Have we really given Him control?

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

Luke 5:1–16
SO it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. 3Then 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.
4When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
5But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 6And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7So 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. 8When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
9For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” 11So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

Some questions to consider.

1. Have we given Him control of our vessel? Vs. 3

2. Have we obeyed His Word, even when we may have just finished what HE is asking us to do? Vs. 4-5

3. Has His Word caused us to see Him and His bountiful provision for those who are His? Vs.6-8

4. Has seeing Him given us a sense of our sinful state and need for forgiveness? Vs. 8

5. Has seeing Him caused us to forsake All and follow Him? Vs. 11

Matthew 16:24
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Add to this:

Joel 2:12-14
Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: [13] And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. [14] Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God?

Would this not be the answer for the church today, to simply lay our hearts out before the
Lord, with fasting and with weeping, and with mourning for our sinful state, to rend our hearts and not our garments?

Our Lord is not looking for another program, He is not looking for some outward manifestation from us, no more gimmicks or show church, we simply need to lay our hearts bare before Him, after all “who knoweth” our condition better than He.

Rend your hearts and not your garments, saith the Lord!

Would this not be the answer for the church today, to simply lay our hearts out before the Lord, with fasting and with weeping, and with mourning for our sinful state, to rend our hearts and not our garments? Our Lord is not looking for another program, He is not looking for some outward manifestation from us, no more gimmicks or show church, we simply need to lay our hearts bare before Him, after all “who knoweth” our condition better than He.

I can give a hearty amen! Oh folks, lets pray for revival simply asking God to glorify His name in the earth again. We don't need to know beforehand how He will do it or try to dictate to Him how it should be done, we just need to cry out for His kingdom to come and His will to be done, regardless of the cost.

In Christ,

Ron

Yes Bro. Ron,
Regardless of the cost, To Love 'HIM' with All of our heart, All of our soul, All of our mind, and All of our strength.

In His Love

pastorfrin

Ron's: We don't need to know beforehand how He will do it or try to dictate to Him how it should be done, we just need to cry out for His kingdom to come and His will to be done, regardless of the cos

I think Ron (InTheLight) is right here. We cannot try to duplicate something God has done in the past. God is the 'Living God' and living is a picture of a flowing river. Too often we set up altars to things God once did or the last revelation we had of Him. God is constantly moving us along in real time. We need to pray for God to move and do what He wants to do and then get ready to accept what He does. Almost like at times we get so arrogant we are the experts telling God how to send His revival. We need to allow God to be God and stop trying to set up the how's, where's, and when's and the who's. I have had revival come in my life more this year than ever and funny thing is- it don't feel at all like a revival. It feels like a massive chastening. But my mind is changing about things and getting in step with His wisdom.

I have had revival come in my life more this year than ever and funny thing is- it don't feel at all like a revival. It feels like a massive chastening. But my mind is changing about things and getting in step with His wisdom.

This is an encouragment because I have been experiencing the same thing. Definitely a lot of pruning going on, especially in the area of New Testament [i]knowledge[/i] verses New Testament [i]reality[/i] in my day to day life. It seems we are being prepared for something, God has fruit in mind...
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit...I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing...If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
(Joh 15:1-8)
In Christ,

Ron

InTheLight wrote:

I have had revival come in my life more this year than ever and funny thing is- it don't feel at all like a revival. It feels like a massive chastening. But my mind is changing about things and getting in step with His wisdom.

This is an encouragment because I have been experiencing the same thing. Definitely a lot of pruning going on, especially in the area of New Testament [i]knowledge[/i] verses New Testament [i]reality[/i] in my day to day life. It seems we are being prepared for something, God has fruit in mind...
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit...I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing...If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
(Joh 15:1-8)
In Christ,

Ron

Have any of you been noticing an increase of trials, or depth of trials of late?

Everyone Christian I know seems to be under extra stress just now, and I can't help but wonder at it...you know, how close are we getting, etc.

Blessings,

Forrest

Is revival a work that the Lord does in the heart of each individual believer?

I have experienced in the last year what many would not call revival, but it is. Let me explain.
As some of you know I had surgery in September
of 2006 to remove tumors from both of my kidneys.
For quite so time before I was diagnosed with kidney cancer I had been asking the Lord to give me more compassion.
Compassion for the lost, for those struggling with sin, for the broken hearted, for those who are suffering from disease, for the poor and hungry, for humanity as a whole.
After surgery my prayer was answered.
I cannot think about the lost without breaking, those who are sick I can definitly relate to. The broken hearted, oh yes.
You can say the Lord purged my branches and the
result has been the fruit of compassion.
What I am saying is this, revival in our heart comes from compassion being placed by the Lord into ones heart. No, not mans compassion but the Lord's. How, by the process of purging and I praise God for the process. The process of my heart being laid bare before Him, which only He can perform, and as it lay there He imparted His compassion.
Did it feel like revival, Yes, the tears are still flowing.
Praise His Holy Name!

In His Love

pastorfrin

Have any of you been noticing an increase of trials, or depth of trials of late?

Yes, very severe and spiritually debilitating. And they have become exacerbated by my neglecting to soak my soul in God's Word. Staying right with God in the midst of fiery trials requires great discipline...discipline I still have yet to learn.

paulmcg1 asked:

Has it is possible to give God control over anything?

Like this: from the hymn, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

"When I survey the wondrous cross, On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss And pour contempt on all my pride.
Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul,
my love, my all."

When you truly grasp His Love for you, surrender
to Him is Normal.

