WEBVTT 00:00:00.607 --> 00:00:04.127 You can stir gifts up. 00:00:04.127 --> 00:00:05.396 Now it may be true 00:00:05.396 --> 00:00:07.626 that you've only got a certain amount, 00:00:07.626 --> 00:00:08.899 but let me tell you this, 00:00:08.899 --> 00:00:11.376 Scripture says, "For this reason I remind you..." - 00:00:11.376 --> 00:00:13.087 this is Paul speaking to Timothy - 00:00:13.087 --> 00:00:15.147 "fan into flame the gift of God 00:00:15.147 --> 00:00:17.778 which is in you through the laying on of hands." 00:00:17.778 --> 00:00:20.086 This is a picture of fire. 00:00:20.086 --> 00:00:22.799 Fan into flame - literally. 00:00:22.799 --> 00:00:25.249 Listen, we've all been camping. 00:00:25.249 --> 00:00:27.973 We've been around a bonfire somewhere. 00:00:27.973 --> 00:00:29.379 You know what happens. 00:00:29.379 --> 00:00:31.020 This is a picture of a fire 00:00:31.020 --> 00:00:33.610 that begins to go low. 00:00:33.610 --> 00:00:36.397 I grew up with a fireplace. 00:00:36.397 --> 00:00:38.010 I grew up camping. 00:00:38.010 --> 00:00:39.780 We all know. 00:00:39.780 --> 00:00:42.206 Listen, somebody comes along to a fire 00:00:42.206 --> 00:00:45.630 and pours a cold bucket of water on it. 00:00:45.630 --> 00:00:48.409 Yeah, that is bad for a fire. 00:00:48.409 --> 00:00:49.958 And we know that the devil - 00:00:49.958 --> 00:00:53.999 he labors to quench all that is of God that's in us. 00:00:53.999 --> 00:00:59.311 But I'll tell you, there's another way to let a fire go out. 00:00:59.311 --> 00:01:02.280 Just don't do anything. 00:01:02.280 --> 00:01:07.669 Just ignore it. 00:01:07.669 --> 00:01:09.619 Just don't tend to it. 00:01:09.619 --> 00:01:12.148 Think about it. You've got a fire. 00:01:12.148 --> 00:01:14.270 What does it need? 00:01:14.270 --> 00:01:16.368 Typically - I grew up with a fireplace - 00:01:16.368 --> 00:01:18.759 we had a shovel. 00:01:18.759 --> 00:01:20.740 We had a poker. 00:01:20.740 --> 00:01:21.954 We had a brush. 00:01:21.954 --> 00:01:23.706 Why? What were those things for? 00:01:23.706 --> 00:01:25.439 Well, to get the ashes out. 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:28.909 Stir it around. 00:01:28.909 --> 00:01:30.638 It's like what Christ has done 00:01:30.638 --> 00:01:33.699 is He's given you this burning hot coal. 00:01:33.699 --> 00:01:36.340 It's for us to make fire rage. 00:01:36.340 --> 00:01:37.389 You've seen the fire 00:01:37.389 --> 00:01:42.010 where there's embers down there. 00:01:42.010 --> 00:01:44.840 Yeah, there's heat. 00:01:44.840 --> 00:01:47.439 There's energy. 00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:48.981 But there is a place to fan it. 00:01:48.981 --> 00:01:50.431 There's a place to blow on it. 00:01:50.431 --> 00:01:52.269 We had bellows. 00:01:52.269 --> 00:01:54.380 You could blow on it, but for some reason 00:01:54.380 --> 00:01:56.360 somebody gave us bellows. 00:01:56.360 --> 00:01:57.481 You get air on there. 00:01:57.481 --> 00:01:58.671 You need kindling. 00:01:58.671 --> 00:02:00.799 You know what you want to do with that coal 00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:01.679 (incomplete thought) 00:02:01.679 --> 00:02:03.588 You know where the kindling is. It's found in people. 00:02:03.588 --> 00:02:05.508 Go around and touch it on people. 00:02:05.508 --> 00:02:06.859 Go try to be a help to people. 00:02:06.859 --> 00:02:08.269 Go try to be an encouragement to people. 