1 00:00:01,700 --> 00:00:04,100 It's good to see everybody who has made it out. 2 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:07,300 This morning. We're so thankful for your 3 00:00:07,300 --> 00:00:10,700 presence and I pray that something that I can say this 4 00:00:10,700 --> 00:00:12,000 morning will be beneficial to you. 5 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:18,000 Whether you're an unbelieving, Christian, or unbelieving 6 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:22,000 person, or a Christian that follows Jesus. 7 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,300 I hope that we can reinvigorate ourselves in some way. 8 00:00:25,300 --> 00:00:29,800 This morning, we're going to be studying a little bit in First 9 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:34,600 Peter chapter 2 verses 11 and 12 and first Peter was written to 10 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:39,500 the The Christians in that time who were dispersed because of 11 00:00:39,500 --> 00:00:42,900 the destruction of Jerusalem and who under under extreme 12 00:00:42,900 --> 00:00:47,300 persecution, and this was a letter to Peter or from Peter to 13 00:00:47,300 --> 00:00:51,900 these Christians to kind of just hold on, keep fighting, keep 14 00:00:51,900 --> 00:00:55,200 pressing on. And even though that was the 15 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:59,500 application and those days, we can certainly take the things 16 00:00:59,500 --> 00:01:03,300 that Peter wrote and apply those to our lives today. 17 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:10,500 Well, we First Peter chapter 2 verses 1 through 11, I'm sorry 18 00:01:10,500 --> 00:01:13,600 verses 11 through 12. It says they're not going to be 19 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:15,400 reading through with the English Standard Version. 20 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:20,300 It says beloved I urge you as sojourners and Exiles to abstain 21 00:01:20,300 --> 00:01:23,700 from the passions of the flesh which wage war. 22 00:01:23,900 --> 00:01:28,700 Ensure Soul keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable so 23 00:01:28,700 --> 00:01:32,400 that when they speak against you as evildoers they may see your 24 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:37,200 good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 25 00:01:37,900 --> 00:01:40,900 And in this lesson, I want to show two realities in the world 26 00:01:40,900 --> 00:01:45,200 that that we can apply based on what God has told us in these 27 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:47,200 passages. And I want us to urge us in a 28 00:01:47,208 --> 00:01:51,800 couple ways based on those realities on how to apply those 29 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:55,300 at this time. And I want to use the word urge 30 00:01:55,300 --> 00:01:56,700 because I think that's the right word. 31 00:01:56,700 --> 00:02:02,600 It's a we have some urgency that we need to be that that is in 32 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:04,000 these verses that we need to apply. 33 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,200 I urge you to the language is of a passion that is written here 34 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:12,400 by Peter and there's a lot of emotion in these two verses and 35 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,000 I want us to understand the reality is I'm going to go 36 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:17,600 through just to of these and understand him and think on 37 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:22,300 them, and one reality tends us to earn Heaven urging. 38 00:02:22,300 --> 00:02:25,500 And based on that reality 80 in the second reality will have an 39 00:02:25,500 --> 00:02:27,400 urging based on that reality as well. 40 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:31,400 So the first reality based on these verses that we have here 41 00:02:32,300 --> 00:02:39,100 is that we live in a world that Wars against our souls 1st Peter 42 00:02:39,100 --> 00:02:42,100 2:11 says that there are passions in our flesh that are 43 00:02:42,100 --> 00:02:47,200 driven by the world in ways that wage war on our soul. 44 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:52,500 God is telling us there is a battle going on. 45 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:58,200 Spiritually, that is Waging War on our soul and it's urgent. 46 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,400 We need to feel the urgency that Peter is telling us here. 47 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:06,000 And our soul, the war that is going on. 48 00:03:06,100 --> 00:03:12,100 Our soul can be destroyed. I'm not saying it God singing. 49 00:03:12,100 --> 00:03:14,800 And there is a war that is waging that we need to be aware 50 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:17,000 of. There are passions desires 51 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:21,600 thoughts ways in this world that are working to destroy our soul 52 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,700 little by little. It's not an instant thing. 