We hope you are well and blessed today. Need some encouragement and prayer?
Looks like my wife goes back to work on Monday. Been musing on soil cultivating, the planting of seeds of truth, the nurturing, the watering of and the reaping with JOY and LOVE. Thinking 'bout a potential harvest at and from home!
Looks like my wife goes back to work on Monday. Been musing on soil cultivating, the planting of seeds of truth, the nurturing, the watering of and the reaping with JOY and LOVE. Thinking 'bout a potential harvest at and from home!
The Bible says, "The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Every day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ."
"With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (See Acts 2:46-47, 5:41-42)
From Dana Point on the coast, I personally really love fish and people even more. To me fishing in the Bible is more about wisely goin' to where the fish are hanging out (ie, in mountain streams, crystal clear lakes, or in the wide open seas), the good bait choices, effective tool-use (hooks, line, boats, nets, scuba tanks etc), and about CATCHING THEM ALIVE.
Of course we do that for Jesus who loved to fish! He loves us all! But proper shepherding of the flock (You know Jesus is the Chief Shepherd) is about the growth of the flock -- the nurturing, new births, the caring for, the consistently tending to, diligence, the genuinely loving and proper feeding for health (ie, from the milk of the word, green pastures.. instead of that religiously fleecing of the flock as the greedy false teachers often love to do. Yes individually, like for each li'l lamb, sheep first). Me thinks all this needs clarity of vision, wisdom, a smart plan, real passion. Let the Spirit lead you -- He loves us going fishing too. We have lots of e-tools today.
Perhaps, for full-nets God'll help you gather, train a team of fishers like our Lord Jesus did. Ask Him to use and keep you. It's work. Takes some concentration. Can also be lots for fun! Let's go fish4souls.org
You recall, "As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 'Come, follow Me,' Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” Matt. 4:18-19
"As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 'Come, follow Me,' Jesus said, 'and I will make you fishers of men.' And at once they left their nets and followed Him." Mrk. 1:16-18. Let the Spirit guide you. Fish both far, near and from home. SeeNations.tumblr.com
Being boring, bored or lonely are personal choices. No need to be all lonely or bored while alone at home. Nope.
Q. Do you feel like waiting for someone to reach out to you at home? I say prayerfully initiate -- God did that, the Father sent Jesus. Christ did that He came to us. We love because He first loved us.
Call or write a growing Christian believer today. Or in love just reach out to someone who needs to believe ..so that they too can begin to enjoy such rich fellowship. The Bible says...
- “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” ~ 1 Corinthians 1:9
- “Make it a rule, and pray to God to help you to keep it, never, if possible, to lie down at night without being able to say: “I have made one human being at least a little wiser, or a little happier, or at least a little better this day.” ~ Charles Kingsley
- “Aloneness can lead to loneliness. God’s preventative for loneliness is intimacy – meaningful, open, sharing relationships with one another. In Christ we have the capacity for the fulfilling sense of belonging which comes from intimate fellowship with God and with other believers.” ~ Neil T. Anderson
- “If you are having difficulty loving or relating to an individual, take him to God. Bother the Lord with this person. Don’t you be bothered with him – leave him at the throne.” ~ Chuck Swindoll
- “Unity is necessary to the outpouring of the Spirit of God. If you have 120 volts of electricity coming into your house but you have broken wiring, you may turn on the switch, but nothing works – no lights come on, the stove doesn’t warm, the radio doesn’t turn on. Why? Because you have broken wiring. The power is ready to do its work…, but where there is broken wiring, there is no power. Unity is necessary among the children of God if we are going to know the flow of power…to see God do His wonders.” ~ A. W. Tozer
- “Faith tolerates a moderate love of ones fellow man no more than it tolerates a moderate love between God and man.” ~ John McKenzie- “If in fellowship of service I seek to attach a friend to myself, so that others are caused to feel unwanted; if my friendships do not draw others deeper in, but are ungenerous (i.e., to myself, for myself), then I know nothing of Calvary love.” ~ Amy Carmichael
- “Our love to God is measured by our everyday fellowship with others and the love it displays.” ~ Andrew Murray
- “I want the whole Christ for my Saviour, the whole Bible for my book, the whole Church for my fellowship, and the whole world for my mission field.” ~ John Wesley
- “Human fellowship can go to great lengths, but not all the way. Fellowship with God can go to all lengths.” ~ Oswald Chambers
- “Fellowship means among other things that we are ready to receive of Christ from others. Other believers minister Christ to me, and I am ready to receive.” ~ Watchman Nee
- “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” Psalms 133:1-3
Go rural or.. Urbaane.tumblr.com ..to win people as well.
The early Christian church in Acts (our model church) tactfully, prayerfully met and won people by the power of the Spirit and Word.. both in the temple and from house to house. So wanna see us get back to God's principles for His results. Want to get back to work as well for fellowship-sake and for winning people. I really want to see the church get back to church soon. 'Til then lets plant, reap, and fish! Thanks Jay for this meme.
