2021-07-13
Luke 5:4 NKJV
Lesson four: God’s plan for your life often involves stepping out of your comfort zone. That’s because He wants us to live by faith. Why did Jesus said to Peter, ‘Launch out into the deep’? Because that’s where the big fish are.
Most people live in the shallow waters of life. They’re satisfied to exist on a superficial level. There’s little depth to their lives; they’re content to play around the edge, never going further into deeper water. That’s because we feel safer in shallow water. We think, ‘If I get out into the deep water, there might be some waves. They might disrupt me and make me uncomfortable. So I’ll just stay back here where it’s familiar.’
We can have this same attitude in our walk with God. We trust Him up to a point, but we’re reluctant to step out of our comfort zone and into the unknown with Him. So we’re content to stay in the shallows – and we miss out on so much.
God’s plans for us are good plans, one that will work for our benefit (see Jeremiah 29:11-14) and for the kingdom’s benefit. God says to us, ‘Let Me get into your boat. Let My presence be with you wherever you go – in your work, in your hobbies, in your family, in your relationships, in every area. Let Me direct you. Cooperate with My plan, and I’ll bless you beyond your wildest dreams.’
We might feel uncomfortable or unsure, but God can soothe all our doubts and fears, and show us what amazing things He can do through us when we trust Him.
Acts 6-7; Luke 7:1-10; Ps 118:1-9; Prov 15:27-30
Luke 5:4 NKJV
Lesson four: God’s plan for your life always involves risk. Why? Because He wants you to live by faith. Why do you think Jesus said to Peter, “Launch out into the deep”? Because that’s where the big fish are.
Most people live out their days in the shallow waters of life. They exist on a superficial level. There’s little depth to their lives; they’re content to play around the edge, never getting out into deeper water. Why? Because it’s safer in shallow water. They think, “If I get out into the deep water, there might be some waves. They might rock my boat, and it might overturn. So I’ll just stay back here where it’s comfortable, and fiddle around.”
We barely get our feet wet because we’re afraid of getting in over our heads. We think, “If I really get serious about my commitment to the Lord, He may make me a fanatic. My family might get really upset. What will my friends think? What if God asks me to do something I’m unable to do?” So we’re content to stay in the shallows – and we miss out on so much.
Understand this: God’s plan for your life is a good plan, one that will work for your benefit (See Jeremiah 29:11-14). He says, “Let me get into your boat. Let my presence be with you wherever you go – in your business, in your career, in your family, in your marriage, in every area. Let me direct you. Cooperate with my plan, and I will bless you beyond your wildest dreams.” Why not take Him at His word today, and launch out in faith?
Soul food: Acts 6-7; Luke 7:1-10; Ps 118:1-9; Prov 15:27-30
2021-07-12
Luke 5:5 NKJV
Lesson three: Cooperate with God’s plan for your life: “He said to Simon, ‘Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’ But Simon answered and said to Him, ‘Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.’ And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking” (vv. 4-6 NKJV).
Jesus taught the disciples where to fish, when to fish, and how to fish. And He will teach you how to succeed in life too. But like Peter, sometimes your plan has to fail before you become willing to accept God’s plan. And if that’s what it takes, God will let you fail. Notice two things:
(1) Peter didn’t argue with Jesus, he simply obeyed. As a professional fisherman, he may well have thought, “Lord, who are you to tell me how to fish?” He may even have thought if he didn’t catch anything at night when the fish were usually biting, he surely wasn’t going to catch anything in the middle of the day when the sun was glaring down on the water. But he didn’t argue; he just obeyed. You must too.
(2) He didn’t listen to his feelings. No doubt he was dog-tired from working all night. But he didn’t ask, “What’s the use? Why should I keep on going?” Instead of being led by his feelings, he exercised faith in the promise of Christ – and the results were amazing. And if you’ll put your faith in Jesus today, He will do the same for you.
Soul food: Acts 3:11-5:42; Luke 6:37-49; Ps 109:16-31; Prov 15:23-26
Lukas 5:5 NLV
Les drie: Werk saam met God se plan vir jou lewe. ‘Toe Hy klaar gepraat het, het Hy vir Simon gesê: ‘Vaar nou dieper in en gooi jou nette uit, en jy sal baie vis vang.’ ‘Meneer,’ het Simon geantwoord, ‘ons het die hele nag hard gewerk en het niks gevang nie. Maar as u so sê, sal ons weer probeer.’ En hierdie keer was hulle nette so vol dat dit begin skeur het!’ (verse 4-6 NLV).
Jesus het die dissipels geleer waar om vis te vang, wanneer om vis te vang en hoe om vis te vang. Hy sal jou ook leer om sukses in die lewe te behaal. Soos Petrus, sal jou plan egter soms moet misluk voordat jy gewillig word om God se plan te aanvaar.
Let twee dinge op: 1) Petrus het nie met Jesus gestry nie, hy het Hom eenvoudig gehoorsaam. As professionele visserman mag hy dalk gedink het: ‘Here, wie is U om my te vertel hoe om vis te vang?’ Hy mag dalk selfs gedink het dat as hy niks in die nag wanneer die visse gewoonlik byt gevang het nie, sou hy sekerlik nie iets in die middel van die dag gevang het met die son wat op die water bak nie. Hy het egter nie gestry nie; hy het net gehoorsaam. Jy moet dit ook doen.
2) Hy het nie na sy gevoelens geluister nie. Hy was seker doodmoeg nadat hy die hele nag gewerk het. Hy het egter nie gevra: ‘Wat is die punt? Hoekom moet ek aanhou probeer?’ nie. In plaas daarvan om deur sy gevoelens gelei te word, het hy geloof in Christus se belofte uitgeoefen – en die resultate was wonderbaarlik. As jy vandag jou geloof in Jesus plaas, sal Hy dieselfde vir jou doen.
Sielskos: Hand 3:11-5:42; Luk 6:37-49; Ps 109:16-31; Spr 15:23-26
Luke 5:5 NKJV
Lesson three: Cooperate with God’s plan for your life: ‘He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking’ (vv.4-6 NKJV).
Jesus taught the disciples where to fish, when to fish, and how to fish. And He’ll teach us how to get the best results too. But like Peter, sometimes our own plan has to fail before we become willing to trust God and accept His plan. And if that’s what it takes, God will allow us to fail.
Notice two things: 1) Peter didn’t argue with Jesus, he simply obeyed. As a professional fisherman, he may well have thought, ‘Lord, who are you to tell me how to fish?’ He may even have thought if he didn’t catch anything at night when the fish were usually biting, he surely wasn’t going to catch anything in the middle of the day when the sun was glaring down on the water. But he didn’t argue; he just obeyed. That’s what we must do too.
2) Peter didn’t listen to his feelings. He must have been incredibly tired from working all night and not getting anywhere. But he didn’t ask, ‘What’s the use? Why should I keep on going?’ Instead of being led by his feelings, he trusted in the promise of Christ – and the results were amazing. And when we put our faith and trust in Jesus, He’ll do the same for us.
Acts 3:11-5:42; Luke 6:37-49; Ps 109:16-31; Prov 15:23-26