53 00:03:24,700 --> 00:03:28,600 It's a slow process that Wars against our soul. 54 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:32,900 We, you know, on TV or streaming online our phone social media, 55 00:03:33,500 --> 00:03:36,300 and the world of business school and home. 56 00:03:36,300 --> 00:03:42,800 Everywhere that we look, The war is inescapable and it is 57 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:46,500 intentional. And if we think about it, there 58 00:03:46,500 --> 00:03:50,500 are so few things on TV or streaming online that are 59 00:03:50,500 --> 00:03:54,900 designed that are designed to actually nourish our soul, and 60 00:03:54,900 --> 00:03:58,400 our passion for God app developers on our phone. 61 00:03:59,100 --> 00:04:02,700 You know, the engineers behind Facebook, Instagram, Twitter 62 00:04:02,900 --> 00:04:08,300 Tick-Tock, they're not thinking, how can I nurture people's 63 00:04:08,300 --> 00:04:11,500 passion for God? That is not the point that 64 00:04:11,500 --> 00:04:14,500 they're going for, whatever news outlets that. 65 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:19,000 We choose to watch any news outlet has an agenda. 66 00:04:20,500 --> 00:04:22,700 And we're not talking about just a political agenda, we're 67 00:04:22,700 --> 00:04:27,200 talking about a spiritual agenda to show you that good and evil 68 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:30,400 that are often contrary to the word of God. 69 00:04:31,100 --> 00:04:32,800 So we need to be urging ourselves. 70 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:36,600 I want to urge you to not be foolish at the world that we 71 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,900 live in is not neutral. The world. 72 00:04:39,900 --> 00:04:45,800 We are in inundates us all the time with messages from every 73 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:50,800 moment of every day. all day long, all week, long saying that 74 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:54,500 money Acclaim Entertainment sex drink drugs and success or what 75 00:04:54,500 --> 00:04:59,400 we need, And we don't want to buy that message. 76 00:05:00,300 --> 00:05:02,900 It is a lie. We need to open our eyes and 77 00:05:02,907 --> 00:05:07,800 there is a battle and the word that God uses here is the word 78 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:11,900 War waging at every moment in this world to pull us away from 79 00:05:11,900 --> 00:05:15,800 God, to pull us away from the world or to pull you toward the 80 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:19,300 world and away from his word and to pull you away from what 81 00:05:19,300 --> 00:05:22,300 matters, most in the world. And that is why Jesus said for 82 00:05:22,500 --> 00:05:24,700 for what will it profit? A man, if he gains the whole 83 00:05:24,700 --> 00:05:28,100 world and forfeits his own, Sola Matthew 16:26. 84 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:33,800 That tells us that our soul can be lost that passage right 85 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:36,200 there. Tells us our soul can be lost 86 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:39,900 and when the soul is lost, there's no way to get it back. 87 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:44,000 When the war for our soul is lost, its lost forever. 88 00:05:45,900 --> 00:05:48,700 And the Bible teaches very clearly that when we die. 89 00:05:49,900 --> 00:05:54,000 Our souls continue on. And you, and I will enter into a 90 00:05:54,008 --> 00:05:58,600 never into it either Everlasting Joy with God or either or 91 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:01,100 Everlasting judgment away from God. 92 00:06:02,100 --> 00:06:04,900 And, you know, we may see, say, you know, Everlasting judgment, 93 00:06:04,900 --> 00:06:06,600 you know. I thought God was good, I 94 00:06:06,608 --> 00:06:08,500 thought God was loving and yes, he is. 95 00:06:08,500 --> 00:06:15,400 God loves us so so much. He loves us so much. even though 96 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:20,400 you and I have Deserved judgment before him for our sins. 97 00:06:21,500 --> 00:06:24,700 He loved us so much that he sent his son to die for us. 98 00:06:25,900 --> 00:06:30,100 To die on the cross to pay the price for your and our sins to 99 00:06:30,100 --> 00:06:31,900 endure the Judgment that we deserve. 100 00:06:31,900 --> 00:06:35,000 So that when we believe and obey the gospel Jesus to save us from 101 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:40,000 our sins to save our soul. God will forgive us, if we 102 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:46,800 follow the gospel, The Bible is also saying that you can gain 103 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:50,300 the whole world. You can have everything in this 104 00:06:50,300 --> 00:06:55,800 world and still lose your soul. What matters most in the world 105 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:59,800 is not what we have. On the day we die. 106 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:06,900 The only thing that will matter is if we have Jesus and in light 107 00:07:06,900 --> 00:07:10,900 of that reality, there is a world, you know, that wages war 108 00:07:10,900 --> 00:07:16,600 against our soul, based upon God's word, the urging that I 109 00:07:16,608 --> 00:07:25,700 want to give Is. We need to resist the world. 