WEBVTT 00:00:09.960 --> 00:00:16.559 Have you ever considered the reality that God, 00:00:16.800 --> 00:00:22.500 the maker and the creator of the world, the holy 00:00:22.500 --> 00:00:27.800 sustainer of all things, the one who spoke the 00:00:27.800 --> 00:00:31.600 world into existence, the one who sustains the 00:00:31.600 --> 00:00:35.320 world as it is, the one who's redeemed his people, 00:00:36.100 --> 00:00:43.630 that this God, has given promises to His people. 00:00:44.689 --> 00:00:50.350 That He has made promises to undeserving sinners, 00:00:50.549 --> 00:00:54.890 brothers and sisters. That He's given us these 00:00:54.890 --> 00:00:59.549 grand and these glorious realities that are guarantees 00:00:59.549 --> 00:01:04.409 that will take place, that will come about because 00:01:04.409 --> 00:01:10.379 His sovereign being will bring them about. God 00:01:10.379 --> 00:01:13.819 has given you and I as believers in Jesus Christ 00:01:13.819 --> 00:01:22.719 promises. How ought we as believers to relate 00:01:22.719 --> 00:01:30.079 to those promises? How ought our hearts to relate 00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:35.819 to those promises? How ought we to think about 00:01:35.819 --> 00:01:40.150 those Blessed, those glorious promises that God 00:01:40.150 --> 00:01:44.250 has given to us. How ought those promises to 00:01:44.250 --> 00:01:47.310 affect our lives and our souls, our love for 00:01:47.310 --> 00:01:52.129 Christ, our faith, our worship, all that we are 00:01:52.129 --> 00:01:57.290 and all that we have. Peter helps us with these 00:01:57.290 --> 00:02:02.370 questions today. He says in verse 4, For by these 00:02:02.370 --> 00:02:07.359 he has granted to us his precious. and magnificent 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:12.340 promises. Notice how Peter characterizes the 00:02:12.340 --> 00:02:17.840 promises of God as precious and magnificent, 00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:23.340 so that by them you may become partakers of the 00:02:23.340 --> 00:02:26.740 divine nature, having escaped the corruption 00:02:26.740 --> 00:02:31.979 that is in the world by lust. I want to consider 00:02:31.979 --> 00:02:36.300 three things with you today. The promises that 00:02:36.300 --> 00:02:41.159 are precious and magnificent in this text. And 00:02:41.159 --> 00:02:45.060 secondly, the reasons for their preciousness 00:02:45.060 --> 00:02:49.120 and the reason they are magnificent. And lastly, 00:02:49.300 --> 00:02:54.039 I would like to consider the precious and magnificent 00:02:54.039 --> 00:02:59.539 character of these promises. The reality that 00:02:59.539 --> 00:03:03.849 Peter gives us his estimation. His understanding 00:03:03.849 --> 00:03:07.830 of these glorious, these grand promises that 00:03:07.830 --> 00:03:11.949 God has made. And he says that they are precious 00:03:11.949 --> 00:03:16.770 and magnificent. So first, the promises that 00:03:16.770 --> 00:03:19.169 are given, the promises that are precious and 00:03:19.169 --> 00:03:22.669 magnificent. How do we identify what promises 00:03:22.669 --> 00:03:29.280 Peter is discussing, he's talking about? Well, 00:03:29.319 --> 00:03:31.439 we have to consider the promises with relation 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:34.960 to what has come before in this text. Notice 00:03:34.960 --> 00:03:37.719 that he says in the first part of verse 4, For 00:03:37.719 --> 00:03:44.159 by these he has granted to us his promises, his 00:03:44.159 --> 00:03:48.780 precious and magnificent promises. Notice that 00:03:48.780 --> 00:03:53.319 he says, for by these, meaning what's come before. 00:03:54.039 --> 00:03:56.219 There's two different thoughts on what he's referring 00:03:56.219 --> 00:03:58.979 to in particular here. He's either referring 00:03:58.979 --> 00:04:02.620 to everything he's just talked about in verse 00:04:02.620 --> 00:04:07.020 3, the divine power, life and godliness, the 00:04:07.020 --> 00:04:10.219 true knowledge of God, or he's talking about 00:04:10.219 --> 00:04:16.019 God's own glory and excellence. I tend to think 00:04:16.019 --> 00:04:19.759 he's referring to everything that's come before. 00:04:20.600 --> 00:04:25.180 But we know this much. The promises that Peter 00:04:25.180 --> 00:04:29.420 is referring to here are gospel promises that 00:04:29.420 --> 00:04:34.339 are given to those who know Christ. Those who 00:04:34.339 --> 00:04:41.279 have a true knowledge of God in Christ. Those 00:04:41.279 --> 00:04:46.180 who God calls to himself. Those whom God brings 00:04:46.180 --> 00:04:50.720 to himself. They're gospel promises, brothers 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:55.490 and sisters. But particularly, we know from the 00:04:55.490 --> 00:05:00.209 context of verse 4, that these promises have 00:05:00.209 --> 00:05:05.850 to do with one's break from sin. This separation 00:05:05.850 --> 00:05:09.769 that takes place, this definitive break and split 00:05:09.769 --> 00:05:14.310 that the believer experiences with sin, these 00:05:14.310 --> 00:05:16.750 promises have to do with that. That's why Peter 00:05:16.750 --> 00:05:21.689 says in the last part of verse 4, escaped the 00:05:21.689 --> 00:05:24.509 corruption that is in the world by lust. The 00:05:24.509 --> 00:05:27.610 pollution, the corruption, the remnant of sin 00:05:27.610 --> 00:05:32.029 that remains in us are sinful natures. These 00:05:32.029 --> 00:05:35.529 promises have to do with the believer being freed 00:05:35.529 --> 00:05:44.670 from the bondage of sin in themselves. But these 00:05:44.670 --> 00:05:48.269 promises also have to do with the believer's 00:05:48.269 --> 00:05:53.930 conformity to the likeness and character of God. 00:05:54.230 --> 00:05:59.250 Now, this is not speaking about deification. 