Are You Coming Up Empty?
"That night they caught nothing." John 21:3 NKJV
When Jesus first called His disciples, He told them, "I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). Yet after hearing Him promise to rise from the dead and actually seeing Him alive, they went back to what they were doing before they met Him - fishing. Now, God will use your past experiences to teach you, but He always leads you forward - never back. When fear and uncertainty make you want to go back to the security of what you know, you end up like the disciples: "That night they caught nothing." But there is good news: If God has called you, you're still called. Notice how Jesus addresses them: "Children, have you any food?" (John 21:5 NKJV). In spite of your lackluster performance, you're still God's redeemed child. Next, He tells them: "'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!'" (vv. 6-7 NIV). Notice what Jesus did next. He ate breakfast with them, renewed fellowship, removed their doubts, and empowered them to change the world. There is an important lesson here. When you work outside God's will, it's like fishing on the wrong side of the boat; you wear yourself out and end up having little to show for your efforts. Are you failing? Maybe it's because you're fishing on the wrong side of the boat! Things will start to work out right when you submit to Christ, renew your fellowship with Him, and allow Him to direct you.
This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word for You Today
When Jesus first called His disciples, He told them, "I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). Yet after hearing Him promise to rise from the dead and actually seeing Him alive, they went back to what they were doing before they met Him - fishing. Now, God will use your past experiences to teach you, but He always leads you forward - never back. When fear and uncertainty make you want to go back to the security of what you know, you end up like the disciples: "That night they caught nothing." But there is good news: If God has called you, you're still called. Notice how Jesus addresses them: "Children, have you any food?" (John 21:5 NKJV). In spite of your lackluster performance, you're still God's redeemed child. Next, He tells them: "'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!'" (vv. 6-7 NIV). Notice what Jesus did next. He ate breakfast with them, renewed fellowship, removed their doubts, and empowered them to change the world. There is an important lesson here. When you work outside God's will, it's like fishing on the wrong side of the boat; you wear yourself out and end up having little to show for your efforts. Are you failing? Maybe it's because you're fishing on the wrong side of the boat! Things will start to work out right when you submit to Christ, renew your fellowship with Him, and allow Him to direct you.
This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word for You Today
Recent
Archive
2026
January
MAKE PRAYER YOUR FIRST PRIORITYBIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (1)BIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (2)BIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (3)LIVING IN THE PROMISED LANDWHEN YOUR MATE STRUGGLES WITH INSECURITYKEEP PERSERVING AND REFUSE TO QUITSHOW YOUR APPRECIAITONCOUNT YOUR BLESSINGSTHE "DOWNSIDE" OF IMMORALITYHAVE YOU BEEN WRONGED? FORGIVE."KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON"BE SENSITIVE TO GOD'S PRESENCEA PRAYER FOR GOD-CONFIDENCELIVE FROM "GLORY TO GLORY"ABOUNDING GRACEPREVAILING PRAYERTHE FIRST BEATTITUDETHE SECOND BEATITUDETHE THIRD BEATITUDETHE FOURTH BEATITUDETHE FIFTH BEATITUDETHE SIXTH BEATITUDETHE SEVENTH BEATITUDETHE EIGHTH BEATITUDEBE CONTENTYOU ARE A STEWARDDEMONSTRATING GOD'S KINGDOM WHERE YOU LIVEAVOID COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERSHE'S LOOKING FOR LABORERSKNOWING AND ENJOYING YOUR INHERITANCE
February
HOW TO CONQUER YOUR JERICHO (1)HOW TO CONQUER YOUR JERICHO (2)HEALING FOR YOUR MINDHUMBLE YOURSELF, AND TRY TO MAKE IT RIGHTYOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCELIVE ON PURPOSE, FOR A PURPOSEHOW TO "RENEW" YOUR MINDFIGHT FOR YOUR MARRIAGETRUE REPENTANCE BRINGS RESTORATION"I HAVE SET THE LORD ALWAYS BEFORE ME"RESPONSIBILITY AND THE "ABILITY TO RESPOND"MEDIATE AND ASSIMILATECLICK THE SAVEBUTTONBE CONFIDENT OF GOD'S LOVE FOR YOUGOD FORGVES AND FORGETS (1)GOD FORGVES AND FORGETS (2)GOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (3)GOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (4)PRAYER IS YOUR CONNECTION TO GODHEALING FOR ANXIETYEXPERIENCING GOD'S PEACETHE CHALLENGES AND REWARDS OF LEADERSHIPSTAY TRUE TO THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORDLEARN TO LISTEN TO GODOVERCOMING ENVYRELY ON GOD, NOT YOURSELFPAID IN FULLTRY FOR RECONCILIATION
March
HAVING A SPIRIT-CONTROLLED TONGUE (1)HAVING A SPIRIT-CONTROLLED TONGUE (2)EMBRACE “THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD”CONFIDANTS, CONSTITUENTS, COMRADESIT CAME TO PASS — NOT STAYLIVE FOR A CAUSE GREaTER THAN YOURSELFFREE FROM GUILT AND CONDEMNATIONPRAYER IS YOUR CONNECTION TO GODJUST PLAY YOUR PARTYOU ARE AN AGENT OF RECONCILIATIONLEARN TO LISTEN TO GODWHEN YOU LONG FOR COMPANIONSHIPTHE WHOLE WORLD MUST HEAR GOD’S WORDWILL YOU HEAR CHRIST, OR THE CRISIS?LIVE LIKE YOU BELIEVE IT (1)LIVE LIKE YOU BELIEVE IT (2)THE WAY UP IS DOWNTHE WORST FAILURE….IS FAILURE TO TRYARE YOU WASHING YOUR NETS?“OVERNIGHT SUCCESS” USUALLY TAKES MANY YEARSYOU HAVE FULL FORGIVENESSKNOW WHO YOU AREHE’S THE GOD OF NEW BEGINNINGSGOD IS “AT WORK IN YOU”OVERCOMING WORKAHOLISMTHE TOUCH OF HIS HANDCHRIST CAN SATISFY YOUR SOULTRY FASTINGGOD’S WORKING IN YOU, WITH YOU, AND THROUGH YOUASK GOD FOR A DREAMTODAY GOD IS “WITH YOU”
Categories
no categories