3 John 9-10 “I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.”

Diotrephes likes to put himself first…isn’t that the root of a lot of our conflict – we want our own way. “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel.” James 4:1-2

Diotrephes stirred up trouble by thinking more highly of himself than he ought. He failed to heed these warnings: “But many who are first will be last, and the last first” Matthew 19:30 and “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment,” Romans 12:3 and “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4

Diotrephes stirred up trouble because he was putting himself first. In so doing:
1. He failed to acknowledge the God-ordained authority in his life
2. He was talking against John and the others that were with him
3. He was spreading discontent
4. He refused to welcome brothers in Christ
5. He interfered with others welcoming the brothers in Christ

Bottom line – he was a trouble-maker and caused division among the brethren.

How can we apply this Scripture to ourselves? Would you pray and ask God in what ways you may stir up trouble? Do you speak behind people’s backs? Do you pass along information “so others will pray”? Do you criticize the pastor or leaders of your church? Do you pressure others to yield to your preferences? Do you show up late week after week to service? Do you intentionally wait until worship is over before arriving for service? I don’t know what it might be in your life, but will you ask God? He knows.

Diane

2 Timothy 4:1-5 “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”

“Preach the Word!” We live in such a time of history that this charge could not be more important to each and every believer. This command is not just for pastors but I believe is the responsibility of every believer in Jesus Christ. Each of us needs to be prepared to “preach” the Word of God…to boldly share the Gospel whenever an opportunity arrives whether it is good timing or not or perhaps not even the “right” setting.

Recently, Brit Hume of Fox news boldly shared on “Fox News Sunday” that Tiger Woods needed the forgiveness and redemption that only Christianity offers. A firestorm has erupted. Yet, he has not backed down from his comments and has even expanded on his comments on “The O’Reilly Factor.” Brit Hume is standing on the Truth of what the Bible teaches. Forgiveness…redemption…salvation through Jesus Christ. Mr. Hume was most definitely “prepared” to speak the Truth in and out of season and at a great personal cost.

These are the days that the world wants nothing to do with hearing the Truth about Jesus, but wants only a “pretty” lie. I’m afraid each one of us will sooner or later be in a situation where we will need to be “prepared” to preach the Word. I pray we will all take an example from Mr. Hume and speak the Truth at all times and in all places.

Be prepared.

MaryAnn

MaryAnn and John Kiernan have been married for 36 years, have 2 grown/married sons and are the proud grandparents of 3 grandsons. She serves at America’s Keswick as a Biblical Counselor and also as Intake Coordinator for the Colony of Mercy. Her life verse is Romans 8:28.

Now that you have had the weekend to consider 1 Corinthians 13, let’s consider what John has to say in 1 John. He writes some pretty strong words under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

“The second great commandment is: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 1 God’s will is that we love others. “For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”2 “And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.”3 “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.”4

Now it’s easy to love the lovable. It’s easy to love those who love us. It’s easy to love those that make us feel good. If that is all God meant He would not have commanded it because we are already inclined to love those easy

people in our lives. No, I don’t believe it stops there. God wants us to love those we are NOT inclined to love.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,'” 5 Ouch, that kind of love just isn’t natural.

Most of us have people in our lives that are not our favorite people. They may be people in our church, our neighborhood, our school, our job, even in our families. What about loving those “hard to love” people. Surely God didn’t mean them!!

“Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”6 “By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.”7

“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.”8

“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.” 9

These are very strong words and there is no doubt that love is important to God. Why do we struggle with it so?

How do we love others we are not inclined to love? It’s not natural, it’s supernatural. We need to lay down OUR life, and yield to HIS.

“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.”10

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”11

Love is indeed a very high calling.

Diane

1 Mark 12:31
2 1 John 3:11
3 1 John 3:23
4 1 John 4:11-12
5 Matthew 5:43-44
6 1 John 2:10-11
7 1 John 3:10
8 1 John 3:14
9 1 John 4:20-21
10 1 John 3:16
11 Galatians 2:20

Do you want to see how you are doing in the area of loving? Well, you could go to the “love” chapter, 1 Corinthians 13. Within this chapter you would see some very practical truths:

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Are you patient?
Are you kind?
Do you envy or boast?
Are you arrogant or rude?
Do you insist on your own way?
Are you irritable or resentful?
Do you rejoice in wrongdoing?
Do you rejoice in truth?
Do you bear all things?
Do you believe all things?
Do you hope all things?
Do you endure all things?

When I hold the mirror of God’s Word up, I don’t care for my reflection. In many of these ways, and far too often, I do not love. How about you? How well do you love?

