I originally wrote this as a message to be delivered to our youth group at the end of school year party but time didn’t allow for it to be shared. I believe this is God for two reasons.

1.) God is sovereign and He would have worked it out if it were meant to be. 2.) I may not have thought to turn it into a blog post if I had been able to share it and I believe it could be helpful to many youth outside of our church. If you agree, feel free to pass it on. Here goes.

Fan The Flame

I stand before you today as a newly included member of the youth leadership team. But I speak to you as a father who has been actively involved with this youth group and a member of the congregation who has had the pleasure of watching you all engage and grow this year as members of this youth group.

At this party there was a bonfire? How many of you Have you ever started a fire? How does it work?

First you need a spark, then that spark must be fanned into a flame. The more air is blown on that flame the larger and hotter it gets.

In 2 Timothy 1:5-9 Paul says,

“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. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,”

2 Timothy 1:5-9 ESV

Have you have ever seen a blacksmith work? They have a bellow which blows bursts of air onto the flame causing it to grow larger and hotter. They need a hot flame to do their work, as do we. But that flame happens through action and intentionality.

The fact that you are here and, as far as I know, you profess Christ, is all the spark that is needed.

You all have the Spirit of God and God-given gifts, and you are to fan them into flame that they may burn big and burn hot.

You are called to have a faith that burns brightly for Jesus and you are called to suffer for your faith. We have been learning what that looked like in our study of Acts on Sunday mornings.. At this point we have many religious freedoms but we also have many opportunities to be “different from the world” and to be persecuted for it.

You may even be called to missions in areas where, though you know you have the prayers and encouragements of the church, you could have very little close at hand, besides the Word of God and your relationship with Jesus to lean into day to day.

Faith In Action

And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.”

1 Thessalonians 2:13 ESV

It has been said before but you must take possession of YOUR faith. You must develop YOUR relationship with Jesus. You have accepted the Word of God as the word of God. But that is not the end. It must be at work.

The way it becomes “at work in you believers” is through study of the word of God, scripture memory, prayer, sitting under sound teaching and surrounding yourselves with godly men, women and fellow youth. These are what will help you to do that. If you haven’t started some of these things yet, start now. If you have, continue to grow in it.

You are on a faith journey that will last the rest of your life. Maybe you feel fired up for Jesus, maybe you feel like you are on the right path. Maybe you think nothing could change the way you love Jesus right now.

But the blacksmith mist use the bellows to fan the flame because without stirring the embers, the flame will die down and eventually go out.

If you do not utilize these God given resources, you will not grow and you will be in danger of embracing a faith that is yours but is not biblical. There are many a professing Christian who has “faith”, but it isnt a faith in Jesus or in the bible as the authoritative word of God.

It is faith in a made up of a version of God based in ignorance of the Word of God. They misunderstand who God is and they misunderstand who they are and how they are to live because of that.

You see Satan will not be satisfied to let you be. He will try to sidetrack you through deception and temptation of various kinds. You must never assume that because you take what was taught in youth this year seriously, means you will never be tempted to question it.

“So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”

2 Timothy 2:22 ESV

2 Twenty 2– That is the name of this youth group. But it is not just a name, it is a calling. A calling to purity of heart. A calling of pursuit. Being a Godly person and faithful Christian doesn’t happen by accident, it requires purpose, intentionality and perseverance.

Don’t miss the instruction to flee youthful passions as well. This is purposeful and intentional as well.

So be sure not to take for granted the resources God has provided you through Living Way Church Greensboro.

Prioritize Jesus, and as Pastor John likes to quote John Piper as saying, “Make him the blazing center of your life.”

Not Alone, Nor In Your Own Strength

But know that you are not expected to do this by your strength alone. You do it by the grace of God and the power of the Spirit.

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

Philippians 2:12-13 ESV

This is work, but it is Spirit empowered work.

Notice Paul states, “Not only in my presence, but in my absence. “

What do you do when no one else is around to hold you accountable or support you?

How does Your relationship with Jesus inform the way think, speak and act?

Will your faith stand on its own when you are alone?

But know that you are not truly ever alone.

Hebrews 12:1-2 states:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Not only are you surrounded by great people of the faith in scripture and church history:

You also have a community of believers who “call on the Lord from a pure heart” that very much want to be a part of the men and women of God you are becoming.

This summer and as you approach the next school year, have fun, be youth, but be Christians first and foremost.

When you begin the next school year, you will also be entering a new church season of Wed Night youth meetings. Anyone new will be looking to your example. Not to mention your classmates in school. You will be confronted with the lies and cultural compromise that infected not only the world but also many churches.

You must be prepared to give an answer for what you believe and why you believe it, but do it with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15

Are you tempted to be afraid? Are you tempted to be ashamed of your faith? We all can be. But Paul reminds us

“God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

And:

“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,”

Look at the next two months as unhindered preparation time for entering back into the school year as those who are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world and have been all the more empowered to do so because of the time you gave to preparing now.

Let’s pray.

Father in heaven, I thank you for your faithfulness to the next generation. You have not forgotten them and I pray that they would know your love and presence in a fresh new way. Give them an increased hunger for relationship with you that drives them to study your word and grow in their prayer life. Give them boldness to seek out the wisdom of those spiritual Fathers and Mothers in the church who want to help them grow. May this generation move mightily for your kingdom and impact the globe for your glory.

In Jesus name! Amen

If you are reading this and you are not a member of my church and you find that the support I referenced as being available at my church is lacking at yours: pray, engage with your parents, seek out those in your church whom you perceive as potentially being supportive, engage with your Pastor. This will look different in different contexts. When I was growing up, I was involved with youth groups at two different churches to get what I needed. But my parents allowed that as well. Remember, God is for you and you can implement many of the biblical truths and encouragements found in this post without significant outside support. That is part of making your relationship with Jesus YOURS.

If you don’t know Jesus as Savior and Lord I pray you would pursue Him and invite him into your heart today. May you know His love and forgiveness. Today is the day of salvation.