And yet they greatly rejoice and are glad. For they have not seen Him, but love him; and even though they do not see Him now, they believe in Him- filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy believing that they have received the salvation of their souls.
God is their refuge and their fortress. They live under His protection and stay in His shadow. They do not worry about secret traps nor with the dangers hidden in the night. They do not fear diseases that strike in the dark nor the sudden disasters at noon. So when they are in trouble they call on Him- the Helper, the Healer, the Comforter.
They are the rescued, the forgiven and the free. They found their real home. They act ignorantly in unbelief, but He gave them strength and showed mercy.
Now, they are the family of believers throughout the world, the weary and the heavy laden who found rest for their souls. Sufferings maybe inevitable, but the yoke is easy and the burden they carry is light. So they never lose their heart for their eyes are set in the future. Their outer self may looked like wasting away, but their inner selves are being renewed day by day. By their heart they believe and by their mouth they declare their faith.
They were God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, prepared beforehand that they should walk with Him. And for freedom, Christ has set them free. They stand firm and do not submit themselves again to slavery.
They walk by faith and not by sight. They who do not fully understand, yet chose to believe the most improbable. They live in the impossible believing that nothing is too hard for the Lord.
Their faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Faith is the assurance of the things they hoped for, the conviction of the things that are not seen. Their understanding comes after believing.
By faith they understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made by things that are visible. Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created and he holds all things together both in the heavens and on earth, visible or invisible, temporary or eternal.
They trust with all their heart and do not lean on their own understanding. They acknowledge the Lord who makes their path straight for in their hearts, they honor Christ the Lord as holy. And with gentleness and respect, they are prepared to defend him to anyone who asks for the reason of their hope.
They believe that Christ resurrected from the dead- the first fruit of those who have fallen asleep. And if Christ is not risen, then the good news is useless and so is their faith. Peace and joy comes to them, who believe in His plans to give them hope and a bright future.
Great persecution may break out, and many will fall away. They hear of wars and rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes. But they see to it that they are not alarmed with the present sufferings that are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in His time. Looking forward with hope to the day of God, waiting in eager expectations, they live each day with celebration in their hearts.
So the faithwalkers walk the walk, believing that life is too precious to waste because there is a friend who sacrificed his own blood to make life worth living on earth.
And the Liar tries to put dissipation, drunkenness and anxieties in their hearts and tries to close that day on them unexpectedly like a trap. For he knows the day is near for the Risen One to come with the clouds. But the faithwalkers are always on the watch, praying that they may escape all that is about to happen and that they may be able to stand before the Son of Man.
They are the faithwalkers, the new creation - where the old has passed away, and the new has come. They do not worry about tomorrow, even death- the last enemy will lose its sting. Fear will not take over, second death has no power. For the devil is a liar but his lies will never pierced though their heart. Eternity is what lies ahead.
They were God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, prepared beforehand that they should walk with Him. And for freedom, Christ has set them free. They stand firm and do not submit themselves again to slavery.
They walk by faith and not by sight. They who do not fully understand, yet chose to believe the most improbable. They live in the impossible believing that nothing is too hard for the Lord.
Their faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Faith is the assurance of the things they hoped for, the conviction of the things that are not seen. Their understanding comes after believing.
By faith they understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made by things that are visible. Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created and he holds all things together both in the heavens and on earth, visible or invisible, temporary or eternal.
They trust with all their heart and do not lean on their own understanding. They acknowledge the Lord who makes their path straight for in their hearts, they honor Christ the Lord as holy. And with gentleness and respect, they are prepared to defend him to anyone who asks for the reason of their hope.
They believe that Christ resurrected from the dead- the first fruit of those who have fallen asleep. And if Christ is not risen, then the good news is useless and so is their faith. Peace and joy comes to them, who believe in His plans to give them hope and a bright future.
Great persecution may break out, and many will fall away. They hear of wars and rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes. But they see to it that they are not alarmed with the present sufferings that are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in His time. Looking forward with hope to the day of God, waiting in eager expectations, they live each day with celebration in their hearts.
So the faithwalkers walk the walk, believing that life is too precious to waste because there is a friend who sacrificed his own blood to make life worth living on earth.
And the Liar tries to put dissipation, drunkenness and anxieties in their hearts and tries to close that day on them unexpectedly like a trap. For he knows the day is near for the Risen One to come with the clouds. But the faithwalkers are always on the watch, praying that they may escape all that is about to happen and that they may be able to stand before the Son of Man.
They are the faithwalkers, the new creation - where the old has passed away, and the new has come. They do not worry about tomorrow, even death- the last enemy will lose its sting. Fear will not take over, second death has no power. For the devil is a liar but his lies will never pierced though their heart. Eternity is what lies ahead.
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