Looking to the eternal

God has put eternity into man’s heart. 1 We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. We have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling. 2

We do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. 3

And this is the promise that he made to us – eternal life, 4 eternal redemption, 5 eternal salvation, 6 eternal glory, 7 eternal comfort, 8 eternal dwellings, 9 eternal inheritance, 10 eternal joy, 11 eternal light, 12 eternal love. 13

 

1 Ecc 3.11 2 2Cor 4.18-5.2 3 2Cor 4.16-17 4 1Jn 2.25 5 Heb 9.12 6 Heb 5.9 7 2Tim 2.10 8 2Th 2.16 9 Lk 16.9 10 Heb 9.15 11 Isa 61.7 12 Isa 60.19 13 Jer 31.3 

Christian love

All of you share in God’s grace with me. I have you in my heart. 1

Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 2 I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel. 3

Your love has given me great joy and encouragement. 4

God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 5 l long to see you so that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. 6 Though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is. 7

My brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord dear friends. 8

I urge you to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. 9

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. 10 My love to all of you Christ Jesus. Amen. 11

 

1 Phil 1.7 2 2Tim 1.3 3 Phil 1.3-5 4 Philemon 7 5 Phil 1.8 6 Rom 1.11-12 7 Col 2.5 8 Phil 4.1 9 Rom 15.30 10 Gal 6.18 11 1Cor 16.24

Do not fear

God says 

 

Thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel. Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 1

I, I am he who comforts you; why then are you afraid of a mere mortal who must die, a human being who fades like grass? You have forgotten the LORD, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth. 2

Listen to me, you who know righteousness, you people who have my teaching in your hearts; do not fear the reproach of others, and do not be dismayed when they revile you. For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool, but my deliverance will be forever, and my salvation to all generations. 3

I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Do not fear, I will help you.” 4 Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. 5

Do not be afraid I am your shield. 6 I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed. 7

 

1 Isa 43.1 2 Isa 51.12-13 3 Isa 51.7-8 4 Isa 41.13 5 Ps 50.15 6 Gen 15.1 7 Josh 1.5,9

Forever

Though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever. 1 But whoever does the will of God abides forever. 2 

His saints are preserved forever. 3 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore. 4 

He will swallow up death forever. 5

 The saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever. 6 And the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion from this time forth and forevermore. 7

 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. 8 Steadfast love will be built up forever. 9

 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom. 10 Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. 11 

 1 Ps 92.7 2 1Jn 2.17 3 Ps 37.28 4 Ps 125.2 5 Isa 25.8 6 Dan 7.18 7 Mic 4.7 8 Isa 32.16-17 9 Ps 89.2 10 Mt 13.43 11 Dan 12.3

Unity in Christ

All of you who were baptised into Christ have yourselves with Christ. You are all one in Christ Jesus. 1

You are a chosen race. You once were not a people, but now you are the people of God. 2

There is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman. 3 There is neither male nor female. 4 But Christ is all, and in all. 5

Preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all. 6

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 7 You are all brothers. 8

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! 9 All of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, 10 having been knit together in love. 11

May God grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 12 The fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 13

 

1 Gal 3.27-28 2 1Pt 2.9-10 3 Col 3.11 4 Gal 3.28 5 Col 3.11 6 Eph 4.3-6 7 Gal 3.26 8 Mt 23.8 9 Ps 133.1 10 1Pt 3.8 11 Col 2.2 12 Rom 15.5-6 13 2Cor 13.14

Hold fast

Take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called. 1 Take hold of the life that really is life. 2

Take good care to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to keep his commandments, and to hold fast to him. 3

Hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good. 4 Hold fast to love and justice. 5 Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 6

Let us hold fast to what we have attained. 7 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 8 For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end. 9

Do not abandon that confidence of yours; it brings a great reward. 10 Hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day. 11

Keep yourselves in the love of God, look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 12 These are the words of the Son of God, “Only hold fast to what you have until I come.” 13

 

1 1Tim 6.12 2 1Tim 6.19 3 Josh 22.5 4 Rom 12.9 5 Hos 12.6 6 Prov 3.3 7 Phil 3.16 8 Heb 10.23 9 Heb 3.14 10 Heb 10.35 11 Josh 23.8 12 Jude 1.21 13 Rev 2.18,25

I walk in Your faithfulness

O LORD your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness. 1

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. 2 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. 3

You will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me! 4 For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk in the light of life. 5

When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up. 6 You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip. 7

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 8 Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. 9 

Preserve me from violent men, who have planned to trip up my feet. 10 Keep steady my steps according to your promise. 11

 

1 Ps 26.2-3 2 Ps 23.4 3 Ps 138.7 4 Ps 40.11 5 Ps 56.13 6 Ps 94.18 7 2Sam 22.37 8 Ps 119.105 9 Ps 119.35 10 Ps 140.4 11 Ps 119.133