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The Elder: To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in truth. - 3 John 1     John, the apostle, lived a long life. In this, his third letter, he called himself "The Elder," which is probably a reference to his role in the early church as well as his advancing years and even though his life on earth was nearing an end, John still felt he had something to say. Sometimes, when I think about growing old, I wonder if when my life is over, I will have made a difference in this world.  

Do not reprove a scoffer, lest he hate you, reprove a wise man and he will love you. Give knowledge to a wise man and he will be still wiser, make a righteous man know it, and he will increase his learning. - Prov. 9:8–9.   In his, what I would call the "litany of a disciple maker," Solomon gave some simple instruction to those who act in a position of spiritual or moral leadership of others. Applying this instruction, it is possible for us to evaluate the personal maturity o

The children of your elect sister send you greetings. - 2 John 13     John wrote to one church and then spoke of another calling it "your elect sister." Earlier in this same letter, he had referred to the first church as "the elect lady." These titles are also in agreement with the apostle Paul who wrote in his letter to the church at Ephesus that the church was the "bride of Christ." What does this mean? Every church should always strive to be the perfect mate for a perfect

Yahweh made me at the beginning of His creation, before His works of long ago. I was formed before ancient times, from the beginning, before the earth began. - Proverbs 8:22-23     What did God create first?   Genesis 1:1 says that He created the heavens and the earth, but were they really "first?" Apparently not, for even before the angels were created, before anything else that God would make, He made wisdom .   God began with wisdom because:   in wisdom, the foundations of

Though I have many things to write to you, I don't want to do so with paper and ink. Instead, I hope to be with you and talk face to face so that our joy may be complete. - 2 John 12     One thing I have learned over the years is the importance of good communication. Many people make the mistake of assuming they have communicated (information, thoughts, feelings, emotions) with others when, in fact, they have not and unfortunately such assumptions can sometimes ruin or strain

I saw among the inexperienced, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking sense. - Proverbs 7:7     Isn't this statement sort of like saying, "Hey, I found a needle in a needle-stack"? Most of us are familiar with the term, "youthful indiscretion" and (if we are honest) most of us have also personally experienced the consequences of being "indiscrete." To be indiscrete is to have displayed a lack of good judgment, and among young people, the malady is more common than no

If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home, and don't say, "Welcome," to him for the one who says, "Welcome," to him shares in his evil works. - 2 John 10-11 Is there ever a time when it is acceptable to be impolite? Overseas, I learned that it was impolite to refuse to receive another person into your home. Yet John wrote that if someone does not bring the teaching of Christ (in other words, teaches heresy), you should not wel

Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established. - Proverbs 4:26 I used to have a bad habit. Okay, maybe more than one (and I still have some of them), but let's not go there today . I sometimes speak before I think. Sometimes I even speak to think. I call this "thinking out loud," and no it is not the same as talking to yourself, which I have also been known to do. Of course, it is easy to see why these practices are not always wise and ca

Anyone who does not remain in the teaching about Christ, but goes beyond it, does not have God. The one who remains in that teaching, this one has both the Father and the Son. - 2 John 9 I once spoke to an Islamic friend on the subject of Jesus Christ, and he said that he thought Jesus had remained buried for 80 years after His death. Of course, this man had not received this information from the Bible, but from a teacher of his religion. As sad as this was to hear, it is ju

Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead. Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established. - Proverbs 4:25-26 How successful are you at maintaining your focus? Some of us are better at short-term efforts that demand intense concentration (dead-liners) with few variables and others prefer long-term aspirations that allow for more freedom and maneuverability. While we are all susceptible to distractions, short or long-term spirit

Watch yourselves so that you don't lose what we have worked for, but you may receive a full reward. - 2 John 8 Is it possible for a Christ-Follower to lose his salvation? If not, then why does it seem that John is warning the church about it? And if not their salvation, what are they in danger of losing? John wrote these early believers to warn them about the loss of their reward. Each Christ-Follower is going to receive eternal rewards in accordance with their obedience to

When it is in your power, don't withhold good from the one to whom it is due. Don't say to your neighbor, "Go away! Come back later. I'll give it tomorrow" -- when it is there with you. - Proverbs 3:27-28 When my wife and I lived in Africa we would often have people show up at our home asking for money. Public begging is common in that part of Africa, and I didn't begrudge true needs, but sometimes I would send them away with nothing (particularly if I had previously given t

Many deceivers have gone out into the world; they do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. - 2 John 7 What is the "spirit of the antichrist?" Is it a person or a system of belief? Maybe it is both. According to John, the spirit of the antichrist does not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. There are many religions and cults in the world that affirm this belief. Some are popular and some are not. Some are ra

When it is in your power, don’t withhold good from the one it belongs to. - Proverbs 3:27 Sin (missing God's mark of holiness) can obviously come in many forms, but generally speaking it breaks down into two broad categories: sins of commission (doing the wrong thing) or sins of omission (not doing the right thing). In the statement above, it appears that Solomon was addressing the latter of the two, yet the sin addressed might actually be classified as theft or, at least, h

And this is love: that we walk according to His commands. This is the command as you have heard it from the beginning: you must walk in love. - 2 John 6 Jesus, when asked which commandment was the greatest, said that it is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. He then said that the second is similar in that you are also to love your neighbor as yourself. This is why John said that to love is to live according to the commandments of God. For

For wisdom will enter your mind, and knowledge will delight your heart. - Proverbs 2:10 For every young person there exists two very divergent paths: the path to pain and destruction or the path to life and joy (not that this path doesn't have its own pain). The world will take you down the first path and God's wisdom will lead you down the second. Why is it then that so many young people, even those that claim to have a personal relationship with Christ, choose the wrong pat

So now I urge you, lady -- not as if I were writing you a new command, but one we have had from the beginning -- that we love one another. - 2 John 5 One thing I learned through my overseas work was that it is a privilege to own a Bible. Most people in developing countries, even Christ-followers, don't have one. On the other hand, as a pastor in the U.S., I understand that the problem is (usually) not with ownership. Many people own a Bible. They just don't read it. Some thi

Do not trust in nobles, in man, who cannot save. When his breath leaves him, he returns to the ground; on that day his plans die. - Psalm 146:3-4 Where, in whom, or in what have you put your trust? Sometimes, it seems that people put their trust in their resources. Unfortunately, in many cases, culture has encouraged this trust (and dependence) and as a result destroyed or created a barrier to trust in God. Maybe this occurred because we (even as Christ-followers) have become

I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, in keeping with a command we have received from the Father. - 2 John 4 The nature of the missionary work that my wife and I conducted when in Africa often meant that we were not able to return to a village for some time after an initial visit. When we were able to share the Good News and some responded, it was difficult to leave them. We prayed and hoped that some fruit would remain, but we could never be sure.

All You have made will praise You, Yahweh; the godly will bless You. - Psalm 145:10 Do you worship God? Please understand that I'm not asking if you "attend" a church, because from my experience it is possible to be involved in that activity and never actually worship. Without removing personal responsibility, much of what occurs in "worship services" today seems more directed at improving our feelings than worshiping the Creator. David wrote that all God has made will praise