Beautiful
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Music
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Hello friends, my
name is Pastor Alden Ho
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I run a ministry
in Berrien Springs, MI
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called Wheel Salt Ministries.
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The message I have
for you today is titled,
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"Time to Go Fishing. "
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Let's bow our heads and
ask God to be with us now.
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Heavenly Father, I
thank you for the message
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Thank you for the words.
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Please allow each person
who is listening to be prepared
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and to prepare their
hearts for this message.
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Lord speak through me now.
For I ask in Jesus name, Amen
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When I was first
growing up in Toronto, Canada
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my parents immigrated
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from Singapore to
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Toronto, Canada.
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My Dad wanted me to have
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the All-American experience
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I guess you could say
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by taking me to go fishing.
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So, he rented a boat
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we got the fishing
poles, got the worms,
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did everything we had to do
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We sat in the boat and
we fished from early morning
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till late at night.
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We fished and we fished.
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We stayed there
in the boat all day.
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Had lunch. Had a lot of fun.
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I remember this that one
time I even hated putting the
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worm on the hook so
I asked my Dad to do it
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so he would put the
worm on the hook for me.
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And a couple
times we would cast out
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and we'd watch the little bob
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that would be floating
go up and down, up and down.
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We'd reel it back in
and the worm would be gone
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but there'd be
no fish on the hook.
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So my dad would put
another worm on the hook
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and this last time I thought,
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"I'm really gonna
cast it out there "
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'cause I think there
are some fish way out there.
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So I reeled back and I threw
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that cast out as far as I could.
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and I noticed that the
line went all the way out
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and then it looped
back around and it came back
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behind me and I was
wondering, 'What was that? '
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So I looked behind
and unbeknownst to me
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that hook had
caught in my dad's cheek
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and it was stuck in his cheek.
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Well, I'll be glad
to tell you that was
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the last time my
dad took me fishing.
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I never went fishing any more.
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But we sat in that boat all day
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from sun up till sun down.
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How many fish did I catch?
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Zero.
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No fish at all.
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So I want to ask you a
question and be honest with me
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'cause I can handle it
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If I sat in a boat all day
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I had the rod, I had the reel,
I had the bait, I had the hook,
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I had all the tools I
needed to be a fisherman.
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Would you call me a fisherman?
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Probably not.
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But I'll tell you,
there is One in the Bible
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Who is really a Fisherman.
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Jesus.
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Jesus, during his time
period we don't hear much
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in the Bible
during the Old Testament
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of people who were fishing.
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But in the New
Testament when Jesus came along
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we see a lot of examples
that He talked about fishing.
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You see fishing was
a very big industry.
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And in fact, it was
so big that people would
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go out there and they would
build their entire communities
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around the sea.
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and as these people
would build their communities
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around the Sea of Galilee
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you would find
ribbon communities attached
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all along there.
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And that's where
Jesus would walk.
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As He would walk
through there He would
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go from one
community to another community.
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And there'd be a lot of
people who'd follow Jesus.
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Well this one day Jesus was out.
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And as He was out He
was talking with the people.
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and as he talked, you
have to understand that
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in their communities of fishing
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that's basically what they built
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their entire
industry on was fishing.
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The type of fishing they did was
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very different
from the type of fishing
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my father and I did
with a rod and reel.
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They would use a net that would
be about 5 meters in diameter
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and they would cast
that out from the boat.
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And many times the
fishermen would go out
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and they would fish
early in the morning
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before the sun would come up.
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the reason they would do that is
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because the fish
would be able to see
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who's throwing the nets out.
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And the fish would
not obviously fall prey to
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their nets and the
fish would swim away.
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Fishing was a
very strenuous life
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and it required a
very strong physique.
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And if we turn in our
Bibles right now we'll see this
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story that
Jesus is talking about
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in the Gospel of Luke
the Gentile physician...
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in Luke 5:1-11,
that's Luke 5:1-11...
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You see this is a very
interesting scenario here.
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Peter was a
fisherman. That was his job.
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Jesus grew up in
a carpenter's shop.
