Philippians 1:18-30 To die is to join Christ in the spirit, but to live in the flesh is meant to glorify Christ

But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me. Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. The Lord Jesus Christ did not leave us as orphans. Instead fifty days after his ascension into heaven the Holy Spirit was sent to indwell the believer and be our guide. The Holy Spirit did not come to glorify himself, but he came that through us we may glorify Christ.How do we glorify him you ask? By following the guidance of the Holy Spirit and not quenching his work in us. Our works are not the basis of our salvation, but they do glorify Christ and set us apart from the world. Amen.

Philippians 1:8-18 My prayer is this, that you love one another and grow in faith to discern false motives from sincerity, but always rejoice in the advancement of the gospel

God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. Love one another, the Master taught us. Love has no malice and is not self serving. Grow in your faith and be able to determine false motives from pure ones. Do not fear being in chains for the gospel, because Jesus knows your sacrifice and you will be rewarded according to your faith and desire to advance the Good News of Jesus Christ. Whether through suffering or through triumph, always rejoice when the gospel becomes known and trusted. Amen.

Philippians 1:1-7 Don't worry, God is in control

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Thanksgiving and Prayer 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 from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. There are two important things to take note of. First the habit Paul forms for giving thanks understanding that all good things come from God. The second is an important verse for us sinners when we struggle with sin and strive for righteousness. Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God it can be depressing when we have our backslides. And then we stop and think I know I am saved and that God loves me. And then we recall he verse, "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath given a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." In other words it was God himself who called you to salvation and indwelt us with the Holy Spirit. Sanctification, then is a work of God and not of myself, so that even when I mess up, I don't have to trust on myself to make things right because God has committed himself to that very task and I know God doesn't fail and what he decides to do. Then I can confess my sin and move forward knowing that God and the Spirit of God are in control. Amen.

Ephesians 6:18-24 Pray for the people of God

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you. Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. Jesus told the woman at the well that there be a day where you will not have a specified place of prayer, but prayer will come in spirit and truth. This is what Paul is repeating here. He tells them to pray at all time in the spirit and pray especially for the people of God including himself. He does not want to lose contact with the converts so he sends an emissary to keep them informed. Tomorrow we will begin our study of Philippians which is called the "little Romans."

Ephesians 6:10-17 Be aware and put on the full armor of God

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The apostle explains to us that our enemy is not people (flesh and blood) but those angelic hosts who are also enemies of God. They are principalities, rulers of the darkness and wicked ones. Be aware, man cannot handle this problem alone, That is why he tells us to be strong in the Lord and use what he has given us for our strength. We are to use: righteousness, the gospel of Jesus Christ, faith and the certainty of our salvation. These are what we are to use when the enemy comes and the enemy comes daily. Do not lessen the power of the gospel because Jesus has already won the victory. We only have to hold our ground. Amen.

Ephesians 6:1-9 True obedience comes from the heart

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. The Golden Rule: Treat others as you want to be treated. In our world their are hierarchies of authority. The Lord God is over all and has given authority on earth. Leaders lead the people and in the masses there are sub-categories of authority such as governors, mayors, coaches, bosses and the like. All who under their authority owe obedience to them, but not only in observation, but in doing well from the heart. In the family we have fathers and mothers who have authority to their children and to one another. Here too we must serve each other out of love and not duty. In the end, the final judge of our conduct is Christ. He will separate the genuine from the fake and those who are false will be separated from their master and live alone in wanting while the obedient will receive their reward according to their works of obedience from the heart.

Ephesians 5:22-33 The Greatest Mystery

Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. One of the greatest mysteries in the Bible is the love for a man for his wife. Two people are joined together who were once strangers and spend their lives together. The cling to one another to the point of leaving their own families to make a new one - for better or for worse of their own. This love causes the woman to revere her husband and for the husband to love her like his own body. This mystery has been repeated billions of times and is the closest example we have of Christ's agape (sacrificial love) that we know. Thank God for the love between husband and wife so that we may have the love of God in our hearts. Amen.

Ephesians 5:18-21 Who controls your life: the world or God?

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. The Spirit filled life should be a joyful one. Proceeding from your joy in Christ your mouths should be filled with thanks, praise and song. This is the life when the believer is filled with the Spirit. The Spirit has control. But in the world, the drunkard being representative of the world, they are controlled too. Not by the Spirit by by the power of the wine. But when the wine wears off, there is no joy that endures, only regret and death. Amen

Ephesians 5:1-17 Reprove your brother and honor God

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. The instruction here is to live wisely. Wisdom is the ability to live skillfully. The opposite of wisdom is foolishness and such are we much of the time. Wisdom is a gift from God and the Bible says that those who ask God for it, that it will be given in abundance. Therefore do not join in with the crowd when cursing, course talk, and other foolishness occurs. Instead, reprove your brother and honor God. Amen.

Ephesians 4:17-32 Instructions for Christian Living

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. The Lord God said,'Be thou holy, because I the Lord your God am holy." This is the essence of these passages. This is not about salvation, but instead how the saved person should live. We are different from the natural man because we have the Holy Spirit who indwells us. When we resist his guidance, it grieves him. But when we live a godly life we are said to be full of the Spirit. Petty grievance among must be set aside and we shall resist selfishness at all cost, because this is the root of disobedience. Instead we take joy in our salvation and build up the believers in Christ who are his body and glorify him.

