Be Still and Know Daily Bible Devotion

2 Timothy 4:1-2 I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favourable or not. We are all aware that other people are looking at us, and this is particularly true of Christian leaders. Because of the public nature of the role, people are constantly making judgments about us, whether we like it or not. This is challenging for everyone but especially those who, like Timothy, are still relatively inexperienced. It’s easy to become anxious and overly defensive. Paul needed to remind his young friend that the only audience that really mattered was God himself. It was his judgment that was crucial and Timothy needed to live his life with a constant awareness that one day he would have to give a full account of what he had done. Preaching was at the heart of Timothy’s ministry. It was vital that people should clearly understand the faith and be encouraged to live by it. However, preaching has good days and bad days. There are times when it is joyful and easy to preach, and others when it is sheer hard work. Often people are eager to hear what you have to say, and at other times they are asleep! There are times when people congratulate you for your oratory and other times when they point out all your silly errors. Like any task, you need to stick at it through thick and thin, and Paul urged Timothy to realise that this was his God-given responsibility. The thought of being judged by God is a challenging one for all of us, but it shouldn’t fill us with fear because we know that God is perfectly loving, forgiving and gracious. However, it should sharpen and focus our thinking on the importance of doing what God has called us to do, however tough it might be. Question What is God calling you to do for him today? Prayer Loving God, thank you for the privilege of serving you. Give me your strength and grace so that I will serve you well today. Amen

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realise what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. When we use the term scripture, we are referring to the Old and New Testaments. However, when Paul was writing, much of the New Testament had yet to be written. Indeed, it wasn’t until the year 382 that the Council of Rome made a firm decision as to which books should be included in the Bible. So what did Paul mean when he referred to all scripture? He certainly meant more than just the Old Testament – in his first letter to Timothy, he brought together a verse from Deuteronomy and a saying of Jesus, referring to them both as scripture (1 Timothy 5:18). We can’t be sure in what form Paul had the sayings of Jesus, but he was fully aware of them. We are in the privileged position of having both Testaments neatly bound together in one volume, and we can confidently regard Paul’s words as applying to both. What I find interesting in these verses is that Paul makes it clear that the scriptures shine a light on what is right - but also inform us what is wrong. Nobody enjoys being told that they are wrong, but God loves us so much that he doesn’t hold back from telling us when we need to be corrected. As the writer to the Hebrews put it, “the word of God is alive and active. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). It always gets to the point. Because it is so precisely powerful, it is able to equip us for every good work. Those who merely see the Bible as beautiful literature have missed the point. The Bible equips us to live our lives to the full. Question What are some of the encouragements and challenges that you have learned from the Bible? Prayer Loving God, I thank you that you speak so clearly to me from the Bible. Help me to listen with care to all that you have to say to me. Amen

2 Timothy 3:12-14 Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. Paul didn’t want Timothy to have any illusions. Following Christ was the most wonderful life that Paul could imagine, but it wasn’t easy for him, and he felt sure that it wouldn’t be for Timothy either. He would face challenges on all sides and would also have to cope with the sight of his opponents flourishing. It was going to be incredibly tough, but Paul was convinced that he would be fine just so long as he clung on to the things he had been taught. Paul told Timothy that he could be confident of the teaching he had received because he knew the trustworthiness of those who had taught him. Timothy had a Jewish mother who had been largely responsible for his upbringing. The Old Testament has much to say about the teaching of children, and from their earliest days they were introduced to the law. It was claimed that the Jewish law was so firmly imprinted on a child’s mind that they would be more likely to forget their own name than God’s law. Timothy’s life as a Christian drew heavily upon the loving and faithful teaching that he had received from his earliest days. As we thank God for the teaching we have received, it is good for us to reflect on the teachers themselves. I wonder whose influence has blessed you over the years. I think of my parents and of Sunday school and youth leaders who graciously introduced me to the Christian faith, and I think of lecturers and ministers whose love for God has shaped my understanding of Christian teaching. Following Christ is challenging but, strengthened by loving teaching from trustworthy people, we have been given every encouragement to remain faithful. Question Who have been the most influential teachers in your Christian life and why? Prayer Loving Father, thank you for those who have helped me to understand your truth. Help me to remain faithful to what I have learned. Amen

