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Take a breath, find your place, and read deeply. Discover the joy of reading God’s word with the Immerse New Living Translation (NLT) Bible.
This daily Bible podcast will take you through the Bible in a year following the Immerse Bible Reading Experience. So grab your family and small group and go through the Bible in a year together with Immerse. Each of the 6 volumes is available online or at your favorite Christian bookstore.
Henry: Welcome To Immerse: The
Daily Bible Reading Experience.
Day 26.
now, I want you to know dear brothers
and sisters, what God in his kindness has
done through the churches in Macedonia.
They are being tested by many troubles
and they are very poor, but they are
also filled with abundant joy, which
has overflowed in rich generosity.
For I can testify that they gave not only
what they could afford, but far more.
They did it of their own free will.
They begged us again and again for
the privilege of sharing in the
gift for the believers in Jerusalem.
They even did more than we had hoped for.
Their first action was to give
themselves to the Lord and to us
just as God wanted them to do.
So we have urged Titus who encouraged
your giving in the first place to
return to you and encourage you
to finish this ministry of giving.
Since you excel in so many ways in
your faith, your gifted speakers,
your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and
your love from us, I want you to excel
also in this gracious act of giving.
I am not commanding you to do this,
but I am testing how genuine your
love is by comparing it with the
eagerness of the other churches.
You know, the generous grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Though he was rich, yet for your
sakes, he became poor, so that by
his poverty, he could make you rich.
Here is my advice.
It would be good for you to finish
what you started a year ago.
Last year, you were the first
who wanted to give, and you were
the first to begin doing it.
Now you should finish what you started.
Let the eagerness you showed in the
beginning be matched Now by your giving.
Give in proportion to what you have.
Whatever you give is acceptable if you
give it eagerly and give according to
what you have, not what you don't have.
Of course, I don't mean your
giving should make life easy for
others and hard for yourselves.
I only mean that there should
be some equality right now.
You have plenty and can help
those who are in need later.
They will have plenty and can
share with you when you need it.
In this way, things will be equal.
As the scriptures say.
Those who gathered a lot had
nothing left over and those who
gathered only a little had enough.
But thank God he has given Titus the
same enthusiasm for you that I have.
Titus welcomed our request
that he visit you again.
In fact, he himself was very
eager to go and see you.
We are also sending
another brother with Titus.
All the churches praise him as
a preacher of the good news.
He was appointed by the churches to
accompany us as we take the offering to
Jerusalem, a service that glorifies the
Lord and shows our eagerness to help.
We are traveling together to guard
against any criticism for the way
we are handling this generous gift.
We are careful to be honorable before
the Lord, but we also want everyone
else to see that we are honorable.
We are also sending with them another
of our brothers who has proven
himself many times and has shown
on many occasions how eager he is.
He is now even more enthusiastic
because of his great confidence in you.
If anyone asks about Titus say that
he is my partner who works with me
to help you, and the brothers with
him have been sent by the churches
and they bring honor to Christ.
So show them your love and prove
to all the churches that are
boasting about you is justified.
I really don't need to write to you about
this ministry of giving for the believers
in Jerusalem, for I know how eager you are
to help, and I have been boasting to the
churches in Macedonia that you in Greece
were ready to send an offering a year ago.
In fact, it was your enthusiasm
that stirred up many of the
Macedonian believers to begin giving.
But I am sending these brothers
to be sure you really are ready,
as I have been telling them, and
that your money is all collected.
I don't want to be wrong
in my boasting about you.
We would be embarrassed not to
mention your own embarrassment if
some Macedonian believers came with
me and found that you weren't ready.
After all I had told them.
So I thought I should send these
brothers ahead of me to make sure
the gift you promised is ready,
but I want it to be a willing gift.
Not one given grudgingly.
Remember this.
A farmer who plants only a few seeds will
get a small crop, but the one who plants
generously will get a generous crop.
You must each decide in your heart
how much to give and don't give
reluctantly or in response to pressure.
For God loves a person who
gives cheerfully and God will
generously provide all you need.
Then you will always have
everything you need and plenty
leftover to share with others.
As the scriptures say, they share freely
and give generously to the poor, their
good deeds will be remembered forever.
For God is the one who provides
seed for the farmer and then
bread to eat in the same way.
He will provide and increase your
resources and then produce a great
harvest of generosity in you.
Yes, you will be enriched in every way
so that you can always be generous.
And when we take your gifts to those
who need them, they will thank God.
So two good things will result
from this ministry of giving.
The needs of the believers in
Jerusalem will be met and they will
joyfully express their thanks to
God as a result of your ministry.
They will give glory to God.
For your generosity to them and to
all believers will prove that you
are obedient to the good news of
Christ and they will pray for you
with deep affection because of the
overflowing grace God has given to you.
Thank God for this gift
to wonderful for words.
Now I Paul appeal to you with the
gentleness and kindness of Christ.
