PASTOR’S NOTES
Do not neglect the gift that is in you…”
I am sure that Timothy felt overwhelmed by the task at hand. Not only was the environment challenging and heading the wrong direction, Timothy was a young man who probably felt over his head in what was being asked of him. Timothy was being charged with the duty to correct men who were older than him, been in Ephesus longer, and who were also teachers themselves. This would be overwhelming to anyone.
For many of us who have been called to ministry, the feeling of doubt or fear is relatable. We feel like we are too inexperienced or uneducated to do what God has called us to do. Maybe you feel weighed down by a past reputation or like you won’t be heard because of your age much like Timothy. Whatever the case might be, most of us can relate to stalling on God’s call out of a disbelief in our effectiveness.
Paul tells Timothy this week not to have personal confidence in his own abilities, but to not doubt the gifts that live within him given by God! As believers, we are filled with the Holy Spirit and given not just opportunities, but also power within those opportunities. We are the gifted people of God. Our confidence comes from God that lives in us, not who we are without Him.
Yes, its true that we should be wise and be slow to speak and be humble in all areas, but we are also called to be confident in the Spirit. We should be bold and obedient because we have experienced God. In the book of Acts, Peter and John spoke boldly in a very hostile environment. They spoke against men who would have been seen as smarter and more educated, but that did not stop them from being faithful to what God had called them. In that faithfulness and confidence, the crowd saw that Peter and John were probably in over their heads, but that they had been with God!
What we are to all remember is that being with God will always shine more than personal ability. No matter your age, past, or abilities, being filled with His spirit will always provide a way and shine bright in faith!
SCRIPTURE TO GO ALONG WITH THE MESSAGE
Read Acts 4:13-22
HIGHLIGHT IN YOUR BIBLES
Highlight verses 12 & 14 in 1 Timothy 4 this week.