Name change, and new purpose in life, with specific calling of the Lord.
God gives faith to apostles and to people, it's the same faith.
More grace and peace is found in knowing the Lord.
All that is needed for life and Godliness has been given to us.
We have escaped the corruption in the world through lust.
Saved, then adding to our faith.
Growth brings usefulness, and fruitfulness
Lack of growth brings shortsightedness, and forgetfulness of God's forgiveness.
Diligence to make calling and election sure, means something in the future also.
Peter used his time left, to care for others through the Word.
Peter understood the value or reminding christians of the truth.
The truth brought to memory can stir up the believer.
Peter and the others made known the power and the coming of Jesus.
They told about seeing Him on the Mt of transfiguration.
Peter called him, "His Majesty"
They heard the voice of God, affirming the Lord Jesus Christ.
They had the prophetic word confirmed. ( that is, they saw what the OT said would happen
regarding Christ, and His glory, His second coming. They saw Him as He will be in the future..
We do well to take heed to the Word of God....to the prophetic word, and to the word itself
The Word is "a light that shines in a dark place"
We do well to take heed until, ( Jesus comes again ) i.e the day dawns, morning star rises.
In your hearts, i.e in your life, when you see Jesus.
And, also, in your own hearts and lives, take heed to the Word of God, until God brings light as it were into your own lives, and Jesus is revealed to you in your heart etc, etc.
Know that prophecy did not come from man's will, but, holy men of God were moved by the Holy Spirit. ( Still that way today. God's Holy Spirit moves upon peoples hearts and lives to bring about His will for their lives, and through their lives )
Pastor Bob Grenier
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Friday, September 30, 2011
About Bible Prophecy......
2 Peter 1:16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
2 Peter 1:17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
2 Peter 1:18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
2 Peter 1:19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
2 Peter 1:20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
2 Peter 1:21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
Just a few comments.........
Peter was explaining the fact that what they preached concerning the coming of the Lord. This truth is not a cunningly devised fable, but, Peter and the others had been eyewitnesses His majesty. By the way, what a wonderful name of Jesus. "His Majesty".
So, what you have here from Peter, is what we call today, "An eyewitness account" of these events. They saw Jesus personally.
Also, God the Father gave Jesus glory and honor, and spoke to Peter and 2 other apostles on the Mt of Transfiguration, and spoke of His being pleased with Jesus Christ. Peter heard this voice. Not only seeing Jesus in His glorified state, but hearing the voice of God. They saw and they heard.
Some possible meanings the prophetic word confirmed" #1 the things that had been prophesied in the Old Testament, were now confirmed in Peter's hearing, and seeing. Or, #2 he could mean, the "prophetic word confirmed" is greater then even what we heard and saw, it's a surer foundation, ( then even our eyewitness, and hearing account ) I think it's #2
And, Peter goes on to say about the Word of God......You are doing well, if you pay attention to it. The Word of God is likened unto a light, or a lamp that would be shining in dark or squalid place. Keep letting it shine, until the day dawns, and the morning star arises in your heart. Be patient, let the Word of God into your life, and let it do in your life what God intends it to do. It will happen. The Lord will give you understanding in and about Himself, and Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit of God. He will reveal Himself to you through His Word.
Finally, he explains about the Word of God, that it did not come from men, in the sense that it found it's origins in man, or from their own personal explanations about it, but rather these men, ( Biblical Writers ) were born along, or carried along by the Holy Spirit of God .....They then spoke and or wrote down what the Holy Spirit had given to them. Thus these men gave us the Word of God.
We must remember, to appreciate what was just said, that Peters comments just prior were about the importance of the Word of God in the lives of his readers. And, that he was going to do everything he could to ensure that they would have the Word of God to nourish their lives with.
In all of the above verses, here's a final closing thought. I thank God for His Word, and it's ability to bring light and life to darkness and death. And, I thank God that I, we, can pay attention to what He is saying. It's a good thing for us to be paying attention to God of course. And the blessing is, that God can speak into our lives, into our hearts, and guide us when we are in darkness.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Reminding and being awake......
