One Final Look at 3 John

“I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to write it with pen and ink. For I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk face to face. Peace be with you. Your friends here send you their greetings. Please give my personal greetings to each of our friends there.” - 3 John 13-15 New Living Translation 

            Let’s face it, there are times when it’s easier to tell someone something face to face than write all you want to say in a letter. If it is a delicate topic many prefer to write it so they can think long and hard regarding how the matter should be said. With John, he prefers the face-to-face approach so as to allow his vocal inflection and points of emphasis be known. Writing a letter can seem like a detached, uninvolved way of handling matters. It depends on the individuals and the information being disseminated.

            John wishes that the recipients of his letter be at peace in their hearts. It’s the genuine and lasting peace that only comes from Almighty God. It’s a peace that needs to permeate ones heart, soul and mind. The Holy Spirit administers such peace wherever God wills it to be administered. Peace is a wonderful attribute to exhibit. Peace of mind, peace of heart … we are at peace with ourselves and at peace with others. Just saying we are at peace without experiencing it is just fooling ourselves, because you can’t fake being at peace. It’s when we make our focus the Lord and not that which threatens to knock us off kilter that we begin to feel the peace that passes all earthly understanding.  

            This concludes our look at John’s 3 Epistles or letters to various brethren. If you enjoyed this series of postings please email me at rkeller03211955@gmail.com and let me know. If you have a suggestion for a book of the bible you would like to see covered in my devotionals let me know that as well. I would love to hear from you regarding what, if any, impact these writings are having on your life. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

LOOKING AT 3 JOHN

“Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, as does the truth itself. We ourselves can say the same for him, and you know we speak the truth.”-       3 John 1:12 New Living Translation

                  In this verse John speaks of truth. Why is truth so important? Truth is linked to trust. Truth should be spoken at all times. Truth should be the root of our integrity. Without truth there can be no trust, because you will never place your trust in someone who doesn’t speak the truth. This all leads to the moral fact that one’s integrity is severely compromised when they have lost the trust of others. 

            Word of mouth promotion is important, although it ought not be sought. The verse above lifts Demetrius up based on his being a morally and ethically sound Christian man. Those that know him vouch for his integrity. John claims to know this as a fact and backs this up by saying that it is known that John and his group speak the truth. In other words, his reputation should have preceded him. 

            You cannot place a value on your integrity because it is an attribute of God, which makes it priceless in value. Too many people don’t realize the value of their own integrity and end up selling it out like Esau did with his birthright. (Genesis 25:29-34). This is serious business. We are never to disregard or discard any gift from our Lord. The truth comes from God as written in the Holy Scriptures. Embrace the truth of his word, trust it, impart it to others … be like Demetrius and not Diotrephes. Learn to be humble and selfless. That is, in part, what being like Christ is all about. 

            We will conclude our study of John’s Epistles next time as we look the final words of his third correspondence. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!  rlkeller

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

THOUGHTS FROM A RANDOM MIND

"We're just like other people: We love to sing, we love to dance, we admire beautiful women. We are human, and sometimes very human." 

            It was said by the character of Professor Siletsky in the movie "To Be or Not to Be" (1942).  It’s something we as believers in Jesus Christ could readily say on any given day.  It’s funny how we aren’t allowed to be human. Certain members of the nonbelieving world and even some rigid, judgmental brothers and sisters in Christ are the ones who try to box us in.

            As a Christian we aren’t afforded the luxury of having panic attacks or being depressed. We seemingly aren’t allowed to be sad or concerned, angry or ill. To many those are signs of weakness or a lack of faith. God forbid we reveal our tender white underbelly. Frankly, the only difference between Christians and an unbelieving world is that we stand forgiven of all our sins. Period.

            The simple truth of the matter is that in many circles we’re not allowed to be ourselves as God intended. And these are the people we are to love. It ain’t easy, but God will enable us to look past the rigid judgment and love all we encounter as we strive to see them as our Father in heaven sees them.

rlkeller

LOOKING AT 3 JOHN

            “I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us. When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the evil accusations he is making against us. Not only does he refuse to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church.

         Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.”- 3 John 9-11 New Living Translation

            In these verses,John is taking the time to point out someone in their midst who loves to be in charge, but doesn’t wish to follow instructions laid out by someone else. Diotrephes is the example of someone others should NOT follow. He is doing the exact opposite that John had instructed them to do. He made it all about HIM and not all about God and others. 

