"STIR UP THE GIFT WITHIN THEE"

June 28  “Stir Up the Gift Within Thee”  2 Timothy 1:6-7

Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “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.  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”  (2 Timothy 1:6-7)

Paul sent this message to young Timothy to “Stir up the Gift of God, which is in thee,” because, evidently, Timothy had a tendency to let the “Fire of God,” that was in his life, to “die down!”  Maybe, he was timid, scared, or had just let the fire go out, so Paul urged him to stir the ashes and add the fuel so that, once again, he could be a “Blazing Fire for God,” so others would take note of him.  Paul is telling us, that we also, should “Stir up the Gift of God, which is in you!”  In verse 7, he goes on to mention three reasons to “stir ourselves!”  The first thing that he mentions is something that we often have that is not from God and that is, “For God hath not given us the spirit of Fear!”  Paul points out, vert clearly, that “Fear” should not stop us from being obedient to God’s Call.  I clearly remember the first time that I “crawled” into the pulpit to preach my first sermon.  The room was full of older, wiser, more learned, more intelligent and more experienced men and women, and I was “petrified” with “Fear!”  My daddy, in his direct and effective way, told me something that has allowed me to “Stir up the Gift of God in me,” when he said, “Son, don’t be afraid, remember God has called you to share His message to this world and there will always be folks that are smarter than you and more intelligent than you and have more experience than you, so remember that these people need Jesus also!” My perspective changed, that night and I have lived, as best as possible, each day since, “Stirring up the Gift of God” in my life.  The balance of verse 7 gives us the true message from Paul, divinely inspired to keep Timothy focused and to keep us focused.  Paul says, “…but of power, and of love, and a sound mind!”  Every one of us that are “under the Blood of Jesus;” have a responsibility to share the Gospel and to continue to grow in faith and actions to “Glorify” our God!  Paul tells Timothy (and us), in 2 Timothy 4:2-5, what we are to do, as we serve God by claiming the power and the love and the clarity of our mission!  He said, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”  Folks, with all of the chaos and evil and unrest that exist today, we really do need to recognize that our role, our responsibility, to share Jesus and to be that BRIGHT LIGHT in this DARK and DYING world, as a Christian, is required!  We are to overcome our fear (through God) and to preach His word and claim HIS Power, and to Love our Neighbor, and to “Keep our minds focused” on God.  May we, as His Children, allow the “Gift of God” to be stirred up in us!  God has equipped us with the “Spirit of POWER, LOVE, and SELF-CONTROL,” so go out and make a difference for God, one life at a time!  What God does with you, depends upon what you do!  It Always has; It Always will!! Be sure, be productive and continue to share the Love of God with others!   Stay Strong, Stay Focused…Remember, THE BEST IS YET TO BE!   (Re-print from July 2020)