2 Pet 1:12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth.
2 Pet 1:13 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you,
2 Pet 1:14knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.
2 Pet 1:15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.
In the above verses, Peter explains his intention to remind the readers of what they already knew, and were actually established in.
He also believed it was the right thing for him to continue to stir them up by way of reminding them. He went on to talk about his own coming death, and his determination to make sure they would always have a reminder of the truth.
The fact is, as stated here, is that there is tremendous value in simply being reminded of what we already know. And, as a faithful Pastor, Peter was going to remind his readers, and continue to remind them.
Peter had also been told by the Lord that he was going to die soon. He called it shortly, and used the metaphor of a tent for his body. The Bible does speak of our physical bodies as being temporary, like a tent would be to someone, you don't normally live in a tent, but rather in a permanent home. These bodies are like tents for our souls, and we have an eternal body waiting for us in heaven.
Peter was also going to be faithful in his ministry right to the end. He says 2 Pet 1:15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.
This means, that he was dedicating himself to making sure that the flock of God would always have a reminder of the truth of Jesus Christ, even after his death.
After being saved, Peter entered the ministry of Jesus Christ, and taught and preached the Word of God. That is what he gave himself to. And, even while alive, he was thinking of the future, and of the importance of the Word of God for those who would be living after his death.
All of that makes a real statement about the importance of the Word of God. But, the thing that is mentioned a couple of times, is this issue of being reminded and then being stirred up through that reminder.
What happens to us, is that we can grow settled if you will, and need to be stirred up, or awakened to the truth. So, hearing the Word of God can have that effect upon our lives, of waking us up from from sleep. The word stir was also used to speak of arousing the mind, and rendering service to Jesus Christ.
May we have the same mind as Peter did regarding the Word of God, and not grow weary of it, but benefit from giving ourselves to it, and receiving it with an open and humble heart.
In Jesus name, amen...
Pastor Bob Grenier.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
The call to, and benefits of growing in Christ.
2 Peter 1:5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
2 Peter 1:5to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
2 Peter 1:5to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
2 Peter 1:5For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:5For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
Because we are saved, Peter encourages his readers to give all diligence in adding their faith. And then Peter lists, seven things to be added to our faith. Or, seven fruits of Godly character.
The phrase giving all diligence, means, "to supply generously" The idea here is, that as we develop one quality, we will naturally exercise another quality.
Virtue means moral excellence. And, the idea here, is that this is what we ought to be like, this is what we should be doing in our lives.
Knowledge, means knowledge that is growing, and a practical knowledge or discernment. It refers to the ability within life to handle life in a successful manner.
Temperance or self-control. Being a person in control of themselves. This is a very needed quality in our lives.
Patience is having that ability to handle the hard and difficult circumstances of life patiently. It's being able to handle the pressures and problems of life, and not give up.
Godliness is a big word with a simple meaning. It means, god-likeness. It's when we do the things that are right and we make the right decisions according to the will and Word of God.
Brotherly kindness, or loving one another. A genuine, and sincere love for one another.
Love, is the kind of love that is willing to, and does sacrifice for others.
So, that's what we are called to, and the benefits of adding to our faith are listed, as well as the consequences of not having these things added to our faith.
Benefits......2 Peter 1:5For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Consequences......2 Peter 1:5For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
If we are growing, we will be fruitful and knowledgeable about the Lord. If we are not adding these things to our faith, we will not have hope as to where we are going, and we will forget where we have come from, and what God has done in forgiving our sins.
In other words the growing christian can see heaven if you will, they know where they are going and are mindful of it, and it's never far from their minds that they are new creatures who have been forgiven by God.
Thank You Father for Your grace, mercy and peace.
Pastor Bob Grenier.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
An example of the christian life.....
2nd Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ.
