BREAK . BUILD: DAY 7 - New Calling: Catch More Fish

Silence

1. Put on your “brakes” and stop for a moment of silence

2. Wait for God. Breathe deep for God's peace. Exhale your worries.

Praise and Thanksgiving

1. Think through your day, all the times that made you smile

2. Thank God for all those moments, and for all those people
3. Open your heart to praise the Lord

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
Psalm 5:11

Confession and repentance

1. Pray for the Holy Spirit to work in you:

“Dear Holy Spirit, shine your light into the places of darkness in my life. Show me my sins, everything that blocks me from encountering God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

2. Through the Holy Spirit, examine yourself for a short silence and then pray:

"Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for our sins and being victorious over death and sin. I confess my sin to you(pause, to tell Jesus what the Holy Spirit has shown you). Forgive my sins by your blood and help me follow you. Holy Spirit, fill me that I may be able to receive your gift to love God and His people. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."

The Word

While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Matthew 4:18-22

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmax47l2hLU

My Listening

The past six days we have seen how Jesus' disciples listened to His message to make a U-turn to go "home" and experience true intimacy. They were under their master's guidance to live the new lifestyle that Jesus approved. They received a new heart so that they could take up their new role to follow Jesus in accomplishing God's rescue plan. In today's passage, the disciples were challenged with the calling to give up all they had to follow Jesus.

"You are going to catch people now!" was the only thing Jesus said to Peter and Andrew. And, they gave up their way of living and followed Jesus. Was it that simple for them? They had jobs, just like each one of us. What happened when Jesus called them is that they had to re-set their priorities and put the kingdom of God and its rescue mission before their own jobs and plans. Instead of making them abandon their identities as fishermen, Jesus pulls them into God's kingdom plan to re-imagine their role as fishers of people. Jesus calls them to total obedience in following Him.

How is Jesus calling you now? Are you going to obey?

The topic I received from Jesus today is :

New Calling : Catch more fish

What I received from Jesus today is a calling for us to catch more fish for Him. We all have our own "fish" to catch. It may be making more money, or working for beauty and health; however, in this passage Jesus makes it clear that the No.1 goal is one thing, and one thing only: catch more people.

How long have you been a Christian? How many fish have you caught? You may be doing lots of things in your church for many years but you have never or rarely been catching fish. What I mean is whether you have been leading anyone to follow Jesus. That's Jesus main call; that's the Great Commission. We have no excuse but to make disciples!

Why can't you catch more fish? What are those things blocking you that you cannot catch more fish for Jesus? Name those things and pray to the Lord for Him to remove those obstacles. We need to break all those obstacles so that we can build a new lifestyle to catch more fish for Jesus.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank you for calling us to catch more fish for you. Lead us to start a new way of living for your purposes of catching more people for you in extending your mighty Kingdom. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Reflect on these questions:

1. Read Matthew 4: 18-22 again now. What is the most important word or message you got from this passage? Why is it so important to you?

2. What kind of fish are you catching recently, the thing you spend the most time on? Your job? Money? Work-out to be more healthy? TV? Computer?

3. What does Jesus' invitation (in verse 19) to Peter and Andrew mean to you? How is he calling you to follow right now?

4. Peter, Andrew, James and John respond by following Jesus. How does this speak to you in any way?

Family Corner:
1. In your family, how do you understand and live out "following Jesus"?

2. Do you think there are any specific ways that Jesus is calling you to follow him in the context of your family?

Praise and Thanksgiving
Let's give thanks for God with us. Let us praise Him:
10,000 Reasonshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDGE_lRI0E