When God says fish are biting on the right side of the boat, there’s a reason for it. And maybe not what you think. But you can be sure of one thing. He’s up to something. Here are four things God might be doing.
When God Says Fish Are Biting On The Right Side Of The Boat He might Be Planning A Miracle
In John 21 after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Simon Peter and several other disciples went fishing all night and caught nothing.
In the morning, Jesus stood on the shore and called out to them to cast their net on the right side of the boat.
You can imagine what went through their minds: Really? That’s it? That’s all you got?
No special technique? Secret bait. Exclusive fishing spot? Just the right side of the boat?
And Jesus didn’t tell them what would happen if they did. “Hey guys, do what I say and you’ll have more than a boat load of fish!”
Instead, they simply had to trust him and follow his directions.
Easier said than done, right? But that is often how God works. No announcements. Or fanfare. Hey, watch me do something amazing! It’s simply, follow my directions. Which is what the disciples did. And caught more fish than they could haul in.
Should we trust God? Yes! Should we pray? Yes! Should we expect God to follow-through? Yes!
But first, it requires our obedience.
When God Says Fish Are Biting On The Right Side Of The Boat He might Be Expecting You To Act On Faith
Theses guys were professional fisherman. Don’t you think they already knew the best fishing techniques? The right bait to use? All the exclusive spots where the fish hung out?
Why should they listen to a guy on the beach telling them what to do? How could he possibly know more than them?
And yet, something about Jesus compelled them. Was it the authority in his voice? His self-confidence? Or did they just want to prove to him they knew what they were doing and he didn’t?
Whatever the reason, they acted on faith. And that’s the key thing about faith. It’s always active. That is exactly what James, the half-brother of Jesus said later in his New Testament book.
To profess faith in God is wonderful. But God expects you to put that faith into action. That’s when God will amaze you.
When God Says Fish Are Biting On The Right Side Of The Boat He might Be Planning To Bless You Abundantly
When the disciples let the nets down on the right side of the boat the catch of fish was almost too much for them to physically manage. Jesus didn’t just bless them. He blessed them abundantly.
It was a fisherman’s haul of hauls. A financial windfall. But it wasn’t the real blessing. Accumulating money and material possessions never are. And it wasn’t the point Jesus was making.
It was about his lordship. That the universe is at his command. And that God’s abundant blessings are profoundly experienced through a personal relationship with him and in community with others who respond to him. And it leads to purpose, meaning and a mission with eternal significance.
It’s a spiritual and eternal community that makes no sense from a worldly point of view. But only when combined with faith and obedience.
When God Says Fish Are Biting On The Right Side Of The Boat He Might Be Calling You To Follow Him
The miracle had nothing to do with helping the men succeed their fishing business. Jesus called them to follow him as disciples. As fishers of men.
And God calls you and me to follow him in the same manner. To proclaim and build His Kingdom. That’s the point of this story.
None of Jesus’ twelve disciples became rich and famous. Most were martyred for their faith. Probably won’t recruit a lot of followers with that as one of your benefit bullet points.
Yet, they left everything to follow Jesus. Even to their death. Because something about Jesus compelled them to. Something about Jesus made it worth it. To obey him. To demonstrate faith.
And it is still true today. For those who will listen to him. And respond in faith by tossing their nets on the right side of the boat.
About Chip Tudor:
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.This blog is originally published here.
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Bible lessons from the story of Samson. It’s more than a children’s Sunday School lesson. The story of Samson has lessons for all of us. Here are three of them.
Bible lessons from the story of Samson. God gives you Purpose
God made it clear even before his birth, that He had a special purpose for Samson. He told Samson’s parents to dedicate him as a Nazarite–one that was specially devoted to God.
As a Nazarite, Samson vowed to abstain from three things:
Cutting his hair
Drinking alcohol
Touching dead bodies
And scripture confirms in the book of Judges that God’s Spirit was with Samson. During this time period, Israel was not reigned by kings. They were led by Judges. And God picked Samson to be one of them. The problem is that Samson didn’t want to follow God’s lead. He wanted to do things his way.
And that’s where most of us mess up. We don’t trust God’s leadership. Or want to follow His plan. We want to do things our way. Follow our selfish desires. And Samson demonstrated a lot of selfish desires.
And that makes it impossible to find and follow God’s purpose for your life. Because you have to release control of your life. And Samson never did.
Bible lessons from the story of Samson. God Will Not Be Mocked
The word for mocked means to treat with contempt or disdain. Yes, God is full of love, grace and mercy. But He is equally righteous, holy and just. He calls us to those same ideals. And holds us to account for our actions.
Therefore, you can’t profane His name, ignore His commands, do whatever you want and think it’s okay. And that because of His love and grace, God is obligated to give you a free pass. He isn’t and doesn’t.
So what does that mean?
God is a petulant child? A mean, vengeful bully? If you don’t do what He wants He will throw a tantrum and get you back? Toss lightning bolts at you?
Not that either.
He will, however, withdraw His presence from you. And leave you to the consequences of your decisions. Sin does that. It always separates you from God. And that’s what happened to Samson. He openly rebelled against God and broke his Nazarite vows. So God withdrew His presence. And with the loss of God’s presence went Samson’s great strength.
