Category Archives: 2 & 3 John

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God Made in Man’s Image

Let Us Always Ask, “God, What Do You Prefer?”

Getting Closer to Jesus: The Samaritan woman who encountered Jesus at the well of Sychar was subconsciously looking for a god made in her image—a god to her specifications. This was fairly common among worshipers not only in Jesus’ day but in ours as well. It occurs when we attempt to come to God on our terms rather than his; when we make worship more about us and what we like than about God and what he likes; when, in effect, we recreate God in our image rather than approaching him as beings created in his image.

That was the problem with the worship of the Samaritans. They had corrupted worship to fit their own needs to the point Jesus said, “You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship.” (John 4:22, NLT) They had become Burger King worshipers. Do you remember the old Burger King advertisement? “Hold the pickle, hold the lettuce, special orders don’t upset us. Have it your way.”

That little jingle is fitting for what we modern day “Samaritans” are doing with our experience of worship. We love a customized church experience. We expect worship services to be tailor-made just for us. We expect the praise, programs, and preaching to satisfy our preferences. We want church designed to meet our needs, music tuned to our exact tastes, preachers crafted to our specifications, messages that mesmerize, and a made to order God—a “Burger King God” who says, “Have it your way”.

Some time ago, Los Angeles Magazine ran an article called “God For Sale”. The author said, “It is no surprise that when today’s affluent young professionals return to church they want to do it only on their own terms. But what is amazing is how far the churches are going to oblige them.” Newsweek Magazine added, “They’ve developed a pick and choose Christianity in which individuals take what they want and pass over what does not fit their spiritual goals…”

Nothing can be further from the “spirit and truth” worshiper of verse 24 that Jesus said God the Father is seeking. When it comes to God, and the way you worship him, you need to start saying, “Have it your way”. Me too!

If you learn what it means to do that, you will drink water from an altogether different kind of well—and you will never thirst again!

Take the Next Step: Honestly evaluate your worship expectations. Do you approach worship by asking God how he prefers your worship? Or do you tell God, albeit in not so many words, “This is how I want it”? If it is the latter, a little repentance is in order.

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Church Bullies

Read: III John 1

Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. (III John 1:9-10)

It is a sad given that in most churches there are those who assume the position of “church boss.”  Perhaps they do so because of their years of service in the church, or their level of financial support, or they assume their success outside the church translates into authority inside it, or perhaps their talents and spiritual gifts give them more visibility than the average church attendee.

Whatever the reason, they assume a position of power.  They begin to call the shots.  They push for their preferences.  They oppose the direction of the true spiritual leaders of the church.  They are spiritual bullies, making the flock miserable and squeezing the life of the Spirit right out of the fellowship. In far too many churches, “church bosses” (there may be several in one church) prevent the church from being a prevailing force in its community that God intends.  Rather, through a foothold created by their bullying, a controlling spirit attaches itself to the church and Satan gains the upper hand.

The mark of authentic spiritual leadership in a church is not power, but humility.  The one who leads best leads from a position of servanthood and sacrifice.  True leaders deflect praise and acknowledgment back to God rather than grabbing it for themselves.  They care more about the unity of the Spirit rather than having their own way. They willingly lay down their life (their rights, wishes, preferences and position) for the glory of God and the health of the church.

Now here’s the deal:  “Church bosses” only maintain their position of power as they are empowered by the people.  So, my friend,  don’t give them any!  Be very careful to ascribe authority and give “followership” in your fellowship only to those who lead authentically—humbly, sacrificially and for the praise and glory of God alone.

It is not an overstatement to say that the life and health of your church and the reputation of the Kingdom of God in your community depends on it.

Father, may a spirit of humility characterize my fellowship through and through.  Remove any vestiges of pride, control and selfishness.  Make us into a church of servants, for your name’s sake.

“The moment you wake up each morning, all your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists in shoving it all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other, larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in.”  ~C.S. Lewis

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Love—But Keep Your Eyes Open!

Read: II John 1

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. (II John 1:5-6)

Love is more than just a feeling, although feelings of love are quite nice.  The emotion of love is only a small part of the love equation.  If you base your love on feelings and emotions, your love will be inconsistent and unpredictable—there one day and gone the next.