110 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:30,600 1st, Peter 2:11. Says. 111 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:37,700 Abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against 112 00:07:37,700 --> 00:07:40,000 your soul abstain from those passions and desires. 113 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:44,300 We need to actively resist. Those passions that this world 114 00:07:44,300 --> 00:07:47,400 has upon us and this is where this passage really kind of 115 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:58,200 convicted me. there are so many of you and myself, who tend to 116 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:02,000 sometimes professed Christianity, we are Christians. 117 00:08:03,500 --> 00:08:07,200 But sometimes we are sleeping through the middle of a war. 118 00:08:08,700 --> 00:08:12,700 That we are not actively resisting the world. 119 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:16,300 Living for this world. We don't realize that we 120 00:08:16,300 --> 00:08:19,400 forgotten that we are strangers and aliens in this world. 121 00:08:20,100 --> 00:08:24,100 That means we don't live for what this world lives for. 122 00:08:24,100 --> 00:08:27,100 We don't live for what the advertisers are selling on 123 00:08:27,100 --> 00:08:32,500 social media or offering or for such pride and money and success 124 00:08:32,500 --> 00:08:35,900 that the world issues as lures. These are lures that the world 125 00:08:35,900 --> 00:08:38,700 wants you to believe we're good. We don't live for those things. 126 00:08:38,700 --> 00:08:42,600 We resist the lures of the world and this means we must be on 127 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:46,500 guard when watching things when listening to things when hearing 128 00:08:46,500 --> 00:08:49,300 things. And when reading things, We 129 00:08:49,300 --> 00:08:52,800 can't. Scroll through our phone 130 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:58,200 mindlessly. We don't listen to or read the 131 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:02,100 news mindlessly. We need to guard our minds, our 132 00:09:02,100 --> 00:09:07,500 thoughts, our emotions, in your subsequent words and actions. 133 00:09:08,300 --> 00:09:11,500 We don't think like the world thinks we don't feel like the 134 00:09:11,500 --> 00:09:13,800 world, fearless or desire desire. 135 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:16,200 What the world desires? We don't speak like the world 136 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:20,100 speaks We don't act like the world acts. 137 00:09:20,900 --> 00:09:25,200 Why? Because we're Exiles were aliens 138 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:29,300 were different from the world. We're living for a whole 139 00:09:29,300 --> 00:09:32,500 different world. It's not like, we're just 140 00:09:32,500 --> 00:09:35,000 foreigners here, we're, you know, we're just we're from 141 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:39,300 another, some people can say, you know, from another plan, in 142 00:09:39,300 --> 00:09:42,700 a sense, if we're working for something else, we're not 143 00:09:42,700 --> 00:09:46,600 working for this world. And that changes everything on 144 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:51,700 how we view first. Peter 21 says that we are to put 145 00:09:51,700 --> 00:09:54,600 away. All malice, deceit, hypocrisy, 146 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:58,500 envy and slander. We are to resist those things. 147 00:09:58,500 --> 00:10:01,000 We don't tear down people in this world. 148 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:04,500 We are to love our enemies. That's our statute. 149 00:10:04,500 --> 00:10:06,400 That's our posture. That's what we stand for. 150 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:18,400 We pray for them. if you spend more time, despising people in 151 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:21,700 your mind, then praying for them. 152 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,300 I think we could say that we are living for the world that is 153 00:10:26,300 --> 00:10:30,300 since in that way, and we are losing the battle. 154 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:37,400 Constantly thinking about despising, Persinger or hate or 155 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:40,900 whatever the case may be, we are losing a battle. 156 00:10:42,900 --> 00:10:46,100 We are sojourners and pilgrims are Exiles. 157 00:10:46,700 --> 00:10:49,100 That means we think talk and live differently. 158 00:10:49,500 --> 00:10:54,800 And verse 12 says, keep your conduct Among the Gentiles, 159 00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:59,100 honorable and the reference here is to Gentiles. 