God wanted more from Samson than just his strength. Actually didn’t need Samson’s strength because He already had unlimited power at His command. What God really wanted was Samson’s heart. Which is what He wants from you and me. He can’t take it. We have to give it.
Bible lessons from the story of Samson. God gives you second chances.
It’s not clear if Samson had a true change of heart. If he decided to serve God with real devotion. And completely fulfill the purpose God had for him. But as he stood with his eyes gouged out between two support pillars in a building full of his Philistine enemies, he asked God to strengthen him one last time.
And in a final act of vengeance he toppled the pillars and brought the building down killing himself and more Philistines in that one act than during his life time.
Although Samson let his immature emotions drive his behavior, God still used him to save Israel from the Philistines. And gave him another chance to fulfill his purpose.
The point is, God offers second chances and new opportunities for those willing to renew their commitment to Him. But to experience it fully you must give God your heart and devote your life to Him.
About Chip Tudor:
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.This blog is originally published here.
Christianity lets you renew. And that’s unlike every other religion. Because we all need a second chance. A do over. A reboot.
Why?
Because we all mess up. What the Bible calls sin. Everyone that is, except Jesus. Scripture says he was perfect, and because of him, we can get a pass.
And that’s something else Christianity offers that no other religion does. Grace.
So you will never completely overcome sin. But you can stop it from completely overcoming you. Here are three ways Christianity lets you renew.
Christianity Lets You Renew Your Life
When talking with a religious leader of his day, Jesus told him something that sounded odd. He must be born again.
What did Jesus mean by this? Even the religious leader was confused. Did he mean a physical birth?
Jesus explained that he meant a spiritual rebirth through faith in him. By admitting sin. Asking for and accepting his forgiveness. And when you do, you are spiritually reborn in Christ.
Well, it doesn’t mean you are suddenly perfect. That you never sin again. Or the earthly consequence of sin goes away. But it does mean that in God’s eyes, the slate is wiped clean. And His Spirit takes residence in your life to give you a fresh start and guide you in a new life.
Christianity Lets You Renew Your Mind
We seldom commit sinful acts completely on impulse. Most of the time, we think about them before we actually do them.
Satan knows this.
Which is why he plants thoughts and images in your mind. So you can entertain them. Replay them. Let them flourish and grow so when the actual opportunity presents itself, going from the thought to the action is a smooth transition.
Of course. Many thoughts are sin themselves. No action is necessary. Which is why the mind is such a fertile ground for sin. Because you and I can actually commit all kinds of sin in our minds—without physically doing anything. But all sin has the same effect. To separate us from God.
And that is why the Bible encourages us to take our thoughts captive. To proactively direct our thoughts on things that please God. To understand that while we are subject to sin, and will still sin, it does not have to rule us. And by renewing our minds, it won’t.
And the best way to renew your mind is to bathe it in scripture. By focusing your thoughts on God’s Word.
Christianity Lets You Renew Your Heart
No one messed up worse than David. He was a hero when he defeated Goliath. But later he seduced another man’s wife and got her pregnant. Then had her husband killed to cover it up. A royal mess up. But when confronted, he confessed to God, repented of his sin, and cried out in despair, “Create in me a clean heart O God.”
And God did. Because of His grace and mercy. And He offers the same forgiveness to you and me.
Sin is rooted deeply in our human nature and in our world. So we will never be completely free of it in this life. But it doesn’t have to rule us. God’s mercy is unlimited. So even though I fail today, tomorrow offers a fresh start.
Therefore, I am always filled with hope. And that renews me too.
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.This blog is originally published here.
The Biblical answer to deep yearnings of the heart asks questions like: Who Am I? Does my life have value? Meaning? And how do I live a purposeful life? And maintain a sense of balance?
Science can’t answer these questions. Searching within yourself doesn’t either. Because you inherently know there is something wrong in the human experience. An essential flaw in every human. And if we are flawed, answers from within are flawed too.
The Bible however, claims to be the word of an absolute God. The creator and sustainer of life. And if this is true then it provides a source of reliable answers. Here are three Biblical answers to deep yearnings in the human heart.
The Biblical Answer to Deep Yearnings Of The Heart. Human Identity Is Divinely Determined
Who am I? What’s my purpose. Where do I find my value?
The Bible clears the confusion with a simple proclamation. Your identity is not FOUND. God GIVES it to you. Nor do you have to achieve anything to feel a sense of worth. You have value because God values you. He created you, loves you and has your best interest in mind.
The Bible teaches that every person is uniquely made by a God that loves you unconditionally.
So you don’t need to search within, accomplish or accumulate anything. These are all things YOU DO. The Bible says simply, it is already DONE. And you don’t need to be anything other than yourself. God says that alone is enough.
By accepting and embracing your individual worth as determined by a God who loves and values you takes the pressure off.
You can be yourself. Exactly as you are. Because you can’t do anything to make God love you more or or anything that makes him love you less. You need only respond to and return His love.
As you live in relationship with an absolute, yet personal God, you understand the truth, and experience freedom.
