{"id":29595,"date":"2024-01-21T22:05:06","date_gmt":"2024-01-22T05:05:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/2-peter-1_1-11-copy\/"},"modified":"2024-01-16T17:36:22","modified_gmt":"2024-01-17T00:36:22","slug":"2-peter-1_12-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/2-peter-1_12-21\/","title":{"rendered":"The Most Important Key to Successful Living"},"content":{"rendered":"

2 Peter 1:12-21\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>\u00a0(CLICK HERE FOR\u00a0BIBLE VERSES)<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Hi GAMErs!<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is 2 Peter 1:12-21.\u00a0 It is one of my favourite passage in all the Bible and is packed with powerful truths.\u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s go!\u00a0 As usual, I recommend that you read the whole passage by yourself first and see what you can glean on your own.\u00a0 Then take a look at this GAME sharing below.<\/p>\n

2\u00a0Peter\u00a01:12-15 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n12\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.
\n13\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body,
\n14\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.
\n15\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses\u00a012-15:\u00a0 Why is\u00a0Peter\u00a0so set on reminding his readers about these things?\u00a0 Is it because he has nothing new to say?\u00a0 No, it\u2019s because in\u00a0Peter\u2019s mind there is nothing more important for him to do at this late stage of his life than to remind Christians that God\u2019s divine power has given us everything we need for life (v3), that trusting in God\u2019s divine promises is the key to experiencing God\u2019s power and living out God\u2019s destiny for our lives (v4), and that being an effective, fruitful Christian is not just about having faith but about being intentional about growing in Christ-like character (v5-11).<\/p>\n

I think I\u2019m starting to see where\u00a0Peter\u00a0is coming from.\u00a0 As much as I love to share fresh insights from God\u2019s Word, as much as I love to be cutting edge and innovative, I know that the most important truth I can communicate to my church is not a new truth but a reminder of an old one: the truth that God loves us, sent His Son Jesus for us, and that through Jesus we have forgiveness, power, purpose, peace and hope for\u00a0tomorrow.<\/p>\n

Similarly, as much as you may love to hear fresh and new insights that you have never heard before, the most important truths you will ever know are the oldest ones: that God loves you, sent Jesus for you, died for you, and gave you His Holy Spirit to empower you.\u00a0\u00a0The more important key to successful living as a Christian is not constantly trying to learn new things and receive new revelation, but it\u2019s remembering and really living out these age old truths that have already been revealed to you.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s funny how no matter how old I get, the most important lessons I\u2019ve ever learned are the ones my Sunday school teachers taught me as a child:\u00a0 \u201cYes, Jesus loves me, for the Bible tells me so\u201d and \u201cTrust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.\u00a0 In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.\u201d (Proverbs 3:5-6)<\/p>\n

2\u00a0Peter\u00a01:16-18 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n16\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
\n17\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
\n18\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 16-18:\u00a0\u00a0Peter\u00a0witnessed first hand more things that Jesus did during his ministry on earth than any other person.\u00a0 Here\u00a0Peter\u00a0affirms that the things he is preaching about Jesus are not \u201ccleverly invented stories\u201d (v16) but real life eyewitness accounts.\u00a0\u00a0Peter\u00a0especially mentions the moment when Jesus brought him, James and John on a high mountain and transfigured before them (see Matthew 17; Mark 9 and Luke 9:28-36). But rather than focusing on what\u00a0Peter\u00a0saw on that mountain,\u00a0Peter\u00a0focuses on what he heard on that mountain when God the Father said about Jesus, \u201cThis is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.\u201d (v17-18)\u00a0\u00a0Peter\u00a0says that it was at that moment that Jesus \u201creceived honor and glory from God the Father\u201d (v17).<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0True honour and true glory do not come from what people say about you, but what God the Father says about you.<\/strong>\u00a0 When you have Jesus Christ in your life, God says something similar to you: \u201cThis is my son\/daughter, whom I love; with him\/her I am well pleased.\u201d
\n\u00a0<\/em>
\n2\u00a0Peter\u00a01:19-21 (NIV)\u00a0<\/strong>
\n19\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
\n20\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation.
\n21\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 19-21:\u00a0\u00a0Peter\u00a0saw firsthand more miracles and heard more words from Jesus than anyone else during Jesus\u2019 ministry.\u00a0 If there\u2019s anyone who might be tempted to say, \u201cForget about reading Scripture.\u00a0 I know what Jesus and God are really like \u2013 I\u2019ve been with them personally!\u201d, it would be\u00a0Peter.\u00a0 And yet here we see\u00a0Peter\u00a0reaffirming the importance of Scripture (in particular the prophecies contained in Scripture) and how we would \u201cdo well to pay attention to it\u201d (v19).\u00a0\u00a0Peter\u00a0affirms that the prophecies contained in Scripture were not simply the product of a fallible human being\u2019s thoughts (\u201cFor prophecy never had its origin in the will of man\u201d (v21)).\u00a0 Rather, \u201cmen spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit\u201d (v21).<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0 As life changing as it is when we experience God\u2019s presence and miracles personally,\u00a0nothing can replace the importance and power of the written revelation of God through Scripture.\u00a0 Beware giving your experiences greater weight and authority than the written Word of God.\u00a0 Give the Word of God the highest place in your life.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Father, I find it amazing that even though\u00a0Peter\u00a0experienced Your Son Jesus in the most tangible ways,\u00a0Peter\u00a0still placed such a great emphasis on Scripture.\u00a0 May I do the same.\u00a0 May I hold Your Word in the highest regard, placing it at the centre of my life, letting it be my benchmark for how to live and my doorway into knowing who You are.\u00a0 In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n

Copyright \u00a9 2021 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi GAMErs!<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is 2 Peter 1:12-21.\u00a0 It is one of my favourite passage in all the Bible and is packed with powerful truths.\u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s go!\u00a0 As usual, I recommend that you read the whole passage by yourself first and see what you can glean on your own.\u00a0 Then take a look at this GAME sharing below.<\/p>\n

2\u00a0Peter\u00a01:12-15 (NIV)\u00a0
\n12\u00a0\u00a0So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.
\n13\u00a0\u00a0I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body,
\n14\u00a0\u00a0because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.
\n15\u00a0\u00a0And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.<\/p>\n

On verses\u00a012-15:\u00a0 Why is\u00a0Peter\u00a0so set on reminding his readers about these things?\u00a0 Is it because he has nothing new to say?\u00a0 No, it\u2019s because in\u00a0Peter\u2019s mind there is nothing more important for him to do at this late stage of his life than to remind Christians that God\u2019s divine power has given us everything we need for life (v3), that trusting in God\u2019s divine promises is the key to experiencing God\u2019s power and living out God\u2019s destiny for our lives (v4), and that being an effective, fruitful Christian is not just about having faith but about being intentional about growing in Christ-like character (v5-11).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29596,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29595","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29595"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29595\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29602,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29595\/revisions\/29602"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29596"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29595"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29595"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29595"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}