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Apparently, it had been a discouraging night.

Peter, along with six other disciples of Jesus had gone out to fish.

Morning had dawned with nothing caught.

Nothing at all.

But that was about to change....

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

 He called out to them, "Friends, havent you any fish?"
      "No," they answered.

 He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!"

(John 21:4-7a)

What emotions were the disciples experiencing in the previous few days? Jesus had been crucified. He had risen from the dead. He had appeared to His disciples twice. Now, He was standing on the shore, with them once again.

We have all had discouraging nights--discouraging days, as well. Times when things just dont make sense. Fishless endeavors with what seems to be wasted effort.

But, are we listening?

Is it possible that we might hear Jesus voice calling to us, asking us to try something a little different?

"Friends, havent you any......?" You can fill in the blank.

If the answer is "no," are we willing to listen for His instructions?

Are we willing to throw our "nets" on the other side?

Isnt it exciting when we realize who is on the shore?

How all consuming are the words, "It is the Lord!!!"

Abel.

Enoch.

Noah.

Abraham.

Sarah.

They had faith.

The eleventh chapter of Hebrews has this to say about each one:

Because Abel had faith, he offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. ( from verse 4)

Enoch had faith and did not die. (from verse 5)

Because Noah had faith, he was warned about something that had not yet happened. (from verse 7)

Abraham had faith and obeyed God. (from verse 8)

Even when Sarah was too old to have children, she had faith that God would do what he had promised,

and she had a son. (from verse 11)

Continuing on, it speaks about them collectively:

Every one of those people died. But they still had faith, even though they had not received what they had been promised. They were glad just to see these things from far away, and they agreed that they were only strangers and foreigners on this earth. When people talk this way, it is clear that they are looking for a place to call their own. If they had been talking about the land where they had once lived, they could have gone back at any time. But they were looking forward to a better home in heaven.  (Hebrews 11:13-16a)

I am reminded of the old hymn lyrics,

Have faith in God

Hes on His throne

Have faith in God

He watches oer His own

He cannot fail

He will prevail

Have faith in God

Have faith in God

(Have Faith in God by B.B. McKinney)

People are different.

Different from each other.

Sometimes its not so obvious.

Other times, its greatly apparent.

When someone is very different than us, we can become very uncomfortable.

They dont belong to our church.

They dont live in our neighborhood.

They have opposing political views.

Their choice of clothing style is...well, not ours.

They speak a different language.

Theyre older than we are.

Theyre younger than we are.

They dont like the same things.

They have more money than we do.

They dont have as much money as we do.

The Apostle Paul, in writing to the Romans, had this to say:

I want to win followers to Christ in Rome, as I have done in many other places. It doesnt matter if people are civilized and educated, or if they are uncivilized and uneducated. I must tell the good news to everyone. Thats why I am eager to visit all of you in Rome. (Romans 1:13c - 15)

No doubt Paul would find a great variety of people in Rome to talk to about Jesus. It didnt matter if they were different than he was; what mattered was the good news he had to tell.

So, who do you know thats different?

Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us!

So we must get rid of everything that slows us down,

especially the sin that just wont let go.

And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us.

We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete.

He endured the shame of being nailed to a cross,

because he knew that later on he would be glad he did.

Now he is seated at the right side of Gods throne!

So keep your mind on Jesus, who put up with many insults from sinners.

Then you wont get discouraged and give up.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Do you know one thing that I wouldnt want someone to say about me?

Here it is:

"What? Shes a Christian? Well, I wouldve never guessed that!"

Co-workers.

Neighbors.

Community leaders.

Family.

I really do want to live my life in such a way as to be a positive witness to other people.

If this is really true, then.......

this means that kindness and love should be a part of my daily routine.

Thoughfulness and respect should be my first response.

Faith in God should be evident in my words and actions.

My life should be a light, pointing others to God.

Whats one thing you wouldnt want someone to say about you?

I wasnt familiar with the city at all.

It was dinner time and I was going with friends to eat at a restaurant.

As we walked around the corner of a building, there before us was a striking scene-- a majestic looking church with three crosses atop its towers. Behind them was an extremely tall building graced with reflective panels.

There, in the heart of this city, Jesus was being proclaimed with unspoken words-- Jesus is here. He is with us.

