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Without guidance, people fall, but with many counselors there is deliverance. - Proverbs 11:14 One of the "jobs" of a pastor is to provide biblical pastoral counseling in a context of general care and feeding of the local flock. Most pastors consider the counseling they give to be "biblical," because they work very hard to separate their personal opinion from God's objective truth, no matter the situation. While they certainly aren't always successful in these endeavors, most

For I was very glad when some brothers came and testified to your [faithfulness] to the truth -- how you are walking in the truth. - 3 John 3 The apostle John was "very glad" when he heard that his friend (Gaius) was walking in the truth. What is the significance or importance of a person "walking in the truth?" Why should we do the same? A walk in the truth is not without risk, but it is secure for all eternity. A walk in the truth is not without fault, but it is full of Go

When there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but the one who controls his lips is wise. - Proverbs 10:19 Typically, in American society, we value or esteem those who don't talk too much. Even if a person lacks great intellect, we may consider him to be intelligent simply because of his silence. Of course, many of us are familiar with the old adage (attributed to Mark Twain) that goes like this: “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool

Dear friend, I pray that you may prosper in every way and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. - 3 John 2 When we pray for our friends, what should we include in those prayers? Usually, our prayers are for good health (or something similar). We might also pray for their prosperity or work. Sometimes we even pray for their family. In other words, we seem to most often focus on the "externals" (tangible, material things) and avoid the "internals" (things that are

Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will learn more. - Proverbs 9:9 There are many possible indicators of a person's wisdom. Some, like gray hair and advancing years, may be cultural, while others may be more measurable, like advanced academic degrees. There is, however, another mark of wisdom that has nothing to do with age or education. In fact, age and education may hinder its development. It is teachability. The truly wise will r

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