To my unborn child:
This is a day
I wish I could say
everything turned out
a different way
I never knew you
nor called you friend
but my love for you
will never end
Son or daughter
someday I'll see
what manner of person
you grew up to be
But for the rest of my life
until I die
I'll always find myself
asking "why?"
And someday I'll know.
Baby Splittorff August 28, 2006
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Friday, August 25, 2006
BIBLE STUDY ON 3 JOHN
SALUTATION The Elder (John, apostle, author of this letter),
To my dear friend Gaius, whom I (John) love in the truth.
Dear friend (Gaius), I (John) pray that you (Gaius) may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. (Some translations say “prosper” instead of “getting along well.”) It (having some brothers come and tell about Gaius’s faithfulness to the truth and how he continues to walk in the truth) gave me (John) great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth. I (John) have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
We know the author; he refers to himself as “the elder.”
We know the receiver of this letter; it is addressed to Gaius.
We know that the elder has heard good things about Gaius: that he is faithful to the truth and continues to walk in the truth.
The elder says doing so brings him no greater joy.
Other references to Gaius:
Acts 19:29 - “Soon the whole city (Ephesus) was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater.”
We know that Gaius was from Macedonia and traveled with Paul.
Acts 20:4 - “He (Paul) was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.”
We know that Gaius was specifically from Derbe.
Romans 16:23 - “Gaius, whose hospitality I (Paul) and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.”
1 Corinthians 1:14,15 - “I (Paul) am thankful I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say you were baptized into my (Paul) name.”
We know that Gaius was one of Paul’s converts.
Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth.
We know that Gaius is faithful in his service of providing hospitality to fellow Christians, even if they are strangers. The elder says that Christians should show one another hospitality “so that we may work together for the truth.” In other words, work together to build unity in the Body of Christ.
I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.
The elder now mentions a second person, Diotrephes, who seems to be Gaius’s opposite in giving hospitality. So much so that Diotrephes puts those who do try to help out of the church. This may mean that Diotrephes was the leader of the church in this region or at least a leader.
Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does evil has not seen God.
Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone - and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true.
I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.
Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends their by name.
Keywords: hospitality, faithful, faithfulness, truth, love
Main characters: The elder, Gaius, Diotrephes, Demetrius
Gaius was well-known for his hospitality.
Diotrephes not only wouldn’t show hospitality, but also stopped others from doing so.
Demetrius, while the exact reason of the elder’s commendation is not given, is said to be “well spoken of by everyone.” In other words, his reputation preceded him.
Lesson:
Show hospitality even to strangers and do so in a manner worthy of God. Be faithful in doing so and the truth will bear testimony to you.
Brian
SALUTATION The Elder (John, apostle, author of this letter),
To my dear friend Gaius, whom I (John) love in the truth.
Dear friend (Gaius), I (John) pray that you (Gaius) may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. (Some translations say “prosper” instead of “getting along well.”) It (having some brothers come and tell about Gaius’s faithfulness to the truth and how he continues to walk in the truth) gave me (John) great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth. I (John) have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
We know the author; he refers to himself as “the elder.”
We know the receiver of this letter; it is addressed to Gaius.
We know that the elder has heard good things about Gaius: that he is faithful to the truth and continues to walk in the truth.
The elder says doing so brings him no greater joy.
Other references to Gaius:
Acts 19:29 - “Soon the whole city (Ephesus) was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater.”
We know that Gaius was from Macedonia and traveled with Paul.
Acts 20:4 - “He (Paul) was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.”
We know that Gaius was specifically from Derbe.
Romans 16:23 - “Gaius, whose hospitality I (Paul) and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.”
1 Corinthians 1:14,15 - “I (Paul) am thankful I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say you were baptized into my (Paul) name.”
We know that Gaius was one of Paul’s converts.
Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth.
We know that Gaius is faithful in his service of providing hospitality to fellow Christians, even if they are strangers. The elder says that Christians should show one another hospitality “so that we may work together for the truth.” In other words, work together to build unity in the Body of Christ.
I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.
The elder now mentions a second person, Diotrephes, who seems to be Gaius’s opposite in giving hospitality. So much so that Diotrephes puts those who do try to help out of the church. This may mean that Diotrephes was the leader of the church in this region or at least a leader.
Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does evil has not seen God.
Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone - and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true.
I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.
Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends their by name.
Keywords: hospitality, faithful, faithfulness, truth, love
Main characters: The elder, Gaius, Diotrephes, Demetrius
Gaius was well-known for his hospitality.
Diotrephes not only wouldn’t show hospitality, but also stopped others from doing so.
Demetrius, while the exact reason of the elder’s commendation is not given, is said to be “well spoken of by everyone.” In other words, his reputation preceded him.
Lesson:
Show hospitality even to strangers and do so in a manner worthy of God. Be faithful in doing so and the truth will bear testimony to you.
Brian
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
MIDEAST CRISIS: IS IT OVER?
My opinion is that it's not. The rhetoric coming from Iran and Syria does not bode well for a lasting peace in the Middle Eastern region. Plus the nuclear thing with Iran has not been dealt with yet. Anyway, we'll need to wait and see what kind of effective police force this UN militia will be that will help hold Hezbollah at bay. Besides that, remember that there was a conflict with the Palestinians before the Lebanese thing exploded. I think it's all just beginning.
Brian
My opinion is that it's not. The rhetoric coming from Iran and Syria does not bode well for a lasting peace in the Middle Eastern region. Plus the nuclear thing with Iran has not been dealt with yet. Anyway, we'll need to wait and see what kind of effective police force this UN militia will be that will help hold Hezbollah at bay. Besides that, remember that there was a conflict with the Palestinians before the Lebanese thing exploded. I think it's all just beginning.
Brian
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