            The apostle encourages the brethren not to let Diotrephes bad example influence them in any way. We are all called to be humble and selfless and while it isn’t always easy to do so, it should be common sense that we are to strive for it. Following in Diotrephes footsteps will only get you his results … separation from Almighty God. Those that practice evil on a regular basis do not know God. 

            Conversely, children of God are those who practice doing good. We must lead by example, acting out our faith and leaving words as supplemental to our actions. People want to SEE Christ, not just hear about him and we have been commissioned to be his representatives on this earth. 

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

Thoughts From a Random Mind

Latent - Present or potential, but not evident or active.

            I encountered the word “latency” in an email from the IT Dept. on the job a while back. I was curious as to it’s meaning so I looked it up. The root word is “latent” and the definition is listed above. It got me to thinking that some Christians fit the definition in that they have incredible potential based on God’s grace, yet it is not yet active or even evident in their lives. We all must take the time to tap into the spirit within and allow him to direct us in the way we should go. We must also allow him to bring to the forefront the God given gifts and abilities that the Lord has given to us. If fruit is ready for the picking yet is left untouched it will eventually rot on the vine. Ask God to show you your special gift(s) and then use them for the glory of God. rlkeller

LOOKING AT 3 JOHN

 “Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God. For they are traveling for the Lord, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers. So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.”- 3 John 5-8 New Living Translation 

            This is a lesson in selfless living. Disregarding the inconvenience or expense incurred by housing an unexpected guest is what our God expects from his children. It is also a test of our faith. Will God provide for us? We budget things so carefully. Now what will we do when our resources have been depleted by a travelling teacher? The fact of the matter is that God has promised to meet your every need. One of his many names is Jehovah Jireh, “the God Who provides”. So if God provides for us that should free us up to provide for others whenever the Lord leads us to. We will never go without.

            It’s almost as if the Lord set up things with the sole purpose of rewarding the traveling teacher’s faith for seeking the hospitality of strangers, as well as the stranger who willingly offered his hospitality. And who’s to say he didn’t. Doesn’t everything happen for a reason? I believe it does. 

            When we offer what we have to another, we are pleasing the Lord. We must learn to dismiss thoughts that we are being taken advantage of. The devil will whisper that in your ear, but don’t listen to it. Brethren in general need are relying on God to meet their need. At times the need may be desperate. God wants to use us to meet our brother or sister’s need. It’s a cycle of faith with both parties getting rewarded. Now another thing we must remind ourselves of is that a reward isn’t always monetary. The reward may simply be a sense of satisfaction for aiding a brother or sister in need. In all of this we must remain humble. This isn’t all about you, it’s all about God.

            Our next writing will touch on Diotrephes and his sin. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.  

WORD FOR THE DAY

LOOKING AT 3 JOHN

“This letter is from John, the elder. Iam writing to Gaius, my dear friend, whom I love in the truth. Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit.  Some of the traveling teachersrecently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living according to the truth. I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.”-3 John 1:1-4 New Living Translation

            Gaius was a prominent Christian from one of the churches known by John. The apostle was writing him to thank him for the hospitality he had shown to the church leaders that had been traveling town to town. These individuals depend on such hospitality from their brethren. The purpose of these leaders was to aid in establishing new congregations in and around the region. 

            Gaius was commended, but also given a warning regarding those in the midst of congregations who would set themselves up as the church ‘boss’. Diotrephes was one such person in the church. Not only did him refuse to offer hospitality to traveling leaders, but he set himself up as the ‘head’ of the church. In the end his pride and arrogance disqualified him as a real leader that should be listened to or trusted. Church leaders were not and still are not to misuse their position of leadership to control what takes place within the church. This would be evidence that pride had entered into the heart of that leader. It can happen to anyone and is to be guarded against. Leaders must lead with a humble and selfless spirit to be successful in God’s economy.  

            John did not wish for Christian workers who served faithfully to become discouraged and as a result grow weary of serving. He felt it was imperative that they be encouraged to continue on that path for it was a needed ministry. Next we will look at how we are to care for the Lord’s workers. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

WORD FOR THE DAY

"The life of a Christian has its ups and downs just like anyone else. It’s how we react to each situation that shows the world who we’ve placed our faith and trust in. Hint: It’s not ourselves."

rlkeller

CONCLUDING OUR BRIEF LOOK AT 2 JOHN

“Well, I would like to say much more, but I don’t want to say it in this letter, for I hope to come to see you soon, and then we can talk over these things together and have a joyous time.”- 2 John 12 Living Bible

            This verse ends John’s second correspondence. Written letters were considered far inferior to seeing a person face to face, therefore, many writers would conclude their letters with this type of statement. Being the one who founded the church he has been writing to, it stands to reason he would feel responsible for their Spiritual growth. All the disciples / apostles follow this practice.