Monday, we’ll take a look at some hard hitting verses in 1 John. This is a cakewalk compared to that.

Diane

es·tab·lish, to establish, an established heart….

My friends have a sign at their front door with their family name stating, “Established in 1985”. This was the year that they joined as one and established their family name.

What have you established in life? Have you established a family, a home, a business, a type of life for yourself, a life for someone else?

Say the word ESTABLISH….it has a unique sound to it. I have used this word many times in my life… I am sure but never really gave it much thought until…..I was doing my devotions today and Read the following:

James 5:8 ……Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

I had to read this verse a few times for it to sink in. Then it made me read the verses before and after and I found myself reading the entire book of James. Of course I enjoyed this book again that I have read before, but this time finding hidden treasures that I never realized before.

Now getting back to my new word I like to recite….Established. I had to reflect on this word and the meaning of it for a while. I looked it up in the dictionary and it says:

(dictionary.com) es·tab·lish
1.to found, institute, build, or bring into being on a firm or stable basis: to establish a university; to establish a medical practice. 2.to install or settle in a position, place, business, etc.: to establish one’s child in business. 3.to show to be valid or true; prove: to establish the facts of the matter. 4.to cause to be accepted or recognized: to establish a custom; She established herself as a leading surgeon. 5.to bring about permanently: to establish order.

In Reviewing the definition I see words like…to found, to institute, to settle in a position, to show to be true, and to bring about permanency. Now bringing this back to the book of James, it says to establish our hearts.

This made me think…have I established my heart in a “position”? Have I established my heart to be true? Have I established my heart in a permanent way?

Continuing in the verse…….for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

When we refer to something being at hand…..it usually means it is close, coming soon, nearby.

Again think on the verse with me…..Establish my heart for the coming of my Lord is at hand.

In the world we live in, it is easy to give our heart away to things of this world. It is easy to have the desires of our heart turn away from things of the Lord. It is easy to work on establishing the things we “think” are important like …establishing careers, a bank account, a status in the community and even in our church. But our heart is what needs to be established. If our heart is established in the position of loving and serving our Lord, our heart is established on the truth of His Word, and our heart is established on the permanency of trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for eternity….well, then, the rest of our establishments will fall into place.

Enjoy today and take some time to read the entire book of James. It is short but so powerful. Make sure that your heart is established correctly today and that you are ready and waiting for the coming of our Lord and Savior today.

Lynn W.

As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, ‘Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.’ But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters BY THE HAND(1), the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. Genesis 19:15-16

I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you BY THE HAND and keep you. Isaiah 42:6

…the day when I took them BY THE HAND to bring them out of the land of Egypt… Jeremiah 31:32 and Hebrews 8:9

I love the picture painted in the above Scriptures of God taking people BY THE HAND. He’s not behind them putting His shoulder into their back to push them. He’s not in front of them tugging on their arms to pull them. Rather, He has taken them BY THE HAND to lead them out of danger (as in Lot’s case) or out of the bondage of Egypt.

I have found comfort in this picture of the gentle, compassionate heart of God.

Do you ever feel like you are wandering without direction or purpose? Perhaps you are uncertain as to what your next step should be; or you know what your next step should be but you really don’t want to take it.

Let me encourage you to pray that God would take you BY THE HAND and lead you where He desires for you to go.

Do you have a loved one trapped in a life-vice either through their own choices or through circumstances beyond their own control?

Let me encourage you to pray that God would take them BY THE HAND and lead them safely to freedom.

Diane

1 CAPS mine

Judge not, that you be not judged. ~ Matthew 7:1

“Once a couple was being visited by some old high school classmates. As often happens, the couple pulled out some of their old annuals and began reminiscing about their high school days. They’d point out all the jocks, all the nerds, and all the preppies. After awhile, the couple’s little boy brought out his kindergarten class picture and immediately began describing each classmate. ‘This is Robert; he hits everyone. This is Stephen. He never listens to the teacher. This is Mark. He’s always loud.’ He proceeded to say something negative about every one of them until he got to his own picture. He pointed at it and said, ‘And this is me. I’m just sitting here being a good boy.'”1

Ouch! How often is this true of us? It’s so easy to sit or stand in judgment of others and call it something else while at the same time being more than generous in our opinions of ourselves, and not see it as prideful and arrogant.

On a daily basis we are confronted with people, places and situations just begging for our critique…or not. The way we behave sometimes, one would think we are the police of everything. The language police, the clothes police, the devotion and prayer police, the mercy and grace police…I could go on but I think you get the point. We’re always judging something or someone. If I was allowed to stick with one topic for Victory Calls this entire year it would be judging others. Why? Because we need the constant reminder to keep the main thing the main thing and it ain’t us!!

