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VERSES FOR OFFERINGS
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.
Adulterers, do you not know that friendship with the world means hostility toward God? So whoever decides to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy.
How blessed is the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand in the pathway with sinners, or sit in the assembly of scoffers!
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house and do not give him any greeting,
because the person who gives him a greeting shares in his evil deeds.
Do not make friends with an angry person, and do not associate with a wrathful person,
lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him,
The one who associates with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who calls himself a Christian who is sexually immoral, or greedy, or an idolater, or verbally abusive, or a drunkard, or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person.
A person who has friends may be harmed by them, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
She weeps bitterly at night; tears stream down her cheeks. She has no one to comfort her among all her lovers. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies. ג (Gimel)
The one who forgives an offense seeks love, but whoever repeats a matter separates close friends.
But we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who lives an undisciplined life and not according to the tradition they received from us.
Reject a divisive person after one or two warnings.
You know that such a person is twisted by sin and is conscious of it himself.
for one who goes astray is an abomination to the Lord, but he reveals his intimate counsel to the upright.
The one who works his land will be satisfied with food, but whoever chases daydreams will have his fill of poverty.
the prophet Jehu son of Hanani confronted him; he said to King Jehoshaphat, “Is it right to help the wicked and be an ally of those who oppose the Lord? Because you have done this the Lord is angry with you!
I do not associate with deceitful men, or consort with those who are dishonest.
I hate the mob of evil men, and do not associate with the wicked.
But if anyone does not obey our message through this letter, take note of him and do not associate closely with him, so that he may be ashamed.
Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good.
The righteous person is cautious in his friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
How blessed is the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand in the pathway with sinners, or sit in the assembly of scoffers!
Instead he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands; he meditates on his commands day and night.
He is like a tree planted by flowing streams; it yields its fruit at the proper time, and its leaves never fall off. He succeeds in everything he attempts.
Do not become partners with those who do not believe, for what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship does light have with darkness?
If only you would kill the wicked, O God! Get away from me, you violent men!
You know when I sit down and when I get up; even from far away you understand my motives.
They rebel against you and act deceitfully; your enemies lie.
O Lord, do I not hate those who hate you, and despise those who oppose you?
I absolutely hate them, they have become my enemies!
You were running well; who prevented you from obeying the truth?
This persuasion does not come from the one who calls you!
A little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise!
Be sober and alert. Your enemy the devil, like a roaring lion, is on the prowl looking for someone to devour.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him,
because all that is in the world (the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the arrogance produced by material possessions) is not from the Father, but is from the world.
And the world is passing away with all its desires, but the person who does the will of God remains forever.
Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them!
For these are the kind who do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of the naive.
But you, as a person dedicated to God, keep away from all that. Instead pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness.
Compete well for the faith and lay hold of that eternal life you were called for and made your good confession for in the presence of many witnesses.
My child, if sinners try to entice you, do not consent!
If they say, “Come with us! We will lie in wait to shed blood; we will ambush an innocent person capriciously.
We will swallow them alive like Sheol, those full of vigor like those going down to the Pit.
We will seize all kinds of precious wealth; we will fill our houses with plunder.
Join with us! We will all share equally in what we steal.”
My child, do not go down their way, withhold yourself from their path;
The one who conducts himself in integrity will live securely, but the one who behaves perversely will be found out.
Listen to advice and receive discipline, that you may become wise by the end of your life.
So they are astonished when you do not rush with them into the same flood of wickedness, and they vilify you.
“Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves.
Like a bad tooth or a foot out of joint, so is confidence in an unfaithful person at the time of trouble.
If you stop listening to instruction, my child, you will stray from the words of knowledge.
Brothers and sisters, if a person is discovered in some sin, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. Pay close attention to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too.
But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips,
concerning his Son who was a descendant of David with reference to the flesh,
slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents,
senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless.
Although they fully know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him,
because all that is in the world (the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the arrogance produced by material possessions) is not from the Father, but is from the world.