This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I have been sent out to tell others about the life he has promised through faith in Christ Jesus.
2 I am writing to Timothy, my dear son.
May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.
3 Timothy, I thank God for you—the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 I long to see you again, for I remember your tears as we parted. And I will be filled with joy when we are together again.
5 I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. 6 This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
8 So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. 9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.10 And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. 11 And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.
12 That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.
Terrie's Comments:
In Paul reminding Timothy to "fan into flames the spiritual gift" He also reminds us that no matter how strong our faith is we need to press forward and continue in the faith! God has given us power, love and self-discipline so this is possible for us to finish strong! If we don't continue to deliberately invest in our relationship with Jesus Christ it will fade into the background without us realizing what happened. We must spend time in the word of God, in prayer and choose to continually re-align our lives to match what the word says so that when we move on into heaven our Father will be able to say "well done, good and faithful servant"
No relationship is passive. For a relationship to be intimate time must be invested regularly so it will blossom and grow deeper.
"never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord" "be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News" These are good challenges to think about for all of us. Persecution will come in various forms if we are not ashamed to speak and live out our faith in Jesus Christ... Are we ready to suffer for the sake of the Good News so that others will hear and be saved from eternal separation from God and all that is good?
In Paul reminding Timothy to "fan into flames the spiritual gift" He also reminds us that no matter how strong our faith is we need to press forward and continue in the faith! God has given us power, love and self-discipline so this is possible for us to finish strong! If we don't continue to deliberately invest in our relationship with Jesus Christ it will fade into the background without us realizing what happened. We must spend time in the word of God, in prayer and choose to continually re-align our lives to match what the word says so that when we move on into heaven our Father will be able to say "well done, good and faithful servant"
No relationship is passive. For a relationship to be intimate time must be invested regularly so it will blossom and grow deeper.
"never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord" "be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News" These are good challenges to think about for all of us. Persecution will come in various forms if we are not ashamed to speak and live out our faith in Jesus Christ... Are we ready to suffer for the sake of the Good News so that others will hear and be saved from eternal separation from God and all that is good?
Tori's Comments:
"fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you" How is that done?
Verse 7 is one that has definitely been a beautiful reminder in my life.
Verse 9 pretty much sums up my theology class right now.
Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!
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Please keep all comments respectful. We want to remember that each of us is at a different place in our walk with God. This is a place for us to share openly about what has been revealed to us as we open up Gods word and to learn from others. Please take every opportunity possible to build each other up in love :-)