The Privileges and Blessings of Belonging to Christ 01/21/2024

First Baptist Church Leominster

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church to bear witness of the gospel throughout the world and also with the power of the spirit and enabled them to be emboldened with the gospel and also enabled them to experience

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God's sanctifying work in their lives, the giving of the spirit. When the day of Pentecost had fully come they were all with one accord in one place and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled the whole house where they were sitting and then there appeared to them divided tongues as a fire and one sat upon each of them and they were all filled with the holy spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance and there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews devout men from every nation under heaven and when this sound occurred the multitude came together and were confused because everyone heard them speak in his own language and they were all amazed and marveled saying to one another look are not all these who speak

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Galileans and how is it that we hear each in our own language in which we were born

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Parthians and Medes and Elamites those dwelling in Mesopotamia Judea and Cappadocia Pontus and Asia Phrygia and Pamphylia Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining

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Cyrene visitors from Rome both Jews and proselytes Cretans and Arabs we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God and so they were all amazed and perplexed saying to one another whatever could this mean and others mocking said they are full of new wine but Peter standing up with the 11 raised his voice and said to them men of Judah and all who dwell in Jerusalem let this be known to you and heed my words for these are not drunk as you suppose since it's only the third hour of the day but this is what was spoken by the prophet

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Joel and it shall come to pass in the last day says God that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh your sons and your daughters shall prophesy your young men shall see visions your old men shall dream dreams and on my men servants and my maid servants

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I will pour out my spirit in those days and they shall prophesy and I will show wonders in heaven above signs in the earth beneath blood and fire vapor and smoke the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the coming of the great and awesome day of the

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Lord and it shall come to pass that whosoever calls on the name of the

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Lord shall be saved men of Israel hear these words

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Jesus of Nazareth a man attested by God to you by miracles wonders signs which

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God did through him in your midst as you yourselves and also know him being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God you have taken by lawless hands have crucified and put to death whom

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God raised up having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be held by it for David says concerning him

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I foresaw the Lord always before my face for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken and therefore my heart rejoiced and my tongue was glad and moreover my flesh also will rest in hope for you will not leave my soul in Hades nor will you allow your holy one to see corruption you've made known to me the ways of life you will make me full of joy in your presence men and brethren let me speak freely to you of the patriarch

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David that he's both dead and buried and his tomb is with us to this day and therefore being a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body according to the flesh he would raise up the

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Christ to sit on his throne he foreseed this spoke concerning the resurrection of the

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Christ that his soul was not left in Hades nor did his flesh see corruption this

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Jesus God is raised up which we're all witnesses and therefore being exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the father the promise of the

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Holy Spirit he poured out this which you now see and hear for David did not ascend into the heavens but he says himself the

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Lord said to my Lord sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool and therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this

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Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ now when they heard this they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles men and brethren what shall we do then

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Peter said to them repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the

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Holy Spirit for the promises to you and to your children and to all who are far off as many as the

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Lord our God will call and with many other words he testified and exhorted them saying be saved from this perverse generation and those who gladly received his word were baptized and baptized and that day about 3 ,000 souls were added to them and they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship in the breaking of bread and in prayers and then fear came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles now all who believe were together and had all things in common and sold their possessions and goods and divided them among all as anyone had need and so continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart praising

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God and having favor with all the people and the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved glorious event of which we enjoy the blessing today let's pray we thank you our

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God for your word and for the old testament which proclaimed and prophesied told ahead of time our

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God the events and the results of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ his burial his resurrection his ascension his enthronement and we see read

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Peter's words here on the day of Pentecost that the Holy Spirit being poured out upon his people gave proof that Jesus Christ is

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Lord the Lord of heaven and earth he is king sitting on David's throne ruling over heaven and earth and we our

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God have come to see this and we who believe on Jesus have turned from our sin and submitted and bowed our hearts our knees to Jesus Christ as our

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Lord and Master our Savior and we thank you our Father for the promise of forgiveness of sins that you can look upon us favorably even now because of Jesus Christ because of his merit because of his death because of his resurrection and because of his intercession for us our

