A Practical Guide for Transformative Growth Part 3

Legacy: Living Stones, Lasting Impact

See God’s Peace: 3 Days of Visio Divina

The Last Half Hour: When Waiting Becomes Glory

Be Still and Know: 7 Days to Recenter Your Heart on God

Walking in God's Presence

As We Wait on You

Jesus + Nothing

Grieving Doesn't Mean You Have to Let Go

Endurance: God’s Power for Your Weight Loss Journey

The Listener’s Bible®: NIV Edition

New International Version™  (Anglicised), Audio Edition

Holy Bible, New International Version™ (Anglicised), South Asian Audio Edition

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 <div class="label">8</div><div class="s1">The Collection for the Lord&#8217;s People</div><div class="p"> 1And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord&#8217;s people. 5And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7But since you excel in everything&#8212;in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you#8:7 Some manuscripts and in your love for us&#8212;see that you also excel in this grace of giving.</div><div class="p"> 8I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.</div><div class="p"> 10And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.</div><div class="p"> 13Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15as it is written: &#8220;The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.&#8221;#8:15 Exodus 16:18</div><div class="s1">Titus Sent to Receive the Collection</div><div class="p"> 16Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. 17For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. 18And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. 19What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.</div><div class="p"> 22In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. 23As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. 24Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.</div>
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 <div class="label">9</div><div class="p"> 1There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord&#8217;s people. 2For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. 3But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we&#8212;not to say anything about you&#8212;would be ashamed of having been so confident. 5So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.</div><div class="s1">Generosity Encouraged</div><div class="p"> 6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;</div><div class="q2">their righteousness endures forever.&#8221;#9:9 Psalm 112:9</div><div class="m"> 10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.</div><div class="p"> 12This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord&#8217;s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!</div>
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New International Version

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 <div class="p">1The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus 2and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3(The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.#7:4 Some early manuscripts pitchers, kettles and dining couches)</div><div class="p"> 5So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, &#8220;Why don&#8217;t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 6He replied, &#8220;Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:</div><div class="q1"> &#8220;&#8198;&#8216;These people honor me with their lips,</div><div class="q2"> but their hearts are far from me.</div><div class="q1"> 7 They worship me in vain;</div><div class="q2"> their teachings are merely human rules.&#8217; # 7:7 
 Isaiah 29:13
 </div><div class="m"> 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 9And he continued, &#8220;You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe#7:9 Some manuscripts set up your own traditions! 10For Moses said, &#8216;Honor your father and mother,&#8217;#7:10 Exodus 20:12; Deut. 5:16 and, &#8216;Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.&#8217;#7:10 Exodus 21:17; Lev. 20:9 11But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)&#8212; 12then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. 13Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 14Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, &#8220;Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.&#8221; [16]#7:16 Some manuscripts include here the words of 4:23.</div><div class="p"> 17After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. 18&#8220;Are you so dull?&#8221; he asked. &#8220;Don&#8217;t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? 19For it doesn&#8217;t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.&#8221; (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)</div><div class="p"> 20He went on: &#8220;What comes out of a person is what defiles them. 21For it is from within, out of a person&#8217;s heart, that evil thoughts come&#8212;sexual immorality, theft, murder, 22adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23All these evils come from inside and defile a person.&#8221;</div>
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