00:02:08.269 --> 00:02:09.499 Go serve people. 00:02:09.499 --> 00:02:11.520 Give to people. Pray for people. 00:02:11.520 --> 00:02:15.147 Try to use whatever it is in your capacity 00:02:15.147 --> 00:02:17.019 to build up other people, 00:02:17.019 --> 00:02:18.669 to strengthen other people, 00:02:18.669 --> 00:02:20.752 to help the health of our church, 00:02:20.752 --> 00:02:22.339 to make people more Christlike, 00:02:22.339 --> 00:02:24.169 to encourage people in their worship, 00:02:24.169 --> 00:02:25.623 to encourage people's faith, 00:02:25.623 --> 00:02:27.320 to stir up one another to love. 00:02:27.320 --> 00:02:28.440 Go do that. 00:02:28.440 --> 00:02:30.861 To try to stir up people's passion for missions 00:02:30.861 --> 00:02:32.650 or try to stir up people's passions 00:02:32.650 --> 00:02:34.460 for souls through evangelism. 00:02:34.460 --> 00:02:35.861 Do those things! 00:02:35.861 --> 00:02:38.440 Touch people with that ember that you have. 00:02:38.440 --> 00:02:40.061 See if it won't ignite. 00:02:40.061 --> 00:02:41.789 Sometimes when a fire's going down, 00:02:41.789 --> 00:02:43.571 what it needs is you know you've got 00:02:43.571 --> 00:02:45.619 pieces of the log that are outside the fire 00:02:45.619 --> 00:02:47.999 that if you just kicked them over into the fire, 00:02:47.999 --> 00:02:49.489 the thing would stir up. 00:02:49.489 --> 00:02:51.329 Is the fire going out? 00:02:51.329 --> 00:02:54.770 Well, stir it around. Change some things. 00:02:54.770 --> 00:02:58.040 Make some effort here. Blow on it. 00:02:58.040 --> 00:02:59.090 Get rid of the ashes. 00:02:59.090 --> 00:03:00.551 That's why we have the shovel. 00:03:00.551 --> 00:03:02.490 You've let the ashes build up too high. 00:03:02.490 --> 00:03:03.431 Get them out! 00:03:03.431 --> 00:03:05.498 Leave it where it's just the hot coals 00:03:05.498 --> 00:03:08.705 and the logs that are on fire. 00:03:08.705 --> 00:03:11.272 Take away the things that tend to put the fire out, 00:03:11.272 --> 00:03:14.100 that tend to cause this thing to dampen down 00:03:14.100 --> 00:03:16.560 and diminish in light and heat. 00:03:16.560 --> 00:03:18.768 Get rid of it. 00:03:18.768 --> 00:03:21.591 Listen, you want to exercise gifts? 00:03:21.591 --> 00:03:24.810 Be where God's people are. 00:03:24.810 --> 00:03:26.160 Be in the prayer meeting. 00:03:26.160 --> 00:03:28.389 Be in the small groups. 00:03:28.389 --> 00:03:32.679 Be in each other's lives throughout the week. 00:03:32.679 --> 00:03:34.768 Brethren, one of the things you don't want to do is say, 00:03:34.768 --> 00:03:36.980 well, we go to church on Wednesday. 00:03:36.980 --> 00:03:38.379 We go to church on Sunday's. 00:03:38.379 --> 00:03:39.508 That's not the life of the church. 00:03:39.508 --> 00:03:42.238 That's not the life of the church that you'll find in the book of Acts. 00:03:42.238 --> 00:03:44.829 We want the life of the church that's found in Scripture - 00:03:44.829 --> 00:03:47.284 not traditional Christianity in the United States. 00:03:47.284 --> 00:03:48.940 If you have a gift, there's no reason 00:03:48.940 --> 00:03:50.689 that you only should be using the gift 00:03:50.689 --> 00:03:52.130 on Wednesday and Sunday. 00:03:52.130 --> 00:03:54.391 You need to be using that gift all through the week 00:03:54.391 --> 00:03:55.599 in whatever way possible. 00:03:55.599 --> 00:03:57.768 I know you work, school, all these things. 