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God before you we thank you our God that the gift of the

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Holy Spirit is enjoyed by us and that we have this peace and assurance that we have been forgiven by you and that you give us encouragement and and the ability our

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God to live for you and to make your word known to the world in which you've placed us we pray our

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God that this blessed gift of the Holy Spirit would be ever increasingly manifest in our lives in the life of this church fill us with the

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Holy Spirit our God that we would be able to tell forth the gospel and that you would bless that gospel to the conversion of many we read that three thousand came to Christ that day in repentance from their sin and faith in him and we would pray

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Lord for great many today to hear the gospel and be converted in a glorious fashion to fill your house our

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God your houses of worship with your people who love you and love your son and are committed and submitted to him as Lord and Master as Savior help us our

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God we pray to declare this glorious message of salvation to this fallen world this world needs

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Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and so help us our God to be faithful to you as a church bless the varied ministries that we have our

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God all designed to make you known to others more clearly and fully now father we ask that you would bless pastor

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Jason as he comes forward and opens your word before us we pray the Holy Spirit would illuminate our hearts and minds to the truth that's in Jesus Christ and we pray our

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God your word would be effectual in enabling us to better live for you to better know you and to know one another so grant him grace help him

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Lord with his voice as he's had this asthmatic condition of late we pray this be a blessed occasion for we pray in Jesus name amen this morning our passage is 1st

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Peter chapter 2 verses 4 to 10 which addresses the privileges and the blessings of those who belong to the

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Lord Jesus Christ by way of reminder Peter wrote this letter to the elect exiles of the dispersion he was writing to those who had been scattered throughout the

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Roman Empire to those who had faced severe persecution for their faith in the

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Lord Jesus Christ his purpose in writing was to exhort his readers to stand firm in the true grace of the

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Lord God Peter encouraged his readers to look past their suffering and persecution to look past the temporal and to look to the eternal to look upon their great salvation and to live their lives in light of this profound truth so he instructs them to live in hope to walk in holiness to live in the fear of the

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Lord to love one another earnestly to put away sin and to long for the pure spiritual milk of the word that by it they might grow up into salvation in 1st

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Peter 2 verses 4 through 10 Peter continues his exhortation by reminding his readers of the tremendous privileges and blessings which belong to those who belong to the

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Lord Jesus Christ beloved in this world you will experience suffering and persecution and difficulty injustice and hardship but you must not despair you must always remember that you are in exile you are a sojourner your citizenship is in heaven for you are a child of God and a great a child of great privilege but what are our specific privileges and blessings let's read the text together 1st

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Peter 2 verses 4 to 10 as you come to him a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ for it stands in scripture behold

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I am laying in Zion a stone a cornerstone chosen and precious and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame so the honor is for you who believe but for those who do not believe the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense they stumble because they disobey the word as they were destined to do but you are a chosen race a royal priesthood a holy nation a people for his own possession that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light once you were not a people but now you are

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God's people once you would not receive mercy but now you have received mercy what are the privileges and blessings of those who belong to the

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Lord Jesus Christ those who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ are his spiritual house and temple in other words we identify with Christ number two we are his priests we offer sacrifices to the

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Lord God through Christ and number three we are his ambassadors we preach and proclaim the

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Lord Jesus Christ let's look at each one of these privileges in greater detail those who belong to the

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Lord Jesus Christ are identified as being in Christ we are his spiritual house we are his temple verses four to five as you come to him a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ our identification with the

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Lord Jesus Christ begins the moment we come to him it begins the moment the

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Lord God imparts spiritual life to us regenerates us and makes us new enabling us to respond in saving faith it begins the moment we receive him the moment we place our faith and trust in the

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Lord Jesus Christ alone for our salvation the phrase as you come to him is a reference to the beginning of our salvation it is a reference to the beginning of our privilege and blessing but this phrase also carries with it the idea of not only coming to but also remaining or staying to come to him is to receive him through faith and to remain in him experiencing enjoying and exalting in his presence to come to him is to remain or stay in him in personal communion with him in short it means that you will continually and forever abide in him our privileges begin at salvation and are sustained as we remain in Christ as we abide in Christ but was it what does it mean to abide in Christ John 15 verse 4 through 7 abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine neither can you unless you abide in me

