 It is good to be here and thank you for your hospitality. We came a couple of days early so we could spend the, spend the night and day with Nikki and it was a joy and Lele and the rest of the girls and I told her I missed her cooking today at Applebee's. It wasn't quite the same. So, but anyway, it was a joy and we appreciate your hospitality. We love this church and mainly because you all love the Lord and that's why we love this church. So I pray also that you will keep persevering to the end. These are trying times for us as God's children and we certainly are going to be tested and it's not by chance that this weekend we are going to be studying some truths from 1 Peter because Peter was writing to a group of Christians who were being persecuted for their faith and many of them were being set afire to light Nero's gardens at night. Many of them were being sown in the skins of wild animals and being torn apart from limb to limb and Peter tells them to rejoice in their suffering. And so this weekend it is not by chance that this is what the elders agreed that I would teach on in light of what is happening. As soon as the the verdict came out June 26 regarding same-sex marriage my husband looked at me and he said, you're going to jail. And he said, you're going to be one of the first women to go to jail. And so I said, well, look pretty good in orange so it'll be okay. But anyway these are trying times and I pray that each one of you will persevere to the end. I pray I will persevere to the end. When that time comes will we deny our Lord, will we be faithful. So these are trying times and I hope that this weekend will equip you and as I pray it will equip me as well to be strong in my faith and endure to the end. And even so come Lord Jesus, right? So they have entitled the conference Tested and True and certainly we as women we are tested. I was talking to a girl earlier out in the lobby and she said I go through a lot of trials and we all go through a lot of trials, right? But we want to be found true. And so tonight as we think about being tested and being found faithful, one of the things we want to be found faithful in is loving life. I counsel a lot of women and the number one reason that I counsel women is for depression and quite frankly some Christian women do not love life that the Lord has given them. And so tonight we're going to see are you tested? Have you been tested in this? Is the test of loving life? And have you been found true to love the life that God gave you? And so we're going to look at five keys to loving life this evening. Tomorrow we're going to have two sessions on what to do in the fiery furnace. And as I mentioned Peter is writing this epistle to a group of persecuted Christians. And you know one of the first things that happens when we go through a trial is we ask the Lord, you know, why? Why is this happening to me? And so we're going to look tomorrow at why we have trials. We're also going to look at how. What is the attitude that we should have as we go through suffering? These are two very timely lessons. And then after lunch tomorrow, Lord willing, if we're all still here, we haven't been taken out of here, which would be fine with me if we are. What a great place to leave planet earth, right, Florida. But one of the ways I think we as Christian women are tested in is in the area of humility. You know, one of the things the Lord hates the most is pride. You know, humility is the one virtue that Christians should pursue and seek after. And yet I'm afraid, my friend, that what we are seeing in the Christian world today is blasphemous to the Lord. So many men and women are now falling morally. They're falling doctrinally because somewhere along the line they've decided that they don't have to obey what God says. And so pride is an ugly, ugly sin. And we're going to look tomorrow afternoon on four reasons to avoid pride. Then last, before we go home, Lord willing, I don't know about you, but one of the things that I immediately came to my mind after June 26th was I actually was depressed for a few days. It really just grieved me. I had a hard time eating and just thinking about the direction our world is going and what is happening. And I think it became so clear to me, this is not my home. I do not belong here. I don't even know, you know, what is happening? And it was so clear to me. And I've since then even just been looking in the clouds, you know, is it today? Is he coming? And yet we know with the things that are going to be coming, we can't go hide in a cave. We can't run away. In fact, I asked my husband. I said, is there anywhere we could move? I mean, I want to get out of this country because I'm waiting for the judge. I think God's judgment is already falling, but it's going to get worse. And he said, well, we could go to Switzerland. He said they don't have war there or he could just go to Israel. So he said, those would be about the only two places we could move. But you know, that's not the right choice either. We need to occupy until the Lord returns. And so we're going to be looking. Our last session tomorrow afternoon will be how to occupy until the Lord returns to take us home. And it's not to party and get drunk and do all those things we did before Christ. But there are four things that Peter spells out that we are to do while we wait for the Lord to return. So I hope you'll be faithful to come to all the sessions and to pray. Pray for me. Pray for one another. There may be some sisters here that maybe are in doubt of their salvation. We certainly want to offer the gospel to them today. Debbie and I got an opportunity at lunch to share the gospel with a dear sister of mine whose mother came and she does not know Christ. And for two hours we got to share with her. So there may be some that are here that don't know Christ and some of you may be hindered because of sin in your life. So we want to make sure that you have an opportunity to repent of that, okay? We want to be found faithful and holy and pure when the Lord returns, right? So for this evening we are going to be looking at five keys to loving life. And if you will turn, thank you also for that gift. I often tell of quoting 1 Peter 5. I often tell people about the first time I came to this church. It was actually at a hotel, the first conference I had. And they asked me to come up on the stage and I hadn't even spoken yet. And they said, we have a present for you. And I thought, what kind of a present would you have for