Thursday, March 31, 2005

Today Our Daily Bread 2 John

2 John 1
Greetings
1 This letter is from John the Elder.
It is written to the chosen lady and to her children, whom I love in the truth, as does everyone else who knows God's truth—2 the truth that lives in us and will be in our hearts forever.
3 May grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God our Father and from Jesus Christ his Son, be with us who live in truth and love.
Live in the Truth
4 How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living in the truth, just as we have been commanded by the Father.
5 And now I want to urge you, dear lady, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we had from the beginning. 6 Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.
7 Many deceivers have gone out into the world. They do not believe that Jesus Christ came to earth in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Watch out, so that you do not lose the prize for which we have been working so hard. Be diligent so that you will receive your full reward. 9 For if you wander beyond the teaching of Christ, you will not have fellowship with God. But if you continue in the teaching of Christ, you will have fellowship with both the Father and the Son.
10 If someone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don't invite him into your house or encourage him in any way. 11 Anyone who encourages him becomes a partner in his evil work.
Conclusion
12 Well, I have much more to say to you, but I don't want to say it in a letter. For I hope to visit you soon and to talk with you face to face. Then our joy will be complete.
13 Greetings from the children of your sister, chosen by God.

~ Lena's Comments~
The name "John" means, the grace & Mercy of the Lord. "The Chosen Lady" is probably – The Church, in symbolic meaning. Everyone who knows TRUTH, love the church……Ah a ah now…Yes, the church IS Christ’s Body. How can anyone love Christ separate from His Body? "Well, I do love Christ, but "the body" is another thing, there are loads of people there, hypocrites, liars, etc etc…" Yes, so what?" "But, But, But…? "But" nothing. We actually cannot say we love God if we do not love people. You know it does not mean love all that they do, right? God doesn’t even love what we do, but He does love us. There is a great difference, and that love makes the changes in us that we need, that love continues to draw us towards change. TRUTH and LOVE- Sisters of our faith walk. By His grace and mercy could we ever love those who oppose us and oppose God and oppose truth and our faith by the offenses they cause in us. Only by grace and mercy could we do and be this. It is grace and mercy that helps change me I’m a part of Christ’s Body Identifying with that imperfect Body, but thank God we are being perfected in Him. So many of us have had a subtle base taught to us, telling us love is based upon our performances. How good and "right" those performances are. THAT is so not the characteristic of God’s love. His love loves no matter. If I never perform, he loves me. If I never do "right" He loves me. If I never choose Him, He loves me! That’s the kind of love He’s asking us to love His body with. As we participate in this we will find this love healing an ailing Body. We will find this body being perfected in Love.