Encouragement

Paul was also an encourager. To encourage someone means "to give somebody hope, confidence, or courage; to motivate somebody to take a course of action or continue doing something;" (Encarta) to inspire; cheer; reassure; urge; assist; nurture; persuade or push. We often think of encouragement as only giving someone a high-five or a pat on the back, but encouragement also involves spurring someone on, urging, prodding and exhorting him or her toward a course of action that would alter his or her own lifestyle, and for his or her own good. True inspiration involves speaking the truth in love, and never includes false praise (flattery) or telling people lies or half-truths (lies) just to make the person feel good. True reassurance gives hope, and the only true hope is found in salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. This hope of salvation encompasses coming to the cross of Jesus Christ in all humility, turning from our sin, surrendering our wills to the will of God for our lives, and choosing to walk daily in obedience to Jesus Christ and to his commands. So, if we want to really encourage someone, we will tell him or her the truth about sin, judgment and salvation, because it is only through faith in Jesus Christ that we find true hope.

Paul wanted to encourage Timothy, so he first of all let him know that he was continually praying for him, that he remembered his tears (sorrow), and his sincere faith, and that he longed to see him again. It is so heartening to know that there are people who care enough about you that they are 1) fervently praying for you, that they 2) feel and share with you in your pain and your sorrow, they 3) acknowledge your walk of faith in Jesus Christ, and they 4) want to see you and to be with you. I pray I would be such an encourager to others.

Fan into Flame

Yet, Paul's words of support and inspiration did not end there. Because Paul was persuaded of Timothy's sincere faith, he reminded him to fan into flame the gift of God, "which is in you through the laying on of my hands." The laying on of hands was practiced in the early church for the purpose of praying for someone, for healing, for the imparting of a blessing, a spiritual gift, or an office to be held within the church, for sending someone off to do missionary work, and/or for the purpose of receiving the Holy Spirit (in the book of Acts only). So, the "gift of God," could be the Holy Spirit, and/or it could be a specific spiritual gift and/or ministry imparted to Timothy.

When Jesus Christ was getting ready to leave this earth, he told his disciples that he would not leave them alone. He would send a comforter, the Holy Spirit, who was with them, but who would be in them. He told them to wait for the Holy Spirit, so after Jesus returned to heaven, the Lord's disciples (not just the 12) waited in prayer for the promised Holy Spirit. On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was given to the believers in Jesus Christ who were present, and who were waiting in prayer. Following this historical event, the disciples spread the news to those who had believed in Jesus Christ, when he was on the earth, that they, too, could receive the Holy Spirit, who was often given through the laying on of hands. Yet, from that time on, there is no more record throughout scripture, other than in the book of Acts, where the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of hands, or as a separate work of grace apart from our salvation. The teachings throughout the epistles teach that when we believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit of God immediately comes within us and makes his home in our hearts and lives (see I Co. 6:19; Eph. 1:13; 2 Tim. 1:14).

Yet, since Timothy was a part of the events in the book of Acts, it is possible that he received the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands, and that the "gift" spoken of here could be a reference to the Holy Spirit of God. In this case, to "fan into flame" the gift of the Holy Spirit within him, would be to daily confess and repent of all known sin, so that his conscience is clear between him and God, and so his life is cleansed of sin daily. And, then it would mean to spend time each day with the Lord Jesus in prayer and in the study of his word, so he would know the will of God for his life. And, then it would include daily obeying the truth he has been given through God's word, by applying what he is learning to his daily life and witness for Jesus Christ. It would also involve actively utilizing what spiritual gifts and ministries he had been given by the Holy Spirit, in full obedience to God in doing and saying whatever the Lord Jesus would require of him to do and to say. These required and/or necessary actions, though, also fit with the "gift" being a specific spiritual gift and/or ministry that may have been imparted to him with the laying on of hands.

If we are to "fan into flame" the Holy Spirit within us, and/or the spiritual gifts and ministries (our part of the body of Christ) given to us by God, it will require that we daily repent of all sins, that we day-to-day take up our cross and follow Jesus Christ wherever he leads us, that we everyday spend quality and adequate time with our Lord in prayer and in the study of his word, making him first priority, so we can know his will for our lives, and so we can find answers to our cares and concerns. Moment by moment we must obey whatever he teaches us, and whatever he requires of us in thought, word or deed. "For," Paul said, "God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." So, this means that we cannot allow the opinions, words or actions of others to intimidate us into being less than who God has called all of us to be in being his servants and his witnesses. We must release the power of God to work in and through our lives for his purposes and for his glory. And, we must persevere and never give up!

Not Ashamed

Fear of man and of what man thinks of us, or might do to us, often leads us to be ashamed to testify about our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, we must put aside this fear of man if we are to be the Lord's true servants and witnesses. We must be willing to suffer disgrace, hatred, false accusations, misunderstandings, ridicule, mockery, rejection, abandonment, and persecution for the sake of the name of Jesus, and for the sake of his gospel. People are not going to hate us and persecute us, usually, if we are blending in with the world, if we are doing the same things the world does, if we think and act like the world, and/or if we keep silent and we don't make it our practice to share with people our faith in Jesus Christ and how they can come to know him, too. When we choose to be the Lord's servants and witnesses in obeying him in all things, and when we choose to be lights for the gospel in sharing the message of the gospel to others on a consistent basis, as the Lord leads, and as a practice of our everyday lives, we will face rejection and persecution, yet we must not be ashamed to testify about our Lord.

When Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, our sins died with him. When he was resurrected back to life, he conquered death, hell, Satan and sin, so that we could be free from the ultimate penalty of sin (eternity in hell), and so we could be free from the control of sin over our daily lives. We did nothing to earn or deserve his grace. He died for us because he loved us so much that he wanted us to be free from sin and to be able to walk in fellowship with him. We come to know Christ Jesus by God's grace and through genuine faith, which involves turning from our sins and turning to walk in obedience to Christ and to his commands, and this is what we must teach and must share with others. Then, they can come to know Jesus Christ in sincere faith, and can have true hope and encouragement because they have been taught and have believed the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Your Servant / An Original Work / September 21, 2011

Lord, I love to have You near me
As I go throughout my day,
Walking daily in Your footsteps,
As I humbly pray.
List'ning to You, hear You teaching
Me to live and work for You,
Lord, I pray You lead and guide me
Daily in Your truth.

Lord, I want to be Your witness,
Telling others of Your grace;
Telling how they can be set free
Of their sins today;
Share with them the love of Jesus,
He died on a cruel tree,
So that we'd be forgiven
For all eternity.

Lord, I want to serve You only,
As I bow on bended knee,
Making You my Lord and master,
And Your servant be.
Humbly walking in obedience,
Doing what You say to me,
Lord, may I be an example
Of one who's set free.

Another "servant song" going through my mind:
"Remain in Him" -