00:06:00.410 --> 00:06:04.970 This is not talking about the possibility of 00:06:04.970 --> 00:06:09.990 believers taking on the essence of God, taking 00:06:09.990 --> 00:06:14.529 on the deity of God. It's talking about the fact 00:06:14.529 --> 00:06:16.949 that believers in Jesus Christ who have been 00:06:16.949 --> 00:06:19.990 called by the gospel and by the Spirit of God, 00:06:20.110 --> 00:06:25.949 those believers are progressively and distinctively 00:06:25.949 --> 00:06:30.829 in regeneration made to be like God in His character 00:06:30.829 --> 00:06:39.910 and holiness and godliness and love in many other 00:06:39.910 --> 00:06:44.290 ways. These promises have to do with the believer's 00:06:44.290 --> 00:06:49.129 transformation and the new birth and their ongoing 00:06:49.129 --> 00:06:52.930 renewal and progressive transformation and becoming 00:06:52.930 --> 00:06:56.410 like God in His character and His holiness and 00:06:56.410 --> 00:07:00.329 His righteousness and His goodness and His faithfulness, 00:07:00.410 --> 00:07:04.269 brothers and sisters. But these promises also 00:07:04.269 --> 00:07:09.850 have to do with usefulness and fruitfulness. 00:07:10.649 --> 00:07:14.290 We read in verse 8. For if these qualities are 00:07:14.290 --> 00:07:18.170 yours and are increasing, they render you neither 00:07:18.170 --> 00:07:22.930 useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge 00:07:22.930 --> 00:07:26.970 of our Lord Jesus Christ. So the promises that 00:07:26.970 --> 00:07:30.310 Peter is speaking of have to do with believers 00:07:30.310 --> 00:07:36.250 being useful. Believers bearing fruit in their 00:07:36.250 --> 00:07:41.560 life. Not only that. These promises have to do 00:07:41.560 --> 00:07:47.339 with the saints' entrance into Christ's eternal 00:07:47.339 --> 00:07:52.459 kingdom. Verse 11 says, For in this way, the 00:07:52.459 --> 00:07:55.120 entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord 00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:59.819 and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied 00:07:59.819 --> 00:08:04.019 to you. Those in possession of these glorious 00:08:04.019 --> 00:08:09.920 promises, those who receive these promises, Those 00:08:09.920 --> 00:08:13.800 who have been given these promises will enter 00:08:13.800 --> 00:08:18.620 into the kingdom of God. That visible manifestation 00:08:18.620 --> 00:08:23.800 of the kingdom of God in one day. They will. 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:30.740 And it will be abundantly supplied to them. So 00:08:30.740 --> 00:08:36.879 this text seems to be speaking of the reality 00:08:36.879 --> 00:08:42.950 that... Christ's work is applied to individual 00:08:42.950 --> 00:08:49.649 believers. The application of redemption to the 00:08:49.649 --> 00:08:53.570 life of the saint, to the life of the believer. 00:08:53.990 --> 00:08:57.649 Now, there are several texts I'd like us to look 00:08:57.649 --> 00:09:01.769 at to help us understand what this is speaking 00:09:01.769 --> 00:09:05.649 of when it talks about the believer taking part 00:09:05.649 --> 00:09:10.799 in the divine nature. Of God. We read in Titus 00:09:10.799 --> 00:09:15.179 chapter 3. For we also once were foolish ourselves. 00:09:16.460 --> 00:09:19.919 Disobedient. Deceived. Enslaved to various lusts 00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:23.299 and pleasures. Spending our life in malice and 00:09:23.299 --> 00:09:29.059 envy. Hateful. Hating one another. But. When 00:09:29.059 --> 00:09:32.059 the kindness of God. Our Savior and his love 00:09:32.059 --> 00:09:35.960 for mankind appeared. He saved us not on the 00:09:35.960 --> 00:09:39.059 basis of. Deeds which we have done in righteousness. 00:09:39.940 --> 00:09:42.980 But according to his mercy by the washing of 00:09:42.980 --> 00:09:47.919 regeneration. And the renewing by the Holy Spirit. 00:09:48.279 --> 00:09:51.440 Whom he poured out upon us richly through Jesus 00:09:51.440 --> 00:09:55.159 Christ our Savior. So that being justified by 00:09:55.159 --> 00:09:59.500 his grace. We would be made heirs according to 00:09:59.500 --> 00:10:03.620 the hope of eternal life. Peter is referring 00:10:03.620 --> 00:10:07.919 to the grace of regeneration. The renewing work 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:10.659 of regeneration. And he's connecting it to our 00:10:10.659 --> 00:10:15.279 inheritance with eternity. Our inheritance with 00:10:15.279 --> 00:10:21.720 the kingdom of God. We read in Ephesians chapter 00:10:21.720 --> 00:10:27.279 4 in this vitally important text. We read starting 00:10:27.279 --> 00:10:32.340 in verse 20. But you did not learn Christ in 00:10:32.340 --> 00:10:36.919 this way. If indeed you have heard him, And I've 00:10:36.919 --> 00:10:40.360 been taught in him, just as truth is in Jesus, 00:10:40.440 --> 00:10:43.480 that in reference to your former manner of life, 00:10:43.580 --> 00:10:48.039 you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted 00:10:48.039 --> 00:10:51.580 in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that 00:10:51.580 --> 00:10:54.620 you, being renewed in the spirit of your mind, 00:10:54.740 --> 00:11:02.519 and put on the new self, which in the likeness 00:11:02.519 --> 00:11:07.009 of God, has been created in righteousness and 00:11:07.009 --> 00:11:11.690 holiness of truth. What's Peter referring to 00:11:11.690 --> 00:11:14.629 here, brothers and sisters? He's referring to 00:11:14.629 --> 00:11:21.100 the reality of regeneration. The reality that 00:11:21.100 --> 00:11:24.340 every single person who knows God has been made 00:11:24.340 --> 00:11:27.980 a new creature, a new principle of life has been 00:11:27.980 --> 00:11:31.840 planted within them. A new nature has been given 00:11:31.840 --> 00:11:34.539 to them, and this new nature is in the likeness 00:11:34.539 --> 00:11:36.740 of God and has been created in righteousness 00:11:36.740 --> 00:11:41.220 and holiness. He's saying this is who you are. 00:11:41.820 --> 00:11:45.659 This is what you are as believers. And then he 00:11:45.659 --> 00:11:49.139 even says in verse 25, Therefore, laying aside, 00:11:49.259 --> 00:11:51.879 falsehoods speak truth, each one of you with 00:11:51.879 --> 00:11:54.120 his neighbor, for we are members of one another. 