“Let’s go fishing.” Jesus said this to His disciples two thousand years ago and says it today –to us. He doesn’t want us to head toward the nearest lake or pond, but to the highways and by-ways of our lives. He doesn’t want us to fish for fish -but for men. Well anyway, I was thinking about all the neat stuff out there that fishermen can buy so they can catch fish. I saw a couple of guys in a SUV pulling this really expensive bass boat. I wondered how much that guy paid for that thing, “Just to catch fish!” I thought. I began to wonder how much money do I spend on pleasures. You know, we find something that is important to us, or maybe it’s just a hobby, or something we enjoy doing, but it takes money. Do we need the best and latest equipment? How much time do we spend involved in this hobby? Have you ever thought about your “dream life” and found the dream included your hobby? For me, I would be a chaplain on a golf course somewhere. (In my dream life every golf course would have a chaplain.) And of course, I would get to golf for free –because I was the club’s chaplain..
If you have done any fishing what so ever, I think you know some of the basic fundamentals of the sport. Like for instance, you have to bait the hook! Worms are traditional and pretty much the bait of choice, but believe me, there are hundreds of different kinds of baits and lures that are used to bring the “big one” to your stringer. These baits and lures are used to attract the fish so that the hook seems more appealing. What do you think fishermen would think of the guy who just threw a hook into the water without using a lure? They would think, “Man, you’re wasting your time.” Or, “This guy doesn’t know what he’s doing.” Do you see what’s coming? Yeah, I thought you did… . Jesus said to Peter, “Follow Me, and I’ll will make you fishers of men.” This means that we’re the hook! Jesus puts our lives into the sea of humanity and through us and the Holy Spirit, we catch other men and women for the Kingdom. Are you an empty hook? Does your life attract others? Do you lift up Jesus in your life so that your Christianity is something that others want? These are important questions to answer today because they will be asked of us later. Jesus let’s the decision to follow Him be ours, but once we decide, He expects full devotion and loyalty to Him. This is what makes Christianity, in general, and our lives, in particular, attractive to others. This is how God fishes for men! God bless and have a wonderful week!

I have found success in life, I am successful and I will continue to succeed!
Pretty bold assertions, hey?! You’re probably thinking, “Who do you
think you are?” And if your definition of success is different than mine,
you’re probably saying, “Yeah right, says you.” How you define success
certainly determines whether or not you can say if you’ve been successful,
but as Christians, we know that it isn’t our definitions that count anyway.
And besides that, people could care less if I think that I am successful if
they don’t think that I am. For example, if a Hollywood star heard me say
that I was successful they would probably disagree. Or, let’s say some Wall
Street broker or investor heard me say that I was a success, they would
probably chuckle and then ignore me. People define success differently and
how you define success determines whether or not you can say if you are
successful. But like we said before, as Christians, our definition must be in
compliance with God’s and where they differ is where we fall short and are
wrong. For example: If I say that I love God, but God thinks that I don’t,
then it doesn’t matter what I think. The truth is that I don’t. Let me put it
this way. I say that I love God but that is as far as it goes (just talk and
some feelings) However, God says that love for Him is the keeping of His
commandments. So, if I don’t keep His commandments then obviously I
am not loving God, as God defines love. Now back to success. How does
God define success and what is the criteria for a successful life. Jesus said
that He came to give us life and that life would be abundant life. He said
that I would have joy that words could not describe and peace that tran-
scended my understanding. He would give me hope and a bright outlook
for the future. He promises that with this overcoming, abundant life, I will
inherit the kingdom of heaven with all its glory and pleasures. He promised
that I am going to live forever in a better world, a world of God’s making –
a new world. He promises that I will be a king and a priest and that I will
serve God forever and nothing shall ever harm me or make me afraid. He
says that whatsoever things I ask for in prayer, I may have them, because I
love Him and He loves me. And all these things are possible because God
is God. Yes, I am a success story –because God said so!

Have a great week!
Pastor Jim