2 Timothy 3:10-11 You, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love and my endurance. You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. On the face of it, this sounds like bragging. Paul appears to have an enormous ego and it all feels rather awkward, but he knew how crucial personal example was. He had just informed Timothy of the challenges he was going to face and of how society was going to become more and more ungodly and destructive. If Timothy was going to survive, let alone thrive, he was going to need to be a very effective teacher but also have a life that backed it up. In these letters, Paul repeatedly pointed to the vital importance of sound teaching, but no Christian teacher will have any impact unless their life reflects it. Paul never claimed to be perfect and indeed was often keen to point out the extent of his sinfulness, but he knew that, amid his failures, he had offered Timothy an example which was well worth copying. Your life is being observed by others whether you know it or not, and indeed whether you like it or not. People are drawing certain conclusions about the Christian life from the way you live. If you were talking to a young Christian and, like Paul, trying to give encouragement to them, what aspects of your life do you think would be worth copying? It would be good for you to write a list of the things that might be helpful about your example. Ideally, it would be good if you could talk this through with a trusted friend. Be clear that this is absolutely the opposite of an exercise in egotism. This is about finding ways in which your life can serve God by giving a good example to others. Challenge Make a list of at least three things about your life which could be a helpful example to others. Prayer Lord God, help me to set a good example for others so that they may be strengthened by my life. Amen

2 Timothy 3:1-2 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. The last days are often spoken about in the Bible, and they refer to the period in which we now live: the age of the Spirit. In the prophecy of Joel, we hear God saying that in the last days he would pour out his Spirit, and Peter declared that this was being fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:17). It is interesting that at the heart of Paul’s description of this challenging period was the destructive effect of money. Jesus often reflected on the significance of money, and it is important to emphasise that there is nothing inherently evil about it. Money is ultimately part of God’s creation and, in common with all his gifts, what matters is how we handle it. When it is used well, it can be an incredible blessing, but when it is abused, it can be a complete curse. Paul’s declaration that people would love only themselves and their money is terrifying because it deliberately pushes God out. When God is removed from life, the most terrible things inevitably result – relationships are torn apart and society is on a certain path to disintegration. The verses that follow give a frightening description of that. Paul declares that people “will be unloving and unforgiving, they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, puffed up with pride and love pleasure rather than God” (2 Timothy 3: 3-4). The punchline of this passage is the scariest part: Paul says that people will act religiously, “but they will reject the power that could make them godly” (2 Timothy 3:5). Attending church, singing hymns and songs and praying to God will not, by themselves, change us. It is possible to be fully involved in church activities and yet live in a way that is opposed to God. What matters is that we are driven by a love for God before anything else. That needs to the driving force for all that we think, say and do. Question Paul described people in the last days as lovers of themselves and money. Is that an accurate description of people today? Prayer Lord God, help me to always love you before anything else. Amen

2 Timothy 2:25-26 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. It’s not easy to speak with those who oppose you. Many people in that position are likely to be forceful and strident in their tone. They want to win their arguments and convince their opponents that they are absolutely wrong. However, Paul urged his young friend Timothy to be gentle as he confronted his many opponents, simply because the gentle approach is always the godly way. Trying to batter people down with our arguments might feel good, but it’s not the way of the Spirit. Paul knew that through gentleness the opponents might change their minds and learn the truth. Gentleness is a difficult word to handle because it might sound like weakness and softness, but true gentleness is strong and determined as well as gracious, kind and loving. Reading these verses reminds me of my most effective teachers. They were all very clear about the facts and what they believed, but they shared their learning with such kindness and gentleness that they also taught me about how to live. What impresses me here is that Timothy is being encouraged to engage with his opponents. I fear that we often keep away from people of other religions and philosophies. When was the last time you or your church asked for a meeting with people from your local mosque, Hindu temple or synagogue? It is so important for us to have conversations with people who are totally opposed to Christianity, and, as we do so, we need to remember that our approach should always be gentle. Question Do you regularly meet with people who oppose your Christian faith? If not, how do you think this could be arranged? Prayer Lord Jesus, help me to love those who are opposed to my Christian faith and to always speak to them with grace and gentleness. Amen

