Kindle Afresh

Hey Everybody!

Kori and I are excited to have you all over on Thursday night! I am going to be leading the discussion so I have provided some scripture and talking points for everyone to look over before Thursday.

2 Timothy 1.6-10
6 For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 

7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,

9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 

10 but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

 

Paul encourages Timothy to kindle afresh the gift God has given him. How do we kindle God’s gift? What is God’s gift?

Verse 1.9 reads ‘not according to our works.’ How do we differentiate between works & kindling? 

My Kindling Idea

Praying the Psalms Aloud.

 

“The Scriptures, read and prayed, are our primary and normative access to God as He reveals Himself to us. The Scriptures are our listening post for learning the language of the soul…they also provide the vocabulary and grammar that are appropriate for us as we in our turn speak to God. Prayer detached from scripture, from listening to God, disconnected from listening to God’s word to us, short circuits the relational language that is prayer.”

That is why we pray what we read. Prayer is the way we work our way out of the comfortable but cramped world of self and into the self-denying but spacious world of God. It’s getting rid of self so we can be all soul–God aware, God-dimensioned.”

Eugene Peterson
Eat This Book
Pg 104,108

 
Suggested Psalms:

Psalm 100: Thanksgiving
Psalm 51: Repentance
Psalm 148: Praise and Thankfulness
Psalm 62.5-8: Resting in God 

 

 

 

Put To Death The Deeds Of The Body

Lesson & Discussion for Thursday, September 11, 2008

Howdy! Hope you are all having a great weekend. I am loving my Saturday afternoon of college football and rest, mixed in with wrestling and playing football with my boys, and trying to avoid getting in Jen’s way as she cleans the house!!

I’m reading a new book right now by a 17th century Puritan theologian named John Owen, called “The Mortification of Sin”. It is intensely insightful and inspiring, as well as a painfully slow read. Here is the thesis of the book: “The choicest believers, who are assuredly freed from the condemning power of sin, ought to make it their business, all their days, to mortify the indwelling power of sin.”

It’s a great book so far, and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in deepening their trust in the cross of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit in their journey to put to death the deeds of the body. So, this is what I feel urged to discuss this coming Thursday.

Main verse we are basing the discussion on:
Romans 8:13
Other supporting verses:
Galatians 5:16-17
Romans 6:5-6
Romans 6:22-23

Discussion:

• What is it to live after the flesh?
• What is it, in this context, to die?
• How are we to put to death the deeds of the body?
• What are the promises for the saints that put to death the deeds of the body?

So, here we have it. Remember that childcare is available beginning at 6pm at our home, and this week the Harty’s are hosting, so watch for their email regarding dinner. Can’t wait to see you all.

For Jesus,
tw