Did you do anything to prepare for the Arctic blast we got in the middle of last week?
Well, I heard the weather forecast and I lift the pilot light in my gas logs.
And on Tuesday night and Wednesday night, I fired them up.
I enjoyed the warmth.
I enjoyed seeing the fire burn.
Well, I've been thinking about a different kind of fire ever since our men's ministry dinner, supper, whatever it was that Rick cooked.
He did a good job, by the way, last Tuesday night.
Boy Scout brought a great message on the importance of every Christian,
making sure we keep the spiritual fire burning brightly in our lives every day.
He was talking about maintaining a close relationship with Christ in terms of a spiritual fire.
Well, that got my attention.
It really did.
I have thought about the kind of spiritual fire that is really burning in my life right now.
And I've thought about what kind of spiritual fire is burning in the lives of our church family.
It really got my attention.
I've thought about it off and on some this week.
You know, if we are Christians, when we were saved, here's what happened.
God did a supernatural work called regeneration or the new birth.
He gave us the desire to acknowledge our sin and separation from God, to turn from our sin, change our mind about the way we're living, repent.
He caused the light to come on.
I'm talking about He enabled us to see by faith that Jesus Christ is His Son.
And He came into this world to die on a cross as our substitute, pay the penalty for our sins.
When God saves us, He does this work in us to give us such a desire to turn from our sin, to trust Jesus.
He puts His Spirit in us when He does this, to live with us forever.
Every Christian is indwelled by the Holy Spirit.
Now one way to describe this, this work of God when He saves us, is that God's lit a spiritual fire in our soul.
Now, if you are a Christian, you know what I'm talking about.
You may not have ever thought about it exactly this way.
But if you're a Christian, you know that whenever it was God saved you, He did a work in your soul, heart, life, however you want to describe it.
He lit a spiritual fire.
Now, nobody in this room is going to pretend that there's always been a burning, bright, warm spiritual fire in our lives.
So let's just all be honest.
If you're a Christian, is the spiritual fire within you right now more like a pilot light?
A pilot light in my gas logs.
When it's lit, there is fire.
But you've got to go over to the fireplace.
You've got to look down and see that little bitty flame.
And there may be some Christians in this room.
You know that the Spirit of God lives within you.
You know you're a follower of Jesus.
But for whatever reason, the fire is burning very, very dimly right now.
Or would you say that by the grace of God, the fire in you right now, spiritually speaking, is a roaring blaze?
People who know you, they see the Lord in you.
They even feel the warmth of His love when they're around you.
That may be some people's experience right now.
And you thank God if it is.
Or it could be that right now, you're not really a pilot light, but you're not a blazing fire either.
You're somewhere in between.
Well, this message this morning is designed just like that message on Tuesday night.
To cause us all to think about what kind of fire is burning right now.
And to help us do that, I want you to turn to 2 Timothy chapter 1.
2 Timothy chapter 1.
And what we're going to do is look at how the Apostle Paul had to encourage Timothy,
a dedicated, committed Christian,
leader.
But Paul had to encourage him
at times
to fan
the fire,
fan the flame that was in him
because it wasn't burning bright enough.
2 Timothy
chapter 1.
Let me say this.
I'm interrupting the series
on our stewardship
of time now.
We're talking about our stewardship
in life of our time, talents, and treasures.
Last week, we began the part about time.
We're going to continue it next week, Lord willing.
This week, today,
I want us to think about
the spiritual fire
if
it is burning
and how brightly it's burning in our lives.
2 Timothy 1, beginning in verse 3.
Paul is writing
to Timothy.
This is a letter from Paul to Timothy.
I thank God whom I serve,
as did my ancestors,
with a clear conscience,
as I remember you constantly
in my prayers night and day,
and as I remember your tears.
I long to see you
that I may be filled with joy.
I am reminded of your sincere faith,
a faith that dwelt first
in your grandmother Lois
and your mother Eunice,
and now I am sure.
He's talking about I'm confident.
Not a guess,
but I'm confident
dwells in you as well.
For this reason,
I remind you
to fan into flame
the gift of God
which is in you
through the laying on of my hands,
for God gave us
a spirit not of fear,
but of power
and love
and self-control.
