This is a rush transcript.

[00:00:03] I invite you to open the Bible and turn with me to the book of 1 Peter 2, two verses will be our text together this morning. 1 Peter 2:11-12. And it is so encouraging to see so many of you online with us right now, devices from Long Beach and Cypress all the way down in South Orange County and right down the street, just minutes away. It is great to see you with us here today.

[00:00:32] You're going to need one of these. You're going to want a Bible ready to flip some pages, ready to look up some passages, and you might want something to put some notes down on. You can get, ah, a Worksheet Compass, HB dot com slash live, download that worksheet there, take some notes with us. We may not be able to be in the same place this morning, but we can be on the same page. First, Peter, chapter two versus eleven and twelve. That's right. Just two verses for us. Critical turning point in first, Peter.

[00:01:07] And wherever you are, I'm going to ask right now that you would stand for the reading of scripture out of respect for the holy word of God. Will you stand up right now? Yeah. Even if you were lying down. Yeah. Let's stand up. That's right. Let's get that scripture open right there, because these two verses are meant to change your life. And so let's give them our full and undivided attention. Let's pray that God gives us ears to hear today, because this is the word of God.

[00:01:38] Beloved. I urge you, as Sojourners and exiles, to abstain from the passions of the flesh which waged war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the gentiles honorable so that when they speak against you as evil doers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

[00:02:04] That's the reading of God's word. Please go ahead and have your seat. And this passage right here, you can say you can see clearly as we just read it. It talks about a war for your soul.

[00:02:17] We're going to talk about what's happening in the inside, who you really are underneath your skin and bones. And then how that transform your life on the outside, the life that other people can see. So we're going to start with what only God can see in this secret place, the hidden heart of your soul. But then what everyone can see about you and the way that you conduct yourself.

[00:02:42] So we're moving now to the practical application part of first Peter. We're going from what God has done for us to what God commands you to do in response. Now, we've been really encouraged. There's been some weeks, even though we haven't been able to be together, I can tell that the word of God has still done a mighty work among us. And there have been some weeks as we've gone through first Peter, where I can see that it has lifted our church up for everyone, was the first week when we did the scattered sermon and we talked about how we might be all spread out. But we have a living hope and our hopes are high. I've seen people walking around wearing hope to mist t shirts, and that said, a lot of people's minds on the things above, on heaven. And it lifted us up. Another week we got lifted up was future grace. Anybody remember when we found out we have trolleys at this church? Remember that we got to see the construction going on at CompassHB Circle.

[00:03:45] And really, it was about setting our hope fully on the future, Grace, that is going to be revealed to us at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The best days for you are ahead when you get to be with and see Jesus in all of his glory.

[00:04:01] And so the future Grace, I could tell that was Mother's Day that lifted people up. Last week was another week like that. The Living Stones. And I got to talk to people who have been built up into a spiritual house.

[00:04:16] Jesus keeping his promise to build his church right here. 20-20, Huntington Beach. I even heard about somebody who got saved this very week. Everybody going. Praise the Lord for that. We have a growing pile of rocks out here in front of the church.

[00:04:33] And I just got to tell you, compensated me. Your rocks look a lot better now than when we first started making rocks around here. I'm not I'm not putting anybody down. I'm just saying way to go on these rocks.

[00:04:43] They look beautiful. Testimonial stones out here in front of the church. More being added every day. See, some of those sermons are the ones we might want to go back to the scattered future grace living stones, because they remind us of what God has done for us. OK.

[00:05:00] But this is the turning point. This is what you are called to do in response to God. And he starts out here, verse eleven, beloved a God loved you so much.

[00:05:13] He sent his one and only son for your soul. He perfectly loved Jesus. And he sacrificed his son because that's how much he loves you. And so he says, because you are so loved by God through the precious blood of Jesus.

[00:05:30] You have a relationship with your father in heaven, beloved. I urge you so.

[00:05:37] I'm going to encourage you. It's that word Paraka Layo. I come alongside of you. I call out to you. It's like I'm coming next to you to speak into your life. I know God loves you. I care about you. I want to speak to you. And you're not from around here. You don't fit in here. You're sojourners in exile's. So here's the command. Abstain from the passions of the flesh which waged war against your soul. There is a war going on inside of you, and it is a war, a spiritual war involving the passions. Or you could say the loss, the strong desires. It's this Greek word, epic Fumiya. It's a common word. It's talking about something you really, really want your flesh. Has these loss. We know that phrase from the scripture, the loss of the flesh. And you have to restrain yourself. You have to hold yourself back from these loss that are waging war within you. That's what we get to hear.

[00:06:43] We get to the reality that you are experiencing temptation to sin inside of you and you need to practice abstinence from that temptation.

[00:06:55] Kate. So there's an assumption here in verse eleven before we can get to the command to abstain, before we can get to that idea.

[00:07:04] There is an assumption here that you experience temptation in your soul and not just you, but the person sitting next to you, every single one of us who are here serving in tech or leading and worship them myself. All of us experience a war going on, an internal struggle that is real for every single soul.

[00:07:27] That's the assumption here.

[00:07:29] Whether you're a brand new Christian as of this week, whether you're a new Christian, as of the last few years, whether you've been a Christian for decades, walking with God through his son, Jesus Christ, it assumes that all believers notice where we left off.

[00:07:44] Look back at verse 10 once you were not a people, but now you're God's people. Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Our glorious, marvelous, excellent salvation that we talked about last week that you're one of the people of God. This is interesting. It goes right into there's a war in your soul.

[00:08:05] So it's affirming here that you are one of God's people, and yet still, even as one of God's people, you may not be living in sin practicing saying you may not be walking in your old life of sin, but still within you there is a temptation to sin.

[00:08:23] Every single Christian person experiences this. This is the assumption of our texts that you have a war going on in your soul.

[00:08:33] So let me encourage you. Let's be honest about it.

[00:08:36] Let's open up about what's going on from the inside out. Let's get real that we all have a struggle. Point number one.

[00:08:45] Let's get it down like this. Be honest about your temptation's.

[00:08:49] If the scripture is gonna say that we're all being tempted and temptation is a common experience for every one of us, why are we going to walk around at church like we don't have temptations, like there's not sins that we desire or we lust laughter. And there's an internal struggle going on. Why are we can act like they don't need to pray for me? I'm good.

