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Challenges For Growth.
*Just One More Time* by Jesse James
Luke 5:4-6 (New International Version)
4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down[a] the nets for a catch." 5Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." 6When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
There are times when we may ask how many times we should persevere to reach the goal that God wants us to reach. We can get tired, restless, impatient, and maybe even question His reasons for stretching us more than what we think He should be.
When we look at Peter, and being the fisherman he was, I think we can identify with him when we know Jesus is wanting us to go forward with Him when we feel like we are being defeated in our humaness. Being worn and tired from fishing all night without any return, I think Peter wanted a coffee break for a day or so, then he hears Jesus tell him to go out where it was deeper and throw out his nets. These nets would of been heavy and hard to handle, and being discouraged from not catching anything all night this would make anyone question who this is that is directing us.
Many times I have thought about giving up in situations, and sometimes I still do; however, when I hear that voice inside of me saying to just go a little further, I can sometimes question myself, and this leading trying to determine if it is for real. It may be hard. It may not make sense. We may be tired, but that “one more time” can be the breakthrough we’ve been waiting for!
As people, how many times do we listen in situations when others are suggesting for us to just give up, then this voice deep inside of us says, "No, just one more time". In these times we can get confused, and sometimes even misguided until we learn to listen to that inner voice and follow it. This is how God can speak to us, and when we learn it is His voice, then we know we can be close to the breakthrough we have been waiting for.
I believe that when God leads our footsteps, we allow Him to lead us to victory, just as Peter did when he listened to Jesus. When Peter obeyed Jesus, his boat was overflowing with fish, the nets were breaking, and Peter called out for help to another fisherman near by to carry the surplus, only to have their boat start to sink. This is a total miracle, and another miracle would be for the boats to make it to shore without sinking while being overloaded.
When we walk together, encourage each other, love each other, and to just be a Christian toward each other is a miracle in itself. Furthermore, as we walk with each other into the over abundance of spiritual prosperity, that waits for us, it will have a tremendous impact for the Kingdom of God, where there is already a surplus for us all if we chose to tap into God's resources.
Therefore, what can we do for others? Like Peter, I believe by him sharing his abundance with his fisherman friends, is a living example to us in how we can reach out and bless another when our abundance comes in. In doing so, we help to build another's faith by blessing them in their time of need, as they wait for their miracles to come.
Just like Peter, we can all be amazed at what will happen when we follow Jesus's leading, just one more time!
I want to take this time to encourage you to press on, because I want you to be over filled with all of God's prosperity. And never forget, we have to give it away in order for us to keep the full blessing He has for us.
God Bless,
Jesse James
Luke 5:4-6 (New International Version)
4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down[a] the nets for a catch." 5Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." 6When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
There are times when we may ask how many times we should persevere to reach the goal that God wants us to reach. We can get tired, restless, impatient, and maybe even question His reasons for stretching us more than what we think He should be.
When we look at Peter, and being the fisherman he was, I think we can identify with him when we know Jesus is wanting us to go forward with Him when we feel like we are being defeated in our humaness. Being worn and tired from fishing all night without any return, I think Peter wanted a coffee break for a day or so, then he hears Jesus tell him to go out where it was deeper and throw out his nets. These nets would of been heavy and hard to handle, and being discouraged from not catching anything all night this would make anyone question who this is that is directing us.
Many times I have thought about giving up in situations, and sometimes I still do; however, when I hear that voice inside of me saying to just go a little further, I can sometimes question myself, and this leading trying to determine if it is for real. It may be hard. It may not make sense. We may be tired, but that “one more time” can be the breakthrough we’ve been waiting for!
As people, how many times do we listen in situations when others are suggesting for us to just give up, then this voice deep inside of us says, "No, just one more time". In these times we can get confused, and sometimes even misguided until we learn to listen to that inner voice and follow it. This is how God can speak to us, and when we learn it is His voice, then we know we can be close to the breakthrough we have been waiting for.
I believe that when God leads our footsteps, we allow Him to lead us to victory, just as Peter did when he listened to Jesus. When Peter obeyed Jesus, his boat was overflowing with fish, the nets were breaking, and Peter called out for help to another fisherman near by to carry the surplus, only to have their boat start to sink. This is a total miracle, and another miracle would be for the boats to make it to shore without sinking while being overloaded.
When we walk together, encourage each other, love each other, and to just be a Christian toward each other is a miracle in itself. Furthermore, as we walk with each other into the over abundance of spiritual prosperity, that waits for us, it will have a tremendous impact for the Kingdom of God, where there is already a surplus for us all if we chose to tap into God's resources.
