the religious tradition of your father. It wasn't going to be like that with Timothy.

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 Because his grandmother and his mother had been saved by Jesus and they had then chosen to raise

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 young Timothy in that faith. And apparently he had gravitated toward that. He had listened. He had

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 embraced it. But I'm sure there was difficulty growing up because his dad was not a follower of Jesus.

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 So I'm sure there were times along the way when it felt like mom and grandma were fighting a losing

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 battle. I'm sure there were difficulties. Unless Timothy was a completely different kid than everybody

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 else growing up and through his teenage years, I'm sure there was some resistance sometimes

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 to what Lois and Eunice were teaching him. But I can imagine that his mother and his grandmother spent many

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 hours on their knees begging God to save their son, grandson, and do something powerful in his life.

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 To use him for God's glory. Well, apparently they kept at it. Apparently they were faithful.

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 To teach him. Despite less than ideal circumstances in that home. I can tell you, and any of you who have a

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 mother and dad, who both try to follow Jesus and try to teach your kids to do the same, you know how difficult

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 that can be. You know that sometimes there's resistance there. Can you imagine, and some of you in this room

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 might resonate with this, can you imagine if it was just one of you? Maybe a grandparent. But you weren't united

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 in teaching your child to follow the Lord. So I can imagine how difficult that was for them.

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 But I heard a song on the radio, Christian radio, that said, don't stop praying. Don't stop calling on

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 Jesus' name. Keep on pounding on heaven's door. Let your knees wear out the floor. Don't stop believing.

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 Mountains move with just a little faith. The Father has heard every single word you're saying,

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 so don't stop praying. And I can imagine that that was the attitude of Lois and Eunice growing up,

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 raising Timothy to be what God wanted him to be. And you know what happened? He did.

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 It came true. The prayer was answered. And Timothy, boy those things are everywhere right now, aren't they?

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 That's all right. We leave them alone, they'll leave us alone. Timothy was called by God. A great

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 path was laid out for him to walk. He was connected with this mentor in the faith, Paul,

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 and God used him in powerful ways. But I can imagine that it wasn't always easy. So I encourage you,

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 encourage you parents, grandparents, don't stop praying. Keep calling on Jesus on behalf of your

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 children, your grandchildren, for them to walk the Jesus walk, follow his path. So let's move on now to

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 verse 6. Therefore, I remind you, because of all this I know about you, Timothy, I now remind you to

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 rekindle or fan into flames the spiritual gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. Because God

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 has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment. And this is where we're going

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 to really focus our time today. It's on fanning into flames or rekindling or stoking the fire of

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 God's gift. So what does he mean by that? Well, I've got my nine, almost 10-year-old son down here,

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 Austin. And he's looking at me like, where are you going with this, Dad?

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 One of Austin's favorite things to do, especially when we have weather like we've had, and we're

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 apparently about to get again this week, is building what? Building a fire. That's right. He loves it.

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 It's his favorite thing to do, building a fire in the fireplace. And here he is in front of one of his

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 fires around Christmas time, looking all proud. I will say that this kid does not let anybody else

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 in our house build a fire. Holly can build a fire. I can build an amazing fire, let me tell you.

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 But I never get to because it's Austin's thing. He loves it, and he will do the dirty work and go out

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 to the shed and get a big load of firewood and bring it in. So I just let him do it. It's his thing.

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 And he does a great job. He builds some incredible fires, let me tell you. Now, the truth is,

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 this kid would keep the fire going 24 hours if we let him. I mean, it can be getting bedtime,

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 and he's like, hey, Dad, can I go stoke the fire again? And what do I say? Right. Yeah. It needs to

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 die out, man. We're going to bed. We're not going to sit here all night and tend this fire, you know?

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 But the truth is, fires will die if they're not stoked. If you don't tend the fire, they will die.

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 Why is that? Because they need oxygen. There needs to be a fuel, which is the firewood. There needs to be

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 heat. That's why you got to light that initial flame, and then once the fire is roaring, that heat

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 that's built up allows it to continue burning, but it must have oxygen. If it doesn't get oxygen, it will

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 die out. Might take a long time to die out, but it will die out. So that's why you go take a fireplace

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 poker. I got him in the little black bucket right behind his head. You can see him sticking out. You go

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 take a poker, and you stick it around in there, and kind of stir up those coals, and get it going again.

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 Got to breathe oxygen back into that fire. How many of y'all watch Bear Grylls on the outdoor TV stuff?

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 Anybody? Thank you. We got some in the back. Good job, boys. You know, you see him or some other

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 survivalists out there building fires, and what do they do? They get down, they breathe oxygen into those

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 flames, and it lights up. Well, Paul is telling Timothy, fan the flames. Get oxygen back into your fire.

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 What's he talking about? God placed a fire within you. Number one, if you are a child of God, we had our

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 very first starting point class of this new cycle of this morning up in room 201. If you're not doing

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 anything on Sunday mornings, come up there, room 201, and join us at 9 30. We'd love to have you up there.

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 But we talked about the Holy Spirit, and how only God's children have the Holy Spirit. How many of you

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 ever heard somebody say, well, we're all God's children? Anybody? I've heard that my whole life.

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 You go out talking to people about God, well, we're all God's children. Like, no, we're not, man.

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 Trust me. We're not all God's children. Some of us are. Some of us aren't.

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 We're all God's. We're all God's creation. But we're not all His children. He lays out a very

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 specific path for how you can become God's child. If we were all God's children, then Jesus never would

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 have had to die on the cross. But unfortunately, sin came into this world, and it ruins the relationship

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 between God and His greatest creation, mankind. So in order for us to be His children,

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 our sin debt had to be paid. And so Jesus died a cruel death on the cross. But then He rose back to

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 dead and showed all of us that He is God, and He is worthy of our faith, and He will take it,

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 and He will guard it, and we will not be ashamed if we place our faith in Jesus. And so if you do that,

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 then you're God's child. Then He's your Father. And then you have His presence with you called

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 the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit is likened in Scripture sometimes to fire.

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 water. And He's likened in Scripture sometimes to wind or the breath of God. Sometimes He's likened in

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 Scriptures to water. He is a force that cannot be stopped, but He can be ignored. He can be ignored.

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 And oftentimes, though God's children have this powerful force within us, we ignore it. We let it die out.

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 And Paul says, stoke that fire. Bring that fire back to life. God placed within us the gospel,

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 the saving message of Jesus. We just talked about it, how you can repent of your sins and receive

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 the payment that Jesus made on the cross for you and place your faith in Him as someone who loves you

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 enough and is able to forgive you of your sin. That's the gospel. And you have this wonderful gift

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 from God within you. Don't let that gift die out. Don't let that gift go to waste. I would hate to see

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 Austin's beautiful fire die out

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 before its time and not provide heat

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 to everybody else in the house. Not provide that warmth for all of us to enjoy.

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 But so much more damaging

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 is when God's people let the fire that He placed within them

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 die out and we don't fan the flame. So,

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 fire needs oxygen and we must breathe

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 life back into our fire. God has breathed life there.

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 We have that fire within us. It is our job to tend it, to stoke it.

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 John chapter 20 and verse 22 says,

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 I'm sorry, that's the one we just read. 2 Timothy 1.6. Let's read it again all together. Ready?

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 This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift

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 God gave you when I laid my hands on you. Now we go to John 20.22.

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 Then He breathed on them and said,

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 Receive the Holy Spirit.

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 This is what happens

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 when God breathed His Holy Spirit

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 onto men.

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 What a powerful thing it is.

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 We receive this gift.

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 We receive this breath.

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 And God can breathe life

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 back into

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 this gift that He gave us.

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 But it can lie dormant.

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 The fire can die out

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 and not provide heat in our life anymore.

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 And how many times have you felt like,

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 you don't have to raise your hand on this one,

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 but how many times have you felt like

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 that fire for God

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 isn't burning in me anymore?

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 I've been there.

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 Apparently Timothy was there too.

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 That's why Paul said,

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 Timothy,

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 rekindle that fire, man.

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 Fan those flames

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 back into action.

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 1 Thessalonians 5,

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 verse 19.

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 Do not extinguish

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 or quench

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 the Holy Spirit.

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 Isn't that interesting?

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 So that means you can

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 quench the Holy Spirit?

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 What does quench mean?

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 Anybody?

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 Yell it out.

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 What does quench mean?

00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:48.779
 Huh?

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 Put the fire out, right?

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 What are our wonderful,

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 brave,

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 volunteer firefighters

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 going out to do

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 when they fight these fires?

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 Quench the flames.

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 So apparently,

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 you can quench

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 the fire

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 of the Holy Spirit

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 within you.

