2
Corinthians 10:3-5 tells us, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not
waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of
the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments
and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every
thought captive to obey Christ,”(The Holy Bible:English Standard
Version, 2016)
There is a
war we are involved in.We cannot ignore
it, and we cannot fight through our own strength.God gives us His Spirit and His resources
which are enough to overcome.“A
fortress or stronghold is a mind-set that holds you hostage.It makes you believe that you are hopelessly
locked in a situation, that you are powerless to change.” (Evans, 1998)The devil does not want you to realize that
God has already won the war, and He enables us to win the remaining
battles.This requires dependence on
God.
“See, you
are not responsible for every thought that flashes into your mind. ... But you
are responsible for what you do with it once it is there.Our job is to recognize and dismiss evil
thoughts.” (Evans, 1998)What types of thoughts does Satan use against
you?Does he say you have no value?You can’t do what God has laid on your heart
to do?You can’t gain victory over sin
in your life?What you are doing isn’t
really sin even though the Bible says it is?Change in another’s heart is not possible?Someone is beyond hope?There is no hope for change in your
life?You have to earn His love?God will not take care of you?You have to solve problems all by
yourself?No one cares?God cannot provide someone to help with the
work that needs to be done?Our battles
are not identical, but they are shared by many.We need to know the truth found in God’s Word and apply it to our
lives.We need to claim His promises and
know that we are His beloved child. Grace is freely given and available to us and others. God has made a way for us to be victorious in our walk
with Him.
We are in a
war, but our enemies are not people.It
is a spiritual battle.Christ has
already won the victory, so we are fighting from a place of victory.Ephesians 6:10-13 explains, “Finally, be strong
in the Lord and in the strength of his might.Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the
schemes of the devil.For we do not
wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the
spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.Therefore take up the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand firm.”(The Holy Bible:English Standard
Version, 2016)
“You can’t
beat Satan in your own authority, because you don’t have any.The key is that you have been raised and
seated with Christ.Satan knows he can
handle you, but he knows he can’t handle Christ.
“The devil’s
strategy is to keep you from living your life in the power of Christ, claiming
the authority that is yours because you are under His blood.” (Evans, 1998)
One of the
important ways we do warfare is through prayer.“Listen to me carefully: Prayer is the mechanism that brings down the
power of heaven into your experience.It
is the divinely authorized method that activates your spiritual armor and makes
it effective.… I believe I can say it
as bluntly as this: Unless prayer is a vital and thriving part of your life,
you will never achieve spiritual victory.” (Shirer, 2018) Ephesians
6:18 says, “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and
supplication.To that end keep alert
with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,”. (The Holy Bible:English Standard Version, 2016) I think
Satan tries to keep us from praying.He
distracts with good things we can do, time we can waste, stray thoughts, and
just not realizing that prayer really makes a difference.Persistence in prayer is also important.Prayer breaks through the forces of evil to
allow God to work with us.It is
inviting Him into the problems we are facing.It is important to hold others up in prayer too.
Pastor Thom
Keller of Calvary Chapel in Lebanon PA has some powerful things to say on this
in the following video.
Do you pray
before, during, and after ministry opportunities?Do you pray for your co-workers?Do you pray for the needs in the lives of those
you are helping?Do you pray for God To
help you with the battles you are facing in your own personal life? Do you
remember that God is bigger than anything Satan can throw at you?Praying you will be victorious in what you
are facing this month.
Works Cited
Evans, T. (1998). The Battle is the Lord's.
Chicago: Moody Press.
Shirer, P. (2018). The Armor of God.
Nashville: LifeWay Press.
The Holy Bible:English Standard Version. (2016). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
God has
taken a diverse group of people and formed them into one body.We are more than a team or a family, we are
joined together in Christ to form His church.Romans 12:5 says, “so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and
individually members one of another”(ESV).
“Salvation
automatically makes God our Father and every other believer our brother or
sister in the household of God.Together, we are ‘heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ’ (Rom. 8:17
KJV).Christians cannot live unto
ourselves and still function as God purposed when He saved them.” (Blackaby & Blackaby, 2002)
“In God’s
family we will receive strength, encouragement, and much-needed
fellowship.We will grow in wisdom and
maturity as we benefit from those who have walked with God for many years.We will find security in the family’s watch
care over our life and respond to its comfort and accountability.More than anything else, God our Father
manifests His presence in special ways when two or three are gathered together
(Matt. 18:20).” (Blackaby & Blackaby, 2002)
Helen Keller
said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” God does design
us to work together in community and that is how we accomplish the most.However, we are never working alone, because
He is working through us.Blackaby tells
a story about a warrior whose sword is feared.When the king has a messenger bring him the sword, he finds nothing out
of the ordinary about the sword.The
messenger then explains, “If I had brought you the hand that wields the sword,
you would fully understand the fear.”(Blackaby & Blackaby, 2002)We are the sword, and God is the power behind
us.
