Cast out the Net

Very early in life (almost from birth) we are trained to be successful according to the world's definition of success. We are driven by goals and accomplishments from the day we take our first steps and ride our first bike. As we grow older, we are pressured to accumulate knowledge and "things" in order to prove our success. In our Christian walk, Jesus calls us to a new definition of success - one determined not by what we accomplish, acquire or understand, but by our simple yet complete obedience.

The disciples walked and talked with Jesus, but they still faced many challenges with faith and obedience. One morning after fishing all night without a catch, Jesus called from the shore.

John 21:6
"He said, 'Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.' When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish."

The disciples were successful that morning. But we must understand that the large number of fish did not define their success. They would have been successful even if the net remained empty. Oh how I wish more in ministry could grasp this truth! The disciples were successful the moment they were obedient and cast the net on the right side of the boat.

One thousand years earlier, King Saul was told to "attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them" (1 Samuel 15:3). But Saul allowed the Amalekite king and the best livestock to survive. He tried to hide his disobedience by telling the prophet Samuel that the animals were for a sacrifice to God. "But Samuel replied: 'Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams'" (1 Samuel 15:22).

In any task we undertake for God, it's easy to become discouraged by our apparent lack of success. We often feel inadequate, and those feelings increase when our goals seem to be elusive. But we must remember that the outcome of the task is minor compared to our obedience. We have almost no ability to determine how our efforts fit into God's plan. God doesn't need our fish! He can accomplish His plan with the rocks if He chooses; but He desires our willful obedience and trust...He desires a people who will bring Him glory as they love Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Let's take our eyes off the accomplishment of the "catch" and what we can produce. Rather, let's focus on walking each step according to His leading. Let's love Him with an uncluttered heart and concentrate all our effort on obeying His call to cast out the net.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

We are the Created

We spend a great deal of our time and energy attempting to create various areas of our life.  We strive to create the ideal work environment in order to provide the necessary resources to create the ideal social and home life.  We plan the details of our free time in hopes of creating the ideal leisure.  We even go so far as working hard to create the ideal "religious" experience.

Psalm 100:3
"Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture."

No amount of our own effort will ever create the "ideal."  For if we are striving to create, we are chasing after the world's elusive, ever changing, false definition of what is really ideal and fulfilling.  Our only hope at finding the true ideal is in understanding we are the created, not the Creator.  The absolute best in life begins with knowing whose life we really live; "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20).  Our life belongs to Christ and it must be left with Him to create the life He desires.

Jesus is the only One who has ever truly been in the creation business; "All things were created by Him and for Him" (Colossians 1:16).  We were created by Jesus for His sovereign purpose; "We are the clay, You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand" (Isaiah 64:8).  Somehow we've begun to consider ourselves as the work of our own hands.  We try to create a life according to the world's system and fulfill "needs" and "rights" based on this false world view.  Not only is this self centered world view wrong - not only does this value system pull our heart away from God and grieve the Holy Spirit as we fail to follow His leading - but it can also send us into bondage as we chase a lie which will never satisfy.

The truth that will set us free is that our needs are extremely small and we actually have NO rights - at least not in this world; "You are not your own; you were bought at a price" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).  We have been purchased with the blood of Jesus and given eternal life as joint heirs with Christ in God's Kingdom.  We have the "right," the privilege, and the great honor of praising Him for all eternity.  We need and deserve nothing more.

If we truly want the ideal, we will stop trying to create our life and place every area in the Hands of a loving Creator.  God defines and shapes the ideal, and His ideal is ours for the asking.  The ideal job, home, marriage, ministry, fun, and friends are all ours - but only through releasing our rights, redefining our needs, and humbly understanding that we are the created.

He is!!!!

