86 - Entering the Deep Waters#
86 - Entering the Deep Waters
(JP Text Group - Happy Angel Compilation)
The topic shared is: Entering the Deep Waters
Luke 5:1-11
1 Jesus stood by the lake of Gennesaret, and the people pressed around him to hear the word of God. 2 He saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 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 people from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." 5 Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets."
6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
This is the first Sunday of 2015, and today's topic is entering the deep waters, which is also the theme for this year. What does this theme mean? Water in the Bible symbolizes the Holy Spirit. This year, I hope everyone can experience the power of the Holy Spirit. We not only need to know our Lord Jesus at the beginning of the doctrine but also in a deeper way.
This article mentions something: when Jesus found Peter, Peter was leaving the boat to wash the nets. Before this, something happened: Peter had caught nothing all night. Why did he catch no fish? Was it because the time was wrong? No, it wasn't that there were no fish. It wasn't that Peter's fishing skills were inadequate, nor that his fishing tools were poor. These are not the important reasons.
Why couldn't he catch fish? Of course, we must remember that it was not God who intentionally made him catch nothing. Our God is a God of blessing. Sickness and suffering do not come from God. Peter did not catch anything the previous night because God made him unable to catch fish. Many people have a misunderstanding of our God. They say they can believe in Jesus, but when they get sick, they think God is saving them through sickness. Is this correct? This idea is wrong. Many people hear the gospel in sickness but do not accept it. But we know that sickness is not given to them by God. But when this person accepts Jesus and is healed by God, that is called God's grace. God's grace has come upon him.
At first, Peter caught nothing, but later what caused him to catch a boat full of fish? It was because he encountered Jesus. Amen! When he met Jesus, his life changed. What he did with his hands also changed. He received thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and a hundredfold blessings. In fact, what Peter received was far more than this. He got unexpected results, which we call miracles. So from that moment on, Peter chose to serve Jesus Christ. Amen!
This day was also a turning point in Peter's life. What was the reason? Because Jesus came! At the time when Peter's life was most lacking, most helpless, and desperate, Jesus personally came to find him. So I hope that brothers and sisters can meet the Lord Jesus in their lives this year. You have already met the Lord in your lives. I hope you can see this God in your lives. That is, you can all experience the miracles that Peter experienced, which is a great blessing! Amen! When we truly see God's power in our lives, our lives will be renewed, and our faith will increase.
The article mentions that he saw two boats by the lake, and the fishermen had left the boats to wash the nets. Was this Simon Peter's boat? What was Peter's original life like? It was a life lived relying on himself. Before Jesus found Peter, Peter had always relied on himself. So what I want to tell the brothers and sisters is that on the first day of the new year, the first Sunday, the past reliance on oneself, 2014 has passed. The reliance on oneself may have led to many failures. Even many disappointments, but that is all in the past.
Starting this year, I hope everyone can experience walking with Jesus Christ. Look at what Peter's original life was like. He was a busy person, wasn't he? He had been fishing all night. This proves that Peter was not a lazy person. Amen! Christians must not be mistaken. I have been to some places where some people say: Once you believe in the Lord, everything will be fine, and you don't need to work anymore; you don't need to do anything; God will provide everything. This idea is wrong.
The Bible also tells us: "Do not be lazy, but be diligent in your work," right? The world also knows that 'there is no harvest without labor.' But what we want to say is that even if you have labored, there may not necessarily be a harvest. There are many people who are busy everywhere. At this time, many companies will do summaries at the end of the year, and many people will calculate how much income and expenditure they have this year. They will find that after a year, they have gained nothing. A monthly salary of ten thousand, but by the end of the year, there is nothing in the account. What does this indicate? This year was a waste of effort.
You cannot say he didn't work hard; you cannot say he didn't gain anything, but he gained nothing, just like Peter's life. Peter worked hard fishing all night, and he didn't slack off, but he didn't catch a single fish and was exhausted, just like many Christians today, striving to get close to God. Many churches say, you strive to be holy, and God will be pleased with you. You must work hard for God, and God will bless you... This is a kind of human effort. When we rely on our own efforts, the results we get are likely to be the same as Peter's, so many people are working hard but do not know why, and after a year of effort, they find they have gained nothing. This is very similar to Peter's situation now. If this situation is very similar to yours, do not be discouraged. Starting this year, you can learn to trust the Lord Jesus. Amen! When Peter and they went fishing with hope, they returned disappointed.