[00:09:12] Hey, brother, how can I pray for you? Don't worry about me. I'm doing fine. I'm better than I deserve.

[00:09:18] I'm blessed. Well, the scripture says, yes, you might be blessed. Praise the Lord for his blessings upon you. But within you there is a war going on for your soul. Let's talk about it. Let's be honest about it. Let's be honest with ourselves about it. But let's be honest with our father in heaven about it. This is a real thing that's going on in every single one of us.

[00:09:44] That's what scripture says, go over to James. Chapter one and you'll see this just a few pages over to the left, James. Chapter one versus 13 and 14. Talk about temptation. Let no one say when he is tempted. This is James 113. But no one say when he is tempted. I am being tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted with evil. And He himself tempts no one. Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. It's your own passions of your own flesh that lead you to temptation. There is evil desire that rises up within us. Go over to chapter four, verse one of James. Look how similar this is to our text. And first, Peter to eleven. James four. Verse one. What causes quarrels? What causes fights among you? Why have you gotten snappy with your family over Corona virus?

[00:10:42] Why is the tension heated up in many of our households during this time of the stay at home order? Is it not this that your passions are at war within you? Hey, let's not blame the other people. Let's look at our own wrong responses in from our own desires.

[00:11:02] So this is a real thing.

[00:11:05] As the saying goes, the struggle is real. Every one of us is experiencing temptation. Now, what our text is saying is there's a response that Christian people need to have.

[00:11:17] The people of God, we need to have a response to temptation, which is we are resisters against temptation. We restrain ourselves. That's the idea of abstaining, of abstinence. We hold ourselves back from giving in to that temptation. So we're all experiencing the temptation, but we're being commanded to restrain ourselves. I feel a desire to want to say something in response to somebody, to want to look at something that I know I shouldn't look at, to want to go somewhere or be with somebody that I know is wrong. I feel a desire to do something that is sinful, but I abstain from it. I hold myself back from it.

[00:11:59] That's what we're being told to do. So when people say the struggle is real, that can mean different things. Sometimes when a brother or sister says, I'm really struggling, what they mean is I'm really sinning.

[00:12:12] They are not abstaining from that temptation. That temptation is rising up within them and they are acting upon it. They are giving into it. Sometimes we use the word struggling when really what we should be saying is, I'm sinning. I'm giving in to my temptation. No. The struggle, what we're being commanded to do is to hold ourselves back from the temptation.

[00:12:36] I'm staying now. Abstinence is not a very popular concept in the United States of America to abstain and look at it, look at it.

[00:12:47] Go back to first Peter to eleven. Look at the verse there. Look at what we're being told to do. This is the action step here to abstain from the passions of the flesh. There is a war going on. Let's be honest about it. I hope you'll pray to God about the war for your soul today. I hope you'll talk to somebody else about the war for your soul. Even today, for sure this week that you'll be honest about it. It's happening. But here's what we're supposed to do about it.

[00:13:14] Abstain from the passions of the flesh.

[00:13:17] Now, this idea of abstaining might be very uncommon in America, but it's very much an idea here in Scripture. Go with me to First Thessalonians, Chapter four. Everybody turn with me to First Thessalonians, chapter four, verse three. And a lot of times we hear the word abstinence.

[00:13:36] We think of young people abstaining from sex before marriage. See one of the real sins, one of the real lust of the flesh that people struggle with, that they might be tempted by is sexual immorality. Anything sexual outside of marriage is sinful before God.

[00:13:56] And so young people are encouraged to abstain. Now, unfortunately, in America today, young people aren't really encouraged that strongly to abstain. Let me say to all the young people, to those who just graduated high school and we celebrated your accomplishment this week. Hey, let me just encourage you. You got to abstain. And and that's true for all of us.

[00:14:18] It says here, look at first this Lonigan. Chapter four, verse three, this is the will of God, your sanctification that you abstain from sexual immorality. We talked about the will of God. What does God want me to do with my life? Where does he want me to go? What career does he want me to pursue? Who does he want me to be in a relationship with? Where should I set up my family? What does God want me to do for the rest of my life? I'll tell you something God wants you today to do today and every other day for the rest of your life.

[00:14:50] He wants you to hold yourself back from anything sexual outside of marriage. That's very clearly God's will.

[00:14:58] If more of our people growing up, coming of age in America were concerned about that, revealed God's will, then what relationship they should be in or where they should be going for their education, they would be a lot better off. This is clearly what God wants for every single one of his people be set apart from sin, which means when you're tempted to sin, you abstain from it. You hold yourself back from it.

[00:15:24] Liquid, it goes on to say here in First Thessalonians, chapter four, verse three.

[00:15:29] After that, it says abstain from sexual morality, verse four, that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor. Not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God. Fundamental difference between someone who knows God is you now can control yourself. Someone like a gentile. That's a phrase here for someone who doesn't know God. They don't have a relationship with him. Well, we expect those people who don't know God to operate based on their passions and their luss. But the people of God, they control themselves and they abstain from their passions. This is the fundamental difference.

[00:16:13] From being a Christian to being an American. OK. It's a difference that we don't fit in.

[00:16:20] We don't belong from around here because we control our passions.

[00:16:24] When young people are being told in America today to express themselves, to be themselves, it's all about self-fulfillment self-esteem, sexual expression for yourself, be whoever you think you should be.

[00:16:39] That's what young people are being told in America. You be. You. Go be whoever it is you have on your heart to be Christian.

[00:16:47] People were saying the exact opposite. Stop being yourself. Hold yourself back. Abstain from your temptation's.

[00:16:57] So this is so important that we understand we have to be set apart. We have to be fundamentally different from everybody else around us, because when they are going to fulfill themselves, we are called to deny ourselves. Turn with me to the Book of Luke, chapter nine, verse twenty three. And let's just get back to Christianity one to one. The basic call to follow Jesus. This is not AP Christianity that I'm that I'm talking about. This is not extra credit. This is not honors level. This is not somebody who's like 5.0 valedictorian status. That's not.

[00:17:34] This is the invitation of Jesus for you to follow him. Hey, if you're gonna come after him and be one of his disciples, this is what he says. You've got to be willing to do. This is the lifestyle of the Christian Luke.

