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6For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"[a]made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
13It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken."[b]With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, 14because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
13It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken."[b]With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, 14because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
You are hard pressed......but NOT crushed.
You may be perplexed......but NOT in despair
You may feel persecuted......but you ARE NOT abandoned.
You may feel struck down.....but you are NOT destroyed.
You DO carry around the death of Jesus....the resurrection hope. I see it. Luke sees it. All those around you see it. You are a testimony to the glory of his grace. Life is at work in you even in the midst of this trial.
Do you see what our Lord says through Paul in verse. 15.....ALL THIS IS FOR YOUR BENEFIT. BENEFIT!!!!! How could that possibly be? Because grace - is reaching more and more people and thanksgiving is overflowing to the glory of God when they see you living in this all-surpassing power that is in Christ alone!!!
Therefore, dear friend......DO NOT LOSE HEART! Our eternal glory is near. This is temporary. Hard, but temporary. And He uphold and sustains you in it FOR HIS GLORY AND FOR YOUR GOOD.
I STAND WITH YOU, OUR EYES FIXED ON THAT WHICH IS UNSEEN, AND PERSEVERE WITH YOU , to see God at work now in and through you, in and through Luke, in and through your family. WITH THANKSGIVING. Because I love you and I KNOW WITHOUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT that God reigns.....He is SOVEREIGN.....over you, over Luke, over every microscopic neuron in his beautiful brain. He reigns.
LOVE TO YOU THIS DAY. REJOICING WITH YOU IN GOD'S GOODNESS.
STANDING WITH YOU IN THE HARDNESS OF IT ALL.
TRUSTING IN GOD'S GRACE TO UPHOLD AND SUSTAIN YOU FOR EACH NEW DAY.
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