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. - Luke 5:3 REFERENCE Luke 5:1-10 Today we will learn from how Peter handled and overcame the frustration of a sinking business. Upon ‘loaning’ his boat to Jesus, the next thing Peter did was to sit and listen to the Word as Jesus taught the multitudes. He was there all along because when Jesus finished teaching, He addressed Peter. When you are dealing with a...
And saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. - Luke 5:2 REFERENCE Luke 5:1-10 Yesterday we started a series on “Frustration,” which the dictionary defined as, “The feeling of being upset or annoyed as a result of being unable to change or achieve something.” Frustration occurs in everyday life because of the various events we encounter as we live. If it continues for a long time, it can become a burden. However, as believers, we are not supposed to labor under any kind of yoke or...
But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, master! For it was borrowed.” - II Kings 6:5 REFERENCE II Kings 6:1-7 The dictionary defines frustration as “the feeling of being upset or annoyed, especially because of inability to change or achieve something.” Life is full of frustrations. From the minor irritations of losing something to the major problem of continued failure in the pursuit of a desired goal. If not properly handled, the impact of frustration can be catastrophic. It includes anger, aggression,...
“Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying: “I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man.” I Kings 2:1-4 King David lays on his death bed, giving his farewell speech as he gazes at heaven’s gates, ready to embark on the journey all men must travel. He has many important things to say about life in the kingdom when he’s gone: the building of the temple, execution of justice, etc. Top on his list, however, is that his son, Solomon, who...
“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.” – Genesis 8:22 REFERENCE: Genesis 8:15-22 God has set some universal laws in place that, if we understand and deploy them, we can influence our outcomes in life. One such is the law of seedtime harvest. It is a timeless principle of sowing and reaping. For every seed, there is a corresponding harvest. In other words, if you plant any seed, God sees that it yields a harvest after time elapses. Today, one seed you can sow in...
“For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.” ~ Proverbs 1:32 (KJV) REFERENCE: Proverbs 1:29-32 (KJV) Follow me into one of the stories in my collection: I was walking through an orchard, looking around, when I saw a low tree laden more heavily with fruit than the rest. On a closer look, it appeared that someone had dragged the tree close to the ground, and the weight of its treasures broke it. “Oh!” said I, gazing at the tree, “here lies one ruined by his riches.” Soon, I...
“I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things, I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” ~Philippians 4:12-13 REFERENCE: Philippians 4:12-19 God did not make you from leftover material. He made you in His image and of the finest stock. You are fearfully and perfectly made – a unique work of God’s genius, created specially by God for a special purpose. You are a partaker of God’s nature, full of...
“When Elisha came into the house, there was the child, lying dead on his bed. He went in therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the Lord.” II Kings 4:32&33 REFERENCE: II Kings 4:32-43 “Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants, the prophets .” (Amos 3:7). God places great value on His prophets (ministers) and often uses them as vessels through which He communicates His mind, teaches His word, and manifests His works amongst men. All through scripture, God speaks glowingly about them, save in cases where they...
“But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day to save many people alive.” – Genesis 50:20 REFERENCE: Genesis 50:15-21 Joseph had the opportunity to be bitter with his brothers and to avenge their cruel treatment meted to him several years earlier but held back because he put things in proper perspective. He saw everything he suffered through the eyes of God and responded that although they meant evil, God was at work through it all and turned it around for good....
“But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” ~ Mark 4:29 REFERENCE: Mark 4:26-29 A seed can multiply and reproduce itself if planted in suitable soil. A seed speaks of perpetuity, the promise of an endless life. For example: If you have the seed of an apple and you plant it in a conducive soil, you will have apples for the rest of your life. This is the principle of the seed: when planted, it must reproduce after its kind. This principle is true in both spiritual and physical things....