DEAR TIMOTHY, 

Devotionals for our 7 Week Sermon Series Through 2 Timothy

WEEK ONE  -  “Fan the Flame”

MONDAY, JUNE 2ND, 2025 

“PAUL & TIMOTHY"

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.           2 Timothy 1:1-2 

The Apostle Paul meets Timothy during his second missionary journey. Timothy lives in the town of Lystra and is a young follower of Jesus. Timothy’s grandmother, Lois, and mother, Eunice, have trained Timothy in the Scriptures. Paul then takes Timothy under his wing as a protégé. Timothy travels with Paul and is given important spiritual duties, such as serving as Paul’s representative. Timothy later pastors the church in the city of Ephesus. 

The letter of 2 Timothy is Paul’s last letter before his death. Timothy is Paul’s “son in the faith” and someone with whom he shares a deep affection. Paul and Timothy’s relationship is key in the New Testament story. It also shapes our understanding of this text—a passionate letter from a spiritual father to a young, timid protégé. When appropriately read, these words encourage anyone facing discouragement or fear in spiritual struggles. 

Ask God what he desires to do in your heart and life through our study of this letter. As we begin this series, consider reading or listening to 2 Timothy. (An audio reading of 2 Timothy only takes about 10 minutes.) Pray for the grace to understand and apply this book’s truths to your life. 

TUESDAY, JUNE 3RD, 2025 

“SPIRITUAL FRIENDSHIP” 

I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.   2 Timothy 1:3-4 

Paul and Timothy are more than mere acquaintances or work companions. They are spiritual friends. They know each other deeply and care for each other thoroughly. They encourage each other in their gospel work and faith in Jesus. They experience painful lows and spiritual highs. Their friendship develops through trials, victories and shared meaningful work over many years. Paul’s departure is deeply emotional for Timothy. 

Spiritual friendships encourage and challenge one another to grow and deepen their relationship with Jesus. These friendships are a tremendous gift. Deep, spiritual friendships often result when people take Christian community to the next level. Two members from a small group decide to meet for deeper conversations and accountability. Other Christians in our life can become deep meaningful spiritual friends. Wherever these friendships start, they need ongoing intentionality to cultivate further intimacy and depth of relationship. 

Consider your current relationships and who could be a spiritual friend. Ask God to reveal someone or bring someone new into your life. Then, take steps to invest in this relationship. Maybe invite them to meet for coffee to share your Christian journeys together. If you already have deep, spiritual friendships, thank God for them and send a text today thanking them for their friendship. 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4TH, 2025 

“SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE” 

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 

Timothy is already well-grounded in the faith when he meets Paul. Paul notes later in this letter that Timothy has been taught the Scriptures “from infancy” (2 Timothy 3:15). Timothy is nurtured in God’s Word by his mother, Eunice, and grandmother, Lois, from the earliest moments of his life. Through Timothy, the spiritual heritage of these women paints the pages of Scripture and has left a lasting mark on church history. 

Lois and Eunice’s examples reveal the importance of spiritual formation in the home and from one generation to another. God has given us the responsibility of leaving a legacy in the hearts and lives of our children and grandchildren. As parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends live godly lives and share how to follow Jesus, the next generation can grow to follow him, too. The way of Jesus is both caught by example and taught through intentional conversations, church attendance and mentoring those in our home, family, or sphere of influence. 

Spend time journaling about who you can spiritually invest in from the next generation. This may include your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews or neighborhood kids. Write their names down. Pray over them and ask God for wisdom. Then, take steps to invest in their spiritual development. 

THURSDAY, JUNE 5TH, 2025 

“INADEQUACY” 

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.      2 Timothy 1:7 

Timothy journeys with Paul and witnesses much of the hardship Paul faces in ministry. Timothy also begins to face hardship and resistance in his ministry. As a young pastor, Timothy is likely experiencing feelings of inadequacy and timidity. Like many others who step into roles of service or leadership, Timothy potentially questions his ability for the work God has given him. 

The Bible provides many examples of God’s people feeling uncertain or unconfident about their God-given abilities or tasks. Moses questions God after being called to lead Israel: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11). When we step into spiritual service or leadership, we may feel inadequate, fearful or weak at times as well. We, too, may wonder, “Who am I to lead these people?” Scripture reveals it’s not about our ability, knowledge or wisdom. Instead, God’s power accomplishes his work through the lives of finite and often fickle servants. He uses imperfect but willing (and growing) people to achieve great work in the lives of others. 