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Peter kind of felt,
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'Lord, why are you
telling me to let out my nets? '
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'I mean, we've
just washed them '
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'we've prepared them,
we've been all night fishing. '
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'This is our industry. '
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'Why don't you stay in the
industry that you know best. '
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But nonetheless,
when Jesus asked him
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and commanded
him, "Look Peter, "
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"Send out the
nets, throw them out. "
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Peter did that
and the catch was huge
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because Peter followed
what the Master was asking.
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You see when Jesus calls us
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and He calls us
to come follow Him
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He's asking us
to do some things.
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See, we must be separated to Him
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that we may
pursue His objective.
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We must belong to Him
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then His design
will be our design.
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The closer we commune with God
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the greater our
power will be over souls.
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We must obey Him
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and we must learn His methods
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Jesus' methodology.
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We must teach what he taught.
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We must teach as He taught.
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In fact, we must copy His life
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because His life
should be our only example.
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This is not really an
issue of works per se.
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If it is, then I
guess that keeping
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the Commandments holy
is also an issue of works.
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This came straight
out of Christ's mouth.
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and He said to anyone
who chooses to follow Him,
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it says in Matthew 28:19-20
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there is what we
find in the Bible
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referred to as,
'The Great Commission. '
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Matthew 28:19-20
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You see, Jesus
gave great authority.
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He told
everybody, "If you love Me "
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"these are the
things I want you to do. "
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"I want you to go.
I want you to teach. "
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"preach and baptize. "
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He delegated that to us.
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And when He delegated that to us
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He said, "I will
be with you always. "
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So there's nothing to fear.
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What authority do we have?
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We have all the
authority in this world.
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Because it came to us
through Jesus Christ Himself.
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You know this idea of fishing
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is a very interesting one.
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Bob Schuller once
said in his sermon
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"If this analogy
teaches us anything "
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"it reminds us
that the Christian "
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"to fulfill his mission "
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"must bear His witness
where the people are. "
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"We cannot wait for
people to come to us. "
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One successful
evangelist put it this way,
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"Suppose I built a
beautiful fish house "
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"down by the side of lake. "
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"I design it after
some gothic pattern "
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"placed stained glass
windows all around it "
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"burned candles around it "
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"and even had an electric
sign that said, 'Fish House' "
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" 'All Fish Invited' "
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" 'Fishing Hours
from 11am to 7pm. ' "
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"How many fish do
you suppose he'd catch? "
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Well there are many
fishermen in the world.
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Some with very worthy motives.
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And some with
very selfish motives.
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People are having every type
of bait dangled before them.
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And they're feeling the
mesh of a variety of nets.
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You see the Christian message
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now as it was in Peter's time
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must be none other than
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the new old story
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of Jesus and His love.
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Christ's teachings leaves
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no room for philosophies.
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that would reduce the Gospel
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down to some social uplift
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let alone a mere entertainment.
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You see, the
purpose of the Gospel
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is the salvation of man.
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Therefore Jesus won't ask you
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to leave your
job, your business,
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like he did Peter and Andrew
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Who said, "Follow me "
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"and I will make
you fisher's of men. "
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He will however expect you
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to let Him be involved
in all aspects of your life
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including your business,
your schooling and your home.
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As a follower it is important
for you and I to understand
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that we can't just
add Jesus into our life
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whenever we can fit
Him into our schedule.
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It's not a convenience issue.
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Jesus comes not to
'observe' your life
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but He comes to be
Whom He is in reality
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your God, your King,
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your Forgiver and your Leader.
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Following Jesus
involves a complete commitment,
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a life commitment to Him.
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God has the right
to interrupt your life.
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He is Lord.
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In fact, when you
accept Him as Lord
00:11:49.21\00:11:52.15
you give Him the right
to help Himself to your life
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at any time that He wants!
00:11:54.89\00:11:56.39
I want to ask you a question.
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The question is this:
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Do you friend, in your work,
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the people that live around you
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do they know that
you are a Christian?
00:12:06.49\00:12:08.73
I mean, do they know that Jesus
00:12:08.76\00:12:11.02
is the Lord of your life?