00:11:54.220 --> 00:11:57.159 Why does he say that? He's saying this is who 00:11:57.159 --> 00:11:59.480 you are in Christ. This is who you are as a new 00:11:59.480 --> 00:12:02.659 creature in Christ. Now live in accordance with 00:12:02.659 --> 00:12:07.080 who you are. Live in accordance with that new 00:12:07.080 --> 00:12:12.059 nature that God has given you by regeneration. 00:12:13.379 --> 00:12:16.340 Therefore, be imitators of God as beloved children. 00:12:17.100 --> 00:12:20.960 And walk in love. Just as Christ also loved you. 00:12:21.080 --> 00:12:24.159 And gave himself up for us. In offering. And 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:30.240 a sacrifice to God. As fragrant aroma. Part of 00:12:30.240 --> 00:12:34.440 the way in which. We are children of God. Is 00:12:34.440 --> 00:12:38.919 the reality. That we've been made. Like God. 00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:44.259 In his character. In regeneration. We've been. 00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:48.320 Given a new nature that's created in righteousness 00:12:48.320 --> 00:12:53.679 and holiness. We've been made new creatures in 00:12:53.679 --> 00:12:59.820 Christ. We read in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 00:12:59.820 --> 00:13:03.500 17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is 00:13:03.500 --> 00:13:07.159 a new creature. The old things have passed away. 00:13:08.019 --> 00:13:11.019 Behold, new things have come. And then verse 00:13:11.019 --> 00:13:15.850 18. Now all these things are from God. Who reconciled 00:13:15.850 --> 00:13:19.009 us to himself through Christ and gave us the 00:13:19.009 --> 00:13:24.450 ministry of reconciliation. New creatures in 00:13:24.450 --> 00:13:27.830 Christ. And what are the new things? What are 00:13:27.830 --> 00:13:30.029 the things that are from God that he refers to 00:13:30.029 --> 00:13:35.009 in verse 18? Now all these things are from God. 00:13:35.610 --> 00:13:40.039 All the new things, brothers and sisters. All 00:13:40.039 --> 00:13:43.179 the new things that come as being a new creature 00:13:43.179 --> 00:13:49.779 in Christ are from God. So Peter, I believe, 00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:54.320 is referring to these glorious promises where 00:13:54.320 --> 00:13:59.200 the work of Christ is applied to God's elect 00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:03.159 sinners. Where they're born again. And a new 00:14:03.159 --> 00:14:06.120 principle of life is implanted within them and 00:14:06.120 --> 00:14:08.899 they are progressively and gradually renewed 00:14:08.899 --> 00:14:12.879 and transformed and changed until the day of 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:17.360 their death and they enter into glory. He's referring 00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:21.279 to the fact that we have been made like God in 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:26.980 regeneration. In regards to his character and 00:14:26.980 --> 00:14:31.970 the moral character of God, But also, brothers 00:14:31.970 --> 00:14:33.929 and sisters, that we've been made new so that 00:14:33.929 --> 00:14:40.309 we can live and act in a gospel state. So that 00:14:40.309 --> 00:14:45.409 we can live and act as gospel Christians. So 00:14:45.409 --> 00:14:49.549 that we have renewed affections. A new heart. 00:14:49.889 --> 00:14:53.549 A new mind, brothers and sisters. New longings 00:14:53.549 --> 00:14:58.039 and new desires. So that we can live. in reality, 00:14:58.179 --> 00:15:00.700 in this life, in the midst of this sinful world, 00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:04.799 as new creatures in Christ. It's by holding fast 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:07.799 the word of life, Paul says in Philippians chapter 00:15:07.799 --> 00:15:10.879 2, that we stand out in the midst of this perverse 00:15:10.879 --> 00:15:14.399 generation. Who holds fast to the word of life? 00:15:14.659 --> 00:15:18.399 Those who are regenerate. Those who are born 00:15:18.399 --> 00:15:23.419 again. Those who have been changed by God and 00:15:23.419 --> 00:15:29.799 made to be new. These are the promises that he 00:15:29.799 --> 00:15:32.820 speaks of. And it's also important, brothers 00:15:32.820 --> 00:15:35.059 and sisters, to realize that these promises, 00:15:35.100 --> 00:15:39.960 they're not fully and finally realized just yet. 00:15:40.519 --> 00:15:45.080 The day is coming when they will be fully and 00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:53.179 finally realized when Christ returns. Now, we 00:15:53.179 --> 00:15:57.440 can already see a little bit of why these things 00:15:57.440 --> 00:16:01.639 are so precious. We can already understand to 00:16:01.639 --> 00:16:04.980 a small degree why these things are magnificent. 00:16:06.299 --> 00:16:10.879 But I want us to consider also the reasons these 00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:16.200 promises are so precious and magnificent to Peter. 