SPEAKER_00: Hey everybody, Tara here.
SPEAKER_00: I'm excited to be bringing us our day 10 devotional.
SPEAKER_00: Today we're going to be talking about making room for truth, and we are going to be reading from 3 John verses 5 through 12.
SPEAKER_00: Let's read that together now.
SPEAKER_00: Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you.
SPEAKER_00: They have told the church about your love.
SPEAKER_00: Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God.
SPEAKER_00: It was for the sake of the name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans.
SPEAKER_00: We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.
SPEAKER_00: I wrote to the church, but Diotrophes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us.
SPEAKER_00: So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us, not satisfied with that.
SPEAKER_00: He even refuses to welcome other believers.
SPEAKER_00: He also stops so that those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.
SPEAKER_00: Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good.
SPEAKER_00: Anyone who does what is good is from God.
SPEAKER_00: Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.
SPEAKER_00: Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone, and even by the truth itself.
SPEAKER_00: We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true.
SPEAKER_00: Do you know someone that is just a troublemaker wherever they go?
SPEAKER_00: For you it may not be a someone, but a something.
SPEAKER_00: At home, one of our cats loves being an absolute pain to everyone around him.
SPEAKER_00: He will bother our other cats and then trot away happily like his work is done because everything in our house is out of swords.
SPEAKER_00: Now our entire house is on edge because he likes stirring the pot.
SPEAKER_00: Do you know anyone like that?
SPEAKER_00: It's hilarious to me how in this passage John calls out a troublemaker and he refers to Diatrophes, which is a good baby name if you're looking for one, in this passage as someone who loves to be first and as unwelcoming, spreading lies, and stopping the work of the church.
SPEAKER_00: The worst thing about Diatrophes is he's a part of this same church.
SPEAKER_00: He's a believer that's actively working against other believers.
SPEAKER_00: Have you ever known someone or even been the person causing a problem in your church or community?
SPEAKER_00: What do you think might be the cause of someone doing that?
SPEAKER_00: It can be easy to focus on our own thoughts and feelings and lose sight of what God's truth is for us.
SPEAKER_00: This is why we're supposed to be taking time to learn about God's truth for our lives every single day.
SPEAKER_00: The things of the world are constantly battling for a place in our minds and hearts, pointing out flaws in ourselves and others that try to tear the church apart.
SPEAKER_00: Gossip, anger, jealousy, resentment, these are all things that keep us from God and from other believers.
SPEAKER_00: Even as believers, the world is quick to tell us how we need to treat each other.
SPEAKER_00: If they are not like me, then they are wrong.
SPEAKER_00: However, John points out two people in the rest of 3 John, Gaius and Demetrius, that are leaning into God's truth.
SPEAKER_00: They're hospitable, joyful, and kind.
SPEAKER_00: Are you letting what the world sees as truth into your mind and heart, or are you letting God's truth into your heart and relationships?
SPEAKER_00: Are you quick to point blame and talk badly about someone else, or do you see them as God sees them?
SPEAKER_00: John points out that when we speak well of people, our testimony is true.
SPEAKER_00: Is your testimony true today?
SPEAKER_00: Let's pray together now.
SPEAKER_00: God, in my busy days, I'm tempted to look at others and label them as problems and not people.
SPEAKER_00: As I go through my days, help me to take the time to dive into your word and be a person of peace for myself and for my community.
SPEAKER_00: Guard my heart in the ways of your truth and help keep my words from division.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: We love you guys.
SPEAKER_00: Thank you for an amazing day.
SPEAKER_00: We cannot wait for tomorrow where we jump back in together on day eleven.