Summary: Just as the faithful at the time of Christ's birth longed for the Consolation of Israel, we also yearn for Jesus' coming. For when He arrives, He will complete our salvation, banish sorrow forever, order all things in perfect wisdom, and unite all peoples in everlasting peace.

Every Christian is a soldier in Christ's Kingdom, marked by gentleness, focused on refuting the lies of Satan with Christ's truth, authority, and power. The result of this battle is conversion of the lost, strengthening of fellow Christians, and the silencing of satan's influence in the church.

God loves a cheerful giver and blesses them with every kind of abundance so they always have what they need to keep blessing others. Even more, He enriches the giver with spiritual growth and fills the recipient with gratitude and worship, knitting their hearts together in the grace of God.

Summary: Those who love Jesus will demonstrate self-sacrificing generosity; not just in feeling, but in follow-through. This generosity will lead to mutual abundance, ensuring that there is no lack or hoarding among God's people.

Our sin brings sadness to everyone in our church family, but God brings his comfort and joy to his people through correction, sorrow over sin, grace for a changed heart, submission, and reconciliation.

It is possible to make a hollow profession of faith in Christ. But when we truly receive the grace of God, it has transforming power in our lives. This grace leads us to live not for ourselves but for Christ's kingdom, marked by endurance, service, and even suffering. If such transformation is absent, we must cry out to God for salvation—ready to lose our life for Christ, that we might truly gain it.

It is possible to make a hollow profession of faith in Christ. But when we truly receive the grace of God, it has transforming power in our lives. This grace leads us to live not for ourselves but for Christ's kingdom, marked by endurance, service, and even suffering. If such transformation is absent, we must cry out to God for salvation—ready to lose our life for Christ, that we might truly gain it.

Jesus took the judgment we deserved and earned the reward we never could. As a result we are no longer critical of one another or fear God's condemnation. Instead we live for God's pleasure and urge others to be reconciled to God through Jesus.

We can be free from the fear of death and live faithfully during seasons of persecution by yearning for what God has for us next. This body has always been temporary, and God has secured for us a better one. This body can't be where Jesus is, but when we die we are immediately in his sweet presence.

By shifting our focus from outward and temporary thriving to inward and eternal thriving, we can experience encouragement and fortitude for daily hardships.