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Luke 5:1-5 - Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; … 3 And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat. 4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing…
Serago are you trying to tell me God wants me to go fishing. No, not exactly, but I am sure some would not argue with God if that were His command. There are too many people who read the Bible and don't understand the background information of what is taking place.
He knows the best way to teach is to be separated from the people just a little and this would allow the people to hear His voice. He gets into Peter's boat and asks Peter to move the boat out into the water and this will allow His voice to project so that a larger number of people will be able to hear what He is saying. When His lesson is over He wants to bless Peter for the use of his boat and more importantly He wants to teach Peter a life lesson on TRUSTING GOD. Jesus says, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." There is only about 10 things wrong with that statement from a fisherman's point of view. Peter is the fisherman by trade here not Jesus. Pete had been fishing when you are supposed to and that is at night. The top of the water is cooler at night and the fish will come up to feed. It is now day and the sun has been heating up the top of the water so the fish swim to deeper water where it is cooler. Throwing their nets out now when the water has warmed is not going to help them catch any fish. Pete informs Jesus, we fished when we were supposed to and we caught nothing. Now you want us to throw out our nets when we are not supposed too. Is that correct? Peter probably wants to ask Jesus if He had ever fished in His life, but he didn't. Pete is at the crossroads of Dilemma and Frustration. He had pulled in his nets, if they needed to be fixed, he has fixed them. Now they're drying. It is time to go home. It is time to get some sleep because he will be back here later today with his crew and they once again will be going out all night trying to catch some fish.
When you and I have done something for the 1,000th or 10,000th time God just might want us to do it a totally different way. WHAT! Are you kidding me? This will never work in a million years, might be our thoughts. Yeah, that is probably what Peter was thinking. Can you just hear Peter talking to himself? It might have sounded like this: "This will never work. Everyone knows you fish at night, except this guy. If I had only worked faster I could've been off the boat and at home sleeping, but no I had double check those nets. I am such an idiot." Jesus wants Peter to trust him and as we can see Peter did NOT automatically trust God's Son. To help Peter grow in his faith God worked a miracle right there in front of him. Pete did something in a totally different way. He fished during the day with his nets and Jesus filled his nets with fish. If we will trust God a little He will pour out a blessing from heaven that will be enormous. What have we been doing the same way over and over again? What is it that God wants us to change? What have we been doing for years the same way that God wants us to try it a different way so that He can fill our nets with a blessing?
We might want to start where Peter finished and that is by bowing down to pray and telling the Lord that we are sinful because we have not fully trusted Him. What one thing does God want us to do today? Trust Him, would be the correct answer. Think About These: Never be afraid to trust your unknown future to a known God. God still speaks to those who take the time to listen. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word
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Psalm 23:3 - He restores my soul;… NASU
These four words are tucked in between some of the more famous words of this psalm like "The Lord is my Shepherd and Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil." I mean those words have been quoted quite often. T-shirts and posters have been made with those words on them, but if you want four words that make you a promise then the words "He restores my soul" are your go to words. He restores my soul. Just think about those four words. What do they mean? They mean you are having a bad day, week or month. Your soul has been crushed by something. You are singing the blues and your "soul" needs to be restored. Ps 31:7, 9 - Because You have seen my affliction; You have known the troubles of my soul,… 9 - Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; My eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body also. The Psalmist is writing and in this Psalm he mentions that his soul is being afflicted, having troubles, is in distress and his soul is wasted away because of grief. Yes, we could probably say the Psalmist's soul needs "restoring".
What about us? Has our soul been afflicted, in trouble, or under enormous amounts of stress? Have we quoted this verse to ourselves? Did we even think to say when we were suffering the Lord is going to "restore my soul". The reason why He is going to restore our souls is because that is who He is. A very Popular song today is entitled "Way Maker" it was written by a Nigerian singer-songwriter named Sinach. She said, she was going through a very difficult time in her life and the words of Isaiah came to her: Isa 43:15-16 - "I am the LORD, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King." Thus says the LORD, Who makes a way through the sea And a path through the mighty waters,… Here are some lyrics of this song: You are Way maker, miracle worker; promise keeper, Light in the darkness, My God, that is who You are. God says He is able to make a way for us and that He is a "promise keeper". We can depend on God's promises because He never lies. He is omnipotent and able to work miracles.
