DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR SATURDAY DECEMBER 5:
DAILY BIBLE READING
2 Corinthians 5-9 New King James Version (NKJV)
Assurance of the Resurrection
5 For we know that if our earthly [a]house, this tent, is destroyed, we have
a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2
For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our
[b]habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we
shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being
burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that
mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this
very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as [c]a guarantee.
6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body
we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are
confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be
present with the Lord.
The Judgment Seat of Christ
9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well
pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of
Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to
what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of
the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust
are well known in your consciences.
Be Reconciled to God
12 For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to
boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in
appearance and not in heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for
God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ
compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;
15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for
themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even
though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus
no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old
things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all
things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ,
and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in
Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not [d]imputing their trespasses to
them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading
through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him.
Marks of the Ministry
6 We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive
the grace of God in vain. 2 For He says:
"In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you."
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
3 We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. 4 But
in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much [e]patience,
in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, 5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in
tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; 6 by purity, by
knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by [f]sincere
love, 7 by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of
righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8 by honor and dishonor, by
evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; 9 as unknown, and
yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not
killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many
rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Be Holy
11 O Corinthians! [g]We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open.
12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own
affections. 13 Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also
be open.
14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what
[h]fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what [i]communion has
light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part
has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of
God with idols? For you[j] are the temple of the living God. As God has
said:
"I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people."
17 Therefore
"Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you."
18 "I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the Lord Almighty."
The Corinthians' Repentance
7 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from
all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of
God.
The Corinthians' Repentance
2 Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one,
we have cheated no one. 3 I do not say this to condemn; for I have said
before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. 4
Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my boasting on your
behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our
tribulation.
5 For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were
troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. 6
Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of
Titus, 7 and not only by his coming, but also by the [k]consolation with
which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your
mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.
8 For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I
did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though
only for a while. 9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that
your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner,
that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow produces
repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the
world produces death. 11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a
godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of
yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal,
what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this
matter. 12 Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake
of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong,
but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you.
The Joy of Titus
13 Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort. And we rejoiced
exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed
by you all. 14 For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not
ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to
Titus was found true. 15 And his affections are greater for you as he
remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received
him. 16 Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.
Excel in Giving
8 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the
churches of Macedonia: 2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance
of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their
liberality. 3 For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and
beyond their ability, they were freely willing, 4 imploring us with much
urgency [l]that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the
ministering to the saints. 5 And not only as we had hoped, but they first
gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. 6 So we
urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in
you as well. 7 But as you abound in everything-in faith, in speech, in
knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us-see that you abound in
this grace also.
Christ Our Pattern
8 I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by
the diligence of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through
His poverty might become rich.
10 And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing
what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; 11 but now you also must
complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so
there also may be a completion out of what you have. 12 For if there is
first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not
according to what he does not have.
13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; 14 but by
an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack,
that their abundance also may supply your lack-that there may be equality.
15 As it is written, "He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who
gathered little had no lack."
Collection for the Judean Saints
16 But thanks be to God who [m]puts the same earnest care for you into the
heart of Titus. 17 For he not only accepted the exhortation, but being more
diligent, he went to you of his own accord. 18 And we have sent with him the
brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches, 19 and
not only that, but who was also chosen by the churches to travel with us
with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself
and to show your ready mind, 20 avoiding this: that anyone should blame us
in this lavish gift which is administered by us- 21 providing honorable
things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
22 And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved diligent
in many things, but now much more diligent, because of the great confidence
which we have in you. 23 If anyone inquires about Titus, he is my partner
and fellow worker concerning you. Or if our brethren are inquired about,
they are messengers[n] of the churches, the glory of Christ. 24 Therefore
show to them, [o]and before the churches, the proof of your love and of our
boasting on your behalf.
Administering the Gift
9 Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to
write to you; 2 for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to
the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred
up the majority. 3 Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you
should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; 4 lest
if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention
you!) should be ashamed of this [p]confident boasting. 5 Therefore I thought
it necessary to [q]exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and
prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised,
that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a [r]grudging
obligation.
The Cheerful Giver
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who
sows [s]bountifully will also reap [t]bountifully. 7 So let each one give as
he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of [u]necessity; for God loves a
cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that
you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for
every good work. 9 As it is written:
"He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever."
10 Now [v]may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food,
[w]supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of
your righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all
liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 12 For the
administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints,
but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13 while, through
the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your
confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them
and all men, 14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the
exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable
gift!
