"We Will Also Come With You"

"Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.  Simon Peter said to them, 'I am going fishing.'  They said to him, 'We will also come with you.'  They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing." (John 21:2, 3--NASB)

There have been far too many in Church History who have made this same decision.  Things did not develop as they had wished and expected, so they said, "I am going fishing."  They say, "It seems as though this is just not going to work out.  All seems lost."  What happened to them is what happened to the discouraged fishermen. 

The lesson here is that we may think we can go back to "fishing," but we can't.  There will just be no more fish to catch, try as we may.  The appearance may be of "success," but the nets will forever be empty, meaningless, in reality, worse than before we surrendered our lives to Jesus.

I pray that if any who are reading this are in such a state as the fishermen, the Holy Spirit will write in your hearts and minds the Words of Peter, "Lord, to whom shall we go.  You have the Words of Eternal Life."

Father, in Jesus' Name, if there is anyone in the world today who is considering going back to "fishing," I pray that You open their eyes to see what they are going back to.  Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit draw them back to You, Your Cross, Your Heaven.  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

What, "Obscures [Jesus'] Plans," For Our Lives?

"Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm.  He said: 'Who is this that obscures My plans with words without knowledge?'"  (Job 38:1, 2--NIV)

So here we have it: What, "....obscures My (Jesus') plans..," is our, "....words without knowledge".  It is not that Jesus does not "reveal" His plans.

All of the questions which our Lord God asks Job are Divinely Rhetorical.  What I took particular note of this time through Job, however, is Job's response to the rebuke of the Godhead, "I am unworthy-- how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth.  I spoke once, but I have no answer-- twice, but I will say no more....Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know."  The Church of today can use more of this.  

I wrote yesterday of listening.  This is what we see in Job's response to, "The Word of God."  Could we say that the Lord God rebuked Job for not "listening?"  Perhaps there is a truth here as expressed in Ezekiel 33:10,  "Our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we pine away in them, how can we then live?" 

I encourage us to beware of words of speculation, which are nothing but, "words without knowledge," words not rooted in, "The Words of God," in Jesus Christ Himself.  I pray for you and me to walk in Jesus' "Wonderful Words of Life."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray that I only, "sp[eak[] of things...wonderful for me to know."  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2

We Have Lost the War on Christmas - Frontpagemag

Subject: We Have Lost the War on Christmas - Frontpagemag

https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2019/12/we-have-lost-war-christmas-bruce-thornton/#.XgT9NwizOQE.gmail

I Noticed Answered Prayer Today

"The Lord bless you out of Zion,(1) and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life. (2) Yes, may you see your children's children.(3)  Peace upon Israel!"  (Psalm 128:5, 6)

Our Lord Jesus reminded me today, in just two little verses of Sacred Writ, of three Manifold blessings.  I have been, "....bless[ed]...out of Zion...."  I have seen, "....the good of Jerusalem..," especially since June, 1967.  I have seen my, "....children's children."  I am a blessed man.  Many reading this can say a glorious, "THANK YOU," to the Living Triune God for His mercy in granting the "may you(s)" of our text. 

I so encourage us today to LISTEN, to listen to the Blessed Trinity, and, listen to one another.  How many times we read passages and just do not listen.  We fail to see and hear what Jesus is "saying" to us, most dangerously in the "favorite" Scriptures" we read.  I have said/written many times before, that every day there is literally something "new" which Jesus speaks to my heart from His Words, Words which I have been reading over and over for many decades, yet are, indeed, "....new every morning...."

Moreover, I am more and more convinced that way too many do not listen to each 0ther.  So often I have noticed that when you share something which is "new" to you, "new," as in revelation, others do not listen.  Instead, they just pick up the "cliche aspect" of the words and wonder off from there.  This is not, "koinonia."  Fellowship in Jesus and in His Church is listening, hearing, observing, encountering one another, which involves literally "hearing out" one another.  Jumping to some conclusion upon hearing just a few words is childish. 

Since this is true among Jesus' Followers, it is just as true and imperative that we listen to, hear out our Lord Jesus Christ in His Words.  Oh, how so much we miss if we do not listen, hear, and, "Selah," Jesus' Words.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I so pray for, "ears to hear," You, and the Brethren.  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

Hebrews 12:2