I pray that all is well with you, my brothers and sisters in the faith. I cannot express how my soul years for you all to know Christ deeper, to live your faith out richer, and understand the purpose and calling that has drawn and will continue to draw you to Christ and God the Father. I pray for each of you and feel you in my heart and in my soul, for I know that God has great plans for you, great plans to bless you and to transform you, to mold you, to change you into better people, different people for the cause of Christ and the glory of God the Father. Though I am far from some and near others, I still feel compelled to offer you up in my prayers and think of you in both times of grief, sorrow, joy, and happiness.
I am aware that there are some among you who have taken a step backward in your faith and others who have remained still, unmoving in your maturity. As for myself, I remain faithful, though from time to time I do cry out to God in my doubt and in my despair; however, even in those hard times God always seems to come and comfort me, to answer me, even if not in the ways I might have expected. Do not give up, to not back down, do not leave behind the calling God has placed on your heart, on your lives. God will not be mocked, for why the grace of God has surely saved us and Christ prepares a far better place than this one... the fear of God must reside in our hearts alongside God's love, judgment alongside His holiness.
I know that some of you have been stained by life, that hard times have made you pessimistic and doubtful of your faith. Still, others among you have left your faith because you have found it more promising somehow to follow sin, to make yourselves slaves to the evil one instead of to the light of Christ. You may consider yourself safe from judgment but again I say that God will not be mocked and God knows the true desires and intentions of your ways, you cannot hide in the dark, for God shines light and though your evil ways scatter and look for dark places, God will find you in time, your judgment will come. The hope of course is that this judgment, this discipline, whatever it may be, will bring you back to your Father who loves you, back into a better life, might even break your spirit and bring you back onto the path of the righteous.
My prayer is for those who are faithful to continue in perseverance, finding their strength from Christ in hard times; however, it is also for those who find themselves far from God for whatever reason, that they may see their wrong ways, their deeds of evil and derision and leave them behind and start anew. I write hoping that this letter, this prayer, may reach some who have left the fold and encourage others who have become weary while going along their journey.
For the Glory of God the Father
Your Brother in Christ Jesus
~ Daniel
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