Does the fire
of Christian faithfulness
need to be fanned
into a flame
in your life
right now?
Think about it.
Sometimes,
in all of our lives
as Christians,
sometimes the fire
is low.
Maybe the flicker
of a pilot light.
Sometimes,
the light is just not,
the fire is not
what we know
it ought to be,
what it has been
in the past,
what we want it to be today.
And so,
even in faithful Christians,
sometimes we need
to fan the fire,
fan the flame.
That was true
about Timothy.
Paul met Timothy
on his second mission trip.
It's recorded
in Acts chapter 16.
We see from
the New Testament record
in Acts
and in some of Paul's letters
that they had
a very close relationship.
Paul considered him
to be like
a spiritual son.
Paul was Timothy's mentor.
And Paul had
a lot of confidence
in Timothy.
He sent Timothy
sometimes to be
his representative
to another church.
He had confidence
in Timothy's ability
to be a faithful
Christian leader.
He even gave him
the responsibility
of leading the church
at Ephesus
and dealing
with some hard issues
for a period of time.
Both 1 and 2 Timothy
in the New Testament,
two letters,
1 Timothy,
2 Timothy.
Both were written
to this young man
when he was still
at Ephesus
leading the church
there.
Timothy was not
nearly as strong
a leader
as the Apostle Paul was.
Paul knew it
and he knew him well.
That's no knock
on Timothy.
It's just who he was.
And so sometimes
as you read
through these letters,
sometimes you see
Paul having to
encourage Timothy.
Sometimes he's
having to
prod him along.
Sometimes he just
basically giving him
a list of instructions.
Sometimes Timothy
had to be told,
remain faithful,
be strong,
hang in there,
fulfill your
responsibilities.
If you have any doubts,
read 1 and 2 Timothy.
You see this.
And now what we're
looking at this morning
specifically,
verse 6,
for this reason,
I remind you
to fan
into flame
the gift
of God.
Now,
if Paul
had to say
that to Timothy,
being the man
that he was,
mentored,
trained,
equipped
by Paul,
how much more
do we need
to hear that
at times?
And this may be
the very time
that you need
to hear this
as well.
But,
before we go
any further,
why would Timothy
need to hear this?
Why?
Why do we
let the fire
that God lights
in us
as a Christian,
that sometimes
blazes brightly,
why do we
let it go out?
Why does it
get dim
at times?
Well,
no doubt
there's a lot
of reasons
and if the fire,
the spiritual fire
of faithfulness
is not,
you know,
blazing up
in your life
right now,
you think to yourself,
why?
What are some reasons?
Identify the reasons,
that's important
before you can
find the solution.
For some people
it may just be
the busyness of life.
You may not have
really thought about it
right now,
but you're just
so pulled
in different directions.
So many demands
on your time,
you never intended
for it to be,
but when you're
confronted with this
question this morning
about the fire,
the spiritual fire
of commitment
in your life,
you know,
you have to admit,
it is not nearly
as glowing
as it used to be.
A lot of different reasons,
but there's two
in Timothy's life
that we see in Scripture
and so that's where
I want us to focus
our attention this morning.
Number one,
he had some physical problems.
Timothy dealt
with physical illnesses
at times
and Paul instructs him
on how to deal with it
in 1 Timothy chapter 5.
He says,
no longer drink
only water,
but use a little wine
for the sake
of your stomach
and your frequent ailments.
Now Paul's not encouraging him
to go out
and become an alcoholic.
He is saying,
use wine
for the sake
of your stomach
and your frequent ailments.
Paul knew Timothy.
He knew that he had
stomach problems
that evidently
caused him
not to be able
to function
or function well
at times.
And so,
here's the solution.
You got a problem?
There is a legitimate,
helpful way
to take care of it.
Paul's saying,
do it.
We don't know
why he stopped,
but Paul's telling him now,
take care of yourself.
Do what you need to do
to be in better
physical condition.
Now,
before we go any further,
I want to say something
to make this real clear.
I know
that people have
physical illnesses,
problems,
problems that prevent
them from doing
a lot of things
they would like to do.
