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Have you ever wondered why the disciples who walked daily with Christ for three years, did not recognize Jesus after the Resurrection?
Drifting away from God
There was a time when Peter was so guilty, after he had denied Jesus three times, when he was loaded with so much guilt, that Peter returned back to his old life to fishing.
The Bible tells us in John 21:4- that 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, haven’t 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!”
As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.
Jesus never quits any of us!
While Peter was out there in the lake, Jesus came searching for him. He never quits any of us!
There on the shore, Jesus was waiting for his disciples to come back. Yet they did not recognize Jesus.
Before, Jesus would have rebuked his disciples for their faithfulness, but now, they were far from Jesus. Jesus encouraged them.
Many people begin to drift away from God because of their guilty conscience. When people are far from Jesus, rebuke only drives them farther. When the disciples were far from Jesus, instead of rebuke, He offered them love.
How have you done in your journey with Jesus over 2017?
Are you too far from the shore? Can you still hear the Lord’s voice?
If you have drifted, now is the time to return.
Call out to Jesus for guidance before you are so far from the shore than you lose all sense of spiritual direction.
Jesus is so gracious. In our most broken state, God does not put us off.
Some people are only beside us when life is going great. But Jesus, the Perfect Friend, in our deepest brokenness, comes closer.
When Jesus speaks, listen and follow!
“Have you caught any fish?” Jesus asks. Why did they not see Him? Still, they quickly threw their nets on the other side. There is something about following the words of our Master, about paying attention to the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. When you follow the words of Jesus Christ, when you respond to His words, no matter what brokenness is in your life, you will attract greatness.
Christians fail because we don’t seek His voice during the war of our hearts. [tweet this]
If you pay close attention to the words of the Master, greatness will find you.
It’s okay that your boat is empty. It’s okay that breakthrough has not come. Breakthrough must not be the longing in our hearts. Instead, seek His voice! Tune into the Holy Spirit and seek His Words.
Can you seek His voice and pause every other choice?
Before you reach for others, help, breakthrough, can you seek His voice? Before you freak out about your circumstances, can you search for His voice?
Seek the Lord and His voice. If you can hear what God is saying, all other issues become irrelevant. If you can hear His voice, the cries of the crisis are silenced. If you can pause and seek the Father’s voice, you will be ready to go out and face the world again.
Pursue not the miracles, nor the breakthrough, but the Words of our Master. Breakthrough and miracles will follow.
What we need more than provision, the job, the change in circumstances, what we need is the voice of God speaking to us, His children. We need His voice.
His nearness is our greatness. [tweet this]
God has an opinion over what is happening in your life. If you pay attention to what God is saying, and respond quickly, there lies the power to overcome.
Sometimes, what gets our attention is our failures. Yet God will not respond to our demands, our tantrums, and our emotional pleas.
God responds to a humble heart which reaches to hear His voice. [tweet this]
Pay attention to His voice and respond quickly. His grace is enough!
Jesus, in love, called out to His disciples. God, in mercy, speaks to His children. To hear His voice, to know Him, that is the mercy and grace of being His children. His nearness is our greatness!