"When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, 'Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch.' Simon answered, 'Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.' When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break." -- Luke 5:4-6

Have you ever fished?  If so, have you ever fished for hours without catching anything?  Most likely, when you fish, you do so for sport.  You might eat the fish you catch, but if you're reading this, you probably aren't depending on your catch for your livelihood and your survival.  I imagine those of you in sales understand the frustration, though.  It's easy to get discouraged after going so long without landing one.  Simon Peter and his companions had been fishing all night.  They were tired.  They were wrapping things up and ready to go home for some much needed rest.  But Jesus says, "one more time... throw them from the other side of the boat this time..."  Had it been anyone else, Simon would have probably said, "do it yourself!"  But because it was Jesus, he complied.  Shocked, they caught more fish than they could imagine.  Next time you get discouraged because you're having trouble meeting your goal, ask yourself these questions:  1)  Is what I'm trying to do aligned with God's will?  2) If Christ were here physically, would he encourage me to keep trying?

If you can answer yes to both, keep going.  Don't give up.  It might be a dry spell now, but if this is what God desires for your life, believe it will come to pass.  You don't want to miss the big catch.  You see, the old cliche' you have to believe to achieve is yet relevant.

Readings:  Numbers 32:1-33:39; Luke 4:31-5:11; Psalm 64:1-10; Proverbs 11:22

"I tell you the truth," he (Jesus) continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown." -- Luke 4:24

This scene always catches my attention when I read it.  Jesus is in Nazareth, his hometown.  People know him.  He's speaking and teaching and in verse 22 Luke writes, "All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips.  'Isn't this Joseph's son?' they asked."  Everything was going so well... until Jesus prophetically tells them what they will ask of him-- that he show them the miracles they've been hearing of him doing in Capernaum.  And then saying that no prophet is accepted in his hometown was not exactly the most crowd-pleasing statement.   In fact, it made them so upset they took Jesus to a cliff in order to throw him off and kill him.  Then he escaped.  What happened here?  How did it go south so quickly?  One minute, they're praising the hometown boy who made good, and the next they want to kill him!  People don't like to be played.  Here it seems that when Jesus revealed he knew the heart of this people, that he was saving everybody some time by not giving them what they wanted, it infuriated them.  A good entertainer knows that you have to keep the audience happy or they'll turn on you in a second.  They were wanting to be entertained.  They were wanting a time of show-and-tell.  But Jesus wasn't their puppet.  He wasn't there to please them.  And the crowd turned.  As he prophetically told them what they would want from him, they prophetically showed him what was to come in his future.  He escaped the crowd this time.  But as we know, that wouldn't always be the case.

Readings:  Numbers 30:1-31:54; Luke 4:1-30; Psalm 63:1-11; Proverbs 11:20-21

"Lowborn men are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie; if weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath." -- Psalm 62:9

The rich, the poor; the strong, the weak; the brilliant, the slow:  all are the same.  The psalmist says weighed on a scale, they are nothing.  It's curious the way we humans have this tendency to judge people and prejudice ourselves toward certain "types".  We put such emphasis on the importance of some people over others.  And here, I'm not referring to individuals who are presidents and world leaders who make decisions that impact millions of people.  I'm speaking generally of groups of people who regard themselves (or who are regarded by others) as better or worse than other groups.  The caste system is alive and well in our world today.  But beware how you treat others.  Do not consider someone with disdain because they have more or less than you do.  Do not place eternal worth on a person based on their temporal acquisitions or achievements.  We come into the world by the grace of God for just a while.  We return to ashes in time.  We all do-- every one of us.  Truth is, we're all in this together.  Let's live together, and work together with that knowledge.

Readings:  Numbers 28:16-29:40; Luke 3:23-38; Psalm 62:1-12; Proverbs 11:18-19

"John answered them all, 'I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.'" -- Luke 3:16

In this scene, baptism had become the mark of belonging to this religious community.  John is a prophet who sees clearly the implications of Christ's coming into the picture... he shares that his baptism with water is nothing compared to what the one who is coming will do... baptize with the Holy Spirit.  As Christians, we are baptized with water to symbolize what has already been done through Christ.  It is still to this day the mark of belonging.  Some believe that you have to be baptized by water to be "saved".  This language is troublesome, because it takes away from the whole point of baptism.  By viewing it as a saving act, don't we take the power of Christ and put it into our own hands?  You see, we don't go to the water to get to the fire, we go to the water because we've already been touched by the fire.  We don't save ourselves; God saves us.

Readings:  Numbers 26:52-28:15; Luke 3:1-22; Psalm 61:1-8; Proverbs 11:16-17

"He who puts up security for another will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to strike hands in pledge is safe." -- Proverbs 11:15

In a world where unpaid debt was handled mafia-style, to cosign on someone's behalf to a loan-shark was dangerous business.  That's true even today.  But the loan-sharks now aren't just the shady ones in the shadows, but they are the ones in every strip mall that are represented by bright signs on their buildings, and slick advertising.  They are the predatory lenders who target the poor and capitalize on their hard times.  They are the ones who are more than happy to loan money to someone who needs it, but at exorbitant interest.  When a family member or close friend is in a bind with a proposition to cosign for a loan like that, it would be better to just give them the money outright.  Be careful not to enable though, and most of all-- don't get caught in someone else's snare.  The writer of the Proverbs repeatedly teaches us that.

Readings:  Numbers 26:1-51; Luke 2:36-52; Psalm 60:1-12; Proverbs 11:15

"For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure." -- Proverbs 11:14

While I'm not a fan of doing everything by committee, the proverb is right in its advice.  When power and control rests with one person alone, they become blind when there is no one to consult in making decisions for a people.  When speaking of a nation, it takes many to represent the variety and diversity that exists across the millions of citizens.  While this proverb was written in times before democracy, it still speaks to the importance of humility on the part of a leader.  The leader must recognize that they don't know everything... that they cannot be the expert on all that the people struggle with... and that they can't be on the front line and a strategist in the war room at the same time.  To be a great leader, one must be open and humble, listening to counsel from all sides.  Then that leader must have the wisdom and discernment to know which path to take from the many choices that come from the multiple advisers.  Leadership is not a solo act.  It requires a circle of trusted friends and colleagues who are willing to engage and to help that leader lead.

Readings:  Numbers 24:1-25:18; Luke 2:1-35; Psalm 59:1-17; Proverbs 11:14

"His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: 'Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.'"-- Luke 1:67-68

The father referred to here is that of John the Baptist.  Zechariah was an elderly priest married to Elizabeth.  Elizabeth was Mary's (mother of Jesus) relative... we assume cousin.  When Gabriel appeared to Zechariah to tell him they would have a baby, he didn't believe it.  As a consequence for not believing what an angel of God told him, he was struck mute.  The verse quoted above were the first words from Zechariah's mouth months later after John was born.  He prophesied that through this birth, God would redeem Israel.  It was this baby, John the Baptist who would later baptize Jesus and pave the way for his ministry to begin.  It was also this baby who would one day meet his death in a senseless beheading.   It's a wonder how God uses people to fulfill his purposes.  Who knows... maybe God is using you to pave the way for someone else who will one day change the world for the better.  If you ever find yourself feeling worthless or useless, trust in God, knowing that through your faithfulness, you are being employed for his work.  You matter.  Believe it!

Readings:  Numbers 22:21-23:30; Luke 1:57-80; Psalm 58:1-11; Proverbs 11:12-13