True love is much more than that.  The highest expression of love is to obey the commands of God.  And the commands of God are best summed up in the great commandment:  To love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength…and to love your neighbor as yourself.

True love means to put God first.  True love means to give your heart and soul in full devotion to the Heavenly Father.  True love means to accept his Son, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  True love means to fully commit your life to God’s purposes.  True love means to lay down your life for other believers.  True love means to share your faith with lost people.  True love means to care about the things that God cares about.  True love is all of those things, and more.

But true love is not naïve.  True love does not mean accepting all things and all people.  True love does not mean blind tolerance and unlimited inclusiveness.  The truth is, there is evil in the world, and true love hates that evil.  And since evil is at its best when it masquerades as good, true love requires great discernment and constant alertness.  True love is required to oppose those who worm their way into the church with deceptive doctrines that have the potential to lead people away from the truth and thus destroy their souls.

That’s what John’s second epistle is all about.  Though very brief, his letter is powerful and pointed.  He is writing to the leaders of the church, exhorting them to continue to love, but to love with an eye out for ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing that are penetrating the fellowship, seeking to devour the flock.

God’s call to love is the same for you and me as it was for these people to whom John wrote.  We are to invest our lives in loving.  But our love isn’t true unless it is willing to reject falsehood and oppose evil people, especially when both try to pass themselves off as good.

By all means, love—but keep your eyes open!

Father, give me a discerning love!

“The safest road to hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” ~C.S. Lewis

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Church Bosses

Read III John

“Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us.”
(III John 1:9)

Thoughts… It is a sad given that in most churches there are those who assume the position of “church boss.” Perhaps they do so because of their years of service in the church. Maybe they believe their high level of financial support gives them spiritual clout. It could be they assume their success outside the church should translate into authority inside the church. Or perhaps their natural talents and spiritual gifts, which give them more visibility than the average church attendee, provide them with the leverage to lead.

Whatever the reason, they assume a position of power. They begin to call the shots. They push for their preferences. They oppose the direction of the true spiritual leaders of the church. They make the flock miserable. And they begin to squeeze the life out of the fellowship.

In far too many churches, “church bosses” (there may be several in one church) prevent the church from being a prevailing force in its community that God intends. In those churches, a controlling spirit attaches itself to the fellowship through the foothold provided by these people, and Satan gains the upper hand.

The mark of authentic spiritual leadership in a church is not power, but humility. The one who leads best leads from a position of servanthood and sacrifice. True leaders deflect praise and acknowledgement back to God rather than grabbing it for themselves. They care more about the unity of the Spirit than having their own way. They willingly lay down their life (their rights, wishes, preferences and position) for the glory of God and the health of the church.

“Church bosses” only maintain their position of power as they are empowered by the people. So be careful with ascribing authority in your fellowship only to those who lead authentically—humbly, sacrificially and for the praise and glory of God.

It is not an overstatement to say that the life and health of your church depends on it.

Prayer… Father, may a spirit of humility characterize my fellowship through and through. Remove any vestiges of pride, control and selfishness. Make us into a church of servants, for your name’s sake.

One More Thing… “The moment you wake up each morning, all your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists in shoving it all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other, larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in.” —C.S. Lewis

Posted on

Love—But Keep One Eye Open

Read II John

“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.”
(II John 1:5-6)

Thoughts… Love is more than just a feeling, although feelings of love are quite nice. The emotion of love is only a small part of the love equation. If you base your love on feelings and emotions, your love will be inconsistent and unpredictable—there one day and gone the next.

True love is much more than that. The highest expression of love is to obey the commands of God. And the commands of God are best summed up in the great commandment: To love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength…and to love your neighbor as yourself. (Mathew 22:36-40)

True love means to put God first. True love means to give your heart and soul in full devotion to the Heavenly Father. True love means to accept his Son, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. True love means to fully commit your life to God’s purposes. True love means to lay down your life for other believers. True love means to share your faith with lost people. True love means to care about the things that God cares about. True love is all of those things, and more.

But true love is not naïve. True love does not mean accepting all things and all people. True love does not mean blind tolerance and unlimited inclusiveness. The truth is, there is evil in the world, and true love hates that evil. And since evil is at its best when it masquerades as good, true love requires great discernment and constant alertness. True love is required to oppose those who worm their way into the church with deceptive doctrines that have the potential to lead people away from the truth and thus destroy their souls.

