Out of This World: Content NOT Rich

It doesn’t take too much to make us feel discontent in life.  We are discontent with our game system, we are discontent with our clothes, we are discontent with our car, we are discontent with our phone, we our discontent with our house, in general we all live in a pretty miserable state of discontent.  Why?  Because we do not possess the latest or greatest of what the world has to offer.  Discontent does not have to characterize us . . .

Writing from a jail cell Paul says in Philippians 4:11-13 that he has, “learned in whatever situation I am to be content.  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound.  In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.”  But wait, he told us he had learned the secret of contentment, but he didn’t tell us how he had learned it.  Come on Paul, don’t leave us hanging!  Thankfully, Paul wrote another letter to a young disciple named Timothy where he shared a few details about the secret behind his contentment!

READ:  1 Timothy 6:6-10

The pursuit of godliness relieves us of our need for RICHES and allows us to be CONTENT in this world (cf 1 Timothy 4:7-8)!  What are some things we need to learn in order to be content?

We will be content when we understand we can take NOTHING out of this world into ETERNITY (1 Tim. 6:7) – He who dies with the most toys, . . . still dies!  According to Paul, reflecting on the reality of our imminent death is a way to learn contentment.  Sounds a little depressing, but it is true.  No matter how much we accumulate, no matter how valuable something might be to us, whether we live 20 years or 100 years, our net worth and our stuff do not go with us.  Plain and simple, when our lives are over we cannot take “anything” with us out of this world.  That fact should shape our priorities in life and be a constant reminder of what is important and valuable.  Life is so much more than the abundance of our possessions. If we want to be content in life, we need to learn this NOW (Job 1:21; Eccl. 5:13-16; Lk. 12:13-21).

We will be content knowing our BASIC NEEDS have been PROVIDED (1 Tim. 6:8) – “There are children dying in Africa!”  This is a phrase that parents use to get their children to eat food that they are discontent with.  In order to be content, we need to be able to identify the huge difference between what we WANT and what we NEED.  By elevating so many wants in life to the level of need, we forget that our true needs do not go a whole lot further than “food” and “clothing”.  Confusing wants and needs destroys our contentment, whereas being genuinely thankful for our daily bread is a big step toward learning to be content (Mt. 6:11).

We will be content if we avoid the DESIRE to be rich and the LOVE of money (1 Tim. 6:9-10) – We are all guilty of wanting more, and more, and MORE, and MORE!  This is a serious issue, if we are not careful, we are in jeopardy of destroying more than our contentment, but our very faith in God.  Listen very carefully, there is nothing wrong with being rich, but our “desire to be rich” will plunge us into ruin and destruction.  There is nothing wrong with having money (even lots of money), but our “love of money” is the source of all kinds of other evil in our lives.  Our desire for more must be put to death, and when it is, we will be free to be content and enjoy what God has blessed us with (Mt. 6:24; Lk. 18:24-25; Col. 3:5-6).

CONCLUSION
Make no mistake about it, we are rich!  Paul has some final words for us in 1 Timothy 6:17-19, “as for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.  They are to do good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” Paul learned the secret of contentment and it was found in a relationship with God!  Let us find our contentment in Him and Him alone!

Out of This World: Strangers NOT Citizens

One of the strangest experiences I have ever had was in college.  I played basketball and studied most of my free time so I didn’t have an abundant social life.  In an effort to loosen me up a bit, my college roommate and another friend “kidnapped” me, blindfolded me, and drove 45 minutes to a dance club.  I’ll be honest, I felt about as strange and out of place as any moment in my life.  The noise, the atmosphere, the overall everything were not the environment that I would have chosen to participate in.  Nobody likes to feel strange, and yet, sometimes feeling strange and out of place is an appropriate response to our surroundings.

READ:  1 Peter 1:1; 2:11-12

In writing to Christians, Peter tells His brothers and sisters in Christ that being STRANGE is good! According to Peter, we will not feel at home on this earth because we are SOJOURNERS and EXILES in this world!  A SOJOURNER is a person who lives in a land where they have no citizenship.  An EXILE is a person who temporarily lives in a place that is not their normal place of residence.

