III John 9-10 “I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want […]

III John 5-8 “Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. It was for the sake of the Name […]

III John 1-4 “The elder, to my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about […]

II John 12-13 “I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk to you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. The children of your chosen sister send their greetings.” I love to get mail, don’t […]

II John 7-11 “Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and […]

II John 5-6 “And now, dear lady, 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 […]

II John 4 “It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in truth, just as the Father commanded us.” Have you ever attended a Christian camp or retreat? Those events are often mountain-top experiences, with everyone in attendance determined to live their lives for God. At least, while they are […]

II John 3 “Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.” My daughter loves getting presents that are wrapped in real wrapping paper. Though gift bags are nice, she likes the feel of the paper tearing in her hands. She […]

II John 1-2 “The elder, to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth – and not I only, but also all who know the truth – because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever.” Oooh. This introduction brings a bit of a lift to […]

I John 5:21 “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” When I was a teenager, I begged my parents for a Gucci purse. A real one. Some of my friends had them, and I wanted one. I remember shopping with my mom, and spying what looked to me like a wonderful imitation, at a much lower […]