me? You don't even, you know, I haven't, you haven't even heard me speak yet. And so I got up on the stage and they all stood up and started quoting the Epistle to James. And so that was a great gift. And so thank you for that. Anyway, 1 Peter is a great book. If you do not memorize scripture, I would highly encourage you to begin that practice. I know that a lot of people have told me, as they are seeing our world decaying, that that is one thing they want to do, is memorize books of the Bible. Because ladies, we don't know. We may not be able to have the privilege of having a Bible. You know, a lot of you think, well, I've got it on my phone. Don't be don't be a fool and think that your phone cannot be toast. OK, ISIS has a way of doing that of just completely taking our power grid out. So memorize God's word. And then when we're in prison together, you know, we can encourage one another. So I have several people that say they're moving in with me and my husband because he's he's got quite a bit of the scriptures memorized too. So but in case we all go to jail together, we can, you know, maybe we could all decide we'll memorize. If we could find 66 people here tonight that would memorize a book. I've got most in the New Testament done. So who wants to do Leviticus? You know, who any volunteers and we can all huddle in prison together and quote the scriptures and learn. OK, well, but down to business. I know we're behind, but it's OK. All right. First Peter three is where we're going to land tonight. Five keys to loving life. I know we've already prayed, but I would also like to pray as well. Can't pray enough, right? Oh, Father, we need you, Lord, we need you every hour we need you. Father, I thank you for the words that were originally written by a woman named Annie Hawks, and I'll share more about her story tomorrow on why she wrote that song. I need the every hour. Oh, I need the father. This is the hour that we need you, not just for grace to listen to this message, grace to give this message, but Father, grace to obey this message. Father, I pray, oh God, that your spirit would feel free to roam in the hearts of each one of these women. Oh, Lord, that they would not harden their hearts against you, that they would not resist the promptings of the spirit of God. And Lord, if any of us this evening, if our life is out of order in any way, I pray that we would repent, we would do the first works. We would fall in love with you all over again. And Lord, that you would give us New Zeal to live for Christ and Christ alone. So, Father, we give this hour to you. Thank you for the songs that we've had, the testimonies and the fellowship. And may our hearts be enriched by being together. I pray in Christ's name. Amen. Well, someone once said this, suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. In fact, ladies, did you know that one million people commit suicide every year? That's in the whole world alone. One million people commit suicide every year. Now, that does not include the 10 to 20 million attempted suicides. Do you know there's 10 to 20 million attempted suicides worldwide every year? Now, my question to you this evening as we get started is this. What is in the minds of those one million people that commit suicide? What is in their mind that would cause them to take the very life that God has given to them? That precious gift from God. Why do some of mankind not embrace life? Why do they hate life? Why do they see life as a burden? Why don't they see life as a joy? Why is suicide a solution? Well, for the believer, our outlook on life should not be that, right? Should not be a drudgery. It should be very different from the world. Ladies, we should not hate our life. We should love life. We should not see life as a drudgery. We should see life as a blessing. So what should be our outlook on life as believers? Well, Peter says in the text tonight that we're going to look at that we should love life. And ladies, if you're here this evening and you do not love the life that God has given you, there may be a reason. There may be a reason. And so Peter is going to give us five keys to loving life. And let's read verses 10 to 12 of 1 Peter chapter three and discover just what these five keys to loving life are. Notice what Peter says first Peter three. For he that would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile. Let him seek peace and pursue it, turn away from evil for the lies of the Lord are the over the righteous and his ears are open to their prayers. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. Now, before we get started, it has been said that these three verses were actually a hymn that was sung in the early church. And so I think it would be great if one of you musicians would put this song to music. So this was sung by the early church. They would sing it as a hymn. These three verses have also been called an ancient recipe for a happy life. An ancient recipe for a happy life. So those of you women that like to, you know, look at recipes online and, you know, post your recipes on your refrigerator, whatever. But maybe you want to take these verses and put them on your refrigerator instead of a recipe that you might have at home. An ancient recipe for a happy life. Also, we just actually just had a look at Psalm 34. These verses are actually taken. These three verses are actually taken from Psalm 34 verses 12 through 16. And Peter is quoting these three verses from Psalm 34. Now, before we get into these three verses, just of where we are in 1 Peter, at the beginning of chapter three, he's been talking to wives who have actually, them have been beaten by their husbands because of their faith in Christ Jesus. Historically, we know that is true. And Peter tells them that they are to obey their husbands. If any obey, even if they don't obey the word, there are to be submissive to their husbands and there to win them without a word. And so he gives responsibility to the wife, to the unbelieving husband. And then he talks to the husband and he says, you are to live with your wife in an understanding way. And then he goes on to say, if you'll look down at verse eight, I think it is, after he's told the wife, you know, you're to be submissive to your husband, even if he's not saved. And husband, you're to be submissive to your wife in the sense that you live with her in an understanding way as the beaker vessel. And then he says this, finally, be all of one mind. All of you be submissive to one