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 Because Paul tells

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 the church at Thessalonica,

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 don't do this.

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 Too many are doing this.

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 Don't extinguish

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 these flames.

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 Life will hand you

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 a fire extinguisher

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 called brokenness,

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 called despair,

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 called anger,

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 called bitterness.

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 Distractions.

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 Time and time again,

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 life will hand you

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 different fire extinguishers

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 to quench the flames

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 of the Holy Spirit

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 in your life.

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 Throw them down.

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 Hand them back to God.

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 Say, God,

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 I don't want to put

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 the fire out.

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 I recognize

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 this has the capacity

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 to place,

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 to pour water

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 on the flames

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 of your Spirit,

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 and I can't do that.

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 You mean too much

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 to me.

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 So,

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 we quench the Spirit

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 when we ignore

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 what God is doing.

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 what does it look like

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 to extinguish

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 the flames?

00:20:19.399 --> 00:20:19.759
 Well,

00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:20.279
 we quench

00:20:20.279 --> 00:20:20.819
 the Spirit

00:20:20.819 --> 00:20:21.359
 of God

00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:22.539
 within us

00:20:22.539 --> 00:20:23.819
 when we ignore

00:20:23.819 --> 00:20:24.960
 what God is doing.

00:20:27.179 --> 00:20:28.119
 God is working

00:20:28.119 --> 00:20:28.839
 in our church.

00:20:31.519 --> 00:20:31.960
 So,

00:20:32.019 --> 00:20:32.519
 He's alive

00:20:32.519 --> 00:20:32.899
 and well.

00:20:35.799 --> 00:20:36.799
 You can look

00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:37.500
 at all kinds

00:20:37.500 --> 00:20:38.359
 of different things

00:20:38.359 --> 00:20:39.039
 that are happening

00:20:39.039 --> 00:20:39.559
 in the life

00:20:39.559 --> 00:20:40.279
 of our church.

00:20:40.879 --> 00:20:41.559
 Just look at the last

00:20:41.559 --> 00:20:42.039
 six months,

00:20:42.099 --> 00:20:42.759
 look at the last year,

00:20:42.839 --> 00:20:43.419
 look at the last year

00:20:43.420 --> 00:20:43.779
 and a half.

00:20:44.200 --> 00:20:45.060
 I can't speak

00:20:45.060 --> 00:20:45.660
 to much more

00:20:45.660 --> 00:20:46.259
 beyond that

00:20:46.259 --> 00:20:46.620
 because,

00:20:47.220 --> 00:20:47.340
 well,

00:20:47.420 --> 00:20:48.160
 we've only been here

00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:49.140
 two years in May.

00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:49.779
 So,

00:20:50.180 --> 00:20:51.000
 I can't speak

00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:52.060
 to a whole lot

00:20:52.060 --> 00:20:52.740
 of what was happening

00:20:52.740 --> 00:20:53.400
 before that.

00:20:53.580 --> 00:20:54.300
 But I know God

00:20:54.300 --> 00:20:55.340
 has used this church

00:20:55.340 --> 00:20:56.019
 for many,

00:20:56.140 --> 00:20:56.600
 many years.

00:20:57.259 --> 00:20:58.660
 Founded in 1876.

00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:01.279
 We're coming up

00:21:01.279 --> 00:21:02.300
 on our 150th

00:21:02.300 --> 00:21:02.920
 pretty soon.

00:21:03.460 --> 00:21:04.060
 It's incredible.

00:21:05.259 --> 00:21:06.039
 God has used

00:21:06.039 --> 00:21:06.500
 this church

00:21:06.500 --> 00:21:07.360
 for a long time.

00:21:08.600 --> 00:21:09.580
 But I can speak

00:21:09.580 --> 00:21:10.720
 from personal experience

00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:11.580
 what He's been doing

00:21:11.580 --> 00:21:12.240
 in this church

00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:13.519
 since we got here.

00:21:14.120 --> 00:21:15.279
 I've seen that in action.

00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:16.519
 I've seen it happen.

00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:19.599
 Many of you

00:21:19.599 --> 00:21:20.140
 can speak

00:21:20.140 --> 00:21:21.700
 for many more years

00:21:21.700 --> 00:21:23.120
 beyond that

00:21:23.120 --> 00:21:23.720
 and say,

00:21:23.819 --> 00:21:23.880
 yeah,

00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:24.519
 I've seen God

00:21:24.519 --> 00:21:25.440
 working in this church.

00:21:27.900 --> 00:21:29.620
 When we ignore that,

00:21:30.940 --> 00:21:32.359
 when that doesn't make

00:21:32.359 --> 00:21:33.539
 a profound impact

00:21:33.539 --> 00:21:34.220
 on us

00:21:34.220 --> 00:21:35.359
 emotionally,

00:21:35.700 --> 00:21:36.059
 mentally,

00:21:36.059 --> 00:21:37.839
 and practically,

00:21:37.839 --> 00:21:40.599
 then we quench

00:21:40.599 --> 00:21:41.240
 the Spirit

00:21:41.240 --> 00:21:42.740
 within us.

00:21:44.099 --> 00:21:45.379
 And if enough

00:21:45.379 --> 00:21:45.839
 of us

00:21:45.839 --> 00:21:46.720
 in the church

00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:48.240
 quench the Spirit

00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:49.559
 in our own lives,

00:21:50.199 --> 00:21:51.220
 guess what happens?

00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:56.119
 The Spirit

00:21:56.119 --> 00:21:56.539
 is quenched

00:21:56.539 --> 00:21:57.119
 in our church.

00:21:59.679 --> 00:22:00.359
 That's what

00:22:00.359 --> 00:22:00.779
 we don't want

00:22:00.779 --> 00:22:01.279
 to see happen.

00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:03.539
 But you know

00:22:03.539 --> 00:22:04.319
 who does want

00:22:04.319 --> 00:22:05.000
 to see that happen?

00:22:05.000 --> 00:22:05.480
 Satan,

00:22:05.480 --> 00:22:06.480
 the enemy,

00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:08.019
 Satan.

00:22:08.859 --> 00:22:09.420
 That's what

00:22:09.420 --> 00:22:10.119
 he's out to do.

00:22:10.819 --> 00:22:12.200
 He's out to stop

00:22:12.200 --> 00:22:12.720
 Rosemary

00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:13.380
 from getting baptized.

00:22:14.339 --> 00:22:15.359
 He's out to stop

00:22:15.359 --> 00:22:15.819
 the Sudols

00:22:15.819 --> 00:22:16.500
 from getting baptized.

00:22:17.779 --> 00:22:18.839
 He's out to stop

00:22:18.839 --> 00:22:20.099
 the next three baptisms

00:22:20.099 --> 00:22:20.940
 that we already have

00:22:20.940 --> 00:22:21.539
 on the calendar

00:22:21.539 --> 00:22:22.579
 for people

00:22:22.579 --> 00:22:23.279
 who have come forward

00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:23.700
 and said,

00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:24.779
 I want to make

00:22:24.779 --> 00:22:25.460
 my faith public.

00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:27.220
 I want to follow

00:22:27.220 --> 00:22:27.980
 the Lord

00:22:27.980 --> 00:22:28.599
 in baptism.

00:22:31.019 --> 00:22:32.259
 He wants to stop

00:22:32.259 --> 00:22:33.420
 the new families

00:22:33.420 --> 00:22:33.960
 that have been coming

00:22:33.960 --> 00:22:34.700
 into our church.

00:22:36.500 --> 00:22:37.900
 He wants to increase

00:22:37.900 --> 00:22:38.940
 the disunity,

00:22:39.100 --> 00:22:39.539
 the strife,

00:22:39.620 --> 00:22:40.160
 the discord

00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:42.900
 that pops up

00:22:42.900 --> 00:22:44.180
 and starts to spread.

00:22:45.420 --> 00:22:46.799
 That's what Satan's goal is.

00:22:47.360 --> 00:22:48.200
 He wants to quench

00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:48.680
 that fire.

00:22:51.900 --> 00:22:52.759
 And we play

00:22:52.759 --> 00:22:53.819
 right into his hands

00:22:53.819 --> 00:22:55.220
 when we ignore

00:22:55.220 --> 00:22:56.819
 what God is doing.

00:22:57.740 --> 00:22:58.819
 Can I tell you,

00:22:58.819 --> 00:23:04.460
 the adults already know this,

00:23:05.399 --> 00:23:06.339
 but let me tell you

00:23:06.339 --> 00:23:06.799
 the kids,

00:23:07.700 --> 00:23:08.460
 life is never

00:23:08.460 --> 00:23:09.179
 going to be perfect.