“Do you
understand that the hand of God through the Holy Spirit wields a Christian’s
life?We may be common, ordinary in the
eyes of men.But when a Christian is
filled with the Holy Spirit, God can bring down strongholds through our lives. When a church is filled with the Holy Spirit,
God can turn a world upside down.The
key is never our abilities, but the power of the Holy Spirit working in and
through us to accomplish the will of the Father.”(Blackaby
& Blackaby, 2002) Phillip Allen, Youth Pastor at Cross Roads Church explains the importance of working together in the discipleship process.
As the
church, we have a joint mission of glorifying God.As a group, we have a vision of what God
wants us to do to accomplish this.We
are willing to sacrifice some personal goals and opinions to meet a greater
goal.We do not exist to pursue our own
personal fame or gain a list of accomplishments.We want to see the whole team develop their
abilities and use their gifts. 1 Cor.
12:26 reminds us, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is
honored, all rejoice together.”We are
in this together, and we should care about each individual in the body.
It is not about getting the credit for
projects or building up our self-esteem.It is not all about us.The goal
is to glorify God.“The Lord’s original
design called for all the gifts to function together, in harmony and with
mutual respect.Every gift is necessary
to accomplish what He desires with His people.No one of us alone will possess all the gifts, but altogether, we do.” (Cordeiro, 2004)
“Few things are more beautiful to God than
seeing His people serve and work together in a united rhythm.It is like a symphony to His ears.” (Cordeiro, 2004)
As humans,
we have a tendency toward selfishness and pride.The world tells us to look out for number one
and do your own thing.The Bible tells
us in Romans 14:19, “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual
upbuilding.”Examples of this kind of
living are given in Col. 3:12-13, “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and
beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving
each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
This means
living in submission to the Holy Spirit.“Being filled with the Spirit is the key to a unified body.Look at the contrast between the works of the
flesh and the fruit of the Spirit: ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. … Now
those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and
desires.If we live by the Spirit, we
must also follow the Spirit’ (Gal. 5:22-25).Here is the true source of unity in the body.” (Blackaby & Blackaby, 2002)
We are to “live
in harmony with one another. Do not be
haughty, but associate with the lowly.Never be wise in your own sight” (Romans 12:16
ESV). “When we are walking in
fellowship with God, He gives us the ability to walk in fellowship with all of
His people.” (Blackaby & Blackaby, 2002)The
result of seeing our unity will be that people are drawn to Christ.John 17: 21 tells us the desire Jesus had for
his followers, “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I
in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you
have sent me” (ESV).
One of our
goals as a group is found in Romans 15:5-6.“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such
harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may
with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Works Cited
Blackaby, H. T., & Blackaby, M. D. (2002). Experiencing
God Together. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
Cordeiro, W. (2004). Doing Church as a Team.
Ventura: Regal.
As
Christians, we are all part of one body.When one member is struggling or hurt, it affects the whole body.We should be in relationship with other
Christians and respond to them in love.Love sometimes requires us to just listen, to pray, to confront, to
advise, or to encourage.We need to care
enough to be involved in the lives of others, and to then react in love. Philippians 2:3-4 exhorts, “Do nothing from
rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than
yourselves.Let each of you look not
only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (ESV)
Sometimes,
we need to have difficult conversations with another believer.Our first step needs to be to take the matter
to God.Make sure God wants you to
proceed and how He wants you to approach the matter.Have prayer backup without gossiping or
sharing any details.Make sure you are
not the problem in the situation.Be
sensitive to why they are choosing to do what they are doing, and see them as God
does-full of potential and loved.Always
speak out of love.Check your motives
and heart before ever going to the other person. (Tindle,
n.d.)
When giving
advice, make sure you listen first.Proverbs
18:13 says, “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.”
(ESV) Don’t presume you know what is in their heart, but hear what they have to
say.There may be things about the
decision they are making that you did not know or have not considered.Proverbs 18:2 warns us, “A fool takes no
pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.” (ESV) You need
to make sure you understand what is involved before you give advice.Pray before, during, and after your conversation.
