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Introducing First Peter · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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We're going to begin our worship by singing to God's praise in Psalm 40.
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This is in the Scottish Psalter, page 259, Psalm 40, on the tune is Earshire.
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I waited for the Lord my God and patiently did bear.
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At length to me he did incline my voice and cry to hear.
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We'll sing down to the end of the double, verse 5, to God's praise.
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I waited for the Lord my God and patiently did bear.
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At length to me he did incline my voice and cry to hear.
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He took me from a fearful pit and from the mighty clay.
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And on a rock he set my feet, establishing my way.
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He put a new song in my mouth, our God to magnify.
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Many shall see it and shall fear and on the Lord rely.
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O blessed is the man whose trust upon the Lord relies.
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O Lord my God, so many are.
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O Lord my God, so many are.
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The wonders Thou hast done.
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Thy gracious thoughts to us were far above.
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All thoughts are gone.
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And no one can reckon them to thee if them declare.
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And speak of them I would.
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They more than can be numbered are.
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Amen.
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I will bow our heads in a word of prayer.
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Let us pray.
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Our Father in heaven, we do thank you that as we sing your praise,
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it reminds us of all the many blessings and privileges that are ours.
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Even as the psalmist says there that they are so many,
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that they are so difficult even to number.
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there are many beyond our comprehension
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beyond all that we can imagine at times
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the different ways and through the different means
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that you bless us
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we thank you for your word above all
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for it is a word that gives us life
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and tells us of the hope that there is in Christ Jesus
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we thank you for your day
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a blessing to us in the week where
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we can be so many busy with so many other different things
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but we thank you that there is this day
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where we can come aside and come and worship you
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and we thank you that even as we come in here today
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it is that great desire that you put in our hearts
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to meet with your people
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but above all to meet with you
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as our Lord and as our God
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and so we pray your blessing on all that we do
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that in the service here
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and also in the creche and the tweenies
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and the Sunday school
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that you will be with us in all things
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that you will help us to learn more of you
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and to have a great hunger for you
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to long for you to be Lord and God of all our lives
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and to rule over us Lord as our King
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and as one who knows all people so well
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knowing every circumstance
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knowing every trial and difficulty
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knowing every reason for rejoicing that we all have
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you know the great variety in our lives
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you know us each by name
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and we thank you Lord
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for your great care and compassion towards us
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and so we ask Lord that you will bless us
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and be with us throughout this day
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and each and every day
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that we would know that Jesus is a great friend
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who stays close to us
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so Lord guide us in all we do
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and pardon us for all we do are wrong as well
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the many faults we have
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and the many mistakes we make
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we thank you that there is great forgiveness with you
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and so we ask all things
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in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
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for his sake and glory
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Amen
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it's good to see many young ones here again today
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and just want to say a few words to you
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before you go out to the creche on the Sunday school
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and the tweenies
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what's the biggest or maybe the stupidest thing
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you've ever done
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has any of you made any mistakes
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no
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that's great
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see if you were to ask me
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if I have made any mistakes
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or done any stupid things
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it's not a question of
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have I
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but almost how many
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mistakes and stupid things I've done
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because I'm constantly doing
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silly things
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stupid things
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and afterwards you think to yourself
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why on earth did I do that
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maybe it's something you've said
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or maybe it's something you've done
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and you just feel so stupid afterwards
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and whoa
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come on
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why did I do that
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and then if it stays with you
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sometimes you can start to think
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how am I going to make things right
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how am I going to do things differently
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what can I do
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to change myself
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or to make things right
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sometimes it means
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going to somebody
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and apologizing for doing something
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sometimes it means
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trying to
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mend the mistakes
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that you've made
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maybe you've broken something
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you've done something
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you shouldn't
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you've stolen something
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something like that
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and you've got to try and make up for it
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in different ways
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but the reality is
