Ready To Face The Giants Together?

(Today's devotion is brought to you by Paul)

Scripture Reference: Luke 5:4-11 (NKJV)

Allow me to tell you a bit of the story... According to Scriptures, Jesus got onto Simon's boat and started to teach the multitudes from the boat. After speaking He told Simon to "launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch" (v4).

Simon obeyed with a simple obedience and faithfulness. Now why do I say that? He had been toiling all night, but to no avail. But upon the Lord's word, he obeyed and went ahead.

What followed after, remains one of the most compelling stories told until today.

Simon and gang caught a great catch that day, and it was so much that he had to call to his partners from the other boat to help catch the fish.

"But Paul, so many fish, ikan bilis ah?"

No my friends, this is what the Scriptures say, Simon and the rest "caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking" (v6). In fact, his boat started to sink! So these are BIG FISH!

Just earlier today I had a good friend who called me, and asked me to sit in with her this coming Sunday at Youth Service. She is bringing a colleague, so she needs help to make him feel comfortable. This friend of hers has been coming to service a couple of times now and is open to the Gospel. But because my friend is a lady, and so she was not so comfortable reaching out to him too much, I offered to help.

Dear brothers and sisters, in the coming months we are going to see and experience many many people coming to know the Lord, but this is the season where, by one person's strength, is definitely not enough. That is why in Luke 5, God always provides us with friends, that when the "fish" gets too many, and you cannot cope, and you're sinking, your friend will come by with the next boat to help!

Read verse 4 again. “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” (NKJV)

We need to let down our nets into places, and reach out to people where our friendships are already firmly rooted, because this is the Lord's heartbeat for many of us. These are the people who are close to our hearts. And we need to go deep.

If you are worried that you will lose the friendship, fret not. At most they will say "err...no thanks, I need to stay home and help my mom with the dishes". You won't lose the friendship with them because they know you long enough.

Jesus ended with this, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” (Luke 5:10, NKJV)

And we need to catch those who matter to us because "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Luke 12:34)

If they matter to you, they matter to God too.

(Today's devotion is brought to you by Paul)