He is a "miracle worker, promise keeper" and it is to your advantage to never give up on God because He is going to restore your soul. You might not be able to see a way out of your dilemma, but God can. He is the "Way Maker". We need to trust in Him to make a way for us to once again have our soul restored. David trusted in God and He made a way for David's soul to be restored. Do yourself a favor and place your trust in God and His word and your soul will be restored when it has gone through a life crushing experience. Think About These: What is faith but to see what you don't believe. Faith helps us face the music, even when we don't like the tune. All men need a faith that will not shrink when washed in the waters of affliction and adversity. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Matt. 6:19-21 - "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. NASU
How do we make sense then of what Jesus said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,…" If we don't store up treasures on earth how will we ever retire? What Jesus is trying to teach His disciples is NOT TO TRUST in our riches or wealth. The reason we don't want to trust in them is because of what can happen to them. They can be destroyed by moths or rust can corrode the buried coins and yes they can even be stolen from us. Look what just happened to everyone's 401k's because of the collapsing of the stock market. Look what is happening to your cash as inflation is at an all time high.
We are permitted to be wise like an ant but we are directed to NOT TO TRUST in our wealth. We are to trust in GOD.
Guess what God can do the same thing. He can give you a breakdown of where your heart is by how you spend your time and money. Where your heart is that is where your treasures will be and vice-versa. So choose wisely my friend. Think About This: There are two ways of being rich. One is to have all you want and the other is to be satisfied with what you have. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word 1 Samuel 2:6-8 “The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. “For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; on them he has set the world.”
One family is financially poor and has absolutely nothing except a remarkable faith in God. Another family is wealthy and has every convenience known to man yet they are void of knowledge of God. The text says, “The Lord sends poverty and wealth.” What is your situation today? Would you identify with those living in poverty or wealth? You are in one state or the other because God has placed you there. How are you honoring God in your condition is the question that needs to be answered?
While serving as a minister at Christ’s Church of the Valley in AZ (CCV) I led a group of people to Mexico to build houses on numerous occasions. The house’s dimensions were 11’ x 22’ and they had a concrete floor, flat roof, two windows, one door and the outside was covered with stucco. There was no electricity and no plumbing. The people who received the houses on those weekends had their lives changed and I had my life changed as well. They were exalted with their new houses and I was humbled by seeing their new houses.
If God can lift the earth on its pillars I am pretty sure he can lift your burdens. God can change your life and I hope you will trust Him enough to allow Him to change your life. Think About These: It is better to appreciate something you have than to have something you can't appreciate. Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word 2 Kings 18:28-31 - Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in Judean, saying, "Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria. "Thus says the king, 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you from my hand; nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, "The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria." 'Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria,…" NASU
I laugh at Rabshakeh's statement "…nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD,…" Hezekiah had a reputation of trusting in the LORD and these Assyrian's knew it. Would anyone know that we trust in the LORD by our lifestyle? 2 Kings 19:9-12 -Rabshakeh… sent messengers again to Hezekiah saying, "Thus you shall say to Hezekiah king of Judah, 'Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you saying, "Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria." 'Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the lands, destroying them completely. So will you be spared? 'Did the gods of those nations which my fathers destroyed deliver them,…' The answer to his question is "No" those gods didn't deliver them, but there is a big difference. Those nations didn't have the God of Creation as their God. They had gods that were not gods. Their gods were made of wood and stone. Our God is Spirit and wasn't made by the hands of men. Rabshakeh is trying desperately to destroy the confidence of Hezekiah and the Israelites that they have in the LORD. The devil is trying today using other "Rabshakehs" who will mock and ridicule Christians for trusting in the LORD God Almighty.
If you have some available time I would recommend reading I Kings 18 and 19 and see how Hezekiah is ridiculed for his faith in God. Christians today are likewise ridiculed for believing in God. We are told not to trust in the LORD, but to trust in the government or in ourselves. If you trust in the government how is that going for you today? Inflation is out of control, people have lost over 25% and more in some case of their retirement. So do you really think trusting in the government or your finances is the answer? When people tell you not to trust in the LORD my advice is simple "Don't Listen To Them".
God sent Isaiah the prophet with a message and the message from God was "I have heard you". When we pray God hears us. When we trust in God others hear us. Don't be silent! Trust in God! When others don't want you to trust in God, Trust in Him anyways. Think About This: The tragedy of our day is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word |
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