Allow the Holy Spirit to talk to you and help you see truth. Make sure you give positive input before and after advice. Encourage with what you see that they are doing positively or what you value about them. Don’t take it personally if your advice is
rejected.“God is the One who changes
the hearts and minds.Your
responsibility is to deposit the seed of truth and trust the Lord of the
harvest to bring the increase.”(McDowell, 2013)Continue praying for the Lord’s will in the
situation.
Seeking
advice is wise.Proverbs 11:14 shares
the wise statement, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in
abundance of counselors there is safety.”Once the advice is evaluated, it can give us a different way of looking
at things, provide valuable insights, or help us see something we may have
missed.Proverbs 12:15 reminds us, “The
way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.”
(ESV)
Taking
advice can be humbling. Pride must not
be allowed to get in the way.It is not
easy to stay flexible and willing to change.Of course, it helps if we respect the advisor and know they are speaking
from a place of love and wisdom.Before following
advice, make sure it aligns with scriptural teaching and seek God for His will
in the situation.
Dave Hyatt, Pastor
for Local and Global Outreach at Hershey Free Church discusses being flexible,
being able to take advice, and how to give advice in this video.
Works Cited
McDowell, C. (2013, June 27). 10 Commandments of
Giving Godly Advice. Retrieved from What Christians Want to Know:
www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com
Tindle, M. (n.d.). 6 Ways To Be Smarter About
Difficult Conversations. Retrieved from edamove:
http://edamove.com/6-ways-to-be-smarter-about-difficult-conversations
“One of the
most important skills of fishermen was making and mending nets. Made of linen, …,
these nets had to be carefully cleaned and dried each day or they would quickly
rot and wear out. The majority of a fisherman's life probably was spent mending
nets (Luke 5:2). Net weights, small pieces of stone with holes drilled in them,
were fastened to the bottom of the nets. This too took time.” (Laan, 2019)Nets were necessary for catching fish.Caring for them was an important part of
being a fisherman.To be equipped to be
fishers of men, we need to take the time to grow and repair weak points in our
lives.We need to deal with the sins and
bad attitudes that creep into our lives.We need to be willing and ready for God to use us. Without time in God's Word and prayer, we will not be anchored to truth. We do not want to pulled along by the current of the world away from God's truth.
If nets are
not washed:
1. Dead
fish, mud, and seaweed from off the bottom of the lake or sea get caught in the
nets.If not cleaned, rats would feed on
the dead debris and chew on the nets, making big holes in them. (Mattoon)When we allow sin to remain unconfessed or
unnoticed by us, we open our lives to attack by Satan.Sometimes we expose our hearts and minds to
junk on T.V. or in movies or books that introduce sinful thought patterns.If left unchecked, these grow into serious
problem areas.
2. If the net is not washed, the cord of the
net will eventually rot and weaken the net, making it unreliable, ineffective,
and useless. (Mattoon)We need the washing of God’s Word and the
Holy Spirit.Without care, our lives
start to fall apart. Time spent with other Christians with whom we have accountability is also important. We are a team who support, challenge and encourage one another.
3. If the
net is not cleaned, it will make the work of the fishermen much more
difficult.Debris hinders the ease of
the movement of the net.(Mattoon)We cannot be effective to go and minister to
others if we are not right with God.
4. The net
will frighten the fish if it is not clean. Fish can see a dirty net, even from
a long distance. Because of its low location, the Sea of Galilee did not have a
lot of movement and tidal flow to stir up the water. There was not a large
amount of silt in this sea. The water was usually very clear, making it easier
for the fish to see the nets and the boats. This is why most of the fishing was
done at night in this region. (Mattoon)People around us notice when something is
wrong in our lives.Why would they want
to listen to someone who appears as a hypocrite or who has no difference in
their life from the rest of the world?
Ephesians
4:8, 11-12 says,” Therefore it says, ‘When he ascended on high he led a host of
captives, and he gave gifts to men.’… And he gave the apostles, the prophets,
the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work
of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”
The Greek
word “equipping” (katartismos) comes from the verb “to mend” as used in Mark
1:19 where James and John are mending their nets. “They were equipping their
nets to fulfill the purpose for which they had been created: to catch
fish!In a similar way, hearing the Word
of God will often ‘mend’ you.Its truths
will impact you in such a way that God brings wholeness and healing to a
hurting area of your life or to your relationships.Through reading God’s Word, you become
increasingly equipped for the purposes to which God has called you.Its messages challenge you, reminding you of
who you are, and call you to boldly use the gifts He has given you.” (Cordeiro, 2004) Church, Bible studies, small groups, mentors, and retreats such as PTDEV week help us have insights, conviction, and give us a chance to refocus on truth and God's mission for our lives.
