II JOHN

"And this is love: that we walk in obedience to His commands.  As you heard from the beginning, His command is that you walk in love."  (II John 1:6 - II John has no "3:16")

The apostle John wrote this short book of the Bible. the second in a series of three letters he wrote to fellow-believers to emphasize truth and love and to warn them about false teachings.  The book of II John is a letter about love.  The love of God.  The Bible is a love story; it is the most intricate, beautiful love story you will ever read.  The more you read and study it, the more details will be revealed to you. It is a love letter from God to you.



Love is what each of us wants and needs. Our world is filled with words about love - greeting cards, popular music,  magazines - they fill us with dreams of love and give us ideas of some sort of perfect romance.  But, this rarely exists.  We long for love.  We yearn to love and be loved,  but see very few examples of real love living in our world today.  Christ is the direct opposite of the world's ways, the opposite of the world's values.  Christ is the opposite of the self-centered world we live in. Believers in Him need to claim His ideals, reflecting love and acting with love toward one another.

In the book of John, the following conversation takes place, revealing just how important love is: "Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together.  One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with this question: 'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?'  Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.' "   (Matthew 22:34-40

So, the command to walk in love is both old and new.   In the Bible the old foreshadows the new and the new reflects back to the old.  In the above quote, Jesus is referring to the book of Deuteronomy wherein God gave mankind instructions on how to live in love... the Torah and the commandments.

The apostle Paul wrote beautifully of love in his first letter to the Corinthians:

"If I speak in the tongue of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails...When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.  When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.  Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain:  faith, hope, and love.  But the greatest of these is love."  (I Corinthians 13:1-13)

Love God.  Then, love one another.  This is walking in love.

I PETER 3:16

"...keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander"   (NIV)


Written by the apostle Peter, this verse is the essence of Christlike behavior. Peter wrote this letter to offer encouragement and advice to fellow-believers who had been driven out of Jerusalem and scattered throughout Asia Minor. This was when Nero was Emperor of Rome and there was great persecution of Christians. (In fact, Peter was eventually executed during this time.)


In this scripture Peter is saying that our behavior should demonstrate the change in us that Christ has made.  Our faces should reflect His love. We can quietly demonstrate our faith by being polite in a bad situation, by leaving a good tip for the waitress, by patiently waiting in the checkout line... little things that can make a big statement.


In the previous verse, I Peter 3:15,  Peter advises:  "But in your heart set apart Christ as Lord, always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..."  We can always be ready to answer questions about our faith.  Be prepared to tell people what God has done in your life.  You don't have to be a preacher, or memorize oodles of scriptures, or be able to sing, or do anything special;  all you have to do is love the Savior and be willing to talk about that. The words will come.



But, do remember that the people asking the questions may not always like your answers!  Or, they may need time to ponder what you have said.  Peter's advice is to answer with gentleness and respect.  There may still be those who will be spiteful or hateful.  In those cases you can only maintain your standards as a Believer... and, trust that these people's criticisms and slanderous talk will not be believed.  This is definitely not easy, but when you are going through this, you are not alone...



"Jesus answered, '...Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.  I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.' "
(John 16:32,33)

John 3:16 Part Two

    

     "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."   (NIV)

     I received this story in my email a few days ago; it is supposed to be a true story. Whether it is or not, it is a great analogy for this well-known verse of scripture:




 After  a few of  the usual Sunday evening hymns,  the church's pastor slowly stood up, walked over to the pulpit and, before he gave his sermon for the evening, he briefly introduced a guest minister who was in the service that evening.  In the introduction, the pastor told the congregation that the guest minister was one of his dearest childhood friends and that he wanted him to have a few moments to greet the church and share whatever he felt would be appropriate for the service. With that, an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit and began to speak:

 "A father, his son, and a friend of his son were sailing off the Pacific Coast", he began, "When a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to shore.  The waves were so high that even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright and the three were swept into the ocean as the boat capsized."
The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in his story.

 The aged minister continued with his story, "Grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life...To which boy would he throw the other end of the life line?  He had only seconds to make the decision. The father knew that his son was a Christian, and, he also knew that his son'd friend was not.  The agony of his decision could not be matched by the torrent of waves as the father yelled out, 'I love you, son!' And,  he threw out the life line to his son's friend. By the time the father had pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beneath the raging swells into the black of night. His body was never recovered."