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every one of us does stupid things
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every one of us makes mistakes
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and today we're going to be starting a study
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in a book of the Bible called
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1 Peter
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and if you know anything about Peter
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or if you learn anything about Peter
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you learn that he was someone
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who made mistakes
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mistakes
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just like every one of us
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even though he was a disciple of Jesus
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someone who was very close to Jesus
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he still made mistakes
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and so often he regretted
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these mistakes
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but the great thing that he knew
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was that there was someone
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to make right
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the mistakes that he had made
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he didn't have to make up for it himself
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he looked to Jesus
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who was able to right
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all his wrongs
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and that's what we are reminded of
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as we go through
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the book of Peter
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there are times
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when we will make mistakes
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but there is someone
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who will make up
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for all of our mistakes
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so how can you fix mistakes
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well
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got a little tool here
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now you won't all be able to see it
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it's a tiny little tool
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now after the service is finished
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when I go back through
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to the hall
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maybe if you're still in the Sunday school
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or creche
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ask me to see this tool
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and I'll show you what it is
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it's a little tool
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that helps me fix
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some of the mistakes I made
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because it's got lots of little gadgets on it
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and I love
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I always take this when I'm fishing
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because when I'm fishing
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things often go wrong
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line gets in a tangle
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something breaks
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and this little tool
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comes in so handy
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it's got a pair of pliers
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it's got a little screwdriver
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it's got a knife
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all in this tiny little tool
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that fits neatly
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in your pocket
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so it's easy to carry around
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you can fix
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so many mistakes
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with this thing
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so ask me
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when I go through to the hall
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to see this
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and I'll show you more about it
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but what it reminds us of
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is that we have someone
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we can take with us
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anywhere too
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just like I can take that tool
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with me anywhere
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and it helps me fix mistakes
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we have someone
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who we can take with us always
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and that is Jesus
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and no matter what mistake
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we've got done
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or what fault we've got
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Jesus is able to fix it for us
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and as we put our trust in him
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as Peter put his trust in him
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he knew that he was with him always
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and there to help him
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through every mistake
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that he made
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so we can take Jesus with us everywhere
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every day of our lives
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and he is the one
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who is able to mend
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all our faults
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and all our mistakes
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all the stupid things
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that we do
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day by day
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he is able
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to fix them
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so may we come
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and put our trust
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in him
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we're going to share
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the Lord's prayer together
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now
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we'll say the Lord's prayer
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our Father
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which art in heaven
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hallowed be thy name
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thy kingdom come
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thy will be done on earth
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as it is in heaven
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give us this day
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our daily bread
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and forgive us our debts
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as we forgive our debtors
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and lead us not into temptation
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but deliver us from evil
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for thine is the kingdom
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the power and the glory
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forever
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Amen
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well we again sing
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to God's praise
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this time in Psalm 77
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let's sing Psalm's version
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we're singing at verse 6
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Psalm 77 at verse 6
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to the tune Glencairn
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throughout the watches of the night
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my songs I call to mind
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I ponder deeply
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while my heart
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an answer tried to find
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we'll sing from verse 6
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down to the verse 14
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to God's praise
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throughout the watches
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of the night
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my songs I call to mind
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I ponder deeply
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while my heart
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an answer tried to find
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forever will the Lord reject