There may be times
in your life
when there is a physical
issue going on
and you just cannot
do what you want
to do,
what you've committed
to do,
and it's legitimate.
So,
I'm not trying to inflict
guilt on someone
who has this kind
of problem.
But some problems,
some issues
that we deal with,
they just make us
feel bad.
They may
cause some pain.
They may
make us a little bit
weak.
But the truth is,
we can deal with it.
Truth is,
there's a lot of things
that happen to us
in life,
we just gotta learn
to suck it up and go.
That is,
what can be sucked up
and gone with?
We live today
in a very soft world.
You don't have to tell
many people
to take care of themselves.
They go overboard
in taking care of themselves.
But in a day gone by,
more people,
Christians and otherwise,
just had the mentality,
you do what you can do,
even if it is
in the midst of difficulty.
One of those men
was John Calvin.
One of the most
influential Christians
who has ever lived
was John Calvin.
Most people in this room,
you're familiar
with the Protestant Reformation.
One of the most
important events,
God breaking into history
in the history
of the world.
The two most well-known
and leading reformers
were Martin Luther
and John Calvin.
Calvin lived a very
productive life.
He wrote many books
on the Christian life,
on theology,
the deep things of God.
He wrote a commentary
on just about every book
of the Bible.
Not all,
but just about every book
of the Bible.
He preached numerous times,
most weeks,
and multiple times
on Sundays.
He corresponded widely
with people.
One of his greatest influences
was through his written correspondence.
He was also very involved
as a civic leader
in the city of Geneva.
Calvin did more
than anyone I've ever known.
Accomplished more
than anyone I've ever known.
I want you to look
at how he did all this
in the midst of dealing
with multiple illnesses.
Look at this.
He was plagued
with constant headaches
which hardly ever left him.
The pain was so intense
that many nights
he could not sleep.
He also had some kind
of disease of the trachea
which,
when he spoke too much,
caused him to spit blood.
Several attacks of pleurisy
prepared the way
for consumption
of which he finally died.
He had acute hemorrhoids,
the pain of which
was unbearably increased
by an internal abscess
that would not heal.
He had gallstones
and kidney stones
in addition to stomach cramps
and wicked intestinal influenzas.
To top it all off,
he had acute arthritis.
In one of his letters
to a friend,
he said,
if only my condition
were not a constant
death struggle.
Now,
what I've just read
about Calvin
is widely known
by people
who read him,
historians.
I read where
some people said
that Calvin was,
he was sometimes
hard to deal with.
He was irritable a lot.
Wouldn't you?
But Calvin
was used by God
in a tremendous way.
But all that he did,
he worked through pain,
discomfort,
dealing with multiple
physical issues.
He left a lasting mark
on the Christian church
in the midst of all this
and in a relatively short life
of 54 years.
It's hard to find
someone like that today,
isn't it?
We live in a world
where people are soft
and they use
the least little problem
as an excuse
to avoid fulfilling
their responsibilities,
to avoid work,
to avoid fulfilling
their commitments
to friends,
to family,
in the church.
Now again,
I want to emphasize,
some people are truly
disabled
and unable
to live
a physically demanding
life.
And if that's you
at times,
don't feel guilty.
Don't feel guilty
for what you cannot help
and it's serious.
It prevents you
from doing things
you really want to do,
fun things,
as well as things
you might not want to do
that are more
of a responsibility.
But many people
are too quick
today
to give in
to physical problems
and to refuse
to just work through
minor pain
and discomfort.
What we all need
to understand,
God calls us
to serve Him
with the gifts,
talents,
and abilities
that He gives us
both in the world
and in the church
and God's call
is not limited
to just serving Him
on the days
when we feel great.
God's call
is not limited
to just the times
when everything's
going our way
and we have no aches
and pains
or things like that.
God calls us
to be faithful,
for you to be
a faithful husband,
father,
wife,
mother,
child,
student,
worker,
worker in this church.
Even on the days
that you don't feel
real good,
on the days
that you'd rather
just be sort of
taking it easy,
sitting back
in your easy chair.
God calls us
to be faithful
to Him,
to the responsibilities
of life
that He has given us
and sometimes
that means
we've got to deal with
and work through
some pain
and discomfort.