The Biblical Answer To Deep Yearnings Of The Heart. Purpose is Found In The Kingdom Of God
The Kingdom of God is partly in this world and partly in the next. It begins in this world through a personal faith relationship with Jesus Christ. This is what uniquely distinguishes Christ followers. Who are citizens of the spiritual Kingdom of God. Although the Bible teaches a final, physical Kingdom is still ahead.
That’s why followers of Jesus are told to be “in” this world, but not “of” this world. In others words, our purpose is to live as kingdom residents in this world. To serve and make this world a better place. To feed the poor, tend the sick and love our neighbors as ourselves. But to keep in mind it’s not the end game. To realize our purpose is to represent God’s Kingdom on earth, to the best of our ability, but with the knowledge that ultimately, God will establish a permanent Kingdom.
People that don’t claim Jesus can participate in serving and bettering humanity too. And therefore, share in this sense of purpose. Christ-followers do so specifically in the name of Jesus and for the glory of God.
The Biblical Answer To Deep Yearnings of the heart. Establish Priorities Rather Than Manage Your Time
Aren’t they one and the same? No. Not really. Most discussions on balance involve time management. Ordering your time will not always order your priorities. But ordering your priorities will always manage your time. If you prioritize spending time with family, you will automatically manage your time to create that margin in your life. And while time management is important in achieving balance, it should not be the main driver.
Want a great template for maintaining a balanced life? Consider this.
Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man (Luke 2:52)
In other words, Jesus developed intellectually, physically, spiritually and socially. He studied the law thoroughly, enjoyed relating to people in social settings, spent time alone in prayer and worked as a carpenter. Oh, and he also walked everywhere he went.
People that live out of balance usually need to address one or two of these areas. I know people that are superbly physical fit, but completely lack a spiritual life. And people that are very spiritual but their physical body is a wreck. And others that invest nothing in their minds outside of work.
I doubt anyone is completely balanced in all four areas. I’m not. But evaluating and adjusting the attention you give to these four areas will head you in the right direction.
There’s one more component not found in that verse, but very much demonstrated in the life of Christ.
What Are You Doing For Others?
Jesus focused on others rather than himself. A life and death of sacrifice. When you live a self-centered life that pursues only self-satisfaction. Your deepest yearnings will never be satisfied. Purpose and meaning will elude you. And so will the Kingdom of God. It’s the key to purpose, meaning, value. And something you can’t buy with all the money in the world. Joy.
There are good reasons for writing comedy skits for church. They can be used to support a sermon theme in church worship services or provide entertainment for other church programs.
You may think writing comedy skits for church is about inspiration… the creative muse.
Not to downplay creativity, but writing comedy church skits also involves work. You’ll find this is true of humor writing in general.
The Advantage of Writing Comedy Skits For Church
But there’s a spiritual payoff in writing comedy. Because people in the congregation often raise a protective guard around their heart.
Get people laughing, however and they will lower that guard. And in that brief moment, you can slip in a spiritual message. So I always strive for humor that communicates a clear, spiritual point. Because you don’t want to squander that spiritual opportunity.
It’s easy to become preoccupied with writing funny one liners. And I admit. It’s a rush when the congregation breaks up in laughter over a funny line I’ve written.
The most effective way to write impactful comedy church skits, however, is by creating funny characters in funny situations so the comedy flows naturally.
Still, when writing comedy church skits for church worship services, I hammer out a number of one line jokes because creating laughter from a funny line in a skit is a powerful elixir.
The process I use for writing jokes and funny lines is actually painstaking and tedious. It involves creating lists using a standard dictionary, Thesaurus and homonym dictionary as tools.
Let’s work through the joke writing process in writing comedy skits for church
Since we’re writing for a church worship service, let’s take a common spiritual subject-eternal life. Keep in mind these lists are for illustration. Your actual lists should be much, much longer and possibly broken into sub-categories.
Topical List of words
Heaven hell eternal grave death fire hymns atheist
Next write clichés and common phrases related to eternal life
Clichés & Phrases
Do some soul searching Passed away A match made in heaven
Now identify synonyms, antonyms and homonyms to the list of words you’ve written.
Synonyms
Fire = flame death = expire
Antonyms
Heaven – hell death – life hymns-choruses
Homonyms
Hymns = him’s
Now mix, match and combine phrases and words to create funny lines. Here are some possibilities.
When it comes to death, we’re all in grave danger
Our funeral services are gender neutral… we quit singing hymns
Hell is an eternal flame from a match made in heaven
An atheist is someone who tried soul searching and came up empty
Writing jokes and funny lines for comedy skits takes time, effort and patience. But it pays off when an actor delivers a funny line and the congregation roars with laughter. Or even better, someone is impacted by the message presented.
Hopefully though, no one will actually die laughing in the middle of your church worship service.
About Chip Tudor:
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.This blog is originally published here.
Looking for an original comedy church drama?
There are a number of comedy church dramas I’ve written for church events and programs over the years. You’ll find them on the drama page of my website. And you can download them for a modest, one time fee. You can read a portion of the script in advance to get an idea on what it is about before you purchase the whole script.
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