Going Fishing!
How much do you want this?
Quite simply, I’ve devoted my life to music and using it to reach souls. I decided a long time ago that my gift would only be used for the Lord and God has blessed me for it.
In the final analysis, it’s not about talent; it’s not about intelligence; and it’s not even about lessons, equipment, or amps. It’s all about how much you want it and the lengths to which you will go to get it!
It all comes down to … devotion!
In Deuteronomy 6:4 the bible says, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”
We must have a profound dedication to the things of God. We must be dedicated and devoted to loving God and one another, His word and the path He has chosen for us.
In Romans 13:8, 10, it says “for He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law…love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.”
Is the law hard to keep?
Yes! In fact, it’s impossible without love!
Jesus said in Matthew 5:17, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
The law is extremely important on where you stand on judgment. If we love God’s law and His Word with all our heart, soul, and might, we have found true devotion to God.
If you love His commandments and keep them, you love Jesus because John 1:1 says that God is the Word and verse 14 tells us that the Word was made flesh, which is Jesus.
Devotion is being attached to a person or a cause.
We must attach ourselves to Jesus Christ and the cause for which He came into the world.
In Luke 19:10, it says, ”For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
To devote ourselves to Jesus, we must sgtrive towards perfection that we might obtain favour in God’s eyes. He is looking for a Bride that has made herself ready. God is not going to be unequally yoked for eternity. II Corinthians asks the question, ”for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?”
To attach ourselves to Christ, we must believe John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
The Word of God is right; it is truth. We must believe and follow its instructions. “He that believes on Him as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
Jesus is the living way that we take. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way” (Ps. 37:23). We must follow the Word because the steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord. We must be righteous to be yoked to the Lord.
We must be devoted to loving the Word of God so we don’t lose the way. And we must know the Truth to know which way to take.
The answer to which way we should take is always … Jesus!
Once you know the Truth…Jesus
You know the Way…which is Jesus
That’s when you know you’re living the life, who is once again … Jesus!
What was Jesus’ mission? Why did he come to earth and robe himself in flesh?
Luke 19:10 says that he came “to seek and to save that which was lost.”
We must have a profound dedication to the things of God. We must be dedicated and devoted to loving God and one another, His word and the path He has chosen for us.
In Romans 13:8, 10, it says “for He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law…love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.”
Is the law hard to keep?
Yes! In fact, it’s impossible without love!
Jesus said in Matthew 5:17, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
The law is extremely important on where you stand on judgment. If we love God’s law and His Word with all our heart, soul, and might, we have found true devotion to God.
If you love His commandments and keep them, you love Jesus because John 1:1 says that God is the Word and verse 14 tells us that the Word was made flesh, which is Jesus.
Devotion is being attached to a person or a cause.
We must attach ourselves to Jesus Christ and the cause for which He came into the world.
In Luke 19:10, it says, ”For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
To devote ourselves to Jesus, we must sgtrive towards perfection that we might obtain favour in God’s eyes. He is looking for a Bride that has made herself ready. God is not going to be unequally yoked for eternity. II Corinthians asks the question, ”for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?”
To attach ourselves to Christ, we must believe John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
The Word of God is right; it is truth. We must believe and follow its instructions. “He that believes on Him as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
Jesus is the living way that we take. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way” (Ps. 37:23). We must follow the Word because the steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord. We must be righteous to be yoked to the Lord.
We must be devoted to loving the Word of God so we don’t lose the way. And we must know the Truth to know which way to take.
The answer to which way we should take is always … Jesus!
Once you know the Truth…Jesus
You know the Way…which is Jesus
That’s when you know you’re living the life, who is once again … Jesus!
What was Jesus’ mission? Why did he come to earth and robe himself in flesh?
Luke 19:10 says that he came “to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Jesus said unto Peter and Andrew, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” There are two types of fishermen: those who fish for recreation and those who do it for a livelihood.
For Recreation
Some catch fish for the pleasure of catching them. If they don’t meet our criteria; If they are not our kind of fish, we throw them back. Sometimes it’s that way in the church! If they don’t meet our standards, our idea of decent people, and our ideal saint, our actions and attitudes quite effectively ‘throw them back!’
For Life
On the other hand, men who have made fishing their livelihood take all the catch because it can all be used!
We must love each other and all those that are lost in the world. The Bible says that this promise is unto you and your children and to all those who are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call (Acts 2:39). We are called to love and be devoted to the cause of saving the lost. We must know the truth and be dedicated to prayer and study so that we will have the answer they need!
If we know the Truth; then we know the Way. And if the Truth and the Way are taken care of, we are living the life God wanted us to live…as witnesses!
We are called to follow Christ and live as He did—even unto death. That includes the death of our pride, our career, our position, and our dreams…if it will save a soul! “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phillipians 1:20-21).
We must live unafraid of death. The only way we can do that is to be devoted to Christ, a cause much greater than our human life.
“For even hereunto were we called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously; who his own self bare our sins in his own body in the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness” (1 Peter 2:21-24).
To be righteous means to live like Jesus, in love and not in hate; in truth and not in false hopes; in God’s way and not in our own. In essence, our devotion allows Him to live through us rather than us attempting to live through Him!
