Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This is how Paul greets all the churches he writes to.
By writing these words Paul does two things.
• He speaks a blessing over his audience.
• He reminds them that this grace and peace comes from the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Were it not for God's amazing love, where would we be? "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
The words of the refrain and last stanza of Charles Wesley's great him ring out:
"Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!"
"No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th'eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own."
"Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!"
Our prayer for you today is found in Paul's words. "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."
(2 Corinthians 13:14)
Blessings.
Mike and Daphne
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