Being a sojourner and an exile is hard.  If you’ve ever traveled to a foreign country you know what it is like to be a stranger.  The COMMUNICATION is strange, the citizens speak a different language.  The CULTURE is strange, the citizens have different values and priorities.  The CONDUCT is strange, the citizens have different behavior and habits.  Living in this world as believers will be strange.  Why do we feel strange and what are we supposed to do as sojourners and exiles in this world?

We have been ELECTED by God to be EXILES in the world (1 Pet. 1:1-3) – As a result of Marianne and I electing to adopt a little girl named Sarah from Guatemala into our family, she is no longer a resident of her home country.  By becoming a member of our family she moved to a “foreign land” and has accepted a different language, different culture, and a different way of living.  In a similar way, our salvation changes our resident status in the world from citizen to stranger.  As God’s “elect” we are no longer citizens of this world, but we are “exiles” who have accepted a completely different way of living!  We are now citizens of God’s kingdom who are living in a foreign and very strange land (Eph. 1:3-6).

As sojourners and exiles in this world, we are to ABSTAIN from sinful behavior (1 Pet. 2:11) – War is a battle waged against an enemy whose goal is to destroy.  As sojourners and exiles in this world, there is an enemy who is waging war against us, but unlike what we might think, it is not an enemy who is outside of us.  We are at war with ourselves!  Our enemy is our own earthly passions, our own desire and attraction to return to our old sinful way of living (James 1:14:15).  How do we defeat this enemy?  God’s battle plan to fight against the “passions of our flesh” is to “abstain”.  The word “abstain” means to, “be a distance away from”.  We can defeat our passions by staying away from those things that entice us back to our old sinful ways of living.  If we don’t, we will be defeated.

As sojourners and exiles in this world, we are to keep our CONDUCT HONORABLE and do GOOD DEEDS (1 Pet. 2:12) – It’s easy to spot someone who stands out in a crowd.  A Chicago Cub’s fan stands out at a Cardinals game at Busch Stadium.  What is it that makes a Christian stand out in the crowd of the world?  “Honorable conduct” and “good deeds” are what make our lives’ stand out and captures the attention of an unbelieving world.  We declare our heavenly citizenship by the holy and upright manner in which we conduct our lives.  Such “foreign” behavior is what will give God the attention and glory He deserves (Matthew 5:16).

CONCLUSION
This world is not our home!  We should feel strange and out of place on this earth.  If we don’t, we should ask ourselves, “am I a citizen of the Kingdom of God?”  The good news is that transferring our citizenship from the world to God’s Kingdom is easy, confess your sin and believe in Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9-10)!

Out of This World: Hatred NOT Friendship

Have you ever taken the time to read the comments at the end of a news article or a Facebook status on a controversial issue?  Wow, those comments are full of cruelty and hostility!  I think those comments often represent the hidden hatred that dwells inside the hearts of people.  Leaving an “anonymous” comment is a way for people to express their animosity toward someone or an issue that they feel strongly about.

For example, World Vision’s decision to reverse its decision concerning the hiring of individuals in a same-sex relationship caused an eruption of hateful responses.  These responses unveil some of the thoughts and beliefs people have toward God and those who are genuinely attempting to follow Christ.  What’s behind this hatred?

READ:  John 15:18-25

The world will HATE us as a result of our friendship with God!  Expect it, don’t be surprised by it, don’t try to avoid it, in fact, we are blessed as a result of being hated by the world (Luke 6:22)!  As Christ followers, understanding why the world hates us will help us be more prepared for the hostility directed at us.

The world will hate us because it HATED Jesus FIRST (John 15:18, 20-21, 25) – In other words, we are guilty by association. To be guilty by association means the world attributes guilt to us because of our association with Jesus who the world considers guilty.  Since the world hates Jesus, we who are associated with Him will be hated as well.  Why does the world hate Jesus?  Jesus was "hated" because He claimed to be God, He spent time with sinners, and He claimed the authority to forgive sin.  To the world, Jesus is a divine authority that they do not want to receive or submit to.  So, when we receive and submit to Him the world violently rejects us as well.  Is there enough evidence in our lives that others would say we are associated with Jesus?  If so, expect to be hated; if not, it might be worth considering whether we are truly associated with Him or not!