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I am the vine you are the branches whoever abides in me and I in him he it is that bears much fruit for apart from me you can do nothing if anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers and the branches are gathered thrown into the fire and burned if you abide in me and my words abide in you ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you so what does it mean to abide in Christ it means that you will be entirely dependent upon Christ it means that you will wholly rely upon him for your daily needs for your encouragement your fruitfulness your strength and your wisdom to abide in Christ is to fill your thoughts and your mind with his word with his works with his praise appreciating adoring and subjecting yourself to him to abide in Christ is to imitate him and it is to walk in the same manner in which he walked 1

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John 2 verses 5 through 6 but whoever keeps his word in this truly the love of God is perfected by this we may know that we are in him whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked on this passage

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J .C. Ryle remarked to abide in Christ means to keep up a habit of constant close communion with him to be always leaning on him resting on him pouring out our hearts to him and using him as our foundation of life and strength as our chief companion and best friend to abide in Christ is to have his words abiding in us to keep his sayings and precepts continually before our memories and minds and to make them the guide of our actions and the rule of our daily conduct and behavior

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Peter's use of the phrase as you come to him was not merely a reference to the beginning of our salvation but to the ongoing lifelong journey as a disciple of Christ using his words as the guide for our thinking and actions and the rule of our daily conduct and behavior coming to Christ is an act of faith it is an act of dependence and it is an act of obedience that occurs not just once but continuously throughout the course of our lives beloved you must continually repeatedly and perpetually come to him and build your life upon him because the

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Lord Jesus Christ is the living stone first Peter 2 verses 4 through 5 as you come to him a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ Peter describes the

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Lord Jesus Christ as a living stone which is a bit of a contradiction a stone does not live a stone is not alive there is no life force within a stone why then does

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Peter describe the Lord Jesus Christ in this way well the scriptures often describe the

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Lord God as a rock Deuteronomy 32 verses 3 through 4 for I will proclaim the name of the

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Lord ascribe greatness to our God the rock whose work is perfect for all his ways are justice a

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God of faithfulness and without iniquity just and upright is he first Samuel 2 2 there is none holy like the

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Lord there is none besides you there is no rock like our

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God in the New Testament we learn that the rock whose work is perfect whose ways are just who is a rock of holiness faithfulness righteousness and justice is

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Christ first Corinthians 10 for I do not want you to be unaware brothers that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea and all ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink for they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them and the rock was

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Christ Christ was the rock Christ is the rock he is the source of all life he is the source of spiritual blessing he is our rock he is our fortress he is our deliverer he is our refuge he is our shield he is the horn of salvation

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Christ Jesus is our stronghold he is the living stone

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Christ lives forever having risen from the dead and he gives life to all who come to him through faith

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Christ is the stone that was rejected by man but he was chosen and precious in the sight of God he was rejected and despised by his own creation but he was glorified by the father 1st

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Peter 2 6 for it stands in scriptures behold I am laying in Zion a stone a cornerstone chosen and precious and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame so the honor is for you who believe but for those who do not believe the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense they stumble because they disobey the word as they were destined to do in biblical times temples and buildings were constructed from stone and the most important stone of the entire building was the cornerstone the cornerstone set the lines for the rest of the building it was the plum line in every direction if any one of the surfaces or any one of the angles of the cornerstone were out of plum or were slightly off the rest of the building would be greatly affected it could fall over it could collapse the cornerstone maintained the symmetry and integrity of the entire building so choosing a cornerstone required scrutiny it required close inspection and examination at the time of Christ the religious leaders were eagerly anticipating the arrival of their messiah and their long -awaited messiah was expected to be a king a victorious and conquering king who would liberate the sons of Israel from the roak from the yoke of Roman rule and oppression and along comes this man from Nazareth he was gentle and lowly but he captivated the multitudes he taught not as the scribes but as one with authority he performed great and miraculous works could this be the long -awaited messiah the religious leaders of Israel examined him but they found him to be inadequate

