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A Fishing Story That Leads to Success - Part 1

I enjoy fishing, and want to be successful.  So let's see what this story found in Luke 5:1-7 can teach us.  As you read through the story, think about the goal of those in the story, our goals as individuals, and our goals as the church.

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in around Jesus to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret.  There Jesus saw two boats but the fisherman had gone out of them and were washing their nets.  Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, Jesus asked him to put out a little from the land.  And then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.  When Jesus had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.  Simon replied, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!  But at your word I will let down the nets."  And Simon had done this, they caught a large number of fish, so many that their nets were breaking.  They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them.  And they came and filled both boats, so full that they began to sink.

So what steps did the people in the story take to find success?

First, they were in the RIGHT PLACE for the RIGHT PURPOSE.  In the story, the people were gathered around the feet of Jesus to hear God's word.  And Simon was finishing up his work for the day and preparing for tomorrow. 

For us personally, where should we be?  And what should we be doing?  After reading the last few sentences, the obvious answer here seems to be at the feet of Jesus studying his word, and that is very true.  But since most of us are unable to study the Bible 24 hours per day, what other real world places should we be?  We need to be at work providing for our families.  We need to be spending time with our families building stronger relationships and instilling confidence in our children.  We need to be in church fellowshipping and learning God's word, and caring for the needs of those around us.

As the church, where should we be?  We need to be gathered together worshipping.  Hebrews 10:24-25 reads, "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."  We can gather in church, in other public places, or in homes.  I believe that it's more important that we are gathered together for the right purpose than the exact "where" on this one.  The church should not be confined by walls of the buildings that we meet in on Sundays.  We should be out in the community showing people Christ's love in action.

Step 1 to success is being the RIGHT PLACE for the RIGHT PURPOSE.  What will the next step learned here be?

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