In Matthew 4:19, JESUS said: "...Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Now the interpretation of that verse was for two brothers, Peter and Andrew. But the application is for us today. That is for all of us, who by His grace are born again believing children of God.
So then if we are following Christ, then it naturally follows that we are involved in some kind of Personal Evangelism. Let us not fool ourselves; if we are not "fishing" we are NOT following. Now if we are not following, that does not bode well of our salvation. It is without a doubt time to Check our own salvation and make sure our own heart is right with God. Lest we make Jesus a liar and say we are following, but He has not made us Fishers.
In John 15:16, JESUS said: "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." NKJV
Again the interpretation was for those in front of Him at the time, but the application is clearly for ALL born again believers today. For indeed as it is written, in Ephesians 1:4,5 we did not chose Him, but He chose us BEFORE the foundation of the world was ever laid.
And after He chose us, He didn't say, have a seat over here and fill a quota I had to fill. NO, He gave us a job. He told us to follow Him and Fish for men, and to bear Fruit. He appointed or "ordained" us as the KJV puts it, or sanctified us for this purpose.
Then Jesus said that the reason we are to fish and bear fruit is so that whatever we ask the Father in His name He may give it to us. When we are asking our Father for things we are not getting do we ever think maybe we are not getting it because we are not bearing fruit? Well according to John 15:16 that may be ONE of the reasons.
Father, look upon our hearts and cleanse them and fill them with love and a burning desire to see people born again. Stir our hearts and help us to see and understand the Truth of the scriptures; In the Sweet Name above all names, the Name of our Saviour, Jesus. Amen
So then if we are following Christ, then it naturally follows that we are involved in some kind of Personal Evangelism. Let us not fool ourselves; if we are not "fishing" we are NOT following. Now if we are not following, that does not bode well of our salvation. It is without a doubt time to Check our own salvation and make sure our own heart is right with God. Lest we make Jesus a liar and say we are following, but He has not made us Fishers.
In John 15:16, JESUS said: "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." NKJV
Again the interpretation was for those in front of Him at the time, but the application is clearly for ALL born again believers today. For indeed as it is written, in Ephesians 1:4,5 we did not chose Him, but He chose us BEFORE the foundation of the world was ever laid.
And after He chose us, He didn't say, have a seat over here and fill a quota I had to fill. NO, He gave us a job. He told us to follow Him and Fish for men, and to bear Fruit. He appointed or "ordained" us as the KJV puts it, or sanctified us for this purpose.
Then Jesus said that the reason we are to fish and bear fruit is so that whatever we ask the Father in His name He may give it to us. When we are asking our Father for things we are not getting do we ever think maybe we are not getting it because we are not bearing fruit? Well according to John 15:16 that may be ONE of the reasons.
Father, look upon our hearts and cleanse them and fill them with love and a burning desire to see people born again. Stir our hearts and help us to see and understand the Truth of the scriptures; In the Sweet Name above all names, the Name of our Saviour, Jesus. Amen