One of the ways God grows us in confidence in him and his calling on our lives is through intentional study of His word. Choose one story of God working through an imperfect person to accomplish His work and reflect on it this week. 

FRIDAY, JUNE 6TH, 2025 

“FAN THE FLAME” 

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:6-7 

Timothy is tempted to look at his abilities (or lack thereof) and doubt God’s work can be accomplished. Paul, however, reminds Timothy to make a Godward turn. Rather than focusing on his limitations, he is to fan into flame the gift God gave him. He must remember God is at work to give him courage and power for the work ahead.  Likewise, we must turn toward God in our spiritual duties and service. God is at work. He is the one who gives us spiritual strength, courage, and power. He provides spiritual gifts and transforms lives. Rather than focusing on our weaknesses and limitations, we can focus on him. He calls and gifts each of us to serve. We can use our gifts knowing God is with us and enabling us to accomplish the work he desires for us to do. 

Spiritual intimacy and impact are connected at the hip. In other words, our walk with God (intimacy) is related to our spiritual impact on others. When we are spiritually healthy, engaging in spiritual practices and using our gifts to serve others, God does his great work in and through us. 

Evaluate your spiritual health. Is there a practice you need to begin, renew or refresh to deepen your intimacy with God as you serve others?  

WEEK TWO  -  "DO NOT BE ASHAMED"

MONDAY, JUNE 9TH 2025

DO NOT BE ASHAMED 

So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 2 Timothy 1:8 

Paul admonishes Timothy repeatedly not to be ashamed of him or the gospel message. Timothy needs this encouragement because many situations could cause shame. People mock Christians because their God was executed on a Roman cross. Timothy’s mentor, Paul, sits in chains in a Roman jail, awaiting a trial for following Jesus. Being a Christian holds no advantages. Believers suffer, and they struggle to not become ashamed of their faith. Paul urges Timothy to stand firm and to avoid joining the number of the ashamed. 

We need Paul’s encouragement to embrace being a follower of Jesus and not be ashamed of the gospel as it becomes less and less popular in our culture. We may be misunderstood or labeled “narrow-minded” for following Jesus. Some of us may be rejected at work for what we believe. Others may have friends walk away because of their faith. Whatever we encounter, the same God who gave Paul and Timothy strength to not be ashamed of him is with us, too. 

Pray for strength and grace to remain true to the gospel in situations that tempt you to be ashamed of Jesus. “God, I desire to follow you with your strength and perseverance. Help me stay true to the gospel of Jesus in this situation ________________. Amen.” 

TUESDAY, JUNE 10TH 2025 

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL 

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. 2 Timothy 1:9a 

Paul challenges Timothy not to be ashamed but willing to suffer for Jesus for one reason—the gospel. He reminds Timothy that they’ve been rescued completely through grace and given real, true life. Paul never gets over the wonder of this radically transformative news. Paul lives in complete amazement that God found and rescued him: dead in transgressions and sins, moved from death to life only because of God’s grace. Paul experiences Jesus as “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). Paul urges Timothy never to abandon this message of rescue, grace and life. 

Our world still desperately needs this “death-to-life” gospel message. We, like Paul, “were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy” (Titus 3:3-5a). Recognizing the incredible nature of the gospel helps us not be ashamed of it. 

If you have not yet placed your faith and trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sin, you can do so today by admitting your need for Jesus’s forgiveness and inviting him into your life.  

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11TH 2025 

IT’S ABOUT JESUS 

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. 2 Timothy 1:9a 

Paul is chained in a Roman prison as he writes to Timothy. The authorities feed him just enough to keep him alive. Paul depends on the generosity of friends for anything beyond basic survival. The cell is numbingly cold in winter and blisteringly hot in the summer. Paul receives few visitors and suffers physically and emotionally. But he is not ashamed because he knows who he suffers for—Jesus. He knows Jesus suffered for him, so he’s willing to suffer for Jesus. Paul even holds suffering as a goal. He writes in another letter: “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11). 

At its core, Christianity is trusting in someone. Our faith centers on Jesus. The more we know Jesus, the stronger our relationship with him grows, the more we will remain steadfast. Knowing Jesus—his character, mission, teachings and sufferings—provides us with his strength through the Holy Spirit to endure any suffering that following Jesus may bring. The more we get to know him, the more we know his heart for us, and our love for him deepens. 

