Not To Believe In...

“Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch” The Red letters of Christ in Luke 5. Context Luke 5:1-11.

The preface adds significance to this call to action too of these fishermen that had just pulled in from being out all night fishing, to return to shore with empty nets. God has brought me to these Scriptures countless times, so as re-read them as the living word that they are today, seek to see the God Breathed designed to be my breath today….

‘underwater’ was a word uttered yesterday, relating to: in time, resources, etc. etc. etc.  Isn’t it just like God to tell me that’s just where he wants me to go….  INTO DEEP WATER.  The ridiculous ‘thinkith too much thinker’ that I am, of course pause to ponder here. For sometimes when you read the Word, certain scriptures just leap off the page, demanding your full attention to them.  Well this book mark has had me most recently now for the second day…. Soooooooooooo think perhaps am to ‘hear’ and ‘heed’ just what it is the “Living Word” of God is speaking.

What makes this word come to life is Peter(Simon’s) reply to it: Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.  But because You say so, I will let down the nets.”

Ahh yes, By faith and trusting in God, not in self, or the history of doing it ‘all’ before.  TRUST, FAITH… in MASTER, LORD… as Peter replied.  Act upon and do… as called. Have we not been told before to Trust and Obey?

Key is to NOT

               Run ahead of God

               Or

               NOT listen

Pretty elementary concepts indeed. Oh, you say that you would never NOT listen to a God call? Have you ever heard that whisper ‘you have done this before, what good came of it?’ Well that is one of the keys indeed, to NOT believe the enemy who tries to send defeat, to call you away from God’s Truth for you and your message to overcome-  and to have success God’s way by In faith listening and putting in to DEEP water for a catch-  in spite of failures or previous empty nets.

Confess could be Peter, in word stating the same… ‘did all that knew how to do, and as best that could, and came up empty… what’s different this time Master, but ok, because you say so…?

Yet it’s pretty plain to see what the difference is.  It’s Christ Jesus.  Yes, we have ALL heard that before too, the answer is ‘Jesus’…

But it’s more than that … it’s FAITH AND TRUST IN JESUS

Surrendering to that!

And that at His direction, word, it is all NEW.  No past failures play a part any more.  By faith, press on… press on.

So may the reply be instead;’ May I lord, DO, yes DO… as only You can teach me to do and enable me.’ 

ACTION-  NOT just reaction. 

An Intentional action, as in making intentional strokes, as with a brush and paint in a painting.  Something shared often with students, is that every stroke needs to be intentional.  Not just coloring, or filling in. (going through the motions)   Yes those strokes are a reaction to the LIGHT and depicting it as seen.  They all need applied intentionally though, or they have no effect…

 Are we being reminded to stop just going through the motions here?

So what difference comes from an intentional faith action? Luke 5:1-11 context here. Again the Scripture that rises off of it remains the same as yesterday.  The Red letters of Christ saying ‘Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch’

Second day clarified and brought out more. Put out into deep water, comes first…

then the let down the nets for a catch.

NIV Study notes give no insight here… yet it literally depicts the direction Jesus led them. 

Are we seeing order in faith here?

First comes ‘our effort’

Then comes God’s call.

In that call is God calling us to go deep… by faith?

We have already clarified on our own what the results are: empty nets. 

Go deep.  ‘Put out into deep water…’

For our catch.  By faith the key… that is reminded of again- AND to NOT believe (or put our faith)  in the previous results or the empty nets. 

What we are called to believe in clarified!

The MASTER- to believe in GOD.

DUH!

NOT ‘our’ action… His call to action, which always leads us to His Promise.

Here the Promise is for a catch.

When the Disciples answer the next call 5:10b Then Jesus said to Simon “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men’ 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore left everything and followed Him.(Jesus)

Can’t help but notice here today a detail about that Miracle catch

…is it not a part of all that God counseled them to leave behind? To follow Christ? 

In that see Gods reminder to:

NOT believe in the miracle and follow it-

NO, we are called to believe in the miracle Maker- Christ Jesus and follow Him.

“Put out into deep waters and let down your nets for a catch” – Jesus

Intentional strokes indeed.