The Shore, The Shallows and The Sea by Pastor Dave

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”
Philippians 1: 9-11
 
Key Passages: Luke 5: 1-11 & John 21: 1-14            Cast your nets, where?
 
GOD’S CALL
     On Tuesday (18th April) I laid before you that which the Lord has put on my heart for St. Aidan’s; what are the talents He has given us (Matthew 25: 14-30), and where can they be best used to His glory, the blessing of others and the furthering of His Kingdom (Luke 5: 1-11 & Matthew 13: 1-24). I asked you to all pray about this on an individual and Church basis and we committed to corporate prayer every Wednesday into June.
     On Wednesday (26th April) we had our first Corporate time of prayer AND the Lord spoke. He gave us many encouragements and an essential and clear message to build and pray upon. We considered the call to ‘cast again our nets’ that we find in Luke 5 and John 21. To better understand the following please read those passages. From them, the Lord gave us a direction for further prayer:
The Shore
The Lord Jesus is on the shore seeking fellowship around the fire of the Holy Spirit. He calls His disciples to go out into the shallows and onto the seas. In the boats He directs where the nets should be cast. In simple terms we saw the shore as the Church, the Body of Christ, where the Lord is Head and present. The fire of the Holy Spirit burns and He seeks fellowship 
The Shallows
This is where the Church meets the World and He calls His disciples to step out into the world and make Him know and to welcome others into His Church. We saw that all members have different roles in this ministry and all are essential to welcome others into God’s Kingdom 
The Sea
Biblically the sea, in varying ways, is sometimes likened to the world (that which is not of the Kingdom). We saw Jesus calling us, those with the right gifts, to go out into the world to share the Gospel where the Lord directs. Other boats (other Churches and the Diocese) are there to help bring those that respond back to the shore, into the Body of Christ. Those in the shallows are essential to help in that welcome.
 
     There is a great deal more to this than that which I have shared here but I hope this gives a simple basis to our future prayer; a direction for corporate and individual prayer to hear and respond to God’s Call.
 
Prayer
     Wonderful Father please encourage and direct us in our prayers that we might discern your love and direction. In this, that we may grow in knowledge and depth to produce fruits of righteousness in your name and to your glory. Guide us to understand the shore on which we fellowship with you, the shallows in which we witness to the world and the sea in which we cast the Good News of Jesus Christ. All to your glory and in your name. Amen
 
Questions to Ponder in Prayer

• Where do you see yourself; on the shore, in the shallows and/or on the sea?
• What talents do you and St. Aidan’s have for each location?
• How can these talents be used?
• What other boats are on the sea for us to work with?
• Where should our boats sail and where should they cast their nets?

 
Praise
Send me – Jenn Johnson Featuring Chris Quilala