Third John Devotional

Daily Inspiration to Bless Your Life

Third John

Devotional Page

Monday - Thursday 

Devotionals written by

Beth McLendon

A Guide

to this page...

Monday - 

A short devotional on
Verse 2

Tuesday

A short devotional on
Verse 4

Wednesday

A devotional highlighting each of the
three
named people

Thursday

A video devotional
on
verses 12 - 13 

Monday

Verse 2

Third John

gives us an insight into

a supernatural blessing of God.

Verse 2 says,

"Beloved, I wish above all things

that thou mayest prosper and be in health,

even as thy soul prospereth."

Your soul is your

Mind

Will

and

Emotions.

When your soul prospers spiritually,

then

your body

and even your finances

are more prosperous

than

they would have been otherwise.

**

That does not mean that

any of us will have perfect health or finances. 

Here are pages you might like:

Prayer and insights for Health

Prayer for Money

Tuesday

Verse 4

I have no greater joy

than to hear that my children walk in truth.

God tells us in this verse 

how to bring John joy.

And

how to bring

God joy. 

JOY!

So...

Don't just KNOW the Truth...

Walk the Truth!

Wednesday

Characters in Third John

First

Gaius

Gaius

Verse 1

"To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.

Gaius is a good friend and doing good works in the church."

Verses 2-4

"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. ³ For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified

of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.

⁴ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in ^[a]truth."

Gaius is seen as a blessing in the church.

Paul joyfully highlights, commends, and encourages

Gaius

in Third John.

Diotrephes

Verses 9 -11

"I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. ¹⁰ Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind

his deeds which he does, prating * against us with malicious words. And not

content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids

those who wish to, putting them out of the church.

¹¹ Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good

is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God."

* Prating - Talking nonsense

Diotrephes is seen as a hindrance in the church.

Diotrephes has pretty much taken over the church.

Diotrephes creates

ungodly

Division.

Romans 16:17 NKJV says

"Now I urge you, brethren,

note those who cause divisions and offenses,

contrary to the doctrine which you learned,

and

avoid them.

For those who are such

do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ,

but their own belly,

and by

smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple."

Diotrephes creates

ungodly

Strife.

See

Proverbs 6:16-19 NASB

“There are six things which the

LORD hates,

Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:

Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,

And hands that shed innocent blood,

A heart that devises wicked plans,

Feet that run rapidly to evil,

A false witness who utters lies,

And one who spreads strife among brothers”

(NASB, emphasis added).

More information on Strife - https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-strife.html

From the information in Third John,

it would seem that Diotrephes has been

controlling and wants power and possibly prestige. 

It appears to me that he been

critical, mean, prideful, selfish, and so far - unteachable.

(Hopefully this letter touched his heart to change.)

* * * * *

Paul exposes and rebukes

Diotrephes in his letter.

Ephesians 5:11 AMP says...

" Do not participate
in the worthless and unproductive deeds of darkness,
but instead
expose them
[by exemplifying personal integrity, moral courage, and godly character. "

I remind us that

sometimes

God calls us to expose them with words.

God guided Paul to expose Diotrephes through this letter.

Demetrius

Verse 12

" Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true. "

Demetrius is doing his best to live in truth -

meaning he follows the Bible carefully.

Paul compliments

Demetrius

as a

good example to the church and a good mentor for the church.

Thursday

Below,

Pastor J.D. Farag

gives an inspirational

sermon on

Third John verses 12-14.

Skip to 22 minutes.

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Third John was posted in January 2024.