00:23:10.279 --> 00:23:10.960
 I'm sorry.

00:23:12.099 --> 00:23:12.919
 I'm sorry to burst

00:23:12.919 --> 00:23:13.679
 that bubble for you.

00:23:14.399 --> 00:23:15.259
 We're not going to get

00:23:15.259 --> 00:23:15.960
 into Santa Claus

00:23:15.960 --> 00:23:16.559
 and the Easter Bunny

00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:16.980
 right now,

00:23:17.099 --> 00:23:18.559
 but let me just tell you,

00:23:19.740 --> 00:23:20.039
 Santa,

00:23:20.200 --> 00:23:20.619
 don't worry,

00:23:20.839 --> 00:23:21.599
 shouldn't have even

00:23:21.599 --> 00:23:21.980
 said anything.

00:23:23.359 --> 00:23:25.639
 Life is not perfect.

00:23:25.640 --> 00:23:28.880
 And it's never

00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:29.320
 going to be.

00:23:30.580 --> 00:23:31.580
 So what does that mean?

00:23:31.620 --> 00:23:32.360
 There's always going to be

00:23:32.360 --> 00:23:33.259
 things that are wrong.

00:23:34.020 --> 00:23:34.880
 There's always going to be

00:23:34.880 --> 00:23:35.720
 things that you wish

00:23:35.720 --> 00:23:36.360
 were different.

00:23:40.520 --> 00:23:42.320
 What you can control

00:23:42.320 --> 00:23:45.100
 is what you decide

00:23:45.100 --> 00:23:46.580
 to do about the things

00:23:46.580 --> 00:23:47.759
 that you wish

00:23:47.759 --> 00:23:48.320
 were different.

00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:51.279
 and then what you decide

00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:52.899
 to do about the things

00:23:52.899 --> 00:23:54.039
 that God is doing

00:23:54.039 --> 00:23:55.460
 despite the bad.

00:23:56.480 --> 00:23:56.879
 You understand

00:23:56.879 --> 00:23:57.319
 what I'm saying?

00:23:57.879 --> 00:23:59.079
 There's always going to be

00:23:59.079 --> 00:24:00.039
 good things happening

00:24:00.039 --> 00:24:01.399
 and there's always going to be

00:24:01.399 --> 00:24:02.439
 bad things happening.

00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:04.079
 You determine

00:24:04.079 --> 00:24:05.139
 which one you're going

00:24:05.139 --> 00:24:05.799
 to focus on.

00:24:06.659 --> 00:24:08.099
 Which one you're going

00:24:08.099 --> 00:24:09.819
 to give your attention to.

00:24:10.659 --> 00:24:12.439
 And if you thank God

00:24:12.439 --> 00:24:13.599
 and focus on what

00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:14.359
 he's doing

00:24:14.359 --> 00:24:16.399
 and you don't worry

00:24:16.399 --> 00:24:17.639
 so much about the things

00:24:17.640 --> 00:24:18.280
 that you wish

00:24:18.280 --> 00:24:19.060
 were different

00:24:19.060 --> 00:24:21.460
 can I tell you

00:24:21.460 --> 00:24:23.160
 that often times

00:24:23.160 --> 00:24:24.380
 God will either

00:24:24.380 --> 00:24:25.500
 fix the things

00:24:25.500 --> 00:24:26.320
 that you wish

00:24:26.320 --> 00:24:26.960
 were different

00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:29.220
 or he'll change you

00:24:29.220 --> 00:24:31.200
 to where you realize

00:24:31.200 --> 00:24:32.520
 oh maybe it wasn't

00:24:32.520 --> 00:24:33.520
 the worst after all.

00:24:35.540 --> 00:24:36.060
 It's true.

00:24:37.060 --> 00:24:38.580
 But you never get

00:24:38.580 --> 00:24:39.960
 to experience that.

00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:42.400
 You never get to see

00:24:42.400 --> 00:24:43.800
 that God can do that

00:24:43.800 --> 00:24:45.060
 and does do that

00:24:45.059 --> 00:24:47.159
 if you ignore

00:24:47.159 --> 00:24:47.839
 the good things

00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:48.779
 he's doing over here

00:24:48.779 --> 00:24:50.279
 and you obsess

00:24:50.279 --> 00:24:51.379
 and focus

00:24:51.379 --> 00:24:52.039
 on the things

00:24:52.039 --> 00:24:52.579
 that you wish

00:24:52.579 --> 00:24:53.159
 were different.

00:24:54.480 --> 00:24:55.359
 I'm talking about

00:24:55.359 --> 00:24:56.079
 in your life.

00:24:57.079 --> 00:24:58.039
 I'm talking about

00:24:58.039 --> 00:24:58.539
 in the life

00:24:58.539 --> 00:24:59.200
 of our church.

00:25:00.839 --> 00:25:01.519
 Talk about

00:25:01.519 --> 00:25:02.240
 in our community.

00:25:03.599 --> 00:25:04.559
 We should not

00:25:04.559 --> 00:25:05.200
 be a people

00:25:05.200 --> 00:25:07.240
 who are obsessed

00:25:07.240 --> 00:25:08.960
 with all the bad

00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:09.759
 things we wish

00:25:09.759 --> 00:25:10.339
 were different

00:25:10.339 --> 00:25:11.200
 about our town

00:25:11.200 --> 00:25:12.480
 about our community.

00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:14.380
 we should be

00:25:14.380 --> 00:25:14.880
 a people

00:25:14.880 --> 00:25:16.059
 seeing what

00:25:16.059 --> 00:25:17.019
 God can do

00:25:17.019 --> 00:25:17.920
 and is doing

00:25:17.920 --> 00:25:18.700
 in our town

00:25:18.700 --> 00:25:19.480
 in our county

00:25:19.480 --> 00:25:22.120
 and focus on that

00:25:22.120 --> 00:25:23.259
 and run with that

00:25:23.259 --> 00:25:24.019
 and make sure

00:25:24.019 --> 00:25:25.140
 that we're a part

00:25:25.140 --> 00:25:25.680
 of that

00:25:25.680 --> 00:25:27.900
 and not worry

00:25:27.900 --> 00:25:28.559
 so much

00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:29.940
 about all the things

00:25:29.940 --> 00:25:30.900
 we wish were different

00:25:30.900 --> 00:25:31.860
 because you know what

00:25:31.860 --> 00:25:33.980
 God has the ability

00:25:33.980 --> 00:25:34.660
 to fix it

00:25:34.660 --> 00:25:36.980
 or God has the ability

00:25:36.980 --> 00:25:37.700
 to fix us.

00:25:39.259 --> 00:25:39.779
 Sometimes

00:25:39.779 --> 00:25:40.940
 we obsess

00:25:40.940 --> 00:25:41.759
 over problems

00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:43.320
 if we don't realize

00:25:43.320 --> 00:25:44.039
 we might be part

00:25:44.039 --> 00:25:44.500
 of the problem.

00:25:45.740 --> 00:25:46.559
 So we quench

00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:47.039
 the spirit

00:25:47.039 --> 00:25:47.660
 when we ignore

00:25:47.660 --> 00:25:48.440
 what God is doing

00:25:48.440 --> 00:25:51.460
 but we stoke

00:25:51.460 --> 00:25:51.960
 the fire

00:25:51.960 --> 00:25:54.480
 when we passionately

00:25:54.480 --> 00:25:55.740
 participate.

00:25:56.840 --> 00:25:57.720
 At first

00:25:57.720 --> 00:25:58.320
 I said

00:25:58.320 --> 00:25:58.860
 we stoke

00:25:58.860 --> 00:25:59.299
 the fire

00:25:59.299 --> 00:26:00.320
 when we participate

00:26:00.320 --> 00:26:01.039
 in what God

00:26:01.039 --> 00:26:01.440
 is doing

00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:03.720
 and then I realized

00:26:03.720 --> 00:26:04.200
 no

00:26:04.200 --> 00:26:05.519
 that's not always

00:26:05.519 --> 00:26:05.880
 true.

00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:08.580
 We really

00:26:08.580 --> 00:26:09.500
 stoke the fire

00:26:09.500 --> 00:26:10.960
 when we participate

00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:12.319
 with passion.

00:26:14.059 --> 00:26:15.420
 When we really

00:26:15.420 --> 00:26:16.619
 get excited

00:26:16.619 --> 00:26:17.259
 about it.

00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:21.599
 I don't know

00:26:21.599 --> 00:26:22.160
 what that was.

