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Amen. Right where we're there in Matthew chapter number 26 and on Sunday nights we've been going through a series called the life of Peter and we've been just hitting all of the major stories regarding Peter and we're coming towards the end of this series and we've got several sermons still left in it as we build into really maybe the climax of Peter's early ministry and his denial and his renewal but tonight what I want to do is I want to focus in on right before Peter's denial and just some lessons that we can learn in regards to that I realize that we have to clean tonight and get things ready for the funeral tomorrow morning so I'm gonna do my best to not preach very long tonight but I want to just point out some lessons for you that I see in this chapter we'll deal with his denial another time and we'll deal with his renewal another time but I want to just point out a few things for you in regards to lessons from Peter right before his fall and the first one is this and if you're writing out notes and I would encourage you to write down these notes and the lessons we can learn from Peter in regards to this are these number one the first lesson is that pride goes before destruction and this is something that we all need to be aware of whenever we all have the tendency to get lifted up with pride and as soon as we allow pride into our life the Bible promises that destruction is to follow are you there in Matthew 26 look at verse 31 notice what Jesus said to his disciples then sayeth Jesus unto them notice what he says he says all ye now Jesus look at this point they believe that this is the Messiah they believe this is the Son of God they believe they've seen Jesus perform miracles they think very highly of Jesus and Jesus is saying to them all ye shall be offended because of me this night for it is written I will smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad and he's teaching them this principle from the Old Testament that when you attack the leader it hurts those who follow the leader and Jesus was the leader and he says look the Bible says that if you smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad and he says in verse 32 but after I am risen I will go before you into Galilee says look you're about to go into a very chaotic time into a very confusing time you're gonna see me die and you're going to be offended you're going to be scattered you're going to fall away he said but don't worry because when I am risen I will rise again I'm gonna reach back out to you and I will see you in Galilee notice verse 33 Peter answered and said unto him now what I what I find interesting about Peters response is not that Peter said I will never be offended it's not that Peter said I will never deny you now that's bad enough and we'll talk about that in a second but what's interesting is that Peter's pride shows when he preface is his commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ by saying this though all men shall feel be offended because of thee I keep in mind you've got the 12 disciples there they're all gathered together with Jesus they're talking right before the death of Christ Jesus says all ye shall be offended because of me this night he says all of you are going to fail all of you are going to be cowards all of you are not going to are not gonna understand what's happening you're gonna be confused and and all it is gonna happen to all of you and then Peter has the gall to stand up and say well though all men now keep he's talking to his friends are all right there he's saying though all these guys you see these guys here though all men shall be offended because of thee he says yet will I never be offended and here's what's interesting and here's what we'll study the next time we're in the life of Peter is that out of all of the people that failed Jesus none of them failed them a failed him more grandiose Lee than Peter himself Peter was the biggest failure the biggest denial the biggest and he's renewed and God used them we understand that but here we see his pride and here's all I'm telling you pride goeth before destruction and when you and I allow ourselves to think that we are somehow better than other people and with that we'll never do what other people and other people might deny and other people might fail and other people might quit and other people might fail just realize you are studying yourself for a big fall he says though all men shall be offended because of thee yet will I never be offended Jesus said unto him barely barely I say unto thee that this night before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice Peter said unto him though I should die with thee notice yet will I not deny thee likewise also said all of the disciples now you're there in Matthew go with me to mark real quickly let me show you the the the the same passage in mark keep your place in Matthew 26 if you would because we're gonna leave it and come back to it but in Matthew chapter 14 we have a parallel passage I just want you to see Peter's pride mark chapter 14 in verse 29 mark chapter 14 in verse 29 the Bible says this but Peter said unto him although all shall be offended yet will I will not I and you see his pride there he's saying I'm not like everyone else they're all gonna be scared but I'm not gonna be scared they're all gonna deny you but I'm not gonna die they're all gonna quit but I'm not going to quit in the first lesson we can learn right before Peter's fall we can learn that pride truly goeth before destruction I'd like you to go with me to book of Proverbs if you would if you open up your Bible just right in the center more than like upon the book of Psalms right after Psalms you have the book of Proverbs Proverbs chapter 16 and look at verse number 18 Proverbs 