00:16:17.440 --> 00:16:19.720 Brothers and sisters, they're precious because 00:16:19.720 --> 00:16:27.690 they are given by God. He says, In verse 4. For 00:16:27.690 --> 00:16:34.610 by these, he has granted to us his precious and 00:16:34.610 --> 00:16:39.870 magnificent promises. Now, you might say, well, 00:16:39.970 --> 00:16:46.649 why does that make these promises special? Why 00:16:46.649 --> 00:16:50.169 does that make these promises precious and dear 00:16:50.169 --> 00:16:54.779 to the saint? Well, brothers and sisters, That 00:16:54.779 --> 00:16:59.059 means that all of divine sovereignty, all of 00:16:59.059 --> 00:17:04.839 divine power, supports these promises. That means 00:17:04.839 --> 00:17:06.980 that all of the divine character of God, the 00:17:06.980 --> 00:17:10.119 divine being of God, supports these promises 00:17:10.119 --> 00:17:13.619 that He has given to His people. That means that 00:17:13.619 --> 00:17:17.900 He has the ability and the power and the means 00:17:17.900 --> 00:17:22.920 to accomplish them and bring them about. To see 00:17:22.920 --> 00:17:27.529 to it, that they come to fruition in the life 00:17:27.529 --> 00:17:30.589 of God's saints. But it also means, brothers 00:17:30.589 --> 00:17:33.390 and sisters, that God is not going to contradict 00:17:33.390 --> 00:17:38.170 Himself. He's not going to give the promises 00:17:38.170 --> 00:17:41.349 and take the promises back. He's not going to 00:17:41.349 --> 00:17:44.970 give the promises and go back on His Word and 00:17:44.970 --> 00:17:48.049 go back on what He's declared to take place and 00:17:48.049 --> 00:17:54.349 to bring about for the life of His people. Brothers 00:17:54.349 --> 00:17:56.589 and sisters, knowing that these are divine promises 00:17:56.589 --> 00:18:02.890 given by God, let me ask you, can they be stopped? 00:18:05.049 --> 00:18:08.029 What God has promised to you as believers in 00:18:08.029 --> 00:18:11.809 Jesus Christ, can those things be thwarted in 00:18:11.809 --> 00:18:18.089 your life? Can they be undone in your life, believer? 00:18:19.130 --> 00:18:23.450 Can they be undone in your soul? Is there any 00:18:23.450 --> 00:18:27.769 power or force on earth that can stop the sovereign 00:18:27.769 --> 00:18:31.730 hand of God? Brothers and sisters, we ought to 00:18:31.730 --> 00:18:36.630 find these promises very, very dear. Very, very 00:18:36.630 --> 00:18:44.490 precious because God has given them to us. But 00:18:44.490 --> 00:18:49.349 we also find that this is because they are gracious 00:18:49.349 --> 00:18:54.089 promises. The text says, For by these He has 00:18:54.089 --> 00:19:01.170 granted to us His precious and magnificent promises. 00:19:02.670 --> 00:19:07.589 These are promises that are freely bestowed, 00:19:07.809 --> 00:19:17.410 freely given by a sovereign and a holy God. These 00:19:17.410 --> 00:19:22.960 are not promises that are won or lost. These 00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:27.059 are not promises which can be forfeited or given 00:19:27.059 --> 00:19:30.779 up or sacrificed by those they've been given 00:19:30.779 --> 00:19:34.779 to. These are promises that are established and 00:19:34.779 --> 00:19:39.059 built on the very character and being of God. 00:19:39.460 --> 00:19:45.039 They are gracious promises. That also means, 00:19:45.319 --> 00:19:50.000 brothers and sisters, that the fulfillment and 00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:53.220 the completion And the success and the power 00:19:53.220 --> 00:19:59.839 of these promises is not contingent upon your 00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:07.119 merit, your worth, or your work. What are they 00:20:07.119 --> 00:20:10.380 based on? What are they contingent? What is the 00:20:10.380 --> 00:20:12.559 fulfillment and the provision of these promises? 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:15.339 What do they depend on, brothers and sisters? 00:20:16.660 --> 00:20:22.349 The grace of God. Why will God be faithful in 00:20:22.349 --> 00:20:25.210 your life to bring about every single thing that 00:20:25.210 --> 00:20:27.890 He has promised to you as a believer? Is it because 00:20:27.890 --> 00:20:31.329 of you? Is it because of me and my fickle heart? 00:20:31.529 --> 00:20:33.970 Is it because of you and your difficulties and 00:20:33.970 --> 00:20:36.490 your struggles? No, if you're a believer and 00:20:36.490 --> 00:20:39.490 God has given you these promises, then He will 00:20:39.490 --> 00:20:42.430 bring them about by His grace and by His mercy 00:20:42.430 --> 00:20:45.170 and because of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:20:46.309 --> 00:20:49.259 That's why they'll come about. Because of Christ's 00:20:49.259 --> 00:20:52.839 merit and Christ's work and Christ's worth, brothers 00:20:52.839 --> 00:20:57.579 and sisters. Because of His faithfulness. They 00:20:57.579 --> 00:20:59.720 will come about and they will succeed and they 00:20:59.720 --> 00:21:04.859 will be enjoyed in our lives because of the grace 00:21:04.859 --> 00:21:12.000 of God. These promises are precious because they 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:15.660 are secured and guaranteed by our great God and 00:21:15.660 --> 00:21:20.119 Savior, Jesus Christ. Christ, as Peter refers 00:21:20.119 --> 00:21:23.440 to him. I think it's important that we make note 00:21:23.440 --> 00:21:29.460 of this. These promises will not be revoked. 00:21:29.539 --> 00:21:33.460 The work of God will not be taken away from you, 00:21:33.500 --> 00:21:36.740 brothers and sisters. Do you know why? Because 00:21:36.740 --> 00:21:43.019 Christ has died. Because Christ has died for 00:21:43.019 --> 00:21:48.009 sinners. Because Christ has shed his blood on 00:21:48.009 --> 00:21:51.789 behalf of God's people. Because Christ went to 00:21:51.789 --> 00:21:54.890 the cross and died for the sins of the world 00:21:54.890 --> 00:22:00.410 that men might receive these blessed promises. 00:22:01.230 --> 00:22:04.930 That they might enjoy these blessed promises. 00:22:05.170 --> 00:22:07.789 The promises of God will not be taken away or 00:22:07.789 --> 00:22:10.970 revoked any more than the crucifixion, the resurrection, 00:22:11.170 --> 00:22:13.670 and the life of Christ will be taken away, brothers 00:22:13.670 --> 00:22:16.809 and sisters. You see, here's where we find this 00:22:16.809 --> 00:22:21.410 blessed connection between Christ and his people. 