Therefore, what can we do for others? Like Peter, I believe by him sharing his abundance with his fisherman friends, is a living example to us in how we can reach out and bless another when our abundance comes in. In doing so, we help to build another's faith by blessing them in their time of need, as they wait for their miracles to come.
Just like Peter, we can all be amazed at what will happen when we follow Jesus's leading, just one more time!
I want to take this time to encourage you to press on, because I want you to be over filled with all of God's prosperity. And never forget, we have to give it away in order for us to keep the full blessing He has for us.
God Bless,
Jesse James
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Comment by Jesse James on January 19, 2009 at 12:03pm
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*A Picture of God *
What God really looks like is something beyond our imaginations or visual efforts. He was someone that could be easily rejected if you saw Him face to face.
According to scripture, He was a pretty sad sight to look at in the human form. Sounds like Jesus had some physical appearances that could chase folks away.
Therefore, Jesus being the Son of God, and having the Royal genetics of His Father in Him, wouldn't you think that Jesus would represent some physical similiarities of His Father like we do on earth with our parents? It says in Isaiah how Jesus could be rejected because he had no physical beauty or anything that would draw anyone to Him. In Isa 53:2-3 "He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteemed him not".
In society, most people display photos in their home of family or friends. People are so proud to display the magnificient appearance of all those special historic moments. But have you ever thought about having a picture of God in your possession, the Father of all creation? Most Christians would probably say it would be impossible since we can't see God in anyway.
Amazingly, we all can have a picture of God in our homes and we can take it with us where ever we go, and maybe moreso than any other picture we cherish. Thinking about Jesus, you may never think God would fit the physical definition in Isaiah because all good things come from God, and how can someone lacking in such beauty be considered a Godly picture in todays society. In my understanding, He could never line up with Hollywood's standards; so consequently, societies attitudes haven't changed since back in Biblical times. It is astounding just how our definition of beauty can stop at the outer shell of another human being, and if they don't fit our definition of what beauty is, we tend to avoid any form of closeness with them, and then shun them. Societies attitude toward those of lesser attractiveness can isolate not only them, but it can also isolate those who make a judgement call on them.
Regardless, we have the opportunity to have a picture of God where ever we are, and the picture can show up in the vanity mirror, or the framed mirror on the wall everytime we look into it. The one looking back at you gives you the opportunity to see if God's picture has been embraced within His temple. The one looking back at you, in that mirror, doubles for who you really are, and if you fail to see any resemblance of God looking back at you, then you know you have failed to allow His true picture within your life. If you expect to see physical beauty or some Hollywood symbol looking back at you, then you have no idea of what God's radiating picture is all about.
By us failing to see God's picture in us, it can make us feel like the outer appearance of Jesus's physical picture, defined in Isaiah in the human form, that seemed to be so ugly that no one would be attracted to Him, yet He is the only living role model we can ever have to show us any possible physical appearance that God the Father could resemble. However, First Corinthians 13:4-8 is reassuring that in that mirror, God's picture can be right before you, when the eyes reveal the internal scene. Your outer shell may not be all that perfect, but having God's design within us it will project such attractiveness regardless of all our external imperfections. If we are unable to feel His love within us, then nobody is likely to see Him in us either, and what sort of picture are we projecting?
God wants us to know Him. He wants to reveal Himself in and through us. He wants us to display His love and share it with others. First Corinthians 13:4-8 tells us what love looks like—it’s patient, kind, gentle, and so much more. You are never more like God than when you are loving others. Love never fails. Always remember, the greatest thing you could ever have or do is love. Everything else will fade away, but His love is the picture that will last forever! “No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression within us” (1 John 4:12, NLT). This reveals what we should be revealing to others because God is love, and to have it come to full expression within us, the world will see there is something to be expressive about.
Jesus may have not been all that attractive physically, but He was filled with His Father's love, compassion, understanding, and etc. To society this would be the most devastating picture frame to ever have such a magnificient picture within it. Again, Jesus shows us that we are the picture frame that can expose His Father's picture that so many want to see.
One thing for sure is that we all need that genuine, and unconditional love like our Heavenly Father graces us all with, and for many they may never see it if we fail to show them the picture of God within us. Each and every experience with God can be another picture, and if we continue embracing each photo we should be compiling a photo album of His many ways in how He loves us, but many may see only one picture. However, as time moves forward, we can share more pictures with others. The main focus is the big picture of God, and how we present it to a hurting world, and when they can see a picture frame that will bring forth the picture in the highest degree they will be more open to a visit with Him.
Therefore, start each morning by looking in that mirror, deep into the eyes, of your picture window, as it will reflect the picture of God that you have embraced within you . The one looking back at you will not deceive you, so welcome God's picture into your world and go with it in confidence and faith that He is always within you, and even when you close your eyes at the end of the day.
God Bless,
By James Cook
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