16 and verse 18 I'm gonna show you several verses in Proverbs and here's the point that I want to make and here's just what I want you to understand is that whenever you allow pride in your life and whenever I allow pride in my life we are guaranteeing the fact that God will make sure that we fall that we are humbled you put a target on your back the moment you allow pride to enter into your heart Proverbs 16 verse number 18 notice what the Bible says Proverbs 16 18 pride goeth before destruction and in haughty spirit the word haughty means arrogant or superior isn't that kind of how we would describe Peter right now although all men shall deny thee okay mr. arrogant okay mr. superior and in haughty spirit before a fall go to Proverbs 18 look at verse number 12 you're there in Proverbs 16 just flip a couple chapters over Proverbs 18 verse number 12 notice what the Bible says and I want to show you these verses that I want you to see is a common theme throughout the Bible Proverbs 18 12 before destruction the heart of a man is haughty and before honor is humility go to Proverbs 29 look at verse 23 Proverbs 29 so Proverbs 16 18 says pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall Proverbs 18 12 says before destruction the heart of man is haughty and before honor is humility you want to be honored humble yourself you want to be destroyed lift yourself up Proverbs 23 verse excuse me Proverbs 29 verse 23 the Bible says this a man's pride shall bring him low but honor shall uphold the humble and spirit a man's pride you want to lift yourself up you want to be superior and act arrogant and act like you're better than everyone else the Bible says a man's pride shall bring him low go to Proverbs 11 in verse number 2 Proverbs 11 and verse number 2 the Bible says this Proverbs 11 2 the Bible says when pride cometh then cometh shame you're just calling for it you're calling for failure you're calling for humiliation look you either are humble you either humble yourself or you get humiliated by God this is how it works because pride goeth before destruction when pride cometh then cometh shame but what the lowly is wisdom go to 1st Corinthians if you would in the New Testament 1st Corinthians chapter number 10 you have Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1st Corinthians 1st Corinthians chapter number 10 so you say well what do we do then here's what we do we learn that pride goeth before destruction so we don't allow pride to come into our lives and we always keep a humble view of ourselves and a humble view of ourselves says this I am NOT better than anyone else people who were better than me who were more spiritual than me who knew more Bible than me who were better preachers than I am who were more successful in their Christian life they failed and if they can fail I can fail too let's never allow this attitude which says I'm better then I'm a better soul winner then I'm a better mother then I'm a better father then I'm a better preacher then I'm a better pastor then I'm a better son then I'm a better daughter then don't ever allow this pride to come in we're like Peter you say though all men shall fail you I'll never fail you because here's all I'm telling you what you are promising yourself is you're promising that God will slap you down because pride goeth Bibles clear pride goeth before destruction 1st Corinthians 10 verse 12 notice what the Bible says 1st Corinthians 10 12 says this wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth you think you're standing you think you're strong I've a strong stand wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall because pride goeth before destruction so first lesson we learn from Peter is that pride goeth before destruction now look if you don't want to be destroyed if you want to be honored and humble yourself if you want to be humiliated then lift yourself up if you want your pride to bring you low if you want destruction to bring you down if you want God to turn on you and to put a target on you and to bring you down then lift yourself up see the truth is this that the telltale signs of Peter's fall were already there the moment he not only thought these thoughts in his mind and in his heart but he actually had the audacity to allow them to come out of his mouth when he said though all men shall deny thee I'll never deny it's pride pride goeth before destruction and sometimes you and I get there where we think we're better we think we would do they did but they might but we'll never and here's all I'm telling you here's what I'm telling you a man's pride shall bring him low so lesson number one is this pride goeth before destruction here's lesson number two if you can go back to Matthew chapter 26 Matthew 26 and like I said I want to not not preach very long tonight because we've got lots of things to do so I'll try to give these to you as quickly as I can lesson number one pride goes before destruction lesson number two here it is never say never never say never Matthew 26 verse 3 3 let's look at our hero Peter Peter answered and said unto him though all men shall be offended because of thee pride then he says this yet will I never yet will I never be offended here's lesson number two from Peter's pre-fall it's this not only does pride go before destruction but lesson number two is this you should never say never I never or how about this you should never say ever unless you're talking about eternal security you should never say ever I will always I will forever I will never that's pride Proverbs 27 if you would give you I'd meant to tell you to keep your place in Proverbs we were just there Proverbs 27 see humility tells us to have a humble attitude about ourselves and humility teaches us to have a humble attitude about what we will do and what will happen because here's