Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Wednesday, June 1, 2016


2 Timothy 1: 1-3, 6-12

Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God
for the promise of life in Christ Jesus,
to Timothy, my dear child:
grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father
and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I am grateful to God,
whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did,
as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day.

For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame
the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.
For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice
but rather of power and love and self-control.
So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord,
nor of me, a prisoner for his sake;
but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel
with the strength that comes from God.

He saved us and called us to a holy life,
not according to our works
but according to his own design
and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began,
but now made manifest
through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus,
who destroyed death and brought life and immortality
to light through the Gospel,
for which I was appointed preacher and Apostle and teacher.
On this account I am suffering these things;
but I am not ashamed,
for I know him in whom I have believed
and am confident that he is able to guard
what has been entrusted to me until that day.



For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands…

Timothy was ordained and through his ordainment was given specific gifts to use as part of his ministry. Paul reminds Timothy to use the gifts that the Lord imparted to him and not to be fearful or ashamed of them.

So many times we shrink from our tasks and squander our gifts because we fear what others will think of us. We hold back the fire within us because we fear what will come if we are to let it go. Paul goes on to tell us that God gave us gifts to use for him and to use those gifts with zeal but we will also face hardship and difficulty when we do.

As deacons we will be ordained men called to a holy life. We each will be given gifts to use for our ministry and those gifts, if properly used, will bring with it hardship and strife. We are to bear these hardships with love and not be ashamed of them. We must realize that we stand for the light of God’s love and his truth. No one wants to know the truth because truth demands that we change and conform to it. Metanoia. We must change our wills to that of God’s.

God will provide the gifts. It is our responsibility to open those gifts and use them to their fullest no matter what consequences it brings. We have to believe, that is, we have to trust that God has a plan for us and that by enduring all things we make him happy. God loves obedience more than sacrifice. Full obedience negates sacrifice.

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