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and never show his grace
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as he withdrawn
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steadfast love
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and turn from me
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his face
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for all time
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has his promise
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failed
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his God
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no longer
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kind
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has he
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in his
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great wrath
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dismissed
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compassion
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from his
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mind
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then to my heart
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there
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care
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this thought
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on this
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I will rely
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rely
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the years
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of the
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right
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and of
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hope
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of him
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is
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most high
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I will recall
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the Lord's
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great deeds
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your words
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of long ago
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I'll meditate
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on all your acts
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your mighty days
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I'll show
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O God
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most holy
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are your ways
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what God
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comforts
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within
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you are the God
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of miracles
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who's power
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the
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God
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of miracles
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who's power
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the
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ancients
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do
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well can we turn together now and read in God's word in the New Testament the first letter of Peter 1st Peter reading in chapter 1 and we're going to read the whole of this chapter
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chapter 1st Peter chapter 1 Peter an apostle of Jesus Christ to those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia according to the foreknowledge of God the Father in the sanctification of the spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and for the sprinkling for sprinkling for sprinkling with his
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his blood
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may grace and peace be multiplied to you
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blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ according to his great mercy he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance that is imperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for you who by God's power and are being guarded through
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faith
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though you have not seen him
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you love him though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory obtaining the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls
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concerning the salvation the salvation the prophets who prophesied about the great about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully inquiring what person or time the spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories
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it was revealed to him
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it was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven things into which angels longed to look
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therefore preparing your minds for action and being sober minded set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ
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as obedient children
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as obedient children
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as obedient children do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance
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but as he who was caught who has who called you is holy you also be holy in all your conduct
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since it is written you shall be holy for I am holy and if you call on him as father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds conduct yourselves with fear through the
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throughout the time of your exile knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers not with perishable things such as silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ like that of a lamb without blemish or spot he has foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for your sake who through him are
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believers in God who raised him from the dead and gave him glory so that your faith and hope are in God having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love love one another earnestly from a pure heart since you have been born again not of perishable seed but of imperishable through the living and abiding word of God for
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all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass the grass withers and the flower falls but the word of the Lord remains forever and this word is the good news that was preached to you
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amen amen and may God bless his word to us
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well again call upon God in prayer let's bow our heads in the word of prayer
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as we continue to worship you as our Lord and as our God this day as we have read in your word we thank you for your word
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and how it stands and how it stands and remains forever a word that is good news a word that is preached a word that is proclaimed even here today and
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proclaimed throughout the world today and every day there is this word of hope that goes out to so many
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and yet as the Bible reminds us in the parable of the sower and the seed we recognize too how there are other things that distract us or snatch this word away from us
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we pray today Lord that you will prepare our hearts to receive your word that it will be the good ground that the parable speaks of
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that we would receive it with great joy and that it would bear much fruit in us and even in many around us and throughout the world
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that there will be great rejoicing over sinners being saved that there will be great rejoicing over your church being built up
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that there will be great rejoicing that throughout this world that you have made and the people that you have formed
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that there will be people who will be responding in faith and receiving your word with gladness
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so we thank you that that power and that salvation is not of ourselves it belongs to you
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and we pray that we will be able to rejoice in that that we can call upon you as our God and Father in heaven
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the one who is able to do so much more than we even ask or imagine
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and so we pray that our confidence and our hope that will be placed in you today and always
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that no matter the discouragements we see around us no matter the trials that we go through
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that we would see that we are more precious to you than even gold that is tied in the fire
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we thank you that we are of great value to you that we are precious in your sight
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so precious Lord that you gave your own son who came to give his life
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to give it as a ransom for many
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that through his shed blood we can know the forgiveness of our sins
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that all our faults all our mistakes can be wiped away and cleansed anew
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as we come in through repentance and faith to you
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we thank you Lord that you teach us
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that you instruct us and that you guide us
