Luke 5:10,11Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
 
Upon experiencing the miraculous catch of fish, Peter and his companions were astonished and very deeply emotionally affected.  Jesus had some more life changing words for Peter.  “Don’t be afraid!”  We humans are often apprehensive to make changes in our lives.  We grow comfortable in our lifestyles, habits, relationships and vocations, and we’re seldom eager let them go in exchange for new ones.  We are usually secure in what we know.  Peter, James and John knew fishing and the sea.  They were secure in their relationships, their habits and their vocation.  Jesus had a NEW plan and calling for them so, to help them transition, He says, “Don’t be afraid.”  They are on the verge of embarking on a whole new journey that will form new lifestyles, habits and relationships.  To prepare them Jesus uses these three powerful words, “Don’t be afraid.”
His next three words separate the past from the future!  “From now on…”  Whatever you did and whomever you were in the past, “from now on” that will be different!  The future holds a different course than the one you’ve been on so far, “from now on” things will change!  This is as it should be!  When the Master of the universe calls you to a new life, FROM THAT POINT ON, things should change!  Do you remember who you were when Christ called you?  Do you recall the habits, the values, the priorities, the friends and the lifestyle changes that you began to make?  From then on YOUR LIFE CHANGED!
And so, Jesus gave these men an entirely new purpose and calling in life!  From a life of catching fish, He charted an entirely new vocation for them, “from now on you will catch men.”  Jesus had captured their attention, their hearts, their minds, and their imaginations!  He had captured their very lives!  He did it with a grace and truth that reflected the glory of the only begotten Son of God!  From this point on, they were going into the same business – catching souls and capturing hearts for God’s eternal glory!
Having heard these words of Christ, were they now afraid?  Apparently not!  “They pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him.”  They were ready and willing to leave behind their old lifestyle, priorities, values and relationships.  They were ready to leave their boats and the industry they knew so well.  They left it all behind to follow Jesus!  They had heard powerful life-changing words and they believed that their new calling was far superior to their old way of living.  Oh friend, I hope you believe that Christ Jesus has a life-changing call for you!  If you’re not already experiencing it, I pray that you’re ready and willing to leave the past behind and, FROM NOW ON, follow the Master in catching souls!
 
Thursday:                                                                                                          
  • Meet together with at least 1 or 2 other believers to enter the Throne Room of Grace.
  • Join our 6:00pm Thursday night prayer team.         
Friday:                                         
  • Thank God for the day He spoke life changing words that delivered you from your fears.
  • Pray for the Good News families of the week: Brandon & Sandy Burtner (Elijah, ?), Jacquie Compagnoni, Greg Conibear.
Saturday:       
  • Don’t be afraid to leave the past behind and trust God for the future.
Sunday:                                                                  
  • Give thanks for the way in which Christ captured your attention, your heart and your soul. 
  • Partner with us in “In Touch” Prayer meeting at the close of Worship Service.
Monday:                                                                                               
  • Pray that others will be captured by the same Spirit that captured you!
Tuesday:       
  • Pray that God’s Kingdom will come and that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven!
Wednesday:   
  • Pray that you will be an effective witness for Christ to your sphere of influence!
 

Prayer Challenge: So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  2 Corinthians 5:16-21

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