DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 29:
WORD OF WISDOM
"Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored
than to anything on which it is poured."
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DAILY DEVOTION
Be an Encourager
"The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed
me, and was not ashamed of my chain: But, when he was in Rome, he sought me
out very diligently, and found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find
mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me
at Ephesus, thou knowest very well."
2 Timothy 1:16-18
On his first preaching trip to England, D. L. Moody had an encounter with a
British preacher named Henry Varley that changed the course of his life.
Years later, now as the best known evangelist in the world, Moody returned
to England and asked to meet with Varley to thank him for the impact of
their brief meeting. Varley later wrote: "Mr. Moody asked me to join him in
the vestry of the Baptist Church. We were alone, and he recalled the night's
meeting at Willow Park and our converse the following morning. 'Do you
remember your words?' he said. I replied, 'I well remember our interview,
but I do not recall any special utterance.'"
Varley had said to Moody, "The world has yet to see what God will do with a
man fully consecrated to Him." Though he didn't recall the words, they made
a dramatic impact. Moody said, "Those were the words sent to my soul,
through you, from the living God. As I crossed the wide Atlantic, the boards
of the deck of the vessel were engraved with them, and when I reached
Chicago, the very paving stones seemed marked with [them]. I felt that I
must not let more time pass until I let you know how God had used your words
to my inmost soul." Few people have heard of Henry Varley, but his words of
encouragement and challenge sparked a mighty movement of God. We have the
opportunity to encourage others every day-and we should do it.
The power of our words to help and encourage others in their Christian lives
is a mighty responsibility.
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DAILY BIBLE READING
2 Corinthians 7-9New King James Version (NKJV)
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 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 that we would receive[a] 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."[b]
Collection for the Judean Saints
16 But thanks be to God who puts[c] 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 of the churches, the glory of Christ. 24 Therefore show
to them, and[d] 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 confident boasting.[e] 5 Therefore
I thought it necessary to 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
grudging obligation.
The Cheerful Giver
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who
sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he
purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of 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."[f]
10 Now may[g] He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, 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!
Footnotes:
a.2 Corinthians 8:4 NU-Text and M-Text omit that we would receive, thus
changing text to urgency for the favor and fellowship . . . .
b.2 Corinthians 8:15 Exodus 16:18
c.2 Corinthians 8:16 NU-Text reads has put.
d.2 Corinthians 8:24 NU-Text and M-Text omit and.
e.2 Corinthians 9:4 NU-Text reads this confidence.
f.2 Corinthians 9:9 Psalm 112:9
g.2 Corinthians 9:10 NU-Text reads Now He who supplies . . . will supply . .
. .
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James VersionR. Copyright C 1982 by Thomas
Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