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we pray that we will know Lord you're leading your guiding day by day
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that we will know Lord what it is to have prayers answered according to your own will
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and you know as we sang before that we'll be able to wait with patience upon you
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so often we may become frustrated with our prayers
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when we see them not answered in the way that we want them to be
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we'd be praying for ourselves or praying for others
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or praying for many situations we see around us in this world
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and in our own land
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we know the many difficulties and trials that people are going through
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little health
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those who are growing old and weary in this world
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those who are suffering in many different ways
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those who are experiencing times of tragedy and loss and grief
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those who we see in different parts of the world
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those who are experiencing war
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famine
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natural disasters
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we know that our trials are many
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that we pray Lord that you will give us the strength
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to go on
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the strength to look to Jesus
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and to put our hope and our trust in him
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and so we ask that your word will be blessed to us
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that it will help us
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even today and as we go on in this week
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to encourage ourselves together
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to discuss and to talk about the wonders of the good news
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and the blessings that are ours in Christ
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may you help us to fix our eyes on him
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we pray for our communities
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we pray for all around us
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we pray for our schools and our young people
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we ask your protection over them Lord
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that you will instruct them in your ways
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in their young years
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we pray Lord for your spirit
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to move among us
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we pray for a day of revival in our midst
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we pray to see Lord
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your hand upon us for good
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as a people
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and as a nation
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may you turn us back to yourself
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that we will be able to rejoice in you
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that we would see your goodness to us Lord
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that as we
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are commanded in your word
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to return to you
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and we have that great promise
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that you will return to us
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may we see churches flourishing
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may we see your word
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bearing much fruit
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may we see a people
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flocking to hear
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the good news of Jesus Christ
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and be blessed
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by those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
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we pray for our leaders
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and all who rule over us
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and we pray for them to have wisdom
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to have guidance
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to have a concern
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not just for themselves
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but for all our people
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for all our lands
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throughout the world
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that we would see a day of great turning
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a day of great peace
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a day of great blessing
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something that seems so far from our eyes
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at this time
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but yet we look to you
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as the one who is able
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so Lord may you guard us
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today and always
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may you keep us
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in the hollow of your hands
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may you uphold us
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and strengthen us
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in every situation we are
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and may we know
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your blessing upon us
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we ask it all
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with the forgiveness
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of our sins
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the many faults
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that we have
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we thank you
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that you are able
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to cleanse
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and so we come before you
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humbly
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bowing our neem
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bowing our heads
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and pleading with you
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to have mercy upon us
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and to do us good
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for all we ask
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we ask in the name of Jesus
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our Lord and Saviour
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for his sake and glory
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Amen
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We're going to sing again
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to God's praise
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in Psalm 138
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in the Scottish Psalter
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page 431
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of the Psalm book
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Psalm 138
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We sing from verse 1
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to verse 5
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in the tune
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of Winchester
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Thee will I praise
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with all my heart
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I will sing praise
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to Thee
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before the gods
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and worship will
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toward Thy sanctuary
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We'll sing from verse 1
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to 5
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to God's praise
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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Amen
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We will I praise
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with all my heart
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I will sing praise
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to Thee
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before the gods
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and worship will
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toward Thy sanctuary
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I will praise
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Thy name
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for Thy truth
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and kindness
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of Thy love
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for Thou
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Thy word