[00:17:49] Nine. Twenty three. And he said to all, if anyone would come after me. You want to be a Christian. You want to follow Jesus. Here it is.

[00:17:58] If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

[00:18:06] Step one. Deny yourself.

[00:18:09] The exact opposite message of what the world is saying today is what Jesus says to you. Let's get it down for point number two, deny yourself daily. That's what we're learning. You got to deny yourself daily. It says you got to say no to yourself.

[00:18:28] You've got to hold yourself back, restrain yourself and then pick up your cross. Be ready to suffer. Be ready to follow and obey. That's what it says here. And you got to do that day after day after day. It's not like you just did it in the past. No. You've got to deny yourself and take up your cross and follow Jesus in the present. That is your ongoing lifestyle.

[00:18:50] So this is the facts for every single one of us.

[00:18:53] Desires are going to rise up within us to go back after the passions of our own flesh. And we are going to have to say no to ourselves, deny ourselves, restrain ourselves. This is the Christian life.

[00:19:08] It's what we were called to from day one by Jesus Christ. And I can remember clearly.

[00:19:16] A moment in my life when I was growing up as a boy, and when you're a child, you sit at the kid's table and the adults are at the adult table when you get together with family. When you've got too many people to fit at one table, we start having different tables, sometimes in different rooms. And we got the kids over here and the adults over here. And I can remember I was one of the oldest of the kids. So I always wanted to hear what was going on at the adult conversation. What are they talking about? And I can remember vividly, we were visiting one of my dad's old friends.

[00:19:46] My dad got saved in college, married my mom. I was born, and they were going to this young married couples Bible study, having real fellowship, just on fire for God as new believers. And they formed these lasting relationships with these brothers and sisters. And we would visit them sometimes on our family trips. We would go and see these brothers and sisters in Christ. And I heard one of my dad's friends, who I always thought these these were like real Christians.

[00:20:12] And I looked up to them and I heard one of my dad's friends and he said to my dad, you have a what does it mean to be a Christian? I was shocked that he said that. And I remember my dad's answer very clearly, he said, you know what it means to be a Christian, it means you deny yourself. You take up your cross daily and you're follow Jesus. And my dad's friends said to him, Yeah, but who does that?

[00:20:40] I was shocked that he would say that. Real Christian people. Followers of Jesus Christ. Deny themselves. That's what we're being told to do.

[00:20:54] So this is something that that is common to all of us. We can all relate to this, that we are tempted to do something and we have to restrain ourselves from that passion. Maybe it's this angry response that we want to give to somebody.

[00:21:09] Maybe it's this thing that we think, oh, maybe I want to look at that. Maybe it's a relationship that's hard to leave or get out of. Maybe it's a place you like to go or a thing you like to do that you feel guilty about. Convicted about scripture clearly tells you about that. You know, it's wrong. And yet you find yourself wanting to do it, deny yourself.

[00:21:32] Tell yourself no. That's what it means to be a Christian. That is the correct, real legitimate answer to the question, what does it mean to be a Christian?

[00:21:43] A Christian is a person who is denying their passions when everyone else in the world is trying to fulfill their passions.

[00:21:52] That's what sets us apart because we're not from around here. We don't fit in.

[00:21:58] I want to encourage you. I want to encourage you that God is going to give you the ability.

[00:22:04] To fight the war for your soul here on point number two, let's look at three different things about God. First thing we need to say about God is God is merciful to forgive you. That's a dash there if you're taking notes. God is merciful to forgive you.

[00:22:22] And if you are feeling convicted right now because you were tempted and you didn't struggle, you didn't fight against it. You gave in to that temptation. Let me just tell you right now, you can confess that sin to God and he will be faithful and just to forgive you for that sin and he will cleanse you from all of your unrighteousness. Can I get a man from anybody on that? I mean, that is first, John, chapter one, verse nine. It is a promise that if you go to God and confess, God already sees through your skin and bones. He already knows the evil desires within your soul. He knows when you give in to those temptations, when you acknowledge that to God, when you agree with God about your sin, he forgives you.

[00:23:09] It's like you have a crimson stain and he washes it.

[00:23:13] Why does snow. I just saw rock like that. OUTFRONT a church this morning. It's like you had a heart of darkness and now it's been bleached white. God separates your sin as far as the East is from the West. He remembers your sin no more. He blots it out as if it never happened. He only remembers your faith and he forgets your sins.

[00:23:35] And it says that anybody who has a broken spirit, if you have a sorry, contrite heart and you go before God and you are genuinely broken over your sin and you turn to God, leaving that sin behind to look to him and the righteousness of Jesus Christ, you will be forgiven. God will not despise you. He will not cast you out. He will not reject you. When you come to God and you confess your sin. You will be forgiven for it. This is good news.

[00:24:09] This is good news. Every single one of us are going to be tempted. Every single one of us are going to sin. And when we seen we have a defender. We have an advocate. We have someone who stands in our defense at the right hand of the father and intercessor on our behalf. His name is Jesus in his blood, already paid for all of your sin. And when you confess your sin, he claims you as his own. Before the father.

[00:24:38] And he says, you're one of my. And we experience forgiveness.

[00:24:44] It's one of the things that we do in this war for our soul is that when we suffer a defeat, when we take a loss, we have that desire rise up. And instead of abstaining, instead of holding ourselves back, we give in to that desire. One of the things that we do is sometimes we put ourselves in the penalty box.

[00:25:05] Sometimes we stay there in that place of defeat. I sinned and because I sinned, I'm so bummed out. And I'm so sad. And then we kind of have a pity party and we end up thinking about ourselves and we stay there. And, you know, what happens sometimes is we sin again or we continue to have a bad attitude towards somebody else or we continue to go back to a place we know we shouldn't go because we're feeling so low about our sin and we're so guilty and we're ashamed.

[00:25:32] And you can go to God right now and you can ask him to forgive you. And in the name of Jesus, he will cleanse you from all of your sin.

[00:25:42] He will purify you in your soul.

[00:25:46] This is the precious promise of scripture that everybody who confesses, they're saying, will be forgiven based on the mercy and grace and loving kindness of our guy. This is good news that we have towards the hardest of hearts, towards the darkest of souls, towards those who think they are too far gone. No, you don't understand. God's mercy is more than you're saying. His grace has abounded more than your sin and the blood of Jesus. It is finished. It is paid in full.