“Why does a
fisherman mend his torn nets?To throw
them back in the sea to catch more fish!” (Cordeiro, 2004)We want to have a life lived for Christ.It is not enough to have one successful experience.We should be ready for whatever opportunity
God opens up for us.
The wise
and experienced fisherman would regard net mending time not as down time but as
a cost of doing business, as necessary as maintaining his boat, sail, or oars.
If his net broke while fishing, it could not only allow his catch to escape, it
could endanger his boat as the sudden release of weight could make the boat
rock wildly. (Myers, 2012)It is easy to fall into the trap of believing
that the only important time is when we are serving and ministering to
others.Our main purpose is to know and
worship God.Our relationship with Him is
of ultimate importance.It is not time
wasted, but a vital part of our lives.It is what keeps us steady, safe, and healthy. Time with other Christians is important too. Proverbs 27:17 reminds us, "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another." Encouragement, support, and correction from other Christians helps prepare us to be better at the job God has called us to do.
2 Cor. 7:1,
“Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every
defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of
God.” (ESV)We need to be in the Word
and in fellowship with God daily.It is
so easy to allow good things in our life to push out necessary time with
God.If we are not renewing our hearts,
we will start to fall apart.We will not
be ready to fulfill God’s purposes for our lives. As you plan vacation time, don't leave time with God out. Part of being restored physically and emotionally involves being restored spiritually.
2 Tim. 2:15,
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no
need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (ESV)This
is an ongoing job that requires some effort on our part.We need to be alert to the needs in our
hearts and lives.We should be growing
in our understanding of God’s Word and allow the Holy Spirit to convict and
guide us.
2 Tim. 2:21-25,
“Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a
vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house,
ready for every good work.So flee
youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with
those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that
they breed quarrels.And the Lord's
servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently
enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant
them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.” (ESV)
Works Cited
Cordeiro, W. (2004). Doing Church as a Team.
Ventura: Regal.
Laan, R. V. (2019). Focus on the Family. Retrieved
from http://www.thatthewroldmayknow.com/they-left-their-nets-behind
Mattoon, D. R. (n.d.). Treasures From Luke, Volume
1. Wordsearch.
Myers, R. (2012). Images From the Temple
Dictionary of the Bible. Faithlife.
Fishermen on the Sea of Galilee never knew when a violent storm would suddenly form. Being a Christian does not guarantee us a storm free life. In fact, we are told to expect trials. James 1:2-4 ESV says, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." We see multiple examples in the Bible of Christians who suffered (2 Cor. 11:23-28, Hebrews 11:36-38).
We persevere in many circumstances. It may be that you are not seeing the results in ministry you wish to see. It is hard to remember that God is the one who will bring results, not us. Success is faithfulness and may be very different from what we expected. It can be hard to feel unappreciated or unnoticed in your ministry. We often try to get praise from man instead of praise from God. There are times where it is easy to focus on the world around us and not on Jesus. You may have prayers that are unanswered that you have prayed over multiple years. Perseverance is not fun. It is not easy. We are not alone, and we have a hope that keeps us going no matter what.
God knows your needs. He gave us desires, and He understands our frustrations with waiting to see good things happen. He does not want us to disconnect from our feelings and desires, but to be willing to sacrifice now for the future God has promised. God wants us to have joy in the midst of persecution. God does not want us to lose heart. We are exhorted in Galatians 6:9 ESV, "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." Listen to Bryan Hart from One Harbor Church in NC as he addresses this subject.
"These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth....But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefor God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city." Hebrews 11:13, 16 ESV Charles Stanley wrote in A Touch of His Peace "Know this: As there is calm in the eye of the storm, so there can be calm in the midst of your problem, because Jesus is at the center of your life. He is not asleep. He is not immune to your pain, for he himself has suffered the deep pain of the human lot. "He is on board with you and capable of demonstrating his magnificent deity to you in a myriad of ways. This is the truth that brings peace to your soul and calm to your emotions. This is the anchor that holds you in place when everything else seems to pull you loose from your moorings."
"But according to his promise we are waiting for a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells." 2 Peter 3:13 ESV
God is our
refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 (ESV)
“’teaching
them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you
always, to the end of the age.’” Matthew 28:20 (ESV)
God is our
example of being present with someone, because He is present with us
Jesus came
to this earth to experience life with people. He is now present with us when we invite Him
into our lives.
