Today's Reading: Luke 5: 1-11
**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.
Please click this link to read Luke 5: 1-11
Bible Study
Today's passage tells us two things:
1. Don't waste your time to fish if you do not listen to Jesus
"Fishing" in this context means first our professions. Peter was a fisherman so he made his living fishing. If you are a realtor then you make you living selling houses. The point in today's passage is that lots of time we try all our best to "fish" but we can't get anything, so discouraging. But, Jesus has a way to show us when and where to fish. Do you believe that? The timing of how Jesus told Peter to fish was not right. The place of how Jesus told Peter to fish was not right. Not right according to the professionals, Peter was one of the professionals. Peter was willing to listening to Jesus and he caught a big load of fishes.
2. Don't fish the wrong fishes
After the big catch, Jesus told Peter, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." How frightened you may be now to think of whether you can earn enough money to make a living or if you have enough money for your retirement. We are so frightened and so worry everyday because we worry the wrong "fishes", we have been fishing the wrong fishes. It doesn't mean that every Christians need to be a full time pastor. It means that you need to trust Jesus will have a way for you to make a living and you need to listen to Jesus to fish the right "fishes" and that should be "people", "soul", saved souls!
N.T. Wright says:
Jesus doesn't want to leave anybody out. His call to Peter and the others- that they should now help him in catching people-came precisely in order that the Good News would go out wider and wider, reaching as many as possible. Ultimately, there are no bystanders in the kingdom of God.
So, how well are you fishing? What kind of fishes are you fishing? Are you fishing the wrong fishes wasting you time and life? How well have you been listening to Jesus to fish?
Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"
Spiritual Journal
What I heard from Jesus today is: Don't waste your time to fish if you do not listen to Jesus?
What I received today is a changing of direction of our way of fishing. I mean how we make a living. Lots of time we waste so much time in thinking daily of how we can do a better job, how we can earn more. Today, Jesus wants to tell us that if the job you are doing now is the one he prepares for you to do, then just listen to his strategy and he will give you wisdom to do it well. With a better daily intimate personal relationship with Jesus you will have do a better job everyday! More then that, Jesus is challenging you not to waste so much time to make a living because he calls everyone to follow today's example to be "fishers of men". You need to follow his example to get your "Peter", your "James" and your "John". Then may be more, like a small group of 12 people like his 12 apostles! But, let's start micro first. How well are you getting your "Peter" to know Jesus and be with Jesus everyday? That's the call to be a mentor according to the third stage of our ACiC/AI four years plan and we are in the third stage this year. To be a mentor leading one or two people to be with Jesus and go fishing! That's Jesus call to you today! Are you willing to listen and obey?
Don't waste your time to fish if you do not listen to Jesus!
Dear Lord Jesus,
Lead us to be able to listen to you to fish and be a fisher of men. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
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