While it’s a natural tendency for everything to reach the temperature of its surroundings, God's plan is for us to stay red hot while living in an ice cold world. He desires us to grow in our faith. He desires us to transform the space around us instead of conform to it. The Bible gives us a clear path. As we walk on that path, it’s possible for us to continually move up to a higher plateau of Spirit-filled living.
Here's a quick recap of the Fanning the Flame week.
After 20 years in pastoral ministry, David Gallimore is fulfilling a lifelong dream as he answers God’s call to evangelism. A product of the evangelical camp meeting environment of the 20th century, David bridges the gap between the revival days of old and the modern-day, multi-sensory worship era. David and his wife, Tammy, live in Eatonton, Georgia.
With over 40 years of pastoral leadership experience, Dave works to resource everyday pastors to equip everyday people to become every day disciples. He served on the First Missionary Church staff from 1979-1982 and then went on to plant and lead Fellowship Missionary Church for 34 years. Dave and his wife Gwen have three children and seven grandchildren.
Currently serving as Teaching Pastor at Palm Valley Church in Mission, Texas, Jarrell is pursuing a Master’s in Archaeology & Biblical History. He is passionate about bringing Scripture to life, and annually leads trips to Israel, Jordan, Turkey and Greece. Jerrell is married to Charissa and they have three children, Micah, Naylah, and Avi.
As President of Life Action, John’s heart is to equip the church to lead and impact every sphere of influence. He has pastored churches across the south and served as Vice President of Evangelism and Spiritual Awakening at the North American Mission Board. John and Donna have been married 40 years and have three children and four grandchildren.
As President of Life Action, John’s heart is to equip the church to lead and impact every sphere of influence. He has pastored churches across the south and served as Vice President of Evangelism and Spiritual Awakening at the North American Mission Board. John and Donna have been married 40 years and have three children and four grandchildren.
God wants to use each of us to be world changers. We’ve been changed and empowered by the Holy Spirit for impact. The path to be the salt of the earth and to have impact is through being filled with the Holy Spirit and powered by prayer. Our best efforts, apart from absolutely dependency on Him, are worthless. The early church, as described in the book of Acts, gives us a clear path forward. There need not be a missing ingredient.
It tastes terrible. Something’s wrong. Have you ever sunk your teeth into a favorite food, only to discover that it didn't taste very good? The problem was a missing ingredient. Even though only one thing was missing, that forgotten ingredient changed the entire flavor. Just as that happens in cooking, it happens with us being salt in the world. This missing ingredient is absolutely essential to fulfilling God’s purpose for your life.
There’s something fulfilling about completing a mission. There’s a deep satisfaction. We’ve done what we’re supposed to do. What’s unfulfilling is to discover at the end of life that we haven't completed the mission. Perhaps we’ve climbed the ladder only to discover that is was leaning against the wrong wall. We’ve been given the honor of sharing the gospel. It’s a mission that is ours to complete. Let’s learn to effectively share it.
When you hear the word “evangelism," what images or thoughts come to mind? How do those images or thoughts feel on a scale from gentle to abrasive? We’ve all been called to evangelize, which biblically means to share the Good News. Unfortunately, in our current culture the word “evangelism” has a different connotation. What if the Church redeemed the word evangelism? What if the Church lived unashamed of the Gospel?
We must get the salt out of the salt shaker! But what is the salt? In Matthew 5, during the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus uses salt and light as metaphors for spreading the Good News that Jesus is redeeming and reconciling all creation back unto Himself. The Gospel is the salt. We must take the good news of redemption that we have internalized and spread it to all nations and peoples. But the question becomes, "Are you ashamed of the Gospel?"
We know God is alive and at work. There’s no question about His power! Yet somehow, at times, it seems He’s distant. It seems like He’s not working. Has He withdrawn? Has He given up on us? Does He even care? One of the primary ways God has chosen to work is through people, just like us. As we experience His power and presence, His love flows through us. That’s how the salt gets out of the salt shaker.
Of the twelve disciples, Simon Peter is the one who is most written about, which gives us the best window into seeing how Jesus did discipleship. We get to see step by step how Simon became Peter, and in turn, how he became more and more like Jesus.
Words have meaning. The context of a given word can greatly alter its meaning. When Jesus says, “You are...” we need to critically examine the next word. If we truly are the salt of the earth, we need to discover what that means. How are we to impact the world? What purpose do we have? Understanding His words in the historical setting in which they were used gives us clear direction on fulfilling our place in our communities.
These are challenging times! Living as a follower of Christ is not for the faint of heart. David, the great warrior that killed the giant Goliath, discovered that even after his great victory, life was full of challenges. Amidst the painful battles that raged on, he found safety and satisfaction through trust in God. What David discovered is ours to possess today.