In His Love

pastorfrin

I turn to the LORD and say, "I don't know how to do it, I really don't. Your going to have to show me or do it through me."

Brother (or sister - what are you?), you are exactly right!

I read biographies of saints who had an intimate walk with the LORD and that is what I want. And you know what? God wants it, too! These saints are not special people in the sense they are super humans. They are people who are surrendered to the LORD's leading in their lives. I have concluded this kind of intimacy with God is available to all if we only will surrender to Him.

To accomplish this is a challenge....but how can one do it? I am still learning - and this will likely be true for the rest of my life - but it does help to pray as you pray: "You're going to have to show me." Or ask the LORD to help you to recognize his voice when he speaks...with the idea you will be obedient to it when you hear it. Try this and see what happens.

I try to pray this every day. The latest thing for me is the loss of interest in collecting ......I have been buying on eBay...and now my interest for no natural reason is waning. Reminds me what I experienced after the death of or daughter: I lost interst in things for a long time....took a while to regain some of it. I could resist this loss of interest and go ahead and buy more, but I experience a sense of "don't do it" in my spirit. So is it not in my best interests to not do so? From past experience the answer is "yes".

BTW, I do not believe we will arrive at the point where there is no more room for growth. Psa. 1:3 says we are like a tree planted by the river of water....I am told a tree keeps growing until it dies. So we, too. Do not get discouraged. There is only one thing worse then falling: that is the failure to get up and try again!

Blesings to you,
ginnyrose

Compliments said:

wouldn't know how to begin to even try such a step. Oh, I know in theory, but to practice it, it eludes me.

Every day I pray this type of prayer, some days
many times. "Thy will be done" is one part I must pray often. Why, because I don't always want to go along with His will. So I ask not my will but Lord your will be done in me, in my family, in our congregation, and in your church
through out this world.
Our sister ginnyrose pointed out that we are to continue growing until we go to to be with the Lord, and this is true.
The whole process is this simple, you lay your heart bare before the Lord and say Lord here am I, shape me and mold me into what you want me to
be, and do with me as you please. We cannot dictate to the Lord how His will is to be accomplished in us, we simple accept it.
He speaks to us in the same way He spoke to Saul. Why do you kick against the prick.
The secret is to stop kicking!

In His Love

pastorfrin

Forrest (UniqueWebRev) wrote:

Have any of you been noticing an increase of trials, or depth of trials of late?

I am becoming more and more convinced that brother Wilerson's warning in his sermon "That terrible day no one wants to talk about" is right on the money. I truly believe God is stirring His remnant in preperation. We [i]must[/i] learn to walk by [i]increased[/i] faith. Trials in the Christians life do one of two things, either we turn tail and run, or we dig ever deeper into God, His faithfulness and His Word.

Robert W wrote:

I have had revival come in my life more this year than ever and funny thing is- it don't feel at all like a revival. It feels like a massive chastening. But my mind is changing about things and getting in step with His wisdom.

Ron (InTheLight) wrote:

This is an encouragment because I have been experiencing the same thing. Definitely a lot of pruning going on, especially in the area of New Testament knowledge verses New Testament reality in my day to day life. It seems we are being prepared for something, God has fruit in mind...

Ditto, Ditto, Amen and Amen.

In Christ,

Doug

Compliments wrote:

I wouldn't know how to begin to even try such a step. Oh, I know in theory, but to practice it, it eludes me.

I turn to the LORD and say, "I don't know how to do it, I really don't. Your going to have to show me or do it through me."

A good thought to ponder though!

Please don't get the idea that I have a handle on this either. I do believe the root of our failure to surrender all is unbelief. I was thinking on this today and was reminded of Isreals first trip to the promised land. The twelve spies returned from their mission and ten exhibited unbelief that God could deliver on His promises.

Is this not the way of man? There may indeed be a portion of our hearts that believes, or at least wants to, but in reality, that part that doesn't believe is far greater. And how did God respond to this unbelief? He sent them back out to the wilderness until that entire unbelieving generation had died out.

Is this not still the way of God? We get saved out of sin (Egypt), get baptised where our slavemasters are consumed(the Red Sea), then travel forthwith to see the promise of God of an abundant life in the Spirit. Ah, but then there's that old problem; Unbelief. Out to the wilderness we go until we come to that place of FAITH called Absolute Surrender. This is the price we must pay to cross over the Jordan.

It has helped me today to recognize that ALL my unbelief must be rooted out and slain. There is only one way to accomplish this. Continually approach the mercy seat of God and lay our doubt at the foot of the cross. The more we do this, honestly, humbly, fearlessly and [i]ruthlessly,[/i] the more our faith will grow.

In His Love,

Doug

Pastor wrote:

1. Have we given Him control of our vessel? Vs. 3

2. Have we obeyed His Word, even when we may have just finished what HE is asking us to do? Vs. 4-5

3. Has His Word caused us to see Him and His bountiful provision for those who are His? Vs.6-8

4. Has seeing Him given us a sense of our sinful state and need for forgiveness? Vs. 8

5. Has seeing Him caused us to forsake All and follow Him? Vs. 11

Prov. 4:26 \tPonder the path of your feet,
\tAnd let all your ways be established.

You are a tree planted by still waters...

God Bless
Jeff

I wrote:

It has helped me today to recognize that ALL my unbelief must be rooted out and slain. There is only one way to accomplish this. Continually approach the mercy seat of God and lay our doubt at the foot of the cross. The more we do this, honestly, humbly, fearlessly and ruthlessly, the more our faith will grow.

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

In Him,

Doug