160 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:01,800 The word Gentiles here is way of saying that those who are 161 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:06,400 unbelievers in that time, those who do not go not know God. 162 00:11:06,900 --> 00:11:11,100 And the Bible says, to honor God with your contact conduct show 163 00:11:11,100 --> 00:11:13,700 that there's another way to live reserved resist. 164 00:11:13,700 --> 00:11:17,200 The luring Temptations of the world that Temptations to sexual 165 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:20,100 immorality in a world that is so skewed. 166 00:11:20,300 --> 00:11:25,100 God's design for men and women. For marriage. 167 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:27,700 We are to live differently. According to First Corinthians 6 168 00:11:27,700 --> 00:11:33,500 and 1st Thessalonians 4. We resist Temptations to anger 169 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:38,800 disputes dissensions in a world that thrives on fighting and 170 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:42,300 quarreling James for, we live differently than that. 171 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:46,000 We resist Temptations to love money and ORD resources in the 172 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:48,000 world. We live differently. 173 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:51,400 We sacrifice money. We give away our resources for 174 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:54,500 people in need in this world. First Timothy 6. 175 00:11:55,900 --> 00:12:01,300 That is what God is urging us to do today to resist the world 176 00:12:01,300 --> 00:12:04,900 abstain from the passions of Flesh live for other passions 177 00:12:04,900 --> 00:12:08,400 and better Passions. We might read this verse 178 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:11,600 sometimes and think that the Bible is calling us to a 179 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:17,900 passionate passionate list life to emotionless empty, empty 180 00:12:17,900 --> 00:12:21,200 Hollow boring, avoiding all the good stuff in this world. 181 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:24,100 No, that's that's not what he's telling us to do here. 182 00:12:24,900 --> 00:12:28,100 It's interesting that in these two verses. 183 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:32,800 There's two sentences in the English, but in the original 184 00:12:33,100 --> 00:12:35,700 it's actually one sentence. It's one continuous thought they 185 00:12:35,700 --> 00:12:39,100 go together. God is calling us for a life of 186 00:12:39,100 --> 00:12:41,500 full of passion, full of emotion, full of zeal for that, 187 00:12:41,500 --> 00:12:44,100 which really matters. And that's what which really 188 00:12:44,100 --> 00:12:47,800 fits over its really fills and we'll see that in the second 189 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:51,500 reality here. So, the first reality is we live 190 00:12:51,500 --> 00:12:55,100 in a world that Wars against our soul and the second reality. 191 00:12:56,400 --> 00:13:00,100 Is that we live in a world that wants to belittle God. 192 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:06,800 We get to First Peter 2:12. The Bible says keep your conduct 193 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:17,100 among the Gent tiles, honorable, so that So that this means 194 00:13:17,100 --> 00:13:19,100 there's a purpose here. So what's the purpose? 195 00:13:19,100 --> 00:13:22,800 So that when they speak against you as evildoers, here's what 196 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:25,500 will happen. They may see your good deeds and 197 00:13:25,500 --> 00:13:30,700 then do what, then you will glorify God on the day of 198 00:13:30,700 --> 00:13:33,800 visitation. So the end of all this is 199 00:13:33,900 --> 00:13:39,200 ultimately for the glory of God, all we do is for the glory of 200 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:45,200 God. The major problem in this world. 201 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:51,200 Is that is that we live in a world that wants to belittle 202 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:55,700 God. And that God is not being 203 00:13:55,700 --> 00:13:58,500 glorified. So if we look around in the 204 00:13:58,500 --> 00:14:00,700 world will see a world. That is saying they're all kinds 205 00:14:00,700 --> 00:14:02,300 of problems that are more important. 206 00:14:02,300 --> 00:14:05,400 But here, the Bible saying clearly that the major problem 207 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:09,900 in this world if is that God is not being glorified, we need to 208 00:14:09,900 --> 00:14:12,900 reorient our thinking. We need to live in a world or we 209 00:14:12,900 --> 00:14:14,700 live in a world where God is ignored. 