Demetrius, Worthy to be Imitated (3 John 11-14)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 05-28-04

 

My Worship Time      Focus:  Demetrius, worthy to be imitated

 

Bible Reading & Meditation             Reference:  3John 11-14

 

            Message of the verse:  “11  Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.  12 ¶  Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself; and we also bear witness, and you know that our witness is true.  13  I had many things to write to you, but I am not willing to write them to you with pen and ink; 14  but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.”  (NASB)

            In verse eleven John is giving encouragement to Gaius, and also cautioning him not to do what is evil, like what Diotrephes was doing in the church.  He then goes on in verse twelve to talk about Demetrius who is a man that can be imitated.  John writes that Demetrius is a man who has received a good report from everyone, with I sure the exception of Diotrephes.  I believe that John is speaking of all the members of the church and or course John himself.  He is a man who walks in the truth of the Word of God and gives testimony that what John and the others who know the truth to be. 

            John concludes his letter in verses thirteen and fourteen in a very similar way he did 2John.  He says that he plans to visit them and to talk face to face with them, and I am sure deal with the problem Diotrephes is causing in the church.  He goes on to say “peace be with you.”  Peace is the possession of adequate resources, says George Morrison.  The adequate resource that all believers have is Jesus Christ.

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Te definition of peace is the one thing that jumped out at me as I read over this portion of Scripture.  There are far too many times when I do not rely upon the Adequate Resource that I have.

 

The Word of God was encouraging to my heart as I read it this morning, and it was also convicting to me.

 

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to trust the Lord to open the doors that He would like me to go through, to separate the best from the good.

 

Memory verses for the week:  1Cor. 13:1,2

 

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.