[00:26:20] There is forgiveness for all of us. When we confess our sins to God.

[00:26:29] We're talking about the kind of confession that's a real godly sorrow that leads to repentance, where you hate that saying you turn from that sin to God seeking the righteousness that is yours in Jesus Christ.

[00:26:43] Hey, if you're here in this sermon and you're like, yeah, I know about temptation, I just gave into it this morning, I gave into it last night. I gave into it this week. Hey, let me tell you right now, you could confess your sin and be completely forgiven of that.

[00:26:57] You could turn to God right now with all of your heart, and that could be behind you. And you could spend the rest of this day live in for the glory of God. Don't put yourself in a timeout. Don't stay in the penalty box when God is there ready to forgive you.

[00:27:10] Now turn with me to First Corinthians, Chapter 10. Everybody, we got to go to First Corinthians, chapter 10, verse 13. Hopefully this is a passage you have memorized and you're ready to bring it to mind at these moments that we know are going to come when there's passions of your flesh that are waging war against your soul. And let me just make this very clear. All of us have to turn from our sins. OK. Let's go back to the fundamental reality of repentance. If you do not repent of your sin, you will perish in your sin. This is a real war we're talking about.

[00:27:47] And if you continue in sin, if you know the truth, that there is forgiveness and Jesus. But you continue to sin against God. There is only destruction and ruin ahead for you. Your sin will destroy you. The scripture is so clear about this.

[00:28:05] You could know all about Jesus. You can know all about your sin if you don't actually repent and turn from it. There will be a terrible judgment and that will come to you eventually. And even the consequences of your sin, you're going to reap what you sow. Your sin surely will find you out. No, there is a war and people are losing the war and they are being destroyed by sin.

[00:28:28] That's what's happening.

[00:28:30] And if we have repented, if God has granted us the gift of repentance to really turn away from that lifestyle of sin and turn to the righteousness of Jesus Christ and by faith, trust in him and now by faith, act and live for him if you've experienced repentance. OK, well, when those desires want to take you back, you gotta you gotta deal with that temptation.

[00:28:54] And First Corinthians 10 13 is one of the go to scriptures on how to think through the common experience of temptation. In fact, look what it says here. No temptation has overtaken you. That is not common demand. Let me just say this very clearly to every single person who's watching this service. Whatever you are tempted by, I guarantee you there is someone else at this church that is tempted the same way you are. If you were to share with someone else, if you were to be so open and bold, to share with somebody else your sins and what tempts you, that person would be able to relate to you as another sinner.

[00:29:31] I mean, you might actually find that you're tempted about the exact same things. Or maybe the passions of the flesh are a little bit different. But you will know the common way that temptation works in your soul.

[00:29:44] It's one of the lies that we believe is that.

[00:29:48] Well, nobody else is really can relate to this. Nobody else really experienced the same temptation. I'm too far gone. I'm such a sinner. Look what it says. No temptation has overtaken you. That is not calm in demand. Somebody else can totally relate to you.

[00:30:03] Someone maybe closer than you think.

[00:30:07] And it says here, God is faithful, he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability.

[00:30:15] But with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape that you may be able to endure. Let's get that down for our second dash under point number two. God is faithful in your escape. There is always a way out of temptation. How's that for some encouragement here today? The next time you feel a strong desire towards sin rising up within you, remind yourself you don't have to sin as a Christian. There is a way of a skop bay, as our friend Doree likes to say. In Finding Nemo, there is an exit. There is an emergency hatch. There is some kind of door or window that can open so you don't have to see. This is not about how your scene is so tough. This is about the faithfulness of God.

[00:31:05] Don't act like your sin is greater than the faithfulness of God, greater as he that is in you than he who is in the world. Our God is mighty to save. And if he says there is a way out, there is always a way out.

[00:31:21] You are able to endure under that desire to saying you are able to hold yourself back from sinning. Always every temptation. There is a way of escapes.

[00:31:33] One of the lies. They were tempted to believe, as I already thought about it.

[00:31:39] I already wanted to do it. I'm already being tempted, so I might as well give in. Can I tell you how unbiblical that thought is?

[00:31:49] Next time you think, well, I've already been tempted, so I might as well give in, say, get behind me, Satan on that one.

[00:31:56] Now here's a verse, here's a promise of scripture. The fact that you are tempted means there is a way of escape. There is a huge difference in your life between being tempted to sin and actually giving in to the sin.

[00:32:13] Those are two different things. When you are tempted, you should immediately have this verse come to mind. This whole prize up within you. And you should start looking around. Where is my ASKAP? How am I going to get out of this one? Because I know God's here and I know God's faithful and I know he hasn't deserted me to this sin. So where is the way of escape? I'm ready to find it. And it will always be there for you.

[00:32:40] As a Christian, you do not have to sin.

[00:32:44] I'm not saying we're gonna be perfect. I'm not saying you're you're never going to give in, but I'm saying when you're tempted, you don't have to give in. That's the promise of scripture. That's for the person who's been born again, who has a new life in Jesus Christ, who's out of the darkness and shining in the light of his glory. You have the spirit of the living God inside of you.

[00:33:09] And so you don't have to give in to the old way of saying. You can resist temptation. This is a great promise here.

[00:33:20] And next time you're tempted, you should think maybe, maybe now's the time to pray. Maybe that's your way of escape. Maybe it's time to get in the word.

[00:33:27] When was the last time? A lot of time when you're tempted. Just ask yourself if you're feeling tempted. Ask yourself, when was the last time I prayed? When was the last time I really got in the word of God?

[00:33:36] Just ask yourself those questions next time you're tempted.

[00:33:39] Who could I call right now and ask to pray for me? Who could I call and say, Hey, I'm being tempted. Would you pray for me? People have called me before. They said, Hey, I'm being tempted. Will you pray for me? Never once have I thought to judge that person for being tempted. Immediately I thought I can relate to that.

[00:33:55] Thanks for calling. What a great opportunity, let's pray together right now. I'm telling you, there is always. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, there is always a way out of your temptations resisting temptation.

[00:34:12] It's what we do. It's who we've been saved to be. That's what Peter is saying.

[00:34:22] Now go with me to Galatians, Chapter five. Let's go to Galatians Chapter five and let's talk about the difference here between the flesh and the spirit. So there's a different way that we can live. We don't have to live based on the less of the flesh as we used to, as everyone else around us does, because we don't belong here.