 By this time, the two teenagers were sitting up straight in the pew, anxiously waiting for the next words to come out of the old minister's mouth... 'The father", he continued, "knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus and he could not bear the thought of his son'd friend stepping into an eternity without Jesus. Therefore he sacrificed. his son to save the son'd friend. How great is the love of God that He should do the same for us. Our heavenly Father sacrifices His only begotten Son that we could be saved. . I  urge you to accept His offer to rescue you and take a hold of the life line He is throwing out to you in this service."
With that the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room.  The pastor again walked slowly to the pulpit and delivered a brief sermon with an invitation at the end.  However no one responded to the appeal.


Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old man's side. "That was a nice story", said one of them politely. "But I don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his only son'd life in hopes that the other boy would become a Christian."
" Well, you've got a point there", the old man replied.  Glancing down at his worn Bible, a big smile broadened his face, and he once again looked up at the teenage boys and said, " It sure isn't very realistic, is it?  But, I'm standing here today to tell you that story gives me a glimpse of what it must have been like for God to give up His Son for me.  You see, I was that father and your pastor is my son's friend."


  I would rather live my life as if there  is a God and die  to find out there isn't, than live my  life as if there isn't and die to find out there is.

MALACHI 3:16

      "Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard.  A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared and honored His Name." (NIV)

 

       Malachi was the last prophet until the appearance of John the Baptist, who came to prepare the way for the Messiah. There was a four-hundred-and-some year period of silence between Malachi and John the Baptist.  That would be a long time to go on hoping for a Messiah, without a new word from God. The book of Malachi is written in a certain style, wherein the author asks a question, then answers it; it is the only book of the Bible written in this style.  Malachi asks the questions that God would ask, then answers them for the benefit of God's people.
 


  


         Have you ever been talking to someone, only to realize that they haven't heard you at all? This person could be your spouse, or your best friend, or a coworker, or anybody.  Their intentions might be good... but, the phone rings, or a child hollers, "Mommy", or there is a knock at the door.  Or, they might be distracted by their own thoughts.  Or tired.  Who knows... But God always listens and hears.  Always. This "3:16" begins by referring to the fact that God listened and heard as His people were talking with each other. God is eternal and unchanging, so He still listens and hears us today.




   Malachi delivered the Lord's message at a time when most of God's people were disobeying and disregarding the ten commandments, providing poor religious training for their children, and withholding tithes and offerings from God. (Sound familiar?)  God, in His great patience and mercy, wanted to remind His people of their need to repent. Thus, He spoke to Malachi, assigning him with the task of speaking the message of repentance to the people.  The book of Malachi forms a bridge between the Old and New Testaments - which I prefer to call the Old Covenant and the Renewed Covenant. (I will expound on that in tomorrow's post.)
      


      Because of His amazing love, God presented us with a plan - the New Covenant..  We don't deserve it.  We certainly can't earn it. He gives His love with a capital "L" to all those who will open their hearts and receive it.  Just as He gave His message to His people through prophets such as Malachi, he gave us His plan of redemption through His only Son, Jesus the Messiah.
     Absolutely nothing is known about the prophet Malachi except the fact that the Lord spoke to him and he delivered the prophesy to God's people.  Isn't it interesting how God takes the most ordinary people and uses them?  Often, He takes the ornery and unworthy folks, makes them the object of His love, and uses them for His glory!
     Maybe even someone like me...
  

HOSEA

      The Lord said to me, "Go, show your love to your wife again, even though she is loved by another and is an adulteress.  Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes."      (Hosea 3:1    NIV)



     The book of Hosea doesn't have a "3:16", so I chose a verse that pretty well sums up the story.  Written by the prophet, Hosea, the purpose of the book is to express God's message that there is always hope of reconciliation with God - for those willing to repent and come back to Him.  No matter how far off the path of righteousness we have strayed, God's love remains steady. Like the Father in Jesus' story of the prodigal son  (found in Luke 15:11-32), God is standing with open arms , willing to take us back when we repent. It is a love story.
     In the story of Hosea, he is married to an unfaithful wife.  God ordered Hosea to take her back, to honor the marriage, to forgive her, to care for her as if nothing had happened. At the same time, Israel was being unfaithful to God - spiritual adultery.  "Eating the sacred raisin cakes" referred to offering certain cakes to fertility gods. God's chosen people had rebelled against Him, spurning God's love, worshiping false idols.  But God was willing to take them back, honor His sacred covenant with them, and care for them - just as He had instructed Hosea to do.  When God forgives, He  REALLY  forgives.  "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:12)

photo of Death Valley

     Sometimes before we can experience the joy of this true relationship with the LORD, we first have to spend time in the desert of despair.  The desert of despair is, of course,  of our own making, but it usually doesn't seem like it while we are going through...  We wonder, "Why me?", or "Why now?", or, just "WHY?"  But, upon honest examination, we find that we were the cause of our own misery all along. When we let God down, we bring ourselves down. Often, because we are so human, we don't listen very well until we are in the desert, down in a well, or lost in a valley...
  

