The prospect of persecution, and the stresses of church leadership, might have made nervous Timothy (2 Timothy 1:7) want to step back from his responsibilities as the leader of a gospel church. However, Paul urged him not to give up (2 Timothy 1:8 ; 2:1 ; 4:1-5 ), not just because of duty or personal loyalty to Paul, but because the Word of God is true and the gospel is powerful. God’s salvation had come uniquely to Timothy through faith in Jesus Christ.
 
Timothy’s personal faith was at the core of his ministry. His service for the Lord was not a job but a lifestyle. He knew that God had spoken to him through the Scriptures and that they had proved utterly reliable – assuring him of eternal salvation through Christ and providing wisdom for his life and ministry. Timothy was not a professional acting out a role, but a practitioner trusting in Jesus Christ. And yet Timothy needed to be reminded to keep following Jesus and believing the Scriptures.
 
We need that reminder too. It is easy for the pressures of daily life, family, business or even ministry responsibilities to get in the way of our personal relationship with the Lord. The solution is simple: reinvest in your relationship with Jesus Christ as You read His Word and talk to Him about everything. Of course, it is good to be encouraged by the example of others through whom you have come to believe in Jesus, but we cannot be ‘professional’ Christians, we must be practitioners. The only way to stay fresh and confident in relationship with Jesus is to receive His Word and practise living it every day.