Sisters, let’s purpose today, tomorrow and everyday this year…okay, let’s purpose one day at a time, to put away a critical and judgmental spirit. Let’s purpose to require more of ourselves than we do of others. Let’s choose to stomp the spirit in us that wants to find fault, that seeks to elevate ourselves above others by comparing our walk of faith with theirs – our prayer life, our devotional life. Let’s be marked by a spirit of humility and compassion and defiantly refuse to give way to the flesh.

Stephanie

“Let it be said of us: We were marked by forgiveness,
We were known by our love and delighted in meekness,
We were ruled by His peace, heeding unity’s call,
Joined as one body that Christ would be seen by all.”2
~~ Words and music by Steve Fry

1 http://www.sonoraville.org/sermons/archives/aug05_07_am.pdf
2 http://www.southgatechurchoftoledo.org/songs/Files/Lyrics/Let_It_Be_Said_of_Us.aspx

On a daily basis I receive a newsletter from a popular TV fitness trainer. This morning I needed to hear what she said. Referring to diet and exercise she wrote, “Just because you are rehabilitated doesn’t mean you don’t have to be vigilant to guard against a relapse.” A few weeks ago I reached my goal weight (AGAIN!). Since then it has been a battle – laziness, poor eating blamed on holidays and lack of time to prepare healthy meals and vacation. All of these excuses have quickly and easily gotten me off track. But the truth is that I made it to my goal weight and I began to relax. That is a dangerous place to be. Feelings of compromise, cheating, I can skip a day; all came flooding in. Pride can easily make one believe that since I have arrived nothing can touch me. What a lie!

The same is true in our walk with Jesus. We can get pretty prideful in thinking we have arrived. We have had a wonderful transformation take place in our hearts and lives because of Christ. Then we get to thinking we have arrived safely or “made it.” Before we know it our guard is down. We are not diligent in our study and prayers. We skip prayer meeting and church…just this once… then twice. Read the quote again.

“Just because you are rehabilitated doesn’t mean you don’t have to be vigilant to guard against a relapse.”

No matter what your struggle may have been – alcohol, drugs, food, exercise, devotions – remember that you have been rehabilitated through Jesus Christ. BUT we must always be on guard so that we do not relapse into old ways of thinking and living. Keep your guard up! If you, like me, have let your guard down for a bit, get back to where you need to be! Repent of your prideful thinking that you can go it alone or that you no longer need good disciplines because you have come so far. Remember, the battle never ends. Our guard must always be up!

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 NASB

Watch over (guard) your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23 NASB

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally ,brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence, and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Philippians 4:7-8 NASB

Kathy Withers

As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him form heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are you, LORD?” the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” So he, trembling and astonished, said, “LORD, what do you want me to do?” Then the LORD said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” Acts 9 3-6

Wouldn’t it be great if we heard from God like Saul did, in audible words leaving no doubt as to whether we heard from God? Have you ever had God speak to you either audibly or in your spirit? I know there are people who do not believe that God still speaks to His children this way, but from my experience, personally and professionally, my own belief is that He still does speak to His own.

There have been times when I knew, that I knew, that I knew God had spoken to me and no one would have been able to convince me otherwise. But God doesn’t always speak to me this way; in fact for me it is the exception rather than the rule. That is not to say that God doesn’t communicate to me in other ways.

Most of the time, God speaks to me directly through His Word as the text that I’ve read dozens of times suddenly seems to jump off the page at me or I see something in the text I never saw the other 35 times I read it.

Sometimes we miss “hearing” God’s voice because we are looking for the dramatic Damascus Road experience when God has chosen to subtly whisper to our heart. Are your heart and spirit poised to hear from God today in whatever way He sees fit to “speak”? Listen intentionally. Listen intently.

Diane

Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary? These are the three questions the Holy Spirit is teaching me to ask lately relative to my tongue and emails or any other form of communication I may be inclined to speak by.

It is so easy to speak without thinking, isn’t it? To speak without regard for how one’s words may impact the hearer is a problem that is common to all and one that is not easily remedied apart from a constant awareness of grace.

Moment-by-moment, day-by-day we have to choose to care how our words will affect others. We have to want to consider others more highly than ourselves and then choose to speak only what is edifying to the one who hears.
I wish I could say I succeed at this all the time but if I did I’d certainly be lying. So instead I’ll be honest and give glory to God for His Word – His faithful Word which is always right, true, good, and ready to teach me how to “go and sin no more” against those whom He loves and whom I want to love.

Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. ~ Ephesians 4:25-32

Enough said.

Stephanie