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has magnified
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all Thy
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great name
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above
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Thy
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didst me
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answer
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in the day
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when I
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to Thee
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did cry
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and
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Thy
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my
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fainting
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soul
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with strength
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did strengthen
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inwardly
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all kings
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upon
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the earth
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shall
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give
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praise
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O Lord
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when
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as
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they
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from
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Thy
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mouth
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shall
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hear
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thy
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true
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and
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faithful
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word
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yea
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in
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the
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righteous
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ways
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of
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God
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with
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gladness
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they
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shall
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sing
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for
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great
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the
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glory
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of
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the
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Lord
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who
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doth
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forever
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reign
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so we're
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going to
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begin a
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study in
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this letter
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of Peter
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first Peter
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today
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and in
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going through
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it I would
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encourage you
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to take your
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own time to
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read through
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this letter
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to see what
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it has to
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say to you
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personally
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I would
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encourage you
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to talk
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about it
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with others
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around you
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as well
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because it
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does raise
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many issues
29:13
that we
29:14
face
29:14
today
29:15
many issues
29:16
of our
29:16
heart
29:17
many issues
29:18
about faith
29:19
many issues
29:20
about the
29:21
things that
29:21
go on
29:21
around us
29:22
in the
29:22
world
29:22
so it's
29:23
worth
29:23
pondering
29:24
and spending
29:25
time in
29:25
your own
29:25
study
29:26
reading it
29:27
through and
29:27
seeing what
29:28
it has to
29:28
say but
29:29
there may
29:29
be many
29:30
questions
29:31
that it
29:31
raises in
29:32
your heart
29:32
as well
29:33
many answers
29:34
that you're
29:35
searching for
29:35
and you
29:36
maybe don't
29:37
understand
29:37
exactly what
29:38
it's saying
29:39
so it's
29:39
good for
29:40
us to
29:41
talk about
29:42
it with
29:42
one another
29:43
and especially
29:44
if you have
29:44
any particular
29:45
questions you'd
29:46
like to ask
29:46
of me
29:47
there may be
29:48
questions that
29:49
and the things
29:50
I raise
29:50
or the things
29:50
that we're
29:51
looking at
29:51
that you
29:51
might have
29:52
well please
29:53
do ask
29:53
if you have
29:54
any questions
29:55
that we may
29:56
arise through
29:57
our study
29:58
in this
29:59
letter
29:59
we're going
30:00
to begin
30:01
today with
30:01
just an
30:02
introduction
30:02
to the
30:03
letter
30:03
setting the
30:05
scene
30:05
if you like
30:07
and our
30:07
focus is going
30:08
to be on
30:08
the first
30:09
couple of
30:10
verses
30:11
of this
30:12
the opening
30:12
verses of
30:13
this letter
30:14
verse 1
30:14
and 2
30:15
we can just
30:16
read that
30:17
again
30:17
1 Peter
30:18
chapter 1
30:19
at verse 1
30:20
Peter
30:21
an apostle
30:23
of Jesus
30:23
Christ
30:24
to those
30:25
who are
30:25
elect
30:26
exiles
30:26
of the
30:27
dispersion
30:28
in Pontus
30:28
Galatia
30:30
Cappadocia
30:30
Asia
30:31
Bithynia
30:32
according
30:34
to the
30:34
foreknowledge
30:35
of God
30:36
the Father
30:37
in the
30:38
sanctification
30:38
of the
30:39
spirit
30:39
for obedience
30:40
to Jesus
30:41
Christ
30:42
and for
30:43
sprinkling
30:44
with his
30:44
blood
30:45
may grace
30:46
and peace
30:47
be multiplied
30:49
to you
30:50
from the
30:52
outset of
30:52
this letter
30:53
there is
30:53
something we
30:54
have to
30:54
remember
30:55
that this
30:55
is a
30:56
very
30:56
personal
30:57
letter
30:57
a handwritten
30:59
letter
31:00
that Peter
31:01
spent time
31:02
through
31:02
God's
31:03
spirit
31:04
preparing
31:04
to send
31:05
to a
31:06
people
31:06
who as
31:06
we see
31:07
have been
31:07
scattered
31:08
around
31:08
many
31:09
different
31:10
parts
31:10
he has
31:12
taken
31:12
his time
31:13
to
31:13
prepare
31:15
this
31:15
letter
31:15
to make
31:16
sure
31:16
it gets
31:16
sent
31:17
to them
31:17
and that
31:18
there is
31:18
so much
31:19
in it
31:19
that he is
31:20
praying
31:20
over
31:21
that will
31:21
encourage
31:22
and build
31:23
them up
31:23
letters
31:24
are indeed
31:26
very
31:26
personal
31:27
things
31:28
especially
31:28
when they
31:29
are handwritten
31:31
there is
31:32
always
31:32
something
31:33
behind
31:34
them
31:34
there is
31:35
almost
31:35
always
31:36
something
31:36
that will
31:37
make you
31:37
consider it
31:38
more deeply
31:39
when someone
31:39
has taken
31:40
the time
31:40
to write
31:41
some words
31:42
to you
31:43
in many
31:44
different
31:44
kinds
31:45
of
31:45
situations
31:46
I am
31:47
sure
31:47
you have
31:47
all
31:47
experienced
31:48
receiving
31:49
cards
31:50
and letters
31:51
maybe
31:51
in times
31:52
of
31:52
difficulty
31:53
times
31:54
of
31:54
grief
31:54
times
31:55
of
31:55
sorrow
31:55
but also
31:56
in times
31:57
of
31:57
great
31:58
joy
31:58
maybe
31:59
a birth
32:00
or a
32:01
wedding
32:01
it may
32:02
be
32:02
a sadness
32:03
in the
32:03
family
32:04
and people
32:04
have taken
32:05
time
32:05
to write
32:06
kind
32:07
words
32:07
to you
32:08
and they
32:08
mean
32:08
so much
32:10
I still
32:11
have kept
32:12
many
32:12
letters
32:13
I used
32:13
to receive
32:14
when I
32:14
was working
32:15
away
32:15
at sea
32:15
people
32:16
taking
32:17
their
32:17
time
32:17
to let
32:18
me
32:18
know
32:18
what was
32:18
happening
32:19
in their
32:19
lives
32:20
or back
32:20
home
32:21
and just
32:21
taking
32:22
that time
32:22
to send
32:23
some news
32:24
to me
32:24
and they
32:25
meant so
32:26
much
32:26
and still
32:27
do
32:27
even when
32:28
I go
32:28
back
32:28
and read
32:29
them again
32:29
we also
32:31
have
32:31
letters
32:32
in our
32:32
family
32:32
that were
32:33
written
32:34
many years
32:34
ago
32:35
we have
32:36
letters
32:36
that my
32:37
great uncle
32:38
wrote to
32:38
my grandfather
32:39
during the
32:40
second world
32:41
war
32:41
my great
32:42
uncle
32:42
was lost
32:43
during that
32:44
war
32:44
and therefore
32:44
these letters
32:45
have so much
32:46
more meaning
32:47
behind them
32:47
the stories
32:49
that he was
32:49
telling
32:49
the things
32:50
that he
32:50
was saying
32:51
they're very
32:52
moving to
32:53
read these
32:54
kinds of
32:55
letters
32:55
and you
32:57
imagine to
32:57
yourself
32:58
the people
32:59
who Peter
32:59
was writing
33:00
to
33:00
and as we're
33:01
going to see
33:02
the situation
33:03
that they were
33:03
in the
33:04
experiences
33:05
and the
33:05
trials that
33:06
they were
33:06
going through
33:07
and to
33:08
receive this
33:09
letter
33:10
written by
33:10
Peter
33:11
with these
33:12