00:12:11.05\00:12:12.56
Have you explained that to them?
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Do they know your commitment?
00:12:14.67\00:12:16.41
Would it be obvious or
would it not be so obvious?
00:12:16.44\00:12:21.86
I know that many of you
have probably shared your faith
00:12:21.89\00:12:24.57
with other people,
00:12:24.60\00:12:25.57
people that you work with,
people that you associate with.
00:12:25.58\00:12:28.02
But if you don't, why not?
00:12:28.05\00:12:31.76
Do you have a fear of sharing
your faith with other people.
00:12:31.79\00:12:37.87
That people will say,
"Well, We don't want to have "
00:12:37.90\00:12:40.16
"anything to do with you
because you are "a Christian. "
00:12:40.19\00:12:42.80
Well, this is
what I want to ask you.
00:12:42.83\00:12:46.02
Being a
Christian is more than just
00:12:46.05\00:12:51.03
telling it, living it.
00:12:51.06\00:12:53.04
Being a Christian is
to allow the Holy Spirit
00:12:53.07\00:12:57.71
to be a part of who you are.
00:12:57.74\00:12:59.08
I don't know where you've been.
00:12:59.11\00:13:01.43
I don't know what struggles
you've had in your life.
00:13:01.46\00:13:04.29
But I can tell you this:
00:13:04.32\00:13:06.53
this sermon is not
so much about football
00:13:06.56\00:13:09.96
or soccer or basketball
00:13:09.99\00:13:12.54
or even the latest movies.
00:13:12.57\00:13:14.49
But if you know all
the football players
00:13:14.52\00:13:18.86
or all the basketball players,
00:13:18.89\00:13:20.97
if you know all those
people that's all well and good.
00:13:21.00\00:13:23.64
However, the question is this:
00:13:23.67\00:13:26.87
If you can name the
actors of the latest movie,
00:13:26.90\00:13:29.96
or the actors in
the latest musical group
00:13:29.99\00:13:33.25
or CD that's out
there, that's fine.
00:13:33.28\00:13:36.45
But is you can't name the
name of the twelve disciples
00:13:36.48\00:13:39.58
there's a problem there.
00:13:39.61\00:13:41.28
You see where I'm going?
00:13:41.31\00:13:42.65
Jesus said in Matthew 6:33
00:13:42.68\00:13:47.26
"Seek first the kingdom of God "
00:13:47.29\00:13:49.07
"and all His righteousness "
00:13:49.10\00:13:50.82
"and all these things
will be added unto you. "
00:13:50.85\00:13:52.80
You may have a
passion for the Gospel.
00:13:52.83\00:13:55.77
Is it your dream?
00:13:55.80\00:13:57.15
It can't just be
wishful thinking, friends.
00:13:57.18\00:14:00.23
It can only happen
when you ask the Holy Spirit
00:14:00.26\00:14:02.94
to make it happen in your life.
00:14:02.97\00:14:04.92
I want to tell you
this, my life is not perfect.
00:14:04.95\00:14:08.16
I have a lot of
flaws, I'm full of sin.
00:14:08.19\00:14:11.79
But God knows
exactly what type of bait
00:14:11.82\00:14:16.52
it is that I need,
00:14:16.55\00:14:18.11
the type of bait
that will attract me
00:14:18.14\00:14:20.98
to the worldly things
00:14:21.01\00:14:22.21
and also the type of bait
that will attract me to Him.
00:14:22.24\00:14:25.64
You may not feel that this is
00:14:25.67\00:14:29.67
something that
you would want to be.
00:14:29.70\00:14:31.30
But God is calling you.
00:14:31.33\00:14:33.64
He's asking you to
be a follower of His.
00:14:33.67\00:14:36.03
He's asking you to leave
your worldly assignments,
00:14:36.06\00:14:39.77
your worldly occupation
from that stand point,
00:14:39.80\00:14:42.34
to come into His type of boat
00:14:42.37\00:14:45.99
to go fishing with Him.
