ScriptureStream

II John 1:1-4

II John 1:1 – Some take the view that the “chosen lady” is a church, but because of how the lady is described here with children, it must have been an actual woman that John knew.

There is a state into which all people enter when they obey truth.

Colossians 1:13; Acts 2:47; Galatians 3:26-27; I Corinthians 12:13

I John 1:7

Matthew 7:15, 20 – We can know who walks in truth.

There is a correlated body of truth that is understandable by men.

II John 1:1

John 8:32

Anything that differs with truth is a lie.

I John 2:4

Romans 15:4

Truth furnishes the Christian’s motivation.

Truth is the governing principle of the Christian’s life.

II John 1:4, 2

Acts 8:4

Truth is indestructible.

Those who walk in truth have peace with God.

I Corinthians 10:6

How good are you at learning from someone else’s mistakes?

I Kings 11:9-13

I Kings 11:26-40

Jeroboam had a huge opportunity to do good … but he blew it!

I Kings 11:38

I Kings 12:25

I Kings 14:7-10

Matthew 25:14-30 – Parable of the talents

Ephesians 2:10

He kept making bad decisions and never repented.

I Kings 12:28-31

II Chronicles 11:14-16

I Kings 13:1-6, 33-34 – Despite dire warnings from God, Jeroboam still refuses to turn from his ways.

II Kings 17:21-22

Jeroboam had a terrible legacy of sin!

It’s important for us to think deeply and understand why we believe what we believe.

Do I believe in a religious tradition simply because it’s a tradition?

Mark 7:1-8

II John 1:9

Do I carry things over from the Old Covenant?

Exodus 20 – God gives the Old Covenant law.

Jeremiah 31:31-32 – God would reveal a New Covenant.

The New Covenant was in effect from Acts 2 on.

Hebrews 8:6-9, 13

Hebrews 10:9-10

Do I just believe what my family believes?

Matthew 10:32-38 – Jesus must be the priority, even over family.

Galatians 1:13-14; I Timothy 1:15

Do I just go along with the religious experts?

Who are the experts?

The experts are often wrong!

Matthew 16:6, 12

Matthew 23:1-3, 15

Acts 4:1-2, 17-18 – The experts tried to stomp out the gospel!

Acts 22:3

Do I just follow what is popular?

Matthew 7:13-14 – Following the majority is not a good strategy!

Does God’s truth change based on society? Certainly not!

Do I just believe what seems right to me?

Acts 23:1; 26:9-11 – Paul did what seemed right to him!

Proverbs 14:12; Jeremiah 10:23

Why should we believe what we believe?

John 12:46-50

Matthew 5:44

Matthew 13:37

Because it is what God commanded!

Mark 16:16

Acts 24:25

It’s the core quality of successful living.

Titus 2:11-14. See also Luke 9:23. Jesus taught the same thing, and He lived it!

I Corinthians 9:23-27 – Self-control is for people at all stages of life. Even Paul needed to practice self-control. Self-control freed him up to practice better things.

Self-control isn’t about just not doing bad things. It’s about putting yourself on the path to serve God.

II Peter 2:1, 14, 18-19 – Self-control destroys Satan’s seductions.

This is true in both spiritual and secular realms. Self-control is a better indicator of success than talent, intelligence, and other factors.

You can grow it like a muscle.

Galatians 5:19-24

II Peter 1:5-8 – These qualities should be increasing! We must continue working on these things.

Self-control continues to increase if you work on it!

Studies show that improving self-control in one area helps in all other areas.

Be thinking of some ways to exercise more self-control starting today!

Finances – Ecclesiastes 5:10

Emotions – Proverbs 16:32

Speech – Proverbs 21:23

Lust of the flesh – I Thessalonians 4:7

Lust of the eyes – Job 31:1

Pride – I Peter 5:5

Acts 17:10-19:7

Acts 17:11 – This is especially impressive considering the fact that they did not have modern Bibles and would have been consulting expensive scrolls.

Acts 17:16 – An ancient writer (Petronius) wrote that in Athens it was easier to find a god than a man!

Acts 17:22 – Mars Hill is just across from the Acropolis and was in the heart of the idolatrous practices of the Athenians. Paul had incredible courage to speak here!

Acts 17:23-28 – Things to learn:

How a woman and her husband can teach someone spiritual things.

Such teaching can be done discreetly, with a pure motive and with the goal of helping the cause of Christ, as opposed to a battle of egos and who knows more.

How one can grow if he is willing to listen and be taught.

Acts 19:1-7 – These disciples had great attitudes. When they found something they needed to do to serve God, they were eager to learn and do it!