The Healthy Christian

3 John 2 (NKJV) Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers

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1. A balanced life 

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Ecclesiastes 7:18 (NIV) It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes

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Mat 6:33 (BIV) “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

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2. A focus on God’s Word

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3 John 3-4 (NIV)It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 

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James 1:22-25 (NIV) Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

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James 1:25 (NIV) But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

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Generous 

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3 John 5-9 (NIV) Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. ⁶ They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. ⁷ It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. ⁸ We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth. 

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1 Cor 9:7-12 (NIV) Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?           Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? ⁸ Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? ⁹ For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”  Is it about oxen that God is concerned? ¹⁰ Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. ¹¹ If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? ¹² If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?

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Troubled Christian—Diotrephes 

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A. Selfish

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3 John 9 (NIV) … but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us.

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2. Gossip 

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3 John 10 (NIV) I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. 

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James 3:5-6 (NIV) Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire…

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James 1:26 (NIV) Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

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Mk 11:25 (NIV) “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

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3. Ungracious 

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3 John 10 (NIV) … [Diotrophes] even refuses to welcome other believers.

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Ps 133:1,3 (NIV) How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! ^{3 …}For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

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