Catch Fish—Guaranteed!

“But so we don't upset them needlessly, go down to the lake, cast a hook, and pull in the first fish that bites. Open its mouth and you'll find a coin. Take it and give it to the tax men. It will be enough for both of us.”  

The Message  Matt 17:27

A fisherman’s wisdom teaches that that angling is called fishin’ not catchin’  - ‘cause, there is no guarantee that you’ll catch anything while fishing.  Peter was a seasoned fisherman and by experience he knew that you could fish all night and catch nothing.  And, this trip to Capernaum wasn’t the first time Jesus, a carpenter, had told this able fisherman how to fish.  The first time, Peter’s replied to Jesus’ fishing instructions, saying, “Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything.”  Although he began his answer to Jesus in reluctant futility, he then added, “But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”  Peter’s obedience to Jesus resulted in not only catching enough fish for a meal, but they had “caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break” (Luke 5:5-6).  This time, when fishing in Capernaum, Peter said nothing, he just obeyed the Carpenter and went to “cast a hook.”    

Peter, as any fisherman, knows that you have to have your line in the water, that’s how you catch fish—wet a hook!  You can’t grip about the weather conditions and stand there with the hook in your hand hoping you catch something.  Peter had to react by wetting a line; so, he went to the lake and did as he was told: he “cast a hook.”  Peter’s obedience was rewarded with a fish—caught on the first cast—which produced the money to pay the tax.  By being obedient, Peter’s faith in paying the tax was simple, all he had to do was open the fish’s mouth.  Peter catching a fish had nothing to do with luck or his skill.  Peter was obedient and exercised faith in the Lord to provide—in the fish’s mouth was a coin of the needed value to pay the tax.   

Standing between ministering to the town’s people was a barrier, a tax.  A barrier is anything devised by evil to block the gospel.  Often, when doing the Lord’s work there are barriers.  You, like Peter, can be lacking means, or maybe an enablement.  Also, like Peter, in obedience to the Lord’s Word, there is nothing that can stand between you and doing something—anything—for the Kingdom of God.  Doing God’s will, His mission, is as simple as going fishing.  In obedience to the Lord, just “cast a hook.”  Then by faith, catch fish—guaranteed!

Opening the fish’s mouth,

Owen <><

P.S. There is a lot more to teach in this verse!

All Roads Lead to Heaven

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it.

Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne,

     and books were opened.

Another book was opened, which is the book of life. …

If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life,

     he was thrown into the lake of fire.                                          

                                                                                       Revelation 20:11-12, 15

All roads lead to heaven. 

So, if your faith and obedience is in Christ Jesus or not you will be in heaven.

You will find yourself standing in the throne room of God.

More is revealed in verses 13b-15, The Message paraphrase relates it like this:  “Each man and woman was judged by the way he or she had lived. Then Death and Hell were hurled into Lake Fire. This is the second death — Lake Fire.  Anyone whose name was not found inscribed in the Book of Life was hurled into Lake Fire.”

How long will you be in heaven?

§         Will it be a short time, just enough time for judgment? 

§         Will your time be eternal?

Is your name written with Christ’s blood in the Book of Life?

Or are you merely listed in one of the books to be forgotten, full of meaningless deeds.

All roads lead to heaven … how long will you be in heaven? 

Owen <><

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well” (John 14:6-7). 

Keeping things secret?

“Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, Jesus' brothers said to him, "You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." For even his own brothers did not believe in him.”  John 7:1-5

With public eyes on us, you and I look at life around us, and decide who is important, what is important, where the important place to be is at, and why we live in a certain way.  All the whos, whats, wheres, whens, and whys affect who we are—more so, than who we should be.      

Christ Jesus was not, is not, nor will be interested in being popular as a public figure; nor by all the whos, whats, wheres, whens, and whys.  Jesus is interested in healing you, transforming you to be who you should be.  Jesus is most interested in a miracle healing needed in you, done in the secret place within you, done in your spirit—as you confess and then receive Him as Lord. 

Through Christ, God’s Spirit responds to your prayers and fasting when you’re unseen by the public eye.  When in secret, everyone is unaware of your prayers and fasting, that is, everyone except for “your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matt 6:18).