He Is!
 He is the First and Last,
the Beginning and the End!
He is the keeper of Creation
and the Creator of all!
 He is the Architect of the Universe
and the Manager of all times.
He always was,
He always is,
and He always will be . . .
Unmoved,
Unchanged,
Undefeated,
and never Undone!
 He was bruised and brought healing!
He was pierced and eased pain!
He was persecuted and brought freedom!
He was dead and brought life!
He is risen and brings power!
He reigns and brings Peace!
 The world can't understand him,
The armies can't defeat Him,
The schools can't explain Him,
and the leaders can't ignore Him.
 Herod couldn't kill Him,
The Pharisees couldn't confuse Him, and
The people couldn't hold Him!
 Nero couldn't crush Him,
Hitler couldn't silence Him,
The New Age can't replace Him,
and non-believers can't explain Him away!
 He is Light,
Love,
Longevity,
and Lord.
 He is Goodness,
Kindness,
Gentleness,
and God.
 He is Holy,
Righteous,
Mighty,
Powerful,
and Pure.
 His ways are right,
His Word is eternal,
His will is unchanging,
and His mind is on me!
 He is my Redeemer,
He is my Savior,
He is my Guide, and
He is my Peace!
 He is my Joy,
He is my Comfort,
He is my Lord, and
He rules my life!
 I serve Him because His bond is love,
His burden is light,
and His goal for me is abundant life.
 I follow Him because He is the Wisdom of the wise,
the Power of the powerful, the Ancient of Days,
the Ruler of rulers,
the Leader of leaders,
the Overseer of the overcomers,
and the Sovereign Lord of all that was, and is and is to come.
 And if that seems impressive to you, try this for size . . .
 His goal is a relationship with me!
 He will NEVER leave me,
NEVER forsake me,
NEVER mislead me,
NEVER forget me,
NEVER overlook me,
and NEVER cancel my appointment in His appointment book!
 When I fall, He lifts me up!
 When I fail, He forgives!
 When I am weak, He is strong!
 When I am lost, He is the way!
 When I am afraid, He is my courage!
 When I stumble, He steadies me!
 When I am hurt, He heals me!
 When I am broken, He mends me!
 When I am blind, He leads me!
 When I am hungry, He feeds me!
 When I face trials, He is with me!
 When I face persecution, He shields me!
 When I face loss, He provides for me!
 When I face Death, He carries me Home!
 He is God!
He is Faithful.
I am His,
and He is mine!
 My Father in Heaven can whip the father of this world.
So, if you're wondering why I feel so secure, understand this . . .
He said it and that settles it.
 God is in control,
I am on His side,
and that means all is well with my soul.
Everyday is a blessing for GOD Is!
 May Grace and Peace be multiplied unto you.

An Unsearchable Love

As I look back through the Scriptural account of history, I can see how God sent His Son to be born in a manger, grow and live among us, and die for our sins upon a cross.  I can clearly see how the sacrifice of Jesus allows us, through faith, to enter into God's presence.  I can even see the purpose of His humble birth as an example of humility and service.  But what I don't think I'll ever fully understand is why.  Oh, sure, I know the reason is love; "For God so loved the world that He gave..." (John 3:16), but I seriously doubt I'll ever understand the amount of love required to sacrifice so much - the amount of love He had (and has)...for me!

Paul wrote to the Romans with the intent of setting foundational beliefs for the church.  In this letter, Paul presented the greatest amount of teaching found anywhere in the Bible.  Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Paul wrote on topics ranging from sin and judgement, to faith and Salvation; from the purpose of the Law and life through the Spirit, to the sovereignty of God and the future of Israel.  But toward the end of the letter, Paul paused and wrote a short prayer of praise and glory.

Romans 11:33-36
"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay Him? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever!  Amen."

We get the feeling that Paul reviewed the first portion of his letter and just couldn't continue without praising the Lord.  Paul had wrestled through many difficult issues and learned a valuable lesson: God is God, and sometimes this simple truth defies understanding.

God has a perfect plan where every piece fits neatly together; but there are many connections my finite mind fails to comprehend.  I can't always see the purpose of my trials or the lessons I'm to learn, and I get frustrated with His timing (I want to know His plan, now!).  But I know His love gave everything; "He humbled Himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:8).  I may not fully understand this love, but the little I know is enough to create a desire to live a life of devotion and faith.  One day, all His mysteries will be perfectly revealed.  Until then I will simply continue to worship and trust.

We may never fully understand, but I pray we are all drawn a little closer today.  If you have never experienced His love, I pray that you will release your heart into His care.  If you're feeling unloved by the world, I pray you will look to Him and see a Father who gave His Son so He could hold you for all eternity.  He is an unsearchable God who is glorified by pouring out, for you, an unsearchable love.