00:26:24.200 --> 00:26:25.420
 It was getting excited

00:26:25.420 --> 00:26:25.680
 alright

00:26:25.680 --> 00:26:26.359
 the sound system

00:26:26.359 --> 00:26:27.019
 was passionately

00:26:27.019 --> 00:26:27.859
 participating there.

00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:29.960
 We get excited

00:26:29.960 --> 00:26:31.440
 and we lean into it

00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:31.940
 and we say

00:26:31.940 --> 00:26:32.440
 you know what

00:26:32.440 --> 00:26:33.440
 I love this.

00:26:33.720 --> 00:26:34.500
 I see these people

00:26:34.500 --> 00:26:35.039
 getting baptized

00:26:35.039 --> 00:26:35.720
 in church.

00:26:36.039 --> 00:26:36.700
 I'm going to start

00:26:36.700 --> 00:26:37.299
 talking to

00:26:37.299 --> 00:26:38.799
 whoever in my life

00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:39.519
 or my circle

00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:40.000
 you know

00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:41.259
 have you ever

00:26:41.259 --> 00:26:41.740
 been baptized?

00:26:43.000 --> 00:26:43.720
 Have you ever

00:26:43.720 --> 00:26:44.440
 given your faith

00:26:44.440 --> 00:26:44.940
 to Jesus?

00:26:45.119 --> 00:26:45.399
 Have you ever

00:26:45.399 --> 00:26:46.000
 placed your faith

00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:46.460
 in Jesus?

00:26:46.859 --> 00:26:47.119
 Have you ever

00:26:47.119 --> 00:26:47.659
 given your life

00:26:47.659 --> 00:26:48.119
 to Jesus?

00:26:48.960 --> 00:26:49.579
 Because there's

00:26:49.579 --> 00:26:49.919
 a whole lot

00:26:49.919 --> 00:26:50.259
 of people

00:26:50.259 --> 00:26:50.899
 at First Baptist

00:26:50.899 --> 00:26:51.480
 Church who are

00:26:51.480 --> 00:26:52.019
 doing that

00:26:52.019 --> 00:26:53.379
 and I think

00:26:53.379 --> 00:26:54.399
 maybe you could

00:26:54.399 --> 00:26:55.099
 also do that.

00:26:55.799 --> 00:26:56.559
 Maybe you start

00:26:56.559 --> 00:26:57.259
 a conversation

00:26:57.259 --> 00:26:58.579
 and plant a seed

00:26:58.579 --> 00:26:59.819
 in somebody's mind

00:26:59.819 --> 00:27:01.559
 that then God

00:27:01.559 --> 00:27:02.879
 uses to grow

00:27:02.879 --> 00:27:03.839
 a mighty tree

00:27:03.839 --> 00:27:07.000
 full of spiritual fruit.

00:27:08.279 --> 00:27:09.000
 When you

00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:09.940
 passionately

00:27:09.940 --> 00:27:10.639
 participate

00:27:10.639 --> 00:27:11.359
 in what God

00:27:11.359 --> 00:27:11.779
 is doing

00:27:11.779 --> 00:27:13.139
 and you're not

00:27:13.139 --> 00:27:14.159
 just a sideline

00:27:14.159 --> 00:27:14.599
 critic

00:27:14.599 --> 00:27:16.200
 or you're not

00:27:16.200 --> 00:27:17.119
 just a sideline

00:27:17.119 --> 00:27:17.599
 fan

00:27:17.599 --> 00:27:18.559
 but you say

00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:19.419
 forget this man

00:27:19.419 --> 00:27:19.899
 I'm going to

00:27:19.899 --> 00:27:20.879
 get in the game.

00:27:21.539 --> 00:27:22.200
 I'm going to

00:27:22.200 --> 00:27:23.000
 get involved

00:27:23.000 --> 00:27:24.379
 in what God

00:27:24.379 --> 00:27:24.859
 is doing.

00:27:25.159 --> 00:27:25.819
 I want to be

00:27:25.819 --> 00:27:26.519
 a part of it.

00:27:27.139 --> 00:27:28.000
 We see new

00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:28.879
 believers coming

00:27:28.879 --> 00:27:29.799
 through our church.

00:27:30.339 --> 00:27:31.399
 How can I

00:27:31.399 --> 00:27:32.599
 speaking for

00:27:32.599 --> 00:27:34.700
 you as the church

00:27:34.700 --> 00:27:36.440
 how can you

00:27:36.440 --> 00:27:37.380
 start participating

00:27:37.380 --> 00:27:38.100
 in their

00:27:38.100 --> 00:27:39.039
 discipleship

00:27:39.039 --> 00:27:40.059
 in their

00:27:40.059 --> 00:27:41.180
 spiritual growth?

00:27:41.620 --> 00:27:42.320
 How can you

00:27:42.320 --> 00:27:42.840
 become a

00:27:42.840 --> 00:27:43.320
 passionate

00:27:43.320 --> 00:27:45.000
 active participant

00:27:45.000 --> 00:27:46.779
 in what God

00:27:46.779 --> 00:27:47.559
 is doing here?

00:27:48.519 --> 00:27:49.320
 Or you can

00:27:49.320 --> 00:27:49.940
 sit back

00:27:49.940 --> 00:27:50.380
 and take

00:27:50.380 --> 00:27:50.759
 two

00:27:50.759 --> 00:27:51.740
 attitudes.

00:27:52.019 --> 00:27:52.620
 You can say

00:27:52.620 --> 00:27:53.539
 man that's great

00:27:53.539 --> 00:27:54.059
 I'm glad all

00:27:54.059 --> 00:27:54.580
 those new folks

00:27:54.580 --> 00:27:54.900
 are coming

00:27:54.900 --> 00:27:55.259
 I'm glad

00:27:55.259 --> 00:27:55.720
 those folks

00:27:55.720 --> 00:27:55.980
 are getting

00:27:55.980 --> 00:27:56.360
 baptized

00:27:56.360 --> 00:27:57.420
 glad those

00:27:57.420 --> 00:27:57.759
 things are

00:27:57.759 --> 00:27:58.039
 happening

00:27:58.039 --> 00:27:58.600
 that's good.

00:27:59.080 --> 00:27:59.620
 What are we

00:27:59.620 --> 00:28:00.080
 having for lunch

00:28:00.080 --> 00:28:00.299
 today?

00:28:00.299 --> 00:28:03.379
 Or you

00:28:03.379 --> 00:28:03.940
 can say

00:28:03.940 --> 00:28:04.720
 yeah I see

00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:05.059
 all that

00:28:05.059 --> 00:28:05.740
 stuff happening

00:28:05.740 --> 00:28:07.599
 but I

00:28:07.599 --> 00:28:07.919
 didn't like

00:28:07.919 --> 00:28:08.339
 that choir

00:28:08.339 --> 00:28:08.839
 song they

00:28:08.839 --> 00:28:09.299
 did last

00:28:09.299 --> 00:28:09.619
 time.

00:28:10.419 --> 00:28:10.720
 Wasn't

00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:11.279
 my jam.

00:28:13.460 --> 00:28:14.139
 You notice

00:28:14.139 --> 00:28:14.599
 that spot

00:28:14.599 --> 00:28:15.079
 on the carpet

00:28:15.079 --> 00:28:15.579
 up front?

00:28:16.180 --> 00:28:16.460
 That thing

00:28:16.460 --> 00:28:17.240
 drives me nuts.

00:28:17.319 --> 00:28:17.639
 Can't believe

00:28:17.639 --> 00:28:17.960
 they haven't

00:28:17.960 --> 00:28:18.419
 fixed it by

00:28:18.419 --> 00:28:18.619
 now.

00:28:19.859 --> 00:28:20.419
 I'm not

00:28:20.419 --> 00:28:20.759
 calling out

00:28:20.759 --> 00:28:21.139
 building and

00:28:21.139 --> 00:28:21.619
 grounds by the

00:28:21.619 --> 00:28:21.759
 way.

00:28:21.839 --> 00:28:22.299
 They're actually

00:28:22.299 --> 00:28:22.859
 working on

00:28:22.859 --> 00:28:23.180
 the carpet

00:28:23.180 --> 00:28:23.599
 okay so

00:28:23.599 --> 00:28:24.960
 just hang

00:28:24.960 --> 00:28:25.220
 tight.

00:28:27.980 --> 00:28:28.919
 I'm saying

00:28:28.920 --> 00:28:29.759
 there's

00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:30.140
 different

00:28:30.140 --> 00:28:30.880
 attitudes you

00:28:30.880 --> 00:28:31.279
 could find

00:28:31.279 --> 00:28:31.980
 yourself taking.