The world will hate us because God CHOSE to SET US APART from this world (John 15:19) – As long as we speak, behave, and live in a way that is similar to the rest of the world we will be loved.  As long as we “fit right in” the world will welcome and accept us.  The world loves us when we “join the party”.  In contrast, being “chosen” by God means being set apart and living a distinctly different life of holiness.  When God sets us apart and we are no longer “of this world” the world will be personally offended.  Our attempt to live holy lives will be interpreted by the world as treason and therefore we become bigoted and intolerant.

The world will hate us because GOD’s PRESENCE in us reminds them of their SIN (John 15:22-24) – In my previous youth ministry I would go once a week to the public school and visit students during the lunch hour.  There were many times when I would approach a table and I would see the students whispering to one another.  I’m pretty sure the conversation went something like, “hey you guys, this is my youth pastor, let’s clean up the conversation.”   My presence made them feel guilty about their behavior.  God’s holy presence convicts and reminds the world of the “guilt” of their sin (John 16:8-11).  To the lost and dying world, Christ followers are the presence of God, so when we walk in a room, it is God’s presence in us that reminds them of their guilt.  Remember, it is not us they hate, it is the presence of God in us that brings conviction into their life!

CONCLUSION
For some of us we are not in the position of the world hating us, but rather in a position where we are the ones who hate God!  “What!?!” you might ask, “I don’t hate God.”  James 4:4 says, “do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?  Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”  Our close companionship with the world puts us in opposition to God.  As enemies of God we must repent of our friendship with the world, put our faith in Christ for salvation, and confirm our association with Him.  When we do, we will reverse our status, no longer being enemies of God, but instead friends of God who are hated by the world.

Out of This World: Transformed NOT Conformed

There are two things that most young children enjoy when they are little, . . . jello and butterflies! 

My best memory of jello as a kid was one evening when my mother made strawberry jello squares.  Rather than eat them like normal human being, I decided to impress my siblings by trying to bounce them off the ceiling and catch them in my mouth.  This did not work, the first jello square I tossed stuck to the ceiling.  At first this seemed fun, I laid on my back on the floor and waited for it to fall so I could catch it in my mouth.  This never happened and in an effort to hide this activity I scraped it off the ceiling with a spatula.  This did not work either, removing the “popcorn” texture from the ceiling and leaving a red stain that needed to be painted over!

In elementary school I had a friend name Greg who lived across the street who was a park ranger wanna be.  If he saw a creature in distress you could count on Greg to save the day.  I would often do things to antagonize Greg, one particular time I decided to swat butterflies to the ground out of the air just to make Greg mad which turned into a wrestling fight.

There is a verse in the Bible that uses jello and butterflies as an illustration of how we are to live “out of this world” lives, check it out . . .

READ:  Romans 12:1-2

Did you catch it?  The word “conform” in verse 2 means to, “mold or shape into a certain pattern”.  Does that sound like a characteristic of jello?  The word “transform” in verse 2 is where we get the word metamorphosis which means to, “completely change the essential nature of something”.  Does that sound like the process a caterpillar goes through to become a butterfly?  What do jello and butterflies teach us about Romans 12:2?  I thought you’d never ask . . .  

The world wants to us CONFORM ourselves into its MOLD (Rom. 12:2a) – Just like jello can be molded into any shape, the world has a mold that it wants all of us to “conform” ourselves into.  It is a mold that shapes our thinking, our attitudes, our words, and our actions.  The world’s mold is NOT something we are to pattern our life after.  We must be careful not allow our love for the things of this world to be what shapes our lives (1 John 2:15-17).

God wants to TRANSFORM us into something completely new (Rom. 12:2b) – METAMORPHOSIS is the unexplainable and miraculous transformation a caterpillar goes through to become a butterfly.  This is the type of complete transformation God takes us through when we give our lives to Him.  It is not something that we do for ourselves, but something that God does in us to change us from one thing into something completely new and different (2 Corinthians 5:17).  Where does this transformation begin?

