Stir Up

1 Timothy 1:6 - Stir - Up

Wednesday, October 03, 2018

3:16 PM

Have you ever had a job that contained a lot of repetition? I know retailers deal with this especially cashiers. They have to watch their arms so they don't get too tired. While we might not think much of this when we are at the grocery store but who knows how many gallons of milk they have taken across the scanner that day. That adds up after awhile.

I know what it is to do the mundane. To do the same thing over and over and over and over again and known the next day you get to do it again. Some of that is a part of life. Some of that is career choices we make. Some of it is due to the fallen nature of humanity.

I have had jobs before that I literally could do with my eyes closed, and in fact did it a couple of times. It is the way it goes. It becomes mundane and you know the next one is going to be the same way.

I'm afraid for so many, and if we were really honest, probably some of us here tonight - the Gospel Message, the Church service, maybe even our faith has become so mundane, so routine, so just like yesterday, and the day before that and last year and the year before that.

We never expect the unexpected, it has to be really contain the WOW factor before we are moved, it has to blow us out of our seats.

Timothy must have been that way. More likely Timothy was facing some repercussion because his spiritual leader was in prison. And obviously was more reluctant, or less bold in his preaching. Paul exhorts Timothy to not be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord, nor of Him. That God has not given us a spirit of fear. We don't have to be terrorized by the world and it's hostile feelings toward Christ and His church. We have Christ and the Holy Spirit.

But sometimes we get in our little ruts, our little routines.

I knew a man who as far as I know still every day for lunch eats a Bologna and mustard sandwich, and he has for years. That is his routine, that is his rut.

I wonder how many times spiritually we settle for a bologna and mustard sandwich, when God wants us to have Ribeye.

Paul while not telling him how exhorts Timothy to "Stir Up" the gift that is in him.

A couple of things I want us to notice:

Stir up - means to "fan the flame" if you have another version it might say to "rekindle" the flame. When Paul tells Timothy to "stir up the gift" that was an imperative with expectation that Timothy could do it. Paul doesn't say - pray for the Holy Spirit to stir it up. Or any other instruction but says TIMOTHY YOU STIR IT UP.Even the greatest and most spiritual people have to take time to rekindle to stir up the gifts God gave them.

I know it is so easy to just go through the motions. If you are like me, we can close our eyes and sing Amazing Grace without opening the Hymn book and hardly thinking about what the words are saying. We can get through our chapter a day or whatever amount you try to cover a day and then leave without being able to remember what you read.

Do any of you remember what you read today in your devotions???? Just asking I'll be honest Its not fair of me to ask that of you and not ask that of me, and as I was preparing I had to stop and think awhile what did I read. Was there anything that stood out to me?

Sometimes we need to do a remix of our personal devotions - STIR THEM UP -

Get a good devotional

Use an app

Get a different Bible

Do it at a different time

Get a good devotional commentary or some other good resource. (Great things at Biblegateway.com or Blueletterbible.org

I know sometimes we are so used to hearing the Gospel message that it doesn't affect us anymore. I think sometimes we need a new vision of Calvary. A new vision of the Cross. A new fuller meaning of what Jesus did for us.

I don't want to become so used to the message that it loses it's wonder. I don't ever want to lose the wonder. I don't ever want to quit expecting the unexpected. I want to stir up what God has given me. Will you do the same?