Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

September 19
Saturday


A MUCH
GREATER PLAN

READ:
Luke 5:1-11
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Jesus said to Simon,
"Do not be afraid.
From now on you will
catch men."
__Luke 5:10
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Recently our family was in Erie, Pennsylvania, visiting a relative. While there, we had a chance to swim in the community swimming pool. It was fun but our host wanted to take us to Lake Erie to enjoy the sandy beaches, the cresting waves, and the beauty of the setting sun. My children protested because they wanted to swim in the pool. But I tried to get them to see that going to the beaches of Presque Isle would be a much greater plan.

I believe Jesus wanted Simon Peter to see He had something much greater in mind for him--he would "catch men" (Luke 5:10) instead of fish. Jesus told Peter to go to the deeper water and let down his nets for a catch (v.4). Peter had just returned from an unsuccessful night of fishing, but at Jesus' command he obeyed and said, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net" (v.5). Humbled by the miraculous catch of fish, Peter bowed in awe before the Lord, who then told him that from that point on He wanted him to fish for men. Peter left everything and followed Him.

God's greater plan for us may not be to leave our occupation. But it's His plan that we use our time, resources, and careers to bring others into the kingdom. __Marvin Williams
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````````````````````````FOR FURTHER STUDY```````````````````

````````````To learn how to share Jesus' love with others,```````````
`````````read the online booklet The Compassion of Jesus````````````
````````````````at www.discoveryseries.org/q0208````````````````
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The next person you meet may need to meet Christ.

******************Today's Bible Reading __ Luke 5:1-11**********

1 So it was, as the multitude
pressed about Him to hear
the word of God, that He
stood by the Lake of
Gennesaret, 2 and saw two
boats standing by the lake;
but the fisherman had gone
from them and were washing
their nets. 3 Then He got into
one of the boats, which was
Simon's, and asked him to
put out a little from the land.
And He sat down and taught
the multitudes from the boat.

4 When He had stopped
speaking, He said to Simon,
"Launch out into the deep
and let down you nets for a
catch."

5 But Simon answered and
said to Him, "Master, we
have toiled all night and
caught nothing; nevertheless
at You word I will let down
the net."

6 And when they had done
this, they caught a great
number of fish, and their net
was breaking. 7 So they
signaled to their partners in
the other boat to come and
help them. And they came
and filled both the boats, so
that they began to sink.

8 When Simon Peter saw it,
he fell down at Jesus' knees,
saying, "Depart from me, for
I am a sinful man, O Lord!"

9 For he and all who were
with him were astonished at
the catch of fish which they
had taken; 10 and so also
were James and John, the
sons of Zebedee, who were
partners with Simon.
And Jesus said to Simon,
"Do not be afraid. From now
on you will catch men." 11 So
when they had brought their
boats to land, they forsook
all and followed Him.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

A miracle is the introduction of supernatural energy that suspends
the laws of physics. The unexplainable catch of fish points to Christ's
power as Lord over nature (v.6). In some mysterious way, the fish
responded to the will of their Creator. __DENNIS FISHER