Faithful, Focused, Patient

Faithful, Focused, Patient (By Rocky Henriques, www.timothyreport.com)
 Jeff Wall, writing in Reader's Digest a few years ago, told that as a police officer he occasionally parked his cruiser in residential areas to watch for speeders. One Sunday morning he was staked out in a driveway, when he saw a large dog trot up to his car.
 The dog stopped and sat just out of arm's reach. No matter how much Wall tried to coax him to come for a pat on the head, he refused to budge. After a few minutes, the officer decided to move to another location. As he pulled out of the driveway, Wall looked back and learned the reason for the dog's behavior. As soon as the police car moved, the dog quickly picked up the newspaper the car had been parked on and faithfully ran back to his master.
 That's funny, but it also says to me that if a dog could be that focused and that committed to his assigned task, then shouldn't we also? To the dog, the task looked impossible: the paper was under the car and he couldn't get to it. But he didn't do what we so often do: when we are faced with "impossible" challenges many times we just turn and walk away, saying "Oh well, maybe we weren't meant to do that."
 Perhaps today we could learn something from that dog. (1) He was faithful to do what his master expected of him; (2) he was focused on the assignment and let nothing, not even a pat on the head, distract him; and (3) he knew instinctively that the car didn't belong there, and would eventually move, so he patiently waited until that happened.
 Here are the lessons for us today: (1) Our Master expects us to be His Body, fulfilling His commands and sharing His Gospel; (2) we should be focused on our assignment and not be distracted by other things that come along, however good they may be; and (3) we should know instinctively that this world is not our home, and be patient as we wait for that Great Day when Jesus will return.
 When Jesus said, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching," that's about as clear as it could be said. No wiggle room. No reading between the lines. No loopholes.
 So...is there a car parked on your newspaper?

Find the Greatest Love of All

Find the Greatest Love of All (By Verna Collins Odoom) 
 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." - 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)
 At the core of the Bible is the great exchange. The death...and the resurrection. Letting go of the old to embrace the new. Dying to self and being born again in Him.
 Being the humans that we are, I would venture to say that we all have engaged in many rounds of tug-of-war as we try to balance the very selfish nature that is innate, with the call on our lives to be more like Him. Why? Because when we accepted God as our Father, the old us - the worldly us - existed no more, and was replaced with the spirit of God. So if that spiritual transplant has happened, why do we have to work so hard each day to bury the desires of the flesh? And once buried, why won't those desires stay buried?
 Many times we pick up those desires again ourselves, without any coaxing, without any prodding, and in many cases without even thinking. We are so used to doing those things that we want to do when we want to do them, that we don't even put up a great fight anymore. Other times we regress and reunite with old desires because they are comfortable...easy even. Change is hard and requires a level of commitment that many of us honestly just don't want to make.
 That's when we have to ask ourselves, "Is my love for God greater than my love for anything else in my life?" It all has to do with our quest to Find the Greatest Love of All. Do I want to please God more than I want to please myself? Or do we push our love of God out of our minds long enough to give in to the desires of the flesh, then seek forgiveness later?
 True, we are supposed to ask God to forgive us after we have done something that we know is out of His will, but His forgiving nature does not nullify our responsibility to do those things that we know are pleasing to Him. In other words, saying the devil made us do something is no excuse. The devil only operates in our lives as much as we allow him.
 Those desires of the flesh may be different for everyone, but we all deal with them. For some it's drinking, for others it's cursing, still others have a hard time kicking the smoking habit, or can't stop sleeping with someone who is not our husband (or wife). Lying, being physically or verbally abusive, being unforgiving and holding a grudge...not setting aside time to pray and study the Bible - all are issues that we have to pray down.
 Galatians 2:20 (NIV) reads, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
 When I think of God living in me, it truly makes me want to live a better life. We must get out of that mindset that God only sees those things in us that we want Him to see. It's time that we grow up in Him.
 It's kind of like that notion that many of us might have had as children about our relationship with our parents. There were certain things that we may have done or said when our parents were NOT around that we would NEVER have done or said in their presence. But we must remember that as believers, God dwells in us. So He is there through our EVERYTHING. When you think about it like that, do you really want to take the Spirit of the Living God through those things of the flesh and into all [that junk]?
 I don't want to expose Him to those things that are not pure and good. [I need] to resist those things that the "old me" used to desire and used to do.

Our Faithful Friend

The sting of loneliness comes to everyone at some point.  And sometimes, we can feel the most isolated when we're around other people.  Why?  Because there's a part of us in the depth of our being that only God's presence can satisfy.  It really doesn't matter how much money you make, what of car you drive, or how many social connections you have. Even the most loyal friends cannot fill the parts of your soul that yearn for God.

At some time or another, each one of us will face this reality.  When loved ones die, or the things you've built come crashing to the ground, or your friends forsake you, where will you turn?  Is there enough security in your 401K to see you through these hardships?

We are seperated from our heavenly Father because of sin, yet there is hope: Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me" Revelation 3:20. He also said, "No one comes to the Father but through Me" John 14:6.

What does this mean for you?  It means that there is no other path to complete fulfillment, and you will always have a friend in Jesus.  This isn't a cliche. With or without friends and family, you can face each day with hopeful anticipation, certain that your life and your future are in the hands of Someone who loves you unconditionally.  When you're lonely in the still hours of the morning or by yourself at the end of a long day, you can reach out to God in prayer. As we quiet ourselves in His presence, He brings clarity and peace to our anxious minds.