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1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. 6 For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; 7 for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline. 8 Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, 12 and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. 13 Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us. (1 Timothy 1:1-14 NRSV)
Dear Friend; Happy Tuesday! As we pray today, pray for the family of Ms. Sally Storey, who passed away on Sunday; may God's comfort be with her family and all who Ioved her. Also, prayers this morning for Mr. David Marroquin, of McAllen, Texas, as he undergoes kidney surgery; may God restore full function to his kidneys and healing mercies for David. Prayers also for his wife Norma, and their family. Pray for one another. Pray for this old man as I go for an update from my orthopedic surgeon on where I am after this long period of healing. I undergo X-rays at 8 and the appointment at 9. Thank you all!
Do you realize that somebody told somebody who told somebody, who told somebody, who told somebody, who told somebody, who told somebody, who told you about the wonderful love of Jesus. Okay, there may have been more somebodies than I listed in this list, but you understand; that Jesus was that important and awesome, that they told you about it. It may have been your pastor, but that counts too! It may have been your parents or grandparents, or a family relative, or a school friend. In Timothy's case, Paul shared the faith with Tim's grandma, and his mom, and in turn, they shared it with him; Paul laid hands on Tim to give him the gift of the Holy Spirit. He also gave him, what Christ has given us, "God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline."
Timothy wasn't a spiritual failure. He had been personally mentored by Paul, had genuine faith inherited from his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice, and had received spiritual gifts through the laying on of hands. Yet even with this impressive spiritual pedigree, he needed to be reminded to fan his flame back into fire.
This challenges the assumption that once we receive God's gifts, they maintain themselves. The reality is that ministry is hard, opposition is real, and even the most dedicated servants can find their initial enthusiasm dampened by difficulty and discouragement.
Paul identifies the real issue: "God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline." Timothy's fading flame isn't due to God withdrawing His Spirit—it's due to fear creeping in. The Greek word for cowardice suggests timidity, a shrinking back from what's difficult or dangerous.
Paul reminds Timothy that the Holy Spirit within him produces three specific qualities: power (the ability to do what seems impossible), love (the motivation to sacrifice for others), and self-discipline (the wisdom to manage ourselves well). These aren't natural human traits that we work up—they're supernatural gifts that the Spirit produces in us.
The challenge is profound: When we're operating in fear, we're not operating in the Spirit God gave us. When we're shrinking back from God's calling because it feels too hard or too risky, we're living beneath our spiritual inheritance.
The phrase "do not be ashamed" suggests Timothy might be tempted to distance himself from Paul now that association with the apostle has become dangerous. Paul challenges Timothy to stand firm even when it's costly, to remain faithful even when it's unpopular, to continue proclaiming truth even when it leads to suffering.
This isn't theoretical theology—it's a call to courageous action in the face of real persecution. Paul is essentially saying: "Don't let fear of suffering silence you. Don't let concern for your reputation compromise your testimony. Don't let the world's opposition extinguish your flame."
The gospel is described as "good treasure" that has been entrusted to Timothy (and to us). This treasure isn't ours to modify, improve, or update according to cultural preferences. It's ours to protect, preserve, and pass on faithfully to the next generation.
The challenge is real: every generation faces pressure to compromise the gospel, to soften its edges, to make it more palatable to skeptics. Paul calls Timothy to guard the truth with the help of the Holy Spirit—not through human effort alone but through divine empowerment.
In an age that prizes innovation and novelty, Paul's words challenge us to value consistency and faithfulness. The most radical thing Timothy could do wasn't to come up with something new but to hold fast to what he had been taught, to guard what had been entrusted, to preserve what had been revealed.
This requires both courage and humility—courage to proclaim unpopular truth, humility to recognize we're stewards rather than authors of the gospel message.
Paul's letter to Timothy is essentially a call to stop drifting and start deciding. Stop letting your fire fade and start fanning it into flame. Stop shrinking back in fear and start stepping forward in power. Stop being passive about your calling and start actively guarding the treasure you've been given.
The beauty of Paul's message is that it's not all on Timothy. He's not expected to rekindle, guard, and preserve in his own strength. The same Holy Spirit who gave the gifts in the first place provides the power to maintain them. The same God who called Timothy to ministry provides the grace to continue in it.
But partnership with God requires our participation. The Spirit provides power, but we must choose courage over cowardice. God guards the treasure, but we must actively protect what He's entrusted to us.
PRAYER: Holy Spirit, rekindle the gifts You've placed within us, replace our spirit of fear with Your spirit of power, love, and self-discipline, and help us faithfully guard the good treasure of the gospel we've been given. This we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! OUR CALL TO ACTION: This week, honestly assess whether any spiritual gifts or callings in your life have diminished to embers, and take one specific action to "rekindle" them—perhaps through renewed prayer, recommitment to service, or seeking encouragement from other believers. Ask yourself where fear might be causing you to shrink back from God's calling, and choose one area where you'll step forward in the power of the Holy Spirit rather than retreat in timidity.
I love you and I thank God for you! You matter to God, and you matter to me. Share that with those who think they don't matter.
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
