WRITTEN FOR THOSE WHO CALL THEMSELVES MY FRIEND AND FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST.

Originally Posted: Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 5:03am

Steven, a servant of God, to his beloved brethren and to those who are in Christ Jesus, in order to put to rest striving and promote godliness, grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ.

I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I write to you; not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have more abundantly to you.

What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?

To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.

The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, but if you keep His command to persevere, He will also keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

For all seek their own, but like Timothy, seek the things which are Jesus Christ's. More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it! For it is written, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."

Though the flesh and heart fail; God is the strength of the heart and all portions forever.

But where sin abounds, grace abounds much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

So let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby: And of Jesus Christ our Lord, according as his divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and excellence.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world and against spiritual wickedness in heavenly realms. (For as we see in Daniel, the angel Gabriel took twenty days to reach him from the hearing of his prayers, for he was withstood by the prince of the kingdom of Persia.)

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are admirable, if there be any excellence, and if there be anything worthy of praise, think on these things.

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God!

Herein, Love has been perfected among us: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

We love Him because He first love us.

For this reason, I do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding: that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

Now to him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

I love you all and every word comes from the bottom of my heart.



Scripture Used: 2 Thes. 1:1-2/James 1:1, 1 Thes. 5:23, 1 Thes. 3:18, 2 Corinth. 2:4, Ecc. 2:22-26, 2 Tim. 4:3, Rev 3:10, Phil. 2:21, Luke 11:28, John 10:27, John 10:5, Psalm 73:26, Rom. 5:20-21, James 1:4, 1 Peter 2:2, 2 Peter 1:3, Eph. 6:12, Dan. 10:12-14, Roma. 8:5-6, 2 Corinth. 4:18, Phil. 4:6-8, Col. 3:2-3, 1 John 4:17-19, Col. 1:9-10, Eph. 6:18, Jude 24-25.