FRUSTRATED? BREAKING MY NETS, SINKING MY BOAT?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
I STAND ON THE PROMISES OF GOD --- OUR GOD IS A GOD OF MORE THAN ENOUGH. MY CUP RUNS OVER.
Psalm 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
FRUSTRATION: WE WORKED HARD ALL NIGHT. NO SLEEP? WE ARE EXHAUSTED. WE HAVE TOILED ALL NIGHT… WE ARE FISHERMEN, WE TRIED EVERY FISHING TRICK --- TRICK NOTHING! WE CAUGHT NOTHING! LORD, WE WORKED OVER TIME. THE BILLS ARE DUE? WE ARE FRUSTRATED --- WE HAVE DONE ALL WE KNEW TO DO AND IT IS NOT ENOUGH!
Peter is a professional fisherman and Jesus is telling the fishermen how to fish? We need more? Listen to the son of God… there is more. There is more than enough.
Luke 5:3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. 4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
HOW CAN A CARPENTER KNOW MORE THAN A FISHERMAN ABOUT FISHING? CAN YOU HEAR THE FRUSTRATION AND EXASPERATION IN PETER’S VOICE… THERE IS NO USE IN TRYING… WE ARE EXHAUSTED AND HAVE NOTHING TO EAT OR PAY THE BILLS? JESUS HAVE YOU EVER BEEN FISHING?
Luke 5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
Peter makes a STATEMENT OF FAITH… At your word we will trust your plan by faith and confidence. God said the words, LET THERE BE LIGHT. At God’s hands he created man out of the dust.
AMAZEMENT AND FEAR OVERCAME THE FISHERMEN… THEIR NETS WERE BREAKING AND THE TWO BOATS WERE SINKING. Because of obedience of the living word.
Luke 5:6 And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. 7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
SIMON PETER KNEW THERE WAS A MIRACLE IN THEIR NETS AND BOATS. GOD HAD MORE THAN ENOUGH IN THE BOATS.
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: 10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. 11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.
Hey, my friends, there comes a paradigm shift, a NEW ATTITUDE… THE GOD OF MORE THAN ENOUGH WILL FOREVER CHANGE US. The frustrated fishermen learn God is more than enough. THIS FISHERMENS OF FISH TO FISHERS OF MEN. These men had a new call, a new vocation, a new focus. Jesus loved these boys and saw their problems and frustrations. The boys knew they were unworthy, failures and sinners. They obeyed and went out into the deep. THEY HAD TO OVERCOME THEIR EXHAUSTION AND FRUSTRATION AND LEARN TO TRUST JESUS. They had to give up their “COMFORT ZONE.”
We may come exhausted, frustrated, failures with big doubts. JESUS SAYS: DON’T BE AFRAID. We must trust God’s amazing grace. Go--- PETER MEETS THE MASTER--- PETER’S WORDS GAVE RESPECT. Their RESPECT BY FOLLOWING Jesus the carpenter.
GOD CAN BURST OUR NETS AND SINK OUR BOATS… WE SERVE A GOD OF AUTHORITY, YOU HAVE TO LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP… MORE THAN ENOUGH.
DO WE EVER FEEL LIKE WE ARE IN A SINKING BOAT? WE DO NOT HAVE TO BE FRUSTRATED BY LACK AND NOT ENOUGH. WE STAND ON THE CLEAR, WRITTEN PROMISES.
*HOPE: confident expectation, something good in the future, expect great things from God, confident-expectation in God’s plan and that God is in control, assurance, there is a direct correlation between faith and hope.
*PRISONER: to keep confined, trapped, custody.
Are we facing exhaustion with little hope? Stay positive. Encourage yourself. Lift up your head and focus on God’s double portion promises. Today may seem helplessness and hopeless. This sickness may stress us to our limits. We must come into the place of safety and be rooted and grounded in love and faith. We need to stay in the prison of hope. Never accept discouragement as the norm.
A prisoner of hope means faith overcomes fear by trusting God’s plan. Will we believe God will fulfill God’s plan no matter what the obstacles and challenges before us? We must believe God will keep his promises to us.
Zechariah 9:12 Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee;
Zechariah 9:12 (NIV) Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.
Zechariah 9:12 (NLT2) Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners who still have hope! I promise this very day that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles.
My dear friend, we can’t get away from God’s tried and proven promises. RETURN TO THE FORTRESS, the place of safety. Our hope is anchored to the Lord. Are we living in a prison of not enough? Will we accept there is more?
“DOUBLE TROUBLE” INSTEAD OF “DOUBLE BLESSINGS” AS OUR NORM?
No matter how you feel? No matter what you see? No matter what you hear? WE ARE PROMISED HOPE, PEACE AND JOY IF WE WILL RECEIVE IT. Do we accept God is in complete control of all? Come into the full assurance by hope and faith.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1 (NLT2) Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
Hebrews 11:1 (NLT2) Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
I BELIEVE IN THE DOUBLE PORTION OF BLESSINGS. Hope against hope. Hope is much more than wishful thinking. It may seem very stressful and heavy today. Problems are temporary. This too shall pass.
ENOUGH? NOT ENOUGH? WILL WE MAKE IT? ARE THE ODDS AGAINST US? Each day is a new chance. Let us start over again. Today is a new beginning waiting for you to ACCEPT MORE THAN ENOUGH WITH NOTHING LACKING?
Job 42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Job 42:10 (NLT2) When Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes. In fact, the LORD gave him twice as much as before!
IT IS MY DESIRE TO HAVE OF A DOUBLE PORTION OF GOD’S SPIRIT… DOUBLE BLESSINGS.
2 Kings 2:9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
2 Kings 2:10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
FOLLOW ME FROM GILGAL (ROLLING STONE, LITTLE PROGRESS); BETHEL (PRAYER-DEVOTION); JERICHO (PRAISE, WORSHIP); JORDAN, (TOTAL SURRENDER.) Why would we accept less than we could be?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
