2 Samuel 17, Jeremiah 45-46, Luke 22:47-62, 2 Timothy 1:1-7, Psalm 78: Every time I read 2 Timothy 1 I can’t help but think of my dad. My daddy has been a pastor for over 50 years, but his early years did not begin in a pastor’s home. He was the son of a pipeliner. They moved often and had very shallow roots. His parents were not strong church going folks, but God chose to breath the Spirit into my father early in his 20’s as a young man. A couple weeks ago my dad preached a revival for one of our sons and they truly had revival with 6 folks saved. But again, God’s Spirit breathed on my dad early in his life, but dad has continued to fan into flame the gift God gave to him.

2 Timothy 1:5 “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

You don’t have to have the right pedigree as Timothy did in the faith of his mother and grandmother. You need God’s Spirit alive and at work in you. Then through fanning that flame through prayer, bible study, preparing to serve and literally getting out there and serving you breath fresh breath into what God is doing within you. That power, love and self-control that Paul wrote about are huge in us keeping that fire burning. So my friend, no excuses. Fan the flame no matter how young or how seasoned you are. Keep growing to be more and more like Jesus and leading others to Him.