Oh man. Talk about an A.D.D. night. I tried to sit still and pray and couldn't focus. I tried to read 2 Peter chapter 1 and I read it and re-read it and got nothing out of it. EVERY noise in the background was driving me nuts.
So since I was getting nothing out of reading the Bible, I threw on a sermon. I searched for 2 Peter 1 sermon on YouTube and found a sermon by Francis Chan entitled 'The Most Important Lesson I Could Ever Teach' found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dop3dFvgAKg
I was really hoping he would start in 2 Peter 1 right at the beginning but he starts in verse 12. That's okay!
The gist of verses 12-21 is that Peter wants his readers to be well prepared when he passes away. He wants to make sure they will be able to recall his teachings once he is gone. He then goes on to say that the things he taught them weren't made up but rather the things he experienced in life with Jesus. He talks about the time he was with Jesus at the Transfiguration and how sure he was of Jesus based on doing life with him and that experience. He also talks about the prophets of the Old Testament and how they were so accurate in their prophecies that Peter believed in Jesus because of the accuracy of them too.
So Francis asks how sure we are of God and if we are just so in love with him like Peter was. Do we rely on a person to teach us the Bible or do we go straight to the source? Peter essentially says that the people reading his letter don't need him to explain things. You and I don't NEED a pastor to teach us. (Though I sometimes feel stupid reading the Bible and a sermon can definitely bring clarity). But God can bring clarity too. That's what the Holy Spirit does!
Do we love the word of God? Do you long to know what God says? Do you long to be in God's presence? Be honest! You can lie to those around you but you can't lie to God.
“These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word." Isaiah 66:2
Oh man. Do I tremble at God's word?? No. Do I take his word seriously all the time? No. Do I follow all of God's commands? No.
I THINK I want to be there. I want to have such reverence for God that when I read his word it is real to me and because of my love for him, I just obey. Here's what James says in chapter 1:22-25:
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
It's time we tremble at God's word because GOD wrote it. I don't think we have ANY clue at how holy God is. At how much we should listen to his word. If only we knew.
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