Luke 5:1-3 – One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
 
Jesus “kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.”  That’s where chapter four ended.  The message of God’s Kingdom needed to be communicated in earnest.  That’s why He came!  And what better place to make known the Father and His will than in the places dedicated to that purpose?  Chapter five answers that question with, how about the SEASHORE – communicating from a BOAT?!! 
There was a day in history when Jesus was standing by the lakeside and people were crowding around Him to hear the word of God.  Luke details for us that Jesus had a choice of two boats that had been left at the water’s edge by fishermen who were cleaning their nets.  The fishermen were not part of the throng that was pressing in on Jesus.  No doubt they were watching with interest as they tended to their work.  At first consideration, it would seem that Jesus was merely using an available boat to separate Himself from the crowd and create a pulpit from which to teach.  However, we’re going to see that this teaching from the boat was going to become much more intense – AFTER THEY SEPARATED FROM THE CROWD and launched out to sea.  The boat Jesus JUST HAPPENED TO CHOOSE belonged to Simon.  Simon was HOOKED!  He became Jesus’ captive audience from the moment Jesus asked him to put the boat out a ways from shore.  Having done so, Jesus sat down and taught the people from the boat.  This would become the first of many lessons Jesus would teach Simon – FROM THE BOAT!
Did you ever think what it might be like to have Jesus in your boat?  You’d get to hear the Word of God directly from the author!  Truth is, if you’re reading this right now, Jesus has already climbed into your boat!  Can you hear His words of life as He teaches about God’s kingdom?  Are you ready to journey wherever He commandeers your boat?  Are you willing to do whatever He tells you?  He just might ask you to separate yourself with Him away from the crowds for a time.  If you’re willing, He’ll take you to a place where you can really hear the Word of God and get to know Him intimately!
 
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 walked along the shores of your life and climbed into your boat.
  • Pray for the Good News families of the week: Paul & Karen Rose (Cora, Paul, Shayne), Dennis & Sherry Smith, Bob & Alison St.James (Matt, Kelly).
Saturday:       
  • Don’t be afraid to separate yourself from the influence of the crowds so that you can really hear the Word of God.
Sunday:                                                                  
  • Give thanks that Christ has chosen your boat to be one where He does His best and most important teaching. 
 Monday:                                                                                              
  • Pray that others will also experience the blessing of having Jesus walk along their shores and teach in their boat.
  • Attend “In Touch” Prayer meeting at GNCC at 10:30am or join in prayer at that time.
 Tuesday:       
  • Pray that God’s Kingdom will come and that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven!
Wednesday:   
  • Pray for the message of the Kingdom to be spread around the globe – in synagogues, churches, cathedrals, houses of worship, and yes, even along the water’s edge or, in the woods and fields, factories and shopping malls, schools and places of recreation!
 

Prayer Challenge: Welcome Jesus into your boat and give Him authority to pilot the direction of your life.  Remember that it’s not all about asking God to come into your boat and to bless your decisions, your journey and your endeavors.  More importantly, it’s about asking Him to be the CAPTAIN of your ship!  It’s about giving Him the ownership of your boat!  It’s about life in the Kingdom of God and praying that God’s will be done!  That’s different than praying, “My kingdom come and my will be done!”

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