another. Have compassion one of another. Love is brethren. Be pitiful. Be courteous. Peter says all of you yield to one another. All of you be tenderhearted. All of you be courteous. Not rendering evil for evil, reviling for reviling. And lastly, he says, but you are called to this to give a blessing. And so Peter's continuing his thoughts of our life being blessed and he gives five keys of loving life. Ladies, life is a blessing from God when we are doing what is right. When we are doing what is wrong, life is not a blessing. So Peter starts by saying in verse 10, for he who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak, no guile. Now, Peter begins with the word for, F-O-R, for. And so when we see that in scripture, we ask, why is it there? Well, because of what? Why is Peter saying for because? Because of what he just said in verse nine, because we're saved, because we're going to inherit the blessing of salvation, because we've been elected by God before the foundation of the world. Ladies, because we're God's children, there should be certain characteristics about us. This person who's been called by God, elected, going to receive a blessing of eternal inheritance, what? Notice what Peter says, this person should what? Love life, love life, for he who would love life. In fact, the word will here is a present participle, which speaks of an action going on in present time. You know what he's saying? The loving of your life, ladies, should be an act of your will that should be ongoing throughout the life of a believer. You should love life tomorrow, you should love life next month, you should love life next year, it should be ongoing. In fact, the loving of life is an act of our will. That's what Peter's saying. Now, what's he talking about life here? Well, he's not talking about life here on earth, okay? I mean, in heaven, he's not talking about life in heaven. We're going to love that for sure, right? We're not going to have to worry about loving the life in heaven, but he is talking about loving life here on earth. That's what Peter is talking about. Ladies, Peter is saying life is a gift from God and we should enjoy every day to its fullest. And you know what? Some days are just harder than others, aren't they? I know, you know, God has probably given each one of you some hard trials. Some days are harder than others, but ladies, we must choose to love life whether God gives us good days or bad days. We must love the life he's given us. In fact, the loving of life here is not loving the length of our life, but the quality of our life. Ladies, we are to live life passionately by participating in everything that God has put before us with a full commitment and a passionate zeal to live for his glory. This doesn't give any room for laziness, does it? This would be a person who sees the best in every situation. One man said this, we can decide to endure life and make it a burden. We can escape life as though we're running from a battle or we can enjoy life because we know God's in control. End of quote. Ladies, we should make the most of every situation even if it's difficult. And remember who's Peter is writing to. Remember who he is writing to. Christians who are watching their loved ones being rolled up in tar and pitch and set to fire to light Nero's gardens at night. They're watching their family members be put inside the skins of wild animals while lions and other animals come and rip them apart. Peter's writing to. You know, we think we have some bad days. We haven't had any of that. I don't know about you. I've never been torn apart by a lion, have you? You know, I've never been set to fire. And Peter's telling these readers, love life and ladies, this would be a great passage to memorize. Don't think that some of us in this room are not going to be beheaded for the Lord. We're there. Don't think some of us are not going to be thrown into jail for our stand. If you read the paper, you can see already Christians are being persecuted for their faith. Don't think that that's not going to happen in this country. And for 10 years I've been telling you guys this, right? Maybe now you're going to listen. We're going to be persecuted. Ladies, what Peter is saying here should encourage any one of you this evening who's going through trials, any one of you who is prone to be depressed or discouraged. Just because things are rough, we don't give up, right? We do not give up. What is a bad day can be a good day when viewed by a sovereign God. Ladies, the writer to the Ecclesiastes, he said this, he said, I hated life. I hated life. Why? Because the work that was done under the sun under the sun was distressing to me and everything was vanity. Everything was vanity. And of course the writer to the Ecclesiastes saw him and he goes through all the things that were vain. He did all this stuff and he said it was all vain. And he comes to you in the Ecclesiastes. You know what he says? Here's the conclusion of the matter. Fear God keep his commandments. This is the whole conclusion. Even though the readers of this letter were undergoing tremendous suffering, Peter admonishes him, life is a gift from God and they should love it. Well not only does Peter remind them they should love life, but notice what he says next. You should see your days as good. Now what does that mean? Well the word see here in the Greek means to know and the verb means to enjoy and experience life. Ladies, this means that you see your day as good. Even those days that it's hard to crawl out of bed. I didn't sleep so well last night and the alarm went off at five and I was like seriously, you know, get out of bed Susan, it's time to get up. Even those days when the kids are sick all day, you ever had those days? All the kids are sick all day long. Even those days when everything, have you ever had one of those days where everything goes wrong? I have. Even those days when you don't know how you're gonna pay your bills. Even those days when you get bad news, ladies in all our days we should know they're good. We should see them as beneficial. Meaningful. Ladies if we believe in a sovereign God that works everything out for our good, then we can see our days as good. In fact I was just reminded of this a few weeks ago. I was just gotten out of the shower and getting ready for the day and my husband had gone on a walk that morning. It was 5.30 in the morning and he said no don't call me. He said because I'm gonna be listening to a sermon on my phone. I said fine