Reinforcements for Spiritual Gifts

Our text this Sunday is 2 Timothy 1:3-7 as we continue in our new series on courage and endurance in ministry.

It's easy to try and do ministry "on your own steam." There's a story told of a Chinese Christian who spent some months visiting American churches. When he arrived home to his small, persecuted house church in China he was asked, "what impressed you most about the American church?" He replied, "What I noticed the most was how much they seem to be able to accomplish...without God." Talk about a sober warning for us today! There are any number of ways to look like an impressive ministry on our own steam but, really, only one thing is necessary for ministry: the gift of God. 

So, Timothy is told in 2 Timothy 1:6, "I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God." Timothy is told, essentially, to "blow on the embers" of his spiritual gifting for ministry. Do all that is required to protect and strengthen the gifts that he's been given. Put them to work. Don't grow weary. Use what God has given. 

What follows in this letter to Timothy will explain a lot about how that work is done. But, before we get there, Paul gives Timothy a handful of reminders or reinforcements of this command to fan God's gift into flame. 

I pray that this passage will remind and encourage all of us to use our gits for the building up of Christ's church, to the glory of God.