WEBVTT - Do not repay evil for evil

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your

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<v Speaker 1>walk with Christ, please visit us at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com. You're listening

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<v Speaker 1>to Daily Devotions with Pastor John. I'm John Stonge, and

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<v Speaker 1>today's devotion is inspired by 1 Peter 3, verse 9,

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<v Speaker 1>which says, Do not repay evil for evil or reviling

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<v Speaker 1>for reviling, but on the contrary, bless and For to

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<v Speaker 1>this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

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<v Speaker 1>Consider for just a moment how Jesus has chosen to

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<v Speaker 1>bless us. Scripture tells us that we were not looking

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<v Speaker 1>for him, so he came looking for us. We were

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<v Speaker 1>content to go our own way and wallow in our sin,

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<v Speaker 1>but he showed us a new way. We lived in

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<v Speaker 1>opposition toward him, yet he showed us kindness. We deserved judgment.

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<v Speaker 1>because of our sin, yet he who had no sin

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<v Speaker 1>took our condemnation upon himself at the cross. Now he's

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<v Speaker 1>present with us and within us. Now he's strengthening us

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<v Speaker 1>and leading us. Now he's preparing future blessings for us,

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<v Speaker 1>and we don't deserve any of it. People have offended

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<v Speaker 1>and do offend us, yet if we set our hearts

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<v Speaker 1>toward getting back at them, all we're really doing is

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<v Speaker 1>forgetting the ways in which Jesus has chosen to bless us.

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<v Speaker 1>It isn't our job to retaliate against those who intentionally

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<v Speaker 1>hurt us. Rather, it's our privilege to bless others just

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<v Speaker 1>as we have been blessed. Interestingly, this scripture tells us

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<v Speaker 1>that when we bless others, even after they've hurt us,

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<v Speaker 1>we are fulfilling Christ's calling on our lives— and we

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<v Speaker 1>will experience a God-ordained blessing. In other words, He will

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<v Speaker 1>intentionally bless us as we model the truth of His

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<v Speaker 1>gospel by blessing others. Maybe part of that blessing will

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<v Speaker 1>include giving us a sense of peace in knowing that

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<v Speaker 1>we've done what was right. Our consciences won't disturb us.

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<v Speaker 1>Our hearts won't be consumed with rage. When we choose

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<v Speaker 1>not to repay evil for evil, we're giving this world

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<v Speaker 1>a powerful glimpse of the very thing Jesus chose to

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<v Speaker 1>do for us. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for

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<v Speaker 1>your word. And we thank you for the privilege that

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<v Speaker 1>it is to be able to read this portion of

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<v Speaker 1>Scripture together today from the book of 1 Peter. And Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>we know that throughout the course of our lives, we

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<v Speaker 1>face all sorts of challenges. And some of the biggest

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<v Speaker 1>challenges that we deal with come from other people. People

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<v Speaker 1>at times can be such a wonderful blessing, but they

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<v Speaker 1>can also be rather difficult at times to interact with,

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<v Speaker 1>or to put up with, or to forgive. And at times,

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<v Speaker 1>some people act toward us in such a wicked way

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<v Speaker 1>that we want to retaliate against them. But then we

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<v Speaker 1>come across a portion of Scripture like this that tells

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<v Speaker 1>us not to repay evil for evil. In fact, you

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<v Speaker 1>tell us that on the contrary, we should bless others.

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<v Speaker 1>and that this is your calling on our lives. And

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<v Speaker 1>that as we bless others for your glory, that you

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<v Speaker 1>will bless us. And Lord, it's interesting as we look

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<v Speaker 1>at this portion of Scripture, we're reminded of the fact

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<v Speaker 1>that we reviled against you, and we did evil against

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<v Speaker 1>you and against other people, and yet your Son, Jesus Christ,

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<v Speaker 1>took the penalty for our sin upon himself so that

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<v Speaker 1>we could become objects of your mercy. So, Lord, since

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<v Speaker 1>you've blessed us, even though we didn't deserve it, we

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<v Speaker 1>pray that we would take that same approach as we

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<v Speaker 1>interact with other people. We pray that we would bless

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<v Speaker 1>others and that we would glorify your name in the

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<v Speaker 1>process and that we wouldn't look to retaliate, even if

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<v Speaker 1>people have offended us deeply. Again, Lord, we thank you

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<v Speaker 1>for this teaching from your word, and we commit this

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<v Speaker 1>day to your care and pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.