The past couple of weeks worth of weather has brought back to our attention, the fact that fall is indeed here and in just a few short days or weeks the furnace will become very important to each of us.
Imagine to your dismay, if on that cold fall morning you hasten to the thermostat turn the dial to your desired setting, wait for a few moments and NOTHING happens.
Upon your initial investigation, you discover somehow that over the course of the summer your pilot light has gone out. Now your sourse of heat needs your attention. Yet in a quick moment of frustration you mutter to yourself; "How rude Mr. Pilot light, jsut to go out and not let anyone know about it."
Not one time in the course of those hot July and August Indiana days did it even cross your mind to check the pilot light! Why should you, after all you were to busy enjoying the central air, and your first priority was to stay cool not worrying about whether or not the furnace worked. But now in your time of need, your sourse of heat was letting you down.
All to often in our spiritual walk with God we find ourselves just sailing along on smooth waters, no cares in the world, then suddenly the weather of life changes and we need a little spiritual heat. When we turn up the thermostat of our spiritual furnace we too find out that our spiritual pilot light has gone out!
Our spiritual furnace needs our attention. Maybe today it is time we "Stoke Our Furnace"
Turn with me to 2nd Timothy the first chapter and lets begin reading at verse 6. Here is the account of a young man who perhaps without even realizing it hads allowed his spiritual pilot light to go out.
6. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.
I want to specifically talk about verse 6 and discuss what it really means to "stir up the gift of God"
In preparing for this sermon I read this passage from various translations, and found just enough differences to really impact this verse. For examplr the NIV says in verse 6 "Fan into flame the gift of God" the NASB "kindle afresh the gift of God", the World wide English says "I tell you again, you MUST use Gods gifts" finally the life application says for verse 6 " stir into flame"
THis morning I want to ask you three questions concerning your spiritual flame. I feel that in the life of the Church as a whole, and in particular here at Valley Mission, the tiem has come to be on fire for God like never before! So I ask you:
1. How is your flame?
2. What are the effects if the fire has gone out?
3. If no fire, what next?
1. How is your flame?
In our reading today we quickly see that the fire hads been there in the life of Timothy. What happened? His fire had been burning brightly. It had even descended as a Divine flame from on high upon him. Yet now Paul is issuing the warning; "Timothy, something is wrong; fan your flame, check your pilot light!"
How is your flame today my friend? Is the passion for the lost still consuming your heart? Is the initial enthusiam for the things of God still alive and burning brightly within your life? Can the world see your blaze of Glory?
In his book "American Evangelism" Darius Salter says & I quote " Today the world observes a church living basically the same lifestyle that it lives. It is not enough for church members not to murder, steal or commit adultry. Most of the world doesn’t do that, a tlleast not blatently so."
Where has the fire gone this morning? Do we as Christians find ourselves being concerned over our own spiritual temperature, as well as the temperature of our circle of influence? Or our we as William Booth once said "Just passing our time in pleasant thoughts, congratulating ourselves and one another on good fortune, while many around us are perishing in the stormy deep?"
You see it is one thing to say we have the fire, but it is another to demonstrate the flame! When was the last time you heeded Pauls decree and "stirred up that which is in you?"
2. What are the effects if the fire has gone out?
Maybe this morning you would honestly say,"Pastor Duane how would I even know if my fire is out?"
a. One becomes Lukewarm in their Love to God?
1.It is easy to go for a day or two, maybe even a week without opening our bible or taking time to pray.
2. Now when our conscience speaks to us about our devotional life, we find it easy to justify our time without God.
3. When an opportunity to witness comes along, it seems more convenient just to remain quiet about our love for God.
B. We become Lukewarm in our love for the church
1. It is no longer a concern of ours that th church needs volunteers (I’ve done my time, I’ve taught my class, Let somebody else do it!)
2. We no longer have a desire to show up on Sunday morning. In fact we will search all week for an excuse just to stay home.
3. It becomes easier to complaign about what the church isn’t offering that to get involved in what is being offered.
4. we begin to question the validty of Sunday School, small groups, special services, prayer meetings, concerts and the like because they just don’t excite us anymore!
5. Our word, as our commitment of duty, really doesn’t mean anything.
c. We become lukewarm in our love towards each other
1. The practice of carrying one anothers burdens now seems more or an annoynace than a blessing.
2. Our conversations with each other sound more like calls to a complaint department
3. we become excellent critics of friendships where love once did abound!
4. We occasionaly slip and say; "If so & so is coming then I won’t be there"
5. Our testimony becomes tarnished by our lifestyle. Old habits return, that God had given us deliverance from.
d. WE become lukewarm in our love to our own family
1. Our children are now more of a bore than a blessing
2. Regardless of how hard they try, our spouse can NEVER please us
3. THe volume of family conversations has increased to a YELL
4. It never crosses our mind anymore that our own parents, children, spouses who don;t know GOd are lost and going to a devils hell!
In the life of a person who has allowed the fire to go out it is easy to become borderline "ashamed of the gospel, or the label of being a Nazarene" We need to "stir up the flame within us"
3. What next?
We msut resolve today to not go another day in the same spiritual condition that we are currently in.
We must recognize that there are many enemies wanting to quench our fire! The world will try its best to water down the blaze. Be careful for the one who appears to have great intentions, but in actuality is nothing more than a "fire sapper."
We msut become willing to admit that unless we protect against it, our souils can become in danger of spiritual slumber. In this state of being our fire, if left unattended will go out!
TODAY we must intentionally "STOKE THE FURNACE"
It might take a readjustment of our priorities.Those events that don’t contribute to the flame might need removed or replaced.
WE must never become ashamed of our testimony!
We must always be looking for fresh fuel. And we must realize that being on fire for God takes work! And it may not always be pleasant work! It might even require having to leave our "comfort zone!"
The good news is this: if detected in time; the fire doesn’t have to go out!
One of the biggest hurdles today that the church has to overcome is the mixed signal we are sending out from those whose fire is very dim!
Oh they still talk about a Christ of sacrifice; but they live a life of materialism
Love is their command, but they are preoccupied with self.
Peace is their message, but they can’t get along with others in the church.
Today the challenge is to examine our spiritual furnace. Is the flame as bright as ever? Are we using the gift which is in us? Or is our pilot light jsut barely a flicker? Or has the light gone out completely?
This morningGOd is waiting at the spiritual fuel tank. You are still His first order of business, because God knows that He can make something meaningful out of our lives if we but allow Him an entrance to our heart. Just imagine the impact Valley Mission would have on Bedford if everyone here today was completely on fire for God. Stand with me this morning, and if your spiritual furnace is in need of repair, our alter is open for you!