You know,
sometimes God
uses us
specifically
our weaknesses
instead of our strengths.
That's what Calvin
discovered in his life.
You know,
you might think,
well,
what could Calvin
have accomplished
if he'd have been well?
he may not have
accomplished half
as much as he did
because God
used him
in those kind
of situations
the way it did.
That's what the
Apostle Paul learned.
Calvin,
no doubt,
took comfort
from what Paul said
in 2 Corinthians
chapter 12.
See,
Paul had some kind
of problem
called what he called
his thorn in his flesh.
Some people think
he may have been
poor eyesight.
Some people think
he may have battled
malaria off and on
throughout his ministry,
throughout his life.
Well,
Paul understood
his weaknesses,
that thorn in the flesh,
and I want you to look
what he did
in relation to God
about it.
He says,
three times I pleaded
with the Lord
to take it away from me.
But he said to me,
my grace is sufficient
for you,
for my power
is made perfect
in weakness.
God chose
for Paul
to have to deal
with whatever
that thorn was,
and God
was going to use him
in that particular
weak situation
for greater glory,
for greater good.
Paul's life
was not one
of fun
and feel good,
but God gave him
the grace
to work through
the pain,
the suffering,
and be the effective
man of God,
servant of God,
writer of Scripture,
missionary evangelist
that he was.
I want to emphasize
here to today's parents,
grandparents,
teachers,
influencers,
influencers of children.
Children need to learn
that just feeling bad
is not an excuse
to stay home
from school
or church
or not fulfill
your responsibilities.
If I make somebody mad,
so be it.
don't allow
your child
to be weak
because you are weak
and you teach them
to be weak
and just give in
to any minor ache
or pain
or not feel good
or somebody hurt
their feelings
and things along
this matter.
don't allow
your child
to use such
excuses
to be lazy
and or
irresponsible
which a lot
of people
will
both children
and adults.
The best way
to teach
your children
this is by
example,
by you being
this way.
When I was
growing up,
my mother
at times
had extreme
migraine headaches.
But I can probably
count on one hand
the number of times
she actually
went into bed,
went to bed,
got the room
real dark
and only came out
to go to the bathroom
to throw up.
She battled
those headaches
for years.
Got up every
morning and went
to J.P.
Stevens Clemson's
textile plant
and worked
all day,
every day.
Came home
and worked.
That was the
model,
example,
she set for me.
And I can remember
one time as a kid
saying something
to her about,
I don't feel good,
mama.
I don't want
to go to school
today.
And I can remember
it very well.
She told me
there's a lot of days
I don't feel like
going to work.
There's a lot of days
you're not going to
feel like doing
a lot of things
but you just got
to do it.
My mother was
a fine Christian
woman,
hard worker
and she was
sympathetic
occasionally
when you really
needed sympathy,
seriously.
but she saw
through the
scams,
the whining,
the being
weak.
She just
basically told you
suck it up and
go bud
and that's what
you need to do
as a parent,
as a grandparent,
as a teacher.
Oh,
I know you'll
get into it
today because
of these weak
parents that
don't support you
as you're trying
to help their
children.
Our hats ought to
go off to every
teacher in this
building right now
because of all the
junk they have to
put up with
from parents
who don't truly
know their child
and love their
child and be
willing to do
whatever it takes
for their child
to be their best,
Christian or not.
But we as
Christians,
we need to set
the bar high
on what we are.
We don't just
give in to
little weaknesses,
but we truly
seek to be
faithful to the
Lord, feel like
it or not, and
not let the fire
grow out just
because we're
lazy, don't feel
good, have a
little ache and
pain here or
there.
Paul told
Timothy to deal
with his
treatable physical
problems and not
let it keep him
from being faithful
to God's call on
his life.
That wasn't
Timothy's only
problem.
He was timid,
shy, whatever
you want to call
it.
So we're going
to look at this
under the category
of personality,
psychological,
emotional issues.
And again, let me
say, I know there
are psychological
serious issues,
mental illnesses.
We're not talking
about that in this
point.
Timothy was shy
or timid.
Look in 2 Timothy
1, 7.
