MATTHEW AND MARK

It's Friday and it's been a wonderful week.  God has blessed beyond what we deserve, far beyond.  Last night, my car saw 30 pray to receive Christ as their Savior and place their trust in Him for Salvation.  I know there were many others out sharing the Gospel and so many, many more were saved.  It was a lovely evening and many people were outside.  This weekend, we start our Youth Revival for 6th-12th graders, and most will be public school teens.  We are hoping for several hundred by Wednesday evening.  It starts on Monday and goes through Wednesday.  Pray with me please that God touches the hearts of many, many teenagers.  It is our hope for reaching this next generation.  Today, I'm finishing up Matthew and getting into Mark.  So many great truths and blessings as one reads the Gospel.  It is like Jesus speaking to you Himself.  What a joy!  Here is a thought or two: 1) LET US MINISTER TO JESUS - In Matthew 25:40, it tells us how to minister to Jesus.  It says: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."  As we serve the least of Christ's brethren, we are serving Jesus Christ!  Wow!  Now, who would be one of the least?  A new Christian?  Yes, certainly they would apply.  They are called babes in Christ.  How about Children?  Yes, again that would fit.  You see, as we serve (work with) new Christians, and children, we are working with the least in the kingdom and we are serving Jesus Christ by doing so.  Let everyone of us look at ministering to others and not to be ministered to.  This is our goal in life. 2) FISHERS OF MEN- In Mark 1:17, Jesus says: "Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men."  Jesus is the master "fisher of men", and He tells us that IF we will follow Him, we too will become fishers of men.  I am not a great fisher of fish, but I know that the best way to catch fish is to go with someone who is a great fisherman!  They know where the fish are, they know what the fish are biting, they know the depth the fish are at, the snags in the bottom that fish nest in.  They know when the fish are moving, when they are staying, when they are nesting, when they will be biting.  The time of day, the weather, the temperature, the season, the rise and fall of the water; great fishermen know these things because to them, fishing is an art.  Well, we are to be fishers of men.  God wants us to catch some big ones for Christ.  I've caught many hundred pounders, and two hundred pounders and I've even caught several that would go over 300 pounds and more for Christ!  I've got the same bait... the gospel, but I have many different presentations of it that may appeal to this age group over that one, this person over that person, this situation over that situation.  I've caught thousands and thousands.  How is your fishing?  It may be you just need to go with some who catches fish and you can see how to do it yourself.  Remember, Jesus did not send them out fishing for men.... He had them follow him and observe and THEN they became fishers of men.  You do the same!  Find someone to go with that will teach you to catch some fish for Jesus.  Well, have a blessed day.  Pastor Mike Mutchler