00:22:22.009 --> 00:22:27.569 If he died for you, if he gave his life for you, 00:22:27.630 --> 00:22:31.609 if he shed his blood for you, listen, then you 00:22:31.609 --> 00:22:34.089 will enjoy the promises that he has for you. 00:22:34.630 --> 00:22:37.809 Then you will enjoy the blessings and the privileges, 00:22:37.829 --> 00:22:43.390 everything that he has for those he died for. 00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:50.700 We see this blessed, this sweet connection. Are 00:22:50.700 --> 00:22:54.859 these promises showing themselves to be precious 00:22:54.859 --> 00:23:00.420 to you yet in your hearts and your minds? Is 00:23:00.420 --> 00:23:03.980 there a longing and a desire within you to know 00:23:03.980 --> 00:23:08.859 them more, to know them better? There's several 00:23:08.859 --> 00:23:12.859 reasons that they're sweet. They're precious. 00:23:13.799 --> 00:23:19.019 They're magnificent. Peter, I believe, holds 00:23:19.019 --> 00:23:23.460 them to be magnificent or exceedingly great also 00:23:23.460 --> 00:23:27.539 because of the sheer magnitude of these promises. 00:23:28.099 --> 00:23:32.960 Think about the reality that every single saint 00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:39.099 that has ever lived, that every single elect 00:23:39.099 --> 00:23:45.039 sinner that's ever come to know Christ, is a 00:23:45.039 --> 00:23:50.940 new creature by the divine power of God. It's 00:23:50.940 --> 00:23:53.880 a work that He's undertaken for the ages, through 00:23:53.880 --> 00:23:57.019 the ages, and He will continue to bring about 00:23:57.019 --> 00:24:00.019 and continue to accomplish for the whole church, 00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:05.400 for all time, for every age. God will raise the 00:24:05.400 --> 00:24:08.619 army, as Ezekiel chapter 36 talks about, how? 00:24:08.720 --> 00:24:11.180 By breathing new life into those dead bones. 00:24:12.910 --> 00:24:16.690 God will accomplish this work. It's giving life 00:24:16.690 --> 00:24:20.650 to sinners who have no life in and of themselves, 00:24:20.750 --> 00:24:27.630 but these promises go far beyond that. The promises 00:24:27.630 --> 00:24:30.970 of the Lord Jesus Christ, the work of salvation, 00:24:31.230 --> 00:24:37.369 is much bigger than just my personal reconciliation. 00:24:38.049 --> 00:24:40.569 It's no smaller than that, brothers and sisters. 00:24:41.549 --> 00:24:44.450 But it's much larger than that. It's much more 00:24:44.450 --> 00:24:49.789 vast than that. The work of the Gospel, Christ's 00:24:49.789 --> 00:24:54.869 death and His resurrection, what He's done on 00:24:54.869 --> 00:24:57.490 behalf of sinners, do you know what else it reconciles? 00:24:58.549 --> 00:25:02.009 Do you know how far -reaching and vast the promises 00:25:02.009 --> 00:25:05.329 of God are? That it goes beyond your soul, beyond 00:25:05.329 --> 00:25:09.940 your heart? What does it reach? Everything in 00:25:09.940 --> 00:25:16.019 the cosmos. Everything in the world. The promises 00:25:16.019 --> 00:25:19.619 of God won't just reconcile your soul, but it 00:25:19.619 --> 00:25:23.279 will reconcile the entire world, brothers and 00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:25.900 sisters. Are those things not precious to us? 00:25:26.759 --> 00:25:30.539 Are they not magnificent and exceedingly great? 00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:38.089 The promises. Spoken of these grand realities. 00:25:39.609 --> 00:25:42.849 I believe that Peter holds them in such a way. 00:25:43.750 --> 00:25:49.009 Because they are not yet fully realized. We think 00:25:49.009 --> 00:25:50.970 of all the wonderful blessings that we enjoy 00:25:50.970 --> 00:25:55.150 as believers. As those who know Christ by faith. 00:25:55.529 --> 00:26:02.170 The work of the Spirit in our souls. Fellowship 00:26:02.170 --> 00:26:07.990 with like -minded believers. worshiping God, 00:26:08.430 --> 00:26:12.150 hearing the Word, reading the Word, fresh deposits 00:26:12.150 --> 00:26:15.410 of grace and power in our lives, spending time 00:26:15.410 --> 00:26:19.829 with Him in prayer and fellowship with God, having 00:26:19.829 --> 00:26:23.309 joy and contentment and peace and satisfaction, 00:26:23.569 --> 00:26:26.230 knowing that the righteousness of Christ is ours 00:26:26.230 --> 00:26:29.930 because of the work of the Lord Jesus. These 00:26:29.930 --> 00:26:32.910 many grand and great privileges that we have 00:26:32.910 --> 00:26:37.740 and what is to come. But many of them, brothers 00:26:37.740 --> 00:26:47.799 and sisters, are not full or final. That means 00:26:47.799 --> 00:26:51.940 that there is more to be known. There is more 00:26:51.940 --> 00:26:55.720 to be experienced as the people of God. This 00:26:55.720 --> 00:27:00.680 isn't it. There's more to come. And Peter knows 00:27:00.680 --> 00:27:03.839 this, and Peter recognizes this. This is why 00:27:03.839 --> 00:27:09.490 Peter focuses on... The promise of Christ's coming. 00:27:10.529 --> 00:27:15.069 In 2 Peter chapter 3. He says specifically in 00:27:15.069 --> 00:27:19.390 verses 10 through 15. But the day of the Lord 00:27:19.390 --> 00:27:23.069 will come like a thief. In which the heavens 00:27:23.069 --> 00:27:26.809 will pass away with a roar. And the elements 00:27:26.809 --> 00:27:30.230 will be destroyed with intense heat. And the 00:27:30.230 --> 00:27:34.250 earth and its works will be burned up. Since 00:27:34.250 --> 00:27:36.450 all these things are to be destroyed in this 00:27:36.450 --> 00:27:40.890 way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy 00:27:40.890 --> 00:27:46.109 conduct and godliness? Looking for and hastening 00:27:46.109 --> 00:27:49.349 the coming of the day of God because of which 00:27:49.349 --> 00:27:52.049 the heavens will be destroyed by burning and 00:27:52.049 --> 00:27:55.750 the elements will melt with intense heat. Listen. 