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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.
You are not faithful to God. Don’t you know that to be a friend of the world is to hate God? So anyone who chooses to be the world’s friend becomes God’s enemy.
Blessed is the person who obeys the law of the Lord. They don’t follow the advice of evil people. They don’t make a habit of doing what sinners do. They don’t join those who make fun of the Lord and his law.
Suppose someone comes to you and doesn’t teach these truths. Then don’t take them into your house or welcome them.
Anyone who welcomes them shares in their evil work.
Don’t be a friend of a person who has a bad temper. Don’t go around with a person who gets angry easily.
You might learn their habits. And then you will be trapped by them.
Do not love the world or anything in it. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.
But here is what I am writing to you now. You must stay away from anyone who claims to be a believer but does evil things. Stay away from anyone who commits sexual sins. Stay away from anyone who always wants more and more things. Stay away from anyone who worships statues of gods. Stay away from anyone who tells lies about others. Stay away from anyone who gets drunk or who cheats. Don’t even eat with people like these.
A person with unfaithful friends soon comes to ruin. But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
A twisted person stirs up conflict. Anyone who talks about others separates close friends.
Jerusalem weeps bitterly at night. Tears run down her cheeks. None of her friends comforts her. All those who were going to help her have turned against her. They have become her enemies.
Whoever wants to show love forgives a wrong. But those who talk about it separate close friends.
Brothers and sisters, here is a command we give you. We give it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Keep away from every believer who doesn’t want to work and makes trouble. Keep away from any believer who doesn’t live up to the teaching you received from us.
Warn anyone who tries to get believers to separate from one another. Warn that person more than once. After that, have nothing to do with them.
You can be sure that people like this are twisted and sinful. Their own actions judge them.
A person who wants to hurt others tries to get them to sin. That person leads them down a path that isn’t good.
Wealth brings many friends. But even the closest friend of a poor person abandons them.
Those who work their land will have plenty of food. But those who chase dreams will be very poor.
Jehu the prophet went out to meet him. He was the son of Hanani. Jehu said to the king, “You shouldn’t help evil people. You shouldn’t love those who hate the Lord. The Lord is angry with you.
I don’t spend time with people who tell lies. I don’t keep company with pretenders.
I hate to be with a group of sinful people. I refuse to spend time with those who are evil.
Keep an eye on anyone who doesn’t obey the teachings in our letter. Don’t have anything to do with that person. Then they will feel ashamed.
But don’t think of them as an enemy. Instead, warn them as you would warn another believer.
Godly people are careful about the friends they choose. But the way of sinners leads them down the wrong path.
Blessed is the person who obeys the law of the Lord. They don’t follow the advice of evil people. They don’t make a habit of doing what sinners do. They don’t join those who make fun of the Lord and his law.
Instead, the law of the Lord gives them joy. They think about his law day and night.
That kind of person is like a tree that is planted near a stream of water. It always bears its fruit at the right time. Its leaves don’t dry up. Everything godly people do turns out well.
Have nothing to do with the acts of darkness. They don’t produce anything good. Show what they are really like.
Do not be joined to unbelievers. What do right and wrong have in common? Can light and darkness be friends?
God, I wish you would kill the people who are evil! I wish those murderers would get away from me!
You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know what I’m thinking even though you are far away.
They are your enemies. They misuse your name. They misuse it for their own evil purposes.
Lord, I really hate those who hate you! I really hate those who rise up against you!
I have nothing but hatred for them. I consider them to be my enemies.
You should know that “just a little yeast works its way through the whole batch of dough.”
You were running a good race. Who has kept you from obeying the truth?
The God who chooses you does not keep you from obeying the truth.
You should know that “just a little yeast works its way through the whole batch of dough.”
Be watchful and control yourselves. Your enemy the devil is like a roaring lion. He prowls around looking for someone to swallow up.
Do not love the world or anything in it. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.
Here is what people who belong to this world do. They try to satisfy what their sinful desires want to do. They long for what their sinful eyes look at. They take pride in what they have and what they do. All of this comes from the world. None of it comes from the Father.
The world and its evil desires are passing away. But whoever does what God wants them to do lives forever.
I am warning you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who try to keep you from staying together. They want to trip you up. They teach you things opposite to what you have learned. Stay away from them.
People like that are not serving Christ our Lord. They are serving only themselves. With smooth talk and with words they don’t mean they fool people who don’t know any better.
But you are a man of God. Run away from all these things. Try hard to do what is right and godly. Have faith, love and gentleness. Hold on to what you believe.
Fight the good fight along with all other believers. Take hold of eternal life. You were chosen for it when you openly told others what you believe. Many witnesses heard you.
My son, if sinful men tempt you, don’t give in to them.
They might say, “Come along with us. Let’s hide and wait to kill someone who hasn’t done anything wrong. Let’s catch some harmless person in our trap.
Let’s swallow them alive, as the grave does. Let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down into the pit.
We’ll get all kinds of valuable things. We’ll fill our houses with what we steal.
Cast lots with us for what they own. We’ll share everything we take from them.”
My son, don’t go along with them. Don’t even set your feet on their paths.
Anyone who lives without blame walks safely. But anyone who takes a crooked path will get caught.
Listen to advice and accept correction. In the end you will be counted among those who are wise.
Ungodly people are surprised that you no longer join them in what they do. They want you to join them in their wild and wasteful living. So they say bad things about you.
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you pretending to be sheep. But on the inside they are hungry wolves.
People who make fun of others don’t like to be corrected. So they stay away from wise people.
Trusting someone who is not faithful when trouble comes is like a broken tooth or a disabled foot.
My son, if you stop listening to what I teach you, you will wander away from the words of knowledge.
Brothers and sisters, what if someone is caught in a sin? Then you who live by the Spirit should correct that person. Do it in a gentle way. But be careful. You could be tempted too.
Run away from the evil things that young people long for. Try hard to do what is right. Have faith, love and peace. Do these things together with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
I will stay away from those whose hearts are twisted. I won’t have anything to do with what is evil.
Think about things that are in heaven. Don’t think about things that are only on earth.
They are full of every kind of sin, evil and ungodliness. They want more than they need. They commit murder. They want what belongs to other people. They fight and cheat. They hate others. They say mean things about other people.
The good news is about God’s Son. He was born into the family line of King David.
They tell lies about them. They hate God. They are rude and proud. They brag. They think of new ways to do evil. They don’t obey their parents.
They do not understand. They can’t be trusted. They are not loving and kind.
They know that God’s commands are right. They know that those who do evil things should die. But they continue to do those very things. They also approve of others who do them.
Do not love the world or anything in it. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.
Here is what people who belong to this world do. They try to satisfy what their sinful desires want to do. They long for what their sinful eyes look at. They take pride in what they have and what they do. All of this comes from the world. None of it comes from the Father.