For God, he's
telling him, fan the
flame.
For God gave us a
spirit not of fear,
but of power and
love and self
control.
Paul says things
throughout this
letter to encourage
Timothy, assert
yourself, boy.
Be a man.
Be a leader.
Stand up.
Speak up.
Confront some
people.
Don't just let
everything go.
There's false
teachers who are
going to destroy
the church.
They're going to
destroy the gospel
among these people
if you let them.
And Paul was
having to tell him,
you be assertive.
Don't let that
happen.
Paul even pointed
this out to the
church at Corinth
and asked them to
take care of
Timothy.
I want you to look
at this.
I want you to think
about what this is
saying.
Paul is writing to
a church and he
says, when Timothy
comes, see that you
put him at ease
among you.
Maybe they were just
mean people.
Or maybe Timothy
was so shy that he
was easily
intimidated.
For he is doing
the work of the
Lord as I am.
So let no one
despise him.
Help him on his
way in peace that he
may return to me for
I am expecting him
with the brothers.
Timothy was not a
natural born leader.
That's why Paul had
to go to bat for
him, encourage him,
prod him like he
did.
Evidently, Timothy
did not like being
out front.
Taking on the
responsibility as a
church leader to
confront and
correct people and
issues.
But God called him
to do that as a
church leader.
And Paul had
mentored him and
prepared him and
sent him to this
particular church or
group of churches in
Ephesus to do this.
The point needs to be
made here that God
calls us to step out
of our comfort zones at
times.
I'm talking about in
terms of our
personality.
He calls us to not
give in to some
personality or
psychological,
emotional weaknesses
that we would cause us
to naturally want to
sort of stand back.
not do what we're
supposed to do.
You know, the most
well-known and
respected and
influential preacher of
the 19th century was
Charles Spurgeon.
He accomplished a lot
like Calvin through his
preaching, his writing,
starting in school,
orphanage, lots of
things.
You know, he battled
depression throughout his
ministry.
He was sometimes so
depressed.
He was bedridden and
unable to preach.
There were times,
periods where he just
couldn't get up and go
for two out of the four
Sundays of a month.
He described the effect of
depression that it had on
him like this.
My spirits were sunken so
low that I could weep by the
hour like a child, and yet I
knew not what I wept for.
I want you to understand
what I'm saying here.
Depression can be real.
It can be devastating.
This man that God used in a
great way who did not want,
he wasn't looking for an
excuse not to do what he
was called to do.
There were times he was
overwhelmed with depression
and he could not function.
And what compounded his
depression sometimes, some of
his biographers say, is he
felt guilty for it.
He battled real, what would
be called today, clinical
depression.
That if he had been in our
day, he'd have been treated
with medication and other
ways for that.
That's one of the reasons why
I'm pointing it out.
He had some real problems.
And it knocked him down at
times.
But by the grace of God, he
never gave into it.
He never gave up.
He was knocked down at times,
but by the grace of God, he
didn't stay down.
He came back time after time
after time.
It was a battle, don't
misunderstand.
A battle throughout his life.
But he wouldn't give up.
He refused to give up.
Don't ever count yourself out
because of your limitations.
God uses imperfect
people.
God uses all kinds of people
to accomplish his purpose in
this world and in our church.
And I want to, again, stress
this to parents.
Don't let your children use
excuses like, I'm too shy.
I get nervous in front of
people.
Or I just want to stay at home
all the time.
Don't let your children
retreat into a world of
unreality by playing video
games all the time or spending
hours a day on social media.
Such unreality will not help
them.
But it will certainly hurt
them.
It will damage them.
Your child, your grandchild,
your, the children you have
influence over, they need to
learn to develop healthy social
skills and where possible
develop a healthy, active body.
And they cannot do that inside
all the time with their face
buried in an iPhone, an iPad,
a computer, or some other
electronic gadget.
And I want to say this and
make people even more mad.
If you're a parent, you are in
or supposed to be in control.
And you can take things.
You pay for it, it's yours.
It ain't theirs.
We got too many weak kids today
because we have too many weak
parents.
You don't have, if you were a
parent, your goal was not to be
their buddy.