[00:34:45] We don't fit in. No, we are going to live a different way. And here's the contrast. Galatians five, verse 16.

[00:34:51] I say walk by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. So here's the two ways that human beings operate in their souls. They they operate based on the flesh or they walk by the spirit. See, at the moment of your salvation. You were washed clean of all of your sins. You were given a new heart put within you and God put his holy spirit within you.

[00:35:16] The very spirit of the living God is a seal of your salvation. And he now empowers you to walk in God's ways. He now enables you to keep God's commands. You can now live a new and righteous way because God is working in you through the helper, the teacher, the Holy Spirit is inside of you.

[00:35:38] And so it says, hey, conduct yourself based on the spirit, not based on your own flesh, based on the spirit. You're gonna go one way or the other.

[00:35:46] Verse 17 for the desires of the flesh or against the spirit and the desires of the spirit or against the flesh. These are opposed to each other to keep you from doing the things you want to do. If you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law. This should be the goal for every one of us to lead a spiritual life, not the not the physical life, but a spiritual life.

[00:36:10] You you could write down a great cross-reference right now would be a Fijians five 18 and you could you could write that down because it's a clear example, do not get drunk with wine for that is debauchery. Hey, we know what that means. We know that people get under the influence of alcohol.

[00:36:28] They have too much to drink and it affects them. It affects the way they talk. It affects the way they walk. No. But instead of being drunk, you should be filled with the spirit. You should be under the influence of the Holy Spirit through the scripture by filling you up, activating the spirit within you. You should be under his influence. It'll change the way you talk. It'll change the way you walk. You want to be living a spiritual life, then you will not give in to the flesh.

[00:36:58] Now it's going to really break it down. It's going to get specific. And it's going to speak straight to every single one of us. Here in Galatians five, verse 19, the works of the flesh are evident. You want to see somebody who's who's living in the flesh in their soul. Lord, show you what it looks like on the outside, the inside, the inside. I'll show you what's going on on the outside here. Verse 19. The works of the flesh are evident. Sexual immorality. Remember, that's anything sexual outside of marriage, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalry's dissentions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and things like these.

[00:37:46] So it's not an exhaustive list. It's just given examples of what the flesh looks like. Now, look at this phrase right here. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. People who are doing the deeds of the flesh, who are continuing to live in the flesh.

[00:38:08] It says very clearly here, people who live according to the flesh are not inheriting the kingdom of God. They are not going to heaven. They are not saved. Saved. People can now resist the flesh. They can abstain from the passions of the flesh. People who continue to live in the flesh. That's what it looks like. Those people and I've warned you before, he says, let me say it again.

[00:38:33] You will not inherit the kingdom of God if you live according to the flesh. But verse twenty to the fruit of the spirit. If you're walking in the spirit, if you're led by the spirit.

[00:38:45] If he's filling you in, influencing your life.

[00:38:47] Here's what that looks like. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

[00:39:00] Against such things, there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions, with its desires. We've died to all of those luss. If we live by the spirit, let us also keep in step with this spirit.

[00:39:17] Let's get this down for our third dash. God is powerful for your obedience by the work of the spirit within you. You can walking God's ways. He will enable you. He will cause you to obey the commands of scripture. We have another option as Christian people. Besides giving in to our evil desires, we can walk by the power of the spirit. And we can obey the living God. And the spirit works through the word that he inspired. He works through other believers, encouraging us and lifting us up. It is the very spirit of God at work within you. And when he does his work, he will lead you away from the loss of the flesh. And he will lead you into self-control and all of these beautiful realities of a spiritual life. You have the power of God in you to resist temptation and practice obedience.

[00:40:18] Does anybody want to say, man, right now this is what makes us different. This is why we're not from here. This is why we will never fit in, because we have a spiritual life that sets us apart.

[00:40:29] And it's all by God's doing his work in us.

[00:40:34] Go back to first Peter two and you'll see it here. And first, Peter two down verse 12. When you're fighting the war in your soul, when you're abstaining from the lust, the passions of the flesh. Well, then and you're live in this spiritual life. Well, here's what it's going to look like. Your conduct will be honorable among the gentiles.

[00:40:54] So that when they speak against you as evil doers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

[00:41:05] So if you really fight the battle within, it leads to a certain. Conduct that you will have that everyone can see without everyone can see in your life. I mean, who are the Gentiles right now that see your life? You've got neighbors that know you.

[00:41:23] You have coworkers who know you.

[00:41:25] Maybe you have people who don't believe in God that live right there in your house. Maybe you have extended family members that you see and talk with regularly that are not believers in God. Maybe people see you when you're driving around, when you're at the store, when you're walking your dog. Who are the people who don't know God that see your life? Do they see you conduct yourself in an honorable way?

[00:41:51] So we've seen this word conduct here. We've talked about it a few times already.

[00:41:55] And first, Peter, it's your pattern, it's your manner of life.

[00:41:59] When people look at your lifestyle, can they see that there's a spiritual reality that's happening within you? That works itself out in your life? Is that what people would observe about you?

[00:42:11] If people were looking for enough evidence that you're a Christian, what would they be able to see it? Would they see it in your conduct? That's the idea here. People who are fighting the battle within you can see it on the outside and see the world it hates. Jesus Christ, the world. It's gonna become very clear in first, Peter, that there's two primary reasons the world wants to persecute Christians. One is because we claim the name of Jesus and the world always hated Jesus. They killed Jesus. And Jesus said, if you're gonna follow me and you're going to deny yourself and take up your cross part of the cross, you're going to have to bear is the world's going to hate you just as they hated me. That's what Jesus said. He made it very clear that all of us should expect persecution if we're claiming to be Christians. The other reason it says in first, Peter, they're going to persecute us is for righteousness sake.

[00:43:05] See, we're over here trying to do what is right. We're over here shining the light.

[00:43:10] And we have this wrong thing that we want to say and we restrain ourselves from saying it. They let it fly. There's this thing over there that we were like, maybe I want to look at that. But I say, no, I'm going to look over here. See, they're looking at it. And they notice that we don't run with them to that same way of sin, that we're not going along with them towards the passions of the flesh. And they don't like that we're trying to do what is right. And so they persecute it for us. See, the world wants to say something evil about us and they're going to try to do it. But then they see how we're living, how we conduct ourselves. And instead of saying something evil, it says here, when they see your good deeds, they glorify God on the day of visitation.