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Jesus of Nazareth did not fit within their theological plans he didn't fit within their ideological plans he was unfit for what they were trying to build and thus he was rejected in 1st

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Peter 2 7 the word translated rejected means to be rejected after having been examined it means to be rejected after having been thoroughly tested to the religious leaders it was unthinkable that Jesus who had been born in poverty born the lowly son of a carpenter from a small and insignificant town in Galilee could possibly be the cornerstone for the kingdom of God Jesus had no form or majesty that we should look upon him he had no beauty that we should desire him he was a man of sorrows he was not esteemed by men but he was acquainted with grief furthermore

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Jesus had no formal or rabbinical training and all throughout his ministry he had been an extremely harsh critic of the

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Pharisees and Sadducees in their eyes Jesus was a fraud he was an instigator he was a troublemaker he stirred up the multitude against them his actions threatened their long -standing power and their position of authority with Rome which is why they sought to kill him even his death was humiliating and shameful it was a stumbling block death by crucifixion by the

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Romans among common criminals thus the cornerstone was rejected the rock was rejected by men however verse four in the sight of God Jesus was chosen and precious the

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Lord God examined him too the Lord God measured him by his own standard of perfection the

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Lord God measured him and said this is my beloved son in whom

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I am well pleased the Lord God looked at Jesus Christ as the perfect cornerstone every angle was perfect every surface was perfect the

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Lord Jesus Christ was the perfect cornerstone for the building that the Lord God had in mind and the

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Lord God affirmed his perfection by raising him from the dead and making him the living stone the living cornerstone think for a moment about the great arrogance and hubris of man in rejecting the

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Lord Jesus Christ not just back then but today as well the

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Lord Jesus Christ continues to be examined and tested and he continues to be found inadequate by his own blind and sinful creation he continues to be rejected by men to this day the

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Lord God Almighty the creator of the heavens and the earth who spoke the world into existence who is infinite eternal and unchangeable in his being wisdom power holiness justice goodness and truth he examined

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Jesus Christ against his standard and deemed him to be worthy mankind the creation of the creator who is finite weak ignorant defiled by sin and unrighteousness unable to please

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God unable to do right who lives under the influence of the adversary and the world examines

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Christ against his standard his flawed and twisted and distorted standard and man deems

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Christ to be unworthy crucify Christ and give us

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Barabbas the Lord Jesus Christ was betrayed he was arrested he was mocked beaten dishonored humiliated and crucified he died at the hands of his own creation on this injustice one author remarked

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I do not seek and I do not want the world's esteem after knowing that it tells me how little it is worth for the world despises what

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God has chosen and hates what God loves most so that which is highly esteemed by men is abomination in the sight of God I do not want any acclaim from the world it is worthless they couldn't even recognize the value of the most precious person who ever lived and they chose a wicked thief and robber instead of him x 222 men of Israel hear these words

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Jesus of Nazareth a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst as you yourselves know this

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Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men

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God raised him up loosing the pangs of death because it was not possible for him to be held by it even though mankind may have rejected the

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Lord Jesus Christ the Lord God accepted to all those who reject the cornerstone these will stumble over the cornerstone he is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense man will either put his faith in the

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Lord Jesus Christ the cornerstone or he will dash his foot against it the

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Lord Jesus Christ will either be a stepping stone to salvation or a stumbling stone to perdition and why does man stumble first Peter 2 8 they stumble because they disobey the word as they were destined to do man does not reject the

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Lord Jesus Christ because of honest intellectual difficulties nor does man reject the

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Lord Jesus Christ because of an earnest examination of the facts rather man rejects the

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Lord Jesus Christ because he refuses to obey the word because he refuses to yield to the word because he refuses to bend the knee and to submit to the

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Lord God Almighty beloved the trouble is never with the evidence there is plenty of evidence the trouble lies within the heart of man the heart of man is deceitful above all things the heart of man is desperately sick the heart of man runs contrary to the heart of God it runs contrary to the will of God the reason man is not saved is because man does not want to be saved man does not want to submit to the