00:14:46.02\00:14:47.48
But you draw back and say,
00:14:47.51\00:14:49.12
"But you know
what, I can't do that! "
00:14:49.15\00:14:51.22
"I mean I can't speak. "
00:14:51.25\00:14:53.61
"I stutter... "
00:14:53.64\00:14:54.67
"I can't think, "
00:14:54.70\00:14:56.53
"I can't be around people. "
00:14:56.56\00:14:58.18
And some of us feel
that we have all these
00:14:58.21\00:15:01.86
human disabilities that stop us
00:15:01.89\00:15:04.40
from being a good Christian.
00:15:04.43\00:15:06.52
I want to assure you with this:
00:15:06.55\00:15:09.60
There's an interesting
thing that I was reading here.
00:15:09.63\00:15:12.66
It's called, 'Why God Didn't. '
00:15:12.69\00:15:14.95
And there are many reasons why
00:15:14.98\00:15:17.14
God shouldn't have called you
00:15:17.17\00:15:18.83
but don't worry,
you're in good company.
00:15:18.86\00:15:21.56
Moses stuttered.
00:15:21.59\00:15:23.64
David's armor
really didn't fit him.
00:15:23.67\00:15:26.05
John Mark was rejected by Paul.
00:15:26.08\00:15:28.93
Timothy had ulcers.
00:15:28.96\00:15:31.14
Did you know that Hosea's
wife was even a prostitute!
00:15:31.17\00:15:34.33
Amos? His only training was at
the school of fig tree pruning.
00:15:34.36\00:15:39.08
And Jacob was a liar.
00:15:39.11\00:15:40.98
David had an affair.
00:15:41.01\00:15:42.70
Solomon was too rich.
00:15:42.73\00:15:44.40
And you know what?
Jesus was too poor!
00:15:44.43\00:15:46.36
Abraham was too old.
00:15:46.39\00:15:48.41
David was too young.
00:15:48.44\00:15:50.21
Peter was afraid to die.
00:15:50.24\00:15:52.30
Ha, well Lazarus was dead.
00:15:52.33\00:15:54.68
John was self
righteous and Naomi was a widow.
00:15:54.71\00:15:57.71
But then we have other people
like Paul who was a murderer.
00:15:57.74\00:16:01.50
But then again, did
you know so was Moses?
00:16:01.53\00:16:04.26
Jonah ran from God.
Miriam was a gossip.
00:16:04.29\00:16:07.52
Gideon and Thomas both doubted.
00:16:07.55\00:16:09.88
Jeremiah was
depressed and even suicidal.
00:16:09.91\00:16:13.01
Elijah was burnt out.
00:16:13.04\00:16:15.66
John the Baptist
was a loud mouth.
00:16:15.69\00:16:18.08
And Mary, she was
a total worrywart.
00:16:18.11\00:16:20.63
While Martha was a
worrywart Mary was a lazy one.
00:16:20.66\00:16:24.01
Did you know
there were others too.
00:16:24.04\00:16:26.63
Sampson had long hair.
00:16:26.66\00:16:28.03
Noah got drunk.
00:16:28.06\00:16:30.02
And did I mention,
Moses had a short fuse?
00:16:30.05\00:16:33.56
But then a lot of people did,
00:16:33.59\00:16:35.47
Peter, Paul and several others.
00:16:35.50\00:16:39.10
But God doesn't
require a job interview.
00:16:39.13\00:16:42.57
He doesn't hire and
fire like most bosses do.
00:16:42.60\00:16:46.97
Because He's more than our boss,
00:16:47.00\00:16:49.54
He's our Dad!
00:16:49.57\00:16:50.87
He doesn't look at
financial gain and loss.
00:16:50.90\00:16:55.11
He's not prejudiced or partial.
00:16:55.14\00:16:57.79
He's not judgmental.
00:16:57.82\00:17:00.06
He's not grudging.
00:17:00.09\00:17:01.68
He's not sassy or brassy.
00:17:01.71\00:17:03.52
He's not deaf to our cry.
00:17:03.55\00:17:05.50
He's not blind to our need.