[00:43:54] I see that you're different, that you're not from around here, that you don't fit in, that there is something other worldly about you, something spiritual. And they realize what they're getting a glimpse of. Is the glory of God.

[00:44:11] See, a lot of people out there. They're not going to read the Bible, but they sure are going to read your life. Would they would they see enough to get convicted? Would they see enough to know God through you? This is the foundation for all evangelism. You love somebody, you want to see them get saved. You want to see them repent and believe in the gospel. Well, here's the first question to ask yourself. Can they see that the gospels saved you? Can they see that there is a powerful change in your life? Because then they might listen to what you have to say. If they could see the glory of God in your good deeds, if you hasn't changed. Why would you tell? Why would they listen to you tell them they need to change?

[00:44:52] If they can't even see it in you. See, point number three is you need to be the change. They need to see be the change. They need to see.

[00:45:04] There's this phrase going around right now. Be the change you want to see in the world. There's a lot of things that it would be really good that if we could change about the world. Here's the problem. We're living in a fallen world.

[00:45:15] We're living in a world where people pursue their own evil desires and they want to fulfill themselves. And that's the way the world is always going to be. So, yes, I would like to change many things in the world. But the main thing I need to do is make sure I'm living changed myself. And that offers hope to other people around us.

[00:45:38] When other people can see that you are different and that you have been saved.

[00:45:43] They might just be saved on the day that God visits them, they might end up worshiping God with us and glorifying God, that the gospel of Jesus really does have the power to change lives from the inside out.

[00:45:58] Now, when Peter says this year and first Peter to 12, I think he's got to be thinking of Matthew five. Sixteen. Can everybody turn there with me to Matthew five 16? Because this is how Jesus set it. In the Sermon on the Mount. And he used the analogy here that you have a light.

[00:46:15] You've been called out of the darkness and into the marvelous light. That's what we just read.

[00:46:20] And first, Peter, right before this, in the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven. If Christians are saying the same mean things on Facebook, then everybody else is saying if Christians are using the same foul language that everybody else is using. If we're talking down about people in the same way everybody else is looking at the same things, everybody else is going to the same places everybody else is going to, then why get saved if we're not fundamentally different people, if we can blend in and belong with the darkness?

[00:47:00] Why would people want to be called out into the marvelous light? We've got to let it shine. We've got to be the change that they need to see.

[00:47:10] If people could follow you around. If they could know you were.

[00:47:16] Would they think, wow, what a work God's done in you? Is that what they would see on the outside? Of your life. This is the expectation. I'm not talking about somebody who's a pastor. I'm not talking about somebody who's a fellowship group leader here at our church.

[00:47:31] This is for the people of God. This is for those who have received mercy. If you have been called out of the dark and into the light, let your light shine.

[00:47:43] Radiate glow in the darkness. That's what we're being called to here.

[00:47:50] Hold yourself to the highest of standards, hold yourself to the standard of scripture. Do not compromise. Do not let yourself become lukewarm, lived to the standard of holiness so that everybody can see when they look at you. You know my neighbor.

[00:48:06] I don't think they're really from around here. I think they belong somewhere else. That's what we want everybody to see.

[00:48:15] Because everyone is going to be visited by God.

[00:48:20] Look at that phrase. Let's think about that, the last phrase here.

[00:48:23] They're going to see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. What does that mean? The day of visitation?

[00:48:31] See, there's a wrong way that we think we think in the real world. There are people who believe in God. And then there are people who don't believe in God. And in fact, we kind of think that we're the minority. And so we kind of expect the world to go an evil way because there's so many people who don't believe in God. No, that's not reality. In reality, everyone will believe in God, in scripture even says it is evident that there is a God already.

[00:48:58] And Scripture also says that some day every knee is going to bow and every tongue is going to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the father. So people might be in denial about God right now instead of self-denial. They might be in God's denial, but they are going to be visited by God. And it's either going to happen on a day of judgment when they stand before him or in a day when he opens their eyes to see his marvelous light. A day of salvation. Two types of visitation, judgment or salvation. But everybody is going to encounter God.

[00:49:33] And the goal is that when God visits them, that you would be an example to them of a changed life by the mercy of God.

[00:49:42] You have become one of the people of God.

[00:49:45] And so when God opens their eyes to see you could be an example to them so that they would respond by being saved. Or if we're being if they go to a day of judgment and they're judged for their sins, they would think of the way that you lived. And they wouldn't think of you. I did see someone who was living for God. I wish I had paid attention. I wish I had talked to them.

[00:50:06] See, that's what we're supposed to be.

[00:50:09] We know that everyone will be visited by God and we want to be someone they can see that will give them a response to glorify God on the day of Salvaje, on the day of salvation. That's the kind of visitation we want.

[00:50:23] For everybody around us. See, one of the reasons that I want to strongly plead with you.

[00:50:29] To resist temptation in your life and to fight the war for your soul is because it's not just your soul on the line. There are many other souls around you right now, and their souls will be affected by the way that you live if you live. Honorable conduct of a changed life by the power of the spirit. They might be inspired by your example. They might turn to God through your testimony, through God's work in you.

[00:51:00] But if you're over here just battling with sin, just give it in. Not really fight the good fight of faith. Not really abstaining. Not really denying yourself. They're going to see you starting to act like everybody else around them.

[00:51:12] And they're not going to see a real need for a change life themself. You see what's going on here. The way that you and I live. Matters to the other people around us. And when God visits them, we want them to respond with the glory of God.

[00:51:31] We want their eyes to be open, to see Jesus dying on the cross for them rising from the dead, for them, that there is forgiveness of all of their sin. There is real power and change for a new life. And they would say, yeah, I could believe that's in Jesus because they've already seen it in you.

[00:51:50] I mean, what if you got to heaven someday? And there was somebody else there. And they were inspired to believe in Jesus because of the way you conducted yourself here on Earth with that make all the suffering and self-denial worth it.

[00:52:07] If God used you so that someone else glorified him on the day of their visitation term with me to first Samuel Chapter two, let's let's go back to the Hebrew Bible.

