Monday, March 21, 2022

It's time to cast your net! Do you know where to cast?

 





Silence

1.   Put on your “brakes” and stop for a moment of silence
2.   Wait for God. Breathe deep for God's peace and feel His presence. Exhale your worries.

Praise and Thanksgiving

1.   Think through your day, all the times that made you smile
2.   Thank God for all those moments, and for all those people
3.   Sing a song to praise God (you are welcome to use "Father, I adore you" which I have been singing every morning for the past 20 years or your own choice to praise God)

          Father, I adore You, lay my life before You, how I love You.
          Jesus, I adore You, lay my life before You, how I love You.
          Spirit, I adore You, lay my life before You, how I love You.
      

Confession and Repentance (Subjective Shifting Devotion Method https://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009/08/count-down-5-subject-shifting-devotion.html

1.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to shine on you that you are able to discover your sins and be willing to repent:


     “Dear Holy Spirit, shine your light into the places of darkness in my life. Show me my sins, everything that blocks me from encountering God and having Jesus as my Lord. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”



2.  Through the Holy Spirit, examine yourself for a short silence and then pray:

     "Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and being victorious over death and sin. I confess my sins to you(pause, to tell Jesus what the Holy Spirit has shown you). Forgive my sins by your blood and help me follow you. Holy Spirit, fill me that I may be able to receive your gifts to love God and His people. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."

3.  John Stott's daily prayer of Christlikeness (Christopher J.H. Wright, Cultivating the fruit of the Spirit. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2017, 13)

(Please click this link to see how God used John Stott to change my life:https://bishopsilas.blogspot.com/2009/07/

           "Heavenly Father, I pray that this day I may live in your presence and please you more and more.

             Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you.

             Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."


    
    The link to today's Time with Abba passages:   http://api.pastoralcareschool.org/twa/
    Time with Abba passages: (Psalm 41:10-13, Numbers 32:1-33:39; Luke 4:31-5:11; Proverbs 11:22)

    Today's key passage: 

    
One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,[a] the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God.He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
Luke 5:1-11

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage we have just read. Offer this time to Jesus as you listen to him. 
   
     My Listening
    The topic I received today from Jesus isIt's time to cast your net! Do you know where to cast?

     I was sharing in here yesterday saying that when the whole world is in the midst of lots of fear and darkness, now is the time for all Christians to defeat Satan, receive anointing and to proclaim the Good News!

Today's Luke tells us how after many people heard his preaching, Jesus asked Simon to cast the net in an impossible way!

All the fishermen's overnight work was completed, but Peter did not catch any fish. And while his fish boat came ashore, Jesus asked to use his boat that he could preach to people for there were too many people. And because of that, Jesus had three His most beloved disciples: Peter, James and John. All three of them were in the same working team, partnership in fishing. That morning, they stopped to be fishermen, and started to follow Jesus till the end and became Jesus' most beloved three apostles! They live out how Jesus called them and His promise:
"Simon, James and John, don 't be afraid! From now on you will fish for people!" 

Only those who are willing to follow Jesus know when to cast their nets and where to cast their nets, because only Jesus knows and only He can tell us!

When this whole world has lost its control, now is the time to cast your net! Because Jesus is always in control, Jesus is Lord! Let's receive Jesus' command to know where to cast our nests to fish people for Jesus!

     
      Dear Lord Jesus,
      When this whole world has lost its control, help us to be sure that you are the Lord always in control. Give us your command that we know when and where to cast our nets to fish people for you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
     
     
      Reflect on these questions:
     1. What inspiration have you received from today's catch and what have you heard from Jesus now?
      
      2.  What is your next step to be more closer to Jesus?
    
      Family Corner:
     Find an opportunity to share with your family the importance of today's message. 
     
Please click this link for the video version of this blog: 


     To know, learn and practice the method of Time with Abba, please click this link: https://www.pastoralcareschool.org

    

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