210 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:18,400 If we just look at the apps on our phone watch TV stream 211 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:20,300 online. Scroll through social media, 212 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:25,800 listen to National conversation. The fear of God is nowhere to be 213 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:31,500 found. Not just in the world. but also, 214 00:14:34,100 --> 00:14:37,900 I fear sometimes we be little God in this world as well. 215 00:14:37,900 --> 00:14:41,200 We don't understand the magnitude of what we're working 216 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:46,500 for. Sometimes we patronize God, by 217 00:14:46,500 --> 00:14:52,400 the way, we do things. So you know scores of people in 218 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:55,000 the church, you know, just check off a box. 219 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:59,400 Yeah, we went this week. By tending service and then 220 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:02,600 ignore his word, the rest of the week long and they're silent 221 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:05,200 about him through the entire week. 222 00:15:06,700 --> 00:15:11,500 Offer Ritu routine. Patronizing, prayers done it. 223 00:15:13,500 --> 00:15:17,300 Maybe just before a meal or never, but never really falling 224 00:15:17,300 --> 00:15:21,800 on our faces and giving all of our emotion to God In Prayer in 225 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:24,000 so many ways. We built Our Lives not centered 226 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:27,300 on God. The Majestic Mighty supreme 227 00:15:27,700 --> 00:15:30,200 authority over all instead, we live in a world with just 228 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:35,800 constructed a church culture in which we have built Our Lives 229 00:15:35,900 --> 00:15:40,100 centered on ourselves. That's sometimes as a reality, 230 00:15:41,100 --> 00:15:44,500 we live in a world that wants to be little God, to minimize 231 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:49,000 ignore, and not makes me not make much of him. 232 00:15:51,100 --> 00:15:54,400 So what do we do then in this world? 233 00:15:55,300 --> 00:15:57,700 Urging number one, was that we resist the world. 234 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:00,600 We abstain from the passions of the Flesh and the ways of this 235 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:04,800 world that are belittling God. Now, the second urging is we 236 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:09,400 live with a different passion. Everything we do now is filtered 237 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:11,800 through that different passion of passion for God in this 238 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:15,700 world. Now we can ask ourselves through 239 00:16:15,700 --> 00:16:19,200 that filter, does the way that I'm spending my time or money? 240 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:22,100 Does the way that I speak or post does the way I work. 241 00:16:22,100 --> 00:16:23,800 Does the way I relate to my spouse? 242 00:16:24,100 --> 00:16:29,100 My kids, my family, my friends, my co-workers, do these reflect 243 00:16:29,100 --> 00:16:35,200 passion for God, or my words, what I post and the 244 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:38,900 relationships are they shouting passion for God? 245 00:16:38,900 --> 00:16:43,700 And for his glory in the world? We resist the world on one hand 246 00:16:43,700 --> 00:16:48,700 then we engage the world for the glory of God. 247 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:53,200 That's what first Peter 2:12 is instructing us to do honor God 248 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:57,100 with your conduct so that when they speak against you as 249 00:16:57,200 --> 00:17:03,300 evildoers And that's an interesting phrase. 250 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:07,400 What does evildoers mean? It means when we think believe 251 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:12,000 desire and live from differently from this world with a passion 252 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:18,200 for God, we will be spoken against in this world. and the 253 00:17:18,208 --> 00:17:24,800 verse doesn't say if, but it says when when that happens, not 254 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:30,900 if it happens, but when it happens, As followers of Jesus, 255 00:17:31,900 --> 00:17:34,600 who believe the world word of God, we have some very different 256 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:39,100 views than the world around us and some very unpopular views, 257 00:17:39,100 --> 00:17:44,400 even offensive views, that would be labeled evil in our culture. 258 00:17:44,500 --> 00:17:48,600 You think about it? We believe God creates, all 259 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:52,400 people, wonderfully and beautifully as either male or 260 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:57,000 female Genesis 1:26-27. This is foundational. 261 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:01,400 Truth from the first chapter Bible and it is labeled evil 262 00:18:01,700 --> 00:18:04,500 discriminatory and unloving in our culture. 