Verse of the Day and Devotional 1/4/2024

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by Bible League International

January 4th, 2024

Scripture

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. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. – 2 Timothy 1:5-7 NLT

Devotion

For those blessed to have it, one of the most important contributing factors in preparing us for our special call in life is a godly heritage of faith. Timothy was blessed to have that. The faith of his grandmother and mother was passed down to him. No doubt one of the reasons why his faith was so strong was due to this heritage.

Since Timothy had this godly heritage of faith, Paul believed he could encourage him to “fan into flames” the spiritual gift he received when Paul had laid hands on him. Just having a gift is not enough. One must activate it for the special work at hand. Paul believed that Timothy had the faith necessary to put his gift into operation.

There is always the temptation to allow a measure of fear and timidity to enter the picture when we activate our spiritual gifts. Putting them into action expands the Kingdom of God and does damage to the enemy’s kingdom. There is always the possibility of opposition, as a result. The temptation is to shrink back in fear and timidity from opposition and allow our gifts to lie fallow.

Paul will have none of that! Fear and timidity are not from God. Indeed, they are from the enemy. God gives a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. That is, the power necessary to activate our gifts, the love necessary to reflect Christ in the use of our gifts, and the self-discipline necessary to utilize our gifts in appropriate ways, times, and places.

Today the opportunity lies before us to “fan into flames” the spiritual gifts God has given us. Let’s not allow any fear and timidity sent from the enemy to stop what God wants to do through us.

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