            As an interesting side note: the paper that was used to write on was made from papyrus reeds because they were easily available & inexpensive. The ink used was made by mixing carbon, water & gum resin or oil.

            John will find it a great relief to see for himself what spiritual condition the brethren were in.  If every picture tells a story, then being among them in person would no doubt speak volumes as to their condition without a word being spoken.

            Those that were abiding by the standards set down by the Lord would be anxious to embrace their brother John. Those who were bending the standards or even breaking them thinking no one would know, would not be able to hide the guilt on their faces when they were in his presence. How much more at peace an individual is when he has nothing to hide. This concludes John’s 2^ndEpistle or letter. Next we will continue on to the apostles 3^rdwriting, which is also very short, being just 15 verses long. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

Resources: The Life Application Study Bible; NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible; NIV Study Bible Notes.

Thoughts From a Random Mind

                  When you live in an ungodly world it can be very easy to fall into bad habits. This world pushes itself on us thru media outlets, such as TV, Cinema, Magazines, Music, Books and so on till we start to waver ever so slightly. We get lulled to sleep by borderline things that seem good but truly are not.  Our behavior begins to look more like those around us instead of Christ. Spiritually weak believers who are easily influenced by what is popular at the moment have compromised our message. We end up ingesting shows we ought not watch on television and every other venue at the expense of feeding our spirit man. We seem less likely to pray when things are going well. Is it possible that we are being influenced, or dare I say, seduced far more by the world then we are influencing the world with our beliefs? It’s time for another spiritual assessment. Where do we stand with the Lord? rlkeller

TAKING A BRIEF LOOK AT 2 JOHN

“If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.”- 2 John 10-11 New Living Translation

            Based on the number of times John touched on false teachings, it should be assumed that it is a serious problem in the church. It’s no different today. The world is ripe with heretical teaching that minimizes the truth of the gospel. The brethren were cautioned not to support, encourage or give quarter to anyone who is propagating falsehoods. I believe it is safe to say that they are to be shunned. While it’s true John pushes the teaching of loving one another, these are not the type of people who we need to be loving and hospitable to. They are pawns of Satan & seek to strip you from the Godly haven you now reside.

            What this means to me is that we are to practice the scripture which admonishes us to be wise as serpents, gentle as doves. _{(Matthew 10:16)}   Know that which is of God & live it daily. Encourage the brethren to steer clear of that which false, helping them recognize that which is not of God. Things can come at you fast & furious, but if you methodically go about doing that which you know to be right, you will have no time to listen to the garbage this world spits out.

            Don’t side with falsehood. Give God complete access to your whole life. Don’t entertain that which you don’t understand. Seek guidance and advice from your pastor or trusted brother or sister in Christ. Unless you are gifted in the area of spiritual debate & wish to challenge the falseness of the heretical teaching, give them a wide berth so that their harmful lessons will not have a negative effect on you. Tomorrow we will look at John’s final words from this 2^ndletter. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing! 

Resource:  The Life Application Study Bible.

Matthew 10:16-“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.

TAKING A BRIEF LOOK AT 2 JOHN

“Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son.”- 2 John 1:8-9 New Living Translation 

            Here we see John issuing another warning to his brethren. The “full reward” John speaks of is not salvation, but the rewards for loyal service. Salvation is secure. There were then & are now many distractions to pull you off the path of righteousness. Focus needs to be solely on the Lord and those things that are ordained & pleasing to him.

         The most interesting word in these two verses is “relationship”. I have long said there is no religion, only relationship. A truly redeemed individual will have an intimate relationship with God & his Son Jesus. It doesn’t have to be as if it’s a cross continental correspondence relationship, but a personal one. We are the ones who must step up & engage in this relationship as if it were the most vital of things to pursue, because it is. Without Christ we are nothing. Even with Christ we are still nothing more than a speck of sand on the beach of humanity. However, the important part of all that is not necessarily what we think of ourselves, but rather what God thinks of us & the bible is very clear on that subject. Realizing the value God places in us we realize our own self-worth as a result.

         John hammers home the thought that the teaching of Christ is just another one of those vital things people need to keep their focus on. Keeping a steady diet of God’s word flowing within & thru you will keep your relationship with the Lord strong. Tomorrow we move on in 2 John to his final admonition to the brethren. Until that time, walk with the King and be a blessing!  rlkeller

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.  

