I want to remind you to stir into flame the strength and boldness that is in you 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:6 TLB &1:7 KJV)
It had been just 30 years since Paul had first met the risen Jesus Christ. Thirty years since Paul had so dramatically converted from persecutor of the church to follower of Jesus Christ. Of all the apostles, he had been the most educated. From early childhood, he studied the Jewish parchments–a Pharisee, a Roman citizen, and a devoted Hebrew from the tribe of Benjamin. He followed the law to the letter and would have been considered a spiritual leader, champion for the cause against the early Christians. That is until that day, when he came face to face with Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus.
Over the 30 years since he was first called to preach the gospel of Christ, he had been beaten, stoned, and imprisoned. Now, once again; he was imprisoned. This time sentenced to die. He was thrown into a dungeon cell of the Mamertine prison. There was an 18 inch square hole in the roof through which was his only contact with the outside world. Cold, damp and most likely infested with rodents; Paul would spend the last months of His life in this prison cell. It was from there that he wrote this last letter to Timothy and urged Timothy not to let the passionate flame for spreading the gospel of Christ die, not to allow fear to dampen his courage and not to let go.
So, it is that I want to begin a series in the book of 2 Timothy. Perhaps the most personal of all the letters of Paul, as his final testament before his certain death that would come. Here we will find Paul, the man and the devoted follower of Christ. His love and his passion are displayed throughout this letter.
So, how do I stir up that flame for Jesus? A flame that makes me bold, fearless to tell the world about Christ! A flame that is filled with power, love and a sound mind–unwavering in my conviction, uncompromising in truth. Over the course of the next few weeks that is what we need to learn. With so many Christians who face persecution in this world, we must hold fast to our first love. In Revelations, the letter to the church of Ephesus gives this warning:
2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Revelation 2:2-4
[tweetthis]Let it not be said of us that we have left our first love. [/tweetthis]Even if I labor for the name of Christ; but, do it for any reason except for a passionate love of my Savior and Lord; then, my labor cannot lead to that sweet joy in Christ. Only in Christ can I find the power, the boldness, the peace of mind, and the love to do His bidding and will. [bctt tweet=”When I truly love Jesus with all my heart spirit & soul then I must proclaim Him to the world” username=”effiedarlene”] Only then can I stand rooted and grounded in His Love; displaying that love to a lonely world who are searching for counterfeit joys. So, let me passionately stir into flame that love of Christ through reading the scripture, prayer, and remembering the depth of Grace that I have been given.
Living Bible (TLB) The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2016
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