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Lord God John 3 20 and this is the judgment the light referring to Jesus Christ has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light why because their works were evil for everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light lest his works should be exposed

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John 5 39 you search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life and it is they that bear witness about me yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life in man's refusal to come to the

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Lord God in man's rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ the divine purposes of God are accomplished yet the guilt and the punishment of disobedience rests squarely on man alone the

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Lord God is not responsible for the unbelief of man man is solely and entirely responsible for his lack of faith in contrast to those who reject the

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Lord Jesus Christ those who believe in him will not be put to shame first Peter 2 6 for it stands in scripture behold

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I am laying in Zion a stone a cornerstone chosen and precious and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame in contrast to those who reject the

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Lord Jesus Christ those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are like living stones and are being built up as a spiritual house and beloved here is our privilege we are identified with the

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Lord Jesus Christ he is the living stone we are like living stones by grace alone through faith alone those who believe in the

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Lord Jesus Christ are eternally bound together with him in an eternal and unbreakable union

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Paul speaks of this in Ephesians chapter 2 verses 19 through 22 so then you are no longer strangers and aliens but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets

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Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone in whom the whole structure being joined together grows into a holy temple in the

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Lord in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the spirit once considered to be aliens in Christ we have become fellow citizens with the saints once considered to be strangers in Christ we have become members of the household of God we have become sons and daughters through adoption in Christ we are being built up together into a dwelling place for God by the spirit in Christ we are being built up as a spiritual house a holy temple and a dwelling for the

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Lord God in Christ we are united with him he is the cornerstone and we are the stones who are being built up as a spiritual house

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Charles Spurgeon remarked those who believe in him are built upon him they rest upon him they are cemented to him and being living stones they grow into him and he grows into them they participate in his life and so the living temple becomes one the chosen men and women who are the spiritual temple in which

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God dwells upon earth we need not wonder if like the chief cornerstone we are disallowed or rejected of men but we may rejoice that like our

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Lord and Savior we are chosen of God and precious the first privilege of those belonging to the

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Lord Jesus Christ is identification with Christ we are his spiritual house we are his temple the second privilege of those who belong to Christ is the offering of sacrifices through Christ we have a purpose we are his priesthood verses four and five as you come to him a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ Jesus this is one of the key passages that deals with the priesthood of believers contrary to some denominations there's no such thing as a limited priesthood all believers in the

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Lord Jesus Christ are his priests in the Old Testament the

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Levites those who belonged to the tribe of Levi were chosen by God to serve him as his priests and it was only the

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Levitical priests who were able to draw near to the Lord God to offer sacrifices and incense on the altar and out of all the

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Levitical priests it was only the high priest who once a year could enter into the holy of holies and make atonement for the sins of the people the

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Levitical priesthood and the high priest were types of the coming messiah they were a picture of the

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Lord Jesus Christ and the ministry that he would perform at the crucifixion of Christ Matthew 27 50

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Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit and behold the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom and the earth shook and the rocks were split at the crucifixion of the

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Lord Jesus Christ the temple curtain that covered the doorway to the holy of holies the temple curtain that separated the holy of holies that separated the presence of God from the rest of the temple was torn in two by the

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Lord God it was torn from top to bottom the Lord God was indicating that the

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Old Testament priesthood was no longer necessary the separation between God and man that the

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Levitical priest would mediate was no longer necessary through the Lord Jesus Christ people could come directly to God through him our great high priest

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Jesus Christ Hebrews 4 14 since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens

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Jesus the son of God let us hold fast our confession for we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are yet without sin let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need today through the

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Lord Jesus Christ we have access to God the Father through the

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Lord Jesus Christ we have access to the throne of grace no one else no earthly mediator nor anything else is needed today the

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Lord Jesus Christ is our great high priest who offered himself as a sacrifice for sin once for all first Timothy 2 5 there is one

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God and there is one mediator between God and men the man