so I was going back in the bedroom and I saw my phone lighting up and it was my husband. I said what you need? He said I've fallen and I can't get up. He said it's pretty significant. So here I am, white tank top wet hair. Just got out of the shower like this is fun. Driving around the neighborhood trying to find my husband in the dark and finally came upon him. He sprawled out on the ground. His knees were bleeding profusely and he's a big guy. I said honey I can't lift you up and I tried to pull his arm and he said don't do that. So I said just scoot over, get up and long story short got him in the car, got him home. Had to wrap a sheet around one of his knees that was bleeding profusely and I said do we need to go to urgent care? And he said no let's wait a little bit and about 30 minutes later he said I think I better go. I'm in pretty significant pain. So on the way to urgent care he said this isn't exactly what you had planned for your day was it? And I said no but I don't think it's why you had your plan for your day either but it's what God had planned for our day today and he ended up breaking his elbow and a few cracking a few ribs. So it was a pretty significant fall. But ladies even days like that we can see our days as good when we view them from a sovereign God. You might say well how do I do that? Well you've probably heard me say this in this church so many times you're sick of hearing me say this. My 96 year old father that just went to be with the Lord his favorite verse you can quote it with me and we know all things work together for what? Good to those who love God to those who are the called according to his purpose. We can see our days as good if we truly believe that. God works even that fall that my husband just took out for his good and my good. And a lot of other people's good. I don't know what God's doing in all those things. Ladies this means even the unforeseen things that happen we can know God is working it for our good. In fact you know we can learn a lot from the apostle Paul and how to see our difficult days as good. Turn over to 2 Corinthians chapter 6. 2 Corinthians chapter 6. You think you're having a bad day? You ain't had a bad day. That's Oklahoma saying you haven't had a bad day. Look in 2 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 4. Paul says this but in all things committing ourselves as the ministers of God in much patience, afflictions, necessities, and stresses, stripes, prism, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, fastings, by pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by love and fame, by the word of truth, by power of God, by all the armor of righteousness on the right hand, on the left, honor, dishonor, evil report, good report, deceivers yet true and known, and yet well known, dying, and behold we live as chastened and not killed, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things. In fact, turn over to 2 Corinthians 11 verse 16. He says, I say again, let no man think me a fool if so as a fool receive me that I may boast myself a little. That which I speak I speak not after the Lord but as it were foolishly in this confidence of boasting. Seeing that many glory after the flesh I will glory also for you bear with fools gladly seeing you yourselves are wise, for you tolerated if a man bring you into bondage if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. I speak as concerning reproach as though we had been weak nevertheless in whatever any is bold. I speak foolishly, I'm bold also. Are they Hebrews? I am. Are they Israelites? I am. Are they the seat of Abraham? I am. Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool. I am more in labors, more abundant in stripes above measure and prison more frequently in death often. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned three times I suffered a shipwreck. A night and a day I've been in the deep journeys often perils of waters, perils of robbers, perils of my own country, perils by the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the seas, perils among false brother and weariness, painfulness, watching hunger, thirsty, fasting, cold and naked. Beside those things are without that which come at the moment of the daily the care of all the churches and am I not weak? Who is offended? Am I not indignant? If I must need glory I will glory the things that concern my infirmity the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is blessed forever knows I'm not lying. In Damascus the governor and the artist, the king kept the city of the Damasians with the garrison, desirous to apprehend me through a window and a basket was I let but down by the wall and escaped his hands looked down at verse six of chapter 12 though I want a glory I won't be a fool for I will say the truth. I should think above me of that which he sees me to be or that he hears of me at least I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelation there was given to me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me at least I should be exalted above measure I sought the Lord three times that it might depart from me and he said my grace is sufficient for you my strength is made perfect in your weakness most gladly therefore I'll glory my infirmities at the power of Christ may rest upon me therefore I take pleasure in infirmities reproaches necessities persecutions distresses for Christ's sake for when I'm weak then I'm strong ladies I don't know if anybody in this room that's gone through that's just a partial list of Paul's sufferings even though his outer man was perishing even though he went through all this he was renewed he knew all this was just for a moment even though he had hard days hard days that you and I have never even gone through he saw his life as one as a minister of the gospel it was a good day he saw God's grace sufficient for every one of his difficult days God's power was strong in his weakness you know the people that I know are the most godly are the ones who have gone through the most difficulties the woman that has impacted my life the most Elizabeth Elliott who just passed away actually I think it was right before the supreme court decision or right after I can't remember which it was a sad time for me not only the supreme court decision but my mentor passed away and she's gone to be with Christ praise God but you know people that like her that have gone through those bad difficult days in our opinion are the ones that I have seen God they come forth as gold