OUR DAILY BREAD: NOT BOREDOM BUT FREEDOM

[cimi]

JUNE 19
TUESDAY


READ:
2 John 1-6
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Take My yoke upon
you and learn from
Me, for I am gentle
and lowly in heart.
__Matthew 11:29
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During World War 2, a fellow soldier said to me, "Herb, you seem to be happy. But if I had to live the way you do, I'd just as soon be dead." He was implying that my life was so moral that it had to be boring. But I had never thought of it that way. In fact, I often felt guilty because of my many failings.

I grew up in a Christian home where I was taught that I was a sinner in need of salvation. But I also learned that God in the person of Jesus Christ had paid the price for my sins.

Then, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, I recognized the truth of this teaching. And as a child, I placed my trust in Jesus and committed my life to Him. From that day on, I tried to live out the commmand to love God and my neighbor (Matt. 22:37-40). My obedience to God was a natural response for one who had truly believed.

In 2 John the word commandment is used four times to remind us that we are to walk the path of truth and to love one another (vv.4-6). Christians who do this will find joy and freedom, not boredom and bondage, as some people mistakenly think.

I love the words of jesus in Matthew 11:30, "My yoke is good to bear. My load is light" (NEB). __Herb Vander Lugt
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~Happy are they who love the Lord,~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~Whose hearts have Christ confessed,~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~Who by His cross have found their life,~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~Beneath His yoke their rest. __Bridges~~~~~~~~~~
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Joy is the result of walking with God.

****************Today's Bible Reading__2 John 1-6***************

1 The Elder,
To the elect lady and her
children, whom I love in
truth, and not only I, but
also all those who have
known the truth, 2 because
of the truth which abides
in us and will be with us
forever:
3 Grace, mercy, and peace
will be with you from God
the Father and from the
Lord Jesus Christ, the Son
of the Father, in truth and
love.
4 I rejoiced greatly that I
have found some of your
children walking in truth, as
we received commandment
from the Father. 5 And now
I plead with you, lady, not
as though I wrote a new
commandment to you,
but that which we have
had from the beginning:
that we love one another.
6 This is love, that we
walk according to His
commandments. This is
the commandment, that as
you have heard from the
beginning, you should walk
in it.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

John chose to refer humbly to himself as an "elder" rather than
an "apostle." Some have speculated that the "elect Lady" may refer
to a prophetess in their congregation. However, the more likely
interpretation is that the title refers to the church itself. Both
Israel and the church are referred to by the female gender. John
also mentions the truth of God's word as the basis for Christian
relationships--" whom I love in truth" (v.1). ___HDF