February 1/2, 2011 Calling The Disciples.

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

FOLKS, IF GOING OUT, PLEASE BE CAREFUL, NOTHING STOPS ON THIS ICE!! Four wheel drive vehicles go better than others, BUT DO NOT STOP BETTER! If you must go, GO SLOW! Really slow.

Good Morning, my dear brothers and sisters, and yes, I did miss yesterday. Plowed and salted most of the day. Then stopped at the food store and was blessed again. No one picked up the bread that was to be given away and they gave it to Carry The Light Ministries food pantry. And this Friday we are on the schedule to get the bread again, thanks to Grant and Wanda, who work so hard with our ministry. Our bread freezers were getting very low. ALL HONOR AND GLORY TO GOD.

Well, today is Ground Hog day and I think it is funny. People getting together to really have a big party to see if a groundhog can tell you what God is going to do with the weather. Why not just watch the sky? Red skies at night, a good day coming, Red skies in the morning, take warning for a storm is coming. Why yes, the sailors used it, but God gave it to us and it is in the Bible and I will look it up for tomorrow.

Today is Wednesday, and that means Salvation Wednesday on this line, and the day we pray that God uses all of us who are saved to get the news out, the good news, and get people to come to Jesus to be saved. Again, I want to remind you that we cannot save a soul, that is the work of Jesus, but we sure can get the folks to Him, and that, folks, is our job, our work for Jesus.

Communion online this coming Friday!!

The Big Trip 8-2 Calling the Disciples 2: Luke 4:19 - "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him. (NIV)

And now there were four disciples, and Jesus called on more and more and the Bible tells us that number grew to 72 (Luke 10). From those Jesus picked twelve to be the Apostles.

Luke 6:12 - One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, who He also designated apostles. Simon (whom He named Peter, his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. (NIV)

So now we have our twelve disciple/apostles, apostles meaning "one sent with a special commission". This from my footnotes in my NIV study Bible. Now let's talk about all of us again. Are we not, as I was reminded by Checker Cab brother, brother Bob, that we are indeed disciple/apostles? So going by the footnote that being an apostle is one sent with a special commission, what is our special commission? One of the special commissions is the same for all of us, we are to take the Good News to all creation. But our special commissions go much deeper than that, for while we are all to take the Good News to all creation, we do it differently. Some spread the word of the Good News by helping others, maybe by being a nurse, or doctor and going on mission trips or even talking up Jesus in their own offices. Others sing the Good News, some preach it, and folks, please do not overlook those wonderful, wonderful Sunday School teachers. Not everyone has the rich baritone voice of Tim Beitzel, who can sing the word, not everyone has that wonderful high tenor voice of Duane Nicolson, nor the song writing talent and lead singing voice of Neil Enloe, or the voice of his singing, preaching and the talent to make you laugh as Neil's brother Phil Enloe, and while not everyone has those talents, we all have something we can do for God. Not everyone has done the mission work of Doug Boyer or the love of their church flock as pastors Kevin Brown and Larry Hale and while I could mention so many more, I mention these folks because it was with them that I have learned to love Jesus more and more. But most of all, I have learned to look beyond them and look into the face of Jesus and into His word found in the Bible, I have learned that above all others and all else including my dear wife, I have placed Jesus. Folks, what is your mission for the Lord? He wants you to be a disciple, an Apostle, one with a special mission to do, a special commission to work for Him. A special detail, or way of getting out that GOOD NEWS. I really want you to pray about it, maybe your commission is to just talk to the crew at your work place and yes, you might get told you cannot talk about Jesus, but if you really want to work for Him, you will indeed, after much prayer, find a way. Hear me on this one, listen to me now. One of the very best ways to teach people about Jesus must start by the way you live and the way you carry yourself. You must let the light of Jesus shine in you so others can see Jesus in you. More tomorrow on working for Jesus and getting out the word... Pray about it now. What is your job as that disciple, that apostle, the job beside just telling the Good News, but how to tell it? Let's pray about it.

On this Salvation Wednesday, Lord, we pray for our assignments as one of your apostles, one of your disciples and one with that special commission. Before we go one step farther I ask that You forgive sins today, forgive me of mine and others who are asking as they go over this message. Point things out in their hearts and in my heart. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Now go forth sharing your blessings, sharing the Good News of Jesus our Lord and Savior who died for us. And folks, I love you very much and now please say a few words for me as I head out in the glare ice to spread some salt... Love ya, Pastor Dan.