"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Wednesday, 28 September 2016 with Scripture 2 Timothy 1:1-14
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2 Timothy 1:1 From: Sha’ul, an emissary of the Messiah Yeshua by God’s will, which holds forth a promise of life through being united with Messiah Yeshua
2 To: Timothy, my dear son:
Grace, mercy and shalom from God the Father and the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord.
3 I give thanks to God, whom, like my forbears, I worship with a clean conscience, as I regularly remember you in my prayers night and day. 4 I am reminded of your tears, and I long to see you, so that I might be filled with joy. 5 I recall your sincere trust, the same trust that your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice had first; and I am convinced that you too now have this trust.
6 For this reason, I am reminding you to fan the flame of God’s gift, which you received through s’mikhah from me. 7 For God gave us a Spirit who produces not timidity, but power, love and self-discipline. 8 So don’t be ashamed of bearing testimony to our Lord or to me, his prisoner. On the contrary, accept your share in suffering disgrace for the sake of the Good News. God will give you the strength for it, 9 since he delivered us and called us to a life of holiness as his people. It was not because of our deeds, but because of his own purpose and the grace which he gave to us who are united with the Messiah Yeshua. He did this before the beginning of time, 10 but made it public only now through the appearing of our Deliverer, the Messiah Yeshua, who abolished death and, through the Good News, revealed life and immortality.
11 It was for this Good News that I was appointed a proclaimer, emissary and teacher of the Goyim; 12 and this is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, because I know him in whom I have put my trust, and I am persuaded that he can keep safe until that Day what he has entrusted to me. 13 Follow the pattern of the sound teachings you have heard from me, with trust and the love which is yours in the Messiah Yeshua. 14 Keep safe the great treasure that has been entrusted to you, with the help of the Ruach HaKodesh, who lives in us. [Complete Jewish Bible]
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The farm is sold, and one week from today, on his 75th birthday, my father will retire. I am proud of my chicken-farm roots and my ancestors who worked both the soils of their fields and of their kids' hearts. Like Timothy's, my forebears were believers--ashamed neither of their often-smelly work nor their often-suffering faith.
There were doubt-filled days--infants who died, crops and critters lost, cancer, suicide. Yet loving hands passed "a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline" from generation to generation, so that in these doubt-filled days I am not ashamed to claim I know the God who loves us to death and beyond. 
Who has touched you with a powerful, loving spirit? Whom will you touch today?
O God, send elders in faith who touch and fill us with power, love and self-discipline. Help us pass on the precious treasure of faith. Amen.
Brenda Satrum, '93
Faith Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Mont. 
2 Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I am grateful to God--whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did--when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day.
4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy.
5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.
6 For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands;
7 for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.
8 Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God,
9 who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,
10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
11 For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher,
12 and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him.
13 Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
14 Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us. [New Revised Standard Version] 
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