[00:52:18] Were reading first, Samuel. Everybody grab your Bible. Go to first Samuel, chapter two, verse 21. And let's look at an example that we read about this week in Scripture of the Day about the day of visitation.

[00:52:30] Is anybody out there reading Samuel the story of David? Is anybody out there?

[00:52:35] Hey, if you're not reading Samuel with us, we read eight chapters were starting on Chapter nine this week. We are about to get into some of the most epic content. Scripture has to offer. We are about to meet David, a man after God's own heart. I think that these next couple of weeks could be the best days of scripture of the day we've had yet at this church. I want to invite you. You gotta come and read Samuel with us. And it starts the epic story of David starts with the prayers of a barren woman named Hannah, a woman who just wants God to give her a son. And her goal is she'll give her son up to the Lord. And that's why the book is named Samuel, because that's what she named her baby boy when God answered her prayer. Samuel.

[00:53:21] God heard. That's what hit me. The name Samuel is about an answer prayer.

[00:53:28] Of a barren woman, and she raised her boy, she loved him. And when he was like somewhere around three years old, she took him to the Tabernacle. And she literally left him there at the Tabernacle, not just praying that she would give his life up to God, but she actually gave his life up to God. She entrusted her son to the Lord. And God raised up Samuel to be a mighty judge and prophet that led a revival among his people.

[00:53:56] He became a prayer warrior. Because he had a mom who prayed.

[00:54:02] And it says here, look at this first for Samuel to 21, maybe you missed this in our reading this week, but this is what the day of visitation looks like right here. Indeed.

[00:54:13] Ja way. The Lord visited Hannah. There was a moment when God came to Hannah and she conceived and born three sons and two daughters. And the boy, Samuel, grew in the presence of the Lord. Not only did she have Samuel and not only did she give him up and was he blessed and did he grow up in favor with God? But it says she had three sons and two daughters. Do you see what happens when God visits somebody where there is no life?

[00:54:42] There is suddenly life. Where there is death, there is now life overflowing.

[00:54:48] This is the visitation of God that can bring salvation. God is going around. He's going to visit people. And we want to be an example to them of how great it is to be saved by God and live a new life in Jesus Christ.

[00:55:05] That's what happens when God visits there's life. Where there's no life. That's what Hannah experienced.

[00:55:11] And you can read here in Chapter two her glorious praise of God. You can read in Chapter one. Maybe you already did her answered prayers. Here is a woman that God visited, and she was blessed.

[00:55:23] Her children were blessed.

[00:55:26] God, do you believe that God is mighty to save? Don't look at the personal, their heart so hard. They'll never believe they have too many stumbling blocks. They don't accept the Bible. They don't believe the gospel. Don't don't look at the person.

[00:55:40] Look at the God who visits people and gives life where there is death. Who brings light to the darkness. Pray that God will use you to inspire someone to be an example to someone because ah, God is merciful and mighty to save.

[00:55:56] Now you've got to turn with me to Genesis chapter twenty three. We're gonna end with this. I need everybody. You've got to turn. This is really the cross reference that helps you understand our entire passage. Genesis 23 is a story of Father Abraham that not a lot of people know. And there's one phrase we haven't gone through yet. In our passage. And it's where it says at the beginning of verse eleven. So Turner's in exile's or you could translate it. Strangers and aliens or foreigners. OK. So it says that you and I, we don't fit in here. We're not from around here. We don't belong. It says we're like strangers, sojourners. We're not really known because we're aliens. We're foreigners. We come from another place. And and a lot of people in there preach in that they'll be like us. We're citizens of heaven because we've been born from above. And that is deep and profound. And it is true. But what you need to see is that when Peter writes to you and me and the Christians that are scattered, that he's right and to there that we are. So journeys and exiles, he is not just making a deep and profound statement about our salvation or our citizenship in heaven. He is actually quoting what Abraham says here in Genesis 23 and in the context here. Abraham is mourning the death of his wife, Sarah. Sarah. It says lived a hundred and twenty seven years.

[00:57:23] Wow. And she got to see their son Isaac be born.

[00:57:29] She got to see the fulfillment of God's promise that God was going to give to Abraham and Sarah a son. And from that son, he was going to make a great nation and that nation was going to live in a land. We're talking about the covenant that God made with Abraham that has affected everyone all over the world.

[00:57:47] She got to see it, but now she's died. And so Abraham, he goes to interact here, look at verse three, Abraham Rosa from before his dead and said to the Hittites. Liquidy says, Here I am, a soldier, Turner and Foreign are among you. So when Peter says Sojourner and Foreigner in our text, he's quoting Father Abraham and the way that he approached the Hittites here he was here.

[00:58:14] He went out, not going, not knowing where he was going. God told Abraham to go. And he came to the promised land. But he didn't have any land. He's traveling around. But now he needs a place to bury his wife. And so he's going to interact with the gentiles, so to speak. They Hittites. This is an example of a man of God interacting with people who don't know God. And what we're about to get is Hittite bartering one on one.

[00:58:41] OK, lot of times in America, when we're buying something, we want one simple price. No haggling, no bartering.

[00:58:49] That's not the way it worked here at the Hittites, at the city gates.

[00:58:54] No, this was all about posturing, bartering. This was all about making yourself look good, but really taking the other guy for all he's got. And Abraham is now going to engage with these Hittites. And he starts out by saying, hey, I'm not from around here.

[00:59:11] I don't fit in.

[00:59:12] So give me property among you for a burying place that I may bury my dead out of my sight in the Hittites, answered Abraham. Can you underline this? Can you see this right here in verse six? Well, first of all, did you notice verse five? The Hittites, answered Abraham. You could just memorize that right now. There you go. You just got a new scripture verse for the day. The Hittites answered Abraham, verse six. Underline this. Hear us. My Lord. You are a Prince of God.

[00:59:42] You are a prince of God among us. Here's one thing, yeah, you might be a stranger. You might be a foreigner. But here's one thing we know about a you, Abraham. You're one of God's people.

[00:59:54] Wow. Look at the reputation that Father Abraham had with the unbelievers in his community.

[01:00:02] They knew that he was one of the sons of God. And so they treat him here with the level of respect. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb to hinder you from burying your dead. You want to bury your wife. You can. Anybody. Anybody who's got a tomb here, they'd gladly give it to you. Because we know who you are, Abraham. You're one of God's people. Wouldn't that be great if that's what your neighbors thought about you?

