notes from lisa...

"The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."    [3 John 1,2 KJV] This portion of Scripture--at least, the second verse is one of the most recited, "named and claimed" verses in the entire Bible, today, mistakenly . It seems to be lost on most of us, that it is a simple greeting between friends and not a declaration from God that we are to have the best of everything--wealth and health. This verse has become the mantra of the Prosperity Movement, sadly. In actuality, this isn't God saying anything to us--or about us. We are merely getting a glimpse into John's love for his friend, as we read the salutation at the beginning of his letter to Gaius, who has been so faithful in Christian service. The second verse, is relatively unimportant to this chapter and this letter (in comparison to the body)--just as the salutation and...

" The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, 'The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.' ' Pardon me, my lord,' Gideon replied, 'but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” The Lord turned to him and said, 'Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?' ' Pardon me, my lord,' Gideon replied, 'but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.' The Lord answered, 'I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, ...