263 00:18:05,900 --> 00:18:09,500 We Believe marriage is designed by God for one man. 264 00:18:09,500 --> 00:18:13,300 In one moment woman together. Genesis 2:24, that is a belief, 265 00:18:13,300 --> 00:18:17,900 our country has labeled bigotry. We actually believe that any 266 00:18:17,900 --> 00:18:21,600 sexual activity of any kind outside of marriage between one 267 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:23,300 man. And one woman is a sin against 268 00:18:23,300 --> 00:18:26,100 God first Corinthians 6, verse Thessalonians 4. 269 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:30,300 We believe that a husband is the leader of the home, just as 270 00:18:30,300 --> 00:18:32,500 Jesus is the leader of the church is Fusion, spy. 271 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:35,400 We believe, abortion is murder of an innocent life, being 272 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:40,100 formed in a mother's womb, Psalms 139 we could keep going 273 00:18:40,100 --> 00:18:45,600 on and on and on with this list, based on God's word. 274 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:50,000 That are completely contrary to what this world wants to 275 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:53,500 believe. And the crazy one that we 276 00:18:53,500 --> 00:18:57,900 believe. Believe that a virgin gave birth 277 00:18:57,900 --> 00:19:02,500 to a baby and he grew up and never did one thing wrong his 278 00:19:02,500 --> 00:19:06,800 entire life. He died and three late Days 279 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:11,300 Later Rose. And walked out of his tomb and 280 00:19:11,300 --> 00:19:14,200 he flew up to heaven without any mechanical assistance. 281 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:19,000 And one day he's going to come back that is offensive to the 282 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:24,500 world in some respects. So if we trust God and His word, 283 00:19:24,500 --> 00:19:26,900 we will believe some things that are very different from this 284 00:19:26,900 --> 00:19:28,100 world. Things that would lead to 285 00:19:28,100 --> 00:19:31,900 mockery insult slander and will lead you to be ostracized in 286 00:19:31,900 --> 00:19:33,700 this world. We believe things in this world 287 00:19:33,700 --> 00:19:37,500 that that labels it as evil, wrong harmless and dangerous. 288 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:42,300 When the world thinks it's like that, like this, not if, but 289 00:19:42,300 --> 00:19:47,000 when we need to ask, if we are going to hold fast to God's 290 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:53,300 truth, The major issue facing us today and facing the church. 291 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:57,500 Are we going to hold fast to trust in God's word? 292 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:01,800 Or are we going to compromise our beliefs for the sake of 293 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:03,500 Acceptance? In this world? 294 00:20:04,100 --> 00:20:06,800 We need to pray for God's help to not compromise. 295 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:11,000 We have a choice to make. We have, you have to make that 296 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:14,200 conscious Choice. Are we going to trust the world 297 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:16,000 or we going to trust in God's word? 298 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:23,800 What's it going to be? Teenagers college students or 299 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:29,000 young adults, whatever the case you may be in, you know, I know 300 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:34,200 you guys are getting so much pressure to see God's word as 301 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:39,300 maybe Antiquated or outdated, offensive, or even evil. 302 00:20:39,900 --> 00:20:42,300 We're you guys are tempted every day by messages. 303 00:20:42,300 --> 00:20:45,600 All around you in this world to leave it behind and Trust in the 304 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:47,600 world. And I want to urge you guys 305 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:53,200 today to not do it, don't Do it. Don't trust in the world. 306 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:57,200 The latest trends or the newest, most popular accepted way of 307 00:20:57,200 --> 00:21:00,900 looking at things. The that is the essence of sin 308 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:05,800 thinking that you know, what is true and right better than God 309 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:11,100 does. It leads to death leads to the 310 00:21:11,100 --> 00:21:14,700 death that we don't want. At least two destruction of your 311 00:21:14,700 --> 00:21:16,400 soul. We need to trust in God's world 312 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:20,300 and not just with teenagers or college students or young adults 313 00:21:20,300 --> 00:21:24,200 every single person in this war who wants to belittle God and 314 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:29,200 criticizes word want to urge everybody here to trust in God's 315 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:32,300 word, no matter what it costs in your life. 316 00:21:32,300 --> 00:21:36,900 Work, friendships influence. Trust in his word and don't lose 317 00:21:36,900 --> 00:21:40,700 your soul. Then following this, the Bible 318 00:21:40,700 --> 00:21:48,200 says, To lead such honorable lives filled with good deeds. 