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Christ Jesus every prayer every praise every thanksgiving every good work every act of service absolutely everything ascends to God the

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Father through our great high priest the Lord Jesus Christ he is the only way to God the

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Father he is the only way to be reconciled to God and he is the only way to be acceptable to the

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Lord God this is why the Lord Jesus Christ is so very very precious this is why the

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Lord Jesus Christ is infinitely precious under Old Testament law the

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Lord God required animal sacrifices as an atonement for sin the death of Jesus Christ covered sin once for all and brought animal sacrifices to an end however the

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Lord God still requires he still desires to receive spiritual sacrifices from his people for we are his priests well what sacrifices are we to offer to the

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Lord God through Jesus Christ the first spiritual sacrifice that we offer through the

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Lord Jesus Christ is ourselves Romans 12 1 and 2 I appeal to you therefore brothers by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God which is your spiritual worship do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what the will of God is what is good and acceptable and perfect as priests this is where our spiritual service begins it begins with the presentation of our bodies to the

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Lord God as a living and holy sacrifice it begins with our surrender to him it begins with our submission to him the bending of the knee the

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Lord God does not desire that we come to him begrudgingly or resentfully but as a living sacrifice that is yielded to his purpose that is yielded to his will this is accomplished by not conforming our lives to the world but by being transformed by the renewal of our minds in other words our lives must no longer conform to our own sinful desires our lives must no longer conform to the world in which we live rather our lives must conform to the image of the

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Lord Jesus Christ as priests are offering to the Lord God is our lives it is our surrender our submission and our obedience to him the second spiritual sacrifice that we offer through the

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Lord Jesus Christ is our adoration praise and worship

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Hebrews 13 15 through him through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God that is the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name as priests we must continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to the

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Lord God well how do we do this well this can be accomplished in three ways firstly we continually offer up a sacrifice of praise by acknowledging the name of the

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Lord God we offer up a sacrifice of praise by acknowledging who the

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Lord God is by acknowledging his nature his character and his attributes open up to any one of the psalms and offer up a sacrifice of praise acknowledging the one and only

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God for example Psalm 145 I will extol you my

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God and King and bless your name forever and ever every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever great is the

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Lord and greatly to be praised and his greatness is unsearchable the

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Lord is gracious and merciful slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love the

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Lord is good to all and his mercy is over all that he has made the Lord is faithful in all his words the

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Lord is righteous in all his ways my mouth will speak the praise of the

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Lord and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever to recite acknowledge and proclaim the attributes of the

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Lord God is an offering of praise that is acceptable to him through Jesus Christ secondly we continually offer up a sacrifice of praise by acknowledging his works offering up a sacrifice of praise not only involves recognizing his attributes but also his works not only should you praise the

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Lord God for who he is but also for what he has done again

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Psalm 145 great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and his greatness is unsearchable one generation shall commend your works to another and shall declare your mighty acts on the glorious splendor of your majesty and your wondrous works

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I will meditate they shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds and I will declare your greatness they shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power and make known to the children of man your mighty deeds and the glorious splendor of your kingdom to recite acknowledge and proclaim the works of the

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Lord God is also an offering of praise that is acceptable to him through the

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Lord Jesus Christ thirdly we offer up a sacrifice of praise by expressing gratefulness by being thankful offering up a sacrifice of praise involves appreciation gratitude and thankfulness thank you

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God for who you are and thank you God for what you have done Psalm 118 28 you are my

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God and I will give thanks to you you are my God I will extol you oh give thanks to the

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Lord for he is good and his steadfast love endures forever

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Psalm 136 give thanks to the Lord for he is good for his steadfast love endures forever give thanks to the

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God of Gods for his steadfast love endures forever give thanks to the Lord of Lords for his steadfast love endures forever to acknowledge the person of the

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Lord God and the works of the Lord God in thankfulness is an offering of praise that is acceptable to him through Jesus Christ beloved is your life a sacrifice of praise is it a sacrifice of praise to the

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Lord God do you continually praise the Lord God for his person do you continually praise the