Sometimes you're going to be in
their eyes so mean, you're like
the devil himself.
I don't mind the fact that I
sprouted horns a lot with my
boys.
When they needed it.
There are some hills worth
spilling blood on.
I spill too much blood on too
many unnecessary hills.
But there are some that it's
worth the fight for your child's
spiritual, emotional, physical
well-being.
So I want to encourage you, do
what it takes.
Don't bail them out every time
they get in trouble.
Be the parent.
Be the one in charge.
Whatever it is, however you can
have the influence that you can
have.
Some Christians allow the
spiritual fire of Christian
faithfulness to die down because
of their unwillingness to get out
of their comfort zone.
And they use personality,
emotional, psychological issues
as excuses not to be faithful.
What does your spiritual fire
look like right now?
Is it a pilot light?
Or is it a roaring fire?
Or where is it in between?
One more question.
Will you ask God to help you to
fan your fire of Christian
faithfulness into a flame right
now?
Paul pointed out the key to
fanning the flame into a real
fire in verse 7.
He says,
For God gave us a spirit not of
fear but of power and love and
self-control.
Timothy had God-given power.
The word spirit there, look on
the screen there.
It's a little s.
It may be a general reference to
what God does in us to strengthen
us, our spirit.
I think it's more likely Paul's
talking about the Holy Spirit there
and that it should be translated
with a capital S that for God gave
us his spirit who indwells us as
Christians and his spirit is not a
spirit of fear but he is a spirit of
power and love and self-control and
will work that in and through us.
The truth is whatever our gifts are,
God supplies us with the power and
ability to use them.
Look at this verse.
One of my favorite verses in all the
Bible, for it is God who works in you
both to will and to work for his good
pleasure.
If you're a Christian, there is a fire
within you.
Whether it be bright or not, there is a
fire in you.
That's the spirit of God working in you
and he is the one who gives you the
desire to be pleasing to God, to do
God's will and gives you the ability
to do it.
When we use our gifts in the power of
the Holy Spirit, we will not be
crippled by fear.
Paul says we'll serve God with power,
love and control.
I want to wind this up by something
Tommy Lee, professor at Southwestern
Seminary when I was there years ago.
He does a good job of describing what
it means for Christians to fan the
fire of Christian faithfulness to a
flame.
Look at it.
Because Timothy had genuine faith,
Paul urged him to set it ablaze.
The expression fan into flame describes
the act of rekindling the embers of a
dying fire.
The command does not imply that Timothy
had let his spiritual flame go out.
It's an appeal for a continual, vigorous
use of his spiritual gifts.
Rekindling his gifts would involve
fervent prayer, obedience to God's word,
and demonstration of an active faith.
If your spiritual fire is not a roaring
blaze right now, I want to encourage you
to go to God in prayer, spend time with
him and his word on a regular basis and
just ask him, fan the flame.
It'll never happen if you don't spend time
regularly, daily with the Lord in meaningful
prayer, just talking to God, reading his word,
listening to him.
I want to encourage you also to find a
Christian friend to talk about the things
of God with.
Pray for each other.
Encourage each other.
Challenge each other.
Find a friend.
Make a new friend to do this with.
It could be you do it with your spouse.
It could be you do it with an older child.
Your parent.
Find somebody.
And then start using what God's given you.
Your talents, your gifts, your abilities.
In some kind of ministry that will truly honor
God and help us as his church to serve his
purpose.
Ask God to help you know what you need to do to
fan the flame of Christian faithfulness now so that it
will burn more brightly this coming week.
Let's pray together.
Father, show us now how we should respond.
Help us to see, to be certain, and then to respond that way.
Father, if there are people in this room who there is no fire
within them because they do not know you, they don't have a
relationship with Jesus, help them to see that clearly, but to
know if they will admit their need, turn from their sin and trust
Jesus, call upon him to save them, that you will light the fire
right now.
You will change their life.
Help them to do that.
Let's just all, in an attitude of prayer, listen to the Lord and
respond to him however he's speaking to you.
If I could pray with you here at the front, I'd be happy to do
that during these next few minutes.
Let's just respond to the Lord.
Thank you.