the truth you cannot control what will happen and you can't necessarily control what will happen around you and you're not even really sure how you're going to respond well bless God when the tribulation happens I'm gonna be ready to X Y & Z sure you are I'm sure you are and I hope you are I will never okay I would never I will always be careful with these statements Proverbs 27 in verse 1 the Bible says this boast not thyself of tomorrow I'm always going to boast not thyself of tomorrow without no it's not what a day may bring forth and the truth is that you could wake up tomorrow in your entire life be turned around so be careful about saying well I'm gonna do this and this is what I'm gonna do and press God bless God we're gonna get this done and I've got this plan hey here's all I'm telling you make plans and the Bible teaches us this in fact go to James if you would James chapter 4 in verse number 13 if you start at the end of the New Testament you got the book of Revelation and you head back you got Revelation Jude third second and first John second and first Peter James I'm not saying we shouldn't plan I'm all about planning I'm all about having plans and having lists and having ideas and having goals and as we get closer to the end of the year I'm gonna be teaching you about setting goals and having a purpose and living on purpose and all those things there's nothing wrong with that but make sure you don't get this attitude that says I would never they might but I'll never or I will always or I will forever because the truth is this what we learn from Peter is that pride goes before destruction and we learn from Peter you should never say never and you should never say ever unless you're talking about the internal security because that's on God not you but when it comes to you you should boast not thyself of tomorrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring for it are you there in James 4 look at verse 13 James chapter 4 in verse 13 the Bible says this go to now ye that say today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain I'm gonna do this and I'm gonna do that I'm gonna accomplish this sure they're doing these other things but I'll never do that because I'm going to continue there a year and buy and sell and get game whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow for what is your life it is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away and here's what I want you to understand here's what James is teaching James is not teaching that it's wrong to have plans and James is not even teaching that it's wrong to communicate those plans he's not saying that it's wrong to say I'm I plan to do this and this is what I'd like to do and this is what I'm accomplished but what he's talking about and what he's trying to get at is our heart in our heart we should have this attitude that says you said well well if I'm not supposed to if I'm never supposed to say never and I'm never supposed to say ever unless I'm talking about God and if I'm not supposed to boast myself up tomorrow then what is it that I'm supposed to say well I'm glad you asked because James tells them in verse 15 he says this for that ye ought to say and this is the attitude that we all should have if the Lord will we shall live and do this or that but now you rejoice in your boasting all such rejoicing is evil here's what he's telling Peter and here's what he's telling you and I that we should never say never because our attitude should be if the Lord will I'll go to that city if the Lord will I'll continue there a year if the Lord will I'll buy and if the Lord will I'll sell and if the Lord will I'll get gain and if the Lord does not will then we will do that too because our attitude should be to never say never because we really don't know what tomorrow will hope so boast not thyself of tomorrow without know it's not what a day may bring forth for that ye ought to say if the Lord will we shall live and do this or that nothing wrong with planning nothing wrong with having a plan and having idea but the attitude should be this and please understand this the attitude should be this I have a plan God I have a script that I've written here's what I'd like to do and here's what I'd like to accomplish I prayed about it I thought about it and I'm putting this in your hands but God if you will this is what I'd like to do and if you don't will like Jesus said let thy will be done you want to change the plans God you can change them you want to have you do something different you can do it you have preeminence of my life you have authority in my life I will plan to the best of my ability and I will accomplish those plans if the Lord will but if you have a different will God I'm open to that too go back to Proverbs if you would Proverbs chapter 22 I want to show you a verse that I've heard several people use this verse and I understand their heart and I'm not really not trying to pick them apart but sometimes I cringe when I hear this it's a good verse and I like the verse and I believe this verse and I and I approve of this verse and I I mean not like God needs my approval good night but I'm happy that God put this verse in the Bible and I believe it but sometimes we allow our arrogance see to get the best of us Proverbs 22 in verse 6 the Bible says this train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it I've heard several times I've heard people say well my kids are gonna live for God and my kid you know your kids might end up you know being a failure but my kids are gonna be great because the Bible says train up a child in the way you should go so what's God my kids are gonna serve God and I know they're gonna turn out right and they're good because it says it says right but John the way you should go when he is old he will not depart from it