In this verse, we see what the Christian life looks like, when it's as it ought to be. In other words, what you see in Peter, is what God would have in our lives as well. So, here are 3 things to consider.
First of all, a change has taken place. You have been born again. Peter, used both his old name and his new name in introducing himself in this letter.
He had been called Simon, but, Jesus changed his name to Peter. That change of names, brings to my mind the truth of being born again. It certainly happened to Peter. And, it's happened to you if you have been saved, you have also been born again. You are a new creature in Jesus Christ. See John 3:3, and 2nd Cor 5:17, and Titus 3:5
Secondly, you have been called to servanthood. Notice how Peter identifies himself. "A bondservant" Or more literally, a slave. It's when a person gives himself up to another's will, and becomes a servant of Christ, used by Christ in extending and advancing His cause among men.
It's when a Christian is devoted to Christ, to the disregard of his or her own interests. It's to be an attendant to Jesus Christ. Waiting on Him, and serving Him. This is our reasonable and logical worship, to serve the Lord.
See Rom 12:1-2
Finally, each Christian has a specific role to play in that service of Jesus Christ. In Peter's case, he had been called to be an apostle. Or a messenger of Jesus Christ, and was used to help lay the foundation of the church.
He also was a pastor teacher, and an evangelist.
Each Christian has at least one gift from God, to be used in service for Him.
And, it's through the use of that gift, or gifts, that we accomplish the will of God for our lives in serving Jesus Christ. See Rom 12:3-8, 1st Cor 12, and Eph 4:1-16
The joy of new life, and of service for Christ. What could a man give in exchange for his soul. Thus, to be saved, is not only a work of God, and a gift from God, but, it's the greatest blessing a person can have in their life.
And, it's truly more blessed to give then it is to receive. That's what Jesus said. See Acts 20:35. May God bless you in your new life, and in your service to Christ. And if by some chance you have become dormant in serving Him, then may I encourage you to stir up the gift of God in you, and let God get you back into service.
Thank You Father, for Your grace, mercy and peace. May they all increase in our lives, through knowing You.
Pastor Bob Grenier.
Monday, September 26, 2011
What God has given you, and what God wants to give to you.
2Pet 1:1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2Pet 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
2Pet 1:3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
2Pet 1:4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
There are at least four things mentioned here.
The first thing God has given us, ( and this is true for every person who has put their faith in Jesus Christ ) is, "to those who have obtained like precious faith"
We are told in the Bible that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. ( Rom 10:17 ) And, we are told that the faith we have "is not of ourselves, it is the gift of God" Eph 2:9 And, ( as God had dealt to each one a measure of faith ) Rom 12:2
The point is this. You do have faith, and it has come from God. It's called "like precious faith" just like the apostle Peter had, and as does every other christian believer.
Faith is assurance, it is belief, it is the conviction of the truth. Specifically, it's the conviction that Jesus Christ is the savior, and that it's through our trust in Him that we obtain eternal salvation.
Secondly, and this has to do with what God will give you and wants to give you. He wants grace and peace to be multiplied in your life of faith in Jesus Christ. That is, God wants grace and peace to increase in your life. And the way they are increased is through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. These blessings come from the Father and from Jesus, and the grow as we know the Father and Jesus more, and more. ( These blessings are a by-product if you will of growing in our relationship with God )
Thirdly, we have been given all things that pertain unto life and godliness, and again ( it's through the knowledge of Him )
Fourthly, we have been given exceedingly great and precious promises that have made us partakers of the divine nature, and have caused us to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. New birth and new life, a life of freedom from the old life.
There is so much to say as we get going through and into this 2nd letter by Peter. But these four things listed above are alot to think about, and to digest, and to meditate on this day. I pray that you might be blessed as you consider what Your God has given you, and what Your God wants to give you. Some things are our's now, but by knowing Him, we find ourselves receiving more of His grace and peace into our lives.
May God bless you and cause His face to shine upon you and give you peace.
Pastor Bob Grenier.