Many believers want to change their bad habits and want to receive God's blessings. It's just that they have problems with their faith, thinking that they need to add a lot of self to their faith. But I want to tell you that God's blessings do not depend on your behavior; the key is whether you are willing to believe that He can bless you! So Peter's situation may be a true reflection of us.
Laboring all night indicates that at this moment, he was in a very fatigued state, losing his rest. At this time, he gave up the boat to wash the nets. Amen! Washing the nets represents giving up! He was no longer striving to catch fish from the boat, looking for a place to cast the nets; he felt that the time had passed, and further efforts would be futile. He gave up the boat and returned to the shore to wash the nets. Thank God! Just when Peter was in despair, he met a Savior in his life, named Jesus Christ! Peter could not change his environment or his life by relying on himself.
But Jesus Christ came to change his life. Jesus wanted to give His grace to Peter. Jesus saw Peter and the boat and asked Peter: Can I use your boat? Peter said: Sure, I don't need it right now anyway. Jesus was not alone in the boat; He invited Peter to get in the boat with Him. Then He said to Simon Peter: Put out a little from the shore, just a little from the shore. I think many people have read this passage. But I want to explain it to the brothers and sisters from a spiritual perspective.
The shore represents the world, the boat symbolizes Jesus. The water represents the Holy Spirit. When you have the power of the Holy Spirit inside you, do not do things with the world's methods. You need to leave the world and do things with God's thinking. So Jesus asked him to push the boat out a little from the shore. He sat down and began to teach the people from the boat. In fact, at that time, many people were following Jesus, and they all wanted to hear Jesus preach.
Why? Because Jesus' words can bring release, Amen! Because He is the gospel itself; He is the beginning of the gospel. If you go to a church and hear the word that can bring you release, it proves that it is the true gospel. If a church exalts Christ, this message will surely bring you the gospel and blessings. Amen! Jesus spent three and a half years preaching the gospel, always bringing people positive faith. He told people that you can have a better way of living in this world, which is to believe in God's power. Amen!
While Jesus was teaching the people from Peter's boat, what was Peter doing? He was right next to Jesus, right? He was also listening to the word. Let's think about it. Last year, I told the brothers and sisters how to meditate. When you read this passage, you should meditate. At this moment, did Peter really have the mood to listen to the word? No, what was he thinking? Say it out loud; it doesn't matter. What he was thinking about was fish, right? He was not thinking about fishing but about fish.
There is nothing shameful to say about this. If you have a burden on you, when you come to church, you must be brave enough to speak out, and then we can pray for you. Because God knows what you are thinking and what you need. Hallelujah! Jesus also knew why Peter was feeling down and discouraged; it was because there were no fish. But what did God provide for him? What did Jesus give him? "The word," not fish, but "the word." Is fish better or is the word better? Fish is good? The word is good! You must know that the word can produce fish, but fish cannot produce the word.
The words spoken by Jesus Christ can produce fish, right? Peter also realized that when Jesus spoke, the fish appeared. If Peter at that time only saw those fish and did not see the one who spoke the word that produced the fish, he would have tightly grasped those two boats of fish and given up the one who spoke the word. Peter saw that the word was more important than the fish.
You also need to know that the lack in your life is not important; what is important is to know that you have Jesus Christ in your life, and the words of Jesus Christ can change your situation. Amen! The words of Jesus Christ can change your current physical ailments and turn you around from difficult situations. Likewise, Jesus Christ can pull you up from despair. Even if you are at the bottom of despair, it doesn't matter because He can lead you up. This is our God!
Brothers and sisters, when we encounter Jesus in our lives, your life will surely change. Thank the Lord! Peter happened to be listening to Jesus preach. Perhaps at that time, Jesus was preaching the gospel of the kingdom, telling them: Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest! Peter might say: That sounds nice. Just like I am standing here preaching today, many of you might be thinking: Teacher Ren, you don't know what my situation is like; try putting my situation on you and see. Many people doubt God's power, even saying you don't understand my situation, just keep talking; you can't feel my situation.
Indeed, I cannot understand, but Jesus Christ can understand. Amen! You must know that what is being said now is not my words but the words of Jesus Christ! These words can change your situation. Hallelujah! Although Peter came to listen like this, he still absorbed it. No matter what worries or problems you have now, temporarily put them down. Come and listen to the words of Jesus Christ. Amen!