00:17:05.53\00:17:07.35
We may think to earn
them but God's gifts are free
00:17:07.38\00:17:12.33
to you and to me.
00:17:12.36\00:17:14.21
We could do wonderful
things for wonderful people
00:17:14.24\00:17:17.82
and actually
still not be wonderful.
00:17:17.85\00:17:19.73
Do you realize that?
00:17:19.76\00:17:20.75
Because Satan always
comes back at us and he says,
00:17:20.78\00:17:24.47
"You are not worthy! "
00:17:24.50\00:17:25.56
Jesus says, "So
what, I am Worthy! "
00:17:25.59\00:17:29.44
Satan looks
always back at the past.
00:17:29.47\00:17:32.24
And he says, "Look at
the mistakes you've made. "
00:17:32.27\00:17:34.18
God does not
look back at the past.
00:17:34.21\00:17:36.80
He looks forward and He says,
00:17:36.83\00:17:38.21
"Look at the cross.
Look at what I've done. "
00:17:38.24\00:17:40.14
He doesn't calculate
what you did in 2000 A.D.
00:17:40.17\00:17:43.18
It is not even on the record.
00:17:43.21\00:17:45.13
Sure there are lots of reasons
00:17:45.16\00:17:47.18
why God
shouldn't have called us.
00:17:47.21\00:17:49.37
But if we are
magically in love with Him,
00:17:49.40\00:17:52.59
if we love Him more
than our next breath,
00:17:52.62\00:17:55.78
He'll use us in
spite of who we are.
00:17:55.81\00:17:58.20
I pray that as Christians
00:17:58.23\00:18:01.75
we will step out
of our limitations
00:18:01.78\00:18:04.33
to the illimitable
nature of who Christ is,
00:18:04.36\00:18:07.69
Who Jesus is, Who God is.
00:18:07.72\00:18:10.03
Then our passion for God and
our passion to communicate Him
00:18:10.06\00:18:13.52
will make mince
meat of our limitations.
00:18:13.55\00:18:16.62
Let me read you a
quote from Spirit of Prophecy
00:18:16.65\00:18:20.07
Ellen White writes
in the Review and Herald
00:18:20.10\00:18:21.93
November 25, 1909.
00:18:21.96\00:18:25.21
Friend, Christians
are to be fishers of men.
00:19:32.56\00:19:35.93
Do you call
yourself a Christian?
00:19:35.96\00:19:38.20
I call myself a Christian.
00:19:38.23\00:19:39.56
You see, being a
Christian is far more than
00:19:39.59\00:19:42.97
just wearing the
title of 'Christian. '
00:19:43.00\00:19:45.60
There is a certain thing
that God has called us to do.
00:19:45.63\00:19:49.06
And that we find in Matthew 28.
00:19:49.09\00:19:51.60
We are to go,
preach, teach and baptize.
00:19:51.63\00:19:55.89
Let me ask you a question.
00:19:55.92\00:19:58.41
If you were married I'm
sure you'd have no problems
00:19:58.44\00:20:03.44
telling other people
that you are married.
00:20:03.47\00:20:05.11
If you have a
boyfriend or girlfriend
00:20:05.14\00:20:07.12
I'm sure that
you have no problems
00:20:07.15\00:20:08.32
telling people that you
have a boyfriend or girlfriend.
00:20:08.35\00:20:10.72
Because there's
this thing called love.
00:20:10.75\00:20:13.25
And when you are
truly in love with somebody
00:20:13.28\00:20:15.90
you anything that they.
00:20:15.93\00:20:18.37
Well, within reason that.
00:20:18.40\00:20:20.71
Well, Jesus is calling us.
00:20:20.74\00:20:22.61
He's talking to us.
00:20:22.64\00:20:24.55
He's saying, "Look if you "
00:20:24.58\00:20:26.32
"are calling me your Savior, "
00:20:26.35\00:20:28.46
"if you're in a love "
00:20:28.49\00:20:29.68
"relationship with me, "
00:20:29.71\00:20:30.84
"will you do something for me? "
00:20:30.87\00:20:33.33
"There's a lot of people,
there's an entire world, "
00:20:33.36\00:20:37.57
"that doesn't know about me. "
00:20:37.60\00:20:39.53
"I need you to
tell them about me. "
00:20:39.56\00:20:42.51
You see Christians,
00:20:42.54\00:20:45.68
Christians are to
be fishers of men.