they come forth as gold they see their days as good even the difficult days now maybe some of you are saying by now Susan I do love life I do see my days as good but you know I still some days you know it's kind of hard well if that's the case with you then perhaps there's something a bit out of kilter and so Peter now gives five keys to loving life look at back at first Peter here's the first key to loving life for those of you that are taking notes the first key to loving life is refrain your tongue from evil refrain your tongue from evil now the word refrain here means to stop or quit Peter says stop using your tongue for anything wicked this would include anything that is base or degrading in nature in fact he's already told them do not render evil for evil or slander for slander if someone slanders you you don't slander back if someone reviles you you don't revile back so under this heading of speaking things that are evil would include slander gossip flattery course-gesting any speech that's not fitting for a believer ladies it's hard to see your days as good if you are using your tongue for evil have you ever gotten caught up in a gossip circle and the women gossip gossip you don't go away feeling good about your day you feel like you need to go home and take a bath ladies we need to use our mouth and God and encouraging our brothers and sisters in the things of Christ when we use our mouth wrongly we not only feel shame and guilt for our sin but you know what sinful speech takes the enjoyment out of life it really really does and these persecuted Christians that Peter is writing to are not to use their mouths for evil and ladies as the days get closer and closer to your persecution in the united states of America when our persecutors come against us what does Jesus say in the sermon on the mount love your enemies love your enemies do good to those that persecute you and hate you and say all manner of evil against you why rejoice rejoice and be glad for greatest reward in heaven and ladies it's going to be a challenge but we are not to revile we are not to use our tongues for evil loving life is not to use your lips for speaking deceit not to use your lips for speaking deceit interesting the word lip means a gulf or a pouring place isn't that describe our mouth sometimes a pouring place what is deceit deceit means a misrepresentation of the truth a misrepresentation of the truth this would include anything that leads someone else astray in fact do you know peter has told them already in chapter 2 that this evil sin needs to be put off in order for them to desire the pure milk of the word like a newborn baby and ladies if you do not desire God's word I was talking to a lady today said she has no desire for God's word none she don't want to read it well that's a bigger commentary on her on God's word there's something that's a miss and peter says one of the things in chapter 2 verse 1 is that deceit if your mouth is full of deceit you don't want to read God's word it's too convicting put it away so that you can desire God's word like a newborn baby at the breast in fact he's already talked about the Lord it says when the Lord was reviled there was what no deceit found in his mouth no deceit when he was being persecuted none in fact we know from Proverbs 6 16 to 19 do you know deceit is one of the things that the Lord hates the most did you know that there are six things that God hates seven are an abomination to him you know what they are listen a proud look we're going to talk about that tomorrow a lying tongue there's the deceit hands that shed innocent blood a heart that devises wicked plans feet that are swift to running to evil a false witness who speaks lies he speaks that twice in Proverbs deceit is mentioned two times so it must be that God really hates it bad in fact the Bible says lying lips are an abomination to the Lord and one who sows discord among the brethren now ladies Peter knew Peter the writer of this epistle he knew the awful consequences of deceit because remember he denied the Lord three times oh you're that no I'm not oh you're no I'm not oh you're and he cursed I know not the man but at least Peter repented right he went out and wept bitterly and ladies these readers need to be reminded and you and I need to be reminded in the midst of suffering for Christ we must not succumb to deceit and so if someone comes and asks you in the next year are you a Christian you better say yes even if it means your head the Bible says if you deny him he will deny you and I pray that we can stand strong I pray I can stand Debbie and I have talked about a lot can we stand strong if the day comes that we have that machete at our neck we're not to succumb to deceit well the first two keys to loving life have to do with our mouth so perhaps we should all memorize the following poem after we memorize the Bible here's this poem you should memorize if your lips would keep from slips five things observe with care to whom you speak of whom you speak and how and when and where I think some practical questions to ask before you talk are these is what I am about to say true if it's not true you don't need to say it is it kind is what I'm about to say kind is it necessary does this person really need to hear what I'm about to say if not you probably don't need to say it I would also encourage you to talk less you know I remember Elizabeth Elliott saying her father rarely opened his mouth but when he did he had something to say Proverbs 10 19 says in the multitude of words transgression is unavoidable so in other words ladies if you like to talk a lot you probably sin a lot in fact a lot of times my husband will say you're so quiet I say it's just better that way it's just better that way because I'm usually getting in trouble in fact he used to say Susan you don't always have to give your opinion so I just start being quiet quit giving my opinion I don't have to give my opinion ladies I know it's hard for us as women we're social creatures we love to talk but we need to be so careful with our mouths John Calvin said talkativeness is a disease of women it gets worse with age so I'm going to be 60 pretty soon so I'm still working on that you know maybe we would do all well to pray the words of Psalm 141 3 set a guard oh lord over my mouth set a guard over my mouth keep watch over the door of my lips ladies it's really hard it's really if you've ever been involved in gossip slander deceit anything like that it is really hard to enjoy