If the person on stage is speaking in accordance with the Bible, you should temporarily listen and then see how miracles are produced. Hallelujah! When Peter was listening: It was pretty good, but my situation hasn't changed. I believe many people are confused here, saying: Oh, when I am in church, I am full of faith, but when I get home, it disappears because I see the original situation again. What to do in this situation? Jesus is going to give you power!
Use His words to change your family, change your situation. Amen! When this word was finished, God let Peter practice His words. Verse 4 says to Simon: Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. Amen! To emphasize here, Peter was not an ordinary fisherman; he was very professional, had his own boat, and had a professional fleet. In short, his skills were very strong. But he was very clear that this time of day was not suitable for fishing. In his very smart mind, he knew that this time was not suitable for fishing because night was the best time; the time for fishing had passed. If he fished at this time, it would be a futile effort. But Jesus' words explained this to him at that moment.
Brothers and sisters, this is often a contradictory moment in life. The environment is like this, but God's word is like this. Which one should we choose? According to your experience and past experiences, that is feasible; this is impossible. But God's word comes to tell you how to choose in the impossible. This is the most difficult time for people to choose. Last year, you might have relied on your own experiences and performances to judge some things. But this year, at the beginning of the new year 2015, I hope you will fill your hearts with God's words and renew your thoughts.
Although this time of day is not suitable for casting nets, Jesus said: Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. Do not forget who this word came from, the mouth of Jesus Christ. Amen! Today, when this word comes to you, can you believe it? For example, we often say: By the stripes that Jesus suffered, you are healed. Can you believe it? Seeing your illness still on you, you say: No, that's not the case; why is your word ineffective? It is not that God's word is ineffective; it is a matter of whether we can receive it.
Another thing, the Bible tells us: He crowns the year with His goodness. This means from the beginning of the year to the end of the year, God covers you with His goodness! This proves one thing: sickness, pain, and accidents do not come from God. Because what He gives you is goodness. The whole year is like this. The key is whether people can believe; this is important. God's word is here; can we say, Lord, this word is for me? For example, the Bible tells us: In Christ, God will make you abound in everything. The key is whether we can believe; if you can believe, the word will be fulfilled in you! Amen!
For Peter, it seemed impossible; this is not a good time for fishing. People still have thoughts. When God's word comes to us, not everyone can accept it. Peter was the same. In verse 5, Simon said: Master, we toiled all night and took nothing. Is this his thought? Actually, it doesn't matter, brothers and sisters. If you pray to God and feel that the word He gives you is wrong, that the word is not good enough, you can tell God; this is all okay.
Jesus did not say: Hey, Peter, you doubt my words; have you forgotten who I am? In fact, at that time, in Peter's eyes, Jesus was just a teacher. Amen! When did Peter change his title? At the beginning, he said: Teacher, we toiled all night and took nothing.
In verse 8, what title did Peter change to? Lord...! Under what circumstances did Peter change his title? After he received God's grace. Amen! Brothers and sisters, this is exactly the message we want to convey. When a person does not know Jesus, he thinks Jesus is just a teacher. When he sees God's grace come upon him, he opens his mouth to call Jesus Christ Lord! Amen! This year, I hope more people experience such grace and start studying the Bible to see what kind of preaching can come up with. You might think of me as a storyteller, a teacher, just different from what is said in the world or other churches.
But if you know that what you are hearing is the word of Jesus Christ, it will become the way of life and can change your life and your living because this is God's word. Peter was in such a situation when he said: Teacher, we toiled all night and took nothing. At this moment, Peter did not have faith because he saw the environment, relied on his own judgment, and did not rely on God.
Again, I teach the brothers and sisters how to meditate. At that time, when Jesus spoke to Peter, He must have been looking at Peter. When Peter answered, he was also looking at Jesus. This means that even if you have no faith, if you focus your attention on Christ, you will have faith because He always has faith. Hallelujah! Our Lord Jesus is always full of faith, no matter how weak you are now or how big the problem is, when you look up to Jesus, His faith becomes your faith.
