“When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.” II Timothy 1:5-6
As we continue in our study of I Timothy 4:12, we see that “faith” is an important attribute for those who desire to be an example to others.
In his second letter to Timothy, Paul was nearing the time of his death and perhaps he wanted to see his son in the faith once more. He senses that the young evangelist may be facing difficulties, and he desires to encourage him and stir up his desire to serve God. He reminds him of the faith he had learned as a child from his mother and grandmother and wants to see him grow in this aspect.
We all have received a measure of faith:
Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
By faith, we realize our need for a Saviour. By accepting Jesus’ death on Calvary and believing that His blood cleanses us from all sin, we become a child of God. But then we must take the next steps in faith, letting the Lord change our hearts and lives.
I Peter 1:5-7 “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.”
How can we do this? Let’s look at some suggestions that Paul gave Timothy:
- I Timothy 4:13 “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.”
- I Timothy 4:15 “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.”
- I Timothy 4:16 “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.”
The Bible is our roadmap, our manual for living a Christian life. It is as necessary to our spiritual growth as natural food is to our physical body. If we want to grow in faith, the first step is to read, study, and meditate upon the Word of God.
Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for the measure of faith that you have given to each one of us. We want to grow and mature in you by studying your Word and obeying it.
Devotion by Anne Johnston
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