Going to church, reading the bible, listening to Christian music will not advance your spiritual life. These activities may give you more understanding but until you are ready to lay down your life and take up your cross this leads nowhere.
What I am talking about is the sacrifice of self to advance the cause of Jesus Christ in the world. There is a destiny that God had for each of us that only we can personally discover. We can discover it only by detaching from the world and making ourselves available for the Holy Spirit. By detaching from the world--now you have time--the commodity that most Christians are not willing to give.
Jesus said, "Self-help is not help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, to finding yourself, your true self. (Matthew 16:25)
"God has planted eternity in the human heart." (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
"Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62)
"The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me." (Acts 20:24)
"We have been sent to speak for Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:20)
"We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10)
Albert Finch
www.thekeys2kingdom.com
What I am talking about is the sacrifice of self to advance the cause of Jesus Christ in the world. There is a destiny that God had for each of us that only we can personally discover. We can discover it only by detaching from the world and making ourselves available for the Holy Spirit. By detaching from the world--now you have time--the commodity that most Christians are not willing to give.
Jesus said, "Self-help is not help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, to finding yourself, your true self. (Matthew 16:25)
"God has planted eternity in the human heart." (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
"Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62)
"The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me." (Acts 20:24)
"We have been sent to speak for Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:20)
"We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10)
Albert Finch
www.thekeys2kingdom.com
Embracing The New Season
Posted 07-19-2023 at 06:26 PM by Albert Finch
John 21:2-6 - "Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 'I'm going out to fish,' Simon Peter told them, and they said, 'We'll go with you.' So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, 'Friends, haven't you caught any fish?' No, they answered. He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish."
Scripture says that they fished all night and caught nothing. Without the direction from God we find ourselves in an old place attempting to fix our dilemmas in our own strength. Peter was in a process, still learning to lean not on his own understanding, but to completely trust the Lord. Sure he was confused. We also get confused, but when we can't figure it all out our default button should be to "trust God and press forward".
Peter (and the others) were exhausted after casting nets all night and dragging them in and finding nothing. Jesus was there. He was watching them from shore. The next morning Jesus called out and asked, "Haven't you caught any fish?" They responded with a "No." Then Jesus instructed them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat and when they did they were not able to draw in the multitude of fish! Suddenly what looked impossible became possible! Jesus wanted to prove to Peter that his future would not be fruitful without the empowerment of Jesus in His life.
There would be no grace or empowerment to go back to what was comfortable and familiar. Peter was being challenged to embrace an unknown future and mature in his calling as an Apostle of God. Yes, Peter was in a test. Would he be willing to let all of it go? Could he leave the boat, the fish and his friends and let go of all of his past to embrace the new season?
Many of us are also in a test. Will we go fishing, go back to what is comfortable or trust God and embrace our future even if it appears unknown for a season?
ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
Scripture says that they fished all night and caught nothing. Without the direction from God we find ourselves in an old place attempting to fix our dilemmas in our own strength. Peter was in a process, still learning to lean not on his own understanding, but to completely trust the Lord. Sure he was confused. We also get confused, but when we can't figure it all out our default button should be to "trust God and press forward".
Peter (and the others) were exhausted after casting nets all night and dragging them in and finding nothing. Jesus was there. He was watching them from shore. The next morning Jesus called out and asked, "Haven't you caught any fish?" They responded with a "No." Then Jesus instructed them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat and when they did they were not able to draw in the multitude of fish! Suddenly what looked impossible became possible! Jesus wanted to prove to Peter that his future would not be fruitful without the empowerment of Jesus in His life.
There would be no grace or empowerment to go back to what was comfortable and familiar. Peter was being challenged to embrace an unknown future and mature in his calling as an Apostle of God. Yes, Peter was in a test. Would he be willing to let all of it go? Could he leave the boat, the fish and his friends and let go of all of his past to embrace the new season?
Many of us are also in a test. Will we go fishing, go back to what is comfortable or trust God and embrace our future even if it appears unknown for a season?
ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
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