We think that at that time, Peter said, Teacher, we toiled all night and caught not a single fish. But he saw that this young man had great faith and had no intention of changing. He did not say, you already worked hard last night, so forget it; don't fish anymore; go home. Jesus had no intention of giving up. Peter saw the faith of Jesus Christ. He said, even so, but at your word, I will let down the nets. Amen! This is a very key statement, according to whose words? The words of Jesus Christ!
This is an important reason for life change and an important reason to experience miracles in life, according to the words of Jesus Christ, I will let down the nets. Amen! What you are hearing is not my words, nor the words of some famous pastor. If you want to hear preaching, there are many places to find it; you can search online, and you can find famous pastors from all over the world. If you go to listen for the sake of someone's fame, you will gain nothing.
When we listen to the words of Jesus Christ, our lives will change; they will no longer be the same because you know that whether it comes from a famous person's mouth or an unknown person's mouth, if he speaks God's word, the words of Jesus Christ, these words will surely be full of power. Amen! Thank the Lord.
So Peter said at that time, but at your word, I will let down the nets. This action was quite difficult, meaning that God's word was already here. By His stripes, I am healed. So can you boldly say, I have been healed? This is a difficult step. Can you tell your friends, I have been healed by God; I am healthy? This is a challenge.
So Peter said, okay, but at your word, I will follow your words. He began to let down the nets and pushed the boat into the deep waters. It was through this action that he saw two boats full of fish and saw the power of Jesus Christ. Many ordinary people only keep Jesus in their minds, listen, and forget, without applying the word in their lives. I hope this year everyone can enter the deep waters and apply God's word in their lives, experiencing God's wonderful and rich grace. Amen!
We need to know one thing: Jesus said to push the boat out, and Peter pushed the boat out, bringing it to the deep waters. Jesus said to cast the nets, and then something happened, still a spiritual matter that can only be understood through meditation. Jesus had not fished before, but that does not mean He could not fish. Can the brothers and sisters understand this? Some say Jesus is a doctor. Although Jesus does not have a medical license, He can heal the sick. Although Jesus has not been to school, He understands all kinds of knowledge in the world. Amen! This is the Jesus we rely on.
Although Jesus had not fished before, this might also be the reason for Peter's doubt. He thought, this young man is only thirty years old; has he never fished before? How can he ask me to push the boat into the deep waters to fish at this time? But because He is Jesus Christ, when Peter cast the net into the sea, something was happening in the sea: all the fish began to swim from all directions, rushing into the net. Is this God's blessing? This is the power of Jesus.
Jesus did not use the net to look for fish everywhere, just like many people want to break through economically, want breakthroughs in their families, desperately relying on their own methods to make money, desperately using their own methods to improve relationships, desperately using their own methods to maintain their families. But God's method is very simple: just follow me. When you follow me, your problems will naturally be resolved. This is God's method because the wealth of the world belongs to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ can improve relationships because He is the peace offering between people. If your family has very poor relationships, bring Jesus into your home and let Jesus be the head of your family, and your family will undergo a tremendous change.
A few days ago, many people shared testimonies that after they believed in Jesus, many miracles happened in their families. The previously very dangerous and tense relationships began to restore. This is God's power. When you follow Jesus, everything behind will be correct. Amen! This year, I hope brothers and sisters will walk forward with Jesus Christ. Do not worry about what is behind; God will take responsibility for you. But if you want to do it yourself, God cannot do anything. If Peter had said at that time, no, I can't cast the net now, could he see the miracle? No, even though Jesus' words were already there, full of power, if he did not act, he would not see it. Here, I want to emphasize that God never wants us to be lazy; He wants us to be people who rely on Him in everything. Amen! When the fish rushed in, a miracle happened, and Peter also saw it; he caught two boats full of fish.
In verse 6, they let down the nets and enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were almost breaking.
How much is God's blessing? A net full of fish. Is Jesus limited to this amount of power? Can He only provide this much fish? What limits the rich grace of God from coming down? Is it the net? Brothers and sisters, I want you to meditate on this passage. In fact, Jesus' power far exceeds this net of fish. This was the largest catch Peter had ever made. I don't know if you have heard others talk about this. I want to tell you that this is the result of my meditation. If Peter had ever caught such a large net of fish, he would have changed to a bigger net because there were too many fish. If the boat could not hold it, he would need to change to a bigger boat. This is human faith. If you experience a small miracle from God in your life, your faith will grow.
