Going
after JESUS ...
This entire blog's concept is based completely over the
second chapter of Acts .
Acts , probably the most ACT-tion (see what I did there ?)
packed book in the Bible when it comes to the movement and manifestations of
the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit.
I want to look at the character of Peter, an amazing
individual who had his life turned around when He met Jesus one day.
Mark 1"16&17 ' Jesus said unto them, "Come be
my disciples, and I will show you how to fish for people !"
- or for the more traditional ones of us ...
'And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make
you to become fishers of men.'
(Good old King James)
To put it bluntly, Peter (or Simon at the time) was called
by Jesus to enter His kingdom and change the world.
Looking at this verse more carefully is amazing. You see
that Jesus says COME - this word in Greek is 'deute', now I'm not going to get
all technical on you but looking at this translation brings a breeze and almost
whimsical feeling to the scene. Deute can be : come away. - Almost as if Jesus
is inviting Peter (and his brother Andrew) to enter off into a new wonderful
world. His Kingdom. Which He (kind of) was.
The second (of many) translations for the word Deute is
FOLLOW. Now , for those of you who have twitter, that sort of 'following' is
extremely different from the one I'll be sharing with you.
I think that for the most part, the culture and society that
we live in. The term : to follow someone has been cheapened. First thing that
may come to mind when following someone is : liking their pictures, commenting
on their captions. And for those very, very sad ones (no offense) envying the
food-pics that are posted.
But it's so , so much more ...
Peter had no idea of what he was getting himself into, but
hats off to him and all respect. He had a family and a lively hood. But he left
that all behind.
Q1. Why did God call fishers ?
Lets just say : fishermen were not the most respected people
in Galilee- or anywhere for that matter. They were the men that smelled like
fish. And although they had to be intelligent, and reasonably advanced in
mathematics to sort out their market shares and stocks when it came to selling
; in no way was their brain as intellectually challenged on a daily basis as
the day's doctors or teachers of the religious law. ie Pharisees
(boo...hiss).
But they were patient men, they would spend hours waiting
for fish. They knew endurance, they were strong and were not fearful of the
challenges that sea-storms would bring.
They were perfect.
And in fact Jesus caught Peter and Andrew, and no doubt a
couple of other boats with them just coming in from a long hard night of
nada.
No fish at all.
'Master,' Simon replied 'we have worked hard all last night
and didn't catch a thing
NEVERTHELESS
we will try again.
~ Luke 5v5
- So why have I highlighted the 'nevertheless' in that verse
?
Because we need that same nevertheless attitude! When we are
willing to follow the will of God nomatter how little sense it may seem to our
tiny peanut brains, then , and only then are we able to see the full glory of
God in our lives for ourselves. Peter, Andrew, James and John all caught more
fish then they ever had before that day. Why ?
Because they were obedient to God . And I just feel that
obedience to the Holy Spirit and His directions in our lives is absolutely more
than we could ever ask or think or imagine. Because that obedience will lead us
into: divine happiness and peace , divine health and most of
all, divine character, and righteousness because we
will be walking in the will of God !
Now I haven't got this figured out yet, and I do
not obey God all the time. But I yearn to .
If your like me in that , you really want your heart to be
opened more and more to the amazing blessings of God. Then your in good
company, because according to His word, they that hunger and thirst
for righteousness shall be filled -MATT5"6
Now lets get back to Peter - great guy, good guy.
He is called the Rock of the Church (serious business) -
MATT16"18
He witnesses the transfiguration - MATT17"1-7
And he stays with Jesus from day one.
However ...
-He tries to build an alter (ie: worship) Elijah and Moses
-MATT17"4
-He doubts God -MATT14"30
-And he denies Jesus 3 times. -LUKE22"54
So how can a guy like this saves 3000 souls in one sermon .
Millions in His life time .
And even billions of souls after He died ?
Don't get me wrong - Jesus saves souls, but He uses His vessels , people like PETER to manifest and show His love here on earth by spreading the gospel.
Peter was ordinary .
But there was something very extra-ordinary in Him that made
all the difference.
LUKE24"49 says :
'And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father
promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you
with power from heaven.'
The only way Peter could change from the character that He was into the man that God had put in Him from the beginning ... the only refining One that could make Peter the Peter we know today is ...
The Holy Spirit !!
It was right after Pentecost when, like a mighty rushing wind , the Holy Spirit came down to earth , and for the first time entered INTO the individual. You see , before the Holy Spirit came UPON people - Samson, David , even Elijah and Elisha - But He never entered into people.
But of course, at this point He did enter Peter - the 120
people with him (or I guess 119) and it worked wonders. Timid, denying Peter
turned into bold, anointed Peter who pointed his fingers directly at the
Pharisees and said ' ...you nailed Him to the cross and murdered Him.
However , God released Him from the horrors of death and
raised Him back to life ...'
~Acts 2v14
- transformation or what ? - this was no small talk.
Peter with the power of the Holy Spirit went all-out and
saved 3000SOULS.
This thought really touched me. With God power , Peter brought 3000 to Christ in perhaps not more than 2 hours.
That's more than epic. That's a mega-huge-big-deal.
Now I know you're saying, that was Bible times , I could never do something like that .
But please, don't limit God with your thinking. Don't stop
Him by stopping His vessel = YOU.
In a time where so many people are crying out, so desperate
for answers, hope and safety. Who says you cant save 3000SOULS - or more
?
Just ask God for help to accomplish a dream only He can
fulfil.
Will you join me ?
IMTAPA
Lakechia