Transformation begins with a renewed MIND (Rom. 12:2c) – New and improved!  This is a phrase that advertisers use to communicate that an old product has undergone a significant change and is now either brand new or superior to the old one.  God wants to take us through a “renewal” process where the end result is a new and improved version of ourselves!  This renewal begins with our thinking.  When God changes what we think, therefore what we believe, He will effectively change our outward actions and behavior into the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:17-23)!

Transformation results in the ability to discern the WILL of GOD (Rom. 12:2d) – With a new and improved mind and self we will have a brand new desire and ability discern and do God’s will.  God’s will for our lives is good, it is something that is morally right and honorable.  God’s will is acceptable, it is something that is pleasing to do.  And ultimately, God’s will is perfect, it is something that is exactly right for our lives.  With a transformed life we will be dedicated to discerning and understanding what pleases the Lord and doing it (Eph. 5:9-10, 17; Col. 1:9-10).

CONCLUSION

When we offer ourselves as living sacrifices, God radically CHANGES our NATURE into something different than the world!  There are 2 pre-requisites for God to do this transformation in our lives.  We must receive God’s mercy through faith in Jesus Christ and we must present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God (Rom. 12:1).   Only then will we be able to step out of the world’s mold and experience the life transforming work of God in our lives!

Out of This World: Alive NOT Dead

What is your understanding of what it means to be alive?  Breathing in oxygen?  Heart pumping blood?  Brain firing off neurological messages?  Is this life?  Popular culture would lead us to believe that life is living each moment to the fullest and striving for the most exhilarating experiences possible, experiences that get the heart pumping and make us “feel” alive.  Is this life?  If you are conscious of what’s going on around you right now, you are enjoying the benefits being physically alive, and yet you may have moments when you wonder if there is more to life than just your physical existence.  You may have had a number of exhilarating experiences, but those experiences fade causing us to wonder if there is more to life as we seek a new experience.  If you don’t have an answer to the question of whether there is more to life, the reason is because, . . . YOU ARE DEAD!

READ:  Ephesians 2:1-10 (Colossians 2:13)

We can be physically alive, living and breathing, even experiencing exhilarating moments in life and yet be spiritually dead and have no idea what it means to experience true life.  How is this possible?  1 Timothy 5:6 says that a self-indulgent widow is, “dead even though she lives”.  In the context of contrasting life lived by the Spirit or by the flesh Romans 8:6 says, “to set the mind of the flesh is death”.  The Bible describes that there is a way of living that is actually non-life or death.  Those who are spiritually dead are missing out on the life that God created us to experience and enjoy.

But there is good news!  According to Ephesians 2:4-5 God demonstrates His love by giving SPIRITUAL LIFE to those who are DEAD!  Spiritual life is true life and without it we are dead men and women walking.

How do we obtain spiritual life?  Why is obtaining spiritual life important?

God gives us the spiritual “death penalty” because of our TRESPASSES and SIN (Eph. 2:1-3, 5) – Capital punishment is the legal process by which someone is physically put to death for a serious crime.  In Genesis 2:16-17 God defines what is worthy of capital punishment, “you may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”  According to God’s law, one simple act of disobedience is deserving of the “death penalty”.  Did Adam and Eve physically die?  No, so physical death was not the penalty, it was something worse, a spiritual “death penalty”!  The spiritual death penalty meant Adam and Eve were sent out (separated) from the presence of God and denied access to the tree of life (Genesis 3:22-24).  The punishment for our sins is spiritual death!  BUT . . .

God gives us spiritual life as a result of His MERCY and GRACE (Eph. 2:4-9) – The President of the United States has a unique power called “presidential pardon”.  With this power the president can overrule the justice system, withhold punishment, and declare someone innocent who has committed a serious crime, even a crime deserving the death penalty.  Miraculously, God uses His divine pardon not merely to withhold punishment, but to bring us back to life after our spiritual death sentence was already by carried out.  Why?  As a gift of His great “love” (vs 4), “mercy” (vs 4), “grace” (vs 5, 7, 8), and “kindness” (vs 7).  Our spiritual death penalty is reversed restoring us back to true life . . . unhindered communion with a holy God!