photo - Valley of the Dry Bones

God speaks of this in Hosea 2:14, 15:  "Therefore I will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.  There I will give her back her vineyards and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.  There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt."  (NIV)  The word "Achor" means "trouble".  So, to paraphrase, God is saying that He will speak tenderly to us while we are in the desert of despair and that He will turn the valleys of trouble into doors of hope.
     Romans 15:13 expounds on this idea:  "May the God of  hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  Christ's wedding gift to us is His constant love, hope, and commitment to us, His Bride.

painting by mrschertin9, photobucket,com

          Now,  THAT'S  a love story!

SONG OF SONGS

         The Song of Songs does not contain a "3:16".  So, I chose a beautiful passage, which describes the commitment  God feels toward us:
     "Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm: for love ia as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave.  It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.  Many waters can not quench love; rivers can not wash it away.  If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned."     (Song of Songs 7:6,7 NIV)

art from www.allon.org

   The Song of Songs, like the book of Esther, does not mention the name of God.  Yet, God  makes His presence known throughout its pages. This book of the Bible is unusual in that it consists of love poems, describing the passions felt by a groom and his bride for each other. It is an allegory for God's love for His people, for His yearning that our souls come to Him   "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."  II Peter 3:9  (KJV)
     Of course, the allegory would not be complete without our love and yearning for Him.  Believers in Christ are His Bride.  Song of Songs is like a wedding song honoring marriage.  It contains some fairly explicit passages, and, some have said it should not be in the Bible. But, God wants husband and wife to enjoy each other within the confines of the marriage commitment.  Likewise, God desires that we continue in relationship with Him, loving and enjoying His company like no other...
     Over time feelings of loneliness, isolation, or indifference can come between the groom and his bride.  During these times careful communication is needed to renew the partnership and refresh the romance.  And, in our relationship with God, we sometimes need to have a long conversation (prayer) to recommit to Him. We need to be ready to be His bride!
 

      "Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: 'Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns,. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory"  For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.'"  (Rev 19:6,7 NIV)

     Are you ready for the wedding?

Three Sixteen Thoughts




I painstakingly wrote the ten commandments in Hebrew within the Toral scroll of this watercolor;
 the background is my impression of God's shekinah glory.

        I first got the idea to write on this subject several years ago during a church service.  The pastor told us to open our Bibles to the third chapter of Malachi.  He then read verses sixteen and seventeen:   "Then they that feared the LORD spake often to one another; and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I take up my jewels, and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him." (KJV)  After reading those verses and hearing Pastor Donnie's inspiring sermon, I realized (as I hope you will) that God treaures each of us.  It amazes me that God would consider ME a treasure!
      Later in that same sermon, we turned to I John 3:16, as follows:  "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." (KJV)
     And, then it hit me.  Not only had I received the intended lesson, I also experienced an additional message that morning in church.  I started thinking about the oft-quoted scripture, John 3:16:  "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (KJV)
     At home that afternoon I wondered, "What if I look up all the 3:16 passages in the BIble? Would they all teach as profound a lesson?"  I didn't have time that afternoon to search my Bible.  But, as if in answer, the first scripture reference in the evening Bible study was II Timothy 3:16, which reads: "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." 
     So, I began my search.  The writings on this blog are the result. I will try to remember to include which Bible translation my quotes come from, as I will be using various translations from time to time.  My favorite translations are the King James and  David Stern's translation, The Complete Jewish Bible.  Regardless of the translation I'm reading,  I like to look up the original words in Hebrew or Greek and find the deepest, truest meaning I can possibly discover.  I really don't want this blog to be overly studious.  I'm hoping it will be an enjoyable read for the learned and the unlearned, the saved and the lost,  young and old... anyone who is trying to better understand The Word.
     Each post on this blog will be about one 3:16.  Hmmmm... maybe I should start with Genesis?