[01:00:28] Your coworkers thought about you. Watch out. That person knows God. That's what they said about Abraham.

[01:00:35] Now, there's a whole level of bartering here where they're going to say one thing when really they mean something that may not be obvious right away. Here in verse seven, Abraham Rose and he bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. And he said to them, if you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight. Hear me. And now he's going to say and entreat for me.

[01:00:53] Effron, the son of Zohar, that he may give me the cave of moch Paula. So here Abraham is showing a little bartering skill here, everybody, because he actually has a specific cave from a specific hit site that he is hoping to bury his wife. So now we're starting to put our cards on the table, so to speak. And he says, hey, I'll pay him the full price.

[01:01:18] And as frorn, I don't know if they called him Zach or not, but this guy Effron here, he was sitting among the Hittites and he just happens to be there like Abraham happens. Dimensioned Effron, who's oh, by the way, he's right over here.

[01:01:31] And Avron now he comes forward and he says in verse eleven, no, my lord, hear me. I give you the field. I give you the cave that is in it and the side of the sons of my people. I give it to you, bury your dead. Now, a bartering newb might like me when I read that line. I think, wow, this guy Effron. What a nice hit guy. He just gave him the field.

[01:01:53] That's not how bartering works. All right.

[01:01:56] No, he just added the field on, too. Oh, you want my. You want my tomb. You want my cave. How about my field, too?

[01:02:04] We just upgraded as what we did here. We were ready to click checkout and they said, would you also like this?

[01:02:12] People who buy your item also have purchased a whole Effron just kind of upgraded Abraham's thing here.

[01:02:19] And so it says then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land and he said to efferent in the hearing of all the people, we got witnesses. This is a business negotiation now, if you will hear me. I give the price of the field accepted from me that I may bury my dead there.

[01:02:35] Abraham is not taking anything for free. He's ready to pay full price, which is exactly what Effron wants when he answered. Abraham. My Lord. Listen to me. A piece of land worth 400 shekels of silver. What is that between you and me? Bury your dead.

[01:02:51] I love that. He says it like 400 shekels. Notice how he just named his price. What is that? Between me and you, it almost sounds like that's nothing between me and you. I'll give it to you. But really, he just demanded 400 shekels of silver.

[01:03:04] And you know what just happened there? Abraham, the man of God, the soldier or the foreigner. He just bought the first piece of the promised land. He just received right here in Genesis twenty three. The first little slice of the inheritance he just experienced by conducting himself in an honorable way.

[01:03:26] Among the Hittites, he just got the first little piece of the promise that God was going to make of him, a mighty nation who would live in a promised land, who would be his people for all time so that all families of the earth would be blessed. That's what Abraham just got a little bit of right there.

[01:03:44] See, when you and I read first, Peter, two, eleven and twelve. We're supposed to think of this story. About when Abraham was a soldier in. When he was a foreigner in his own land of promise and God ended up giving him the entire land.

[01:04:03] Because of the way he conducted himself in an honorable way with the Hittites, they knew that he was a man of God. This is an example to us. This is one of the beautiful ways that the law gives us a picture. See, we've been studying this part of the book. We've been talking about the Greek part, the part for the the people of Jesus in the church age. And a lot of times when we miss out on is that here in the Hebrew part in the law, there's a picture that allows you to see it. You want to know what it looks like to conduct yourself in an honorable way. Among people who don't know God, just remember this. The Sojourner. Just remember the foreigner, Abraham.

[01:04:42] Remember how he acted and how God blessed him. And you go now and be an example to the people around you. I'm telling you, every single one of us, you and me here at Compas H.B, we are in a war for our souls and we must be set apart.

[01:04:58] The world is going to run right into sin. They're going to fulfill their own passions. They're going to live for themselves. You and I, we're here together. You know what we all have in common.

[01:05:09] We're going to resist that temptation together. We're going to deny ourselves daily.

[01:05:14] And we're gonna live by the power of the spirit in a way that people can see as they're running into their sin. They're going to look over and they're gonna see us holding ourselves back.

[01:05:24] And they're going to know there's something different about us, something fundamentally changed about us. And when God visits them, maybe their eyes will be open to see.

[01:05:34] The glory of God would be amazing. If you lived your life, if you fought so hard against your sin to not give in.

[01:05:43] And you conducted yourself in the way that God commands by his power, working in you, the spirit causing you to walk in God's ways. What if somebody else saw God's work and you.

[01:05:54] And they ended up believing it being saved to. That's what we're here to do. That is our purpose. Our mission is to give God the glory and the way we live our lives. Let me pray for us. Father in heaven. We thank you for these two verses here today.

[01:06:13] One that tells us to hold ourselves back from sin, another that tells us to keep our conduct honorable eye in front of others. Got to pray that every single one of us, all my brothers and sisters, accomplice, H.B, everybody who's watching this right now, that we would all engage in this spiritual war.

[01:06:33] God, I pray that this would be a week where your people would confess. Are saints, that we would resist our temptations, that we would deny ourselves.

[01:06:42] And by the power of your spirit, working in us through your word. Let us walk in your ways. Let us give you the glory.

[01:06:50] Let us truly God live not for ourselves, but for your name sake that you might be glorified.

[01:07:00] God, please let us be your people and by your power.

[01:07:06] By your grace, that gives us the strength to say no to our sin. Let us be zealous for good deeds. Let us run with endurance, the race that is set before us.

[01:07:17] Let us live in such a way that other people have to say there's something different about them. There's something changed about that.

[01:07:24] There's been a turnaround in their life there. They don't belong here. They don't fit in. We're not like everybody else.

[01:07:34] We're strangers. We're foreigners right here in this.

[01:07:41] Can we please turn our eyes from the worthless things in this world? We turn our eyes to the glory and grace of Jesus Christ. Let the things of this world all the less of the flesh, all the things that tempt us. Let them grow strangely. Dear. In the light of your glory and your marvelous life, I let other people open their eyes. Visit our neighbors, our coworkers, our family members, Godwill, you visit them when you open their eyes. Let them see your glory in the eyes. Save more souls through our obedience. An example that you're doing your work in Oz. God, let us be these people that Peter is talking about in this text today. We pray in Jesus name a.