00:28:32.920 --> 00:28:33.560
 When you

00:28:33.560 --> 00:28:34.100
 ignore what

00:28:34.100 --> 00:28:34.420
 God is

00:28:34.420 --> 00:28:35.680
 doing you

00:28:35.680 --> 00:28:36.160
 quench the

00:28:36.160 --> 00:28:36.440
 spirit.

00:28:37.700 --> 00:28:38.340
 Do you

00:28:38.340 --> 00:28:38.779
 want to be a

00:28:38.779 --> 00:28:39.300
 spirit quencher

00:28:39.300 --> 00:28:39.640
 in First

00:28:39.640 --> 00:28:40.220
 Baptist Church?

00:28:42.140 --> 00:28:42.860
 Some of us

00:28:42.860 --> 00:28:43.460
 find ourselves

00:28:43.460 --> 00:28:44.080
 in that role

00:28:44.080 --> 00:28:45.500
 and we've

00:28:45.500 --> 00:28:46.039
 got to stop.

00:28:47.460 --> 00:28:48.120
 Do you

00:28:48.120 --> 00:28:48.860
 want to be a

00:28:48.860 --> 00:28:49.580
 fire stoker

00:28:49.580 --> 00:28:50.420
 in First

00:28:50.420 --> 00:28:51.120
 Baptist Church?

00:28:51.660 --> 00:28:52.420
 Then jump

00:28:52.420 --> 00:28:52.680
 in.

00:28:54.060 --> 00:28:54.539
 Passionately

00:28:54.539 --> 00:28:56.100
 participate in

00:28:56.100 --> 00:28:56.759
 what God is

00:28:56.759 --> 00:28:57.000
 doing.

00:28:57.000 --> 00:28:59.000
 How do

00:28:59.000 --> 00:28:59.240
 we do

00:28:59.240 --> 00:28:59.460
 that?

00:28:59.799 --> 00:29:00.019
 Well

00:29:00.019 --> 00:29:00.960
 glad you

00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:01.319
 asked.

00:29:02.660 --> 00:29:03.539
 Or glad I

00:29:03.539 --> 00:29:04.059
 asked on your

00:29:04.059 --> 00:29:04.359
 behalf.

00:29:04.539 --> 00:29:04.940
 Children's

00:29:04.940 --> 00:29:05.299
 ministry.

00:29:06.240 --> 00:29:06.920
 Here's how you

00:29:06.920 --> 00:29:07.460
 can passionately

00:29:07.460 --> 00:29:07.920
 participate.

00:29:08.500 --> 00:29:08.720
 You know

00:29:08.720 --> 00:29:09.059
 where we

00:29:09.059 --> 00:29:09.759
 need passionate

00:29:09.759 --> 00:29:10.519
 participants?

00:29:11.440 --> 00:29:11.980
 Children's

00:29:11.980 --> 00:29:12.380
 ministry.

00:29:13.140 --> 00:29:13.400
 Sunday

00:29:13.400 --> 00:29:14.059
 morning nursery

00:29:14.059 --> 00:29:14.460
 workers.

00:29:14.900 --> 00:29:15.140
 Sunday

00:29:15.140 --> 00:29:15.799
 school teachers

00:29:15.799 --> 00:29:16.359
 and workers.

00:29:16.779 --> 00:29:17.299
 Preschool

00:29:17.299 --> 00:29:17.880
 children's

00:29:17.880 --> 00:29:18.440
 church teachers

00:29:18.440 --> 00:29:19.039
 and workers.

00:29:19.559 --> 00:29:19.859
 Wednesday

00:29:19.859 --> 00:29:20.660
 night nursery

00:29:20.660 --> 00:29:21.099
 workers.

00:29:21.319 --> 00:29:21.599
 Wednesday

00:29:21.599 --> 00:29:22.359
 night children's

00:29:22.359 --> 00:29:22.660
 workers.

00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:24.079
 VBS kids

00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:24.440
 camps.

00:29:24.720 --> 00:29:25.400
 Other events

00:29:25.400 --> 00:29:26.059
 volunteers.

00:29:27.000 --> 00:29:27.660
 That's where

00:29:27.660 --> 00:29:28.019
 we need

00:29:28.019 --> 00:29:28.420
 passionate

00:29:28.420 --> 00:29:28.960
 participants.

00:29:29.700 --> 00:29:30.380
 So if you

00:29:30.380 --> 00:29:30.680
 would like

00:29:30.680 --> 00:29:31.339
 to passionately

00:29:31.339 --> 00:29:32.380
 participate in

00:29:32.380 --> 00:29:32.940
 what God is

00:29:32.940 --> 00:29:33.460
 doing here,

00:29:33.940 --> 00:29:34.680
 start there.

00:29:35.579 --> 00:29:36.220
 Start there.

00:29:38.619 --> 00:29:39.420
 Tied for

00:29:39.420 --> 00:29:40.819
 first place is

00:29:40.819 --> 00:29:41.500
 youth ministry.

00:29:42.279 --> 00:29:43.119
 We need

00:29:43.119 --> 00:29:43.640
 passionate

00:29:43.640 --> 00:29:45.019
 participants in

00:29:45.019 --> 00:29:45.680
 youth ministry.

00:29:46.220 --> 00:29:46.460
 Sunday

00:29:46.460 --> 00:29:47.079
 school teachers

00:29:47.079 --> 00:29:47.640
 and workers.

00:29:48.099 --> 00:29:48.400
 Wednesday

00:29:48.400 --> 00:29:49.079
 night teachers

00:29:49.079 --> 00:29:49.660
 and workers.

00:29:50.180 --> 00:29:50.660
 D-NOW

00:29:50.660 --> 00:29:51.339
 volunteers.

00:29:51.539 --> 00:29:52.339
 Camp volunteers.

00:29:52.799 --> 00:29:53.500
 Other events

00:29:53.500 --> 00:29:54.140
 that Jared is

00:29:54.140 --> 00:29:55.019
 regularly doing

00:29:55.019 --> 00:29:55.680
 with the teens.

00:29:55.680 --> 00:29:56.460
 We need

00:29:56.460 --> 00:29:56.960
 passionate

00:29:56.960 --> 00:29:58.080
 participants in

00:29:58.080 --> 00:29:58.539
 those.

00:29:59.039 --> 00:29:59.519
 Guess what?

00:29:59.799 --> 00:30:00.500
 You hire a

00:30:00.500 --> 00:30:01.039
 youth pastor,

00:30:01.240 --> 00:30:01.880
 that doesn't

00:30:01.880 --> 00:30:02.460
 mean he can

00:30:02.460 --> 00:30:03.180
 handle 40,

00:30:03.259 --> 00:30:04.180
 50 kids on

00:30:04.180 --> 00:30:04.759
 his own.

00:30:05.900 --> 00:30:06.580
 We need

00:30:06.580 --> 00:30:07.039
 y'all.

00:30:08.080 --> 00:30:09.100
 This church is

00:30:09.100 --> 00:30:09.740
 fantastic.

00:30:10.160 --> 00:30:10.779
 When there's no

00:30:10.779 --> 00:30:11.640
 paid staff member

00:30:11.640 --> 00:30:12.440
 over a ministry,

00:30:12.640 --> 00:30:13.660
 they'll rise up

00:30:13.660 --> 00:30:14.100
 and they will

00:30:14.100 --> 00:30:14.880
 take the reins

00:30:14.880 --> 00:30:15.560
 and run.

00:30:15.880 --> 00:30:16.480
 But I'm telling

00:30:16.480 --> 00:30:18.279
 you, it's easy

00:30:18.279 --> 00:30:19.180
 once you get

00:30:19.180 --> 00:30:19.860
 that youth pastor

00:30:19.860 --> 00:30:21.320
 in place for

00:30:21.320 --> 00:30:22.519
 those volunteers

00:30:22.519 --> 00:30:23.700
 to vanish.

00:30:23.700 --> 00:30:25.779
 I'm not calling

00:30:25.779 --> 00:30:26.200
 out anybody

00:30:26.200 --> 00:30:26.759
 specifically.

00:30:26.940 --> 00:30:27.460
 I'm just saying

00:30:27.460 --> 00:30:28.080
 it can happen

00:30:28.080 --> 00:30:28.920
 and it's happened

00:30:28.920 --> 00:30:29.600
 time and time

00:30:29.600 --> 00:30:29.920
 again.

00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:30.799
 And we need

00:30:30.799 --> 00:30:31.400
 sometimes,

00:30:31.559 --> 00:30:32.380
 sometimes those

00:30:32.380 --> 00:30:32.840
 people have

00:30:32.840 --> 00:30:33.380
 served their

00:30:33.380 --> 00:30:33.720
 time.