00:03:57.768 --> 00:04:00.702 Everyone of us has to sort this out. 00:04:00.702 --> 00:04:02.989 But you want to know one of the ways 00:04:02.989 --> 00:04:04.160 to get the fire burning 00:04:04.160 --> 00:04:07.098 and to fan into flame the gift that you have 00:04:07.098 --> 00:04:09.820 is to get out there and seek to use it. 00:04:09.820 --> 00:04:11.329 It's kind of like a lawn mower. 00:04:11.329 --> 00:04:13.730 Have you ever noticed if you don't use your lawn mower, 00:04:13.730 --> 00:04:16.969 then when you finally want to go use it, it doesn't start? 00:04:16.969 --> 00:04:19.599 One of the best ways to keep your lawn mower operating 00:04:19.599 --> 00:04:20.920 is to keep using it. 00:04:20.920 --> 00:04:23.308 Same with cars. We tend to use our cars all the time, 00:04:23.308 --> 00:04:24.750 so we don't really think about it, 00:04:24.750 --> 00:04:26.454 but just let a car sit for too long. 00:04:26.454 --> 00:04:27.560 You're going to come back probably 00:04:27.560 --> 00:04:29.531 the same thing will happen. It won't start. 00:04:29.531 --> 00:04:31.809 There's lots of things that the more you use them, 00:04:31.809 --> 00:04:34.620 the more it keeps them usable. 00:04:34.620 --> 00:04:35.956 Be intentional. 00:04:35.956 --> 00:04:39.451 Listen, this grace is real that Christ has given to you. 00:04:39.451 --> 00:04:41.809 Don't despise that. 00:04:41.809 --> 00:04:43.741 You say, if Christ has given me a grace, 00:04:43.741 --> 00:04:44.970 well, then, I'm going to use it. 00:04:44.970 --> 00:04:47.409 And I'm going to fan it into flame as much as I possibly can. 00:04:47.409 --> 00:04:50.460 And look, you only get to live once. 00:04:50.460 --> 00:04:52.820 Why in the world if some thirty-fold, 00:04:52.820 --> 00:04:55.080 some sixty-fold, some a hundred-fold, 00:04:55.080 --> 00:04:57.809 why are you going to settle for thirty-fold? 00:04:57.809 --> 00:05:00.781 Oh, because I want to watch the TV. 00:05:00.781 --> 00:05:03.469 I want to watch that show. 00:05:03.469 --> 00:05:06.219 Okay... We all have to make decisions, 00:05:06.219 --> 00:05:08.798 and I'm not saying there's not a time to relax; 00:05:08.798 --> 00:05:10.860 there's not a time that we need some R&R; 00:05:10.860 --> 00:05:13.370 there's not a time to get to the mountain 00:05:13.370 --> 00:05:14.961 and get away. 00:05:14.961 --> 00:05:16.810 I recognize there's a need for that. 00:05:16.810 --> 00:05:19.450 But brethren, if such things exist in Scripture 00:05:19.450 --> 00:05:20.759 that some are thirty-fold 00:05:20.759 --> 00:05:22.110 and some are a hundred-fold, 00:05:22.110 --> 00:05:23.839 why would you not press to be a hundred-fold? 00:05:23.839 --> 00:05:25.154 You only get to live once. 00:05:25.154 --> 00:05:27.453 Our works follow us Scripture says. 00:05:27.453 --> 00:05:31.590 Why settle for minimal realities 00:05:31.590 --> 00:05:34.158 with regards to this usefulness? 00:05:34.158 --> 00:05:36.440 Christ has given you something. 00:05:36.440 --> 00:05:37.849 Use it. 00:05:37.849 --> 00:05:39.958 Be faithful. 00:05:39.958 --> 00:05:41.620 Be faithful. 00:05:41.620 --> 00:05:43.731 Don't grow weary in well-doing. 00:05:43.731 --> 00:05:45.101 You only get to live once. 00:05:45.101 --> 00:05:47.490 And we don't have a whole lot longer to go. 00:05:47.490 --> 00:05:48.929 Here we're at another year, 00:05:48.929 --> 00:05:50.101 another mile marker. 