That’s a man on a mission! Have you ever heard that said? It describes someone intently focused. No distractions! It’s about passionately and aggressively accomplishing the task. That describes Jesus. He was mission-focused, intent on His search to be reunited with each of us. His birth, His life, His death and resurrection all were a part of the The Search. It’s the search for us.
What in the world is going on? Whether it’s our personal or family life, world affairs, or political or religious issues, it often feels like chaos and confusion are the theme of the day. Yet our God specializes in making crooked paths straight. He is the One who clears the fog. More than anything, He is the One who equips us for whatever tomorrow might bring. The surprise that Mary faced and the grace she experienced presents us with a great example of finding meaning and purpose amidst chaos a...
The Magi have become major characters in the telling of the Christmas story over the years. The odd thing is that we really don’t know all that much about them. Were they kings, magicians, priests, or astrologers? Were there three or more? Where did they come from? A lot is left open for interpretation, but one thing is certain: the Magi were searching for a sign.
Everyone is searching for something! The question is, "What’s the right search?" Are we searching for the right things? Are we searching in the right places? One of the more obscure characters in the story of Jesus’ birth is King Herod. His role is really about a futile search. Yet, it’s a search that’s still happening today. It’s the tale of two Kings, the choice of two paths—one that gives life and the other that is a dead-end street.
We were not designed to live repeating the same sins over and over again. God never intended for us to make promises to Him that we can’t keep. The Israelites practiced the same failures repetitively. Not only did they do it in the Old Testament, that pattern often becomes the norm for us. But there’s a better way to live. The power of Christ not only forgives us our sins but gives us the power to live victoriously over the repetitive cycle of sin. “If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed!...
Moses has been called by God to Egypt, but his mission is not an easy one. After Pharaoh resists the hand of God nine times, the wrath of God is about to be unleashed. The wrath of God is not commonly talked about, and in many cases, it is a forgotten part of His character. May the Church and the world never lose sight of the fact that God is not safe; He is an all-consuming fire.
The nation of Israel has grown in population since the time of Joseph, and so has the fear of the Egyptians. In response, the Israelites are thrown into slavery to control a potential uprising. A lot of time passes, and it seems as though God has forgotten his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, God has heard the cries, remembers the covenant, and is preparing Moses to lead His people out of Egypt. Moses must now answer the call.
It’s amazing how two people can look at the same picture and see totally different things. While it’s the same picture, two totally opposite views emerge. Who do people see when they look at you? Do they see the person you think you are, or do they see something totally different? Joseph, the young man with the coat of many colors, gives us a portrait of Jesus. Through him, we can see Jesus. Can Jesus be seen in us?
Whenever you see two people wrestling, you know that one person is likely to win. Someone will prevail. In the Old Testament, Jacob had a wrestling match with an angel. It was long. It was painful. And there was a winner. That’s the way it is in our wrestling matches with God. But the difference is, when He prevails, we are the winners. This match is won by surrender!
Isaac is getting older in age, and the time is coming to pass on the inheritance and his blessing. There’s only one problem…Which son gets to inherit God’s promises for the future generations? If you think your family has issues, you’ve got nothing on Isaac’s family. Yet, in the midst of all the conflict, there is clear evidence of God’s mighty hand at work.
It’s just around the corner. All signs point to it. This seems like the early stages. These are all statements that point to something that’s about to happen. There’s a sense of anticipation. That’s what the Old Testament is all about. All signs point to Jesus. He’s coming! There’s hope! The greatest disease ever, this thing called sin, can be cured. And it will all happen only through Jesus. That’s the story of Abraham and Isaac. And it’s an event that gives us incredible confidence and hope....
The cycle continues: God has made covenant with Abram, and as a part of that covenant, God has promised Abram that his offspring will be as numerous as the stars. Years pass and conflict arises, because Abram and Sarai are not getting any younger. There is still no child. They begin to question, “Is God really who He says He is?” “Is God and His word faithful?”
Do you ever feel like you keep making the same mistakes? Are there negative behaviors that you just can’t shake? Are there negative default behaviors that drag you down? It’s possible to live beyond the downward spiral of hope, failure, and repentance...doing failure over and over again. Understanding and applying truth, especially from the Old Testament, can lead us to victory. We can conquer the negative destructive behavioral cycle through Jesus.
How’s your memory? Can you remember what you wore yesterday? What you were doing five years ago? Our memory can be downright terrible at times, especially when it comes to remembering the ways in which God has been faithful. We forget that even though our circumstances may change, our God does not.Let ’s learn from Joshua and make monuments to His name.
