3 John 9 KJV [9] “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.” John has several things to say in this verse. First, that he had written unto the church before, but his letter was intercepted or hindered by a certain member. He also reveals who that member was by calling his name out in the text. I believe this is what should happen anytime someone tries to hinder the man of God from doing the Lord’s work. They should immediately be called out so everyone will know of their …
“Helping the Preacher
3 John 8 KJV [8] “We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.” John says that we ought to contribute to men of God when they pass by our way, so that we can be fellow helpers in the ministry. I want you to see some reasons in this verse why it is so important to help the preacher. First, because there are those who will not receive them. The command is given to receive the preacher, but there are many who will not obey the scriptures. There are people and churches who will …
“The Life of a Preacher”
3 John 7 KJV [7] “Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.” We could say many things about our topic in today’s devotional, but our verse gives us one thing in particular. The preachers who passed through the home of Gaius greatly enjoyed his fellowship and hospitality. He had refreshed them on their journey and encouraged them to keep traveling. He witnessed firsthand what the life of a preacher is all about. It is a life of living by faith. Now, while this is true for all believers, we must keep in mind that …
“Down-To-Earth”
3 John 6 KJV [6] “Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:” The name Gaius means “of the earth”. He was no doubt an ordinary man, with a heart to serve the Lord. His testimony can be clearly seen in our verse for today. The Bible says that the brethren had spoken highly of his charity before the church. He was known to be a down-to-earth kind of man. I think this is a testimony that every believer should have. The family …
“Open Doors”
3 John 5 KJV [5] “Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;” John is still praising Gaius in our verse, but he turns his attention from his faithfulness in the book, to his faithfulness to the brethren. This servant had proven to be a faithful help and blessing to the men of God who would pass by. He knew some of these preachers on a personal level, such as the apostle John. Other preachers passing by were strangers to him, but he offered to them the same faithful spirit and service. They discovered two …