319 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:52,800 That when others think those people aren't loving over there. 320 00:21:54,300 --> 00:21:57,400 Our Lives will have evidence of a different story. 321 00:21:59,900 --> 00:22:02,100 We need to live at. So when they attack and slander 322 00:22:02,100 --> 00:22:04,500 and speak against you, they will look at you and see the Good 323 00:22:04,500 --> 00:22:07,200 Deeds that bring glory to God. In other words, don't just 324 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:12,400 resist the world and what it has to offer, but engage it to prove 325 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:15,100 them wrong. That's what's God. 326 00:22:15,100 --> 00:22:18,100 God is telling us to do, do the good things. 327 00:22:18,100 --> 00:22:22,000 Do the Good Deeds live honorable life so that when they come at 328 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:27,000 you with the attacks you got evidence to prove otherwise That 329 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:29,900 is not a passionless emotionless, empty hollow life. 330 00:22:29,900 --> 00:22:33,800 That is a life that is full of showing the world, how good God 331 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:35,800 is. And that when, when they think 332 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:38,600 that those people over there, may be closed-minded, an 333 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:43,300 arrogant, they will look and see a church, every week with 334 00:22:43,300 --> 00:22:46,800 intentional work to help those who may need help in the 335 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:51,100 congregation with children or families, with special needs are 336 00:22:51,300 --> 00:22:54,600 to help those, who are elderly, hear that? 337 00:22:55,300 --> 00:22:57,200 Aren't able to do things on their own anymore. 338 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:01,300 We show the goodness of and the love of God to families with 339 00:23:01,300 --> 00:23:05,500 unique challenges. We got a brother that's going to 340 00:23:05,500 --> 00:23:07,700 be going in for procedure here. The next couple days that we 341 00:23:07,700 --> 00:23:10,100 need to figure out how we're going to help that family out, 342 00:23:10,700 --> 00:23:12,100 because they're going to be down and out. 343 00:23:12,700 --> 00:23:17,300 It's our responsibility to help. When the people in the world are 344 00:23:17,300 --> 00:23:20,300 tempted to think that they have into, they may have an offensive 345 00:23:20,300 --> 00:23:25,100 view of marriage and family, we show them what it looks like for 346 00:23:25,100 --> 00:23:28,300 a husband to lay down his life for his wife. 347 00:23:30,300 --> 00:23:33,800 To serve to cherish to nourish to love and to build up his 348 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:36,800 wife. When marriage is may break down, 349 00:23:36,900 --> 00:23:39,200 we show them how to fight for a marriage. 350 00:23:40,500 --> 00:23:42,700 To fight for what God has instituted. 351 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:46,800 And when they are tempted to think that it's a maybe a bunch 352 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:51,000 of religious people in a prudish bubble over there, we show them. 353 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:55,100 A Congregation of people going and sacrificing time and money 354 00:23:55,100 --> 00:23:58,800 for the spread of the Gospel. Not so that they're think that 355 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:02,100 maybe that congregational their own plans road, is greater that 356 00:24:02,100 --> 00:24:04,500 person's rate. This was great, that would miss 357 00:24:04,500 --> 00:24:08,700 the entire point. We're not living for ourselves. 358 00:24:08,700 --> 00:24:13,500 We're living for God, so that they will see the goodness of 359 00:24:13,500 --> 00:24:16,300 the good deeds. And glorify God, everything we 360 00:24:16,300 --> 00:24:20,400 do is for glorifying God, not for glorifying us. 361 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:27,800 In a world that belittles God, we want to point to the glory 362 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:30,700 and goodness of God, want to live with passion to do that. 363 00:24:30,900 --> 00:24:33,200 And we need to let that affect the way we speak. 364 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:37,800 Think Post Live relate to other people filter, everything 365 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:41,800 through that lens and ask, how is what I'm doing today right 366 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:47,600 now glorifying, God, Then show that you're a pilgrim. 