00:20:45.71\00:20:48.34
Like many of the
disciples who used knowledge
00:20:48.38\00:20:51.38
and experience in their fishing
00:20:51.41\00:20:53.04
they knew where to go
to find the right fish.
00:20:53.07\00:20:57.11
They were given strength.
00:20:57.14\00:20:59.48
They had skills to
cast out their nets.
00:20:59.51\00:21:01.77
And they pulled in their catch.
00:21:01.80\00:21:03.66
They kept their nets well mended
00:21:03.69\00:21:06.32
and they were
always ready for fishing.
00:21:06.35\00:21:09.87
As Christians, fishers of men,
00:21:09.90\00:21:12.75
we are to listen
to the Holy Spirit
00:21:12.78\00:21:14.76
so that we will be sensitive
00:21:14.79\00:21:17.04
to the opportunities of
sharing the Good News of Jesus.
00:21:17.07\00:21:19.74
If you ask Jesus and
you ask Him to use you
00:21:19.77\00:21:25.30
in a very special way
each and every morning
00:21:25.33\00:21:28.49
allow yourself
to be used by Jesus.
00:21:28.52\00:21:30.65
If you pray that prayer He will
open up amazing doors for you.
00:21:30.68\00:21:36.41
Doors that you would have never
expected could have opened.
00:21:36.44\00:21:39.25
He will give you the
words that you are to say.
00:21:39.28\00:21:42.10
He will allow you
to speak to people
00:21:42.13\00:21:44.88
with which you would not
normally feel comfortable.
00:21:44.91\00:21:46.89
But you must be in
tune with His voice,
00:21:46.92\00:21:50.99
be able to listen
for Him calling you
00:21:51.02\00:21:53.65
and speaking to you.
00:21:53.68\00:21:55.62
So let me go
back to the question.
00:21:55.65\00:21:57.34
The initial question is:
00:21:57.37\00:21:59.29
If I sat in a boat all day,
00:21:59.32\00:22:01.43
I had all the right tools
00:22:01.46\00:22:03.93
I never caught a fish
00:22:03.96\00:22:05.89
would you call me a fisherman?
00:22:05.92\00:22:07.91
The answer would
probably be, 'No. '
00:22:07.94\00:22:10.74
So my question to you is this:
00:22:10.77\00:22:12.86
If Jesus calls you
to be a fisher of men
00:22:12.89\00:22:16.40
and you sit in a boat all day
00:22:16.43\00:22:19.17
and you don't catch any fish
00:22:19.20\00:22:20.97
are you a fisherman?
00:22:21.00\00:22:23.51
Are you a Christian?
00:22:23.54\00:22:25.70
Christians are to
be fishers of men.
00:22:25.73\00:22:28.40
Friend there is
nothing to be afraid of.
00:22:28.43\00:22:31.22
I used to be afraid.
00:22:31.25\00:22:33.42
I used to not want to
talk to people about Jesus.
00:22:33.45\00:22:35.76
But there were things
that started happening
00:22:35.79\00:22:38.23
in my life and I found out
00:22:38.26\00:22:39.44
and you might be
sensitive to these things too,
00:22:39.47\00:22:41.44
that sometimes
you feel impressed
00:22:41.47\00:22:43.84
and there might
be something that's
00:22:43.87\00:22:45.67
very heavy
pressing on your heart
00:22:45.70\00:22:47.02
that you're
supposed to talk to someone.
