Sermon Notes

If you want to stoke up glowing coals in a camp fire do you:

1. Bury the glowing coals
2. Pour water on the coals
3. Put on some fresh wood and fan the glowing coals
4. Throw Cousin Eddie's cologne-soaked Hawaiian shirt on the fire.

Clearly, the right answer is #3.  If you want to stoke up a fire that has burned down to coals, you need to add some fuel (fresh wood) and fan those flames adding oxygen

Scripture says that what's true of physical fire is also true of spiritual fire.  If you fan the spiritual fire within you, it will also grow, burn brighter, and burn higher.

I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you. -- 2 Timothy 1:6

When he talks about this "gift of God" this is what the author is talking about:

• We come to that point where we realize that we've sinned - we've fallen short morally.  "We all have sinned and fallen short of God's Glory." -- Romans 3:23
• The consequence of offending someone or hurting someone is separation.  When we mess up morally it separates us from who we want to be and separates us from a holy God.  Not just for now but for all eternity.  Doing good doesn't make up for the wrong we've done.  The situation sounds hopeless, and it is for us humans.
• God's solution for this was to send his Son, Jesus, to take on our sin and pay the penalty for our sin.
• The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. -- Romans 6:23

When we develop and use this gift God has given us 3 amazing things happen:

1. God's kingdom goes deeper into people's lived and wider into the community of the unconvinced.
2. You will experience deep levels of soul satisfaction knowing that your life has meaning and purpose.
3. Your spiritual flames get hotter in the process.

We tend to think that if we can get our needs met we will be happy.  If we just get more - more money, more success, more popularity, or more of something else - that we will be happier.

Psychologist Martin Seligman tested this theory.  He asked his students to do 2 things:  1) do something that brings you pleasure, and 2) do something to help someone else.  Write about both experiences.

The results were life changing.  The afterglow of the self-serving pleasurable activity... paled in comparison to the effects of one act of compassionate service.  When people are involved in acts of service they become less self absorbed and more tuned into others.  They have a greater sense of community and less loneliness. (from Authentic Happiness by Martin Seligman)

It is in giving that we receive.  This is counter-intuitive.  By focusing on our own needs we become less happy.  By serving others we become happier.  By using the gifts God has given you, it will fan your spiritual coals into flames.

How to fan your spiritual gifts into flames:

1. Experiment - Don't over-analyze where you should serve.  Jump in and try something.  Most ministries have a one-time serving opportunity called a "First Serve"
2. Evaluate - As yourself some questions... Did it feel meaningful?  Was your emotional energy higher or lower after you served?  Did you enjoy the people you served with.  Does it fit realistically in your schedule?  If it's not a good fit, jump in somewhere else
3. Educate - Take the Networking class, which is designed to help you assess your spiritual gifts and help you find the most fulfilling place to serve.
4. Engage - Once you find a way to serve that is the right fit for you, commit to serving in that position for a season.

Next Steps

• If you have yet to receive the gift of God's forgiveness, admit that you have messed up morally, believe that Jesus paid the penalty for your sin through his death on the cross, and commit to making God the leader of your life.
• If you're not serving anywhere at Cypress right now, jump and experiment with a one-time "First Serve" opportunity.
• Sign-up for the next Networking class scheduled for Oct 14 & 18.
• Read the book Authentic Happiness by Martin Seligman

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