00:27:56.450 --> 00:28:00.849 But according to His promise, we are looking 00:28:00.849 --> 00:28:04.960 for new heavens. and a new earth in which righteousness 00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:10.200 dwells. Brothers and sisters, the promises of 00:28:10.200 --> 00:28:14.319 God aren't done yet. They are to be fully and 00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:17.319 finally realized in that one great day when Jesus 00:28:17.319 --> 00:28:20.299 Christ returns and He transforms everything. 00:28:21.240 --> 00:28:25.440 In that day, every single promise that He's ever 00:28:25.440 --> 00:28:28.799 given to His people, will be known and felt and 00:28:28.799 --> 00:28:31.279 experienced in a degree and a way that we can't 00:28:31.279 --> 00:28:33.619 even fathom right now because of the presence 00:28:33.619 --> 00:28:38.859 of sin in our lives. But it's coming. And Peter 00:28:38.859 --> 00:28:43.799 knows it. He's got an eye to the future. He's 00:28:43.799 --> 00:28:47.000 got an eye to that great day when Christ returns. 00:28:47.099 --> 00:28:50.180 And where's his eye being cast to? Beyond his 00:28:50.180 --> 00:28:55.240 death, following the return of Christ. That's 00:28:55.240 --> 00:28:58.130 where his hope is. following the return of Christ 00:28:58.130 --> 00:29:01.130 in the new heavens and the new earth wherein 00:29:01.130 --> 00:29:05.990 righteousness dwells. Brothers and sisters, these 00:29:05.990 --> 00:29:08.509 are sweet and precious promises, not just because 00:29:08.509 --> 00:29:10.910 of the nature of them, but because of the scope 00:29:10.910 --> 00:29:16.230 of them. Our salvation in Christ is bound up 00:29:16.230 --> 00:29:20.470 with the fate of the whole world. If you know 00:29:20.470 --> 00:29:24.619 Jesus Christ, Your salvation is bound up with 00:29:24.619 --> 00:29:29.779 the faith of the whole world and eternity. Those 00:29:29.779 --> 00:29:32.980 are the promises that Peter is speaking of. And 00:29:32.980 --> 00:29:39.480 these are why they're precious and they're magnificent. 00:29:40.500 --> 00:29:44.259 There's many other reasons we could say. There's 00:29:44.259 --> 00:29:46.339 many other reasons we could say they're precious 00:29:46.339 --> 00:29:50.140 and they're lovely and they're sweet and they're 00:29:50.140 --> 00:29:56.049 excellent. But Peter has given us plenty in this 00:29:56.049 --> 00:30:00.789 text. Now this leads us to the last thing we 00:30:00.789 --> 00:30:04.390 have to consider. The precious and magnificent 00:30:04.390 --> 00:30:14.470 character of these promises. When we consider 00:30:14.470 --> 00:30:20.609 this text, we have to ask the question, why does 00:30:20.609 --> 00:30:27.839 Peter... Refer to them in this way. We've seen 00:30:27.839 --> 00:30:32.480 these reasons. And what is it showing us about 00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:36.859 Peter and his heart? Peter and his relationship 00:30:36.859 --> 00:30:41.480 to these promises. These grand and these glorious 00:30:41.480 --> 00:30:45.259 realities that God has given to believers. To 00:30:45.259 --> 00:30:48.579 salvation. What does it demonstrate and show 00:30:48.579 --> 00:30:51.619 us? about his heart, about his mind, about his 00:30:51.619 --> 00:30:55.119 understanding, about his relation to these things. 00:30:57.180 --> 00:30:59.900 It shows us how he feels about them, doesn't 00:30:59.900 --> 00:31:04.259 it? It shows us that he understands them with 00:31:04.259 --> 00:31:06.740 his head, yes, but brothers and sisters, we also 00:31:06.740 --> 00:31:09.519 see that his heart is bound to these glorious 00:31:09.519 --> 00:31:15.359 realities. They're precious. They're dear. Peter 00:31:15.359 --> 00:31:19.700 says that they have great worth. Great value, 00:31:19.880 --> 00:31:24.099 dignity, virtue, and excellency. But he also 00:31:24.099 --> 00:31:26.680 says that they are exceedingly great. They are 00:31:26.680 --> 00:31:30.900 magnificent. He understands them with his mind. 00:31:32.299 --> 00:31:35.720 But Peter loves them with his heart, brothers 00:31:35.720 --> 00:31:42.079 and sisters. He holds them high. We can see his 00:31:42.079 --> 00:31:45.859 perspective in this and why he has characterized 00:31:45.859 --> 00:31:51.599 them in such a way. His heart's affection is 00:31:51.599 --> 00:31:57.200 set on these glorious realities. His greatest 00:31:57.200 --> 00:31:59.539 longings, his greatest desires, his greatest 00:31:59.539 --> 00:32:03.019 wants. The place where he finds the greatest 00:32:03.019 --> 00:32:07.180 pleasure and the most fulfillment, the most satisfaction 00:32:07.180 --> 00:32:12.140 is where? In these grand realities that God has 00:32:12.140 --> 00:32:15.880 given to his people. In these grand realities 00:32:15.880 --> 00:32:25.390 that God... has promised to his people. He has 00:32:25.390 --> 00:32:28.369 to understand them with his head, doesn't he? 00:32:30.470 --> 00:32:32.750 He's got to wrap his mind around these things. 00:32:32.970 --> 00:32:36.529 He has to understand the work of the Spirit. 00:32:37.809 --> 00:32:42.130 He has to understand the death of Christ. Brothers 00:32:42.130 --> 00:32:44.609 and sisters, he has to comprehend who Christ 00:32:44.609 --> 00:32:47.329 is, our great God and Savior. He has to know 00:32:47.329 --> 00:32:52.829 who he is, doesn't he? But Peter is not simply 00:32:52.829 --> 00:32:56.109 satisfied, and he's not simply showing us an 00:32:56.109 --> 00:33:00.569 unfelt relation to these promises, is he? He's 00:33:00.569 --> 00:33:03.029 showing us that they are precious to his heart. 