TWO SHORT LETTERS
Today’s Reading: 2 – 3 John
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
The ruins of Ephesus. The top of the ancient Celsus Library can be seen lit by the sun just beyond the pillars. John’s two letters, today’s reading, were probably written from here. Ephesus spawned many religious cults. John writes, “Many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh” (2 John 1:7).
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verses: 2 John 1:5, 3 John 1:5-6
And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another…
Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well.
John’s primary message in his Gospel and in his three letters is about God’s love and “that we love one another.” Second John teaches how to behave as Christians, and how to recognize any teaching which diminishes the Person of Jesus Christ by teaching that He was an angelic spirit who was not 100% human as well as 100% God! Let’s not forget that while John was a most loving person, he was also referred to by Jesus as one of the “sons of thunder” (“Boanerges” in Greek – Mark 3:17). Because he loved God and people, John was able to thunder out his message of uncompromising truth, particularly the truth about the One with whom he spent over three years.
In his third letter, John refers to a previous letter which he had written, perhaps First or Second John, which had been rejected by “Diotrephes,” a leader in one of the churches. Religious cult founders are much like this man who “loved the preeminence,” who “spoke malicious words,” and who exalts himself into a place of egotistical religious authority. Gaius and Demetrius are two generous and humble men. We would do well to follow their examples.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, I did not have the glorious opportunity that John had. He spent all that time with You during Your ministry in the Galilee and Jerusalem, and he was there at the cross when You died. He even fished with his brother James, with Peter and Andrew, and with You, Lord, when You caused great catches of fish, as well as when You miraculously fed the 4,000 and the 5,000. I pray for the sense to know that John knew You better than I ever could, and for the grace to accept and believe John’s words about You. In Your Name I ask this. Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I find it hard to imagine how inflated are the opinions some have of themselves, that they think they know better than the Prophets and Apostles, who gave us the historical record of God interacting with His human family. The wanderings of the imaginations of some who teach false doctrines, like Diotrephes, are with us in books, lectures in universities, media appearances, etc. Now, 2,000 years later, there are still some who are getting attention who think they know the facts better than those who were actually there when the events described happened. In order to deceive people, the devil even comes as an angel of light, deceiving many. There are false doctrines brought to our doors. The founder of one of these says he got his information from an angel (Mormonism), and another founder was an independent minister in Brooklyn, NY, who was bitter against other Pastors in his area. He claimed to know the Greek language in which the New Testament was written, but in the records of a court of law in which he appeared, he could not name the letters of the Greek alphabet. He resurrected the false doctrines which John thundered against. Then it was called “Arianism;” today it’s “The Watchtower Society” or “Jehovah’s Witnesses.”
Yours for “Truth,” John’s message, and for living out that truth as did “the elect lady and her children.” Also for learning from the godliness and generosity of Gaius, and for following the example of the one who “has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself,” Demetrius!!
David
P.S. If readers have the time, I suggest going back into the blogs and reviewing all three of John’s letters. Tomorrow, God willing, we’ll be in the book of Obadiah.
Thank you, David. I definitely will review John’s three letters. John’s words reiterated the love of Jesus. “I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.” We, the saints, walk in love, for You, Lord Jesus. Today is my beautiful nephew Jon’s 40th birthday. I ask for special prayer for him, that he comes to know and claim Jesus Christ, as his personal Lord and Saviour, and feels His ultimate love. Also, praying for the rain to end and weather to be well for today’s Azusa Revival at the LA Coliseum with Bill Johnson and Lou Engle. They are on fire for the Lord!! We are live streaming it at Kingsway Christian Church in Kingston, ON at 6 pm. Blessings dearest saints, in the Lord!
“…The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Sam 16:7, NIV)
Good Good Father, Chris Tomlin, with lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_m5ZWchiZo&nohtml5=False
Praying for your nephew Jon, that he would receive a special revelation of His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and would come to know him as such. In Jesus name I ask, amen.
Thanks, Sherry! Bless you!
Praying for your nephew Jon, Beverlee, for the Holy Spirit to draw him into the Kingdom of Light out of the Kingdom of darkness, in the mighty Name of Jesus I pray for the Glory of Our Father in Heaven. Amen!
Question: Is this the same Bill Johnson, who along with Rick Joyner, attempted to rehabilitalize, Tod Bentley, the disgraced evangelist ot the so called Lakeland Florida Revival of a few years ago. Along with other say we entered a new apostolic age in 2001 and proclaim they are the new apostles and prophets that are even greater than the original apostles.
If so, people please note that the Bible says nothing about this happening. I for one refuse to accept any such extra biblical teaching. Be very very careful what you accept. When testing such teaching we must alway do what the Bible tells to do, “to the law and the testimony,” meaning we test any teaching against what the Bible teaches.
Thank you for your comment, Don. I was not aware of this and have googled it. My pastor supports Bill Johnson but at the same time, he is very Biblical and Scriptural oriented, as David Mainse is. I am going to run this by him and show him the link I came to with all the names you mentioned. Bless you!
“Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God”.
Teaching tolerance or intolerance – Does this fall in line with the beatitude of Jesus as written above?
Have a blessed day blog friends
What a good word this morning, thank you Pastor David. True words filled with love spoken by the Apostle John…thanks for bringing more light on them and the genuineness of them!!
Agreed in prayer with you Pastor!!
Great Picture, thank you Rev. Reynold!!
Thanks for your blog today, David. Praying the Lord will reveal Himself to your nephew Jon, Beverlee and he will enter into a personal relationship with Him and serve Him. Heard a lady evangelist today from Saskatchewan speak on Apostle Paul having a song in the night(Acts 16: 23-26) which helped change our perspective. Prayed your prayer David. Blessings saints!
Lord God please send the Holy Spirit to speak to Jon! Give him a “miracle” that does not leave any doubt as to whom sent the miracle!
Lord I ask that You do the same for the Mormans and the JWs! Lord You turned water into wine! You removed smokes/alcohol from me and took my broken leg and gave me swimming 21 years ago! Lord You brought to woman together, who never knew each other before and a MIRACLE happened! one needs a blood transfusion and the other had the right blood type! Lord You can do all things! You can make people do a 360 degree turnaround! You did this for Mickey Rooney! You can do this Lord! We give You all the praise and thanks and the glory and we thank You for receiving people where they are! Let us never doubt the power of prayer! Let us give thanks to the Lord God Almighty! AMEN!