A few days ago, Deacon Diao shared a testimony. A sister prayed for her daughter who had a fever, and the fever went down. She said, I have faith now. This is just a small miracle. The power of Jesus Christ far exceeds this. When we experience that, we say it is great, but God's power far exceeds a net of fish. Amen! So I say this was the largest catch Peter had ever made; the nets were almost breaking, meaning how much God's blessing there was. When the fish rushed in, Jesus said, don't rush in anymore; if you do, the nets will break. This means that our own vessels limit God's blessings. How much we understand God determines how much we receive God's power and supply. Amen.
If at that time Peter had such faith and said, Jesus, you want me to cast the net, I will go change to a bigger net. Would Jesus stop him? No, unfortunately, at that time, Peter did not think of this. Even this net could be filled. Do you believe that this year God will bless your family? Your family is like Peter's small net; God will fill it. If you can expand your vessel, wait, Jesus, I will change to a bigger net today; Jesus will still fill you. Hallelujah! This is the message we need to receive. This year, we must stop our tongues from speaking negative words and believe that God's grace and supply for you are sufficient.
The Bible says: If you open your mouth wide, I will fill it. Hallelujah! Do not be afraid that God cannot provide; just be afraid that you do not dare to ask. Some say this is bragging, but this is the word of the Bible. If you open your mouth wide, I will fill it. However, many people do not believe, saying, Lord, it is impossible; it is unrealistic. Is this not the same as Peter's reality? But God filled him with a net full of fish. Here it mentions that the nets were almost breaking.
At that time, Peter truly recognized the power of Jesus Christ. He fell down at the feet of Jesus Christ and said: Lord, depart from me, for I am a sinful man. When do we realize our unworthiness? It is when we experience God's grace. Amen! Even if you believe in the Lord and say I am doing well this year... you still have not experienced God's grace. When you truly see God's abundant grace upon you, you will surely feel your unworthiness because He always gives you more than you ask or think.
In fact, Peter was much older than Jesus. When he knelt at the feet of this young man, he truly recognized Him as Lord. Amen! Just as the Bible tells us: We are merely jars of clay. What is the characteristic of a jar of clay? It breaks easily. Are people very fragile? A slight bump can break them. The heart is also fragile; a little blow can break it. So many people say you really break my heart! Is it that the resistance and endurance are very small? We should not laugh; this is a normal thing. Jesus also knows that we are so fragile.
So the Bible says: What is man that you are mindful of him? He is like grass; a wind passes over it, and it withers. But it is this kind of life that God wants to change. Although you are a jar of clay, Jesus said He wants to put His treasure in your jar of clay. You will become different. Your value far exceeds that of a jar of clay. Amen!
Brothers and sisters, let me tell you a story. Do you know how Moutai liquor became famous? At a world-class liquor expo, high-end liquors from various countries participated, and China presented Moutai liquor. Other liquors had very beautiful boxes and exquisite designs, while China's was just packaged in a jar of clay. People from other countries praised the liquor, saying it was good and well-designed. But no one paid attention to the Chinese liquor. The Chinese exhibitor was very angry and smashed the Moutai jar on the ground, and instantly the aroma of the liquor filled the entire hall.
Everyone suddenly quieted down. One expert carefully picked up the jar and took a sip, saying: Wow, good liquor, really good liquor! Amen! It is not the value of this jar; what does this jar mean to others? It has no design. Just this little broken jar can hold something good.
Although we are jars of clay, Jesus Christ has placed His treasure inside us. From then on, our lives become different. In the past, relying on ourselves to show off, you are still a jar of clay. Now, if you tell others, I have the most precious Holy Spirit inside me, your value will no longer be the same. We are now God's most beloved children! Our identity has changed; this is who we are now.
Although we are like this, there is nothing to boast about, only two things to boast about: Jesus Christ and His crucifixion. Amen! All our blessings come because God is so pleased with us. It is precisely because Jesus Christ was crucified for us. After He shed His precious blood, our sins were forgiven, and God fully accepted us. I believe this year Jesus will surely take care of us, protect us, and supply us because of His crucifixion.
The second thing to boast about is our weakness. Do not boast about how capable you are; you cannot do anything by relying on yourself. Just like Peter, who was very professional, when he relied on himself, he still gained nothing. This year, no one dares to boast and say, rest assured, I will definitely earn more than last year. No one dares to make that guarantee. How many companies were thriving in the past two years, and suddenly went bankrupt this year? Such things are very normal. In this era, we must know that only Jesus Christ is forever unchanging! He is everlasting!
