Gone Fishing

I started this blog almost a year ago. According to my blog stats, I get over 1200+ page views per month and have over 250+ regular readers. My July 2009 blog titled The Mystery of The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved had a record high 437 page views in a day. Some of the readers are family and friends but many of the readers are those in CyberWorld that I do not know. Guess what? I love you all.

Ok, what is love and who should we love? Christ said we should love everyone, including those who hate us.

• Luke 6:32: "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them."
  
• Luke 6:27: "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you."

And as a Christian, you will be tested because you will be hated and misunderstood. Christ warned us:

• Matthew 10:22: "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved."

And God will test you, He chastises every son he loves:

• Hebrews 12:6: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."

Back to the concept of what love is. Is love doing good things for people? Yes, that is a part of it but listen to what Christ says:

• Luke 6:33: "And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that."
  

The Ultimate Form of Love

So what is the ultimate form of love? Can we all agree that if you truly love someone, you would want the best and greatest thing for that person? Yes?

Well, the ultimate form of love is when you desire the best and greatest thing for that person. That is: Heaven and Eternal Life.

• Matthew 13:44: "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."
  

It is undeniable. It is love in the highest degree. Heaven and Eternal Life are forever. And just like the song says, "Forever is a mighty long time."

And this is why I started this blog: Out of love. A love for you and a love for God. I am a sinner just everybody else but God loves me just as he loves you. God gives each one of us certain talents and one of mine is writing. I have authored one book: Masten Gregory: Totally Fearless. It got a movie option from James Chressanthis and it helped get Gregory into some motorsports Halls of Fame. I could spend my free time writing another book for its monetary reward. But I have all that I need and have the most important thing that brings true happiness: Christ's love and forgiveness.

So I choose to use my talents and some of my free time in helping build Christ's Kingdom on earth by writing these blogs. I don't know if my blogs have made a difference in anyone's life. I get a few e-mails of encouragement from time to time. But if my blogs help one person and get them on the path of God... if they help save one soul, then it is worth any money I could get from putting my talent and time into some other selfish pursuit.

I took Christ literally when he said:

Mark 1:17:

"Come, follow me,"

"and I will make you fishers of men."

You can't be a fisher of men any other way than following Christ. As Christians, we need to be IN the world, not OF the world, and it is our moral obligation to point other lost souls towards the light--not to confirm them in a life of darkness.

• James 5:19-20: Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

And so we all need to go fishing, being fishers of mankind. Christ tells us why:

• Matthew 13:47-50: "Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

When the nets get pulled up someday in the future, don't you desire yourself and those you love to be good fish that don't get thrown away?

That is the ultimate form of love, when you desire the best and greatest thing for that person. To be with Christ someday, the greatest example and source of love we have ever known.

• 1 John 3:16: This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

So go fishing instead of just a wishin'. Because in the end, you and those you love will be one of two things: a good fish or a bad fish. A winner or a loser.

A new song I love. Click HERE

Peace be with you,

© Michael J. Cox