wonderful
33:12
words to
33:13
them
33:14
how precious
33:15
this letter
33:16
was to
33:17
them
33:18
that they
33:19
were remembered
33:20
in their
33:21
trials
33:22
not just
33:22
by Peter
33:23
but more
33:24
so by
33:25
God
33:26
this was
33:28
big news
33:29
to them
33:29
this was
33:30
precious
33:31
to them
33:31
and to
33:32
ourselves
33:33
today
33:33
it should
33:34
be precious
33:35
too
33:35
that this
33:36
is a word
33:36
of God
33:37
to us
33:38
a word
33:39
that still
33:40
speaks
33:41
into our
33:42
circumstances
33:43
today
33:44
letters
33:46
from the
33:46
past
33:46
can often
33:47
be put
33:48
on display
33:49
when they
33:50
have a
33:50
great meaning
33:50
behind them
33:51
and some
33:52
of them
33:52
can have
33:52
great value
33:54
and I'm not
33:55
sure if you
33:55
knew but
33:56
once there
33:56
was a
33:57
letter that
33:57
was sold
33:58
at auction
33:59
that reached
34:00
fetched a
34:01
price of
34:01
nearly four
34:02
million
34:03
pounds
34:04
it was a
34:06
letter that
34:06
was sold
34:07
back in
34:07
2013
34:09
and it
34:10
had been
34:10
written by
34:11
a man
34:11
called
34:12
Francis
34:12
Crick
34:13
back in
34:14
the year
34:14
1953
34:16
he had
34:17
written to
34:18
his son
34:18
Michael
34:19
and Francis
34:20
Crick had
34:21
been one
34:21
of the ones
34:22
involved
34:23
in the
34:23
discovery
34:24
of the
34:25
structure
34:25
and the
34:26
function
34:26
of DNA
34:27
it was a
34:29
momentous
34:30
time
34:30
a momentous
34:32
discovery
34:32
in the
34:33
history of
34:34
mankind
34:34
and he'd
34:35
written this
34:36
letter
34:36
seven pages
34:37
that he
34:38
said contained
34:39
the secret
34:40
of life
34:41
and Francis
34:44
Crick
34:44
described this
34:45
discovery
34:46
as something
34:47
beautiful
34:49
and this
34:50
letter fetched
34:51
four million
34:52
pounds
34:53
well before
34:55
us today
34:56
we have access
34:57
to a letter
34:58
of far more
34:59
worth
35:00
access to a
35:02
letter that's
35:02
priceless
35:03
even
35:04
and does
35:05
indeed contain
35:06
the real
35:06
secret
35:07
to life
35:08
not
35:10
DNA
35:10
but what
35:12
life is
35:13
through
35:13
the Lord
35:14
Jesus Christ
35:15
and what
35:15
he has
35:16
done
35:16
for us
35:17
the abundance
35:18
of life
35:18
that is
35:19
found in
35:20
him
35:20
and so as
35:22
we go
35:22
through this
35:23
letter we
35:23
want to
35:23
see just
35:24
how precious
35:25
this is
35:26
it is the
35:26
word of
35:27
God
35:27
to us
35:29
and today
35:30
as we set
35:30
the scene
35:31
for this
35:32
letter I
35:32
want us to
35:33
think of
35:33
three things
35:34
noting how
35:35
personal this
35:36
letter is
35:37
first of all
35:38
we're going to
35:39
think of the
35:39
one who wrote
35:40
the pastor
35:41
Peter
35:41
then we're going
35:43
to think of the
35:44
people that he's
35:45
writing to
35:46
and then thirdly
35:47
we're just going
35:48
to touch on the
35:49
purpose of it
35:50
and all of these
35:51
things will expand
35:52
on more as we go
35:53
through this
35:54
letter
35:54
the first thing
35:56
we want to see
35:56
is the pastor
35:58
behind the letter
35:59
Peter
35:59
look at the
36:02
opening verses
36:03
in this letter
36:04
Peter
36:04
an apostle
36:06
of Jesus
36:07
Christ
36:08
Peter
36:09
an apostle
36:10
of Jesus
36:12
Christ
36:13
now to
36:14
understand how
36:15
remarkable
36:15
these words
36:17
are we have to
36:17
remember
36:18
what Peter
36:19
himself
36:20
has come
36:21
through
36:21
Peter it says
36:22
here
36:23
an apostle
36:24
of Jesus
36:25
Christ
36:26
here Peter
36:28
is older
36:29
in his years
36:30
now
36:30
the impulsive
36:32
Peter
36:33
the Peter
36:34
who made
36:35
so many
36:35
mistakes
36:36
in the past
36:36
he has learned
36:38
through all his
36:38
experiences
36:39
he has learned
36:41
through many
36:41
trials himself
36:43
and here he is
36:43
writing
36:44
later on in his
36:45
life to encourage
36:46
people that no
36:47
matter what
36:48
circumstances
36:49
they are in
36:50
no matter what
36:51
mistakes
36:52
they have made
36:53
that there is
36:54
still hope
36:54
to be found
36:55
in Christ
36:56
Jesus
36:57
he has been
36:58
through the
36:58
highs and
36:59
lows
36:59
in life
37:00
but here he
37:02
is able to
37:02
speak of the
37:03
wonder of a
37:05
saviour who
37:05
is Jesus
37:06
Christ
37:07
and the
37:08
wonder that
37:08
he is able
37:10
to be a
37:11
servant
37:11
of his
37:12
saviour
37:13
Peter
37:15
is an
37:16
ordinary
37:16
man
37:17
who has
37:18
known
37:19
amazing
37:20
grace in
37:21
his life
37:21
from an
37:22
extraordinary
37:23
God
37:25
and that
37:26
is indeed
37:26
what everyone
37:27
who comes
37:28
to know
37:29
the Lord
37:30
Jesus
37:30
Christ
37:31
experiences
37:31
and that's
37:33
the hope
37:33
that every
37:34
one of us
37:35
has
37:35
that no
37:35
matter even
37:36
how far
37:37
we may be
37:37
away from
37:38
God
37:38
no matter
37:39
how much
37:40
we may
37:40
have forgotten
37:41
of him
37:41
no matter
37:42
how much
37:42
we may
37:43
feel we're
37:43
undeserving
37:44
of any
37:45
of his
37:45
mercy
37:45
that he
37:47
is able
37:47
to help
37:48
us
37:48
in our
37:49
time of
37:50
need
37:50
there is
37:51
so much
37:52
we could
37:52
see of
37:53
Peter's
37:54
past
37:54
that just
37:54
helps us
37:55
to understand
37:56
what he
37:57
is writing
37:58
here and
37:58
the reasons
37:59
that he
38:00
is writing
38:00
what he
38:01
says
38:02
but there
38:02
are three
38:03
things
38:03
I want to
38:04
highlight about
38:05
Peter as
38:06
we go into
38:06
this letter
38:07
three things
38:09
from his
38:10
past that
38:10
highlight to
38:11
us how we
38:12
know more
38:13
of him and
38:14
more of his
38:14
experiences
38:15
and how that
38:17
helps us to
38:17
understand
38:18
our own
38:19
situation
38:20
the first
38:22
thing we
38:22
know about
38:23
Peter is
38:23
that he
38:23
was far
38:24
from
38:25
perfect
38:25
he had
38:27
many faults
38:28
he made
38:28
many mistakes
38:29
he was
38:30
rash
38:30
and impulsive
38:32
so often
38:33
he was
38:34
saying things
38:34
he would
38:35
then regret
38:36
soon after
38:37
and who
38:38
of us
38:39
doesn't
38:40
do that
38:40
we all
38:41
make mistakes
38:42
for example
38:44
Peter
38:45
when Jesus
38:46
had just
38:47
told them
38:48
the disciples
38:49
that he was
38:49
going to
38:50
suffer and
38:50
die
38:51
Peter
38:52
it says
38:53
in Matthew
38:53
16
38:54
verse 22
38:55
he took
38:56
Jesus aside
38:57
and began
38:57
to rebuke
38:58
him saying
38:59
far be it
39:00
from you
39:00
Lord
39:01
this shall
39:02
never happen
39:03
to you
39:03
but he
39:05
turned
39:05
that's
39:06
Jesus
39:06
turned
39:06
and said
39:07
to Peter
39:07
get behind
39:08
me Satan
39:09
you are a
39:11
hindrance to
39:11
me
39:12
for you are
39:13
not setting
39:13
your mind
39:14
on the
39:14
things of
39:14
God
39:15
but the
39:16
things of
39:16
man
39:17
he was
39:18
impulsive
39:19
he said
39:20
the wrong
39:20
things
39:21
and Jesus
39:22
rebuked
39:23
him
39:23
and again
39:25
we've been
39:26
there
39:27
we've been
39:28
there
39:28
we've said
39:29
the wrong
39:30
things
39:31
Peter also
39:34
perhaps as
39:35
hard as time
39:36
was when
39:37
the Lord
39:38
was crucified
39:39
and when he
39:40
heard the
39:41
cock crow
39:42
and he
39:44
knew he
39:44
had denied
39:45
the Lord
39:46
how difficult
39:48
an experience
39:49
that was
39:50
for him
39:50
and you
39:52
read of it
39:52
in all
39:53
the Gospels
39:53
it's interesting
39:54
that Matthew
39:55
Mark
39:56
Luke and
39:56
John
39:57
all record
39:58
this incident
39:58
not everything
40:00
is always
40:01
recorded in
40:01
the four
40:02
Gospels
40:02
but this
40:03
is
40:03
and in
40:05
Luke's
40:05
account of
40:06
it in
40:06
chapter 22
40:07
verse 60
40:08
it says
40:09
immediately
40:10
while he
40:10
was still
40:11
speaking
40:11
that was
40:12
Peter still
40:13
speaking
40:13
the rooster
40:14
crowed
40:15
and the
40:16
Lord turned
40:17
and looked
40:18
at Peter
40:18
and Peter
40:19
remembered the
40:20
saying of the
40:21
Lord
40:21
how he had
40:22
said to him
40:23
before the
40:23
rooster crows
40:24
you will deny
40:25
me three
40:26
times
40:27
he denied
40:29
the Lord
40:30
three times
40:31
and imagine
40:32
how he felt
40:33
in that
40:34
moment
40:34
look at
40:35
what it
40:36
says
40:36
the Lord
40:37
turned
40:38
and looked
40:40
at Peter
40:40
the feeling
40:42
of
40:43
disappointment
40:44
the feeling
40:45
of letting
40:46
the Lord
40:46
down
40:47
isn't an
40:48
experience we
40:49
all go
40:50
through at
40:50
times
40:51
and just
40:52
think of
40:53
Peter
40:53
in that
40:54
situation
40:55
this is a
40:55
Peter
40:56
who is
40:56
writing
40:57
with such
40:57
a pastor's
40:58
heart
40:58
to a
40:59
people
40:59
who have
41:00
been
41:00
scattered
41:01
and who
41:01
are
41:01
suffering
41:02
but perhaps
41:03
the third
41:04
thing we
41:04
note about
41:05
Peter
41:05
that helps
41:06
us
41:06
to understand
41:07
what he's
41:08
why he is
41:09
writing with
41:09
such passion
41:10
is this
41:12
that he
41:13
knew the
41:14
restoration
41:15
of Christ
41:16
after the
41:18
resurrection
41:19
you have
41:21
the wonder
41:21
of and
41:22
beauty of
41:23
Jesus
41:23
restoring
41:24
Peter
41:25
and you
41:27
read about
41:28
it in
41:29
John 21
41:31
verse 17
41:32
and the
41:33
verses around
41:33
it when
41:34
Jesus asks
41:36
Peter three
41:37
times
41:37
do you
41:38
love me
41:39
and the
41:41
third time
41:41
he asks
41:42
him
41:42
it says
41:43
this
41:43
in John
41:44
21
41:44
verse 17
41:45
Jesus
41:46
said to
41:47
him the
41:47
third time
41:48
Simon
41:48
that's
41:49
Peter
41:49
son of
41:50
John
41:50
do you
41:51
love me
41:52
Peter
41:53
was
41:53
grieved
41:54
because he
41:54
said to
41:55
him the
41:55
third
41:55
time
41:56
do you
41:57
love me
41:57
and he
41:57
said to
41:58
him
41:58
Lord
41:58
you know
42:00
everything
42:00
you know
42:02
that I
42:03
love you
42:03
Jesus
42:04
said to
42:05
him
42:05
feed
42:06
my
42:07
sheep
42:08
Jesus
42:10
restored
42:11
him
42:11
despite
42:13
all his
42:13
mistakes
42:14
despite
42:15
all the
42:16
ways he
42:16
let the
42:17
Lord
42:17
down
42:18
Jesus
42:18
restored
42:19
him
42:19
and where
42:20
do we
42:20
find
42:20
Peter
42:21
now
42:21
in his
42:22
old age
42:23
he is
42:24
feeding
42:25
the
42:25
sheep
42:26
he is
42:27
feeding
42:27
the
42:28
lambs
42:28
he is
42:29
as it
42:30
says
42:30
here
42:30
Peter
42:31
an
42:31
apostle
42:32
of
42:33
Jesus
42:33
Christ
42:34
a
42:35
servant
42:35
of
42:36
Jesus
42:37
Christ
42:37
and that's
42:39
the wonder
42:39
of God's
42:41
grace
42:41
someone once
42:44
said
42:44
the way up
42:46
comes
42:46
by going
42:48
down
42:48
restoration
42:49
comes
42:50
after
42:51
trials
42:52
and Peter
42:53
could certainly
42:54
testify to
42:56
this
42:56
and in our
42:58
own lives
42:58
how many
42:59
experiences
43:00
