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For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. – 2 Timothy 1:7

 

Fear can oppress and mask wonderful talents. In his youth, Timothy was naturally timid and fearful. He thus tended to hide his gifts for fear of rejection. Paul exhorted him “to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you” (2 Timothy 1:6).

God gave you unique gifts and talents to use in His service, and “you must never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord” (2 Timothy 1:8). Fear causes those special gifts to lie smoldering inside you, smothered by intimidation and dying for lack of encouragement. When you begin to pray in the Holy Spirit, however, the latent gifts within you begin to burn brightly and become visible.

The Holy Spirit’s power came upon Timothy through the laying on of hands, a method used throughout the Bible to impart blessing and release giftings. This was also the way Moses imparted the spirit of wisdom to Joshua (Deuteronomy 34:9).

David refused to let fear control and smother his life. Instead, he stated, “Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor fear the dangers of the day” (Psalm 91:5).

Rise up, stir up, and speak up. Release your gifts, and be not ashamed!

2020-12-31T10:53:28-07:00

For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. – 1 Timothy 6:10

Paul taught Timothy three vital truths about finances. First, he taught him that the love of money can be dangerous to one’s spiritual health. Money itself is not evil, but the love of money is a dangerous deception that can lead even to being drawn away from the faith. The proper attitude toward money must be one of contentment. As we live our lives, we must be thankful for what we have, not always wanting what we don’t have.

The second truth is that God desires to bless us. He “richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17). God is not a taker— He’s a giver! He longs to bless us for our enjoyment.

The third truth Paul shared regarding money is the principle of giving. He urged Timothy to instruct the rich to remember to use their earthly wealth for doing good, thus laying up an eternal reward in heaven (vv. 18-19).

The finances we invest in others and in God’s work will be multiplied back to us in the life to come. Let’s use our money as a tool for eternal investment, and one day we will see it again.

2020-10-21T00:00:00-06:00
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