Robert A. Cook

It’s a mistake to think that Christians don’t have genuine sorrow when death and loss come. Being a Christian does not spare you from the hurts of life. Having Jesus in our sorrow sanctifies the grief so that the bitterness isn’t there.

Hope that we have as Christians is a glorious thing. Christ living in us is our hope for eternal life after death.

Work hard. There is always something you can do to make a difference in your life. Living a life of integrity and honesty before others will show an effective witness of Christ.

Value your time in prayer. Mind your own business, yet show concern for others. Be careful when giving advice.

Christian values to practice involve being quiet and getting alone with God. Commit things to God as a way of life. Mind your own business.

Brotherly love for other people comes out of prayer and feeding on God’s Word. God will give us all we need even to love those who are difficult.

Personal holiness is living a holy life in our body, mind and spirit. Sanctification is making the ordinary things holy because we are doing them for God. Everything about us is set apart for God to use.

Our aim should be to live a life that pleases God. We do this by living a holy life, spending time with Him and listening to Him.

God’s love filling your life makes you holy. Established in holiness.

Paul is praying for two accomplishments to happen in these people: that they would increase in love and that God would guard their hearts.