Saturday, August 19, 2017

Fellows Have You Caught Any Fish?

Fellows
Have You
Caught Any Fish?
Scripture
John 21
3 Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.”
We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.
4 At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. 5 He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?”
No,” they replied.
6 Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it. 11b ...There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.
Observation

I have heard some pretty incredible fish stories from some of my fishing buddies and you probably have heard some pretty good ones too!
If you have ever fished any at all you probably have some stories too!
But you can't top the fishing stories or fish stories found in the Bible! Do you remember Jonah being swallowed by a great fish! God let him slop around 3 days in the belly of that great fish, while God worked on Jonah's heart that was full of prejudice, hate, and bigotry.
It was the first lesson God used to get Jonah's attention. You see God's servant Jonah had a serious heart problem. Jonah didn't want God to save the people of Nineveh. Jonah hated them, but God loved them. God had to deal with his servant Jonah's bigotry and hatred.
God had to work on fisherman Simon Peter's prejudiced heart too.
God has had to work on my heart in this area and it is still a work in progress. How about you?
Bigotry, Hate, Prejudice – These 3 evils have a way of creeping into our hearts and setting up camp. Don't let it take a Jonah experience to get your attention and change your heart! God loves everybody. He expects us to love them too!
Application

I will guard my heart against bigotry, hate, and prejudice! How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me to guard my heart. I don't want to mistreat people. Give me a heart of love and compassion. Help me think more of others today than I do about myself. 
I pray for those that are sick and those that are taking care of loved ones who are sick. Give them strength. I pray for healing because You are the great Physician! There is no one like You! There is nothing too hard for you. I pray for those who are dealing with racial prejudice. Show them how to love instead of hate. Show them the value of the people around them.

Daily Bible Reading: Jeremiah 45,46,47; Psalms 105; John 21



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