00:30:34.080 --> 00:30:34.740
 Sometimes they're

00:30:34.740 --> 00:30:35.539
 burned out with

00:30:35.539 --> 00:30:37.100
 all the demand

00:30:37.100 --> 00:30:37.740
 that's been placed

00:30:37.740 --> 00:30:38.539
 on them to carry

00:30:38.539 --> 00:30:39.100
 the load when

00:30:39.100 --> 00:30:39.920
 nobody else was.

00:30:40.360 --> 00:30:41.180
 Sometimes we need

00:30:41.180 --> 00:30:42.200
 a new crop of

00:30:42.200 --> 00:30:43.140
 passionate participants

00:30:43.140 --> 00:30:44.460
 to jump in and

00:30:44.460 --> 00:30:45.059
 say, okay, I'll

00:30:45.059 --> 00:30:45.299
 help.

00:30:45.779 --> 00:30:46.620
 It's my turn now.

00:30:47.380 --> 00:30:48.480
 I understand these

00:30:48.480 --> 00:30:49.539
 people put in

00:30:49.539 --> 00:30:50.840
 10, 15, 20

00:30:50.840 --> 00:30:51.980
 years into serving

00:30:51.980 --> 00:30:52.720
 in this area.

00:30:53.279 --> 00:30:54.200
 Maybe I can try

00:30:54.200 --> 00:30:54.980
 for six months.

00:30:55.900 --> 00:30:56.720
 Maybe I can try

00:30:56.720 --> 00:30:57.460
 for two months.

00:30:58.620 --> 00:30:59.500
 Maybe I can try

00:30:59.500 --> 00:31:01.240
 it out and see

00:31:01.240 --> 00:31:01.880
 if that's where

00:31:01.880 --> 00:31:02.660
 God wants me to

00:31:02.660 --> 00:31:02.920
 serve.

00:31:03.880 --> 00:31:05.079
 This is how you

00:31:05.079 --> 00:31:05.839
 can passionately

00:31:05.839 --> 00:31:06.980
 participate and

00:31:06.980 --> 00:31:08.380
 stoke the fire of

00:31:08.380 --> 00:31:09.160
 what God is doing

00:31:09.160 --> 00:31:09.900
 in this church.

00:31:11.180 --> 00:31:11.940
 Welcome team.

00:31:13.039 --> 00:31:13.660
 You know who

00:31:13.660 --> 00:31:14.339
 our welcome team

00:31:14.339 --> 00:31:14.680
 is?

00:31:15.920 --> 00:31:16.960
 It's three people.

00:31:18.279 --> 00:31:18.960
 Don and Diana

00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:20.480
 Shipley and Billy

00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:20.900
 Carlton.

00:31:21.980 --> 00:31:22.500
 And they are

00:31:22.500 --> 00:31:23.500
 well suited for

00:31:23.500 --> 00:31:24.120
 the welcome team.

00:31:24.779 --> 00:31:25.440
 They are friendly

00:31:25.440 --> 00:31:25.860
 people.

00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:26.819
 They greet people.

00:31:27.519 --> 00:31:28.299
 The Shipleys send

00:31:28.299 --> 00:31:29.279
 cards to visitors

00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:30.120
 after they come.

00:31:30.380 --> 00:31:30.920
 It's awesome.

00:31:31.400 --> 00:31:32.140
 They're great at it.

00:31:32.599 --> 00:31:33.539
 Billy is the smiling

00:31:33.539 --> 00:31:34.339
 face that you want

00:31:34.339 --> 00:31:35.519
 to see and he's got

00:31:35.519 --> 00:31:36.240
 some kind of joke

00:31:36.240 --> 00:31:36.960
 up his sleeve for

00:31:36.960 --> 00:31:37.579
 you when you walk

00:31:37.579 --> 00:31:39.420
 into the doors on

00:31:39.420 --> 00:31:40.220
 Sunday morning as he

00:31:40.220 --> 00:31:40.980
 hands you a bulletin.

00:31:42.019 --> 00:31:43.000
 But y'all, they

00:31:43.000 --> 00:31:44.319
 can't carry it all

00:31:44.319 --> 00:31:45.059
 alone.

00:31:46.079 --> 00:31:46.880
 We need parking

00:31:46.880 --> 00:31:47.640
 lot greeters.

00:31:48.299 --> 00:31:49.319
 We need people who

00:31:49.319 --> 00:31:50.839
 can park the car for

00:31:50.839 --> 00:31:51.700
 older people that are

00:31:51.700 --> 00:31:52.900
 physically challenged.

00:31:53.840 --> 00:31:54.819
 Not necessarily even

00:31:54.819 --> 00:31:55.539
 just older people.

00:31:55.660 --> 00:31:56.259
 Sometimes younger

00:31:56.259 --> 00:31:56.819
 people can be

00:31:56.819 --> 00:31:57.500
 physically challenged.

00:31:57.600 --> 00:31:58.120
 That would be a big

00:31:58.120 --> 00:31:58.840
 blessing for them.

00:31:59.440 --> 00:32:00.680
 We need door openers.

00:32:00.799 --> 00:32:01.519
 Y'all, we've got two

00:32:01.519 --> 00:32:02.440
 sets of double doors

00:32:02.440 --> 00:32:02.900
 right here.

00:32:03.360 --> 00:32:04.500
 Nobody opens the

00:32:04.500 --> 00:32:05.460
 door for anybody.

00:32:07.059 --> 00:32:08.440
 How great would it be

00:32:08.440 --> 00:32:09.779
 if we had some people

00:32:09.779 --> 00:32:11.000
 standing at the door

00:32:11.000 --> 00:32:12.740
 opening the door for

00:32:12.740 --> 00:32:13.700
 somebody and saying

00:32:13.700 --> 00:32:14.580
 welcome to church.

00:32:15.279 --> 00:32:15.960
 That's it.

00:32:16.539 --> 00:32:17.340
 You don't have to do

00:32:17.340 --> 00:32:17.920
 anything else.

00:32:18.360 --> 00:32:19.100
 Put a smile on your

00:32:19.100 --> 00:32:20.080
 face and say welcome

00:32:20.079 --> 00:32:21.399
 and open the door.

00:32:22.139 --> 00:32:24.339
 That is a right away

00:32:24.339 --> 00:32:25.359
 need that you could

00:32:25.359 --> 00:32:26.679
 fill and actively

00:32:26.679 --> 00:32:28.519
 participate, passionately

00:32:28.519 --> 00:32:29.779
 participate in what God

00:32:29.779 --> 00:32:30.379
 is doing here.

00:32:31.079 --> 00:32:32.939
 Lobby greeters, ushers,

00:32:33.480 --> 00:32:35.439
 there are places that

00:32:35.439 --> 00:32:38.119
 you can jump in all

00:32:38.119 --> 00:32:38.599
 around.

00:32:39.279 --> 00:32:39.919
 But you know what

00:32:39.919 --> 00:32:40.419
 happens?

00:32:41.919 --> 00:32:45.240
 The same 30 people wind

00:32:45.240 --> 00:32:46.480
 up doing everything

00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:48.339
 because they're the

00:32:48.339 --> 00:32:49.220
 passionate participants.

00:32:50.559 --> 00:32:51.599
 Don't let it be that

00:32:51.599 --> 00:32:51.819
 way.

00:32:53.120 --> 00:32:54.099
 You be a passionate

00:32:54.099 --> 00:32:54.539
 participant.

00:32:56.500 --> 00:32:57.680
 You jump in and say I

00:32:57.680 --> 00:32:58.440
 want to be a part of it.

00:32:58.740 --> 00:32:59.620
 I want to stoke the

00:32:59.620 --> 00:32:59.860
 fire.

00:33:01.120 --> 00:33:02.380
 Clearly there's a fire

00:33:02.380 --> 00:33:04.240
 burning in Henrietta,

00:33:04.400 --> 00:33:06.180
 Texas that God has

00:33:06.180 --> 00:33:06.559
 started.

00:33:07.839 --> 00:33:08.920
 I want to be somebody

00:33:08.920 --> 00:33:10.079
 that stokes that fire,

00:33:10.599 --> 00:33:12.839
 not just watches it burn

00:33:12.839 --> 00:33:14.779
 and heaven forbid,

00:33:15.419 --> 00:33:16.480
 somebody who tries to

00:33:16.480 --> 00:33:16.879
 quench it.

00:33:18.959 --> 00:33:19.819
 Music ministry,

00:33:20.099 --> 00:33:20.779
 prayer ministry,

00:33:21.299 --> 00:33:22.059
 kindness ministry.

00:33:22.179 --> 00:33:23.000
 Randy Jones is sitting

00:33:23.000 --> 00:33:24.259
 back there all

00:33:24.259 --> 00:33:24.879
 throughout the year.

