Father Mike Schmitz

It's one of my favorite lines.

How many times have I said that?

But he says in chapter one, verse six, for this reason, I remind you.

to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands.

Now, rekindle the gift of God that is within you, that's a great way to say it.

I love when other translations say, fan into flame the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands.

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power and love and self-control.

God did not give us a spirit of cowardice.

He didn't give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power and love and self-control.

And this is one of those things.

We can fan that flame of faith or we can stifle that flame of faith.

And Paul says to Timothy, hey, rekindle that, fan that into flame, especially in those times when it's very difficult.

In fact, St.

Paul talks about how difficult it is for himself.

He says, you're aware in verse 15 of all who are in Asia turned away from me among them by jealous and homogenies.

That these people, he had thought he had friends.

And this is one of those themes that's going to come up again.

Paul's going to write about, I thought I had friends, but then at one point, everyone abandoned me.

People are ashamed of me.

But this is something so important that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.