Reflect on your understanding of Jesus. How often do your thoughts, attention and affection turn to Jesus during the day? How has your relationship with him matured over time? Journal your answers to these questions. Then pray for the Spirit’s wisdom and strength to deepen your love for and understanding of who Jesus is. 

THURSDAY, JUNE 12TH 2025 

KEEP & GUARD

Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. 2 Timothy 1:14 

Paul gives Timothy two commands. Timothy is to “keep” and “guard.” First, he is to “keep” the teaching he’s received from Paul at the center of his life. Second, he’s to “guard” what he’s been taught through the work of the Holy Spirit. These two commands are connected. One is about ensuring he has a proper understanding of what God has taught, and the other is about allowing the Holy Spirit to help him guard what he received. 

Keeping to sound teaching means we need to study God’s Word and listen to good teaching regularly. We do these things through our personal study of the Bible and attending weekend services. The Holy Spirit works through the Word to remind us of what we have learned. We grow to rely on the Spirit as we invite the Spirit to help us. As we commit to these practices of studying the Bible, listening to sound teaching and inviting the Spirit to speak, we find strength to stand firm amid cultural pressure and remain grounded in God’s Word and the gospel. 

Commit to spending time with God, reading the Bible and sitting under the teaching of our pastors on Sundays. Write up a plan for staying committed to these practices as the weather gets warmer and other activities call for your attention. Share your commitment with a trusted friend and check in with each other in the coming months. 

FRIDAY, JUNE 12TH, 2025

TWO PATHS

You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 2 Timothy 1:15-16 

Paul encourages Timothy not to be ashamed and to keep his relationship with God. It’s an example of one Christian encouraging and challenging another inside a spiritual friendship. Paul ends this section by showing Timothy examples of two paths—disloyalty and loyalty. Many have abandoned Paul. Some have stuck with him. Maybe Onesiphorus’s choice to stick with Paul will encourage Timothy to do the same. 

The choice is the same for us today. We’ll either have a relationship with Jesus that will sustain us through times of suffering or one that won’t sustain us when cultural pressures try to make us ashamed. The tendency to deconstruct our faith or walk away because of societal pressures is significant and only getting stronger. The key to having a strong relationship with Jesus is what we looked at earlier this week about knowing the gospel and doing what is necessary to have a vibrant relationship with Jesus. 

Look up and Worship with the song “Praise.” Use these lyrics to help you stay on the correct path and give you reasons not to be ashamed, “I’ll praise ‘cause you’re sovereign…Praise ‘cause you rose and defeated the grave.” Focus your thoughts and attention on the God who is faithful, true and great. 

WEEK THREE - “Soldier, Athlete, Farmer” 

MONDAY, JUNE 16TH 2025 

FOUR GENERATIONS 

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. 2 Timothy 2:2 

Paul writes a letter to young Timothy, encouraging him to maintain the faith and multiply that faith in the lives of others. Paul has mentored Timothy to multiply disciples. Timothy has traveled around the Mediterranean world with Paul hearing his sermons and witnessing the consistent follow-up and teaching to those who responded to the gospel and believed. Paul passes on what he knows to Timothy, who passes it on to those he teaches, who then pass it on to others. That is four generations of tellers and teachers. 

This multiplication method is what God uses to spread the good news of the gospel. Jesus provides the first example. He teaches and trains his disciples and then commissions them to go teach and train others. This commission and challenge are for us today, too. One generation of Jesus’s followers is to pass along the good news and train the next generation to live out their faith. This generation shares the good news with the next, and so on. Our spiritual growth should overflow and impact those around us. 

Who is God calling you to share Jesus with? Who can you help grow in faith? Pray and ask God to show you the next step. Write in your journal any names God brings to mind. Pray for those people and then begin investing in their spiritual growth. It could be sharing the gospel, inviting them to church or meeting one-on-one for conversation to talk about the Bible. 

TUESDAY, JUNE 17TH 2025 

SOLDIER 

No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.    2 Timothy 2:4 

Paul tells Timothy to multiply the number of Jesus’s followers by using the example of a soldier. Soldiers play a key role in holding the Roman Empire together. They are keenly refined and trained representatives of the emperor’s power—totally focused on doing their job. They don’t get entangled in civilian affairs but stay focused on their orders. They are willing to suffer to gain the approval and appreciation of their commanding officer. This example encourages Timothy to stay focused on his calling from God, which is to share what he has learned with those around him and encourage their spiritual growth so they can multiply faith in the lives of others, too. 

