The Well

In a very great test of faith, Abraham is called to give up Isaac and trust God’s power to restore him. God does so by providing a sacrifice in his place. Here on the mount we are given a picture of what God will do to keep and fulfil his covenant—he will give his own Son to be the sacrifice and the substitution.

You are not guaranteed a single second more on Earth than the ones you have already been given. There are plenty of people who got out of bed one morning without knowing that they wouldn’t be ending their day on this side of eternity. Pastor Jeff doesn’t want you to waste the time you have on this Earth, which is why he quotes the book of Galatians to remind you that you should take every opportunity to do good on the Earth. You never know which good deed will be your last in this world.

Evangelism is a God-given calling every Christian must answer in obedience. In this message, Pastor Greg Laurie shares principles of a good "fisherman."

Notes:

Luke 5
 
There are right and wrong ways to go fishing.
And there are also wrong ways to share our faith.
 
The problem today isn’t that Christians are sharing the gospel the wrong way.
It’s that 8/10 Christians never share the gospel in any way.
 
Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel.”
  
Do you want to know how to share the gospel effectively? Do you want to go fishing for men?
 
Read Luke 5:1–10
 
This is a story of how a miracle of Jesus touched the lives of three men,
Peter, James, and John.
 
This terrific trio accompanied Jesus on many occasions.
They were there at the transfiguration.
They were there when Jesus raised Jairus’s daughter.
They were there during His agony in Gethsemane.
 
Were they afforded these privileges because they were better than the others?
 
Maybe Jesus was essentially saying, “I need to keep my eye on you, boys.”
 
Peter’s misstatements were legendary.
 
There were never three men who had less promise or natural ability.
Yet they became three of the greatest missionary preachers in church history.
 
Luke 5:3 (NLT)
Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So He sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.
 
John 1:42 (NLT)
Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, "Your name is Simon, son of John--but you will be called Cephas" (which means "Peter").
 
Jesus looks at Simon and sees what he will become.
 
There was another time Jesus looked at Peter.
It was after Peter’s denial of Jesus.
That was a look of understanding.
 
It appears that Peter, James, and John had a spiritual lapse of sorts.
Or perhaps they were just unsure of what it meant to follow Jesus.
 
Peter, James, and John did not realize the potential Jesus had for them.
 
Jesus was making them into powerful spiritual leaders who would touch their world.
They had the privilege of writing the very scripture we hold in our hands.
 
Have you sensed God’s call on your life to do a certain thing and then not done it?
 
When Jonah ultimately stepped up to the plate, a national revival happened in the wicked city of Nineveh.
 
Not to respond to God’s call on your life can be an actual sin.
It is a sin of omission.
 
Luke 5:4 (NLT)
"Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish."
 
Luke 5:5 (NLT)
"Master," Simon replied, "we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing."
 
Fishing at this time was back-breaking work because it involved laying out a great net in a semi-circle. It encompassed over 100 feet. Then it had to be drawn in hand over hand.
 
Luke 5:5 (NLT)
"Master," Simon replied, "we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing. But if you say so, I'll let the nets down again."
 
Peter used an interesting term for Jesus when he called Him, “Master.”
It was a nautical term, "Captain of this boat."
 
Peter let down the net instead of the nets.
The result was that the net started breaking.
 
This was supernatural, and these fishermen all knew it.
 
Jesus gave Peter fish because that is what Peter understood.
 
It’s amazing how Jesus can reach the academic and the uneducated,
the certified genius and the little child.
 
Augustine lived for drinking, partying, and rampant immorality.
 
Weeping, Augustine heard the voice of a child repeating, “Take and read.”
Augustine saw this as God entering his world.
 
This is a reminder that no one is beyond the reach of God.
 
Peter is overwhelmed with gratitude and guilt as Jesus gives him a great

Anne shares from Hebrews 11.

Philosophy is one of the vehicles that mankind has built in an effort to understand reality on its own terms. Countless people have turned to philosophy to round out their own worldviews and attempt to fill the God-sized hole in their hearts. But when you realize that all of mankind’s wisdom is eclipsed by the glory of God, you don’t need to listen to those dead men and their thoughts about the world anymore. Pastor Jeff reminds you that you have a direct line of communication the Creator of the universe.

With forty years in the TV business and from personal experience, David Murrow understands the negative effects from overuse of screens. He discusses positive and negative uses of various media and offers great practical advice for you as a parent as you guide your children and manage screens in your home. Then every life matters—and every child is a gift from God. When Mauricio and Christin Rosa learned their preborn son had a life-threatening diagnosis, they faced choices no parent ever wants to face. Yet, through fear and uncertainty, they chose to trust God and to choose life. Their story is one of courage, faith, and the unshakable belief that every life has purpose and value.

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Saving Nate

Wondering Whether to Abort a Child Diagnosed With a Fatal Medical Problem

If you enjoyed listening to Focus on the Family Weekend, please give us your feedback.

On January 21, Harvest Riverside hosted the first stop of TPUSA Faith's Make Heaven Crowded Tour, a gospel-centered gathering calling people to repentance, faith, and bold obedience to Jesus. 

Listen in to Pastor Greg Laurie's full speech, where he encourages Christians to remember the urgent calling of evangelism and invites nonbelievers to receive Jesus Christ.

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Become a Harvest Partner today and join us in knowing God and making Him known through media and large-scale evangelism, our mission of over 30 years.

Explore more resources from Pastor Greg Laurie, including daily devotionals and blogs, designed to answer your spiritual questions and equip you to walk closely with Christ.

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