So do not fear, for I am with you;
       do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
       I will strengthen you and help you;
       I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

            Isaiah 41:10

What do you think of when you hear the word, "surrounded?"

I think of how adult elephants circle around a baby elephant in order to protect it when danger approaches. I first learned of this behavior in a childrens book long ago.

This example speaks to the way God surrounds us.

How many times have we felt that we were all alone and unprotected, like a helpless baby elephant in a jungle filled with lions? On the flipside, we may have been so naive that we were not even aware of any impending danger at all as we stood in solitude in an empty field of life, making ourselves an easy target for demise.

Either of these scenarios comes into greater focus as we look for God in the picture:

As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
       the Lord surrounds his people
       now and forever.---Psalm 125:2

Whether we are aware of the danger or not, what lion can attack us if God is standing in between?

It was one of those times when I just had to keep looking at the sky.

A storm was brewing and it was nearing sunset.

At one point, I noticed that a passenger jet had just come into view, flying just under the blanket of dark clouds stretched above it.

Quickly, my window of opportunity to photograph the sight opened and closed; very pleased, I found the image of the plane recorded safely on my camera.

I am fascinated with nature---all that God has made for us to enjoy.

Clouds, storms, lightning.

Birds, flowers, insects.

Ocean waves, sea life.

With all that is here for us to enjoy, He gives us intelligence to build that which helps us to explore His wonders.

A microscope.

A boat.

An airplane.

Seeing and understanding, we come to know that God exists and that He has made great and marvelous things.

Within the last several days, two people that I know came to the place where they realized their need for forgiveness of sin and the lordship of Christ in their lives. With this realization, each made the decision to follow Him.

Learning of these salvation experiences separately, one on Friday evening and the other on Monday morning, has brought joy to me. I remember well the day that I gave my own life to Christ.

It was the beginning of my new life.

How about you? Do you know Christ as your Savior?

I had  never looked at it this way before.

In reading a passage from Luke, chapter 8, I noticed a sub-heading before verse 16.

It read, "Use What You Have."

Verses 16 through 18 deal with putting your lamp on a lampstand and letting it shine so others will see the light.

"No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. Instead, the person puts it on a lampstand so those who come in will see the light." --Luke 8:16

My own personal interpretation wouldve been something like this: live a Christ-like life to point others to Him.

Today, suddenly, there was more.

Verse 17 says, "Everything that is hidden will become clear, and every secret thing will be made known."

How does this fit together with lamps on a stand?

And what about that sub-heading, use what you have?

I began to picture a darkened room--perhaps a large barn.

If I were inside with absolutely no light, all would be hidden.

I would need a flashlight or candle.

Using a light, my surroundings would be exposed, whatever they were.

What happens if I apply this to my spiritual life?

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ^{--Ephesians 6:12}

When I apply this spiritually, my life becomes the large room. Without light, I am unable to perceive my surroundings.

What is hiding there? What is poised in secret to discourage, tempt or harm me?

What tools do I have to guide me?

God is the only source of light.

If I apply His "light" (prayer and scripture)---to the dark corners that surround me, the shadowy rafters and the gloomy loft-- everything that is hidden and secret will be exposed.

Guilty.

Thats not a word that we like to hear.

Its not a feeling we want to have.

Its not a sentence we want to bear.

The dictionary defines guilty as "justly subject to a certain accusation or penalty."

God is just.

What hope is there for all of humanity?

Romans 8:1-3--

So now, those who are in Christ Jesus are not judged guilty.  Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit that brings life made you free from the law that brings sin and death.  The law was without power, because the law was made weak by our sinful selves. But God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son to earth with the same human life that others use for sin. By sending his Son to be an offering for sin, God used a human life to destroy sin.

Not judged guilty.

For those who are in Christ Jesus, that is our final verdict.

Ive not climbed mountains much.

In fact, the mountains I have been on have been quite small. On one occasion, when I finally reached the peak of the mountain, I was almost too frightened to stand. I wanted just to, sort of, you know---hug the ground beneath me.

Actually, I felt more safe sitting or crouching.

The view was tremendous. My perspective was new.

My fear was real.

