The church had faith and love for all the saints because of their hope. Love for the body of believers is supposed to be THE MARK of a believer. Jesus says the world will know we are disciples of Christ by our love for one another. That love, that bearing with one another, forgiving-one-another kind of love is inspired by our hope. Every believer is being made new and will be made new. Flesh will fail, but the Spirit gives victory and life. Love in hope!

They have this faith and love producing hope because they not only heard, but they understood the grace of God in truth.

Grace and truth. They go together. They have to go together. The religious leaders had truth; they had Scriptures. But they were missing grace. Grace without truth can leave you in bondage to false promises because it’s the truth that sets free.

This grace and truth produce love in us because grace and truth lead us to Christ, and His Spirit of love is what produces love in and through us. We can love everyone in the Body, always and forever, because it’s not our work. Love is a supernatural work. We love in the Spirit.

Knowing their faith and love was a comfort to Paul, I’m sure, but it didn’t lull him into relaxing, into letting up praying for them. No, instead, it stirred him up to be praying for them.

This is his prayer.

May you be filled with knowledge of His will. Oswald Chambers talks about becoming the will of God. Think of this as Him really filling you till there is nothing else.

May you be filled with all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

May you walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him.

May you bear fruit in every good work.

May you increase in your knowledge of God. This is knowledge gained through contact, first-hand experience. That’s how you’ll grow in discernment, spending time with the real-deal, so what’s not of God will stand out and rub you the wrong way.

And may you be strengthened with all power to joyfully endure with thanksgiving.