Faith and Fishing

Luke 5 records the story of Jesus calling Peter to become a “fisher of men”. Peter was by occupation a fisherman. He was the son of a fisherman and probably knew everything there was to know about fishing on a lake.

Peter and his crew had been fishing all night long and come up empty handed. Jesus (the carpenter), who had been teaching from Peter’s boat to a crowd of people on the bank, advised Peter to go out a little deeper and lower his nets.

Peter, having fished all night and having just cleaned those nets, replied (to the carpenter)… we fished all night and caught nothing but will do what you say. That’s the kind of language that suggests Peter didn’t really want to do it.

Peter caught the most fish he had ever caught before. He caught more fish than anyone could even make up a story about. He had so many fish that the nets began to break and his boats began to sink. It was a lot of fish.

Peter’s reaction? He fell down on his knees before Jesus and called him Lord and asked Jesus to leave because he was a sinful man. Peter fell on his knees another time also. When Jesus was transfigured and the voice of God proclaimed Jesus to be his Son. Long story short… Peter knew he was in the presence of deity and was afraid and humbled.

And then those immortal words… fear not, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.

Peter could not have known what that meant until Jesus gave him the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt. 16:18) and allowed him to open that wonderful door by proclaiming the Gospel message on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41). On that day 3000 souls were baptized into the blood of Jesus Christ. The nets were breaking and the boats were sinking (figuratively) on that day’s great “catch”. Peter had become a “fisher of men”.

Jesus makes a lot of promises to us. Don’t ever under estimate Jesus and don’t ever be afraid. With just a little bit of faith he can bless you beyond your comprehension and expectations and make your house great. Just “follow” Jesus and see what happens.

Helping Beggars

There was a discussion recently on a Veterinary group email that I am a member of and one of the Veterinarians wrote the following. I was impressed and hope you will be too.

Jesus says that whatever you do for the least of these you have also done for me (Jesus).  I believe his story about the good Samaritan really reveals his heart and addresses most of the reasons I have heard for not giving.  The Samaritan found a man wounded on the side of the road.  There were two real scary possibilities as to why he was there: Robbers (maybe still in the area) had done this to him or he was faking so that he could do this to anyone who offered assistance.  The Samaritan ignored common sense and decided to help. 

He did not ask if the man qualified for food stamps or any of the criteria of the local shelter. He gave all that was necessary to care for the man through the crisis.

 

As for questioning what will be done with the money, I have no guarantee that the money I give will be used for God’s purposes whether I give to a beggar or the elders at my church.  But God never asked me to look into how the funds would be used.  He told me to give.  Each of my donees will one day answer to God for how the money was used.  God will never ask me why I gave, but He may ask why I didn’t. 

And let’s face it, God is an enabler.  There is no need for alcohol on this planet but God saw fit to put it here and continues to see fit to put it here.  Alcohol is not the problem. In fact, it can be good for you at the right dosage.  Many over dose.  That’s not the fault of alcohol, the Lord who put it here, the money that bought it or the donor of the money.  Money is not the problem.  The love of money (a money overdose so to speak) is the problem.  God is fine with you being an enabler just like He is.

   

After many years, I have come down to this:  When approached for money, I give all that is in my pocket.  Is that easy?  One day I had a $100 bill and a $20 bill in my pocket and was approached by a man as I was leaving a store.  He said he needed money for food and, if I could spare it, a few bucks for a bed at the Salvation Army.  I reached in my pocket and pulled out the $20 and handed it to him.  He was amazed by my generosity and I was ashamed of my greed.  God gave me the money and I had committed to give it to this man and had not done so.

 

I was scheduled to have my gall bladder removed in a few weeks and had three doctors telling me it was necessary.  I asked this man if he would pray for my health.  He readily agreed and wrapped his arms around me and began praying for my health.  As he prayed I was more and more convicted about the $100 bill still in my pocket hidden from this man and in plain sight of my Lord. When he said “amen” I reached in my pocket and tried to give him the $100.  At first he refused saying it was too much.  I assured him that it was not my money but God’s and that God had instructed me to give it to him.  He took the money and invited me to attend services with him at a local church the next Sunday.  I declined as I am well connected and serve at my own congregation.  The next week I had my preop appointment with my surgeon.  He checked me over and said, “there is no way I will remove your gall bladder.  I can only make you worse.”  Me: “But you said…”  Surgeon: “you have no symptoms to warrant a cholecystectomy. “ 

Jehovah's Bride

Jehovah looked out at all the nations and families of the world and chose one to be his wife. He made a contract with his bride Israel and promised her all of his blessings and favor if she would just subject herself to Him and be faithful to him by carrying out all his laws.

 

He fulfilled everything he promised even though she was not the perfect wife. And then one day his wife Israel started looking and lusting after foreign gods. She committed adultery with them and made them her lovers.  

Her husband Jehovah was incensed and angry and reminded her of her vows and reminded her of all that he had done for her, but she would not listen. After a while Jehovah decided that if his wife loved these foreign gods so much then fine… she could have them.

 

So he allowed the gods of Babylonia and Assyria to have her. They raped and abused her.

 

Jehovah still longed for his wife of old and continued to send messengers to her in an effort to change her behavior. At some point Israel took a long look at her condition and remembered how well she had it with her husband Jehovah and repented and came back to him in great sorrow.

 

Jehovah took her back and cleaned her up but had a bigger plan for her which she didn’t even begin to understand.

 

Jehovah made the ultimate sacrifice… He allowed himself to be killed to dissolve his marriage with Israel so that he could remarry her under new conditions.

 

Jehovah allowed himself to be killed by allowing the sacrifice of his Son Jesus Christ and issued the call to the whole world, including Israel, to be in an intimate relationship with him best described as a marriage. This marriage would have better laws and conditions than the first and was designed to make her better and to create a better appreciation of him as a husband.

 

The church is the bride of Christ. Jesus Christ loves and cherishes her so that she will love and cherish him and be in subjection to him. Let’s not repeat the mistakes of the first wife.