A final word:
Be strong in the Lord
and in his mighty power.
Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to
to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
For we are not fighting against
flesh-and-blood enemies,
but against evil rulers and authorities
of the unseen world,
against mighty powers in this dark world,
and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
…once you were full of darkness,
but now you have light from the Lord.
So live as people of light!
For this light within you
produces only what is good and right and true.
Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.
Take no part
in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness;
instead,
expose them.
Live a life filled with love,
following the example of Christ.
He loved us
and offered himself as a sacrifice for us,
a pleasing aroma to God.
Let there be no sexual immorality,
impurity,
or greed among you.
Such sins have no place among God’s people.
Obscene stories,
foolish talk,
and coarse jokes—
these are not for you.
Instead,
let there be thankfulness to God.
Don’t use foul or abusive language.
Let everything you say be good and helpful,
so that your words will be an encouragement
to those who hear them.
And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit
by the way you live…
Instead,
be kind to each other,
tenderhearted,
forgiving one another,
just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Always be humble and gentle.
Be patient with each other,
making allowance for each other’s faults
because of your love.
Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit,
binding yourselves together with peace.
Blessings of making allowance,
Jan
Now all glory to God,
who is able,
through his mighty power at work within us,
to accomplish infinitely more
than we might ask or think.
Glory to him in the church and in Jesus Christ
through all generations forever and ever!
Amen.
Because of Christ and our faith in him,
we can now come boldly and confidently
into God’s presence.
So please don’t lose heart…
I pray that from his glorious,
unlimited resources
he will empower you with inner strength
through his Spirit.
…Here now is my final conclusion:
Fear God and obey his commands,
for this is everyone’s duty.
God will judge us for everything we do,
including every secret thing,
whether good or bad.
Life is sweet;
how pleasant to see a new day dawning.
…But remember that you must give an account to God
for everything you do.
So refuse to worry…
Honor him…
Remember him…
Remember him…
Remember him…
Remember him…
Remember him…
Remember him…
Yes, remember your Creator now…
Don’t wait…
…the dust will return to the earth,
and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
Ecclesiastes 11:7, 9-10, 12:1-7
Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant.
If they watch every cloud,
they never harvest.
Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind
or the mystery of a tiny baby
growing in its mother’s womb,
so you cannot understand the activity of God,
who does all things.
Plant your seed in the morning
and keep busy all afternoon,
for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity—
or maybe both.