Though I realize you think I am
timid in person and bold only
when I write from far away.
Well, I am begging you now so that when I
come, I won't have to be bold with those
who think we act from human motives.
We are human, but we don't
wage war as humans do.
We use God's mighty weapons, not
worldly weapons, to knock down
the strongholds of human reasoning
and to destroy false arguments.
We destroy every proud obstacle
that keeps people from knowing God.
We capture their rebellious thoughts
and teach them to obey Christ.
And after you have become
fully obedient, we will punish
everyone who remains disobedient.
Look at the obvious facts.
Those who say they belong to Christ
must recognize that we belong
to Christ as much as they do.
I may seem to be boasting too much
about the authority given to us by the
Lord, but our authority builds you up.
It doesn't tear you down, so I will
not be ashamed of using my authority.
I'm not trying to frighten
you by my letters.
For some say, Paul's letters are demanding
and forceful, but in person, he is
weak and his speeches are worthless.
Those people should realize that
our actions when we arrive in person
will be as forceful as what we
say in our letters from far away.
Oh, don't worry.
We wouldn't dare say that.
We are as wonderful as these other men
who tell you how important they are,
but they are only comparing themselves
with each other, using themselves
as the standard of measurement.
How ignorant we will not boast about
things done outside our area of authority.
We will boast only about what has
happened within the boundaries of
the work God has given us, which
includes our working with you.
We are not reaching beyond these
boundaries when we claim authority over
you as if we had never visited you for
we were the first to travel all the
way to Corinth with the good news of
Christ, nor do we boast and claim credit
for the work someone else has done.
Instead, we hope that your faith
will grow so that the boundaries of
our work among you will be extended.
Then we will be able to go and preach
the good news in other places far
beyond you where no one else is working.
Then there will be no question
of our boasting about work done
in someone else's territory.
As the scriptures say, if you
want to boast, boast only about
the Lord, when people commend
themselves, it doesn't count for much.
The important thing is for
the Lord to commend them.
I hope you will put up with a
little more of my foolishness.
Please bear with me for I am jealous for
you with the jealousy of God himself.
I promised you as a pure bride to one
husband Christ, but I fear that somehow
your pure and undivided devotion to Christ
will be corrupted just as Eve was deceived
by the cunning ways of the serpent.
You happily put up with whatever
anyone tells you, even if they preach a
different Jesus than the one we preach
or a different kind of spirit than the
one you received or a different kind
of gospel than the one you believed.
But I don't consider myself
inferior in any way to these super
apostles who teach such things.
I may be unskilled as a speaker,
but I'm not lacking in knowledge.
We have made this clear to
you in every possible way.
Was I wrong when I humbled myself
and honored you by preaching
God's good news to you without
expecting anything in return?
I robbed other churches by
accepting their contributions
so I could serve you at no cost.
And when I was with you and didn't
have enough to live on, I did not
become a financial burden to anyone.
For the brothers who came from
Macedonia brought me all that I needed.
I have never been a burden to you.
I never will be as surely as
the truth of Christ is in me.
No one in all of Greece will ever
stop me from boasting about this.
Why?
Because I don't love you.
God knows that I do, but I will
continue doing what I have always done.
This will undercut those who are
looking for an opportunity to boast
that their work is just like ours.
These people are false apostles.
They are deceitful workers who disguise
themselves as apostles of Christ,
but I am not surprised, even Satan
disguises himself as an angel of light.
So it is no wonder that his
servants also disguise themselves
as servants of righteousness.
In the end, they will get the
punishment their wicked deeds deserve.
Again, I say don't think that I am a fool
to talk like this, but even if you do,
Listen to me, as you would to a foolish
person, while I also boast a little such.
Boasting is not from the Lord,
but I am acting like a fool.
And since others boast about their
human achievements, I will too.
After all, you think you are so wise,
but you enjoy putting up with fools.
You put up with it.
When someone enslaves you, takes
everything you have, takes advantage
of you, takes control of everything,
and slaps you in the face.
I'm ashamed to say that we've
been too weak to do that, but
whatever they dare to boast about,
I'm talking like a fool again.
I dare to boast about it too.
Are they Hebrews?
So am I.
Are they Israelites?
So am I.
Are they descendants of Abraham?
So am I.
Are they servants of Christ?
I know I sound like a madman,
but I have served him far more.
I have worked harder.
Been put in prison more often,
been whipped times without number,
and faced death again and again.
Five different times.
The Jewish leaders gave me 39 lashes.
Three times.
I was beaten with rods.
Once I was stoned, three
times I was shipwrecked once.
I spent a whole night
and a day adrift at sea.
I have traveled on many long journeys.
I have faced danger from
rivers and from robbers.
I have faced danger from my own people,
the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles.
I have faced danger in the cities,
in the deserts and on the seas, and
I have faced danger from men who
claim to be believers but are not.