The example of the soldier is significant for us because our goal should also be to stay focused on God. We please him by staying committed to his purpose. It’s very easy to get distracted by our latest remodeling project, our kids’ sports, travel plans, social media, golf league or book club. These things aren’t necessarily bad, but they can entangle and distract us from pursuing God and what he desires for us. We should make sure to take time for God and things that will last for eternity. 

Identify some of the good things in your life that have the potential to distract you from being intentional in your relationship with God. How can you keep those things in their proper place, so you have time to pursue God and his purpose for you? To get further insight, discuss these things with a christian friend. 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18TH 2025 

ATHLETE 

Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. 2 Timothy 2:5 

As Paul continues to urge Timothy to multiply Jesus’s disciples, he turns to the image of an athlete. Athletes train and work hard but can only win when abiding by the rules of their sport. Paul seems to urge Timothy to do the work of Jesus according to the way of Jesus. Jesus taught his followers that they are to love God and love others.  Sharing Jesus’s message and helping others grow reflects Jesus’s love and his character of grace and truth (John 1:14). 

The same is true for us. We can get caught up in doing the work of Jesus but neglect the way of Jesus. Condemnation and harsh correction can turn people away from the gospel, especially when we have not taken the time to invest in authentic, loving relationships. We can only speak truth to others if we have earned their trust. We earn trust when we display a Christlike character and spend meaningful time with people. When we love like Jesus did, we offer something different than the rest of the world. Our faith becomes irresistible and contagious to those around us. A life ruled by Christ’s love results in the ultimate victory of strengthening others in faith and inspiring faith that spreads through generations. 

Ask God to grow your character to be more and more like Jesus. Consider the Fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Identify one that you would like God to grow in you. Ask for his help to share that fruit in your interactions this week. 

THURSDAY, JUNE 19TH 2025 

FARMER  

The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.                 2 Timothy 2:6 

Paul gives Timothy a third illustration as he teaches him to multiply disciples of Jesus. Timothy should work hard like a farmer would. Without machines, farming entails long, hot days of plowing, planting, weeding and harvesting by hand. Farming requires commitment, patience and trust in God. The work was hard, but the reward was great. Long hours of perspiration led to harvested grain and bread on the table. Paul knows that if Timothy perseveres with farmer-like commitment, patience and trust, there will be a harvest of Jesus followers who can pass along what they know to others. 

The same is true for us. Investing in the lives of others is hard work that requires patience, trust in God and commitment. It requires significant patience and love to lead a small group of sixth-grade boys until they graduate from high school. Leading a women’s group requires the hard work of Bible study preparation and sometimes stepping into tough situations. Being a mentor means showing up week after week. Committing to teaching your kids about Jesus requires the consistency of Bible stories, conversations and prayer every night. But Paul teaches, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). We work and trust, and God grows the harvest. 

YouTube and listen to the song “Finished Work of Christ.” Thank God for the finished work of Jesus and for opportunities to help others grow to know him too. “So, I’ll sing Your praise with all of my heart; you buried my past so my future could start.” 

FRIDAY, JUNE 20TH 2025  

REFLECT  

Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.                     2 Timothy 2:7 

Paul tells Timothy to multiply followers of Jesus by entrusting what he’s learned to reliable people who will teach others. To emphasize his point, he gives three examples from their culture: a soldier, an athlete and a farmer. Each of these professions requires discipline and focus to reach their goals of victory in battle, receiving the crown and reaping the harvest. Then Paul says something unexpected—he tells Timothy to reflect. Paul wants Timothy to give God time and space to show him what’s next. Reflection is essential to understanding spiritual multiplication. 

Reflection is a practice that Christians have incorporated into their time with God for centuries and is beneficial for us. Reflection involves two parts. The first is slowing down in God’s presence and listening. This can include reading a Bible passage a few times slowly and prayerfully, thinking about each verse. It could be thinking and praying about growing in Christlikeness, such as humility, forgiveness or generosity. It might be inviting God to reveal what he has for us. Our part always includes God’s Word. God’s part is to impress upon us things we may not think about on our own, convict and guide us. The most important aspect of reflection is slowing down and just being with God. 

How can you make reflection a regular part of your chair time with God? Spend a few minutes asking God to show you how. Slow down, tune out distractions and be quiet so he can impress on you what he wants you to do.