WORD FOR THE DAY

TAKING A BRIEF LOOK AT 2 JOHN

 “I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist.”- 2 John 1:7 New Living Translation

            What was it that John had said? He has said repeatedly to love one another. We can show love in many ways: by avoiding prejudice & discrimination; by accepting people regardless of their financial status or physical appearance; by listening, helping, serving, & refusing to judge. We can’t just know God’s word; we are expected to put it into practice.

            One false teaching in particular taught that things of the spirit are good & things made of matter were evil. With that reasoning Jesus could not have been both God & man. John strongly warns against such a teaching. These heretics distort the truth of the gospel & undermine the foundations of Christian faith. In many cases they used all the right words, but changed there meaning. They & we should have nothing to do with charlatans of this nature. 

            The term ‘deceiver’ can also mean ‘imposter’. Either way they were not sharing God’s truth correctly. They sought to lead others down their own path, like a sort of spiritual Pied Piper. They are to be shunned & ignored for our own spiritual preservation. We’ll move a little further into this 13-verse letter again tomorrow. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

Word for the Day

TAKING A BRIEF LOOK AT 2 JOHN

“I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. Love means doing what God commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.”- 2 John 1:5-6 New Living Translation

            From the proceeding verse _{(2 John 1:4)} it would appear that the recipient of this correspondence is a woman friend of John’s and her family. John is offering the same scriptural advice to her as to the previous letter’s recipients. He emphasized the basics of following Christ in truth and love and warned against false teachers who were becoming prevalent in some of the area churches. John was pleased that they were living according to the truth, and prayed that they continued to do so.

            John emphasized loving one another. They and we as well must realize that it is easy to love those who love us back, but the ones who are unlovely, what of them? We are to love our brethren with no exclusions or exceptions. This is no easy task, as we can tend to be selfish in our thoughts, words and doings. We also tend to steer clear of those who look or act differently that we do. It’s a learned trait that we pick up from what we are taught at home, among our peers and/or at school or work. We must unlearn it, otherwise, how are we any different that those outside the faith?

            This teaching regarding loving one another isn’t a new teaching for it was being taught from the very beginning. It is continuously taught I believe because some things are difficult to abide by. It can be very difficult to love when we don’t have it as a normal character trait. Like most things in the believer’s world, it must be cultivated like a garden. It’s begins in part by seeing others as they are seen by the Lord. It involves being selfless, which is easier said than done. We are a work in progress and the learning should never stop. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

            

Word for the Day

Word for the Day

TAKING A BRIEF LOOK AT 2 JOHN

“This letter is from John, the elder, I am writing to the chosen lady and to her children, whom I love in the truth – as does everyone else who knows the truth – because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever. Grace, mercy and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ – the Son of the Father – will continue to be with us who live in truth and love.”-2 John 1:1-3 NLT

                  Here we see John’s 2^ndletter. It doesn’t appear to be to the same audience, but rather to someone else. It is believed that though it could possibly be written to a real Christian woman and her children, it appears to be generally accepted to refer to a local church and it’s parishioners. It really doesn’t matter which is the case, John’s teaching is pertinent to all ages.

            The main topic of this letter is to follow Christ in truth and love. If we follow him we will learn more regarding how to live in this ungodly world. Christ’s true followers consistently obey God’s truth. A basic ingredient of true Christianity is to love your brethren. John reminds his readers to make this a common, everyday practice. No excuses. Still prevalent in this area were false teachers. We all must be wary of those who would not be true to Christ’s teaching. We should never afford them the opportunity to teach at our churches. 

            If you find yourself in association with a person who is opposed to Christ you must remove yourself from that association so as not to have it taint your own testimony. We must know what is right and true and we can only know that by focusing on Godly things. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

TAKING ONE LAST LOOK AT 1 JOHN

      “And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ.  He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.

        Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.”– 1 John 5:20-21 NLT

            John reiterates certain facts in an effort to galvanize them in the hearts and minds of the brethren to which he is writing. One fact was that the Son of God came enabling them to know the one true God. They now live in fellowship with God and as they live in fellowship with his Son. John repeats that Almighty God is the only true God. In knowing him they have eternal life.

            John says God is eternal life … by faith in Christ we are given eternal life and the supernatural power to do God’s will for our lives. His final statements begins with the fatherly greeting, “Dear children … “. The letter ends with a caveat … stay away from anything that could potentially take God’s place in your heart, mind and life. Anything that denies Christ’s full deity and humanity could replace God in our hearts. Any idea that claims to have more authority than the Bible is deceitful and will remove God from his rightful place in our hearts. Another temptation would be any loyalty that replaces God at the center of our lives.