life and see your days as good when you're using your mouth for evil whether it's evil speech or deceit it's really hard well Peter then moves from the two admonitions we should avoid speaking evil and speaking deceit to three admonitions that we should practice if we want to see our days as good look at verse 11 let him turn away from evil and do good so the third key to loving life is to turn away from evil turn away from evil my friend we are to shun evil we are to avoid evil and the Greek word for evil is all kinds of wicked degrading things like we just saw in the previous verse anything that is wicked anything that is base anything that is degraded and it's very interesting Greek word here when when Peter says we turn away from evil it's the idea of actually moving out of the way like you know if a car was coming at you and they were going to hit you head on you'd move out of the way right unless you wanted to commit suicide look along with those million other people that want to you move out of the way to avoid the oncoming car that's exactly what Peter's saying that's how you and I should feel about evil get out of the way in fact not that long ago I had this illustrated me I was with a group of professing Christian women professing I should say and the atmosphere the talk was evil and I was appalled and I said my peace and I got up and left ladies we should get away from evil some of us like to dabble with evil you know we like to read those saucy newspaper articles or the stuff on the internet that we know we should not be doing it was said of Job and Job one one there was a man in the land of us and his name was Job and the man was blameless upright feared God and shunned evil Job hated evil he got out of its way Joseph is another man who got out of the way of evil remember Joseph you know the story of Joseph and finally ends up in Potiphar's house and Potiphar's wife every day presses him to have sex with her every single day and he finally says in Genesis 39 there's no one greater in this house than I and your husband has not kept back anything from me but you and you're his wife how can I do this great wickedness and sin against God and in verse 12 it says she continually pressed him every single day and you know what Joseph did he fled and he got out he got away from evil and of course his shunning of evil cost him didn't he wound up in prison but ladies Peter says it's better to suffer for doing what is right than to suffer for doing what is wrong and so even if the avoiding of evil lands you in prison so be it right get out of its way in fact this concept of shunning evil is so important you know Jesus prayed this for us in the high priestly prayer before he went to the cross John 17 15 he says I pray that you would keep them from evil and then when he teaches the disciples how to pray do you know he says that's one of the things that we should pray keep us from evil ladies you should be praying that I think this morning or yesterday Debbie and I were walking and we were praying and I said Lord keep me and Debbie Debbie from evil and the evil one because ladies he's always there right trying to attack us in some way I hope you pray that for yourself for your children for your grandchildren for your husband keep us from evil perhaps we need to be praying that God will deliver us from evil and help us to hate it ladies when you're practicing evil life cannot be good it cannot be enjoyable if you do not love life do not see your days as good and you are practicing evil you're not going to see it as good you're not going to see your days as beneficial and these believers that we're going through suffering were not to be tempted by their sufferings to do evil well the fourth key to loving life is to do good this would of course be the opposite of doing evil what's doing good doing good would be anything that is beneficial for the purpose of someone else in fact doing good is one of the qualities an older woman is to teach a young woman she's to teach her how to be sober minded love her husband love her children be discreet chase keeper at home good there's that word she's to teach her how to be good and of course obedient to her husband in fact being good reminds me of the Proverbs 31 woman it says she reaches out her hands to the needy she helps the poor she's looking for ways to do good ladies we live in a very selfish isolated society and you know we just want to be kept in our homes with our families and we don't want to reach out to other people but that is not God's will for us we we need to sacrifice our time our energy our resources we need to visit the shut-ins spend the night at a hospital with someone who needs you maybe babysit for a weary mom mow someone's yard my husband had shoulder surgery last year and now he's fallen and hurt the other arm so he's kind of pretty helpless but we have a young man in our church that's mowing our yard this year you know and last year one of the elders mowed our yard it's just something like that doing good for someone else take a meal to someone who's in need again these readers must not take vengeance on their persecutors they must do what do them good we're not to repay evil with evil and so ladies as you go through life and as the test gets stronger and harder as we become more persecuted we don't pay back our persecutors with evil pay them back what with good with good those that enjoy life will just naturally do good lovers of life also will have a fifth quality about them notice what peter says the fifth quality of a lover's life is that they seek peace and pursue it they seek peace and pursue it the term pursue expresses a vigorous effort to chase or hunt something in order to attain it chase or hunt something in order to attain it now this is not a commandment that's isolated right here it's also mentioned roman's 1419 therefore let us pursue the things that make for peace and things that edify one another paul says in 2nd chr. 1311 finally brother and farewell be complete be of good comfort be of one mind living peace in the god of love and peace will be with you all 1 c. 513 be at peace among yourself 2nd timothy 222 flee youthful lust but pursue righteousness faith love peace with him that calling the lord out of a pure heart last but not least hebrews 1214 pursue peace with all people in holiness without which no man will see the lord interesting peace and holiness are connected in this verse ladies there can be no true peace without holiness don't don't come