00:33:24.980 --> 00:33:26.000
 She's got plans for

00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:27.259
 ways to go out and

00:33:27.259 --> 00:33:29.259
 serve in our community.

00:33:29.579 --> 00:33:30.519
 From Pioneer Union,

00:33:31.779 --> 00:33:32.659
 handing out Dr.

00:33:32.740 --> 00:33:34.199
 Peppers when school

00:33:34.199 --> 00:33:35.459
 drops out, lets out for

00:33:35.459 --> 00:33:35.899
 the summer.

00:33:38.779 --> 00:33:39.679
 Evangelism ministry.

00:33:39.680 --> 00:33:41.400
 We've been doing very

00:33:41.400 --> 00:33:42.820
 little of actively going

00:33:42.820 --> 00:33:43.700
 out and sharing the

00:33:43.700 --> 00:33:45.180
 gospel with people in our

00:33:45.180 --> 00:33:45.539
 community.

00:33:46.200 --> 00:33:47.779
 So there are all kinds of

00:33:47.779 --> 00:33:49.620
 ways for you to jump in

00:33:49.620 --> 00:33:51.680
 and serve God.

00:33:52.160 --> 00:33:53.560
 That's how we do it.

00:33:53.900 --> 00:33:57.320
 Now, before we leave, I

00:33:57.320 --> 00:33:58.120
 want to share this final

00:33:58.120 --> 00:33:58.680
 thought with you.

00:34:00.519 --> 00:34:01.680
 How many of y'all would

00:34:01.680 --> 00:34:03.120
 say there's a roaring fire

00:34:03.120 --> 00:34:03.779
 on the screen?

00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:07.100
 How many of you would say

00:34:07.100 --> 00:34:07.880
 that fire's out?

00:34:07.880 --> 00:34:08.440
 Yes.

00:34:10.140 --> 00:34:11.079
 But you know what?

00:34:12.480 --> 00:34:13.860
 Is it really out?

00:34:15.599 --> 00:34:17.180
 Because even dying embers

00:34:17.180 --> 00:34:18.680
 still have life in them.

00:34:20.720 --> 00:34:23.340
 Dying embers still have life

00:34:23.340 --> 00:34:24.320
 within them.

00:34:24.840 --> 00:34:27.280
 That's why they need to be

00:34:27.280 --> 00:34:28.039
 stoked.

00:34:29.140 --> 00:34:30.360
 That's why they need to be

00:34:30.360 --> 00:34:30.660
 stoked.

00:34:32.320 --> 00:34:34.980
 Romans 12 verse 11 says this,

00:34:34.980 --> 00:34:36.699
 never be lacking in zeal,

00:34:37.300 --> 00:34:39.440
 but keep your spiritual

00:34:39.440 --> 00:34:42.980
 fervor serving the Lord.

00:34:43.559 --> 00:34:44.240
 You know what that word

00:34:44.240 --> 00:34:45.380
 fervor means?

00:34:46.199 --> 00:34:47.699
 Well, in the International

00:34:47.699 --> 00:34:48.980
 Standard Version, it says

00:34:48.980 --> 00:34:50.719
 this, never be lazy and

00:34:50.719 --> 00:34:51.880
 showing devotion.

00:34:52.500 --> 00:34:55.079
 Be on fire with the Spirit.

00:34:56.119 --> 00:34:58.079
 That's what that fervor word

00:34:58.079 --> 00:34:58.579
 evokes.

00:34:58.659 --> 00:34:59.619
 That's what it means.

00:34:59.820 --> 00:35:01.519
 It means being on fire.

00:35:02.320 --> 00:35:03.740
 Smith's literal translation of

00:35:03.739 --> 00:35:05.479
 the Bible says boiling in

00:35:05.479 --> 00:35:07.659
 spirit, serving the Lord.

00:35:07.879 --> 00:35:08.959
 The God be New Testament

00:35:08.959 --> 00:35:11.199
 says boiling over in spirit,

00:35:11.719 --> 00:35:12.719
 serving the Lord.

00:35:12.799 --> 00:35:13.539
 You get the idea?

00:35:13.879 --> 00:35:15.139
 You get the picture of what

00:35:15.139 --> 00:35:15.759
 this is?

00:35:16.439 --> 00:35:17.259
 This fervor?

00:35:17.419 --> 00:35:20.199
 It means being on fire for God.

00:35:20.799 --> 00:35:22.559
 Y'all, we've got people in

00:35:22.559 --> 00:35:23.339
 this church that have been

00:35:23.339 --> 00:35:24.500
 Christians for decades.

00:35:25.139 --> 00:35:26.139
 Multiple decades.

00:35:26.139 --> 00:35:29.639
 It's hard to keep the fire

00:35:29.639 --> 00:35:31.099
 burning year after year,

00:35:31.559 --> 00:35:32.739
 decade after decade.

00:35:33.359 --> 00:35:34.339
 Some of you have been

00:35:34.339 --> 00:35:38.259
 Christians 50 years or more.

00:35:39.319 --> 00:35:40.599
 It's hard to keep the fire

00:35:40.599 --> 00:35:41.599
 burning all that time.

00:35:42.859 --> 00:35:44.179
 That's why Paul told Timothy,

00:35:44.839 --> 00:35:45.259
 stoke it.

00:35:46.359 --> 00:35:47.920
 Stoke that fire because it's

00:35:47.920 --> 00:35:49.960
 only natural that it's going

00:35:49.960 --> 00:35:52.099
 to start to die out.

00:35:52.099 --> 00:35:56.420
 And the Holy Spirit's fire

00:35:56.420 --> 00:35:57.159
 in your life is going to

00:35:57.159 --> 00:35:57.659
 look like that.

00:36:00.920 --> 00:36:02.159
 But that's not what our God

00:36:02.159 --> 00:36:02.420
 is.

00:36:04.259 --> 00:36:05.799
 Exodus and Hebrews both

00:36:05.799 --> 00:36:07.400
 describe our God as a

00:36:07.400 --> 00:36:09.219
 consuming fire.

00:36:11.099 --> 00:36:12.819
 God wants to roar.

00:36:13.619 --> 00:36:15.319
 He wants to blaze.

00:36:15.900 --> 00:36:17.960
 He wants to burn brightly.

00:36:17.960 --> 00:36:21.820
 So don't be ashamed.

00:36:22.800 --> 00:36:23.760
 Stoke that fire.

00:36:24.480 --> 00:36:25.179
 Get involved.

00:36:26.099 --> 00:36:28.480
 Dying embers still have life

00:36:28.480 --> 00:36:29.659
 within them.

00:36:31.659 --> 00:36:33.220
 You know, Paul told Timothy,

00:36:34.159 --> 00:36:34.920
 don't be ashamed.

00:36:37.300 --> 00:36:38.760
 It means he must have been

00:36:38.760 --> 00:36:39.099
 ashamed.

00:36:42.960 --> 00:36:44.559
 And it's easy to get ashamed.

00:36:44.559 --> 00:36:47.159
 We don't live in a world

00:36:47.159 --> 00:36:49.179
 that is particularly friendly

00:36:49.179 --> 00:36:50.940
 to followers of Jesus.

00:36:53.320 --> 00:36:54.599
 You know, we have that in

00:36:54.599 --> 00:36:55.659
 common with just about every

00:36:55.659 --> 00:36:56.480
 other Christian throughout

00:36:56.480 --> 00:36:56.860
 history.

00:36:58.299 --> 00:36:59.779
 Very rarely in this world

00:36:59.779 --> 00:37:01.940
 have there been governments

00:37:01.940 --> 00:37:03.239
 or nations that were very

00:37:03.239 --> 00:37:05.000
 friendly toward followers of

00:37:05.000 --> 00:37:05.279
 Jesus.

00:37:07.079 --> 00:37:08.920
 America might be one of,

00:37:09.000 --> 00:37:09.900
 if not the most,

00:37:09.900 --> 00:37:11.480
 friendly toward Christians.

00:37:12.259 --> 00:37:13.320
 And we still have it rough,

00:37:13.380 --> 00:37:13.639
 don't we?

00:37:13.639 --> 00:37:17.199
 But can I promise you this?

00:37:18.599 --> 00:37:20.699
 The harder the enemy tries

00:37:20.699 --> 00:37:21.719
 to put out the fire,

00:37:22.639 --> 00:37:24.879
 the more the fire rages,

00:37:25.639 --> 00:37:26.980
 the more it spreads.

00:37:27.659 --> 00:37:29.259
 And that's what happened in

00:37:29.259 --> 00:37:30.639
 the early days of the church.

