April | 2013 | Energy For Your Life and Health

Matthew 4:20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

This man Jesus can make you jump in a moment. He can make you leave all and follow Him.

That has become a foreign idea in the minds of present Christians. Sacrifice means not watching a movie. Sacrifice means giving one night a week to choir practice so we can be in front of others. Sacrifice means reading our bible five minutes a day.

How weak have we become? Our definition of temptation is a bag of chips sitting on the counter. Lives have been anesthetized to real challenge and real sacrifice.

A friend constantly was working with prostitutes. One day he showed me the bullet holes in his car. A pimp was upset at him for taking a woman off the street so he could talk to her. It was cutting into profits. The bullets

never exited the inside of the door. The bullets were never found. Somewhere between the point blank shot coming at him and the realization that God had protected, I bet he thought about sacrifice. His life was on the line every evening he went to reach those beaten women. His time was robbed from family and friend to give to someone who might never listen.

ACT! What really is sacrifice? How rapid does God want us to respond? How willing are we to do it? What is left undone that He has asked you to do?

PRAY! Father, I believe. Help my unbelief. There is a part of me that loves big screen television and stereo sound. There is a part of me that is more desperate for the easy chair and a great video experience that for loving others. I love my diversions. Yank me from my diversions. Jolt me into a place of immediate obedience. I repent. Help me to disconnect from diversions to hear Your voice and respond

Matthew 4: 18: And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19: And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Peter and Andrew were never the same after meeting Jesus. His nature as a gatherer of men for His Father’s family became their nature. He took a part of them and changed it to work for the kingdom. They gathered fish. He needed men gatherers. Meeting Jesus will change you to gather men and women and children to Him and His Father’s family. No matter what you gather now, He will add gathering men to His family.

My son and I were at the quick gas spot the other evening. A furtive man jumped from behind the car. Assuring us he only wanted to beg some money, he approached. I signaled to him to stay at a distance. This was not the time and place.

The next day, a half a block a way, we went to lunch with my wife. The man slipped from behind a car. I engaged him in conversation as my wife and son went into the restaurant. On the streets over time, I have talked to many such men. Some are harmless. Some are dangerous. Some are unpredictable. This one seemed the latter. He was desperate, either on drugs or suffering from having none, and persistent. Eye to eye, we talked. He began to give me a string of problems and diseases. Mid course, I stopped him and asked him what he was doing with what he was given. He told me he worked painting and then quit in the last seven days. He had already spent the money. It would have been enough for several days in his lifestyle.

He was quick witted. He was strong. He was trapped in somebody done me wrong songs. It would be pitiful to give him a dollar and say the inevitable Jesus loves you stuff. I gave him a few dollars, and I gave him straight advice. Sure, Jesus is my motivation. Do something with what you have. Take your mind and body and put it to work. Quit dwelling on the problems and get focused on the solution. People are helping. Use their help to get up and out. Let Jesus pull you from the sea of problems through His fishermen. Don’t just jump back in the water.

ACT! Think of one person around you that needs to be gathered to Jesus’ family.

What do you need to do to invite them to be a part?

PRAY! Father, help me to be a fisher of men. Jesus has come to my life. He’s met with me and called me to be a fisherman with Him. Help me to see those around me that He wants in the family. Help me to know how to draw them to Him and Your family.