July 5, 2008 -- Rekindling the Flame -- 1 Timothy 4:14-16 Sadly, a believer's passion to serve the Lord and share the gospel sometimes fades. When this happens, some choose to settle for a lukewarm life. They neither risk much for His name nor receive many blessings. Others stop ministering altogether and drift aimlessly through life. But the wise choice is to rekindle the flame of passion that first lit when we received salvation.
When we were saved, we received the gift of the Holy Spirit, our Helper in ministry. But wrong choices and poor priorities can hinder His power in our life. If that happens, how can we renew our passion for God?
The first step is to pray for the Holy Spirit to fill--or control--us again. That requires self-examination and repentance of any sins the Lord brings to mind. It also means giving back to God the right to reign over our life. Next, think about what was and what wasn't happening in life when our passion last burned brightly. Understanding how external pressures and activities affect our ministry helps us prioritize wisely.
A smart last step is to retreat and devote a day or more to refocus on the Lord. This is a good time to recall His words of encouragement from Isaiah 41:10. In that way, we can resist fixating on problems. Instead, it's important to remember that He'll shepherd us through any trial. The more we focus on God, the smaller our distractions and stress will seem.
We don't need to settle for a lukewarm life. The passion we experienced at salvation can be ours again if we'll fix our focus on the Lord.
FEATURED RESOURCE
The Life Principles Bible
This Bible combines the wisdom of Scripture with the principles that guide Dr. Stanley's life and empower his ministry. Order your copy.
To see more resources from In Touch Ministries, please visit us at www.intouch.org or go directly to our bookstore at In Touch Ministries.
Crosswalk Home
No comments:
Post a Comment