I have worked hard and long
endur, many sleepless nights.
I have been hungry and thirsty
and have often gone without food.
I have shivered in the cold without
enough clothing to keep me warm.
Then besides all this, I have the daily
burden of my concern for all the churches
who is weak without my feeling that
weakness, who is led astray, and I do
not burn with anger if I must boast.
I would rather boast about the things
that show how weak I am God, the father
of our Lord Jesus, who is worthy of
eternal praise, knows I am not lying.
When I was in Damascus, the governor
under King Titas kept guards
at the city gates to catch me.
I had to be lowered in a
basket through a window in the
city wall to escape from him.
This boasting will do no
good, but I must go on.
I will reluctantly tell about visions
and revelations from the Lord.
I was caught up to the third heaven
14 years ago, whether I was in my
body or out of my body, I don't know.
Only God knows.
Yes, only God knows whether I was in
my body or outside my body, but I do
know that I was caught up to paradise
and heard things so astounding that
they cannot be expressed in words
things no human is allowed to tell.
That experience is worth boasting
about, but I'm not going to do it.
I will boast only about my weaknesses.
If I wanted to boast, I would be no
fool in doing so because I would be
telling the truth, but I won't do it.
Because I don't want anyone to give
me credit beyond what they can see
in my life or hear in my message,
even though I have received such
wonderful revelations from God.
So to keep me from becoming proud, I was
given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger
from Satan to torment me and keep me from
becoming proud three different times.
I begged the Lord to
take it away each time.
He said, my grace is all you need.
My power works best in weakness,
so now I am glad to boast about
my weaknesses so that the power
of Christ can work through me.
That's why I take pleasure in my
weaknesses and in the insults,
hardships, persecutions, and
troubles that I suffer for Christ.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
You have made me act like a fool.
You ought to be writing commendations
for me for I am not at all
inferior to these super apostles,
even though I am nothing at all.
When I was with you, I certainly
gave you proof that I am an apostle
for I patiently did many signs and
wonders and miracles among you.
The only thing I failed to do, which
I do in the other churches, was to
become a financial burden to you.
Please forgive me for this wrong.
Now, I am coming to you for the third
time, and I will not be a burden to you.
I don't want what you have.
I want you, after all, children don't
provide for their parents, rather
parents provide for their children.
I will gladly spend myself and all I have
for you, even though it seems that the
more I love you, the less you love me.
Some of you admit I was
not a burden to you.
But others still think I was sneaky
and took advantage of you by trickery,
but how did any of the men I sent
to you take advantage of you?
When I urged Titus to visit you and
sent our other brother with him,
did Titus take advantage of you?
No.
For we have the same spirit
and walk in each other's steps
doing things the same way.
Perhaps you think we are saying these
things just to defend ourselves.
No, we tell you this as Christ's
servants and with God as our witness.
Everything we do dear friends, is to
strengthen you for I am afraid that
when I come, I won't like what I
find and you won't like my response.
I am afraid that I will find
quarreling, jealousy, anger,
selfishness, slander, gossip,
arrogance, and disorderly behavior.
Yes, I am afraid that when I come again,
God will humble me in your presence
and I will be grieved because many of
you have not given up your old sins.
You have not repented of your
impurity, sexual immorality, and
eagerness for lustful pleasure.
This is the third time I am coming to
visit you, and as the scriptures say, the
facts of every case must be established by
the testimony of two or three witnesses.
I have already warned those
who had been sinning when I
was there on my second visit.
Now I again warn them and all
others, just as I did before that
next time, I will not spare them.
I will give you all the proof you
want, that Christ speaks through me.
Christ is not weak when he deals with you.
He is powerful among you.
Although he was crucified in weakness,
he now lives by the power of God.
We too are weak just as Christ was.
But when we deal with you, we will be
alive with him and we'll have God's power.
Examine yourselves to see
if your faith is genuine.
Test yourselves.
Surely you know that
Jesus Christ is among you.
If not, you have failed the test of
genuine faith as you test yourselves.
I hope you will recognize that we have not
failed the test of apostolic authority.
We pray to God that you
will not do what is wrong.
By refusing our correction, I
hope we won't need to demonstrate
our authority when we arrive.
Do the right thing before we come.
Even if that makes it look like we have
failed to demonstrate our authority
for we cannot oppose the truth, but
must always stand for the truth.
We are glad to seem weak.
If it helps show that you
are actually strong, we pray
that you will become mature.
I am writing this to you before I come,
hoping that I won't need to deal severely
with you when I do come for, I want to
use the authority the Lord has given me
to strengthen you, not to tear you down.
Dear brothers and sisters, I close
my letter with these last words.
Be joyful, grow to maturity, encourage
each other, live in harmony and peace.
Then the God of love and
peace will be with you.
Greet each other with a sacred kiss.
All of God's people here
send you their greetings.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God and the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
This concludes today's reading experience.
Thank you for joining us.