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Group #1 and Group #2...1 Peter 2:1-8

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A beautiful Friday created the opportunity to take another beautiful hike up the Colorado River Trail to the Ditch Road that runs along the Grand Ditch.  You are walking among the mountains at 10,300 ft and there was a beautiful cool fall breeze.  You come around one of the curves and Mount Richthofen comes into view.  To the left of Richthofen is Tepee Mountain.  The 12 to 14 mile fall hike gave me another opportunity to experience the overwhelming ability of our sovereign God and what He has put mankind in charge of. We see 2 mountain peaks in this picture.  They are very different.  Peter gives us 2 groups to look at in this passage.  He actually finally introduces group #2.  He has been speaking exclusively to group #1 up to this point.  Group #1 are the Christians who are being heavily persecuted and dispersed.  They are the elect exiles of chapter 1, verse 1.  They are the ones who Peter has expressed to the greatness of the G...
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Whereas...Therefore...1 Peter 1:13-25 - 4 important commands

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  I am praying that you might not be able to see me preach in a couple of weeks because the generosity of the congregation has made this food drive grow so much.  The state of our world has made life more difficult lately for many of us in the bare essentials.  We are praying our efforts to help others will be like Paul collecting from the churches of Asia Minor to take back to the persecuted Christians in need in Jerusalem. I love the song " Ancient Words " by Michael W. Smith.  It is hard to believe that he will be 70 next year.  He got this song from Lynn DeShazo who penned the words in 2001.  She also wrote " Be Magnified " and " More Precious Than Silver. "  Here are the lyrics. Verse 1: Holy words long preserved For our walk in this world They resound with God's own heart O let the ancient words impart Words of life, words of hope Give us strength, help us cope In this world where we roam Ancient words will guide us home Chorus: Ancient words eve...
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1 Peter 1:3-12...How great is our salvation? Peter is going to let us know.

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Do you see the snow cross on the mountain in the left stain glass above?  Do you see the dove in the right stain glass?  The dove is harder to make out. Its wing is a darker shading of the stained glass.  (You might need to zoom in on it.)   When I think of the dove, I think of the provision of God shown to Noah after the flood.  I think of the Holy Spirit coming down upon Jesus like a dove at His baptism and the coronation of His earthly ministry.  When I think of the cross, I think of the provision of God shown to the world that He created and loved manifested by the giving of His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.  I think of Jesus' words "It is finished" at the completion of His earthly ministry.  All that is required has been done. Peter takes us there in this passage when he expands on the "according to the foreknowledge of God" who "has caused us to be born again."  What is included in this salvation?  What do we need to remember w...
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