By BRAD Hall |
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BRING THE FISH TO THE BREAKFAST
Recently , I was reading the Book of John , Chapter 21 ( NKJV ), and the Holy Spirit spoke to me in a new way as it pertains to Jesus telling Simon and Andrew that He would make them β fishers of men β if they followed Him ( Mark 1:17 , NKJV ). As I view the calling all Christians have to go fishing for men ( to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all the world and make disciples ), I read John 21 with this calling in mind .
In verse five , the disciples find themselves fishing and not catching any fish . Jesus , standing on the shore , asks them if they have any food , and they respond , β No β ( John 21 : 5 ). Jesus then tells them to fish from the other side of the boat ( verse 6 ) and low and behold they catch more fish than they can handle . The first lesson learned here is
1 to listen to Jesus about where to fish . Many times , I ( we ) spend our time fishing in the wrong area and not allowing the Lord Jesus to direct our efforts and locations . He knows where we will β find some β fish ( verse 6 ).
2Second , we read the excitement of seeing Jesus on the shore . He is watching , caring , and directing those who will follow Him . There is also an opportunity for others who are present to help drag the net full of fish to the shore . Brothers and sisters , when we begin to catch fish as a result of following the leading of the Holy Spirit , there will be a |
feeling of joy and unrestrained excitement that will make us jump overboard , and others join in the fun .
3Thirdly , Jesus asks the fishermen to bring the fish back to shore and join in the fellowship of breakfast with Him ( verse 10 ). When our Lord and Savior asks us to go fishing , it β s not for our enjoyment ( although we get to experience the joy ) but for His pleasure . Jesus wants to partake of the harvest with us . How does this relate to chapter health ? As we begin the new year , let us examine where we have been fishing for men . Let us look at who we have been listening to and where and for what we are fishing . If we are honest with ourselves , the flesh often drives our actions β¦ even in our ministry activities . I could list many examples of places we serve and how they relate to this question , but I believe we all know what I β m talking about . So , for 2024 and beyond , we will commit to allowing Jesus to tell us where to fish .
After we are obedient to the Holy Spirit in where to fish , let β s commit to bringing those fish ( men and women ) back to the shore ( our chapters ) to break bread with each other and our Lord and Savior . Finally , as members of CMA and followers of Jesus , we can commit to getting in our boats with hearts of joy and excitement to help our fellow fishermen drag the nets to the shore . As you can see in the story in John 21 , everyone has a role to play , with the ending being a time of communion with Jesus
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and an increase in the harvest . I believe if we follow this formula , we will see healthy chapters with an increase in fellow laborers in the field .
Oh , and one more thing : when these newly caught fish get exposed to the coals of fire Jesus has prepared , watch out . They might start to provide just the right nourishment the chapter needs !
Brad and Shawna Hall oversee the Southeast Region as National Evangelist .
CMA
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