2 Corinthians 13:3 (KJV) The Evidence They Refuse to See

2 Corinthians 13:3 (KJV)

Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.

One of the most comforting, eye-opening, and maybe even alarming things to note in the New Testament is how much ministry in the Apostle Paul's day resembled ministry today. Humanity hasn’t changed a bit in 2,000 years.

Neither Paul’s personal encounter with the Lord, his education, his connection with the other apostles, his claim to be an apostle, his effectiveness in ministry, nor even the miracles he performed (through the power of the Holy Spirit) changed people’s perceptions.

They still wanted proof—proof that satisfied them that Christ spoke in and through him.

• They accused his “proofs” of being weak.
• They demanded proofs they considered “mighty.”

I speak to people almost daily who make the same accusations.

• They say our evidence for creation is weak.
• They say our evidence that the Bible is the Word of God is weak.
• They say our evidence of the resurrection of Christ is weak.

What they really want is proof that meets their standards of authority and might. But the truth is, no evidence we could offer would ever be acceptable to them.

I believe it was Dawkins who said he was so convinced there is no God, that if Jesus appeared and proved Himself to him personally, he would assume he was hallucinating—and dismiss even his own experience.

• Evidence for evolution goes almost unchallenged.
• Evidence for events in ancient history is accepted without question.

But when it comes to the things of the Spirit, suddenly they claim the evidence is “weak.”

I believe the reason is clear: accepting the evidence would require a radical change in worldview, a new direction in life, and a confrontation with eternal consequences.

It’s too bad they feel this way—
Because God has provided a way of escape from those eternal consequences.

If they would only accept the “proof” of Christ,
They would quickly see—
He is the solution to the very consequences they fear so much.

#ProofOfChrist #BibleTruthMatters #FaithOverSight #ChristIsMighty #GospelUnchanged

The Evidence They Refuse to See: Demanding Proof, Denying Truth

Are you searching for real answers in a world full of noise and doubt?
The Bible isn’t weak—it’s mighty in those who believe. Don’t wait for proof that fits your preferences. Truth is already speaking.

👉 Action Step: Message a Bible-believing pastor today or find a local Baptist church where God’s Word is preached with boldness. Don’t walk this road alone—plug in and get grounded.

💬 Question: What’s one spiritual question you’ve had that you feel the world keeps dodging? Drop it in the comments—we’ll tackle it together from Scripture.

📲 Visit marvinmckenzie.org for solid Bible answers you can trust.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6700 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
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Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
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Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

2 Corinthians 13:3 (KJV) The Evidence They Refuse to See

2 Corinthians 12:5 (KJV) When You Can’t Win

2 Corinthians 12:5 (KJV)

Of such a one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.

Barnes writes:
“Paul speaks in the third person. He chooses to keep himself directly out of view. And though he refers really to himself, yet he would not say this directly, but says that of such a man they would admit it would be proper to boast.”

The apostle Paul had so many enemies, one might argue he’s not the best example of how to get along with others while doing the work of the gospel. He had enemies among the Gentiles, enemies among his own countrymen—the Jews—and even enemies within the Christian faith, who opposed the idea of churches made up of different cultures.

Yet the Word of God establishes him as perhaps our prime example of ministry. From the start, we learn that it’s not possible to please most men, so we ought rather strive to please God. Someone will criticize the Christian no matter what tack we take in ministry.

Still, I find in this context a biblical preference in our conduct:

Keep self directly out of view.
Talk about what God is doing among men, but make little of self. 

I think of the Gospel of John, which never mentions the writer’s own name.
When we must speak of ourselves, speak of our weaknesses—not our strengths. 

Focus on what the Lord can do, not what we can do.

In my experience, there will always be people who attack any sign of confidence as arrogance, and any sign of weakness as being unfit for ministry. Among some people, we can’t win either way.

If they choose to attack us, let it be for our faith in and dependence upon the Lord—not for confidence in our flesh.