we have
43:01
to go
43:01
through
43:02
and how
43:02
many
43:03
experiences
43:03
perhaps
43:04
is the
43:05
Lord
43:05
using
43:05
even
43:06
just
43:06
now
43:06
to help
43:07
us to
43:08
realize
43:08
to help
43:08
us to
43:09
see
43:09
our need
43:10
of him
43:11
and to
43:11
see the
43:12
wonder of
43:12
his grace
43:13
his restoring
43:14
gracious
43:15
love
43:16
for us
43:17
the Lord
43:18
uses
43:19
so many
43:20
different
43:21
ways to
43:21
remind us
43:22
that we
43:23
need him
43:24
there was a
43:26
man called
43:27
Oswald
43:28
Smith
43:28
back in
43:30
the year
43:30
1920
43:31
his great
43:32
ambition
43:33
was to
43:34
be a
43:34
missionary
43:35
for the
43:36
Lord
43:36
to be
43:37
sent into
43:38
the fields
43:39
of mission
43:40
throughout
43:40
the world
43:41
that was
43:41
his burning
43:42
desire
43:43
it had been
43:44
his prayer
43:44
for a long
43:45
time
43:45
and on this
43:47
day in 1920
43:48
he was standing
43:49
before the
43:50
board of a
43:51
mission
43:51
organization
43:52
they were
43:53
interviewing him
43:54
and asking
43:55
him questions
43:56
and finding
43:58
out more
43:58
about him
43:59
as to
44:00
the reasons
44:01
why he
44:01
would be
44:01
suitable
44:02
to be a
44:03
missionary
44:04
he went
44:05
through
44:05
that experience
44:07
he went
44:07
through that
44:08
day of
44:09
answering
44:09
and trying
44:10
to show
44:10
himself as
44:11
worthy
44:12
to be a
44:13
missionary
44:13
for the
44:13
Lord
44:14
but the
44:15
Lord had
44:15
other plans
44:16
and the
44:18
mission board
44:18
didn't accept
44:20
him
44:20
and he said
44:22
to the
44:22
Lord
44:22
afterwards
44:23
Lord
44:23
you know
44:25
I want
44:25
to be
44:26
a missionary
44:26
for you
44:27
will you
44:28
not open
44:29
a door
44:29
of service
44:31
to me
44:32
that door
44:34
had closed
44:35
but the
44:36
Lord laid
44:36
on his heart
44:37
something
44:37
different
44:38
he took
44:39
him in a
44:40
different
44:40
direction
44:40
he took
44:41
him on
44:41
a detour
44:42
and what
44:43
he ended
44:43
up doing
44:44
was Oswald
44:45
Smith
44:45
he prayed
44:46
to God
44:46
and God
44:47
gave him
44:48
another idea
44:49
another way
44:50
of serving
44:50
him
44:51
instead of
44:52
being a
44:52
missionary
44:53
he came
44:54
to form
44:55
a church
44:55
that would
44:56
become a
44:57
church
44:57
that would
44:57
send out
44:58
missionaries
44:59
and the
45:01
church that
45:01
he formed
45:02
in Canada
45:03
sent out
45:04
more
45:04
missionaries
45:05
than any
45:05
other
45:06
during that
45:06
period
45:07
God had
45:09
other plans
45:10
for him
45:10
and our
45:12
plans
45:12
they don't
45:13
always
45:13
work out
45:15
just like
45:16
Peter's
45:16
plans
45:17
Peter's
45:18
ideas
45:18
they didn't
45:19
always work
45:20
out the way
45:20
he wanted
45:21
to
45:21
but God
45:23
had a
45:23
greater
45:24
purpose
45:25
and God
45:26
used him
45:27
to his
45:28
glory
45:28
in serving
45:29
him
45:30
Peter
45:30
is an
45:31
apostle
45:32
of the
45:33
Lord
45:33
Jesus
45:33
Christ
45:34
a servant
45:35
of the
45:36
Lord
45:36
Jesus
45:36
Christ
45:37
a servant
45:38
who loved
45:40
the Lord
45:40
now the
45:42
question for
45:43
us as we
45:43
come to
45:44
this is
45:44
do you
45:46
love the
45:46
Lord
45:47
and do
45:49
you have
45:49
that openness
45:50
to be used
45:50
by God
45:51
to serve
45:52
God
45:52
in whatever
45:53
way that
45:54
he may
45:54
have planned
45:55
for you
45:55
to give
45:56
your whole
45:57
heart
45:57
to him
45:58
we will
45:59
not be an
46:00
apostle
46:00
of the
46:01
Lord
46:01
Jesus
46:02
Christ
46:02
but we
46:03
can all
46:04
be servants
46:04
of the
46:05
Lord
46:05
Jesus
46:06
Christ
46:06
we all
46:08
have our
46:08
faults
46:09
we all
46:10
have our
46:10
mistakes
46:11
in the
46:11
past
46:12
we all
46:13
have things
46:13
we've done
46:14
that we
46:15
may regret
46:15
but we
46:17
can all
46:17
know that
46:18
amazing
46:18
love of
46:19
God
46:19
that restores
46:21
us in
46:22
a right
46:22
relationship
46:23
with him
46:24
Jesus
46:26
asks us
46:26
always
46:27
do you
46:28
love me
46:29
just like
46:30
he'll ask
46:31
Peter
46:31
and if we
46:33
love him
46:33
we are to
46:34
do as he
46:35
commands
46:35
and we
46:37
may not
46:37
write letters
46:38
like this
46:39
that will be
46:40
recounted
46:41
throughout
46:41
churches
46:42
all over
46:42
the world
46:43
but we
46:44
can have
46:45
our own
46:45
ministry
46:46
our own
46:47
service
46:48
to God
46:48
here's
46:49
Peter
46:49
encouraging
46:50
a people
46:51
we can
46:52
all be
46:53
like that
46:53
to be
46:54
encouragers
46:55
so let's
46:57
learn about
46:58
Peter
46:58
and all
46:59
his faults
47:00
and see
47:00
that God
47:01
can use
47:02
each of
47:02
us
47:03
the second
47:04
thing we
47:05
see here
47:05
then
47:05
is the
47:06
people
47:07
that Peter
47:08
is writing
47:08
to
47:09
and you
47:10
note here
47:11
Peter's
47:12
ministry
47:13
Peter's
47:13
vision
47:13
of
47:14
ministry
47:14
is
47:15
towards
47:16
the
47:16
people
47:17
and there's
47:18
a powerful
47:19
lesson in
47:19
that to
47:20
ourselves
47:20
that our
47:22
ministry
47:22
and our
47:23
vision for
47:23
our church
47:24
should always
47:25
be for
47:26
a people
47:27
to serve
47:28
God with
47:29
a heart
47:29
for people
47:30
people within
47:31
these walls
47:32
but also
47:32
people out
47:33
with these
47:34
walls
47:34
people who
47:35
have been
47:35
scattered
47:36
far and
47:37
wide
47:37
people have
47:38
been
47:38
gone away
47:39
from God
47:40
in different
47:41
directions
47:41
but to
47:42
have a
47:43
vision to
47:43
gather
47:44
people to
47:45
hear the
47:45
good news
47:46
of the
47:47
Lord Jesus
47:48
Christ
47:48
what do we
47:50
see of the
47:50
people that
47:52
Peter is
47:52
writing to
47:53
here
47:53
three things
47:55
we see just
47:56
briefly about
47:56
them
47:57
first of all
47:58
we see
47:59
that they
47:59
are a
48:00
scattered
48:00
people
48:01
here he
48:02
speaks to
48:03
those who
48:03
are elect
48:04
exiles
48:05
of the
48:05
dispersion in
48:06
Pontus
48:07
Galatia
48:07
Cappadocia
48:08
Asia
48:09
Bithynia
48:09
they've been
48:10
scattered all
48:11
over the
48:11
place
48:12
and again
48:14
it takes
48:15
us to
48:15
Peter's
48:16
past
48:16
again as
48:17
well
48:17
Jesus
48:18
said to
48:19
him back
48:19
in the
48:20
gospel of
48:20
Matthew
48:21
chapter 26
48:22
verse 31
48:23
he said
48:25
Jesus said
48:26
to them
48:26
to the
48:26
disciples
48:27
you will
48:27
all fall
48:28
away
48:28
because of
48:29
me this
48:29
night
48:29
the night
48:30
of his
48:30
crucifixion
48:32
for it
48:32
is written
48:32
I will
48:33
strike the
48:34
shepherd
48:34
and the
48:35
sheep
48:35
of the
48:36
flock
48:36
will be
48:37
scattered
48:37
there was
48:39
a great
48:40
dispersion
48:42
of people
48:43
a great
48:45
scattering
48:45
of people
48:46
after
48:47
the
48:48
crucifixion
48:49
people were
48:49
scattered
48:50
far and
48:51
wide
48:51
as a
48:53
reminder
48:53
to ourselves
48:54
that to
48:55
this day
48:55
there are
48:55
people
48:56
scattered
48:57
throughout
48:57
our land
48:58
scattered
48:59
throughout
48:59
the world
49:00
and a
49:01
people who
49:01
need to
49:02
still hear
49:03
of the
49:03
wonder
49:04
of God's
49:05
grace
49:05
by
49:07
ourselves
49:08
we have
49:09
no desire
49:10
for God
49:11
we're on
49:12
the run
49:12
from God
49:13
so often
49:14
we run
49:15
in all
49:15
kinds of
49:16
different
49:17
directions
49:17
but the
49:19
wonder of it
49:19
is God
49:20
knows where
49:21
to find
49:21
us
49:21
and God
49:23
still speaks
49:25
to us
49:25
and here
49:27
as Peter
49:27
is writing
49:28
he is writing
49:29
to a people
49:30
who are
49:30
scattered
49:31
and a
49:32
people who
49:32
are to
49:32
know
49:33
that God
49:34
knows
49:35
and that's
49:37
what he's
49:37
saying to
49:37
us today
49:38
as well
49:39
we have
49:40
been
49:40
scattered
49:40
we have
49:41
been
49:41
flung
49:42
to all
49:42
corners
49:43
of the
49:43
world
49:44
and yet
49:45
God
49:45
knows
49:45
where we
49:46
are
49:46
and God
49:47
knows
49:48
what we
49:49
need
49:49
the second
49:51
thing we see
49:52
about the
49:52
people as we
49:53
see going
49:54
through this
49:55
letter is that
49:55
they were a
49:56
persecuted
49:56
people
49:58
the reason
49:59
that they
49:59
were scattered
50:00
was because
50:01
a great
50:01
persecution
50:02
arose
50:02
after the
50:03
crucifixion
50:04
of Jesus
50:05
they were
50:07
forced to
50:08
leave their
50:08
homeland
50:09
and found
50:09
themselves
50:10
scattered
50:11
because of
50:12
their belief
50:12
because of
50:13
their faith
50:13
in the
50:14
Lord Jesus
50:15
and continually
50:16
they were
50:16
subjected
50:17
to persecutions
50:18
and sufferings
50:19
things that
50:20
you and I
50:21
cannot imagine
50:22
and yet
50:24
things that
50:24
to this day
50:25
that people
50:25
suffer in
50:26
this world
50:27
people are
50:28
persecuted
50:28
for their
50:29
faith in
50:30
many places
50:30
throughout
50:31
this world
50:32
unimaginable
50:33
suffering
50:34
but we
50:38
will all
50:38
suffer in
50:39
different ways
50:40
for our
50:41
faith
50:41
we will
50:43
all have
50:43
battles
50:44
that we
50:45
have to
50:45
fight
50:45
we will
50:46
all have
50:47
valleys
50:47
that we
50:48
have to
50:48
go through
50:49
we will
50:50
all have
50:50
dark nights
50:51
we have
50:51
to endure
50:52
but in
50:54
the midst
50:54
of it
50:54
all as
50:55
Peter is
50:55
writing
50:56
here
50:56
we are
50:57
not to
50:58
lose
50:58
our
50:58
perspective
50:59
he is
51:01
writing
51:02
to our
51:02
people
51:03
to encourage
51:03
them
51:04
to look
51:05
to Jesus
51:05
and to
51:07
trust in
51:07
him and to
51:08
know that
51:09
he is with
51:09
us through
51:10
it all
51:10
that he
51:12
will never
51:12
leave us
51:13
that he
51:14
will never
51:14
forsake
51:15
us
51:15
and the
51:17
third thing
51:18
that we see
51:18
of the people
51:19
reminds us of
51:20
just how
51:20
precious
51:21
we are
51:22
to God
51:23
he's
51:24
writing to
51:24
our people
51:25
who are
51:25
a chosen
51:26
people
51:27
a people
51:29
chosen
51:30
by God
51:31
and something
51:33
we're going
51:33
to look at
51:33
more as we
51:34
go through
51:34
this letter
51:35
but it
51:36
says here
51:36
to those
51:38
who are
51:38
elect
51:39
exiles
51:40
of the
51:40
dispersion
51:41
through
51:43
according to
51:44
the foreknowledge
51:45
of God
51:46
the Father
51:46
they are a
51:48
people chosen
51:49
by God
51:50
they are a
51:51
people known
51:52
by God
51:53
so in the
51:53
midst of all
51:54
their trials
51:55
they are still
51:56
able to
51:57
rejoice
51:58
they are still
51:59
able to
52:00
rejoice
52:00
because he's
52:01
reminding them
52:01
that you are
52:02
God's chosen
52:03
people
52:04
that no matter
52:06
how much
52:06
you suffer
52:07
in this
52:08
world
52:08
you have
52:09
greater
52:10
to come