to church don't come to the ladies conference this weekend pretending you are holy if you are not at peace with others that's hypocrisy jesus says in the sermon on the mount blessed are the peacemakers blessed are the peacemakers for they and they alone in the greek they and they alone are called the sons of god in fact later on he says you know you've heard of a set of them of old thou shalt not murder but I say unto you you're angry with your brother without a cause you're in danger of hellfire so if you're coming to church or a woman's conference and you have something against your brother he says leave your gift there go take go get reconciled then come back and worship then come back and worship ladies it's hard to love life when we are at war with one another and we are not at peace now there are times when peace is impossible that's why I think Paul says in Romans 12 18 as much as possible live peaceably with all men because sometimes peace is not possible sometimes we can try and try and try and try to reconcile I have several family members I've tried and tried and tried and tried and tried and it's not happening it isn't happening but we try now before I go on this doesn't mean peace at any price Jesus is very clear in Matthew 10 do not think I came to bring peace but a sword for I've come to set a man against a father a daughter against her mother and a daughter in law against her mother in law a man's enemies will be they of his own household and ladies many times our loyalty to the Lord will separate us from our families and we can expect that Jesus said it would happen but we still try to pursue peace right well many of these persecuted Christian perhaps were endeavoring to be at peace with their enemies with no results maybe some of you are trying to be at peace with your enemies with no results and that's perhaps why Peter encourages these readers that God knows God hears their cries for help as mentioned in verse 12 he says for the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are open to their prayers Peter encourages these readers you know the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous in fact the word I here means a side glance with a jealous look a side glance with a jealous look over means upon in other words the eyes of the Lord are directed in a favorable sense for the good of those who are righteous for those who are innocent for those who are holy ladies he watches with a jealous eye and I don't know about you but that's encouraging to me as I go through suffering the eyes of the Lord are watching with a jealous eye 2 Chronicles 16 9 says the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are loyal to him Proverbs 15 3 says the eyes of the Lord are in every place keeping watch on the evil and the good ladies this statement would be a comfort to these persecuted Christians and it should be a comfort to you the eyes of the Lord are watching in fact Peter has already said in 1 Peter 1 8 even though we can't see him we know him right we love him it's kind of like if you've ever been in one of those bathrooms where you can see out but people can't see and I always think they're creepy I was like hope nobody's watching me well I go to the restroom it's kind of weird but that's the way it is God can see us even though we can't see him he's always watching us nothing escapes his attention and that should be a comfort to us and of course to the readers God knew what was happening to them God knew that their loved ones were being burned at the stake God knew that their loved ones were being torn apart from limb to limb by wild animals God knew this and ladies he knows what you're going through he was watching his eyes were watching but also notice this Peter says his ears are listening his ears are open to your prayers this literally reads God's ears are into the prayers or petitions of the righteous in fact it has a picture of God actually bending down to listen to your prayers what a beautiful picture ladies he hears our prayers even though things we whisper last night I couldn't go to sleep so what do you do when you can't go to sleep and you don't want to get up I didn't want to wake Debbie up in the next bed so what do I do right but I couldn't pray out loud but the Lord was still listening he was listening to my prayers ladies did you know that God is more desirous to answer your prayers than you are desirous of him answering them Proverbs 15 8 says the prayer of the upright is his delight the prayer of the upright is his delight also Matthew 7 Jesus says ask and I'll be given to you see can you shall find knock and it shall be open to you the one that asks receives he who knocks finds and he who seeks or knock it'll be open what man is there among you if his son asks for bread will he give him a stone if he asks for a fish will he give him a serpent of course not if you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more so your heavenly father give what good things to those that ask him we understand that right I just had my seven grandchildren for three weeks I understand this grandma will you make your sugar cookies of course grandma will you make your grandma will you take me out for breakfast tomorrow yes yes yes yes what else do you want all you seven darlings yes I'll do whatever you know of course we do we want to give good gifts we want to shower our children our grandchildren with gifts but ladies God desires to give us gifts more than we desire to shower our children and grandchildren with gifts he wants to his ears his ears are listening to our prayers now there are times that God doesn't answer our prayers sometimes we have sin in our life hypocrisy, pride, fighting warring hypocrisy but it's a great thing to think our father in heaven hears our prayers listens to him and answers however there are some individuals prayers that he never hears as Peter closes with these words the Lord is against those who do evil in contrast to the righteous we have the evil and Peter says God's face means the front of his face is against those who do evil same word for evil anything degrading anything that is debase he's against them ladies these are sobering words the Lord is saying God's face his providence his blessing is turned away from those who do evil he hates them the Bible says God's angry with the wicked every day Proverbs 15 29 says the Lord is far from the wicked but he hears the prayers of the righteous and ladies this would be of great encouragement to the readers and