00:33:03.730 --> 00:33:06.210 He's showing us that he loves them with the very 00:33:06.210 --> 00:33:09.440 depths of his being. He's showing us that He 00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:12.019 cares about these things in a great deal, in 00:33:12.019 --> 00:33:17.220 a great way. He's showing us the priority of 00:33:17.220 --> 00:33:19.460 His affections in many ways, isn't He, brothers 00:33:19.460 --> 00:33:24.640 and sisters? He's showing us that His affections 00:33:24.640 --> 00:33:29.019 are rightly ordered because His affections are 00:33:29.019 --> 00:33:34.440 set on the promises of God in Christ. The work 00:33:34.440 --> 00:33:41.359 of God in Christ. has done, what he is doing, 00:33:41.460 --> 00:33:47.680 and what he will do one day. That is what Peter's 00:33:47.680 --> 00:33:54.240 affections are set upon. So we have to remember, 00:33:54.420 --> 00:34:01.000 brothers and sisters, that promises are given 00:34:01.000 --> 00:34:09.639 that they might be what? Believed. God gives 00:34:09.639 --> 00:34:11.719 us promises and He will bring those promises 00:34:11.719 --> 00:34:15.500 about. He's given us the glorious realities of 00:34:15.500 --> 00:34:17.940 salvation. He's accomplished it. He's going to 00:34:17.940 --> 00:34:20.300 accomplish it. And He's going to bring everything 00:34:20.300 --> 00:34:24.239 about that He said that He will. But brothers 00:34:24.239 --> 00:34:29.059 and sisters, listen. We need to believe these 00:34:29.059 --> 00:34:33.380 realities. We need to look to these realities. 00:34:34.480 --> 00:34:37.800 And we need to believe these specific promises 00:34:37.800 --> 00:34:41.559 that he's given to us. What does that mean? That 00:34:41.559 --> 00:34:44.099 means that we need to believe what the Bible 00:34:44.099 --> 00:34:46.719 says about who we are as believers in Christ. 00:34:47.920 --> 00:34:50.340 That means that you as a believer in Christ need 00:34:50.340 --> 00:34:53.599 to believe what the Bible says about your relationship 00:34:53.599 --> 00:34:57.159 to sin, that it has no power, no dominion over 00:34:57.159 --> 00:35:01.239 you, that you're a new creature in Christ. That 00:35:01.239 --> 00:35:04.599 you are a new person that's been made new after 00:35:04.599 --> 00:35:07.099 the image and likeness of God in holiness and 00:35:07.099 --> 00:35:10.500 righteousness and the truth. Do you believe that 00:35:10.500 --> 00:35:16.039 about yourself? Believer, I'm asking you, do 00:35:16.039 --> 00:35:19.900 you believe that God has made you a new creature 00:35:19.900 --> 00:35:22.460 in Christ? That you have experienced the divine 00:35:22.460 --> 00:35:26.260 sovereign work of God in changing your very being? 00:35:28.170 --> 00:35:31.269 That you are no longer the old man in Adam, but 00:35:31.269 --> 00:35:33.789 you are a new man in Christ, and that sin has 00:35:33.789 --> 00:35:38.369 no power or authority or dominion over you. Do 00:35:38.369 --> 00:35:42.309 you believe that about you? Because that is true 00:35:42.309 --> 00:35:48.150 of every single believer in Christ. Do you believe 00:35:48.150 --> 00:35:52.489 that there's been a decisive break with sin in 00:35:52.489 --> 00:35:58.139 your person? It's true. Do you believe... brothers 00:35:58.139 --> 00:36:04.440 and sisters, what God has promised to do in the 00:36:04.440 --> 00:36:10.340 future. Do you believe what Christ will do when 00:36:10.340 --> 00:36:15.539 he returns? Do you look to that reality? Are 00:36:15.539 --> 00:36:22.219 your affections set otherworldly? Are the affections 00:36:22.219 --> 00:36:26.820 of your heart resting in this world? Or are the 00:36:26.820 --> 00:36:29.519 affections of your heart resting on the very 00:36:29.519 --> 00:36:32.519 promises of God and what He has done in Christ, 00:36:32.699 --> 00:36:35.860 what He is doing, and what He will do when He 00:36:35.860 --> 00:36:40.079 returns? Peter wants us to understand that they 00:36:40.079 --> 00:36:45.460 ought to be set on those. As we look to these 00:36:45.460 --> 00:36:53.940 realities by faith, we must never, ever be satisfied 00:36:53.940 --> 00:37:00.150 and content with unfelt recognition and comprehension 00:37:00.150 --> 00:37:04.110 of these glorious realities that God has brought 00:37:04.110 --> 00:37:10.030 about. Brothers and sisters, if we can look at 00:37:10.030 --> 00:37:13.670 the work of Christ, if we can think about what 00:37:13.670 --> 00:37:17.849 Christ will do when He returns and feel nothing 00:37:17.849 --> 00:37:23.449 in our hearts, then the problem is our heart. 00:37:25.289 --> 00:37:31.570 The problems are sin. Brothers and sisters, we 00:37:31.570 --> 00:37:35.610 must never settle for just understanding them 00:37:35.610 --> 00:37:39.610 with our minds. We must never be okay with just 00:37:39.610 --> 00:37:43.690 grasping the principles. We must pursue and seek 00:37:43.690 --> 00:37:48.849 out a love in our hearts for these realities. 00:37:49.110 --> 00:37:54.289 Are you seeking out a love, a desire, and a longing, 00:37:55.159 --> 00:38:00.039 Heartfelt appreciation of these glorious realities 00:38:00.039 --> 00:38:02.679 that Christ has accomplished. That he is accomplishing. 00:38:03.179 --> 00:38:07.179 Or are you okay with just seeing them the way 00:38:07.179 --> 00:38:10.980 that you see them? Or are you okay with just 00:38:10.980 --> 00:38:15.940 understanding them conceptually? We must never 00:38:15.940 --> 00:38:21.840 be content with just knowing these things. We 00:38:21.840 --> 00:38:25.750 must seek. To see and understand with our hearts 00:38:25.750 --> 00:38:30.130 the excellency, the virtue. Brothers and sisters, 00:38:30.190 --> 00:38:35.730 the amazing reality of what they are. The truth 00:38:35.730 --> 00:38:41.610 of these promises. We must seek to have rightly 00:38:41.610 --> 00:38:45.489 ordered affections in our life, ought we? Shouldn't 00:38:45.489 --> 00:38:54.370 we? We must seek to have our affections. Resting 00:38:54.370 --> 00:39:02.889 and set upon these realities. That means that 00:39:02.889 --> 00:39:06.469 many of the problems that we face in our lives, 00:39:06.789 --> 00:39:10.510 many of the problems that we face in our day 00:39:10.510 --> 00:39:14.489 -to -day lives, many of the struggles, much of 00:39:14.489 --> 00:39:16.909 the turmoil, much of the tribulation that we 00:39:16.909 --> 00:39:20.550 bring on ourselves, why is it? Because our affections 00:39:20.550 --> 00:39:26.889 are all wacky. They're all out of order. They're 00:39:26.889 --> 00:39:30.309 set on things they ought not to be set on. They 00:39:30.309 --> 00:39:33.030 were never designed to be set upon. They need 00:39:33.030 --> 00:39:38.969 to be set on what? God, Christ, and His work. 00:39:39.849 --> 00:39:44.230 What He's promised He will do, and what He's 00:39:44.230 --> 00:39:49.190 going to do, and what He has done. Many folks 00:39:49.190 --> 00:39:56.559 are miserable. In their lives. Because they love 00:39:56.559 --> 00:40:01.500 the wrong things too much. And they don't love 00:40:01.500 --> 00:40:06.420 the promises of God enough. They love the things 00:40:06.420 --> 00:40:09.139 of this world so much they hold them dear. They're 00:40:09.139 --> 00:40:11.719 precious. They're magnificent in their very souls. 