Fish Or Sheep

Love you all, praying for you.
  
I just love God’s Word.  It gives history, and story, it gives principles, and practicals, it reveals what others did so you can do like they did and succeed, or avoid what they did that doesn’t work.  Think of the time you’ll save, the loss you’ll avoid, the success you can find, and the love of God that you could see.  John 21: Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Tiberias.  It happened this way: Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, 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.”  Why did Peter say that?  Because it’s all he knew – it’s the only way he knew how to provide, how to strive, how to ‘make something happen.’  And the others just went along with him.  They were a little lost.  For three years they had followed Jesus, and now he wasn’t here, they had seen him twice, but they weren’t going from town to town anymore.  So Peter went back to fishing.  So they went out and got in the boat, but that night they caught nothing.  They stayed out all night!  Nothing, nada, zip, zilch.  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 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.  Then the disciple who Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken if off) and jumped into the water.  The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from the shore.  They couldn’t even bring the net in, they had to just drag it behind til all the fish were flopping on the shore.  A night of fishing in the deep looking for fish, when God had them waiting a hundred yards from shore.  When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.  What they worked all night for – for nothing, Jesus already had an overflow waiting, and when they got to shore, he already had other fish!  Caught, cleaned, filleted, and cooked, and even brought some Panera to go with it.  Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”  Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore.  It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.  Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast."  None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.  Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.  This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.  When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?  What was He asking?  Not, 'Do you love me more than the other disciples love me…'  He was asking, Peter… do you love me more than these?  All these fish!  Do you love me more, than you love going back to your old life, all your striving on your own?  Do you love me more than all you know to do?  That you used to do?  Jesus told him already from the first conversation they ever had.  “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  Not what you used to do, and how you used to do it.  Peter do you love me more than you love doing what you used to do?  “Yes, Lord” he said, “you know that I love you.”  Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”  Again Jesus said, Simon son of John, do you truly love me?”  He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”  Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”  The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”  Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love me?”  He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”  Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”  I don’t want you going back to fishing, cause all these guys will go with you.  I have something better for you.  I have something I need you to do, but you have to do what I say, and do it my way.  You can’t do my work, the way you did yours, you can’t do what I am calling you to do, if you go back to all you know, the things you used to do.  I’ve got all the fish you need – I’ve got breakfast, lunch, and dinner already taken care of.  All that work for nothing, when Jesus had 153 fish waiting, plus breakfast.  His way is different, God wanted Peter caring for sheep, not striving for fish, that Jesus already had waiting.  He wanted Peter to be fishers of men, not fish, caring for sheep, God’s flock, those who have put their trust in God.  So what is the fishing trip that you keep going back to?  What has God called you to do, or how does God want you to do it?  You can try on your own, and catch nothing, or you can see him, and hear what He says, and do what ever He tells you – you’ll have fish for a week, for your family and other families too!  It takes a long time to eat 153 fish.  Don’t worry about that.  Whatever God has you do right now, He will tell you and give you grace to do it.  He’s not saying quit your job, unless he told you to.  He’s saying hear my voice, follow my plans, don’t strive on your own, do it my way – and everything you need will be provided.  Praying that you won’t just do what you’ve always done, that you won’t strive for what He already provides, and that your heart will be to do what He is calling you to do.  He even has breakfast waiting.
 
Love you all,
dad