Going Deep with God

Luke 5:1-11 contains the account of Simon Peter launching out into the deep water with the Lord and catching a net full of fish. 

To be fully blessed with God we must go further deep with God.

  1. Going deep with God requires obedience. In verse 3 Jesus told Simon "Put out a little." We must be obedient in the small things before we can experience big things with God..
  2. Going deep with God requires solitude. We cannot be with the crowd and be alone with the Lord. Simon was willing to leave the others on the beach in order to have private time with the Lord out in the boat.
  3. Going deep with God requires repentance. Jesus asked Simon, a professional fisherman, to do things in a new way. We cannot go deep with the Lord and stubbornly insist on our old familiar ways. 
  4. Going deep with God requires faith. In verse 5 Simon said, "Nevertheless at Your word I will." Like Simon, if we want to go deep with God, we must trust God and obey His word.
  5. Going deep with God requires confession. Verse 8 says Simon realized his sinfulness and acknowedged it to the Lord. If we are going to go deep with God we must deal with personal sin. 
  6. Going deep with God requires missions. Simon learned that going deep with God was not about catching fish, but about catching men, verse 10.
  7. Going deep with God requires discipleship. Verse 11 says, Simon "forsook all and followed [Jesus]." Going deep with the Lord is not a one time event, but a lifelong journey with Jesus.

Are you ready to quit splashing around in "the shallow end of the pool" and go deep with God? 

 

Know, Be, Do, Teach

The healthy Christian life is marked by growth along four stages of development.

Daniel explained the path in this way, "The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. And those of the people who understand shall instruct many" (Daniel 11:32-33).

  1. The people who know their God: The Christian experience begins with a knowledge of God and requires a change of mind. The word 'repent' means a change of mind and no one can come to God unless they repent.
  2. Shall be strong: A saving relationship with God results in new life. The born again one is empowered by the Spirit and becomes a new creation. 
  3. And carry out great exploits: Then (and only then) with their inside transformed, the young Christian is ready to 'do.' The growing Christian is ready to live out the gospel in faith and good works. 
  4. And the people who understand shall instruct many: Once a person has been radically changed by the gospel they are ready to share with others. This then becomes the apex of Christian maturity, when one is assisting others on their spiritual journey. 

Where do you see yourself on this path? What is the next stage in your development?