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Christian Devotional – August 28, 2014
Read 3 John VERSE: 3 John 14–I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name. TRUTH: Personal connection and the peace of God: they go together. We have a great opportunity to experience and share that peace with others every single day. When we connect with others, do we convey peace and assurance that God has everything worked out? We can work together to strengthen each other and to experience God’s perfect peace. RESPONSE: Father, I am stronger together with other believers than I am apart. Your peace is more easily…
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Christian Devotional – August 27, 2014
Read 3 John VERSE: 3 John 13–I have much to write to you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. TRUTH: In today’s world it is so easy to send an email or text and think that takes care of everything. We use written words to communicate a lot of things. However, even back in this day and time, John recognized the need for personal connection. How much time do we spend face to face or voice to voice with others? We can create such strong connections with people if we will take the time to actually call or meet with others. Do we show…
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Christian Devotional – August 26, 2014
Read 3 John VERSE: 3 John 12–Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone–and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true. TRUTH: A lot of people are speaking well of Demetrius, but the main one listed is that the truth speaks well of him. Demetrius is lining up with the truth. It doesn’t matter who speaks well of us, if we are not following the truth and having the truth speak well of us, we have missed it. As the old saying goes: please God, and those who please God will be pleased with you. All you can do…
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Christian Devotional – August 25, 2014
Read 3 John VERSE: 3 John 11–Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. TRUTH: Sometimes we try to make things so complicated, yet following Christ is really this easy. We are to imitate what is good and through Him working and moving in our lives, we will do what is good and what is of God. Who or what are we trying to be like today? God is to be our example for how to respond in every situation. RESPONSE: Father, You are good and everything…
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Christian Devotional – August 24, 2014
Read 3 John VERSE: 3 John 10–So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. No satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. TRUTH: John goes into more detail about the situation he brought up in the previous verse. Diotrophes is spreading lies, refusing hospitality, and then throwing out of the church those who are being hospitable. What is John going to do? He plans to confront Diotrophes and call out what he is doing wrong. There are sins and evil in…
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Christian Devotional – August 23, 2014
Read 3 John VERSE: 3 John 9–I wrote to the church, but Diotrophes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. TRUTH: It’s hard to imagine a church leader like John not being welcome in the church, yet that is exactly what he writes here. Instead, a prideful and arrogant man refused to welcome him. You see, when someone loves to be first, they will turn away anyone who might threaten their number 1 position. Do we think more highly of ourselves than we should? That pride can blind us to people and circumstances around us. Do we love to be first? If so, we will always turn away…
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Christian Devotional – August 22, 2014
Read 3 John VERSE: 3 John 8–We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth. TRUTH: “Show hospitality,” “work together,” and “for the truth” are all phrases that really stand out in this verse. Do we actually act out and demonstrate the kindness of hospitality? Do we foster and encourage Christians to work together and when we work together is it for the purpose of sharing the truth of Jesus Christ? These are great questions that we can ask about everything that we do. As we examine our life today? What are the answers? RESPONSE: Father, give me a spirit of…
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Christian Devotional – August 21, 2014
Read 3 John VERSE: 3 John 7–It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. TRUTH: When we are going about the work that God has provided for us to do, those who didn’t believe in God will not understand and not be of help. We shouldn’t expect them to be. When we are following God, we should expect to receive help from God. Others who believe in God and are following God will also be able to help us, but unless the person has that understanding of why we are going about doing the work of God in the first…
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Christian Devotional – August 20, 2014
Read 3 John VERSE: 3 John 6–They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. TRUTH: Do we show excellent hospitality skills? In the culture when this was written, hospitality was extremely important, but here John gives a new definition of true hospitality: “send them on their way in a manner that honors God.” When we meet people, when we work with people, or anytime we interact with people are we sending them on their way in a manner that honors God? RESPONSE: Father, keep me focused on this today so that every person I encounter today will fell…
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Christian Devotional – August 19, 2014
Read 3 John VERSE: 3 John 5–Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. TRUTH: No matter where we are or what we are doing, we have a relationship with other Christians in the world. We are to pray for them and support them and lift them up even if we don’t know them personally. When they hurt, we hurt for we are all part of the body of Christ. Do we look for ways to be faithful and show our support for our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world? RESPONSE: Father, I am…