2 Timothy 2:24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach and be patient with difficult people. Every Christian is a servant of the Lord, but in this verse Paul is particularly thinking of the responsibilities of church leaders. Clearly, they cannot serve the Lord if they are prone to pick quarrels, but more than that, they need to be kind to everyone. Kindness reflects the nature of Jesus. This doesn’t mean that church leaders should avoid debating with opponents or that they should side-step difficult situations – far from it. Church leaders are called to face the toughest of challenges but to do so with gentleness, warmth and kindness. Being patient with difficult people has always been a fundamental requirement of church leaders. When Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, he referred to them suffering fools gladly (2 Corinthians 11:19). I once heard it said that our calling is not merely to suffer fools gladly but to enjoy them enormously! Every community will include people who are challenging, and in our more honest moments, we might recognise that we ourselves can be awkward and difficult at times. We all approach life differently. Some are eager to keep everything the same as it has always been, and others are uneasy if things stay the same from one week to the next. Some enjoy traditional hymns, and others prefer songs that have been written within the last couple of years. Some are unhappy if things aren’t exactly the way they want them to be, and others are not that bothered. Leading any group of people is challenging, so every church leader must have a huge amount of patience. We all need to be constantly kind and patient, but in church leadership this is tested to the limit. For many years, I have been involved in the selection of ministers and amid the many qualifications and requirements, I believe that kindness and patience are close to the top of the list. Question What would help you to become more patient with difficult people? Prayer Lord God, thank you for the church leaders who serve me. Fill them with your Spirit so that they will teach well and exercise their ministry with kindness and patience to all. Amen

2 Timothy 2:20-21 In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honourable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work. Here, Paul is describing the Church. It is made up of very different people who have a wide variety of roles. Paul’s concern was that Timothy should live in a state of constant readiness for whatever the Lord might want him to do, but this would only be possible if he kept himself pure. Paul had his eyes wide open to the challenges that Timothy would face as a young leader in a non-Christian – largely anti-Christian – society. He knew that Timothy would be tempted each day to compromise and to slip back into godless ways. Paul would say exactly the same to leaders today. Our society is driven by a lust for money, sex and power in just the same way as Roman society was. It is expressed in completely different ways, but the challenge to keep pure is as vital today as it was then. The devil does an amazing job at making purity sound dull and joyless, because the truth is the exact opposite. Purity is the route to living life to the full, and Paul was eager that Timothy shouldn’t settle for anything less than the best. Paul’s prime desire for Timothy was that he should always be ready to do what the Lord wanted him to, and I have no doubt that this is our greatest desire too. We want our lives to count for something. We want to do things that will be a lasting blessing. To use Paul’s language, we want to be like a household utensil that is ready to be used. We need to work hard to ensure each day that we stay clean in a polluted society which will try every day to make us mucky. Question What do you do each day to help you to stay clean? Prayer Lord God, help me to live so close to you that I will always be available for you to use. Amen

2 Timothy 2:15-16 Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behaviour. It’s always a pleasure to see a good worker. They may be an accountant, a cleaner, a lawyer or a shop-worker, but the moment you see them at work, you know they are fully committed to the task. However, it is very easy to be less than that. Laziness can be a temptation in any walk of life, and that includes Christian teachers. They might look for shortcuts or offer their teaching without being properly prepared with prayer and careful study. Paul urges his friend Timothy to ensure that this never happens to him. He needs to give his best so that he will never be ashamed of his teaching work. That will only happen if he is self-disciplined and has a determination to be the best for the Lord. Paul knew only too well that words can be a great blessing but also a curse. In verse 14, he urged Timothy to remind people that they shouldn’t fight over words. He said that such arguments were useless and can lead to disaster. The word he actually used is catastrophe, which literally means ‘turning upside down’ – the complete opposite of what a teacher should be doing. Foolish talk is deeply damaging. In Greek, Paul describes it as being like gangrene, which may start in a small way but can quickly lead to death if not treated. It is easy to have a very casual attitude towards Christian teaching, as though it is a harmless hobby that some people like to pursue. Paul would vigorously disagree with such a view. For him, it was a matter of life and death, and I believe we need to make sure that good teaching has a central place in church life. Question Can you think of any illustrations of foolish talk? Prayer Lord God, I pray for those who have the awesome responsibility of Christian teaching. May they stay very close to you and know your guidance and strength. Amen