it should be of great encouragement to you if you're treated unjustly if you are persecuted the Lord watching all of this happening to you just like he was these readers his ears are open to your prayers but he's against those that are doing evil to you just like he was against those in Peter's day that were doing evil to those persecuted Christians who are now probably in hell suffering for all eternity those evil men and women in fact it's interesting Peter left off we don't have time to turn there but Psalm 34 16 I told you these three verses were taken from Psalm 34 Peter leaves off one phrase which is this to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth he leaves that out here in Peter I don't know why but maybe maybe Peter was hoping these evil men who were persecuting these believers would repent he didn't want the Lord to cut him off and he wanted to encourage the readers that he took no delight in the fate of wicked men so as we close our first lesson tonight tested and true I want to ask you some questions would you say that you love life and you see your days as good or do you get out of bed in the morning and say I just can't face another day here on planet earth if you have never had a love for life never never had a love for life there may be a more serious issue and that is your heart maybe your nature has not been changed because one who knows God will love the life he's graciously given them here even when your days are filled with trials you know before God saved me at the age of 30 I hated life I hated it I cried all the time my husband said why are you crying all the time you know I walked here you know and he asked me to marry him and he came to my house in Tulsa Oklahoma and I showed him my bedroom goes why are these pictures all over your wall of little girls crying everywhere well I was always sad I hated life didn't like life but you know when God saved me life became an adventure even hard days so if you never loved life there may be a greater issue and that is that you've never repented of your sins you've never given your life over to Jesus Christ you don't even understand what we're talking about loving life but maybe you are a genuine believer here tonight and you say well I used to love life but you know lately it kind of stinks I don't like it so much well then I ask you is something out of kilter honestly ask yourself these questions and ladies I've already had to ask myself these questions as I've gone through these notes am I right now involved in this gossip or slander is there someone that I need to go to and ask forgiveness from for this terrible sin have you been practicing deceit do you color your stories just a little bit to make yourself look good make yourself look better than others that's deceitful are you practicing hypocrisy of any kind ladies saying one thing and doing another thing is hypocrisy do you avoid evil are you taking the necessary measures to get out of its way are you reading news articles that have hints of sexual immorality you know there's some news articles I just read the heading and I think that's not for me I cannot read that I cannot go to that movie I cannot watch that thing a lot of social networking a lot of there's a lot of things that are degrading those are not for God's children do you have friends who are influencing you to do evil things get away from them do you love good do you look for ways to show kindness to others do you go out of your way to minister to those in need or do you only minister are you having it for your schedule do you seek peace is there anyone in your life right now that you are not on speaking terms with if so have you made every possible effort to be at peace with them if God the Holy Spirit is speaking to you I beg you to do whatever you need to do to get these things right in your life it would be awful to have the Lord's face against you to sense his hand of pleasure removed from you and to no longer have your prayers answered for those of you who do love life what a joy it is to know that when we cry out to the Lord in time of trouble he hears us he delivers us right and my prayer for all of us in closing is that each of us would love the life that God has given us that we would see our days as good that we would richly enjoy all that he has given us let's pray together oh father I thank you that your eyes are over the righteous Lord that you look at us your children your daughters with a jealous glance you are jealous for our attention our affection or do you desire our fellowship that is just mind boggling because we are such sinners Father I would pray for us that if we are involved in any of these sins that Peter has mentioned that keep us from loving life and seeing our days as good Lord if we're involved in gossip slander evil speech not pursuing peace not pursuing good Lord I pray that we would repent of those things if we need to go to a sister here this evening I pray that we would do that Lord we don't want to pretend to be holy when we are living unholy we want to be women that are true inside and out and we know that you see anyway what's in our hearts and so Father help us to not be hypocrites help us to be genuine Lord we believe the time is short I know one day is a thousand years and a thousand years is one day to you but we believe the time is short and we want to make ready ourselves for that day purify ourselves even as you are pure so that when we we call us home we will be ready and so Father give us grace in these days of trial as we're tested and may we be found faithful Lord I pray for these ladies that you would give them grace this evening as they go back to their perspective places that they would sleep well we have a busy day tomorrow Lord so much in your word and I pray that you would give speaking grace and listening grace help our fellowship to be purposeful and sweet and encouraging and Lord if there are any girls here this evening any ladies here that do not understand what it means to bow the knee to Christ I pray oh God that they would turn away from their evil and turn to the Lordship of Christ Lord that they would not just believe that you died for them rose again buried and are now ascended at the right hand of the Father but Lord that they would truly not believe that just in their mind but Father they would take that into the depths of their heart and they would turn and walk a different way may they make you master over their life I pray this in Christ's name for his glory Amen