Another one of those “Three’s

⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

It’s another one of those “Three” things in the Bible.  Father, Son, Holy Spirit!  Body, Soul, Spirt!  Power, Love, Sound Mind.

Timothy got his strength by being around Paul.  He was bold as he could be when Paul was there.  Paul was in prison in Rome.  Even though Paul’s courage and “old man experience and strength” was what protected Timothy, maybe just maybe, Timothy was scared to step out on his own.  Paul saw the potential.  Paul was captivated by the strength of the call on Timothy’s life.  He told him he had a great Godly heritage.  He was raised by Godly women and had a great foundation to work from.  He was timid.

It is amazing what happens when God put a man right in front of Timothy.  We know of Timothy’s grandmother and mother.  The Bible seems to be very quiet regarding any male influence in his life except for Paul.  And what a man to model your life after.  Timothy had a lot of catching up to do and I am certain that his ambivolence in wanting to step up to the plate and be bold like Paul had something to do with his lack of confidence.  Paul certainly was encouraging him.  Timothy knew how to step up to the plate spiritually and lead and be bold because he had seen it in his mentor.

I am reminded that God blessed me with people who encouraged me in my calling.  I am very comfortable that I am called to preach in the local church and that my current assignment from God is to preach here in Florence, SC.  I have had my Paul’s in the past.  I just officiated at my mentor’s funeral a month ago in Jacksonville, FL.  Stafford was one who taught me not be timid in the pulpit but to clearly and graciously declare the truth from whatever pulpit I was in.  I saw it happen in his life.  I got strength from him.

God gave Timothy a great legacy in his mother and grandmother who had the loving sense to raise him in the strength and truth of the Scriptures – the living Word of God – The Bible.  He provided him one more powerful example to follow and his mentor was allowed by God to leave the world two letters that Paul wrote to his friend – Timothy.   Out of love Paul looks this young preacher in the face and tells him that God did not give him a spirit of cowardice, timidity, or fear.  He gave Timothy, Power, Love, and a Sound Mind.

The Power Of the Holy Spirit that lives in us.  “You shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit has come upon you…”  Not a thought but the complete truth for all believers who are filled with the Spirit of God at salvation.

The Love of God – one of the great evidence that the Holy Spirit lives in you is that the fruit of the Spirit is love.  He, Paul, states to the Corinthian church that “…three remain, Faith Hope and Love and the greatest of these is love.”  He gives us a love for the Father and for those the Father loves.  That is powerful information to our hungry spirits for we now have the ability to love those who are believers and those who are not believers.  We now have a great story to tell to the world.

Sound Mind – Self-discipline – I am like Beth Moore this morning.  I heard her say to the television crowd the other day that she wishes she had something new to say but there are only two things that will feed a sound mind and that is self-discipline in the area of prayer and Bible Study.  Listening to the Father in heaven talk to you – Bible Study.  Talking to him about what He just said to you is prayer.  Heavenly conversation that will impact the mind and keep it sound.

God seemed to be saying to me this morning, “Jim, forget the timidity deal – there is no fear.  I live inside you and you now have the right to claim that you have power from heaven, the power to love others like Christ does, and you have the right to a sound mind.  Celebrate the fact that the Father loves you enough to live inside you.  Celebrate the fact and act on the fact that you are here to encourage the saints and to witness to the lost and minister to people by loving them.  Celebrate the fact that God – through Bible Study and Prayer – will give you a sound mind and give you strength.  Be disciplined in your walk with me regarding Bible Study and Prayer.”