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2 Peter 1 3-2 Peter 1 9
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge,and knowledge with self control, and self control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness,and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
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2 Peter 3 18
Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.
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1 Peter 4 8
Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.
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Colossians 1:4-6
For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people,which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.
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1 Thessalonians 2 13-1 Thessalonians 2 14
Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God— which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe.And then, dear brothers and sisters, you suffered persecution from your own countrymen. In this way, you imitated the believers in God’s churches in Judea who, because of their belief in Christ Jesus, suffered from their own people, the Jews.
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Psalms 20:1-5
In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry. May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm.May he send you help from his sanctuary and strengthen you from Jerusalem.May he remember all your gifts and look favorably on your burnt offerings. InterludeMay he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed.May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory and raise a victory banner in the name of our God. May the Lord answer all your prayers.
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Philemon 1:5-7
because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people.And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ.Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people.
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2 Thessalonians 1 3
Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing.
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Revelation 2:9
“ I know about your suffering and your poverty— but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan.
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James 5:12
But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.
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1 Thessalonians 1 3-1 Thessalonians 1 10
As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people.For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you.So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord.As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece— throughout both Macedonia and Achaia.And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don’t need to tell them about it,for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God.And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from heaven— Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.
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1 Thessalonians 3 6-1 Thessalonians 3 9
But now Timothy has just returned, bringing us good news about your faith and love. He reports that you always remember our visit with joy and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you.So we have been greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith.It gives us new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord.How we thank God for you! Because of you we have great joy as we enter God’s presence.
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Philippians 2:4
Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
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3 John 1 3-3 John 1 6
(niv)
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Philippians 2:27
Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. (niv)
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2 Thessalonians 2 13
But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. (niv)
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1 Thessalonians 2 19-1 Thessalonians 2 20
For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?Indeed, you are our glory and joy. (niv)