.
Luke 9:10-11
is one example of Jesus and his presence with others.“On their return the apostles told him all
that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called
Bethsaida. When the crowds learned it,
they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God
and cured those who had need of healing.” (ESV) Jesus
welcomed others, brought healing to their lives, and made time for others.He listened, dealt with their real heart
issues, and He asked questions that revealed the real issues they were dealing
with in their lives.He was not in a
hurry, even though He knew his time was short.
Bellevue
Christian Counseling explains that being present with another person involves:
Slowing down
to really be in a situation. Our age is one of extreme busyness—we are maxed
out, exhausted, and constantly multi-tasking.
Paying
attention. This means noticing details and nuances, and asking careful
questions for clarification.
Focusing on
the interaction. This is a deliberate, careful listening and involvement.
Patience.
When listening to another, check whether you are creating your response while
the other person is speaking. Are you waiting for them to finish speaking so
that you can get your thoughts out?
Empathy. A
dictionary definition of empathy is a “vicarious identification with or
experiencing of the actions, feelings, or attitudes of another.” Sympathy is
extending compassion to another in difficulty, while empathy knows what it is
like to be in the other’s shoes. (Bellevue Christian Counseling, 2019)
Deb Hinkel, Director for Spiritual Formation and Family Ministry at Hershey Free Church gives some important thoughts on being present in this video.
“A great way
to develop these characteristics in our lives is by noting how they are exemplified
in the character of Jesus. His empathy for us humans was clear—the apostle Paul
says in Galatians 2 that Christ 'emptied himself” and became a man. He walked
in our shoes and knows everything we feel, having been one of us. He slowed
down, stopped, and listened carefully to people with intention and deliberation
– witness his interaction with the Samaritan woman (John 4:7-42).
"While we can
develop skills that help us to be present, we should note that one of the names
of Jesus is Emmanuel, which means God-with-us. Jesus did not just model being
truly present, he also promised to be with us always – to be present with us.
Jesus, Emmanuel, is the most present person who ever lived. As we emulate
Christ in our treatment of others both inside and outside the counseling
setting, the cues we take come from his character. A Christian counselor is
called to ‘be with’ the client as Christ is with us. We sit with clients in
their crisis points, being present and accompanying them through desperate
times and places.
"At the same
time Christ is literally present with us, as he was in the first century. The
only difference is that we cannot see him, but we do sense him and talk with
him.
"If
God-With-Us, Emmanuel, shows up, fully present in our everyday life, then we
too can and should show up and be fully present to others as well.”
(Bellevue Christian Counseling, 2019) Are you fully present when talking to others? Are you fully present when you attend church? Do you listen to others and ask questions to draw them out? Do you share the hope found in Christ when the opportunity arises? Do you talk more than you listen? Can you empathize with others?
Bellevue Christian Counseling. (2019). Retrieved from
https://bellevuechristiancounseling.com/articles/being-present-how-does-this-relate-to-christian-counseling
“While
walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter)
and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will
make you fishers of men.’” Matthew
4:18-19 ESV
Fishermen
have to know what they are doing and apply that knowledge if they wish to
succeed. If we want to be fishers of
men, the basic knowledge we need is to know God.
John 17:3
says, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and
Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (ESV) Might know
(γινώσκωσι). Might recognize or perceive. Eternal life consists in a continuing,
progressive perception of God in Christ. (Vincent, 1887)
Eternal life
is not just prolonged life. It is a quality of life that comes from being in
relationship with the Father and Son. John
usually uses Christ as a title. It is
used with Jesus’ name only here and in 1:17. The statement in 17:3 helps us understand
1:18, that Jesus fully revealed what God is like, with Jesus’ statement in
10:10 that he has come that people might have life, and have it abundantly.
These two purposes are really one, according to 17:3, because (abundant)
eternal life is defined as knowing (being in relationship with) the Father and
the Son. The only way to gain eternal life is to know the Father through the
Son (cf. 14:6). This knowledge is not intellectual, but relational. It involves
being in relationship. (Press, 2006)
“What is the
most important thing in the world to every Christian? It is to grow in the knowledge of God. The knowledge of God is the heart of
salvation and all true spiritual experience.
Knowing Him is what we were created for.” (Ferguson,
1986)
It is not
enough to know about God. We need to
know Him personally. We know God through
His Word and the revelation of the Holy Spirit.
