Legacies of Love

So here we are in third week of September getting ready to start a New Week sometime it's GREAT to take a moment just to reflect on where you have been and where you are going take a look at these words of wisdom I hope it helps you gain a sense of awareness of the true Joys of Love Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 READ 2 TIMOTHY 1:1–5 I was paging through my great-grandmother’s Bible when a treasure fell into my lap. On a small scrap of paper, in a young child’s handwriting, were the words, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:3-4 kjv). Scribbled beside those verses in wobbly cursive was my mother’s signature. My great-grandmother had a habit of teaching her grandchildren to write out Scripture verses so they would learn them and take them to heart. But the story behind this verse brought tears to my eyes. My grandfather died when my mother was very young, and her little brother (my uncle) died just weeks later. It was in that tragic season that my great-grandmother pointed my mother to Jesus and the comfort only He can give. Paul wrote Timothy, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5). Faith isn’t inherited, but it is shared. Timothy’s mother and grandmother shared their faith with him, and he believed. When we encourage those close to us to have hope in Jesus, we offer them a legacy of love. Through a simple note, my mother left evidence of my great-grandmother’s love for her Savior and her family. Oh, to share Him with those who come after us! By James Banks REFLECT & PRAY When we share our faith, we share the greatest treasure of all. Thank You for those who shared Your love with me, Father. Please help me to point others to Your salvation today. SCRIPTURE INSIGHT The family language used in 2 Timothy 1:1-5 is hard to miss. In addition to the reference to “God the Father” (v. 2), other family terms are used. Paul refers to Timothy as “my dear son” (v. 2). The word translated “son” can refer to literal or spiritual offspring, the latter being the case here. Paul was a “spiritual father” who had invested in Timothy’s ministerial training and development. The family term in verse 3 is the word “ancestors,” and it refers to those from whom Paul had inherited a legacy of faith. Paul had spiritual roots (see Acts 22:1-3; 23:6; Philippians 3:5-7). Timothy’s connection to his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother Lois was not just biological. His “sincere faith” had been nurtured by these godly women. Because of the influence of these family members, Paul could write in 2 Timothy 3:14-15: “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” What kind of spiritual roots are you leaving for those who will follow you? Arthur Jackson