God's blessings will never change! This is the God we rely on. When you rely on people, when they fall, you will also fall. Relying on Jesus Christ is unshakeable! Whenever you look up to Jesus, you will have faith. This year, I hope everyone truly establishes an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit in their hearts, pushing the boat into the deep waters. You will surely see miracles like Peter's. There will definitely be a great harvest. Thank and praise the Lord! Do not rely on your own efforts to change; rely on the power of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!
When Jesus asked Peter to push the boat into the deep waters, He was telling us to believe in God's word and believe in the power of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! When we rely on ourselves, we will truly fail, but if you are willing to work in the Holy Spirit, relying on the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit, you will be different. You will truly experience miracles and powers that you did not experience last year. So Peter listened to the Lord's words and caught two boats full of fish. I call this God's grace. Amen!
Will it be painful? How long did it take Peter to catch a net full of fish? How long did Jesus take to give him a net full of fish? It was a matter of moments. Do not forget that He is the Lord of time. Amen! What was the first miracle Jesus performed? Was it not turning water into wine? How long does it take to turn water into wine? Several months, but Jesus Christ compressed the time and turned water into wine instantly. Amen!
Similarly, Jesus Christ also compressed the time and filled the net with fish. Amen! This year, you completely hand over all your worries to the Lord Jesus. Do not exchange your wealth or good relationships with time and busyness. Do not do that. When you hand your worries over to Jesus, He will compress the time.
Many people say they cannot rest on Sundays; they must work hard to earn money and do more work to maintain their families. You forget that God will compress your time. Amen! God will give you both rest time and sufficient earnings. You must believe that God will bless you this year. He will give you rest and joy. Hallelujah! Do not say, once I rest, today is wasted; the best time has passed; what a pity. God will not let you feel regretful. After Peter followed Jesus, he returned with unexpected gains. If Peter had known that fishing was so easy, would he have needed to stay up all night? If he could catch fish during the day, who would want to fish at night?
I hope you can walk in God's word this year and enter the deep waters! Establish this intimate relationship with God. How to do this specifically? I suggest brothers and sisters persist in attending services, persist in reading the Bible, and persist in praying. Amen! I do not require you to spend a long time; as long as you persist in doing this, sincerely establish this intimate relationship with God from your heart, you will see miracles come to your family. It will no longer be a legend that someone in our church was healed by God, but it will be you... You will experience this grace; it will be you! Amen!
You need to recognize yourself; do not rely on yourself. In the past, you relied on yourself; now do not rely on yourself anymore. When people leave God, that is when we fail. The Bible clearly tells us: I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me, you can do nothing. Recognize correctly that you are just a jar of clay. You are a jar of clay used by God. When you are used by God, your family will not only not suffer loss but will also receive greater blessings. Amen!
Peter used to rely on himself to fish hard to support his family. Later, he followed Jesus Christ and walked a path of service. When he served Jesus, did his family suffer? No, instead, the supply at home continued. Otherwise, Peter would have stopped serving long ago. If his mother came crying every few days, saying: Peter, hurry back; we have run out of rice. After a few such scenes, could Peter still follow Jesus? Did this happen? No, it proves that God's supply is abundant! Amen!
I hope this year more people will stand up to serve Jesus and participate in serving in our church. You must believe that even if your current problem seems hopeless, it doesn't matter. When you enter the deep waters, God will take responsibility for your family, and God will take responsibility for the things you worry about.
We must not let this "I" always come out. When you have a little achievement, you say: Hmm, I did it; it seems I am more capable this year than last year. You feel you are better looking than before, or you say, rest assured, this year I can do anything by relying on myself. Many marketing studies say to believe in yourself, and you will climb higher. I say you will fall harder. Because if you rely on your own efforts, if you are relying on God, you will not fall. God will hold you up! Amen!
In Christ, you can live a different life. Let the Lord be the Lord! What is the Lord? The Chinese character is the king plus a dot. It means Lord, right? What is the king in your heart? If it is money, take it away and put Jesus in its place. You will lack nothing! If you need wisdom, desperately pursue wisdom by reading books and various kinds of wisdom. Take that away and put Jesus in its place. When He is your Lord, you will have wisdom. This year, no matter what, I hope you will have such wisdom. Do things according to God's word, and you will have unexpected gains. This year, I will continue to see how miracles are manifested in you.
