Pastor Bell's Words To Live By

As we conclude the letters that Peter wrote we must stand back and reflect on the transformation that has occurred in his life over time. When Peter met Jesus in Capernaum he was busy working hard in his family business making a life for his family. Like many of us, his priorities were his business, his immediate family and his faith was there somewhere in the background. He knew the history of the Jewish people and had heard that a Messiah was scheduled to come and deliver them from their enemies as some point. The society he lived in was male dominated and the Jews regarded all Gentiles as unclean. Over time and with the help of Jesus, Peter’s attitude was transformed. Not only was he able to accept that non-Jews could receive the promised Holy Spirit, but that all of humanity was subject to suffer because of the fall and the only atonement for sin was the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

his life was alos turned upside down!

Peter’s world and his thinking were turned upside-down. His understanding was completely revolutionised. He has seen things that would make his hearers jaw drop. He had walked on water, seen thousands of people fed with a few fish and some baps. He had followed Jesus in rebuking the spirit that had kept a man lame for years (Acts 3). He had seen the deaf hear, the blind see and the dumb speak. And finally he had his cultural norms completely transformed. Culture can be defined as ‘how we do things here’. 

Peter knew that God was in control of everything. He knew that angels and demons were real. He was delivered by an angel from prison for preaching the gospel (Acts 12). Now at the end of his life he leaves these two books to encourage us with these words: ‘since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of person ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness’ (11 Peter 3:11).  We ought to know that everything must come to an end, therefore leave a legacy of lives we’ve impacted not monuments for people to look at.

Today let us allow the Holy Spirit of God to transform our thinking so that we can become the people God called us to be; people of Faith and not fear.

Read John 13