#GloryInWeakness #PleaseGodNotMen #MinistryByGrace #ChristNotSelf #FaithOverFlesh

When You Can’t Win: Please God Anyway

Are you tired of trying to please everyone—and still getting criticized?
The Apostle Paul shows us a better way: take yourself out of the spotlight and point everything to Christ.

🔎 Question for you:
Have you ever been misunderstood or attacked for doing right in ministry or Christian service? How did you respond?Drop your answer in the comments below.

📌 Today’s action step:
Speak boldly about what God is doing in someone else's life. Send an encouraging message, share a testimony publicly, or lift someone up in your church without mentioning yourself.

🌎 Visit marvinmckenzie.org for more biblical insights and resources.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6700 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

2 Corinthians 12:5 (KJV) When You Can’t Win

2 Corinthians 11:15 (KJV) Not All That Glitters Is of God

2 Corinthians 11:15 (KJV)

Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

It’s obvious in our world today that those who are not believers are often more than ambivalent—they're aggressively anti-Christian. They not only reject what the Bible teaches, but consider its teachings to be evil and immoral. Misunderstanding its message, they misinterpret it to support slavery, genocide, and more.

Given this angst against the Bible, it’s no wonder that unbelievers refuse to see the significance of this passage. Not all ministers are ministers of God. Furthermore, not all those who appear to be ministers of righteousness are truly of God. The perception of doing good does not necessarily mean the doer is doing the best good. It’s entirely possible to do a kind of good that leads souls eternally to hell.

I think many would immediately picture here religions such as Islam and perhaps Mormonism. Kindness, sincerity, food drives—these things provide temporary help. But if they lead people to embrace false religions, they do much more damage than good.

Here’s the thing: this passage is not addressing religions that are obviously unchristian. The context leaves no doubt that these “ministers of Satan,” transformed into “ministers of righteousness,” are inside God’s own churches. Like Judas, their true nature is hidden. Christians don’t recognize that they are of the devil.

There are whole denominations of so-called Christians who appear to be ministers of righteousness, but whose doctrines are of the devil.

And I would propose there are, in every church, members who are loved for their generosity, friendliness, and goodness—yet they are not saved. Their presence harms the church’s health and the spiritual well-being of the brethren. Though beloved by the people, they have no true faith. When the church is asked to step out in faith, they project doubt. They often resist the leadership and authority of the pastor. While loved for their kind nature, they present quiet, or not so quiet, undercurrent of opposition to the things of God.

And just as unbelievers reject the significance of this passage, many Christians seem to ignore it as well. They’re so eager to believe that anything with the word “Christian” attached to it must be good, they get upset at anyone who dares to suggest a “minister of righteousness” might not be what he or she appears to be.

Try the spirits whether they be of God.

#SpiritualDiscernment #FalseTeachersExposed #TryTheSpirits #BiblicalTruthMatters #MinistersOfSatan

Not All That Glitters Is of God: Discerning Deceivers in Churches

🔍 Are you trusting the appearance of righteousness—or the truth of God's Word?

The Bible warns us in 2 Corinthians 11:15 that not all who seem godly are truly of God. Some are Satan’s ministers, hidden in plain sight—even inside churches.

💬 Question: Have you ever followed someone's teaching, only to later realize it was unbiblical? Share your story in the comments.

👣 Next step: Stay grounded in truth.  Don't settle for almost right when souls are at stake.

🌎 Visit marvinmckenzie.org for more biblical insights and resources.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6700 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

2 Corinthians 11:15 (KJV) Not All That Glitters Is of God

2 Corinthians 10:9 (KJV) The Weight Behind the Words

2 Corinthians 10:9 (KJV)

That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

Gill thinks the Apostle meant to say that he had authority to be sharp and strongly corrective—and chose not to be. Barnes thinks he’s much more “threatening” than that. Barnes believes Paul implied that he’d been used of God to rain down miraculous judgments in the past, that he could and would do it again, and therefore had no need to be sharp and critical in his letters.