00:05:50.101 --> 00:05:54.249 You don't have centuries and centuries to live. 00:05:54.249 --> 00:05:57.068 And even if you did, you shouldn't be squandering the time. 00:05:57.068 --> 00:05:58.799 Your time is going fast. 00:05:58.799 --> 00:06:00.651 You only have one life to live. 00:06:00.651 --> 00:06:02.676 And if you're Christian, 00:06:02.676 --> 00:06:04.790 you've been given a grace. 00:06:04.790 --> 00:06:07.980 And you're expected to use it. 00:06:07.980 --> 00:06:10.011 Common good. 00:06:10.011 --> 00:06:11.189 And when you don't, 00:06:11.189 --> 00:06:12.988 you damage all of us. 00:06:12.988 --> 00:06:16.148 It's a very selfish thing when you don't do it. 00:06:16.148 --> 00:06:18.439 I know some are shy. Some are uncomfortable. 00:06:18.439 --> 00:06:20.100 Some are socially backward. 00:06:20.100 --> 00:06:21.684 So what? 00:06:21.684 --> 00:06:23.131 Even if you're socially backward, 00:06:23.131 --> 00:06:24.490 you could pray for this church. 00:06:24.490 --> 00:06:26.460 You could pray. You could pray. 00:06:26.460 --> 00:06:28.751 Some have a gift of faith 00:06:28.751 --> 00:06:30.669 that causes them to lay hold on God 00:06:30.669 --> 00:06:31.799 and pray all the more. 00:06:31.799 --> 00:06:33.479 Some can give 00:06:33.479 --> 00:06:35.648 and it's not really in the limelight at all. 00:06:35.648 --> 00:06:38.916 It's all done very secretly. 00:06:38.916 --> 00:06:40.268 But whatever your gift is 00:06:40.268 --> 00:06:44.080 pour yourself into it. 00:06:44.080 --> 00:06:47.149 Pour yourself out for one another. 00:06:47.149 --> 00:06:48.789 Grace is given to each one of us 00:06:48.789 --> 00:06:51.219 according to the measure of Christ's gift. 00:06:51.219 --> 00:06:52.268 Use it, brethren. 00:06:52.268 --> 00:06:53.689 Use it to equip this church. 00:06:53.689 --> 00:06:55.440 Use it to build up this church. 00:06:55.440 --> 00:06:59.120 Use it for the common good of this church. 00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:00.680 Father, I pray You'd help us 00:07:00.680 --> 00:07:02.729 as we launch out into this new year. 00:07:02.729 --> 00:07:04.879 Make us ever more fruitful. 00:07:04.879 --> 00:07:08.060 Lord, give us many who on that day 00:07:08.060 --> 00:07:12.239 will shine, Lord, like the sun 00:07:12.239 --> 00:07:13.885 in the very firmament, 00:07:13.885 --> 00:07:16.492 in the kingdom of our Father 00:07:16.492 --> 00:07:19.539 who will have, Lord, 00:07:19.539 --> 00:07:23.000 they'll have borne a hundred-fold. 00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:25.049 Give us many like that. 00:07:25.049 --> 00:07:28.659 Hundred-fold Christians. 00:07:28.659 --> 00:07:32.320 Lord, please don't let this American life, 00:07:32.320 --> 00:07:33.902 don't let the riches, 00:07:33.902 --> 00:07:35.328 don't let the comforts, 00:07:35.328 --> 00:07:37.040 don't let the wealth make us all 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:40.667 into ten-fold Christians 00:07:40.667 --> 00:07:45.883 when hundred-fold could be a reality. 00:07:45.883 --> 00:07:48.090 Oh, we would have rather been born in India 00:07:48.090 --> 00:07:52.680 if that's what this culture will do to us. 00:07:52.680 --> 00:07:54.242 Help us, Lord. 00:07:54.242 --> 00:07:56.510 Help us with all of our riches 00:07:56.510 --> 00:07:58.234 to be rich in good works 00:07:58.234 --> 00:08:03.239 towards the poor across this world. 00:08:03.239 --> 00:08:05.550 I pray this in Christ's name, Amen.