367 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:51,900 Is Soldier some translations. Here, say stranger here or 368 00:24:51,900 --> 00:24:56,000 sojourn living for that which matters forever of the day of 369 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:59,500 visitation Peter reminds us here in the Bible reminds us that 370 00:24:59,500 --> 00:25:03,200 there is a day coming. When it's all going to be clear 371 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:07,200 that this world and all it is offered is not worthy of our 372 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:09,600 trust. Not worthy of our passion. 373 00:25:10,900 --> 00:25:16,700 On that day, it will be clear that God and His word, or 100% 374 00:25:16,700 --> 00:25:19,600 worthy of everything that we have to give to him. 375 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:22,700 That day will make it extremely, clear? 376 00:25:23,300 --> 00:25:27,200 So we live for that day in our own life, we need to guard our 377 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:30,000 minds guarded desires. It's to abstain from the 378 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:34,100 passions of the flesh to resist the world, engage the world, but 379 00:25:34,100 --> 00:25:37,400 not just with good deeds. The picture here is deeper than 380 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:38,600 that? Yes, the Good Deeds. 381 00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:41,100 All kinds of good things including the Examples. 382 00:25:41,100 --> 00:25:43,000 I mentioned. But in the middle, those good 383 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:45,000 deeds. We need to be proclaiming God 384 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:48,600 and his word. The God who loves us so much 385 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:53,800 that he gave his son to die on a cross for our sins, he did this. 386 00:25:54,500 --> 00:25:57,200 So that when they stand for God, on that day they will be ready 387 00:25:57,200 --> 00:26:01,300 to glorify him because they will have been brought to trust in 388 00:26:01,300 --> 00:26:04,500 him. We're going to be glorifying God 389 00:26:04,500 --> 00:26:08,500 on the final day. Every knee will bow. 390 00:26:10,100 --> 00:26:12,600 Whether you're bowing now, others in the world don't 391 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:14,300 believe in him. There's going to be a day. 392 00:26:14,300 --> 00:26:17,800 When everybody is going to get on their knees and praise God, 393 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:22,600 whether they want to or not. So we need to prepare for that 394 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:25,200 day. We need to live our life of 395 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:27,300 passion Preparing People for that day. 396 00:26:27,300 --> 00:26:30,600 Even as we fight our own battles in our own heart, we need to 397 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:39,300 help others around us. so, with all that said, I want to ask Are 398 00:26:39,300 --> 00:26:40,800 you ready to stand before? God? 399 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:47,200 Are we ready? Are we confident that we're 400 00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:48,900 going to have eternal life with God? 401 00:26:48,900 --> 00:26:53,100 When that day comes? Do we know for sure? 402 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:56,600 That we're going to be in heaven with him, one of these days. 403 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:03,600 If your answer to that is not a resounding. 404 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:10,000 Yes. if you don't know, and we need to make that, right? 405 00:27:11,900 --> 00:27:16,500 You need to have confidence. and we are told we can have 406 00:27:16,500 --> 00:27:23,700 confidence in knowing So, are you ready to meet God if she 407 00:27:23,708 --> 00:27:29,000 decides to come back later today tomorrow, whatever it may be, we 408 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:33,400 ready? We thank you for listening to 409 00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:38,200 our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. 410 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:41,700 Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional 411 00:27:41,700 --> 00:27:45,000 information or you would like to receive a free Bible 412 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:50,500 correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at True 413 00:27:50,500 --> 00:27:52,900 Church of Christ Bakersfield.com. 414 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:58,800 Our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 415 00:27:58,800 --> 00:28:03,200 Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us. 416 00:28:03,700 --> 00:28:06,000 We would love for you to be our honored guest.