The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“I wrote to the church: but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth” (3 John 1:9-10).

Diotrephes was a man who apparently was filled with pride and wanted to be the boss over the church. The apostle John wrote that when he comes he would remember this man by the name of Diotrephes and confront him for desiring to have the preeminence. The Lord Jesus Christ is the One that is to have the preeminence (Colossians 1:18). The Lord Jesus is to have the first consideration and to be the sole object of worship and devotion. How sad it is to see someone like Diotrephes who seizes power and exalts himself. Sunday is coming, and I hope that the services in your local church will be wonderful. It is my prayer that neither the pastor nor the people in your local church will love to have the preeminence. When the whole church family desires Christ to be preeminent, it really makes a big difference.

For today: May the Lord Jesus be preeminent in your daily life as well as in your corporate worship!

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (3 John 1:4).

The older pastor had served the Lord for nearly fifty years. Although many depended on the pastor for many things, few people ever thanked him for his ministry. Sometimes it seemed like quite a long stretch in between the words of appreciation. One particular time in his life the pastor was going through a rather discouraging time. The church was still growing. People were being saved, but this pastor lived with a great deal of pain each day. The cold weather made the pain even worse, and on one particular day this pastor was just simply discouraged. An amazing thing took place that morning. The pastor encountered a particular person in town who told him, “I want you to know that your daughter was a great blessing and ministered in my life this past week. The Lord used her in a very special way to richly bless my life. It must be a joy to have a daughter who loves the Lord Jesus and who is walking with Him!” The pastor was no longer discouraged as joy flooded his heart to be reminded that he could “have no greater joy than to hear that his children walked in truth.”

For today: It’s amazing how much discouragement is lifted when we think of the blessings that the Lord Jesus gives us daily.

“I know thy works” (Revelation 2:2).

The Lord Jesus selected seven local churches to be the recipients of what He wanted to tell the early church. The message that He shared with them is also wonderful and appropriate for us as well. To each of the seven churches He made the statement, “I know thy works.” You can check this out by reading Revelation 2:2, 9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8 and 15. It is encouraging as well as convicting that the Lord Jesus says, “I know thy works.” When I was a teenager, I worked at a camping resort where most of the day I worked alone. My boss did not look over my shoulder to see what I was doing nor did he stand supervising my work. As a young teenager I became really convicted that I needed to work in the same way when my boss was not watching as the way I would work if he were standing right beside me. I am sure that this was used of the Lord to propel me in the direction of understanding that ultimately Christ is the One that observes not only my work but also my motives. He doesn’t watch so that He can catch us doing something wrong. He lovingly wants to share in our lives and invest in our wellbeing. Isn’t it wonderful that the Lord Jesus is so intimately involved in the details of our lives? He knows our works. May today be a wonderful day as you walk with the Lord Jesus.

For today: May our work and our walk be sweet in His eyes.

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would that thou were cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16).

What powerful words spoken to the early church at Laodicea! Seven churches are the recipients of letters addressed by the Lord Jesus as he speaks of specific situations going on in these local assemblies. His words are pointed and powerful when He speaks of the terrible situation of being lukewarm. The term “spew thee out of My mouth” actually gives the idea of being sick to the point of throwing up. On the day that I am writing this Daily Prescription, it is cold, windy, and snowing in my hometown. My cup of hot coffee continues to cool off before I can finish it. It becomes lukewarm. I am not a lukewarm kind of man. I like my Diet Coke very, very cold and my coffee very, very hot. Lukewarm does not cut it. Now this is no big deal when it comes to my coffee; however, it is a very big deal when it comes to my fervent love for Christ. May I never be lukewarm!

For today: Keeping the coffee hot is not nearly as important as being hot in my devotion to the Lord Jesus. Is this your desire as well?

“They sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch. Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith; and much people was added unto the Lord” (Acts 11:22-24).

The early church was flourishing. Jewish people, as well as Gentiles, were turning to the Lord in multitudes and being saved. Word came to the church at Jerusalem that Gentiles in Antioch were turning to the Lord Jesus. Hence they sent Barnabas to check out the situation. What a delightful person this Barnabas was indeed! Dr. Luke points out that he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and faith. He had an excellent testimony and could be trusted in the ministry. If the situation was difficult, Barnabas had the type of gracious spirit that would be just right. I wonder what folks would write if they were describing me or if they were describing you? May the Lord so work in our lives that this same description of Barnabas would be true of us.

For today: May you and I be a modern-day Barnabas in the situations we face and with the people we encounter.