That’s what John’s second epistle is all about. Though very brief, his letter is powerful and pointed. He is writing to the leader of the church, exhorting them to continue to love, but to love with an eye out for ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing that are penetrating the fellowship, seeking to devour the flock.

God’s call to love is the same for you and me as it was for these people to whom John wrote. We are to invest our lives in loving. But our love isn’t true unless it is willing to reject falsehood and oppose evil people, especially when both try to pass themselves off as good.

By all means, love—but keep one eye open!

Prayer… Father, give me a discerning love!

One More Thing… “The safest road to hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” —C.S. Lewis

Posted on

Church Bosses

Read: III John 1:1-15

“Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us.”
(III John 1:9-10)

Thoughts… It is a given that in most churches, sadly, there are those who assume the position of “church boss.” Perhaps they do so because of their years of service in the church, or their level of financial support, or they assume their success outside the church translates into authority inside it, or perhaps their talents and spiritual gifts give them more visibility than the average church attendee.

Whatever the reason, they assume a position of power. They begin to call the shots. They push for their preferences. They oppose the direction of the true spiritual leaders of the church. They make the flock miserable. And they begin to squeeze the life out of the fellowship.

In far too many churches, “church bosses” (there may be several in one church) prevent the church from being a prevailing force in its community that God intends. Rather, a controlling spirit attaches itself to the church through the foothold provided by these people, and Satan gains the upper hand.

The mark of authentic spiritual leadership in a church is not power, but humility. The one who leads best leads from a position of servanthood and sacrifice. True leaders deflect praise and acknowledgement back to God rather than grabbing it for themselves. They care more about the unity of the Spirit rather than having their own way. They willingly lay down their life (their rights, wishes, preferences and position) for the glory of God and the health of the church.

“Church bosses” only maintain their position of power as they are empowered by the people. So be careful to ascribe authority in your fellowship only to those who lead authentically—humbly, sacrificially and for the praise and glory of God.

It is not an overstatement to say that the life and health of your church depends on it.

Prayer… Father, may a spirit of humility characterize my fellowship through and through. Remove any vestiges of pride, control and selfishness. Make us into a church of servants, for your name’s sake.

One More Thing… “The moment you wake up each morning, all your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists in shoving it all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other, larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in.” —C.S. Lewis

Posted on

Love Is Not Naive

Read: II John 1:1-13

“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.”
(II John 1:5-6)

Thoughts… Love is more than just a feeling, although feelings of love are quite nice. The emotion of love is only a small part of the love equation. If you base your love on feelings and emotions, your love will be inconsistent and unpredictable—there one day and gone the next.

True love is much more than that. The highest expression of love is to obey the commands of God. And the commands of God are best summed up in the great commandment: To love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength…and to love your neighbor as yourself.

True love means to put God first. True love means to give your heart and soul in full devotion to the Heavenly Father. True love means to accept his Son, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. True love means to fully commit your life to God’s purposes. True love means to lay down your life for other believers. True love means to share your faith with lost people. True love means to care about the things that God cares about. True love is all of those things, and more.

But true love is not naïve. True love does not mean accepting all things and all people. True love does not mean blind tolerance and unlimited inclusiveness. The truth is, there is evil in the world, and true love hates that evil. And since evil is at its best when it masquerades as good, true love requires great discernment and constant alertness. True love is required to oppose those who worm their way into the church with deceptive doctrines that have the potential to lead people away from the truth and thus destroy their souls.

That’s what John’s second epistle is all about. Though very brief, his letter is powerful and pointed. He is writing to the leader of the church, exhorting them to continue to love, but to love with an eye out for ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing that are penetrating the fellowship, seeking to devour the flock.

God’s call to love is the same for you and me as it was for these people to whom John wrote. We are to invest our lives in loving. But our love isn’t true unless it is willing to reject falsehood and oppose evil people, especially when both try to pass themselves off as good.

By all means, love—but keep your eyes open!

Prayer… Father, give me a discerning love!

One More Thing… “The safest road to hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” —C.S. Lewis