Tonight’s lesson comes from the book of 1 Peter in our New Testament. In this letter of instructions to a group of people Peter describes being a christian as like being a foreigner or stranger in your own home town. Whenever I feel like I am being shunned by people because I stick true to My Lord and Savior. This book of 1 Peter is a great place to go.

You see the people that Peter was writing to lived in a time and area where life was pretty dull day to day. Pretty much all the good times to be had were at the many festivals and parties celebrating pagan Gods, of which there were generally many. Sad thing was that anytime bad times came around someone simply created another god and more celebrations to go with that God. So when a person gave their life to The One True Living God and quit attending these festivals and quit worshiping these Man made Gods that person was not very popular. They became like a stranger in their own village.

We sometimes feel that way today. We will be persecuted because of our new found faith.Peter reminds us that Jesus was persecuted constantly although he never sinned. But then Jesus ultimate reward was in Heaven. We will also receive our reward in heaven.Peter tells us to always obey the human government appointed over us. Now we may not like that government, we must obey it. This doesn’t say that we cant work to change the government, it simply reminds us of the lessons that we earlier learned fro the Book of Philemon. There is a proper, profound way that we can change any government. We should not go out and cause disturbances and violate the law.

Another profound way that Peter changed the known world was in chapter 3 verse 7. Peter said your wife is your equal. Up until this time wives and women in general were considered property of men. Men could treat women pretty much anyway they wanted to.Can you imagine hearing this the first time. Oh! How this changed things. I can only imagine how people thought Christians crazy!

If you ever begin thinking that your life is hard, and you are hitting a brick wall every way you turn, simply think how Christians felt back in the time of this Book was written. People had such a hard life in villages and small towns and on farms and the only good times they had, the only things that they looked forward to. You start saying these things are bad because you now live according to the teachings of One God. You start telling them and their families to stop partying and instead start living a quiet pious life, you were not very popular.They could and many times did sue these new Christians and take all their belongings. They would insult you, have you arrested,get you jail time, kick you and your family out of the village, have you executed. But these Christians stayed the course and stayed true to Jesus Christ. You are not jailed,beaten, nor sued for being a christian.You are not executed thrown out of town and not being fired for being a christian.

We can worship openly today.I thank Jesus to be living and witnessing to the world in today’s time.

If you want to hear more of this lesson on our recorded version from last sunday night you can call 712 432 3903  when prompted simply enter conference number 431167#. We are live and you can call in and participate in a live church service with other believers by calling 712 432 3900 conference 431167# at 8pm eastern time in the U.S.A. each and every Sunday night.  May God Bless You All this and Every Day.