TREASURING GOD'S WORD. God’s word records such sentiments as in Proverbs 2:20-22: “20 So follow the way of good people And stay on the paths of the righteous, 21 For only the upright will reside in the earth, And the blameless will remain in it. 22 As for the wicked, they will be cut off from the earth, And the treacherous will be torn away from it.” What will help us heed such counsel? Jesus stated at Matthew 4:4 “It is written: ‘Man must live, not on bread alone, but on every word that comes from Jehovah’s mouth.’” Psalm 1:1-3 likewise encourages us: “1 Happy is the man who does not walk according to the advice of the wicked And does not stand on the path of sinners And does not sit in the seat of scoffers. 2 But his delight is in the law of Jehovah, And he reads His law in an undertone day and night. 3 He will be like a tree planted by streams of water, A tree that produces fruit in its season, The foliage of which does not wither. And everything he does will succeed.” May we find happiness and success by loving God’s word of truth, and letting it’s words sink deep into our hearts by pondering upon them, considering why they’re so beneficial and how we can apply them to our life—a course leading to everlasting life!
_______

3John 11 John addresses Gaius further in verse 11, after speaking of someone selfishly seeking glory for himself, rather than seeking God's glory by humbly obeying Him, stating: "Beloved one, do not imitate what is bad, but imitate what is good. The one who does good originates with God. The one who does bad has not seen God." So even if someone in authority should do something bad, we are encouraged not to imitate the badness, but rather imitate the good we know and have seen in God's word or by others. It is Psalm 97:10 which says: "O you who love Jehovah, hate what is bad. He is guarding the lives of his loyal ones; He rescues them from the hand of the wicked." So we should learn to hate, not the people so much who can change, but the badness itself, whatever it may be, in time seeking to understand why it is bad, knowing God always has good reason to warn us against something that brings certain spiritual or physical harm to us or others. We thus develop the wholesome regard for Jehovah, "the fear of God" which "means the hating of bad." (Prove 8:13). That verse continues with some real losers: "I hate self-exaltation (seeking one's own glory and praise, perhaps even more than God's) and pride (considering oneself superior to others) and the evil way and perverse (or, corrupt) speech." May we develop such wholesome hatred for all badness, including lies that threaten the very trust that is the basis for good relationships, between parents and their children, other family members and friends. How God's word helps us safeguard the makings of true peace and happiness!