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Lord God for his works do you continually give thanks to him even amid suffering persecution difficulty injustice trials beloved this is our spiritual service of worship so resolve resolve today to continually praise the

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Lord for his person praise the Lord for his work and express gratitude by thanking him for his person by thanking him for his work open up the scriptures and lift up high the name of the

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Lord God for he alone is worthy lastly we continually offer up a sacrifice of praise by doing good to others

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Hebrews 13 16 do not neglect to do good and to share what you have for such sacrifices are pleasing to God the

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Lord God desires that his priests do good to others the Lord God desires that his priests do good and share to do good to others and to share what you own is a spiritual sacrifice that is pleasing to the

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Lord God first John 3 7 if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need yet closes his heart against him how does

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God's love abide in him it doesn't James 2 15 if a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food and one of you says to them go in peace be warm and filled without giving them the things needed for the body what good is that it's no good

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Matthew Henry remarked we must according to our power communicate or share to the necessities of the souls and bodies of men not contenting ourselves to offer the sacrifice of our lips mere words but the sacrifice of good deeds and these we must lay down upon this altar not depending upon the merit of our good deeds but of our great high priest and with such sacrifices as these adoration and alms thus offered up God is well pleased he will accept the offering with pleasure and will accept and bless the offers through Christ as priest of the

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Lord most high we must continually offer up a sacrifice of praise of good works and sharing adoration praise and worship and an offering of yourself as a living and holy sacrifice all of these spiritual sacrifices are offered to the

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Lord God through our high priest the Lord Jesus Christ this is our spiritual service of worship before I close

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I want to briefly remind you of the context in which

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Peter was writing Peter was writing to encourage and instruct believers who were suffering and being persecuted he was writing to remind them to stand firm in the true grace of the

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Lord God beloved in the midst of your suffering and persecution and difficulty and hardships you too must stand firm in the true grace of the

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Lord God so stand firm and live as an exile stand firm and live as a stranger because you are a citizen of heaven you are a child of God you are a child of great privilege and entitlement not only do you belong to the

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Lord God but you are forever identified with his son the

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Lord Jesus Christ he is the living stone you are living stones who are being built up as a spiritual house you're being built up as a temple of God where the spirit of God resides but not only are you a spiritual house you are also a holy priesthood who serves and ministers before the

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Lord God you have been set apart by the Lord God to offer spiritual sacrifices to him as his priest you have direct and immediate access to the presence of the

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Lord God through the Lord Jesus Christ not just once a year but every moment of every day of your life what an amazing privilege 1st

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Peter 2 verses 9 through 10 you are a chosen race a royal priesthood a holy nation a people for his own possession that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light once you were not a people but now you are

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God's people once you would not receive mercy but now you have received mercy the first privilege of those who belong to the

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Lord Jesus Christ is identification with Christ we're his spiritual house we are his temple the second privilege of those who belong to the

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Lord Jesus Christ is the offering of sacrifices through Christ we are his priesthood and the third privilege of those who belong to the

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Lord Jesus Christ is the proclamation of Christ we are his ambassadors which we will cover in two weeks let's pray our father we are so thankful that we know you we're thankful that we have the word of God that that teaches us who you are we're thankful that we have the spirit of God who instructs us and illuminates us and shines brightly on who

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Christ is and Lord what a wonderful thought it is to be in your service to be built up as a spiritual house to be able to offer sacrifices as your priests

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Lord we pray that in everything that we do we would give ourselves to you that our minds would be devoted to you that in everything we would think about you first and make every decision based upon this truth

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Lord above all we are thankful for Christ Christ is the is the one who accomplished this and everything that we do is acceptable to you only because of his merit and so Lord thank you that we are found in him and Lord we pray for those who don't know him we pray for those who have rejected him and no longer want to live for the truth but want to live for themselves we pray

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Lord that you would convict them we pray that you would change them we pray that you would bring them to an end of their selves so that they might look up and see only you we pray

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Lord for our loved ones who don't know you our friends and our family who don't know you

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Lord we just pray that we would be bold witnesses that we would proclaim your truth and we thank you