00:40:11.980 --> 00:40:14.219 They sparkle and they glitter. But brothers and 00:40:14.219 --> 00:40:15.760 sisters, those things won't do anything for you. 00:40:17.260 --> 00:40:20.500 But the precious promises of God, if you will 00:40:20.500 --> 00:40:23.699 hold them high and place your heart upon them, 00:40:23.880 --> 00:40:27.179 you will find hope and you will find confidence 00:40:27.179 --> 00:40:30.900 and you will find fresh power and life for your 00:40:30.900 --> 00:40:34.119 soul to press on and persevere and be diligent 00:40:34.119 --> 00:40:39.280 in your life. We need to rightly order our affections 00:40:39.280 --> 00:40:42.099 and we have to do that. If we are to live in 00:40:42.099 --> 00:40:46.199 this world in any sort of content or joyful, 00:40:46.679 --> 00:40:50.780 or happy manner as believers. That's our responsibility. 00:40:50.840 --> 00:40:55.519 That's our duty. To take our affections and place 00:40:55.519 --> 00:41:00.219 them on God, Christ, and His work, what He has 00:41:00.219 --> 00:41:04.619 done, and what He's going to do. We know the 00:41:04.619 --> 00:41:08.920 problem. Our hearts love all kinds of things 00:41:08.920 --> 00:41:12.420 that they ought not to love. And our hearts love 00:41:12.420 --> 00:41:15.039 certain things that it's okay to love, but we 00:41:15.039 --> 00:41:19.900 love them too much. We get them all wonky, don't 00:41:19.900 --> 00:41:24.400 we? So it's our job to look at the Word of God, 00:41:24.599 --> 00:41:27.780 to look at the Lord Jesus Christ, to look at 00:41:27.780 --> 00:41:32.300 the law of God, and to see how our affections 00:41:32.300 --> 00:41:36.670 ought to be organized. To see how our... our 00:41:36.670 --> 00:41:39.690 hearts ought to be prioritized to where we ought 00:41:39.690 --> 00:41:42.250 to set our affections and what we ought not to 00:41:42.250 --> 00:41:45.630 and where they ought to be placed in our system 00:41:45.630 --> 00:41:50.949 of prioritization. What's out of whack in your 00:41:50.949 --> 00:41:55.050 life, brothers and sisters? What is your heart 00:41:55.050 --> 00:41:58.989 set on that's too much and what's it set on that 00:41:58.989 --> 00:42:04.150 it ought not to be set on, period? Take it off 00:42:04.150 --> 00:42:08.150 of those things. Remove it from that and put 00:42:08.150 --> 00:42:12.110 it on Christ. Put it outside of this world so 00:42:12.110 --> 00:42:16.030 that it's steady, so that it's steadfast, so 00:42:16.030 --> 00:42:19.429 that it's an anchor, so that you have hope for 00:42:19.429 --> 00:42:24.969 this life. We need to pursue rightly ordered 00:42:24.969 --> 00:42:28.030 affections that we find this great example of 00:42:28.030 --> 00:42:33.070 in the Apostle Peter. But brothers and sisters, 00:42:33.110 --> 00:42:37.179 we also need to be encouraged. to be comforted 00:42:37.179 --> 00:42:42.599 by these promises. These glorious promises ought 00:42:42.599 --> 00:42:44.840 to, and I think this is one of the reasons that 00:42:44.840 --> 00:42:47.679 they're so precious to Peter. He knows that he's 00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:51.760 nearing the end of his life. We read in 2 Peter, 00:42:51.880 --> 00:43:03.800 2 Peter 1, verse 13, I consider it right, as 00:43:03.800 --> 00:43:07.690 long as I am in this earthly... to stir you up 00:43:07.690 --> 00:43:11.329 by way of reminder, knowing that the laying aside 00:43:11.329 --> 00:43:14.969 of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our 00:43:14.969 --> 00:43:19.030 Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I 00:43:19.030 --> 00:43:23.030 will be diligent that at any time after my departure 00:43:23.030 --> 00:43:25.449 you will be able to call these things to mind. 00:43:26.170 --> 00:43:28.489 Peter knows, brothers and sisters, that his life 00:43:28.489 --> 00:43:33.250 is about over. He knows that he's about to die. 00:43:35.460 --> 00:43:39.460 He's going to meet his maker one day. Paul's 00:43:39.460 --> 00:43:42.420 the same way in Philippians. He says that I might 00:43:42.420 --> 00:43:46.179 obtain the resurrection in some way. He doesn't 00:43:46.179 --> 00:43:48.019 know how he's going to die. For to me to live 00:43:48.019 --> 00:43:50.179 is Christ and to die is gain. And he's split. 00:43:50.300 --> 00:43:53.900 He's torn. But brothers and sisters, where do 00:43:53.900 --> 00:43:58.440 they find comfort in the face of death? Where 00:43:58.440 --> 00:44:04.119 do they find comfort to face that last great 00:44:04.119 --> 00:44:08.059 enemy? Where do we find comfort to face the problems 00:44:08.059 --> 00:44:12.760 and difficulties of tomorrow? Sickness, disease, 00:44:13.039 --> 00:44:18.159 loss, pain, suffering. Where do you find comfort? 00:44:19.280 --> 00:44:22.199 In those grand realities that will come about 00:44:22.199 --> 00:44:26.619 because God himself has promised them. The promises 00:44:26.619 --> 00:44:33.019 of God. These things are true no matter the situation. 00:44:34.320 --> 00:44:37.500 no matter the condition of your heart. They're 00:44:37.500 --> 00:44:41.219 true, brothers and sisters. Find great comfort 00:44:41.219 --> 00:44:42.420 in them.