What’s Your Net?

Mark 1 tells of a time when men drop everything, even their livelihood & lineage, when Jesus simply calls, “Come…”

It opens with Jesus walking along the shoreline when He suddenly sees Peter & his brother throwing out their nets to catch fish. The moment Jesus calls, Peter & Andrew drop their nets AT ONCE & follow him.

It made me ask, “if Jesus called to me, ‘Come follow me & I will show you how to fish for people’”, would I leave my livelihood in the sea & follow immediately?

If I’m being honest, probably not.😳

I’d have SO many questions! Should I pack my net & store my boat for when we return? Where are we going? Do I need a jacket? Will it be cold?

They asked nothing, but simply followed.

They leave their livelihood to follow their new leader & suddenly we meet 2 more brothers who do the same! Jesus calls to them & (again) they follow him at once, leaving not only their livelihood, but also their lineage.🥲 They leave their father, Zebedee, to follow this unknown man from Nazareth who had suddenly arrived on the scene.

When my boys were little, we trained them to obey quickly, quietly, completely & joyfully SO THAT when their Heavenly Father called, they would follow with full abandon. I may have taught it, but I’m not sure I’ve modeled it well?

As a planner & strategist, I can count the cost far too long, delaying & bridling the amazing power of the Holy Spirit in my life.

These men were called on co-mission with Jesus…& so are we! if they paused & pondered for too long, the preservation of their comfortable & concrete lives may have led to the death of many.

They were called to share the Good News of Gospel that hadn’t even happened & yet they walked in a faith that led to eternal life for many!

God is calling ALL of us. We were all strategically born in this dark time of history. Just like the lamp stand in the tabernacle of God’s Presence, we are called to burn 24/7! Just like the incense that filled the tent with the fragrance of heaven, so our lives are to smell the same!

Counting the costs is wise, but sometimes following Jesus will cost the comfort of what we know. Will we, like the brothers, trust the Caller & follow at once?

#OneYearBible

February 15th One Year Bible Readings

EXODUS 39:1-40:38

MARK 1:1-28

PSALM 35:1-16

PROVERBS 9:11-12

The Power of UNforgiveness Short-circuits Our Ability to Move Mountains

Last Saturday I clicked the switch to turn on my closet light & when I did, an entire portion of the house lost power. My husband went to the breaker box & sure enough, the switch had been tripped. He turned it on, the lights came on, but the moment I turned on the closet light, it all went black again. The breaker box had a flashing red light as something in the circuitry was not connecting.

This is the visual that surfaced as I heard Pastor Carter Conlon speak Saturday about the link between powerful prayers & forgiveness. He described forgiveness as the firm foundation of mountain moving faith.

When Jesus gives final instructions to His disciples, He reminds them that He’s been given 

ALL authority in heaven and earth & as His followers, they are to go & do as He did!

ALL authority is given to believers, & yet, we short circuit the Holy Spirit‘s power when we allow unforgiveness in our hearts.

Jesus promsies that anyone who believes in Him will do works even greater than He - & He healed the sick, resurrected the dead, gave sight to the blind & sound to the deaf!

Mark 11:22 tells us that whosoever can pray whatsoever about the mountain they are facing & it will move! But we can’t move mountains when we carry a mountain (or even a molehill) of unforgiveness.

On Saturday, when the circuitry seemed haywire, my husband decided to try a different approach. He turned on the closet light switch BEFORE he reset the circuit & voila! It came on along with all of the other lights! The red flashing light disappeared & all of the connections worked as they should!

So it is with unforgivenes…it limits us, hinders us from experiencing the powerJesus intended when He gave us all authority. We must 1st take authority over our own hearts before we can minister unto others.

Father, we don’t want to deadlock the power of the Holy Spirit by holding onto unforgiveness like it’s a dear friend. Let us ask, receive & offer forgiveness to whomever You bring to mind (even if it’s self!) TODAY! Let not another day go by where that hidden sin short-circuits the Holy Spirit’s power in our lives! We want to “go” unhindered with the sole aim to spend our life in co-mission with You!

#OneYearBible

February 14th One Year Bible Readings

EXODUS 37:1-38:31

MATTHEW 28:1-20

PSALM 34:11-22

PROVERBS 9:9-10

If There is Something that I Lack, then God Must Not Deem it “Good” for this Season

Are you in a season where it feels like lack is nipping at your heals? I actually think that we will always experience some sort of dissatisfaction this side of heaven. It acts like a gentle & constant reminder that this place is not our final destination.

If our hope is in money gained, weight lost, an amazing job or something fixed, the desires will be dashed because those things have no power to provide living & eternal hope.

David reminds us in Psalm 34:10 that those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing. If this is true, then this thought must also be true:

If there is something that I lack,

then God must not deem it “good”.😬

Maybe it’s not “good” for now or maybe He’s got a GREATER “good” on the way & we just can’t see it yet!

Experiencing lack long term, can tempt a heart to feel lack luster.🥲 I’m sure that’s how the disciples felt when Jesus was placed in the tomb.

I just read of the day the stone was rolled in place in front of His tomb. It was sealed & guards were placed before it to protect the grave from being robbed. What’s funny is that it WAS!

The Pharisees wanted to make sure that no followers of Jesus would remove His body, fulfilling the prophecy that He would raise again on the 3rd day. But the seal they requested, sealed the assurance that Jesus robbed the grave by conquering death!

There initially would be no explanation for the empty tomb until Jesus appeared. His dead body on the cross & then the empty tomb HAD to shake the faith of His followers. All hope seemed lost until they came face to face with their living, breathing, eternal Hope!

You might be facing a season where it seems like all hope is lost. Where the Living Hope is long in coming, but remember this: His name is also, “The Word” & you can take The Word at His Word!

His Word says that all who trust in Him will lack no good thing, so if there is some sorta lack you are facing right now, trust that He’s got a bigger & better “good” in store! Like the disciples, it just might take a few days, so worship Him while you wait! Make the most of these temporary days knowing that the day is coming when all needs will be met for eternity! 🤗

#OneYearBible

February 13th One Year Bible Readings

EXODUS 35:10-36:38

MATTHEW 27:32-66

PSALM 34:1-10

PROVERBS 9:7-8