Study Desk

My friends, God has made us these promises. So we should stay away from everything that keeps our bodies and spirits from being clean. We should honor God and try to be completely like him.

But God cheers up people in need, and that is what he did when he sent Titus to us.

Now I am happy, but not because I hurt your feelings. It is because God used your hurt feelings to make you turn back to him, and none of you were harmed by us.

When God makes you feel sorry enough to turn to him and be saved, you don't have anything to feel bad about. But when this world makes you feel sorry, it can cause your death.

Just look what God has done by making you feel sorry! You sincerely want to prove that you are innocent. You are angry. You are shocked. You are eager to see that justice is done. You have proved that you were completely right in this matter.

When I wrote you, it wasn't to accuse the one who was wrong or to take up for the one who was hurt. I wrote, so that God would show you how much you do care for us.

My friends, we want you to know that the churches in Macedonia have shown others how kind God is.

And they did more than we had hoped. They gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us, just as God wanted them to do.

I am grateful that God made Titus care as much about you as we do.

Each of you must make up your own mind about how much to give. But don't feel sorry that you must give and don't feel that you are forced to give. God loves people who love to give.

God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others.

The Scriptures say, "God freely gives his gifts to the poor, and always does right."

God gives seed to farmers and provides everyone with food. He will increase what you have, so that you can give even more to those in need.

You will be blessed in every way, and you will be able to keep on being generous. Then many people will thank God when we deliver your gift.

What you are doing is much more than a service that supplies God's people with what they need. It is something that will make many others thank God.

The way in which you have proved yourselves by this service will bring honor and praise to God. You believed the message about Christ, and you obeyed it by sharing generously with God's people and with everyone else.

Now they are praying for you and want to see you, because God used you to bless them so very much.

Thank God for his gift that is too wonderful for words!

and every bit of pride that keeps anyone from knowing God. We capture people's thoughts and make them obey Christ.

We won't brag about something we don't have a right to brag about. We will only brag about the work that God has sent us to do, and you are part of that work.