00:22:47.05\00:22:49.24
That's the Holy
Spirit talking to you
00:22:49.27\00:22:52.18
and He's saying,
"Look you need to go. "
00:22:52.21\00:22:54.66
"There's a certain message "
00:22:54.69\00:22:55.92
"that I have for
you to tell somebody "
00:22:55.95\00:22:57.89
"that nobody else can do. "
00:22:57.92\00:22:59.31
"You are the one
that I've chosen. "
00:22:59.34\00:23:01.86
"You need to go. "
00:23:01.89\00:23:03.65
F. R. Havergal wrote
this poem and she said,
00:23:03.68\00:23:08.72
"Lord speak to me that I may "
00:23:08.75\00:23:11.66
"speak in loving
echoes of thy tone. "
00:23:11.69\00:23:13.94
"As Thou has
sought, so let me seek "
00:23:13.97\00:23:16.82
"Thy erring
children lost and alone. "
00:23:16.85\00:23:20.42
"Oh lead me Lord, that
I may lead the wandering "
00:23:20.45\00:23:23.99
"and wayward feet. "
00:23:24.02\00:23:25.52
"Oh feed me
Lord, that I may feed "
00:23:25.56\00:23:28.02
"Thy hungering
ones with manna sweet. "
00:23:28.05\00:23:30.77
"Oh strengthen me that I
may stand firm on the Rock "
00:23:30.80\00:23:35.11
"and strong in Thee. "
00:23:35.14\00:23:37.08
"I may stretch
out a loving hand "
00:23:37.11\00:23:39.30
"to wrestlers with
the troubled sea. "
00:23:39.33\00:23:41.68
"Teach me Lord that I may
teach the precious things "
00:23:41.71\00:23:46.10
"that Thou doest impart. "
00:23:46.13\00:23:48.19
"And wing my words
that they may reach "
00:23:48.22\00:23:51.18
"the hidden
depths of many a heart. "
00:23:51.21\00:23:53.95
You know, Paul writes
in Galatians chapter 2
00:23:53.98\00:23:57.65
verse 20 and 21 he says this,
00:23:57.68\00:24:02.15
I hope and pray that Christ
did not die in vain for you.
00:24:33.51\00:24:35.50
You have been
crucified with Christ.
00:24:35.53\00:24:38.20
It is no longer you who lives
00:24:38.23\00:24:40.68
but Christ who lives in you.
00:24:40.71\00:24:42.40
And if Christ lives in you
00:24:42.43\00:24:44.07
you would not be afraid
to go out and tell the world.
00:24:44.10\00:24:46.83
of what He did for you,
00:24:46.86\00:24:49.65
that He loves you and He
died and gave His life for you.
00:24:49.68\00:24:53.56
There is a story that
is told about a bus pastor
00:24:53.59\00:24:57.15
who ran a ministry.
00:24:57.18\00:24:58.50
In his ministry he would travel
00:24:58.53\00:25:00.15
through the
inner cities of America
00:25:00.18\00:25:02.04
one day he knocked on a door
00:25:02.07\00:25:04.71
a little boy came to the door
00:25:04.74\00:25:06.26
and the pastor asked the
little boy who was at home.
00:25:06.29\00:25:09.49
The little boy said,
00:25:09.52\00:25:10.49
"No, there's just me
and my little brother. "
00:25:10.50\00:25:12.16
And the pastor said,
00:25:12.19\00:25:13.44
"Well, son I want to
ask you a question. "
00:25:13.47\00:25:15.53
"Do you know who Jesus is? "
00:25:15.56\00:25:17.72
"No " said the little boy.
00:25:17.75\00:25:19.60
The bus pastor said,
00:25:19.63\00:25:21.27
"Can I tell you the
greatest love story ever told? "
00:25:21.30\00:25:24.27
And the little boy invited
the bus pastor into the house.
00:25:24.30\00:25:27.70
The bus pastor told him
about the love of Jesus.
00:25:27.73\00:25:31.01
"And how Jesus came and died "
00:25:31.04\00:25:33.30
"on the cross for him. "
00:25:34.21\00:25:35.61
"The little boy
was crying tears. "
00:25:35.64\00:25:38.33
"He couldn't believe that some
one would do that for him. "
00:25:38.36\00:25:40.88
Eventually, the little boy said,
00:25:40.91\00:25:44.16
"What do I have to do "
00:25:44.19\00:25:45.31
"to accept this
gift of salvation? "
00:25:45.41\00:25:47.97
which the bus pastor explained.
