WE ARE CHOSEN AND SET APART

1 Peter 2: 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

"We are set apart to God from the world," but we are far from what we should be in practical holiness. But we are still positionally sanctified through Christ, and our functional condition is to set ourselves apart daily through studying, praying, worshiping, and practicing what we have learned.

Lord, Your grace and peace are the sources of our blessings due to our acceptance of Christ. Lord, we come with thanksgiving in our hearts, and we are so grateful for the opportunity and excellent work You have done in our lives. Father, we struggle to live a holy life in this Valley of death. So, let the Holy Spirit fill us with the strength and courage to stand on Your Word when great disappointment arises.  Lord, equip us with the gifts of the Spirit, wisdom, and the knowledge to implement You in our daily lives.  Lord, let our gifts and holy living confirm Your presence and work in us.  Lord, let us not be proud of our gifts but use them to build up others and Your Kingdom. Lord, help us set aside everything we think we know about You, everything we think we know about ourselves, everything we think we know about others, so we can have an open heart and mind to help us see the truth. In Jesus' name Amen