Study Desk

It would be a hard choice. Sometimes I want to leave this life and be with Christ. That would be much better for me;

God has blessed you in ways that serve Christ. He allowed you to believe in Christ. But that is not all. He has also given you the honor of suffering for Christ. Both of these bring glory to Christ.

then do what will make my joy complete: Agree with each other, and show your love for each other. Be united in your goals and in the way you think.

He was like God in every way, but he did not think that his being equal with God was something to use for his own benefit.

My dear friends, you always obeyed what you were taught. Just as you obeyed when I was with you, it is even more important for you to obey now that I am not there. So you must continue to live in a way that gives meaning to your salvation. Do this with fear and respect for God.

I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares for you.

For now, I think I must send Epaphroditus back to you. He is my brother in God's family, who works and serves with me in the Lord's army. When I needed help, you sent him to me,

He should be honored because he almost died for the work of Christ. He put his life in danger so that he could help me. This was help that you could not give me.

And now, my brothers and sisters, be filled with joy in the Lord. It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again. I want to be sure that you are prepared.

Even if I am able to trust in myself, still I don't do it. If anyone else thinks they have a reason to trust in themselves, they should know that I have a greater reason for doing so.

But the government that rules us is in heaven. We are waiting for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from there.

For this I make a special request to my friend who has served with me so faithfully: Help these women. They worked hard with me in telling people the Good News, together with Clement and others who worked with me. Their names are written in the book of life.

Don't worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have.

I am so happy, and I thank the Lord that you have again shown your care for me. You continued to care about me, but there was no way for you to show it.

In our prayers we always thank God for you. He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We thank him because we have heard about the faith you have in Christ Jesus and the love you have for all of God's people.

Your faith and love continue because you know what is waiting for you in heaven—the hope you have had since you first heard the true message, the Good News

You heard it from Epaphras, our dear friend and co-worker. He is a faithful servant of Christ for us.

Since the day we heard these things about you, we have continued praying for you. This is what we pray: that God will make you completely sure of what he wants by giving you all the wisdom and spiritual understanding you need;

Through his power all things were made: things in heaven and on earth, seen and not seen— all spiritual rulers, lords, powers, and authorities. Everything was made through him and for him.