00:25:48.00\00:25:49.85
And the bus pastor said,
00:25:49.88\00:25:51.36
"Well, why don't we
kneel down right now "
00:25:51.39\00:25:53.21
"and ask Jesus
into your heart. "
00:25:53.24\00:25:54.60
At that the little boy
dropped to his knees right away.
00:25:54.63\00:25:57.48
And the bus pastor said,
00:25:57.51\00:25:59.20
"You know, next
week I want to take you "
00:25:59.23\00:26:01.51
"on Sabbath to my church. "
00:26:01.54\00:26:03.35
And so he came to the church.
00:26:03.38\00:26:05.78
The boy had never seen a
huge church like this before.
00:26:05.81\00:26:09.67
Beautiful stain glass
everywhere, wood, He was amazed.
00:26:09.70\00:26:13.48
He was in awe.
00:26:13.52\00:26:14.49
And the little boy noticed that
00:26:14.50\00:26:15.97
there were some men up
front passing something around.
00:26:16.00\00:26:20.22
He couldn't
figure out what it was.
00:26:20.25\00:26:22.16
And so the little boy
sat down in one of the pews.
00:26:22.19\00:26:25.04
And as whatever that was started
making its way to the back
00:26:25.07\00:26:28.61
the boy realized that they
were putting money in the plate.
00:26:28.64\00:26:32.01
And then it dawned on him.
00:26:32.04\00:26:34.09
They must be
giving money to Jesus.
00:26:34.12\00:26:36.22
The little boy started
looking through his pockets
00:26:36.25\00:26:38.85
he started searching everywhere
00:26:38.88\00:26:40.14
because he wanted
to give money to Jesus.
00:26:40.17\00:26:41.95
He didn't have
anything to give Jesus.
00:26:41.98\00:26:44.75
Finally that
plate came down his row.
00:26:44.78\00:26:47.85
And the little boy grabbed the
plate and didn't want to let go.
00:26:47.88\00:26:50.76
Eventually somebody said,
00:26:50.79\00:26:51.86
"You must let it go by. "
00:26:51.89\00:26:53.07
And it made its way to
the back of the church.
00:26:53.10\00:26:55.28
The little boy ran up to the one
of the men carrying the plates.
00:26:55.31\00:27:00.12
and said, "Look,
can I hold the plate? "
00:27:00.15\00:27:02.04
The man wasn't sure why.
00:27:02.07\00:27:04.22
But he allowed the
little boy to hold the plate.
00:27:04.25\00:27:05.70
And the boy said,
00:27:05.73\00:27:07.51
"Jesus, I have nothing
to give you except me. "
00:27:07.54\00:27:09.63
And with that, the little
boy put the plate on the floor
00:27:09.66\00:27:13.12
and he stepped into the plate
00:27:13.15\00:27:14.52
and he said,
"Jesus, I give you me. "
00:27:14.55\00:27:17.38
Friend, Jesus is calling you.
00:27:17.41\00:27:20.98
Will you live for Him?
00:27:21.01\00:27:22.63
Will you allow
Jesus into your life?
00:27:22.66\00:27:26.93
I want to ask that you
will. And do it sometime soon.
00:27:26.96\00:27:30.50
Let's pray right now.
00:27:30.53\00:27:32.07
Heavenly Father, I ask
that You will guide and direct.
00:27:32.10\00:27:35.48
Guide and direct the
people getting this message,
00:27:35.51\00:27:38.33
the person
whose heart is aching.
00:27:38.36\00:27:39.94
Call us to be
fishermen of yours.
00:27:39.97\00:27:42.79
Guide and direct us,
help us to come closer to you,
00:27:42.82\00:27:46.35
each and every day, Lord,
00:27:46.38\00:27:48.01
in all that we do and say
00:27:48.04\00:27:49.33
may we be your
child because you love us.
00:27:49.36\00:27:52.78
In Jesus name. Amen.
00:27:52.81\00:27:55.10