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Intro:
The title of my message is, [Keep the Fire Burning].
When I was a child, our church had a ministry called Royal Rangers.
It was basically boys scouts for Pentecostals.
I had a like/dislike relationship with Royal Rangers.
I knew I needed to learn the survival skills it taught and I wanted to learn more about the Lord and Royal Rangers offered that.
With that being said, sometimes our commanders forgot they were dealing with eight-year-olds and not eighteen-year-olds at basic training.
But that is for another message.
One thing they taught us was how to build a good fire.
I needed that lesson.
We were like most of those in the city, when we wanted to breathe the fresh air, we loaded the popup camper and headed to Lake Eufala.
Our family camped with another family and the dads took care of building the fire.
It was not until Royal Rangers that I realized you did not have to use half a bottle of lighter fluid to get a good fire going.
But it was not just getting the fire started, but it required fanning the flames to keep it from dying.
We learned a little bit of wind and rekindle a flame.
And just a small ember can turn into a big fire if it is handled and tended to properly.
Some of the funnest times were sitting around the fire at night.
And if it was a really good fire, even the next morning, it would still smoke a little, needing a little bit of care to get it going again.
I thought of this fond childhood memory when I read this passage this week.
Fire holds an important place in Scripture.
In the Old Testament, fire often signified judgement or God’s presence.
Interestingly enough, in the New Testament, fire has similar symbols— judgment and God’s presence.
The difference between the Old and New perspective on fire had to do with the single most world changing event— the Cross.
The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus changed everything.
In the Old Testament, fire would consume a sacrifice.
That still happens, except instead of burning up, God gives us a burning passion, consuming our lives.
In the Old Testament, when God’s fire would come, everyone knew it was His presence, but they were often kept far away, in fear of judgment.
Now, God’s fire still signifies God’s presence, but we can come boldly into His presence because of Jesus.
Let’s keep the mental image of a burning fire throughout this message.
For that is one of the examples Paul used in speaking to Timothy.
Paul wrote two letters to his spiritual son Timothy, but it is hard to contain their relationship and friendship on paper.
Paul found Timothy during his second missionary journey.
In Timothy he saw a:
young
studious
dedicated
resolute individual who God wanted to use.
Eventually, Timothy became an extension of the Apostle Paul.
He trusted Timothy and placed him in positions of leadership.
In fact, Timothy became the pastor of the church at Ephesus.
Though it was a strong congregation, Ephesus was:
a pagan city
They had temples
worshipped fifty different gods and goddesses
a port city
much immorality
an educated city
filled with colleges
Paul knew the pressures of living for Jesus, let alone the pressures of ministry.
So he wrote twice to Timothy to instruct and encourage him.
There are two passages that are almost identical
What is the difference between these two passages?
Time— the first letter came sometime after Paul’s first imprisonment.
He had a full life ahead of him.
The second letter came right before Paul was about to beheaded for his faith in Jesus.
Time was short and the instructions were much more urgent.
Paul wanted Timothy to keep the fire burning.
I agree.
I believe God is calling on us this morning.
He is saying, rekindle the flames, fan the flames, and keep the fire burning in our lives, our families, and our church.
I want to take these two versus and dissect them into three parts, [The Stirring], [The Spirit], and [The Sign].
Let’s begin
1.
The Stirring
The first time Paul told Timothy not to neglect, the second time he explained to stir up.
The word neglect holds a lot of weight.
When I think of neglect, I think of:
disregard
ignore
leave alone
turn your back on
fail to look after
A person can go to prison for neglecting a child
A wound can get worse and turn into a bad infection if we neglect to get to the doctor
A conflict will fester and get worse if we neglect to find some type of resolution
Paul wrote to Timothy not to NEGLECT.
Neglecting what God wants for us will cause nothing but trouble and distance from him.
I began studying for this message on Monday.
I felt cautioned by the Lord not to rush into trying to get an outline or to begin to write anything.
Instead, I heard Him speak to my spirit, to get these words in me before I go to the pulpit on Sunday.
So I took out a piece of paper and wrote neglect on top.
In the middle I wrote stir up.
Then I began to reflect and pray about the two.
How do I neglect God and what can I do to have a stirring?
I decided if I get too busy, I start to NEGLECT what the Lord wants for me.
If I pack my day, my week, or my month SO full, I will struggle to find time for Him.
I wonder if I am alone— who could say, sometimes I let myself get too busy?
So if busyness causes me to neglect what God wants, then SLOWING DOWN will help me stir up what God wants.
Busyness is not a sin per se, but if I am so busy I do not make time for God, before too long, temptation will rear its head and before I know it, sin soon follows.
I also noticed if I do not pray as I should, it is a form of neglect.
So I should stir up my prayer life and make time EVERY DAY, many times a day to talk to God.
Another way I noticed neglect can come is through preconceived ideas.
Who has ever got stuck in your ways?
I know I have.
Instead, I should ask God to stir up something new in me.
I began to see a connection between these areas.
When I get too busy, I am more prayerless, then I start depending on old experiences to get me through, and before I know it my walk with God is STALE!
So I realize, I NEED A STIRRING.
I need God to SHOW me where I am neglecting Him and stir my heart by way of remembrance of ALL HE has done and all He wants to do!
I assume I am not alone in these areas.
Remember, God wanted to get them in me first, then I can come to this point with more compassion.
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