you say well pastor do you not believe that look I believe that promise I believe that promise from the Bible but you know when your kids are little and you're saying my kids are gonna live for God bless God I'm gonna raise the next Jack Hiles or pastor Anderson or whatever you want my kids they're gonna live for the Lord and your kids are failures but mine are gonna be great look the problem with claiming that before you've gotten there is that you're assuming that you are training your children in the way you should go the problem is not with the problem is the problem is the problem is with you possibly you're making an assumption that you're following every little thing and every command and you're you're always reacting to your children properly and you're always responding to your children properly and you're the following everything the Bible says so you can claim this verse and here's all I'm telling you this verse is there to encourage us this verse is there to help us but let's be careful to claim this verse before we've even gotten there you understand what I just said I mean let me give you an example go to first Kings chapter 20 first Kings chapter 20 you can find the one and two books they're all clustered together first second Samuel for second Kings for second Chronicles here's what I'm telling you do you understand that there's a difference between an old man between an old man and his wife who have raised their children in the Lord who have grown children that are serving the Lord to stand up and people might ask them and say how did you do it what did you do to raise your children to walk with God and live for God and then their soul winners they love the Lord you understand that there's a difference between that couple saying by the grace of God when you train up your child in the way they should go you can trust the fact that they will not depart from it you understand that there's a difference between that person and someone who's got little children trying to hold that over somebody my kids are gonna serve God because the Bible says train up a child in the way yeah but you're making an assumption that you're training up your children the way you should you know one of the biggest fears I have one of the biggest concerns that my wife and I have something we pray about and we've talked about I asked the Lord Lord if there is something that we are doing with our children right now that I will regret in the future would you let me see that now because when you make the assumptions that you're the greatest parent who ever lived and you're following every Bible doctrine and belief pride goeth before destruction and you should never my kids will never you should never say never because let him that think of these standards take heat let's default see the point is this and I've shared this verse with you I love this verse I realize it's not the Holy Spirit speaking it's a man speaking and I'll be honest with you if you read the context it's not even a good man speaking but when you've got a quote that's a good quote it's just a good quote and in first Kings chapter 20 verse 11 is one of my favorite quotes in the entire Bible we have a king coming up against King Ahab and he's basically talking smack you know like like the kids fight on the schoolyard you know you've got the bully saying I'm gonna beat you up and I'm gonna eat you for lunch and I'm gonna do this and I'm gonna do that and you're gonna regret this and you're gonna regret that and and it's a guy with a big military speaking to King Ahab who doesn't have much going for him but I love the response from King Ahab and it's this first Kings 20 in verse 11 and the king of Israel answered and said tell him let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off and seriously saying there's a difference between talking big about winning a match before you've even played the match there's a difference between that and talking big after you've already won and here's all I'm saying when it comes to some promises in the Bible let them encourage you let them excite you let them motivate you but be careful about getting this arrogant attitude that says your kids will fail and mine won't your marriage will fail and mine won't I serve the Lord properly and you don't because pride goeth before destruction and you should never say never and you know what once you won the battle and you are girding off your harness then boast yourself as someone who just won but when you still haven't fought the battle let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off and here's the here's the truth I we're praying our kids serve the Lord I hope they serve the Lord we're praying for that we're trying to raise them in that way but you you've never heard me get up never say never right hmm you haven't heard me by the grace of God if the Lord wills get up and say well my kids are gonna do this and do that you know what because we don't know what a day may bring for it but I will tell you this that you will have the grace of God upon your life the more humble you are about who you are so let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off because you really don't know so you're done what you're gonna do and how you're going to do so lessons we learn from Peter are these number one pride goeth before destruction number two never say never number three go to Luke 22 if you would Luke 22 we'll look at a different past of this parallel passage of the same thing and I hope you understand what I'm saying let's train up a child in the way he should go encourage you let it motivate you just be careful about claiming it be careful about boasting yourself like you've taken off the harness when you've not even fought the battle yet here's point number three or lesson number three you can learn from the