00:37:30.739 --> 00:37:32.500
 It spread like wildfire

00:37:32.500 --> 00:37:33.699
 around this world.

00:37:34.139 --> 00:37:36.339
 It wasn't even legal in most

00:37:36.339 --> 00:37:38.119
 of the known world to be a

00:37:38.119 --> 00:37:38.359
 Christian.

00:37:40.179 --> 00:37:42.079
 But they couldn't stop people.

00:37:43.639 --> 00:37:45.879
 The fire kept spreading.

00:37:47.480 --> 00:37:49.359
 Why isn't our fire like that?

00:37:50.699 --> 00:37:52.639
 The fire is still there.

00:37:53.759 --> 00:37:55.920
 Dying embers still have life

00:37:55.920 --> 00:37:56.480
 within them.

00:37:56.759 --> 00:37:58.659
 It's just got to be stoked.

00:37:59.480 --> 00:38:00.599
 It's got to be stoked.

00:38:00.599 --> 00:38:04.339
 So our takeaway

00:38:04.339 --> 00:38:07.119
 is what step will you take

00:38:07.119 --> 00:38:07.920
 to stoke it?

00:38:09.719 --> 00:38:11.239
 The Holy Spirit's fire

00:38:11.239 --> 00:38:13.079
 is alive and well

00:38:13.079 --> 00:38:14.339
 in all of his children.

00:38:16.719 --> 00:38:18.079
 But it's got to be stoked.

00:38:19.019 --> 00:38:20.299
 Would you bow your head with me?

00:38:20.300 --> 00:38:22.620
 God, I pray that you would show us

00:38:22.620 --> 00:38:23.620
 how to stoke our fire.

00:38:24.039 --> 00:38:25.539
 Show me how to stoke my fire.

00:38:25.940 --> 00:38:26.960
 It's easy for me

00:38:26.960 --> 00:38:28.700
 to let the cold water

00:38:28.700 --> 00:38:29.680
 that this life seems

00:38:29.680 --> 00:38:31.200
 to throw on me every day

00:38:31.200 --> 00:38:33.400
 put out my fire.

00:38:33.500 --> 00:38:33.940
 But God,

00:38:34.640 --> 00:38:35.740
 you have given me

00:38:35.740 --> 00:38:36.680
 everything I need.

00:38:38.680 --> 00:38:39.980
 Service is not everything.

00:38:40.220 --> 00:38:41.180
 Service is not why

00:38:41.180 --> 00:38:42.519
 we have a relationship with you.

00:38:42.800 --> 00:38:43.780
 You didn't save us

00:38:43.780 --> 00:38:46.000
 so we could do things for you

00:38:46.000 --> 00:38:46.640
 and you just won

00:38:46.640 --> 00:38:47.700
 an army of workers.

00:38:47.699 --> 00:38:50.439
 you saved us

00:38:50.439 --> 00:38:51.439
 because you love us.

00:38:51.539 --> 00:38:53.239
 You want to have a relationship

00:38:53.239 --> 00:38:54.500
 with us because you love us.

00:38:55.559 --> 00:38:56.579
 Our relationship with you

00:38:56.579 --> 00:38:58.819
 is not hinging on

00:38:58.819 --> 00:39:00.079
 how much we do for you

00:39:00.079 --> 00:39:01.639
 but God doing for you

00:39:01.639 --> 00:39:02.960
 is what stokes the fire.

00:39:04.480 --> 00:39:05.019
 Serving you

00:39:05.019 --> 00:39:06.439
 is what stokes the fire.

00:39:07.859 --> 00:39:08.779
 And when we go

00:39:08.779 --> 00:39:10.359
 for days and weeks

00:39:10.359 --> 00:39:10.939
 and months

00:39:10.939 --> 00:39:11.639
 and years

00:39:11.639 --> 00:39:12.679
 and decades

00:39:12.679 --> 00:39:15.539
 without really serving you

00:39:15.539 --> 00:39:16.199
 actively,

00:39:16.460 --> 00:39:17.059
 passionately,

00:39:17.699 --> 00:39:20.039
 our fire can die out.

00:39:21.379 --> 00:39:23.019
 It's how you designed it.

00:39:24.039 --> 00:39:25.079
 Doing your work

00:39:25.079 --> 00:39:26.119
 is what fulfills us.

00:39:26.199 --> 00:39:27.419
 It's what stokes that fire.

00:39:29.039 --> 00:39:30.139
 So show every woman,

00:39:30.279 --> 00:39:30.859
 every wife,

00:39:30.960 --> 00:39:31.519
 every mother,

00:39:33.039 --> 00:39:34.319
 every sister,

00:39:34.480 --> 00:39:35.039
 every daughter

00:39:35.039 --> 00:39:37.559
 how to stoke that fire.

00:39:38.659 --> 00:39:39.439
 Show the men,

00:39:40.239 --> 00:39:40.819
 the husbands,

00:39:41.119 --> 00:39:42.559
 the brothers,

00:39:43.199 --> 00:39:43.859
 the sons,

00:39:43.860 --> 00:39:46.380
 the grandfathers,

00:39:46.920 --> 00:39:49.340
 how to stoke the fire

00:39:49.340 --> 00:39:51.240
 in their life.

00:39:51.240 --> 00:39:52.559
 If our fire

00:39:52.559 --> 00:39:53.480
 isn't burning,

00:39:54.820 --> 00:39:57.220
 we can't stoke the fire

00:39:57.220 --> 00:39:57.840
 anybody else.

00:40:00.980 --> 00:40:01.480
 God,

00:40:01.539 --> 00:40:02.800
 I pray that you would teach us

00:40:02.800 --> 00:40:03.559
 what we need to do

00:40:03.559 --> 00:40:04.079
 right now.

00:40:04.079 --> 00:40:06.000
 in this moment

00:40:06.000 --> 00:40:06.960
 with our heads bowed.

00:40:13.199 --> 00:40:14.199
 With our heads bowed,

00:40:14.239 --> 00:40:14.400
 God,

00:40:14.440 --> 00:40:14.920
 right now,

00:40:15.659 --> 00:40:16.400
 the enemy wants

00:40:16.400 --> 00:40:17.059
 to distract us.

00:40:17.139 --> 00:40:17.699
 He doesn't want to,

00:40:19.299 --> 00:40:21.239
 he doesn't want God's people

00:40:21.239 --> 00:40:22.539
 to passionately pursue him.

00:40:22.539 --> 00:40:22.639
 Amen.

00:40:27.699 --> 00:40:29.019
 Quiet the noise.

00:40:29.480 --> 00:40:30.219
 Let your still,

00:40:30.360 --> 00:40:30.960
 small voice

00:40:30.960 --> 00:40:32.099
 be the one thing

00:40:32.099 --> 00:40:33.400
 that comes through.

00:40:35.719 --> 00:40:36.440
 It says,

00:40:36.579 --> 00:40:36.699
 yeah,

00:40:36.779 --> 00:40:37.360
 you're the next

00:40:37.360 --> 00:40:38.440
 children's ministry

00:40:38.440 --> 00:40:39.259
 volunteer.

00:40:39.539 --> 00:40:40.159
 You're the next

00:40:40.159 --> 00:40:40.960
 youth volunteer.

00:40:42.679 --> 00:40:43.539
 You're the next

00:40:43.539 --> 00:40:44.119
 choir member.

00:40:45.000 --> 00:40:46.199
 You're the next usher.

00:40:46.480 --> 00:40:47.339
 You're the next greeter.

00:40:49.000 --> 00:40:50.079
 You're the next one

00:40:50.079 --> 00:40:50.619
 going out

00:40:50.619 --> 00:40:52.480
 kindness ministry

00:40:52.480 --> 00:40:53.559
 and serving our community

00:40:53.559 --> 00:40:55.839
 doing what Jesus did.

00:40:59.839 --> 00:41:00.880
 You're the next one

00:41:00.880 --> 00:41:01.539
 I'm going to call

00:41:01.539 --> 00:41:03.659
 to lead a church,

00:41:04.300 --> 00:41:05.679
 to lead a class,

00:41:05.679 --> 00:41:06.739
 to lead a committee,

00:41:07.579 --> 00:41:10.079
 to preach the good news.

00:41:12.779 --> 00:41:13.559
 Raise up

00:41:13.559 --> 00:41:14.759
 passionate participants

00:41:14.759 --> 00:41:16.159
 from our midst,

00:41:16.320 --> 00:41:16.480
 God.

00:41:17.199 --> 00:41:17.920
 We'll give you

00:41:17.920 --> 00:41:18.679
 the glory for it.