Think about giving – it's truly beautiful in God's eyes. When you're preparing your offering, remember it should be your best, given with a sincere heart. It should be a joyful act, knowing how much God has already blessed us with, even when we don't deserve it. He's been incredibly generous, hasn't He?
If you only give what's leftover, well, life might just mirror that back to you. Think about it – give as if you're giving to yourself. Don't do it out of obligation or because you expect something in return. True giving comes from the heart.
Don't make a big show of it either. It's not about getting praised or patted on the back. Let your giving be a quiet act between you and God. He sees what's in your heart, and He loves a cheerful giver. Remember what it says in 2 Corinthians 9:7: "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
Giving is an act of worship, a way to give back a portion of what God has already given us. And when God gives, He gives abundantly. When you offer from the heart, you're opening the door for even more blessings. The more you give, the more you receive. It's a beautiful cycle.
You unfaithful wives! Don’t you know that loving the world is hating God? Whoever chooses to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy!
How blessed are those who reject the advice of the wicked, don’t stand on the way of sinners or sit where scoffers sit!
If someone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, don’t welcome him into your home. Don’t even say, “Shalom!” to him;
for the person who says, “Shalom!” to him shares in his evil deeds.
Don’t associate with an angry man; make no hot-tempered man your companion.
If you do, you may learn his ways and find yourself caught in a trap.
Do not love the world or the things of the world. If someone loves the world, then love for the Father is not in him;
No, what I wrote you was not to associate with anyone who is supposedly a brother but who also engages in sexual immorality, is greedy, worships idols, is abusive, gets drunk or steals. With such a person you shouldn’t even eat!
Bitterly she weeps at night, tears running down her cheeks. Not one of all her lovers is there to comfort her. Her friends have all betrayed her; they have become her enemies.
He who conceals an offense promotes love, but he who harps on it can separate even close friends.
Now, in the name of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah we command you, brothers, to stay away from any brother who is leading a life of idleness, a life not in keeping with the tradition you received from us.
Warn a divisive person once, then a second time; and after that, have nothing more to do with him.
You may be sure that such a person has been perverted and is sinning: he stands self-condemned.
for the perverse is an abomination to Adonai, but he shares his secret counsel with the upright.
He who farms his land will have plenty of food, but he who follows futilities will have plenty of poverty.
Yehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Y’hoshafat, “Should you help the wicked and befriend those who hate Adonai? Because of this, Adonai’s anger is upon you.
I have not sat with worthless folks, I won’t consort with hypocrites,
I hate the company of evildoers, I will not sit with the wicked.
Furthermore, if anyone does not obey what we are saying in this letter, take note of him and have nothing to do with him, so that he will be ashamed.
But don’t consider him an enemy; on the contrary, confront him as a brother and try to help him change.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but a person who makes a mistake can destroy much good.
The righteous guides his friend’s way rightly, but the way of the wicked will lead them astray.
How blessed are those who reject the advice of the wicked, don’t stand on the way of sinners or sit where scoffers sit!
Their delight is in Adonai’s Torah; on his Torah they meditate day and night.
They are like trees planted by streams — they bear their fruit in season, their leaves never wither, everything they do succeeds.
Do not yoke yourselves together in a team with unbelievers. For how can righteousness and lawlessness be partners? What fellowship does light have with darkness?
God, if only you would kill off the wicked! Men of blood, get away from me!
You know when I sit and when I stand up, you discern my inclinations from afar,
They invoke your name for their crafty schemes; yes, your enemies misuse it.
Adonai, how I hate those who hate you! I feel such disgust with those who defy you!
I hate them with unlimited hatred! They have become my enemies too.
You were running the race well; who has stopped you from following the truth?
Whatever means of persuasion he used was not from the One who calls you.
“It takes only a little hametz to leaven the whole batch of dough.”
Stay sober, stay alert! Your enemy, the Adversary, stalks about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Do not love the world or the things of the world. If someone loves the world, then love for the Father is not in him;
because all the things of the world — the desires of the old nature, the desires of the eyes, and the pretensions of life — are not from the Father but from the world.
And the world is passing away, along with its desires. But whoever does God’s will remains forever.
I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put snares alongside the teaching in which you have been trained — keep away from them.
For men like these are not serving our Lord the Messiah but their own belly; by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the innocent.
But you, as a man of God, flee from these things; and pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
Fight the good fight of the faith, take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you testified so well to your faith before many witnesses.
My son, if sinners entice you, don’t go along with them.
Suppose they say, “Come with us: we’ll ambush somebody and kill him, we’ll waylay some harmless soul, just for fun;
we’ll swallow him alive, like Sh’ol, whole, like those who descend to the pit;
we’ll find everything he has of value, we’ll fill our homes with loot!
Throw in your lot with us; we’ll share a common purse” —
my son, don’t go along with them, don’t set foot on their path;
He who walks purely walks securely, but he who walks in crooked ways will be found out.
They think it strange that you don’t plunge with them into the same flood of dissoluteness, and so they heap insults on you.
“Beware of the false prophets! They come to you wearing sheep’s clothing, but underneath they are hungry wolves!
Relying on an untrustworthy person in a time of trouble is like [relying on] a broken tooth or an unsteady leg.
My son, if you stop heeding discipline, you will stray from the principles of knowledge.
Brothers, suppose someone is caught doing something wrong. You who have the Spirit should set him right, but in a spirit of humility, keeping an eye on yourselves so that you won’t be tempted too.
So, flee the passions of youth; and, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart, pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love and peace.
They are filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and vice; stuffed with jealousy, murder, quarrelling, dishonesty and ill-will; they are gossips,
It concerns his Son — he is descended from David physically;
slanderers, haters of God; they are insolent, arrogant and boastful; they plan evil schemes; they disobey their parents;
they are brainless, faithless, heartless and ruthless.
They know well enough God’s righteous decree that people who do such things deserve to die; yet not only do they keep doing them, but they applaud others who do the same.
A friend shows his friendship at all times — it is for adversity that [such] a brother is born.
Do not love the world or the things of the world. If someone loves the world, then love for the Father is not in him;
because all the things of the world — the desires of the old nature, the desires of the eyes, and the pretensions of life — are not from the Father but from the world.