I’m a young man, so that implies I haven’t lived so long on earth yet to have a lot of experiences to explain to people what serious business is; this fact for me is what I won’t buy, I’d rather stick with the truth and not the fact. The truth for me is that I’ve gathered a lot of experience to teach people what serious business is. And that is what I intend to explain to you all today.
There’s a story, I love reading that helps to strengthen my Spirit man; I don’t know about you, but Luke 5:1-11 is where the story is; and of course it really happened. Just a quick one; hard work without the direction of the Holy Spirit is like a blind man crossing a fast moving, extremely busy ten lane highway alone; just to let you know that.
Now back to my story, Peter the fisherman (before he became a disciple), is a professional at his job, so it is logical that anyone whom he would listen to ought to be someone who job is related to marine life. He had toiled all night with his team in search of fish but couldn’t find any. And here comes Jesus (who is known as a “carpenter”) in the morning seeing Peter and saying to him, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” [Luke 5:4] Really Jesus sounded silly because what does he think the fishermen had been doing? Playing? But really I believe there was a conviction from the Holy Spirit for Peter not to get angry and listen to him as he said, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing: nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” [Luke 5:5]
You see, this is how people miss their blessing; Peter most likely would have seen Jesus perform miracles, which would have been the reason why he gave him preference. Jesus asked Peter to let down [his] nets, but Peter let down the net. Peter had a great catch to the point where his net started to break and his boat started to sink. It was then Peter said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” [Luke 5:8]. Peter later followed Jesus when He called him to be a fisher of men. Well, this is where my topic begins with the decision Peter made; he left all and followed Jesus.
So, what do you think I consider serious business? The decision Peter made is what I call serious business; he left all to follow Jesus. Jesus is our sustainer and the one we work for, but how serious is this business? Jesus said in Matthew 16:24-25, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]. For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake will find it [that is, life with Me for all eternity]” AMP.
To follow Jesus is a very serious business, it is not something that you just delve in and delve out; you must be ready to take persecution from people. Peter made up his mind when he took the decision to follow him. However, to follow and remain with Christ is not something of your physical ability but spiritual. An example again is Peter, when Jesus told His disciples that they would all flee when He gets arrested. Peter bragged that even if all would flee at Christ’s arrest, he won’t flee; even as Jesus told him that he would deny Him, he still bragged that even if it meant dying with Him He would die with Jesus. But you all know what happened, as Peter denied Jesus three times [ref. Matthew 26:31-35; 26:69-75; Mark 14:27-31; 14:66-72; Luke 22:31-34; 22:54-62; John 18:15-18, 25-27].
To follow Christ is of the Spirit and not of the flesh; it is the Holy Spirit that keeps us going on strong, strong in the business we have been called. Peter again and John in Acts 4 was arrested by the captain of the temple and the Sadducees and they had to face the Sanhedrin. They were full of boldness and wisdom, this is because the Holy Spirit had come to abide in them, who gave them courage.
Following Christ is the ultimate business, this is why Jesus calls it the great commission; we are to understand how serious being a Believer is; it is not a casual thing like to fulfill all righteousness or to complete a list, IT IS SERIOUS BUSINESS! And we need to live the life.
Why not accept Jesus today if you haven’t. Pray out loud, “Jesus, I confess that You are my Lord and Saviour. I believe in my heart that God raised You from the dead. By faith in Your Word, I receive salvation now. Thank You for saving me!” Congratulations, you’re born again, you are now brand new!
Log on next time.
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GOD BLESS YOU.
Unless otherwise stated, the following scriptures are gotten from New King James Version (NKJV)
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