2 Timothy 1:6-7
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 did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

One of the things I love most about camping is the great campfires we get to have every night.  It seems like the fire takes the most work when you first light it and get it going.  It takes time to get enough hot coals to keep it really burning!

But after awhile, it's easy to get lazy.  The coals might still be very hot, but without fresh fuel & oxygen, the flickering flames can easily disappear.  If you don't give the fire some attention, it will eventually burn itself out and no longer emit any heat.

The best thing to do is to put a few new logs on the fire, and then FAN IT to get some flames going again.

Sometimes our faith is like a fire.  When the good Lord first gets it going, the flames jump high in the air & impresses every eye that can see with it's captivating glow!  But in a matter of time, our fires will need some refueling.  We're going to have to somehow get new energy into that fire or it will get dim & loose it's warmth.

SO what are you doing to fan the flame of your faith?  Are you still on fire for the Lord, or is your fire in need of some fanning?

Friends, Paul tells us that we need to fan into flame the gift of God!  What are you doing to fan your flame???  What gifts has God given you that need 'fanning?'

I have recently been spending some time fanning my flame.  At first, it felt like a lot of work on my part.   I spent more time on my knees in prayer.  I spent more time reading scripture & seeking the presence of the Living God.  At first, it all felt like work & like God was just not showing up as much as I wanted Him too.

But what began to happen was that my hunger and thirst for more of Him GREW!  I thought long and hard about all the times God had been there for me through the darkest nights of the soul.  I remembered deeply how He had helped me & sustained me through all kinds of seasons in my life. 

I began counting my blessings & seeing all the good He has bestowed in my life.  And my heart began to change.  Unknowingly, I had let some things in my heart that had tainted it before God.  My expectaions, my disappointments, my worries had skewed my vision just slightly of God.  But even slightly was too much.  Once again, I needed to be broken & humbled before my Lord.

I re-read the books of Isaiah & Jeremiah & the little pieces of pride & arrogance in my heart disappeared.  I began to see the bigger picture once again.  I began to see HOW BIG our God is & again believe that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  I trembled in His presence once again.

I waited, I sought Him with all my heart, I listened expectedly for His voice, I fanned the fire with all my strength.   It was if my soul was laying face down on the ground, waiting and waiting, and then I heard.  God spoke to my soul, and it was WONDERFUL!  At long last, I felt completely absorbed in His Presence once again.

There are no words to describe the beauty of this peace.  It is as if God took me into this incredible holy place that is completely saturated with His love.  Jesus has the only key to this room.

It takes so much humility and surrender to even get near the door to this room.  But Jesus has shown us the way.  Jesus said........

John 14:1-3

1 Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

We don't have to wait until we get to heaven to enter those rooms.  Because of the cross, we can go there now.  Jesus has the key.  Jesus is the key.  There is so much for us to discover & embrace in those rooms.  We can visit any time we like.  Just go with Jesus & see all the wonder He has waiting for you!

Fan the flame friends!  Get the fire of your faith burning hot for God!  Put more fuel on that fire.  And I invite you to join me in fanning the flame at BHCC!  Let's fan each other's flames.  Let's put more fuel on this fire for God.  Let's build a fire so big, everyone will want to come and be warmed by it!

Revelation 3:14-22

14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

Because He LIVES & REIGNS,

Pastor Lin