Last year, many of us experienced God's wonders. This year, more people will participate. God's word is the most trustworthy! The Bible says: All the promises of God are "Yes" in Christ. If you believe in "Yes," God will let you see. Amen! If you say it cannot be done, God cannot do anything either. God will never force you. We have been saying that even if God adds blessings to you, if you are unwilling to receive, God cannot force it upon you.
Unless you say: Lord, I am willing, then God will give it to you. Hallelujah! Peter said: Lord, depart from me, for I am a sinful man. In fact, Peter felt ashamed. He repented. Many churches have reversed this message, saying you must first acknowledge your sins before God will bless you. Did Jesus say this? Jesus first gave Peter grace, and then Peter repented. Today, your behavior may not be good; it doesn't matter. I want to supply you with God's grace and give you this word. You will repent.
When you see God's grace is so abundant, you will humble yourself to serve Him. Hallelujah! So do not let the "I" always appear. Let Jesus Christ appear! Amen! Paul often boasted of his weakness. He said every time I am weak, then I am strong. Why? Because every time he saw his weakness, he knew he needed God's strength. Amen!
If you always feel strong, you will not need God. What do you need God for if you think you are great? But every time you see your inadequacies, see your lack, see your weakness, you will know that God's grace is about to come upon you. This is our Lord Jesus Christ! I hope you see your inadequacies in life and pray to God. When you pray, you take Him as your God. Amen!
When Peter fell at Jesus' feet and said: Lord, depart from me, for I am a sinful man. Did Jesus say: Hmm, good job, kid; now that you have thoroughly repented, you finally realize you are a sinner? You started not believing in me, and now you believe because I gave you a little grace? Jesus did not criticize him; instead, He comforted him, saying: Do not be afraid; from now on, you will catch men. Amen!
Have you noticed that Jesus always comforts us? Even if we truly doubt Him in our hearts, sometimes complain to Him, misunderstand Him, and point fingers at Him, God does not get angry with us. Instead, He says: Do not be afraid; I will always provide for you. This is the promise in the Bible. I checked, and there are a total of 365 "do not be afraid" in the original text, one for each day. Amen!
In short, God tells you not to be afraid. With Jesus Christ, do not be afraid! This year, if you are willing to serve Jesus, God will take care of your business, your family, and your children. Everything you give will be rewarded by God. Amen! At the beginning, He just used Peter's boat, and what did He give him? He gave him what he needed most. Our God is not unrealistic! Do not think that believing in Jesus is just empty talk; it is receiving spiritual food. Is there something practical? Yes.
Jesus said, Peter, can I use your boat? Peter said, yes, but what Jesus returned to him was two boats full of fish. Today, when you are willing to follow the Lord Jesus, believe in His words, what He returns to you is a life without lack. Amen! Thank the Lord! This is our God!
This year, I want to promote this theme so that everyone knows to enter the deep waters. Amen! Do not stand at the beginning of the doctrine, thinking whether you will enter the kingdom of heaven, whether God will bless you, whether God will heal you. Do not get entangled in these matters of right and wrong; be sure that God is willing to bless you, willing to heal you, willing to supply you, and then walk in. How about that? Walk into the deep waters; there are many fish waiting for you. Amen! It is really like this; the fish are waiting there. When will the net come? Because they want to hear Jesus' words. Amen! I hope you receive this word at this moment and keep it in your heart. Wait and see God's grace descend upon you.
Let us pray:
Heavenly Father, I especially thank and praise Your grace! Lord, let us truly see that when Peter left God, he relied on himself. Just like many times we rely on ourselves, his life changed when he met Jesus. In fact, it was not he who sought Jesus, but Jesus personally came to find him. Lord, today I have accepted You, but many times I still rely on myself to act. You have not abandoned me time and again; You have sought me time and again. At the beginning of the new year, I am willing to believe Your words and follow You.
Lord, I am willing to act according to Your words, believing that I will see Your provision, Your healing, and Your power in my life. You will also change my family, my family members, and my work this year. This year will be a year of abundant blessings from God, and I thank and praise You for this! In the name of Lord Jesus Christ, I pray! Amen!