Why was I afraid? Something about being so high up, which means, of course, that I could go so far down, was unsettling to me. Caution was the order of the moment.

Though I may not be climbing a true mountain each day, many times I find myself  "at the top" of what seems to be my limit of understanding. I may be gripped with concern over the choices of a friend or family member. Finances may seem unworkable. Whatever the cause, it might just seem like a good idea to stay close to the ground without any quick moves.

Theres just one problem.

I wont be able to see as well if Im not standing up. My vision will be limited. My view shortened.

My perspective incomplete.

At these times, God is there to help me to overcome my fears--to stand up even when its high--really high.

Have you ever climbed a mountain?

Just a few weeks ago, our next door neighbor took on a task. A very large task.

He decided to replace the grass in his front yard. This meant digging up the old grass and putting in the new.

With the big truck delivering sod and a lot of very hard work, the lawn began to take shape.

Now, after many days and many waterings, the grass is a flowing green carpet, lovely to look at.

It looks like it has always been there.

Come to find out, our neighbor also purchased soil to put down before the grass sections were placed.

Good soil.

Soil used when one is hoping to grow healthy looking grass.

Soil worth the investment.

Jesus told the parable of the sower and the seed:

"A farmer went out to plant his seed. While he was planting, some seed fell by the road. People walked on the seed, and the birds ate it up.  Some seed fell on rock, and when it began to grow, it died because it had no water. Some seed fell among thorny weeds, but the weeds grew up with it and choked the good plants.  And some seed fell on good ground and grew and made a hundred times more." (Luke 8:5-8a)

Our neighbor didnt put grass down on rocky soil.

He didnt put grass down mixed with weeds.

If he had, the outcome would have been quite different.

I want my heart to be good soil. The kind that seeds from God would take root in and prosper.

The kind that would grow a flowing, green lawn or a beautiful and blossoming flower garden,  pleasing to Him.

Rocks? Actually, I think Ive got a few.

Thorny weeds? They spring up from time to time.

I dont want them.

I really dont.

The only way to be rid of them is to take my condition to God and ask Him to prepare the soil for what He wants to grow.

The power of Jesus.

The power of faith in Jesus.

What does that mean to you?

Jesus had been approached by a man. A man who loved someone very much--his twelve year old daughter.

He came to Jesus to ask Him to come and heal her because she was dying.

Jesus began walking with him to see her.

As the crowd that was there followed along with them, they pressed in close to Him, each with their own story; each with their own need.

A woman was there among the crowd.

A woman with faith.

Faith in Jesus.

She had been ill for many years from bleeding. Endometriosis? Fibroid tumors?

They knew nothing of these terms or causes in that day.

She had gone to many doctors, spent all her money and yet her condition was worse than ever. Does that sound familiar?

Coming closer, she reached out to touch His clothes; she believed that if she could only touch them, she would be healed.

As soon as her hand touched the fibers of His cloak, her bleeding stopped and she knew she was well.

At once Jesus felt power go out from him. So he turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"

  His followers said, "Look at how many people are pushing against you! And you ask, Who touched me? "

  But Jesus continued looking around to see who had touched him. The woman, knowing that she was healed, came and fell at Jesus feet. Shaking with fear, she told him the whole truth.  Jesus said to her, "Dear woman, you are made well because you believed. Go in peace; be healed of your disease."  Mark 5:30-34

What is in need of healing in your life today?

An illness?

A broken heart?

A painful memory?

God is there. The question is, will you reach out? Will you truly believe?

Will I?

What is it that I need?

God knows.

When I am faced with difficulty, I find that I become quiet and think a great many thoughts.

While there is nothing wrong with thinking, I often do not share my concerns readily by confiding with a friend who could give wise counsel. I am pleased to say that I have gotten better in this respect over the last couple of years. Much is to be gained by bearing each others burdens.

God knew that I needed to talk a couple of days ago.

I wasnt calling anyone on the phone. I wasnt visiting.

So God had someone call me. They felt that they should check on me.

It was good to feel the freedom to express some of my concerns.

Did I need anything else?

The mail came. Another friend, who is a pastors wife, sent me a cd of one of her husbands sermons.

She had thought of me as he was speaking.

He talked about love, the knowledge and understanding of God and how to deal with the "bad" things that happen in our lives.