I lean more in the direction of Gill on this. After pastoring over 40 years, and having had occasion to exercise authority, preach boldly, stand for truth, direct the church in doctrinal matters, and at times correct, rebuke, and discipline—I find myself, in this season of life, to be more about letters than leadership.

On those occasions when I do preach, it’s not with the responsibilities—and therefore not with the authority—of the pastor. Many people don’t understand that difference. It’s why, especially among young believers, there’s often a gravitation toward evangelists and missionary preachers. They don’t realize that what appeals to them is the absence of pastoral authority. These men often preach excellent messages, but they do not carry the heavy burden of oversight and responsibility. They will not give an account of their ministry in the same way a pastor will.

These days, I spend most of my time with letters—books, blogs, reading and responding to comments on my material, mostly from people I’ll never meet this side of eternity. I have no authority over them, and they have no restraint in their responses. There’s no good to be done by trying to “terrify” anyone with my letters.

I choose instead to be faithful to the truth as I understand it, close to my Lord in my relationship, and friendly to all men, as best I am able.

#LettersNotLeadership #TruthWithoutTerror #FaithfulWithoutAuthority #MinistryInSeason #PastoralPerspective

The Weight Behind the Words: Not to Terrify, But to Testify

📖 Are you navigating life’s challenges and wondering who really has the spiritual authority to speak into your situation?

Paul chose not to terrify by letters, though he had the authority to do so. Why? Because true leadership isn’t about flexing power—it’s about faithfulness to Christ and love for His people.

💬 Question for you: Who has spiritual authority in your life—and are you submitted to it biblically?

👉 Take action today: Reach out to your pastor. Ask what you can do to serve your local church this week. Let your faith show up in real-life ministry.

 Need more Bible answers for life’s real questions?

🌎 Visit marvinmckenzie.org for more biblical insights and resources.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6700 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

2 Corinthians 10:9 (KJV) The Weight Behind the Words

2 Corinthians 9:7 (KJV) Inspired Words, Divine Truth

2 Corinthians 9:7 (KJV)

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

The forwardness of this passage strikes me. The apostle writes, “God loveth a cheerful giver.”

There are plenty of professing Christians who get uncomfortable when the preacher talks about giving—let alone whether we give sparingly or bountifully. They might be okay with him saying we should give only what we purpose in our hearts.

But then comes this:
The boldness!
The brashness!

“God loveth a cheerful giver.”

With what authority does the apostle presume to say this of God?

I find in Scripture that God promises to bless the liberal soul (Proverbs 11:25) and the bountiful eye (Proverbs 22:9). We see in Exodus 35:5 the instruction to take an offering only of a willing heart. But here, Paul goes further. This implies deep intimacy. He knew God well enough—not just to say that God wants us to give willingly, liberally, and bountifully—but that God loves the one who gives cheerfully.

And Paul isn’t presuming anything. Remember: All scripture is given by inspiration of God. These are the very words of God Himself. And who knows better what God loves than God?

So if God loves a cheerful giver, doesn’t it seem contrary to God’s love to look for excuses not to give?

Give sparingly or give bountifully—that's up to you. (I’m not discounting the New Testament inclusion of the tithe, just echoing the sentiment of the text.) But whatever you give, and whenever you give—be cheerful.

#CheerfulGiver #GivingWithGrace #HeartOfGenerosity #GodLovesTheGiver #InspiredToGive

Inspired Words, Divine Truth: God Loveth a Cheerful Giver

🟡 God said it plainly: “God loveth a cheerful giver.”
That’s not just Paul’s opinion—it’s the inspired Word of God.

Are you giving the way God loves?

👉 Take action today: Support your local, Bible-preaching church with a gift given cheerfully—not out of guilt, but out of love for the Lord who gave everything for you.

💬 Question for you: What has helped you become a more joyful giver? Share in the comments—we want to hear from you!

🔗 Need more Bible answers for life’s real questions?

🌎 Visit marvinmckenzie.org for more biblical insights and resources.

👉 Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 6700 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

2 Corinthians 9:7 (KJV) Inspired Words, Divine Truth