Knowing Him involves spending time with Him, conversing with Him, and
thinking about Him. The more we know
Him, the more He changes the way we think and live. It is an ongoing process that is vital to our
life.
Colossians
1:10-11 exemplifies this change. “So as
to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in
every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with
all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with
joy;” (ESV)
“God says, ‘Get
me out of the box.Know me as I am- the One
who was and is and is to come. [Rev. 1:8].Eternal.Holy.Awesome.Sovereign.Lord of all.’ God invites us to be gripped by His greatness.Shaken to the core of our being at the
realization of what He freely offers.” (MacDonald, 2005)
“There is no
such thing as genuine knowledge of God that does not show itself in obedience
to His Word and will. The person who
wants to know God but who has no heart to obey God will never enter the sacred
courts where God reveals Himself to the soul of man. God does not give divine knowledge to those
who have no desire to glorify Him.” (Ferguson, 1986)
In Jeremiah
9:23-24, God explains what our goal should be.
“Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not
the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,
but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I
am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the
earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.’”
“The
knowledge of God is a personal knowledge of a personal God. It is received by those alone who seek to
know Him in a spirit of dependence upon Him, and who ask for His Spirit to lead
them into the truth.” (Ferguson, 1986)
Philippians
3:8-10 says, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing
worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of
all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be
found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but
that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that
depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and
may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” (ESV)
“Genuine
encounters with God must be measured against and can never stray from the anchor
of God’s Word.” (MacDonald, 2005) God wants us to continue to grow in our
understanding of who He is and to experience Him relationally. He is the great and awesome God, but also our
loving Father. His revelation of His
character and will must conform to the revelation of God in the
Scriptures. He never changes, and He has
given us His Word to help us know Him.
Is knowing
God a major focus of your life? What can
you do to not only learn about Him, but to know Him better personally? Spend time focused on Him. So, in conclusion,
as 2 Peter 3:18 states, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.
Amen.”
For those interested in knowing more about fishing in N.T. times, read on.
There are
different kinds of nets in the Gospels. The dragnet (sagēnē, σαγήνη) is a
football field in length and 10’ wide with floats on top and sinkers on the
bottom. It is spread out parallel about a hundred yards off shore. The net is
dragged ashore by ropes on either end surrounding and capturing the fish as it
is pulled ashore. (Laney, 2016)
The cast-net
(diktyon, δίκτυον) is a circular net with weights around the outer edge to make
it sink. This net is arranged on the arm and then cast into the water with the
opposite arm. The net spreads out and the weights pull it to the bottom
trapping the fish. Fish can be retrieved
one-by-one or by wading around the net gathering the sinkers and pulling the
net with the fish to shore or into the boat. The cast-net is mentioned in Mark
1:16–18 where Jesus said, “Follow me and I will make you become fishers of
men.” (Laney, 2016)
The trammel
net consists of three layers of connected nets - two exterior walls of large
mesh and a middle layer of smaller mesh.
The plural “nets” (diktya) rather than the singular “net” (diktyon)
distinguishes them in the Gospels. Trammel nets are about 100’ long and
attached in a series. It was used
during the night when the fish could not see the net. Weights pull the net down into the water while
floats keep the top side of the wall near the surface. Fishermen wade in the water making noise and
splashing with oars. The fish attempt to swim away but are trapped in the small
mesh. The trammel net is probably the type in Mark 1:19–20 and Matt 4:21–22
where James and John were mending their nets. The trammel net also appears to
be the one in the great catch of fish (Luke 5:1–7) and John’s account of the
miraculous catch (John 21:3–11). (Laney, 2016)
Works Cited
Ferguson, S. B. (1986). A Heart for God.
Colorado Springs: NavPress.
Laney, J. (2016). Fishing the Sea of Galilee. In B.
(Eds.), B. Beitzel, & K. Lyle, Lexham Geographic Commentary on the
Gospels. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
MacDonald, J. (2005). Gripped By the Greatness of
God. Chicago: Moody Publishers.
Press, B. S. (2006). he NET Bible First Edition
Notes (Jn 17:3). Biblical Studies Press.
Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word Studies in the New
Testament (Vol. 2, p.263). New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
One of the
important ways we do warfare is through prayer.
“Listen to me carefully: Prayer is the mechanism that brings down the
power of heaven into your experience. It
is the divinely authorized method that activates your spiritual armor and makes
it effective. … I believe I can say it
as bluntly as this: Unless prayer is a vital and thriving part of your life,
you will never achieve spiritual victory.” 