2 Timothy 2:9-10 Because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained. So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen. If it were possible to extinguish Christianity through violent persecution, it would have been snuffed out long ago. In the last 2,000 years, the persecution of the Church has simply accelerated its growth. Tertullian, an author in the second century AD, wrote: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” Most of us have had no experience of violent persecution, but it is important to remember that it continues to be the experience of many Christians around the world today. Every year, thousands of Christians are killed because of their faith in countries such as Afghanistan, North Korea, Somalia, Nigeria, Libya and Yemen. Paul was certain that however great the persecution, the word of God could never be chained. We find exactly the same truth in the prophecy of Isaiah. God declared: “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it” (Isaiah 55:10-11). What an encouragement these words should be for us all! It often seems as if people aren’t remotely interested in God’s word, and we can get discouraged. However, we should hold on to the truth that the word of God is “alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12). The conclusion that Paul drew from this was that he was willing to suffer anything in the cause of proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ. Nothing in the world could be more important or worthwhile than that. Question How much are you willing to endure as you live for God? Prayer Lord God, I thank you for the inspiration of Paul’s testimony. Help me to be willing to serve you faithfully, however tough it might be. Amen

2 Timothy 2:6 Hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labour. Paul was well aware of what a hard job it was to be a Christian leader. When he wrote to the Corinthians, he told them that he was pressed on every side by troubles. He knew what it was to be perplexed and hunted down and to live in constant danger of death (2 Corinthians 2:4-11). He didn’t want Timothy to have any illusions about the challenges that would face him and so, having compared his ministry to that of a soldier and an athlete, he next points to the example of a hardworking farmer. All farmers are focused on bringing in a good harvest, but they will only achieve it if they put in months of really hard work. This is a good reminder for us all because there is something in all of us which would like God’s work to be easy and straightforward. We would like everyone to be cooperative and helpful and for the work to float through with ease, but if you have ever been involved in a local church, you will know it is not like that. It is often difficult to find people to do all the work that needs to be done, and people are not necessarily as easy to work with as one would like. In addition, we are living with an ever-increasing layer of legal responsibilities. We need to have safeguarding measures in place to protect children and adults at risk and have clear responsibilities to account for our finances. All of these requirements are entirely appropriate and wise, but they are hard work. Paul’s message to us is that we shouldn’t ever be surprised that working for God is demanding. That was precisely his experience. At the same time, we shouldn’t be surprised at the incredible blessings for those who put in the hard work. Farmers are the first people to be able to enjoy their own crop and, as Christians, we have the incredible joy of being first on the scene to enjoy the blessing of seeing people’s lives changed and renewed by God. Question Do you find it hard work being involved in your church? If so, how do you cope with it? Prayer Loving God, thank you for the privilege of working for you. Help me never to be grumpy, surprised or resentful when it is hard doing what you have called me to do. Amen

2 Timothy 2:5 Athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules. I wonder if you remember that agonising moment in the 2022 Commonwealth Games when England’s 4 x 400 women’s relay team was disqualified. It was all the more painful because they seemed to have won the race. They gave a confident and delighted interview straight after their success, only to learn that Jodie Williams and Victoria Ohuruogu had stepped out of lane on the second leg of the race. Their smiles of rejoicing quickly turned to tears of distress. Hard as it may be, there have to be rules in every sport. The metaphor of the soldier that we looked at yesterday was drawn from Roman life. However, the metaphor of the athlete was definitely drawn from Greek life. The Greeks had established their games at Olympia in the eighth century BC and conducted them for the next 800 years. They had elaborate rules about every part of the games, including the preparation for them. Olympic athletes had to state on oath that they had completed the necessary ten months of training before the contest. Paul wanted Timothy to be clear that running the Christian race had rules that needed to be observed. He could only serve the Lord faithfully by living a highly disciplined life. There is something in all of us that recoils at the idea of obeying rules. We like to do things our way. However, we can be sure that the rules that God gives us ensure our liberty and enable us to find true contentment and fulfilment in life. Questions What are the key rules that govern your life? Prayer Lord Jesus, give me your strength to live by the loving rules that you have laid down. Amen

2 Timothy 2:3-4 Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. It’s not surprising that the apostle Paul often referred to soldiers in his letters. He had seen plenty of Roman soldiers in his time and had no doubt often reflected on their lives. They provided him with a powerful metaphor for the Christian life. I was interested to see that on their website the British army identifies its six values, all of which could easily be applied to the Christian life. They are COURAGE – doing and saying the right thing not the easy thing – DISCIPLINE – doing things properly and setting the right example – RESPECT FOR OTHERS – treat others as you expect to be treated – INTEGRITY – being honest with yourself and your teammates – LOYALTY – support the army and your teammates – and finally SELFLESS COMMITMENT – mates and mission first, me second. Inspiring stuff! Paul identified three aspects of a soldier’s life which Timothy needed to reflect upon. Firstly, soldiers need to be ready to suffer. Nobody likes suffering, but in a world that is fundamentally opposed to God, it is inevitable that Christians will suffer. This suffering takes many forms. Sometimes it is physical, but more often it is in the form of verbal abuse, mockery and rejection. This is exactly what Jesus promised. In Matthew 10:22, he said: “All nations will hate you because you are my followers.” As a Christian leader, Timothy needed to prepare people for, and support them through, suffering. Secondly, Paul warned Timothy not to get distracted from his central role. Just as a soldier mustn’t get tied up in civilian matters, so too Timothy needed to ensure that he kept his mind on the job of leading the Church. Distraction is a challenge we all face. There are so many excellent things we could do, but we need to focus on what God has called us to do. Thirdly, Paul reminded Timothy that the job of soldiers is to please the one who enlisted them. That is precisely our role too. We have been enlisted by Christ and our daily priority needs to be pleasing him, however challenging and difficult that might be. Question In what particular way does this teaching challenge you today? Prayer Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for calling me to follow you. Help me to work hard at pleasing you in all that I think, say and do. Amen

2 Timothy 2:2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. Every sensible organisation needs to reflect on its succession planning. Leaders come and go and it’s important to think carefully about how potential new leaders are identified, trained and appointed. This was Paul’s concern in this verse. He had trusted his young friend Timothy to teach the Christian truths, but Timothy, in turn, needed to look out for people to whom he could entrust this responsibility. The truths of the faith needed to be placed in the hands of trustworthy people who could be relied upon to pass them on faithfully to others. The key word is trustworthy. I have interviewed many people over the years and however brilliant a person’s qualifications, the most crucial question is whether they can be trusted. A person who cannot be trusted is dangerous. They may be incredibly gifted and qualified, but if you never know whether or not they are going to turn up or respond to your emails, you would be much better off without them. Trustworthiness is so crucial that we need to do everything we can to encourage it. This begins by us taking the step of faith and trusting someone to do a task. Because it’s a step of faith, there is the real possibility that they will fail. It can take some courage to ask someone to do something for the first time, but if we don’t, they will never grow. We must pray that through encouragement and support they will do really well and then be in a position to take more and more responsibility. I thank God for those brave people who trusted me to do jobs when I was a teenager and who then gave me loads of encouragement. That process of trusting and encouraging is absolutely crucial to any church – and Paul knew it! Question What are you doing to make sure that the gospel is passed on to trustworthy people? Prayer Lord God, help me to be willing to trust other people and to encourage them in the work that they do. Amen

2 Timothy 1:13 “Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me – a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus.” Living the Christian life doesn’t come naturally to any of us. We all need teaching to help us live for Christ. However, there’s a problem with the word [itals]teaching[end itals] – it tends to make us think about classrooms and exams. We might be tempted to think that there is a textbook somewhere with the answers to every question of the Christian life, but there isn’t. The teaching that we need is intensely practical. You may have a complete understanding of every biblical passage about love, but if you are not loving, you have missed the point. You may be able to offer a very good definition of peace, but if you don’t live at peace with those around you, it will do you no good. Paul believed that there was core Christian teaching that was absolutely crucial, but he also knew that such teaching needed to be shaped by the faith and love that Timothy had experienced since he had met Christ. The teaching that Paul speaks about here is wholesome. Other versions of the Bible refer to it as sound, and the word has a medical background. It refers to teaching that is healthy and brings life. We all need that kind of teaching to enable us to live faithfully for Christ in a world where many of the issues we face now were totally unknown to Paul and Timothy. Our world of air and space travel, internet connection, nuclear fission and DNA is a far cry from the first century, yet the core sound teaching hasn’t changed. The heart of that teaching is the declaration that Jesus is Lord. However much the world has changed, that stays the same. Paul tells his young friend Timothy to hold on to this pattern of sound teaching, and we desperately need the same today. It is absolutely fundamental to our spiritual health. Question Where do you receive the sound teaching that you need? Prayer Lord Jesus, help me today to live according to the sound teaching that I have received. Amen

2 Timothy 1:12 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. Security is a big issue in our society. Billions of pounds are spent each year in an attempt to keep things safe. Nothing could make it clearer that, sadly, we live with a massive level of insecurity. I’ve only once lived in a house which had its own safe. It was so heavy that we never attempted to move it, but we were very grateful to have it because it was the best place to protect chocolate biscuits when our children were young! We didn’t have anything more valuable to put inside it, and I often imagined with glee the disappointment of anyone who tried to break into it with an oxy-acetylene torch. Paul knew there was no security issue more important than his salvation, and in today’s verse he celebrates God’s total reliability. God was able to keep Paul absolutely safe until Jesus returned or called him to himself. In a world that is full of insecurities, we all need to be sure that our salvation is secure. We can’t just sit back and let God get on with the job of guarding us. We have our part to play as well – two verses later, he tells Timothy to guard carefully the precious truth that has been entrusted to him through the power of the Holy Spirit. We can be confident of God’s ability to keep us safe, but we need to look after the treasure that has been given to us. It's clear from this verse that Paul’s security lay not in certain facts or doctrines but in knowing a person. He had a living and intimate relationship with Jesus and, because he knew what he was like, he could be absolutely confident about the future. I hope with all my heart that you also know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour and that, as a result, you are able to look to the future with complete confidence. Question Are you confident about God’s ability to keep you safe? Prayer Lord Jesus, I thank you that I am able to place my life and future entirely in your hands. Amen

2 Timothy 1:9 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. When Jesus met Saul on the road to Damascus, everything changed. He moved from darkness to light. He experienced the forgiveness of his sins and entered into a new life with God which would never end. His whole life changed direction and he became an enthusiastic champion of the Christian faith, encouraging everyone to discover this salvation for themselves. In this verse, he reminds his young friend Timothy that salvation is not the end of the process. God saves us for a purpose: so we will live a transformed life of holiness. Holiness is the kind of word from which we all naturally shrink. Like Isaiah, we are more than aware of how unholy we are and that our society is anything but holy. However, holiness is God’s intention for us because that is life at its best. Unholiness is like living with hard water. We seem to have spent much of our marriage in chalky areas, and chalk tends to fur up water pipes. It does it very slowly and gradually, but as time passes, the pipes get so clogged up that eventually water can no longer pass through them. If sin is like the chalky deposits which restrict the water flow, holiness is like having totally clear pipes. When we live holy lives, we are able to live life to the full. Seeking to be holy is the same as seeking to be fully alive. That’s why salvation is so important. God has saved us so that we can live a holy life. Paul often reminded his readers that salvation was a gift, and it’s vital that we remember that. Many things we possess are ours because we worked hard for them. Our educational and sporting achievements are always the result of our effort, and our possessions are often the reward for years of work. Salvation is different. It’s entirely a gift. However much effort we put into it, we cannot achieve salvation. All we can do is open our hands and receive the gift. That’s grace – amazing grace. Question How would you describe salvation to somebody who is not a committed Christian? Prayer Loving God, I thank you for the gift of salvation. I pray that you will teach me more each day how to live a holy life. Amen

2 Timothy 1:8 Never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. This wasn’t the first time that Paul had spoken about the issue of shame. In his letter to the church in Rome, he declared boldly that he was not ashamed of the good news of Christ (Romans 1:16). Paul had been brought up in the strict disciplines of the Jewish faith. He was a Pharisee and had studied under the most respected rabbis of his day. He knew that there were many people who wanted him to feel thoroughly ashamed of his Christian convictions, which they saw as a terrible betrayal of his Jewish roots. On the contrary, he was so proud of his newfound faith that he was more than happy to boast about his salvation and his new life in Christ. He was the very opposite of ashamed! Paul knew, however, that there were many reasons why young Timothy might feel ashamed of telling others about the Lord. Indeed, shame can be an obstacle for all of us. We might hate to be seen as different, or a bit odd. We would rather fit in with the crowd and avoid other people’s sneers and jibes. Paul wanted to do everything he could to encourage Timothy to be bold and confident in his testimony and not to shrink back, however costly it might be. I fully recognise that the rise in religious tension and violence across the world in recent years has caused many people to feel apprehensive about sharing their Christian faith. However, I am quite sure that Paul would tell us to be bold and confident in our witness and to always speak with sensitivity and grace. Question How bold are you in sharing your Christian faith with others? Prayer Lord Jesus, forgive me for those times when I have not spoken about you for fear of what others might think. Help me to be more confident in speaking about you. Amen

2 Timothy 1:7 God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline. The apostle Paul wanted his young friend Timothy to be the best. There was no question that Timothy was going to have to face enormous challenges. He would be continually confronting opponents to the Christian faith, and he would also have to face up to issues of church organisation and discipline. He had a tough job ahead of him, and Paul knew it was vital that he was neither fearful nor timid. From the references to Timothy in Paul’s first letter to him and in 1 Corinthians 16:10-11, we get the impression that he was quite a sensitive person and probably naturally inclined to be timid. Paul knew that this could be a terrible handicap in his leadership role. The fear of other people or of failure will always greatly restrict a leader’s effectiveness. God doesn’t want fearful and timid leaders but ones who are marked by his power and love and who show self-discipline. The power that a Christian leader needs is not the authoritarian power which orders people about but the gentle, gracious, servant-hearted power which keeps going in the face of overwhelming opposition. It’s the power to keep preaching and caring for people when everyone is unkind and unappreciative. It’s the power to keep loving whatever the circumstances because of the overwhelming love that God has shown us. Love is always at the heart of Christian ministry. Self-discipline or self-mastery would be crucial for Timothy. He needed to be totally in control of his energies and emotions in order to be effective for God. This might sound like something we are able to achieve by huge human effort, but Paul was clear that that never works. The Stoics of Paul’s day believed that they could transform their lives by sheer determination and effort, but Paul knew it to be a work of the Holy Spirit. Self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit which irresistibly grows in the person who allows the Holy Spirit to take control. Question In what specific ways do you need God’s power, love and self-discipline at the moment? Prayer Father God, I thank you that you have given me your Holy Spirit. Help me to allow him to transform every part of my life. Amen

2 Timothy 1:5-6 “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. This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.” When I was a boy, one of the great pleasures of Saturday afternoons was that I would light a bonfire with my dad. I came to love the smell of bonfires, probably because it reminded me of those happy moments. The greatest pleasure of all was the process of getting the fire going. Sometimes we struggled, but then by fanning the flames carefully we would have the joy of seeing the fire take hold. Paul used this image to speak of his longing for Timothy’s faith to grow. It wasn’t enough that he had a godly grandmother and mother. He needed to have a strong faith himself, so the flames needed to be carefully fanned. Through the centuries, many people seem to have looked at Christianity as a club, as if all that matters is being a member because then you will have your ticket for heaven. However, the New Testament presents Christian faith as something very different. It depends upon a personal relationship with God. Because it’s a relationship, and no relationship can stand still, it is either getting stronger or weaker. That was very much the apostle Paul’s thinking. He was determined that his young friend Timothy should grow in faith, and that wasn’t going to happen without determination and careful planning. I wonder what you are doing to fan the flames of your faith. We all have a different relationship with God, so I can’t suggest only one way of achieving this, but here are some great ways of fanning the flames: spending time with God has to be number one. Setting aside time to read the Bible, to pray and to reflect is incredibly valuable. Give yourself enough space and time to listen to God. It is also important to spend time with other Christians. Worshipping with them is great, but so too is talking with them. When we go it alone, we can easily assume that we are the only ones with temptations and problems to face, but when we have an honest relationship with Christian brothers and sisters, we soon discover that we are all in it together. Question What are you going to do to fan the flames of your faith over the next month? Prayer Loving God, thank you that love me so much that you want my relationship with you to become stronger. Help me to take steps to make that happen. Amen