“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
“I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well. For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:1-7 NASB1995)
Do you have encouragers? And by encouragers I don’t mean the kind who only tell you what you want to hear but those who speak truth in love to you to help you to pursue righteousness and holiness and to walk in the ways of the Lord, and who encourage you to keep moving forward, despite difficult circumstances, and who remind you of Christ and of his teachings, and of the teachings of the New Testament apostles, to help you in your walks of faith in obedience to the Lord and in holy living. Do you have any of those?
The Scriptures teach that this is what we are to be to one another. We are to be those who exhort one another every day, as long as it is called today, that none of us may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. And we are to consider how we might stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as we see the Day drawing near. And we can meet any day of the week, in any location, even on the internet, or via a text.
And, as followers of Jesus Christ, we have all been given gifts of the Spirit, by the Spirit, and we have been assigned our body parts within the body of Christ, by God, and we are to use these spiritual gifts in our specific body parts to minister God’s love and grace to one another, and to help one another to grow to maturity in Christ, and to not be led astray by charlatans who, in their deceitful scheming, are teaching lies to the people. We are to be those who speak the truth to one another, in love, for each other’s good.
[Acts 2:14-18,42-47; Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 1 Corinthians 14:1-5; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 5:15-21; Ephesians 6:10-20; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:12-16; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20]
Paul was such an encourager as this to Timothy. First, he remembered Timothy in his prayers. Then he encouraged him by telling him that he longed to see him, that he might be filled with joy. He desired his companionship and the fellowship that he had with him. He sympathized with him in his sorrow and tears. And then he encouraged him by letting him know that he could see in Timothy a sincere faith in the Lord Jesus, which was reminiscent of the faith of his grandmother and of his mother.
But none of this was false flattery. None of what Paul said to him was insincere or just flowery words to try to make Timothy feel better. He did not lie to Timothy, either, just so Timothy would like him and would want to be his friend. He spoke the truth to Timothy, but he spoke it in love. And then he reminded him to kindle (ignite, stimulate, awaken) within him the gift of God, which was within him, which could have been his salvation, the Holy Spirit’s power, or a specific spiritual gift given to him by God, by the Spirit.
For evidently Timothy was experiencing some fear, perhaps because of opposition and persecution that he was up against for spreading the truth of the gospel to the people. And so Paul was encouraging him to not give way to fear, for God did not give us a spirit of timidity (fearfulness, hesitancy), but of power and love (love which prefers what God prefers) and discipline (self-control, self-regulation). And we should also learn from Paul’s words to be strong and courageous in doing the work that God has for our lives.
Why Are You Afraid?
Based off Various Scriptures
An Original Work / December 5, 2013
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Do not be afraid.
Your Lord is always by your side.
Serve the Lord in righteousness
Before Him all your days.
Those who hate the light
Will not come to the Lord.
They fear their deeds
Might be noticed.
So, they hate the light,
And they embrace the night.
Do not be afraid,
Although your enemy attacks.
Dare to share your testimony
Of God’s saving grace.
Do not fear their threats,
But honor Christ, your Lord.
Be prepared to give an answer
For the hope you have,
With gentleness; respect.
Why are you afraid?
For all that’s hidden will be shown.
What I tell you, speak in daylight.
Let the truth be known.
Do not be afraid
Of those who’ll take your life.
Fear the Lord with understanding.
Trust Him with your life,
And give not up to strife.
Do not be afraid.
Take courage, it is I, your Lord.
Bow before Me; now adore Me.
Oh, why do you doubt?
Listen to the Lord.
Get up and bear His name!
Run and tell the world He loves them.
Jesus came to save.
Give Him your all today.
Are You An Encourager?
An Original Work / September 4, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
