Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Corinthians 10:17

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Corinthians 10:17
"But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

This reminds me of Ammon in the Book of Mormon, as he rejoiced in their labors among the Lamanites and how many souls had come to Christ. His brother Aaron rebuked him saying, "I fear that thy joy doth carry thee away unto boasting." Ammon says he boasted of my God.

"But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.
Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."
(Alma 26:11-12)

Day 4212

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Corinthians 9:6

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Corinthians 9:6
"But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully."

This chapter reminds me of fast offerings, where we skip two meals and give the cost of it to the Lord. Fast offerings are gathered the first Sunday of the month, then distributed to those in need. I truly love to hear of all the ways the church uses our fast offerings. When I was first married I really didn't know how much to give. Was the cost of the two meals a bowl of soup or oatmeal? Sometimes that was what I gave especially when I included all the members of the family. Then I heard a bishop talk on this and he mentioned he used the price of eating out as his guide. I embraced that idea and over time included the cost of better restaurants. What a difference this more generous fast offering has made in our lives. I'm sure it has blessed others, but all I can compare is my life. Between paying tithing and a generous fast offering we have sufficient for our needs.

"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:" (2 Corinthians 9:8)

Day 4211

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Corinthians 8:9

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Corinthians 8:9
"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."

Paul is speaking of the condescension of God. Where Jesus Christ voluntarily stepped down from His high, divine glory and status to enter human mortality and experience life, suffering and death with humility. Jesus descended to face the most extreme humiliation and suffering that mortality could inflict. He had the riches of the eternities yet he came to earth to be born of a women in a stable and lay in a manger. At the end he had nothing as in riches but he raised to eternal glory. His gifts of atonement and resurrection enabled us all to have eternal life.

Day 4210

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Corinthians 7:10-11

Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Corinthians 7:10-11
For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter."

Why would godly sorrow cause revenge? Out of everything Paul listed as being the result of repentance with godly sorrow, why would revenge be amongst them?

Today's definition: Revenge is the act of retaliating against a person or group to get even for a real or perceived wrong. A desire for retribution or vengeance, often driven by anger, a need to restore honor, or a "bitter desire to injure another".

That sure didn't sound like what Paul was referring to, nor praising the saint for. I could see restore honor, but now I wonder if it could be a translation issue? I decided to search online for the meaning of revenge and learned that the word translated as "revenge" in the King James Version (KJV) means vindication, justice, or the punishment of wrong, rather than personal malice or spite.

Vindication would show the church proved itself innocent and serious about following God's commands. It cleared its name through proper church discipline. Paul was commending them for taking serious action against unrepentant sin in the community. The church disciplined the wrongdoer, removed complicity, and restored moral and spiritual order. Now that I can understand.

Day 4209