            Always remember the guts of the letter, just as John tried to get his church to do. Follow Christ closely and avoid worldly or ungodly thoughts, words or teachings that will bring confusion to your beliefs and cause you to stand still as you look to sort out what is true and what is a lie. Feed your spirit man with the word of God so that those things that are not from God will stand out so they can be plucked out like a weed. 

            This is the end of our study of John’s 1^st Epistle or letter. Next we will roll into 2 John that only happens to have 1 chapter that is 13 verses long. It will be interesting to see any similarities and or differences that can be seen between the 2 letters. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource:  The Life Application Study Bible.

TAKING A LOOK AT 1 JOHN

“We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Sons holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them. We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one.”- 1 John 5:18-19 NLT

            John first speaks of the security believers in Christ have. Though it is not literal, but rather figurative, we can honestly say that God holds us in the hollow of his hand. It should be an immense comfort to know that nothing can harm us. 

            It has always been my understanding that Satan can only have his way if God allows it, like it says in the beginning of Job. There are those who say Job isn’t real and that it is just an inspirational story, but Ezekiel 14:14, 20 and James 5:11 mention Job as a historical character. Other evidence lies in his name being mentioned both times with Noah and Daniel’s names. Why would they do that if Job weren’t real? I mention Job to attempt to prove my point that while there is no doubt we are held firmly in the grasp of our God, at times I believe God allows certain things to happen to us as a means of helping to mature us spiritually.

            I appreciate John saying with certainty that believers in Christ “do not make a practice of sinning”. There is the difference, we can ‘sin’ or we can ‘habitually sin’, which is to ‘make it a practice’.  

            Knowing we are God’s children doesn’t make us perfect, though it does make us perfect in God’s sight. Satan is a toothless lion whose roar is superior to his bite. As long as we stick close to the Lord we can rest assured that we will be far less likely to practice sinning and far more likely to be a reflection of the one you are following.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

TAKING A LOOK AT 1 JOHN

 “If you see a fellow believer sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life. But there is a sin that leads to death, and I am not saying you should pray for those who commit it. All wicked actions are sin, but not every sin leads to death.”- 1 John 5:16-17 New Living Translation

            Bible scholars have differing opinions regarding whether the sin that leads to death is speaking of physical or spiritual death. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians that some died because they took communion unworthily _{(1 Corinthians 11:27-30)}. Acts 5:1-11 tells of how Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead when they lied to Almighty God. The gospel of Mark tells us that we will die if we blaspheme the Holy Spirit _{(Mark 3:29)}. Hebrews 6:4-6 describes the spiritual death of someone who turns against Christ.

            John was possibly referring to those who left the fellowship of Christians. Since we may not know who strays from the faith, we should not make that judgment on our own. Leave that decision to God. 

            Not all sin is unto death. It is definitely for God to judge which category the infraction falls under. God doesn’t wish any would sin, falling short of God’s glory, but if anyone either knows what they are doing is sinful or not, seeking forgiveness from the Lord will remove the blemish. The key is to learn from this situation and move forward, not backward, to prove yourself worthy of the title Christian. It is our responsibility to seek to imitate Christ in all we do. That will assist us in avoiding sin that leads to death or any other sins as well. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

TAKING A LOOK AT 1 JOHN

“I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.”- 1 John 5:13-15 New Living Translation 

            John reiterates the idea that eternal life is not a feelings notion. It is based on the facts found in the Bible. The one thing that gives people pause is whether the Bible is factual or not. That is a faith issue. You make the choice. You either choose to believe that scripture is true and factual or it’s not. You have to leave behind your autonomous thinking and shed your ‘me’ skin in favor of believing something and someone you cannot experience with your senses.

            John says that those who believe in the name of Christ may know  they have eternal life. There’s no guesswork … maybe I’m in, maybe I’m not. You can know your eternity is secure. That has everything to do with how we live our lives and leads us to John’s next statement. We shall receive anything we ask for whenever what we ask for pleases  the Lord.

            When we become a Christian our way of thinking is supposed to begin to change. Therefore, when we make requests of God they need to gravitate towards that which is pleasing to him. Selfish requests don’t fly in the Kingdom. We are to place God first, others second and ourselves last. God knows what we need and is ready, willing and able to meet those needs in his way and in his timing. So we need to make sure our requests reflect what we know to be pleasing to our Lord. The bottom line is this: we know he hears us and will answer as long as it falls in line with his will for you. Don’t insist on something unless you know God is in it or you may get what you think you want and regret the receipt of it.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible