Hey Bible readers, I'm Tara Lee Cobble and I'm your host for the Bible recap.

If you're doing our new Testament plan, you've finished book 21 today and if you're doing

the whole Bible, you've finished your 60th book.

This is also our last of Paul's letters or our final Pauline epistle if you're feeling

fancy.

But you can only say it like that if you're wearing a monocle.

I have to make some jokes because this day in the reading plan always makes me sad.

It's where our time with Paul comes to an end.

He's in prison in Rome probably for the second time and he's awaiting his trial and expects

to be executed.

And he's right.

He writes this letter to his mentee Timothy to give a few final instructions, but it also

seems just out of loneliness.

He's been abandoned by lots of people because he keeps landing in prison, which not only means

it's easy for people to forget him because out of sight out of mind, but also because

his frequent imprisonments have added up to a less than stellar reputation.

When bad things keep happening to a person, it's easy to assume they're doing something

wrong.

But as we know, Paul is in prison for doing something right, the very best thing.

In verses 6-7, he reminds Timothy and probably himself that if we don't actively engage

in the gift of our faith, we'll default to fear.

But because God has granted us faith, we have access to power, love, and self control

...