Wash Your Nets !

Wash Your Nets !

     Luke 5:1-11 records an incident in the life of Jesus which occurred on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.  Most people remember this as the time when Jesus’ apostles caught so many fish, that their ships nearly sank.

     There is another, rather incidental, detail in the story.  In verse 2 Luke says that Simon and the others were washing their nets.  What is significant about this?  Simply that they had fished all night long without any success, yet they were getting ready to go back later and try again.

     There is a valuable lesson for us in this.  We sometimes begin some worthwhile endeavor with great zeal and expectation, only to be disappointed at the results obtained.  It is then tempting to just resign ourselves to defeat and give up trying.

     Have you ever tried to talk to someone about the Bible with no success?  Maybe they even resented your intrusion into their life.  Have you, as a Bible class teacher, ever left the classroom thinking you didn’t do much good in there today?  Have you ever laid your head on your pillow at night and thought, “Nothing good I tried to do today worked?”

     If so, you need to remember the lesson of the fishermen.  When you spend all day fishing and wind up with nothing to show for it but dirty nets, the thing to do is wash your nets and get ready to go back tomorrow and try again!

     Yes, that is easier said than done, but we must “not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”  (Gal 6:9)

- Leonard White

Are We Ready For Infanticide ?

     A few years ago, Peter Singer was appointed Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University.  In that position he would shape the thinking of many future leaders in medicine, law, education and business.  Not surprisingly, his appointment was met with shock and protests by those who knew that Singer believes that the notion of the “sanctity of life” ought to be discarded as outdated and unscientific.  For this reason, he not only supports abortion but even advocates infanticide.

     In his textbook, Practical Ethics, Singer says the following:

“The life of a fetus is of no greater value than the life of a non-human animal at a similar level of rationality . . . no fetus is a person, no fetus has the same claim to life as a person.”

“Human babies are not born self-aware . . . they are not persons.  The life of a newborn is of less value than the life of a pig, a dog, or a chimpanzee.  A period of 28 days after birth might be allowed before an infant is accepted as having the same right to live as others.”

     Can you believe that those statements were made by a professor of bioethics in one of our nation’s major universities?  It sounds more like the thinking which led to the atrocities of the Nazi holocaust.

     Are you shocked?  So am I.  Sadly, defenders of abortion fail to realize that their arguments could logically be extended to justify professor Singer’s view concerning the newborn.

     This would have been unthinkable just a few years ago, and it should serve to remind us that the “culture war” is very real.  Satan and those doing his bidding are militant, and they have made great strides in our lifetime.  Wake up, America.  It is “later than you think.”

-  Leonard White

An Interesting Object Lesson

     An elder was concerned about one of the members of his congregation who had been missing worship services for some time, so he decided to pay him a visit and encourage him.

     When he arrived, the man invited him in.  It was wintertime, and the two men sat down in front of the fireplace.  After a few brief pleasantries, the elder walked over to the fireplace, took the poker, and pushed a glowing ember away from the fire and onto the hearth.

     He returned to his chair and the two men watched, as the isolated coal gradually cooled and then died out.  The man smiled and said, “I get your point, and you’re right.  I’ll be there next Sunday.”

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People Who Really Matter

Try this test  –  name:

     3 people who have won the Nobel Prize

     the 5 wealthiest people in the world

     3 winners of the Miss America contest

     5 men who have walked on the moon

     the last 5 vice presidents

How did you do?  Those are all great achievers, but it’s difficult to remember headliners from the past.  The applause dies, fame fades, and achievements are forgotten.

Now here’s another test  –  name:

     5 people you greatly admire for their godly lives

     3 friends who have helped you get through a difficult time

     5 people who have taught you something worthwhile

     5 people you enjoy spending time with

     5 people who have made you feel appreciated and special

Was that one easier?  The people who really matter are not those with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards.  They are people who take an interest in us and do things that enrich our lives.  Consider how you can influence the lives of those around you in that way.

-  Selected

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