God gives us spiritual life to do GOOD WORKS (Eph. 2:10) – What does someone do who is “truly alive”?  The same thing for which we were created, . . . to do “good works”.  God uniquely created each and every one us to have a meaningful purpose.  As recipients of God’s great mercy, we are to sacrifice our lives in order to fulfill God’s good, acceptable, and perfect will for our lives (Rom. 12:1, 2; Mt. 5:16; 2 Cor. 9:8; Tit. 2:13-14).

CONCLUSION

Have you received God’s pardon of the spiritual death penalty?  If we want to be raise from the dead and experience true spiritual life we must put our faith in Jesus Christ who died for us (Rom. 5:8-9, 8:9-11)!

Out Of This World: Salvation NOT Condemnation

I was in love with my wife Marianne from the first week that we met.  Here are a few excerpts from a journal that I began writing on the first day I met Marianne . . . Aug 9, 1997: wonderful week of camp.  Not necessarily what we did, but because of who I met . . . Marianne Elizabeth Stanton”.  Aug 18, 1997: “I walked into my apartment and saw my machine blinking I said out loud, ‘If only this could be Marianne’”.  Aug. 29, 1997: Marianne came to Atlanta tonight to see me . . . . and go to an Olympia football game. Every conversation we have gets better and better, she is so easy to talk to.” Sept 9, 1997: “I truly love her.  Never before has that thought entered my mind about a girl”.  Jan. 17, 1998: All my life I have waited for your direction and leading in my life, somehow I feel you have created us for each other, help me to love Marianne as you have loved me.”  May 2, 1998: Marianne and I are engaged to be married . . . sometime, we know not when.”

I have done a lot of things for Marianne over the years because of my love for her.  I have written letters, driven late at night to see her, cancelled plans with others to be with her, bought her an expensive ring, planned a scavenger hunt for our engagement, made a covenant to be married to her . . . all for the purpose of making sure that Marianne understands, without a shadow of a doubt, that I love her.  I want her to be in my life forever.  My demonstrations of love for Marianne are a faint shadow compared to God’s love for the world!

READ:  John 3:16-18

God demonstrated His love in order to SAVE the world, not CONDEMN the world!  To what extent did God demonstrate His love for the world?

God demonstrates His love for the world by GIVING His SON (John 3:16) – We love to measure everything . . . carbohydrates in food, miles to a destination, gigabytes of memory in a computer, but how do you measure love?  1 John 3:16 says that, “by THIS we KNOW love, that (Jesus) laid down His life for us”! According to God’s standard, love is measured by sacrifice.  We might be willing to sacrifice for someone who is kind and good to us, but God sacrificed His one and only Son for us in the midst our rebellion against Him.  God was willing to sacrifice His one and only Son for one very simple reason, because of His great love for us!

God demonstrates His love for the world so we will not PERISH (John 3:16) – I’m convinced that there have been times when I punished the wrong child for something another one did.  It’s one thing to be unjustly punished for something someone else did, but to willingly choose to receive that punishment is another.   I guarantee we will never here our son Caleb say, “Dad, you can spank me for what Zachary did wrong”.  And yet, that’s what Jesus did!  God’s justice demands that we “perish” for our sin (Gen. 2:16-17; Eph. 2:1-10).  Jesus perished in our place, He received the punishment we deserve on the cross, and satisfying God’s wrath so that we do not have to perish (John 3:36; 1 John 2:2, 4:10; Romans 5:8-9; 2 Pet 3:9)!

God demonstrates His of love for the world so that we will have ETERNAL LIFE (John 3:16) – How would you complete the following statement?  “I would like to experience a(n) __________ life!” Many would complete this statement by saying a “rewarding” life, a “fulfilling” life, a “peaceful” life, a “long” life . . . God knows that the greatest life we can experience is an eternal life, a life that is SO much bigger than anything we could experience on this earth.  God does not want for us to perish and be separated from Him for eternity.  He wants nothing less than to be in relationship with us and enjoy His presence forever.  We deserve to perish in our sin, but God gives us the free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23)!

CONCLUSION

1 Timothy 1:15 says that, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners".  The whole reason Jesus came into the world was to save sinners like you and me.  God demonstrates His love for you and me by making the ultimate sacrifice of giving His Son so that we might be saved!  Our responsibility is simply to believe!