Ephesians 4:7-16 He who is all in all, gives gifts to his family of believers

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Christ is a God of ascent and decent. First he left heaven to take the form of man (descent). Then he lived a godly life, but was crucified by sinful man. After raising from the dead, according to the Scriptures first shown himself to many witnesses of his life before descending into hell to be shown to the dead apart from Christ. Then he ascends to the right hand of the Father and will in time to come descend again to rescue believers in himself. Fifty days after returning to heaven he poured out gifts to his believers which take the form of spiritual entitlements. All of this new ability was to strengthen the church and edify its believers. The goal is to have a mature faith were we are no longer uncertain of the truth, but identify and fight heresy where ever it is found and fighting the good fight alongside our Savior. Amen.

Ephesians 4:1-6 : Seven Unities To Be Kept

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Paul starts this discussion on how a Christian ought to walk. He follows is by giving seven elements to the walk of the Christian. The seven unities to be kept are: 1. Keep unity of the Spirit. 2. One bond of peace. 3. One body. 4. One Spirit. 5. One Lord. 6. One Faith. 7. One Baptism By keeping these seven unities, we will be able to stand against our adversary who is Satan.

Ephesians 3:13-21 A Prayer for the Ephesians

I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory. For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. What is Paul's prayer for you? That you be rooted in love, because God is love. That by the Holy Spirit, that your inner man my grow and understand the depth, and the heighth, and the width of of the power of God, especially for those who love him. He asks that God grand you blessing out of his riches according to the measure of your need. And that we be strengthened to live a life on earth until the day that we see him face to face in the heavenlies. In Jesus name we pray Amen.

Ephesians 3:1-12 God’s Marvelous Plan for the Gentiles

For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. In the years before Christ Jesus, the powers in heavenly places were only aware of God, Christ, the Holy Spirit and of Israel. Now in the fullness of times the church emerges as a full participant in God's plan to save the gentiles. The church did not exist in prior times, but was instituted by Paul who was the Apostle to the gentiles. Now all of creation knows that the sacrifice of Jesus was for the gentiles also, because they were given the same gift (the sending of the Holy Spirit) as was given to the Jews. Now the gates of Hell are at war with the God of gods and the Lord of lords and the enemy will not prevail.

Ephesians 2:11-22 Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. The word "emnity" in the Bible speaks of a natural disunity between to peoples. On the one hand you have the elect in the Jews who God called to be the race from which the Savior would be born and you have the billions are on non-Jewish origin. For God so loves the world that he gave his son, the Bible teaches. How can God stop the emnity between the Jews and the rest of the world. In the person of Jesus Christ. He tought that the seed of Abraham is not his natural descendants, but instead those who share the faith of Abraham. And it is by faith and grace that our sins are forgiven and the emnity between the human race and God was tumbled so that we can reconcile to the Father and to one another forming a new elect - the child of God.

Ephesians 2:1-10 Made Alive in Christ

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. It is important to realize that the biblical definition of life means life in Christ Jesus. Apart from him, you are spiritually dead and once you die a natural life, you will indeed die a second and eternal death which is separation from your maker. With that being said, we are all born into sin and thus into spiritual death. In that state, we are separated from God and cannot come to him. Jesus declares, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. Nobody comes to the Father except through me." For that reason, we must be born again. This time not of flesh and blood which leads to death. But born of the spirit which leads to life and union with God. We should be eternally grateful because while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Now the question becomes, "Do you believe?"

Ephesians 1:15-22 Christ is the head of the church and gives revelation to the saints

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[a] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church. It is Christ's desire for us to know him and for him to shepherd his people. For this reason, he has given them eyes that can see, ears that can hear, and a heart that understands. He desires not to be a God that is far off, but draws near to us and walks with us. By doing do, we can depend upon him in every area of our life and take the hope of is near return. He is raised up, far above his enemies so that he will have a name above every other name and to us he is our brother and our friend.

Ephesians 1:1-14 We were chosen before the beginning of the world to be God's own children and were lavished with blessing in heavenly places

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.n him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. This is the doctrine of the elect. Believers were known by name before the foundation of the world to become his sons and daughters and he has set aside an inheritance in heavenly places to keep us and for our return worship. He has guaranteed a home with him and has given an earnest by means of sending the Holy Spirit so that we will always live his house forever. Amen.

Galatians 6:10-18 Not Circumcision but the New Creation

See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!hose who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh. May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to the Israel of God.From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen. When Paul approached Jesus to remove the thorn in the flesh, Jesus responded "My grace is sufficient for you." Jesus was saying you cannot satisfy me in your sinful flesh. Instead you must be transformed by the life partaking labor of the Holy Spirit and become a new man. This is only accomplished through the gospel which forgives your sins and imparts upon you eternal life. In those days, there will be no suffering or injustice which is the result of sin, but instead no tear will be shed and we will live a life in the presence of our Savior and he will sanctify us so that we are in his image. Glory cannot be accomplished in humanity but instead we must die to the flesh and grow our inner man. Amen.