story of Peter and it's this Satan wants to destroy all of us but especially the leader Luke 22 and verse 31 notice what the Bible says and the Lord said Luke 22 verse 31 and the Lord said Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat and the idea here and Peter would understand this that you have standing wheat and you would take a tool like a sickle and you would cut it down and and he's saying look Satan wants to cut you down Satan wants to scatter you and sprinkle you and separate you that's what the word sift means he wants to sift you as wheat and I want you to notice Peter's pride-filled response Jesus says but I prayed for thee that thy faith fail not and when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren and he said unto him Lord I am ready to go with thee both into prison and to death and again here's what he's saying he's saying you don't know what you're talking about Jesus you keep telling me I'm gonna deny you you keep telling me I'm gonna fail you you must not know who I am they will all deny you but not me I'll never he says I'm ready to go with thee both into prison and to death but it's interesting because here we see that Peter learned this lesson I'm sure these words were replayed in the mind and the heart of Peter over and over again if Satan had desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat Satan had desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat when we find Peter at the end of Matthew 26 weeping bitterly I'm sure these words were running through his mind if Satan had desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat and of course we know that Peter fails we know that he denies we know that he's renewed here's what's interesting the renewed Peter the repentant Peter the Peter on the other side of the denial who serves God with his life here's what he said first Peter 5 8 sounds like a different Peter he says be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he made devour I think Peter was speaking from experience before Jesus said Satan I decided to have you that he may sift you as wheat and he's like nah now Peter is telling all of us hey you better be sober you better be vigilant you've got an adversary out there as a roaring lion he walketh about seeking whom he may devour but here's what's interesting about Peter is that Jesus looks at Peter and he says Satan had desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat and Peter is actually being pointed out he's he's being targeted by Satan for a specific reason and it is this that yes it's true Satan desires to destroy all of us but Satan especially desires to destroy the leader are there in Luke 22 look at verse 32 we see in verse 32 the reason that Satan wants to attack Peter and sift him as wheat Luke 22 verse 32 Jesus said but I prayed for thee that thy faith fail not and when thou art converted he said when you get back when you repent when you get back to where you should be here's what he says here's what Jesus said he says strengthen thy brethren see Peter was the leader of the Apostles is that true go to Matthew chapter so I'll give you one example Matthew chapter 10 all throughout the New Testament you find Peter being the leader and it is because of this leadership is influence someone said leadership is influence nothing more nothing less if you can influence others and you are the leader if you are influencing others you are the leader and what we learn about Peter is that he had an influence he had an influence among his brethren among the Apostles notice in Matthew 10 we have an example of a roll call of the Apostles I'm going to show you one example in Matthew 10 but all throughout the Gospels you will find that whenever we get a roll call of the Apostles Peter is always named first because Peter is the leader Matthew 10 verse 2 now the names of the 12 apostles are these the first Simon who is called Peter I want you to notice that it says the first because he's the leader the first Simon who's called Peter and Andrew's brother James the sons Ebony and John his brother Philip and Bartholomew Thomas and Matthew the public and James the son of Alpheus and Lebasis her name was Thaddeus and then he goes on and talks about you know Simon the Canaanite and Judas the scary who also betrayed him but I want you to notice this if you go back to Matthew you're there in Matthew 10 go to Matthew chapter 26 I want you to notice that Peter was the leader because Peter had influence leadership is influence when you can influence others you are a leader you are a leader when you are able to influence others meaning that you can get others to do things you can motivate others to do things or not do things that makes you a leader Matthew 26 look at verse 35 I want to I want to show you an example of Peters leadership Matthew 26 verse 35 Peter said unto him because Jesus just got done saying very barely I say unto thee that this night before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice Peter said unto him though I should die with thee yet will I not deny thee notice his influence likewise also said all the disciples Peter says all these arrogant prideful things and because he is the leader guess what everybody else start saying all these arrogant prideful things you know what I've noticed when you have a church where the pastor is a jerk you know all the church members are jerks you know when when you have when you go to work and the boss is mean it seems like everybody works there ends up being me when you have a home where the dad not very nice end up having children that aren't very nice have a mom that's not very nice why because leadership is influence and our leadership influences other people and here we have Peter using his influence likewise also said all the disciples and this is what Jesus is talking