But
If
You
Say So …
Scripture
Luke
5
4 When he
had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it
is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”
5 “Master,”
Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a
thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.”
7 A shout
for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both
boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.
8 When Simon
Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus
and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.”
9 For he was
awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others
with him. 10 His partners, James and John, the sons of
Zebedee, were also amazed.
Jesus
replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be
fishing for people!”
Luke
5
18 Some men
came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take
him inside to Jesus,
19 but they
couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the
roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his
mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
21 But the
Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to themselves, “Who
does he think he is? That’s blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”
22 Jesus
knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you
question this in your hearts? 23 Is it easier to say ‘Your
sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’?
24 So
I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on
earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man
and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”
25 And
immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his
mat, and went home praising God.
26 Everyone
was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God,
exclaiming, “We have seen amazing things today!”
Observation
If
you are not reading your Bible every day you might miss stories like
these today in Luke chapter five!
I
wanted to write about both of them. They are both favorites!
I
would have loved to have been there when Jesus said to Simon Peter to
go out and let down his nets!
It
was a test. It was a faith-building test for Peter and the other
disciples!
I
think that Simon Peter knew that you fished at night with nets and
you normally wouldn't catch fish in those nets in the day time. Plus
they had already fished all night and had caught nothing.
“But
if you say so ...” Some things we need to do just because God says
so … for example: like going to church even when we don't feel like
it!
The
other story is just as powerful!
Four
men carried their crippled friend to Jesus. But the crowd was so
great that they couldn't make their way inside the house. So these
very determined men made a hole in the roof of the house and lowered
their friend down to Jesus. Jesus said that it was the faith of this
man's friends that caused Jesus to heal him.
Who
do you and I need to help get to Jesus?
Application
I
will do things because God says to do them. I will walk by faith and
not by sight. I won't make decisions based on how I feel.
How
about you?
2
Corinthians 5:7
For
we live by faith, not by sight.
Prayer
Heavenly
Father, help me to obey even when I don't feel like it. Give me the
faith of those four friends who carried the crippled man to Jesus.
Help me to walk by faith and not by sight. Don't let me operate by
how I feel.
I
pray for any person who might read this blog today. Help them to get
to church whether they feel like it or not.
Daily
Bible Reading: Daniel 9,10; Psalms 123; Luke 5
No comments:
Post a Comment