And god said ‘Let there be light’ and there was light, and god saw the light that it was good and god made a separation between the light and between the darkness. and god called the light – day and he called the darkness — night and there was evening and there was morning -day one!
Teach us, good Lord, to serve thee as thou deservest; to give and not to count the cost; to fight and not to heed the wounds; to toil and not to seek for rest; to labour and not to ask for any reward, save that of knowing that we do thy will, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
At first god created the heavens and the earth and the earth was unorganised and empty and darkness was upon the face of the Deep and the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters.
Grant, Lord, that we may hold to you without parting, worship you without wearying, serve you without failing; faithfully seek you, happily find you, and forever possess you, the only God,blessed now and for ever. Amen
Test yourselves, (to see) if you are in the faith, Examine yourselves. Or do you, yourselves, not recognise that Christ is in you? -unless you are failing the test. For I hope that you will recognise that we are not failing the test. I pray to God, that you do nothing bad – not that we might appear to pass the test but that you might do good even thought we might be failures. For we are not able to do anything against the truth, but for the truth For we rejoice whenever we are weak and you are strong. And we pray that you may be made mature Because of this I am writing while absent that when I am present I may not have to act harshly, in keeping with the authority, which the Lord gave me for building up, and not for tearing down.
Finally brothers/sisters rejoice! Be mature be encouraged Be of the same mind, Be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit (be) with you all.
Thank you, dear Jesus, for all you have given me, for all you have taken away from me, for all you have left me.
I am coming a third time to you all. Upon the testimony of two witnesses, or three, every matter will be established. 1 I warned while I was present the second time, and being away now, I am warning, those who sinned previously and all the others, that if I come again I will not be sparing, -since you seek proof that Christ is speaking through me. Who with you is not weak but powerful among you. For indeed he was crucified in weakness but lives by the power of God. For indeed we are weak in him but we live with him, by the power of God among you.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is discord, union; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy, For your mercy and for your truth’s sake. Amen
Have you been thinking all along that we are defending ourselves to you? In the sight of God, we are speaking in Christ and everything, beloved, is for building you up. For I fear lest having come I might not find you as I want and as you want you might not find me- perhaps (there will be) quarrelling jealousy anger selfishness slander gossip conceit disorder. Again (I fear) that having come my God will humiliate me before you all, I might grieve over many who have persisted in sinning before and not repented over impurity, sexual immorality and indecency which they have committed.
O Lord Jesus Christ, stay beside me to defend me, within me to guide me, before me to lead me, and above me to bless me, that with you and in you, I may live, and move and have my being, for ever and ever. Amen.
Look! I am ready to come a third time to you, and I will not be a burden. And I am not seeking what is yours, but you! For children should not be obliged to save up for their parents, but the parents for the children. Most gladly I will spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more am I to be loved less? Let’s take it that I did not burden you. But being cunning I took you in by deceit! Did I take advantage of you through him that I sent you? I urged Titus (to go) and I sent the brother with him Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? Don’t we walk in the same spirit? and in the same footsteps?
Eternal God and Fatther, you create us by your power, and redeem us by your love, guide and strengthen us by your Spirit, that we may give ourselves in love and service to one another and to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
I have become foolish, – you forced me. for I ought to have been commended by you. For I am not inferior compared to those ‘super-apostles’ even if I am nothing.
The signs of an apostle have been produced among you with all endurance signs and wonders and powerful deeds.
For how were you treated worse than the other churches except that I alone did not burden you? Forgive me this injustice!
O Lord, in whom is our hope, remove far from us, we pray thee, empty hopes and presumptuous confidence. Make our hearts so right with thy most holy and loving heart, that hoping in thee we may do good; until that day when faith and hope shall be abolished by sight and possession, and love shall be all in all.
Therefore lest I be puffed-up-with-pride, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, …. a messenger sent by (of) Satan …. so that I might be tormented, so that I would not be puffed-up-with-pride. Concerning this three times I pleaded with the Lord, that it might withdraw from me. Yet he said to me: ‘Sufficient for you (is) my grace, for (my) power, in weakness, is made perfect. Therefore I will most gladly boast all the more about (in) my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ might rest upon me. Therefore I am content in weakness in insults in hardships in persecutions and in difficulties for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Keep us, O Lord, while we tarry on this earth, in a serious seeking after thee, and in an affectionate walking with thee, every day of our lives; that when thou comest, we may be found not hiding our talent, nor yet asleep with our lamp unfurnished, but waiting and longing for our Lord, our glorious King, for ever and ever.
It is necessary to boast, it is not better… but I will move onto visions and revelations of the Lord.
I know a man- in-Christ fourteen years ago -whether in the body I do not know – – whether out of the body I do not know- God knows… this man was taken up to the third heaven and this man – whether in the body or out of the body I do not know God knows was taken up into paradise and he heard unutterable utterances which it is not permitted for a person to say. About such a person I will boast but I will not boast except of my weaknesses For if I might want to boast I will not be a fool – for I would be telling the truth But I will refrain lest some one credits me with something beyond what they see in me or hear from me, (on account) of the extraordinary revelations.
Be thou a bright flame before me, Be thou a guiding star above me Be thou a smooth path below me Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me Today – tonight -forever Amen.
If it is necessary to boast, I will boast about my weaknesses.
The God and Father of the Lord Jesus knows who is blessed forever that I am not lying.
In Damascus, a governor, for the King Aretas was guarding the city, Damascus to arrest me. and though a window in a basket I was let down through the wall and I escaped from his hands.
O Love, O God who created me, in your love recreate me. O Love, who redeemed me, fill up in me whatever part of your love has fallen into neglect within me. O Love, O God, who first loved me, grant that with my whole heart, and with my whole soul, and with my whole strength, I may love you.