52:10
and the
52:12
word there
52:12
that reminds
52:13
us of
52:14
this is
52:14
that they
52:15
are
52:15
exiles
52:17
they are
52:18
exiles
52:19
of the
52:20
dispersion
52:21
and what
52:22
does that
52:22
word mean
52:22
it means
52:23
those who
52:23
are travelling
52:24
through
52:25
a strange
52:26
land
52:26
those who
52:28
are travelling
52:28
through a
52:29
place that
52:30
is not
52:30
their permanent
52:31
home
52:31
and that's
52:33
what Peter
52:33
is reminding
52:35
them of
52:35
here
52:36
he is reminding
52:37
them that
52:38
they're not
52:39
home yet
52:40
this world
52:42
is not
52:43
their home
52:44
there's a song
52:46
that says
52:47
this world
52:48
is not
52:49
my home
52:49
I'm just
52:50
a passing
52:51
through
52:51
and that's
52:53
the story
52:53
of the
52:54
Christian
52:54
we are
52:55
all
52:56
exiles
52:56
this is
52:57
not our
52:58
permanent
52:59
home
52:59
this is
53:00
not the
53:00
place
53:01
we will
53:01
remain
53:01
forever
53:02
one day
53:03
our journey
53:04
will end
53:04
and then
53:06
we will be
53:06
home
53:06
with the
53:07
Lord
53:07
if we
53:08
are putting
53:09
our trust
53:10
in him
53:11
he brings
53:13
us through
53:14
many different
53:15
directions
53:16
and paths
53:17
but he's
53:19
bringing us
53:19
on a journey
53:20
a journey
53:21
that he
53:21
is with
53:22
us
53:22
and a
53:23
journey
53:23
that
53:23
although
53:24
we suffer
53:25
and have
53:25
many other
53:26
different
53:26
things
53:27
it is still
53:28
a journey
53:28
of hope
53:29
a journey
53:30
where we are
53:30
learning more
53:31
of the grace
53:32
of the Lord
53:33
Jesus Christ
53:34
and that's
53:35
more of what
53:36
we want to
53:36
learn as we
53:38
go through
53:38
this letter
53:39
a man in his
53:41
old age
53:42
once said
53:43
this
53:43
contrary to
53:44
what might
53:45
be expected
53:46
I look back
53:47
on experiences
53:48
that at the
53:49
time seemed
53:50
especially hard
53:52
and painful
53:53
but I look
53:55
back on them
53:55
with a
53:56
particular
53:56
satisfaction
53:57
indeed he
53:59
says I
54:00
can say
54:00
with complete
54:01
truthfulness
54:02
that everything
54:02
I have learned
54:03
in my 75
54:04
years in
54:05
this world
54:06
everything that
54:07
has truly
54:08
enhanced and
54:09
enlightened my
54:09
experience has
54:11
been through
54:12
affliction
54:13
and not through
54:14
happiness
54:15
we learn
54:17
so much
54:18
more
54:19
through
54:19
affliction
54:20
but the
54:22
greatest thing
54:22
we want to
54:23
learn in
54:23
our affliction
54:24
is the hope
54:25
that there is
54:26
in Christ
54:27
the hope
54:28
that even
54:29
though we
54:29
are in
54:30
this world
54:31
it is not
54:32
our home
54:33
we are just
54:34
passing through
54:35
and passing
54:37
through to
54:38
a better
54:38
place
54:39
and so what
54:40
he says to
54:41
them here is
54:42
God knows
54:43
according to
54:45
the foreknowledge
54:46
of God
54:48
and yet he
54:50
says you
54:51
are a chosen
54:52
people
54:52
you are God's
54:54
people
54:55
and that's the
54:56
people we
54:57
want to belong
54:58
to and to be
54:59
part of
55:00
part of God's
55:02
elect
55:02
God's chosen
55:04
people and
55:05
that's what this
55:06
letter this good
55:07
news shows us
55:09
the way to be
55:10
part of God's
55:12
people that's
55:13
the third and
55:14
final thing we
55:15
want to take
55:15
from this the
55:17
purpose for
55:18
which Peter
55:20
is writing
55:21
when we receive
55:23
a handwritten
55:24
letter there's
55:25
always a reason
55:26
behind it
55:28
when you open
55:30
a card or a
55:31
letter you see
55:31
there that
55:32
someone has
55:33
taken time
55:34
to encourage
55:35
to give you a
55:37
word of
55:38
comfort
55:39
and it's no
55:40
different here
55:41
with Peter
55:42
there's purpose
55:43
behind writing
55:44
this letter
55:45
and there are
55:46
two main
55:47
purposes we
55:48
see as we
55:48
go through
55:49
it
55:49
one is
55:50
encouragement
55:52
the people
55:54
to be
55:55
encouraged
55:55
and the
55:57
second is
55:58
to be built
55:59
up in the
56:00
faith
56:01
to be
56:02
encouraged
56:03
and to be
56:04
built up
56:05
in the
56:06
faith
56:06
it's
56:07
wonderful
56:08
to be
56:09
remembered
56:09
by friends
56:10
and family
56:11
it's
56:12
wonderful
56:12
to receive
56:13
a word
56:13
that just
56:14
means that
56:15
someone has
56:15
taken the
56:16
time to
56:17
remember you
56:18
in your
56:18
time of
56:19
need
56:19
but how
56:21
precious it
56:22
is to
56:23
receive a
56:24
word from
56:24
God in
56:25
our time
56:26
of need
56:26
to be
56:28
remembered
56:28
by God
56:30
that God
56:31
has a word
56:32
for us
56:33
and that's
56:35
what we
56:35
have in
56:36
this letter
56:37
God is
56:39
speaking to
56:40
us
56:41
if a letter
56:43
written by
56:43
Francis Crick
56:44
on the
56:45
secret of
56:46
life found
56:47
in DNA
56:47
can be worth
56:48
four million
56:49
then how much
56:51
more is this
56:51
letter worth
56:52
a letter
56:54
that shows
56:54
his life
56:55
in Christ
56:56
it is
56:58
priceless
56:59
it reminds
57:01
us
57:02
of God's
57:03
love
57:03
towards
57:04
us
57:05
Jim
57:06
Packer
57:07
in his
57:08
book
57:08
the father
57:09
loves you
57:09
says this
57:10
grace
57:11
is God
57:13
drawing
57:13
sinners
57:14
closer
57:15
and closer
57:17
to him
57:17
how does
57:19
God
57:19
and grace
57:20
prosecute
57:20
this purpose
57:21
not by
57:22
shielding us
57:23
from assault
57:24
by the work
57:25
the flesh
57:26
and the devil
57:26
nor by
57:27
protecting us
57:28
from burdensome
57:29
and frustrating
57:30
circumstance
57:31
not by
57:33
shielding us
57:33
from troubles
57:34
created by
57:35
our own
57:36
temperament
57:36
and psychology
57:37
but rather
57:39
by exposing
57:40
us to all
57:41
these things
57:41
so as to
57:42
overwhelm us
57:43
with a sense
57:44
of our own
57:45
inadequacy
57:45
and to
57:47
drive us
57:47
to cling
57:48
more closely
57:49
to him
57:50
this is the
57:52
ultimate reason
57:53
from our
57:53
standpoint
57:54
why God
57:55
fills our
57:56
lives with
57:57
troubles
57:57
and perplexities
57:58
of one
57:59
sort
58:00
and another
58:00
it is to
58:02
ensure
58:02
that we
58:03
will all
58:03
learn
58:04
to hold
58:05
fast
58:06
to him
58:07
that is
58:09
why Peter
58:10
writes this
58:11
letter
58:12
that we
58:13
may learn
58:14
how to
58:15
hold fast
58:16
to him
58:16
in all
58:18
of our
58:18
experiences
58:19
and so as
58:20
we begin
58:20
to go into
58:21
this letter
58:22
may we go
58:23
into it
58:23
remembering
58:24
it is God's
58:25
word to
58:26
us today
58:27
God's word
58:29
from his
58:30
hand
58:31
a very
58:31
personal word
58:33
of encouragement
58:34
and a building
58:36
in faith
58:37
and may he
58:38
bless us
58:39
as we go
58:40
into his
58:41
word day
58:41
by day
58:42
as we take
58:43
from it
58:44
the great
58:44
encouragements
58:45
that are ours
58:46
the great
58:46
challenges
58:47
that are ours
58:48
but above all
58:50
the great
58:51
mercy and
58:51
grace
58:52
that is ours
58:53
through Christ
58:54
as he says
58:56
here
58:56
at the end
58:57
of verse 2
58:58
may grace
58:59
and peace
59:00
be multiplied
59:01
to you
59:02
well as we
59:04
go into
59:04
this letter
59:05
may grace
59:06
and peace
59:07
be multiplied
59:08
to us all
59:10
to know
59:11
a loving
59:11
God
59:12
who has
59:13
a gracious
59:13
word
59:14
for us
59:15
an ordinary
59:17
people
59:17
just like
59:18
Peter was
59:19
with all
59:20
his mistakes
59:21
but a new
59:22
great restoration
59:23
through the
59:24
love of
59:24
Christ
59:25
may we
59:26
know that
59:27
powerful
59:27
love
59:28
more and
59:29
more
59:29
for ourselves
59:31
let us
59:32
pray
59:32
our
59:34
father in
59:35
heaven
59:35
we do
59:36
thank you
59:37
that your
59:37
word
59:37
speaks
59:38
speaks so
59:40
personally
59:41
to us
59:41
for as a
59:42
word from
59:42
your own
59:43
hand
59:43
it's a
59:44
word
59:45
written
59:45
to each
59:46
of us
59:46
by name
59:47
for you
59:48
know us
59:48
in all
59:49
our
59:49
different
59:49
situations
59:50
just as
59:51
Peter
59:52
was known
59:52
to you
59:53
so
59:53
preciously
59:55
so are
59:56
we known
59:56
to you
59:57
we thank
59:58
you Lord
59:58
that you
59:59
speak
59:59
and ask
1:00:00
us
1:00:00
do we
1:00:01
love you
1:00:02
as we
1:00:02
should
1:00:03
we pray
1:00:04
Lord
1:00:04
that as we
1:00:05
see your
1:00:05
love for
1:00:06
us
1:00:06
that our
1:00:07
love for
1:00:08
you will
1:00:08
grow
1:00:08
and increase
1:00:10
all the
1:00:10
more
1:00:10
teach us
1:00:11
Lord
1:00:12
to live
1:00:12
by faith
1:00:13
in the
1:00:14
midst of
1:00:14
everything
1:00:14
that goes
1:00:15
on in
1:00:15
our
1:00:15
lives
1:00:16
to look
1:00:17
to you
1:00:17
and to
1:00:18
hold fast
1:00:19
to you
1:00:19
we ask
1:00:20
it all
1:00:21
in Jesus
1:00:21
name
1:00:22
Amen
1:00:23
we're going
1:00:27
to conclude
1:00:28
by singing
1:00:29
to God's
1:00:30
praise in
1:00:30
Psalm 138
1:00:32
once again
1:00:32
in the
1:00:35
Scottish
1:00:35
Psalter
1:00:36
page
1:00:36
432
1:00:37
Psalm
1:00:38
138
1:00:40
at verse
1:00:40
6
1:00:41
Though God
1:00:43
be high
1:00:43
yet he
1:00:44
respects
1:00:44
all those
1:00:45
that lowly
1:00:46
be
1:00:46
whereas
1:00:47
the proud
1:00:48
and lofty
1:00:49
ones
1:00:49
afar off
1:00:51
knoweth
1:00:51
he
1:00:52
the tune
1:00:53
is Warwick
1:00:53
and we'll
1:00:54
sing these
1:00:54
three verses
1:00:55
to God's
1:00:56
praise
1:00:57
O God
1:01:04
be high
1:01:06
yet he
1:01:07
respects
1:01:09
all those
1:01:12
that lowly
1:01:14
be
1:01:16
whereas
1:01:18
the proud
1:01:20
and lofty
1:01:22
ones
1:01:24
afar off
1:01:26
knoweth
1:01:29
he
1:01:31
though
1:01:32
I
1:01:34
in
1:01:34
midst
1:01:35
of
1:01:36
trouble
1:01:37
long
1:01:39
I
1:01:40
life
1:01:41
from
1:01:42
thee
1:01:43
shall
1:01:44
have
1:01:46
yet
1:01:47
my
1:01:48
foe's
1:01:49
wrath
1:01:50
thou
1:01:51
stretch
1:01:52
thine
1:01:53
hand
1:01:54
thy
1:01:55
right
1:01:56
hand
1:01:57
shall
1:01:58
be
1:01:59
saved
1:02:02
surely
1:02:03
that
1:02:05
which
1:02:06
concern
1:02:08
me
1:02:10
the
1:02:11
Lord
1:02:12
will
1:02:13
perfect
1:02:14
make
1:02:17
Lord
1:02:18
still
1:02:19
thy
1:02:20
mercy
1:02:21
last
1:02:23
do
1:02:24
not
1:02:25
thine
1:02:26
own
1:02:27
hands
1:02:28
are
1:02:29
forsake
1:02:32
after
1:02:34
the
1:02:34
benediction
1:02:35
I'll
1:02:35
go to
1:02:35
the
1:02:35
main
1:02:36
door
1:02:36
and
1:02:37
close
1:02:37
with
1:02:37
the
1:02:37
benediction
1:02:38
now may
1:02:39
grace
1:02:40
mercy
1:02:40
and peace
1:02:41
from
1:02:41
God
1:02:41
Father
1:02:42
Son
1:02:43
and
1:02:43
Holy
1:02:43
Spirit
1:02:44
rest
1:02:45
upon
1:02:45
and
1:02:45
abide
1:02:46
with
1:02:46
you
1:02:46
all
1:02:46
now
1:02:47
and
1:02:47
forever
1:02:48
more
1:02:48
amen
1:03:18
No
1:03:19
nothing
1:03:19
nor
1:03:21
glory
1:03:21
is
1:03:22
a
1:03:23
God
1:03:38
a
1:03:40
speaker
1:03:43
of