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

2 Corinthians 8:4 (KJV) Begging to Give

2 Corinthians 8:4 (KJV)

Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

I think we often miss the emotion included in many accounts in the Word of God. It is not a textbook of facts. It is a historical record of real people, experiencing real-life situations. There is pain, trial, hardship, fear,1 victory, jubilation, and hope. All of this is interpreted not by men, but by God, who gives it to us under inspiration for our profit.

The Macedonian believers were enduring troubles of their own. Imagine: they were Gentiles—Greeks—raised in a world of enlightenment and polytheism. When they heard the Gospel, they turned from their idols to the living God, in an environment wholly unprepared for such a transformation.

We in the United States would especially have trouble relating to this. Our culture, though shifting now, has largely been Christianized. Becoming a Christian here seems normal, natural, almost expected. Not so in ancient Macedonia. To become a believer then would have meant isolation, separation, and alienation from almost everyone and everything you’d ever known.

In this context, the Apostle appears loathe to ask them to help the saints in Jerusalem, who too were suffering. In their case, it was a separation not from a pagan culture, but from a culture that had deliberately turned from the God they claimed to know. Paul had a heart for them. He knew them, understood them. Perhaps he didn’t expect these once-Gentile converts to share his burden.

But they did. They prayed him with much intreaty. They begged and begged him. They fervently, anxiously, pled with him.

They wanted to share in this ministry.

Though they had never met and came from entirely different cultures, they had all come to know Christ. They were brothers. They shared in each other’s victories and hardships.

#FellowshipOfTheSaints #GraceInAffliction #HeartsUnitedInChrist #RealPeopleRealFaith #BiblicalEmotion

Begging to Give: Real Faith in Real Life

1. See the Daily Visit from yesterday. https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com/2025/05/2-corinthians-75-kjv-soldiers-reality.html

🔔 God still uses real people in real struggles for His glory. Are you ready to be one of them?

The Macedonian believers didn’t just feel compassion—they acted on it. Despite hardship, they begged to be part of ministering to others. That’s what genuine Christianity looks like: selfless, sacrificial, and Spirit-led.

💥 Don’t wait—take action today.
📦 Find one person in need this week and meet that need—physically, financially, or spiritually.
This isn’t about grand gestures. It’s about living out your faith like they did—bold, generous, and obedient.

🗣️ Question: What’s one way you’ve seen God use hardship to grow your heart for others? Drop it in the comments below!

📖 Hungry for more biblical answers to life’s tough 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 8:4 (KJV) Begging to Give

2 Corinthians 7:5 (KJV) The Soldier’s Reality: Love, War, and Fear

2 Corinthians 7:5 (KJV)

For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.

While the Bible promises that perfect love casteth out fear (1 John 4:18), fightings still cause fears. It would be impractical, unfair, and frankly unscriptural to imply that a proper love for Christ would make a person fearless. It’s just not true. Fightings without cause fears within.

Fightings
Barnes writes, “Probably he here refers to fierce opposition, which he met with in prosecuting his work of preaching the gospel. He met there, as he did everywhere, with opposition from Pagans, Jews, and false brethren. Tumults were usually excited wherever he went; and he preached the gospel commonly amidst violent opposition.”

Fighting means preaching, disputing, contending with false preachers.

Gill writes, “Conversation in this life is a warfare.” Not merely the words we speak, but a life lived in obedience to the Word of God is a warfare. The world, the flesh, and the devil fight hard to prevent us from it.

Fears
Gill writes, “Fears, lest any should be discouraged by the violence of persecutions, or be drawn aside by the doctrines of the false apostles.”

Fears—for life, for safety, for success and victory, certainly. But also fears for the glory of God, the growth of the churches, and the good of the believers.

A soldier in combat fears for his life but also for the lives of his fellow soldiers, often risking his life for them. He fears the consequences if they should be unsuccessful. What would happen to those at home if the enemy should win?

So it is in the spiritual realm. We fear for the souls of our loved ones and neighbors. We fear for the generations to follow us should the gospel be lost to false doctrine. We fear that churches—like those we've been so blessed to be part of—might no longer be found. We fear that the Bible, so attacked through the centuries, might be translated out of existence by modern scholarship.

Fighting does cause fears. Let’s not pretend otherwise.

But the good soldier, for love of those he holds dear, stays in the fight.

#FightingsAndFears #StayInTheFight #SpiritualWarfare #LoveDrivesCourage #BiblicalRealism

The Soldier’s Reality: Love, War, and Fear: Staying faithful to Christ Means Facing both External Conflict and Internal Concern

Are you feeling overwhelmed by life’s battles?
You're not alone—Paul faced fear too. The truth is, real love for Christ doesn’t erase fear, it fuels faith to fight through it.

💬 What fight are you in right now—physically, emotionally, or spiritually? Drop it in the comments so others can pray and stand with you.

🛡️ ACTION STEP: Send a message or make a call to encourage another believer who's in the thick of the fight. Don’t just read—join the battle with them. That’s what good soldiers do.

📖 Hungry for more biblical answers to life’s tough 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 7:5 (KJV) The Soldier’s Reality: Love, War, and Fear