Grace and peace to you from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
Beloved brothers and sisters, let us contemplate the One who is eternal, unchanging through all generations. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the One whose dominion and power have no boundary and whose presence is never diminished. From Him flows the wellspring of all life, and by His word, the heavens were made and the earth was established. He is the One who was, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God who delivered His people from bondage and sustained them in the wilderness. He is also the One who is to come, the Lord of Glory who will descend with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God, to establish His everlasting kingdom, a new heaven and a new earth.
Dear friends, the eternal nature of our God offers us an anchor for our souls in tumultuous times. Though the seas may rage and the earth may tremble, we are held fast by the One who reigns supreme, whose years have no end. As He was faithful in days past, so He will be faithful in the days to come, for His promises are yes and amen in Christ.
And what of His grace and peace? How immeasurable are these gifts, extended to us by His boundless love! Grace—the unmerited favor that redeems, restores, and renews us. It is by grace that we have been saved through faith, not by works, so that no one can boast. This grace teaches us to say "no" to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age. And peace—how it quiets the storms within our hearts and minds! Peace is the legacy Christ has left us, saying, "My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you." This peace reconciles us to God and to one another, making us ministers of reconciliation in a broken world.
Consider the sevenfold Spirit of God, who abides with us and within us. This Spirit is the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, leading us into all truth and empowering us to bear witness to Christ. He distributes gifts for the edification of the church, from prophecy to teaching, from healing to helps, so that we may be equipped to do the good works prepared for us in advance. He intercedes for us when we cannot find the words to pray, groaning on our behalf with depths we cannot fathom. Truly, the Spirit is our Advocate and Comforter, sustaining us in every trial.
Therefore, dear friends, let us not grow weary or lose heart. Though the darkness of this age may deepen, the light of Christ shines all the brighter. Though trials may surround us on every side, we are not crushed or forsaken, for He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. Take courage, knowing that we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
As children of light, walk worthy of the calling you have received. Let your speech be seasoned with grace, that it may build up those who hear. Let your works reflect the goodness of your Father in heaven, that others may see and give glory to Him. And let your faith be steadfast, holding firmly to the hope that is an anchor for our souls.
Be bold, therefore, in proclaiming the gospel. Be steadfast in prayer, interceding for one another with thanksgiving. Be diligent in love, forgiving as you have been forgiven. Be vigilant in watchfulness, for the Lord will come like a thief in the night, and His reward is with Him.
To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father—to Him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you always, until the day we see Him face to face.