about when he says look Peter you're about to mess up majorly and we'll talk about it in another sermon but when Peter quits he takes half the disciples with him when Peter gets backslidden and goes back to the world he takes half the disciples with them why because Peter was the leader because Peter had influence and Jesus says hey but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not and when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren because you're the leader Peter you have influence and Satan wants to destroy everyone but he wants to destroy especially those who have influence for leaders so we learned that Satan wants to destroy everyone especially the leader and here's and here's all I'm telling you we can apply this hundred different ways pastors have a target on their back and you pastors wives have a target on their back because they provide leadership or ladies and church and husbands have a target on their back and mothers have a target on their back and anytime you're in leadership you have a target on your back but you know I want I want to apply this for you in a way that I've learned and I believe but I don't know that I've ever really communicated this in a sermon and I want to say this if you go to Numbers chapter 18 we're almost done I'm not gonna preach very long tonight Numbers chapter 18 you have Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Numbers chapter 18 we can apply it a lot of different ways but let me apply it this way and I want you to get this especially your parents and it's this Satan had the desire to have Satan say that that Peter and the symptom is we because Peter wasn't the first now the names of the apostles of these the first Simon who is also called Peter because he was the leader and you parents need to understand something that Satan wants your firstborn I don't know if you ever thought about that Satan wants your firstborn because generally speaking your firstborn are the leaders if you ever sat down to think about all the firstborns in the Bible who did not serve God Amnon firstborn son of David rebelled had an influence on the rest of his brothers to not serve God Reuben firstborn son of Jacob rebelled had an influence on the rest of Jacob sons Esau firstborn son of Isaac rebelled Ishmael firstborn son of Abraham rebelled Cain firstborn son of Adam have you noticed in the Bible how Satan will sometimes target in on your firstborn because your firstborn will influence the rest Satan had desire to have you Peter because you're the first and by the way God always wants the first and Satan always wants what God wants you're never ever notice that what does God want the first day of the week Sunday what does what God want the first fruits the first 10% of your income what does God want the first love but I have someone against it because I was left by first love and what does God want God wants all the first and I want you to understand something mom and dad you need to love all your kids need to focus on all your kids you need to pray for all your kids but Jesus especially be looking at that firstborn in numbers 18 and verse 15 notice what the Bible says numbers 18 and verse 15 the Bible says everything that openeth the matrix in all flesh which they bring unto the Lord whether it be of man or beast shall be thine nevertheless the firstborn of man shall thou surely redeem and the firstlings of unclean beast shall thou redeem and in the Bible is interesting you have all these different listings of firstborns and you can have all sorts of different firstborns in your family you have your firstborn son you can have a firstborn daughter you can have firstborn from different marriages even and these mixed marriages and things like that and here's all I'm telling you Satan puts a target on the first of everything and Jesus looks at Peter and he says Peter Peter Satan have desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat but when thou art converted notice the terminology strengthen my brethren he says you're the firstborn you're the first people let me talk to all of you firstborns are you kids here that you happen to be the first of five and six and seven Satan has a target on your back what you do with your life will influence what your siblings do so make sure you're not filled with pride and think oh well I'm the firstborn and I can boss all these kids around and I can look you better set the right example you better live for God because what we learn from Peter is that pride goeth before destruction what we learn from Peter is that we should never say never and we should always say if the Lord wilt and what we learn from Peter is that Satan wants to destroy everyone but he usually starts with the leader with the first and oftentimes in the Bible we see with the first born that's why our heads in a board of prayer Heavenly Father what I pray that you would help us to learn these lessons from Peter you gave them to us so we can learn them Lord I pray that you'd help us to live sober lives what I pray that you would help us to realize that anyone can fall we can all fall and what I think of these dear families we have here I see these little kids and I think of these first ones I think my first one I think my son Joshua and the fact that his life can influence the lives of the rest of our children and what I pray you you teach every firstborn in this room right now they have a great responsibility to be a leader to use their influence for good to set the example what I pray you to help all of us in any leadership position whether it's a pastor whether it's a husband whether it's a mother whether it's a firstborn son or firstborn daughter but you would help us all to realize that Satan truly has desire to sift us as wheat but we love you the matchless name of Christ we pray amen