Out Of This World

What do you think of the world that we live in?  Would you describe the world as a place of peace and joy or a place of pain and trouble?  There are many moments of happiness, but they can seem few and far between compared with the difficulties and the struggles.  Natural disasters destroy homes and communities.  Children around the world are orphaned because of abuse or poverty.  Planes crash and kill innocent people.  People we care about get sick and die.  Whether a small disappointment or a big tragedy, the world can be a cruel and scary place filled with chaos and confusion.  These realities can cause us to want to get out of this world!

What is wrong with this world?  Is there any hope?  In the New Testament, the Greek word κοσμος, translated “world”, has a few meanings including, 1) the created UNIVERSE, and 2) HUMANITY.  God’s Word gives us some insight into what’s going on in our world and if there is any hope . . . 1) God CREATED the world and all things in it (Jn. 1:10; Acts 17:24; Heb. 1:2).  2) As a result of sin and the fall, the whole world, including humanity, is CORRUPT and SINFUL and under the POWER of Satan (2 Pt. 1:4; 1 Jn. 2:16, 1 Jn. 5:19).  3) God sent Jesus to SAVE the world from the penalty of sin and the power of Satan (Jn. 3:16; 1 Jn. 3:8, 4:9).  Our world can be a complex and confusing place, but God has a plan to rescue the world He created and loves!

READ:  John 17:9-21

In this passage, literally moments before His betrayal, arrest, trial, crucifixion, death resurrection, and ascension Jesus’ prays for believers that we remain IN the world, but not be OF the world (vs 11, 15)!  Jesus’ desire for those who would follow Him is clear, that we stay in the world and continue the eternal mission that He came to the world to begin.  In order to fulfill this mission, Jesus prays for us while we are in this world . . .

Jesus prays for PROTECTION from SATAN while we are in this world (John 17:11-12, 15) – The name Denny Christianson won’t mean anything to anyone else but it means protection to me.  Mr. C was my high school gym teacher.  While playing flag football I was unnecessarily shoved out of bounds by a classmate.  I reacted by turning around, walking toward him, and politely yelling, “what did you do that for?” to which he grazed my neck with a punch.  I had no intention of getting in a fight, so I was glad when Mr. C quickly stepped in and protected me from a worse attack.  The evil one is going to take his swings at us in an attempt to destroy us, but Jesus prays that God will “guard” us from his attacks.  Satan may land a few blows, but God will “keep” us from being harmed (Prov. 18:10).

Jesus prays for the PROVISION of JOY while we are in this world (Jn. 17:13) – Although the world is filled with discouragement and disappointment God provides a way for us to be “filled” with joy.  We are not filled with joy by a guarantee of favorable circumstances, good health, or prosperity, but rather by God’s presence in our lives. This is the joy that Jesus experienced in spite of the suffering He endured.  The Son of God was not provided a divine shield of protection from the difficulties in this world, and yet He experienced joy because of the intimacy of fellowship with His Father (John 15:11, 16:20-24; Heb. 12:2)!

Jesus prays for the PECULIARITY of SANCTIFICATION while we are in this world (Jn. 17:17) – I have a profound theory in life, . . . we are ALL weird.  There are people who I think are weird simply because they are different from me.  At the same time, there are those who think I am weird simply because I am different from them.  We are all weird to somebody, so get over it!  As a Christian, what makes us weird from the rest of the world is our sanctification.  God “sanctifies” us by setting us apart to live holy lives which conform with the truth of God’s Word.  Living a holy life in the world is a neon sign that says, “I am weird” (1Peter 1:14-16).

Jesus prays for our PURPOSE of being SENT while we are in this world (Jn. 17:18) – We have been sent by Jesus with the same purpose that Jesus was sent by His Father.  Why did God send Jesus?  John 3:17 says that, “God did NOT send His Son to the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be SAVED through Him.”  Our purpose is to continue spreading the message of belief in Jesus Christ for salvation!

CONCLUSION

Why does Jesus want us to be in the world?  According to John 17:21 God wants us to stay in this world, “so that the world may believe that (He) sent (Jesus)”!  In moments when we want to get out of this world, remember, Jesus has prayed for us, that we will have the protection, the provision, the peculiarity, and the purpose we need to stay!