TOILING IN VAIN?

DEVOTION FOR TUESDAY DECEMBER 6, 2016

Topic: TOILING IN VAIN?                   

Text: Luke 5:1 – 11                            

Teaching is very important in pastoral ministry and when you have the word of God, people will come to wherever you are to hear the word. A good teacher of the gospel uses every opportunity to teach is disciples or members. He doesn’t wait till they gather in the church. This was the characteristic of Jesus’ earthly ministry. People came to Him to hear the word of God and He taught them. A friend complaining about the preaching of his pastor said, “We come to church because of the word and not story telling.”

Jesus understood this and used Peter’s boat to preach from the Sea of Galilee (Lake of Gennesaret). After preaching, he told Peter to cast down his net for a catch. Though they had taken nothing, yet Christ told them to let down their nets again. When Jesus met them at the sea, they were washing their nets apparently on the basis that the day’s business was over. They’ve called it a day. We must not abruptly quit our callings because we have not succeeded as we desired. Though they have toiled without success, Peter was willing to still try because Jesus has commanded. At last, there was a haul of fish. Jesus was true to His words. He showed His supremacy over creatures and laws of nature. 

As Christians, we are called to preach the gospel. We should not be discouraged when we have preached and laboured long without apparent successes; but according to Christ's directions, we should continue to labour in humble dependence on Him, and with believing expectations that in His own time and way He will give us success. On the other hand, have you been toiling in vain in your trade, craft, office, business, marriage, studies, etc? God is saying cast your net for a catch. All you need is simple obedience and things will begin to work. You may not need to change your business but patiently ask God to direct you on what to do that you have not been doing. God will certainly surprise you.   

Food for Thought: Obedience is the key to successes and miracles.

Memory verse: Luke 5 verse 5

Prayer: Lord, grant me a willing and obedient heart to trust and obey your commands in 
Jesus name.

Are you washing your net?

ARE YOU WASHING YOUR NET?                   Sunday March 29, 2015

Text: Luke 5:1 – 11                                               Memory verse: v 2

When one has exhausted all available method or possible solution to a problem, he will give up believing that the solution has eluded human wisdom but in the realm of the spiritual, it is the beginning for God. Peter and his colleagues did all they know for years about fishing and caught nothing. They gave up as it was dawn which ordinarily was not time for fishing and started washing their nets apparently out of frustration and surrendered to the fact that there was no hope of catching fish again as it was day.      

Are you already washing your nets? Have you given up that all your efforts have ended fruitlessly and now thinking of quitting? God asked me to tell you that it is not over yet. The man at the Pool of Bethesda didn't give up even after 38 years. Abraham didn't give up even after Sarah had passed the age of bearing children. Why will you give up? God is in control of that matter and it will soon end in Jesus name. Just maintain a little more patience and Jesus will appear for you.

Food for Thought: Patient waiting is often the highest way of doing God's will because he that is patient, can have what he wills.

Prayer: Lord, grant me a little more patience as I wait on you so that I will not out of frustration give up when my miracle is already near.