Owen <><

Stinkin’ Thinkin’

Bill Hull writes, “Just as every human’s actions are based on what he or she thinks, one cannot conceive being like Christ without thinking like Christ.”  We all want to improve our life, and become a better person.  When your life is always amuck, and full of thought processes not producing good actions, then you’re not thinking like Christ; simply, your bitten by stinkin’ thinkin’.   

 Paul challenges our stinkin’ thinkin’ in Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.” [Bold emphasis mine]

In order to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” is not by magic, nor does it come easily.  In faith, having run to God’s grace you found justification.  But, your life in Christ isn’t complete, following Christ requires that disciples “offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world.”  If your goal is to think differently—you must rid yourself of stinkin’ thinkin’—then, as God’s love, mercy, and grace pours out, there must be a mind willing, desiring, and pursuing to be filled with the Spirit of a transformed, new mind.  A mind that isn’t different or opposed to Christ Jesus’ way of thinking.  He is our Teacher, leading us how we are to live—how we are to obediently think.     

To simply be a better person does not meet the prerequisite of being completely filled by the Spirit of Christ.  How you act and how you treat others is the beginning of being transformed —you and I must be willing to be “living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God”—we can’t think like and then respond to people and life as it is dished out to us.  You and I must think like Christ, who opened his hand, to help the soldier drive a nail through it into the cross. 

Owen <><

Recommended Reading:  Bill Hull.  Choose the Life: Exploring a Faith That Embraces Discipleship. Grand Rapids, MI:  Baker Books, 2004

Mountain Top Plans

Set up the tabernacle according to the plan shown you on the mountain.  Exodus  26:30

God has a plan.  A big plan for all people, a plan for a church, and a plan for you—important plans, as the plan given Moses, to, “Set up the tabernacle according to the plan.”  The prophet Amos revealed that “the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).  To hear the plan, as Moses did, requires going to the “mountain top” with spiritual ears attentive.

Moses was born a Hebrew, he lived as a politically powerful Egyptian, he became a fugitive for murder, he was a simple man, a sheepherder; and Moses was God’s holy servant and leader of God’s people.  Moses represented many different kinds of people.  But, there is only one kind of person God will speak to about his plans.  So, what kind of person was Moses?  “Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3).  And, only a humble person is willing to overcome the fear to repeatedly go alone onto a mountain, into the gap, into the presence of their sovereign Master to seek God’s glory and to attentively listen to the Word and plans given. 

God has a plan.  As with Moses, humility is the threshold to the mountain top; Jesus said it like this, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat — I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how” (Luke 9:23 The Message).  So, is there a mountain to go to?  Yes, the journey to the summit is being like Jesus (Matthew 11:29, Philippians 2:8)—a humble servant—because, “the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants.”

God uses those who are humble servants, living a life as God would expect.  The Lord gives plans with clarity, a servant hears with assurance, and when God’s plan is shared, it will be listened to by other servants.

Ears are attentive to one with His plan,

Owen <><

READ:  James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:6, Matthew 11:29, Philippians 2:8

 

Think Me Crazy

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  Romans 15:13

To become filled with the Holy Spirit, is to receive the Lord’s joy.  In Acts 2, the immersion, the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples in the upper room was reflected by an overflowing joy from them.  How do I know they had joy?  There are two reasons, 1) a fruit of the Holy Spirit is joy (Gal. 5:22) and 2) the wind of the Holy Spirit is an out pouring of who God is, all power, and yes, the source of joy.  God's joy brought on a loud noise as the disciples went into the street, as they let the Holy Spirit’s words of praise flow, without reservation, very loudly from their lips.

But, there were some on that crowded street who made fun of them.  Saying they were drunk on wine (Acts 2:14-17).  Anyone who is empty of God’s Spirit, His joy, can not fathom the blessing of God’s joy, of being literally filled with joy, filled with the Holy Spirit. 

The disciples had a choice, to allow the Holy Spirit’s fruit to be harvested, or remain depressed by Christ’s absence in body and hide what the Holy Spirit wanted to express through them.  They chose to pick fruit of the Spirit, not for self consumption, but to pour out as a love offering, as a expression of love and peace, and an expression of joy!  An expression of hope to the empty hearted. May you receive joy.

Great grace and joy to you,

Owen <><  

Read: Acts 1:4-5, 8; 2:1-14, 38-41