A statement he made as he recounted an Old Testament story jumped out in prominence.

In describing an emotional scene of forgiveness, he said, "He was completely overwhelmed and consumed with the opportunity to love."

Overwhelmed and consumed. Completely. No room for anything else except love.

Yes, I needed to be reminded of love. I had also needed to talk to a friend.

I needed to consider, once again, Gods work in my life.

Thats what I needed.

God knew.

This is my prayer for you:

that your love will grow more and more;

that you will have knowledge

and understanding with your love;

 that you will see the difference between

good and bad and will choose the good;

that you will be pure

and without wrong

for the coming of Christ;

 that you will be filled with the good things

produced in your life by Christ to bring glory

and praise to God.

Philipians 1:9-11

Sing to him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts.--I Chronicles 16:9

I have a wonderful act of God to tell about today.

My husband has been looking for different employment. It can be a very discouraging task in todays economy.

Last night, during a lengthy conversation, I simply asked him, "What do you think youre good at?"

He and I both had looked online at job opportunities. Though highly qualified in certain fields, most of what we had seen required at least something that he did not have. We both knew the answers to my question.

He named one thing...

This morning, as we returned home from a trip out in the car, I picked up the newspaper that had been thrown into our driveway. After I entered our home, I opened it to see if there were any employment opportunities.

There, right in front of me, was an advertisement for a position listing several qualifications--ALL of which my husband had!

The very first line mentioned the one thing he stated last night.

With a resume prepared and delivered, we are waiting on God for the next step.

Will this lead to a job change?

Only God knows that at this point.

However, He has brought these circumstances together.

He cares if we are discouraged.

This is a beautiful reminder that He is with us through every part of our lives.

My "mind" radio seems to always be going.
Even at the strangest times, I will have a song playing in my head.
Often, I am not even completely aware of it.
Somewhat like background music in an elevator or a shopping mall, it quietly continues as I go about my day.
At different points, my occupation with other things is halted, perhaps for only a second, and I realize what lyrics and tunes are accompanying my thought processes.

Most of the time I find that the music within me is about God in some way. Praising Him, speaking of His character, exhorting His people.

This morning, as I was reading the Bible, I became aware of the background "music" that was simultaneously flowing along with the words on the page.

I was reading from Matthew, chapter 7, in The Message:

Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them.

So what was the music?

"And Ill be my brothers keeper so the whole world will know were not alone." (Matt Mahr)

I cant explain how I can read one word and hear another, but I can.
Like bass clef and treble clef playing at the same time on the piano.
Like God confirming what Hes saying in the Word with whats being sung in a song.

The question is, what do I want people to do for me? How do I want them to act toward me?
If I want to, I am capable of grabbing the initiative.
I can be good and kind to others.
Then, will my behavior point others to God?
Will they then see that were not alone?

The Book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament is such an encouragement.

The wall around Jerusalem had been broken down and the gates had been burned.

After mourning, fasting and praying at hearing this news, Nehemiah set out to gather the people and rebuild the wall.

Nehemiah was dedicated. Humble. Faithful. Hopeful.

Nehemiah was transparent about his feelings.

God answered his prayers.

God allowed a mighty work to be done for the Jews amidst opposition.

Gods strength was everpresent throughout Nehemiahs mission.

In the account of the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem, those scheming to harm Nehemiah send discouraging messages to him five times, stating lies about him and his purpose.

What was his response to these accusations?

I sent him this reply: "Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head."

 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed."
       But I prayed, "Now strengthen my hands."--Nehemiah 6:8-9

Does this sound familiar in your own life?

Think about it---a time when you felt that God wanted you to do something specific.

Perhaps you were going to begin exercising and losing weight.

Maybe you felt led to start a Bible study in your home.

You may even have made a recent commitment to spend more time with your children.

Whatever the leading you may have felt from God, its quite possible that Satan wasnt happy with the decision.

With discouraging words or circumstances, dissension may have come your way.

Could it be that he was trying to frighten you, thinking you would be too discouraged to complete that which God had led you to do?

What should our response be when we identify the source of our distraction?

Nehemiah prayed.

He said, "Now strengthen my hands."

God did strengthen Nehemiah.

Hell strengthen us, too.