This topic is for Christians Please, thanks. The following is based on a sermon recently preached by my awesome pastor. The message convicted me on many levels and I hope it blesses someone .

---

Matthew 4:18-20
18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

Matthew 28:18-20
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Before ascending into heaven, Jesus charged us His followers with the Great Commission - to go out, fish for men and make disciples out of them. We are fishers of men but what kind of fisherman are you? Imagine a bright sunny day at the waterfront....

The Accidental Fisherman
He sits reclined on a beach chair with a sun hat over his face as he snoozes with his feet in the sand. He has an unattended fishing pole parked in the water over at the docks. At the end of the day he will walk over to it (if he remembers) and check to see if he caught any fish. Depending on the type & size (of the fish) and distance to his car, he may simply decide its too much trouble to take home and simply throw it back in the water.

The Casual Fisherman
He is bit more purposeful about his fishing. He sits with his fishing pole at the docks and attaches bait to his hook. He is reading a book but will turn to the pole should he feel a tug and reel in the catch. Re-attach more bait to the hook, let down the line into the water and return to his book. At the end of the day he may go home with a couple of fish.

The Recreational Fisherman
This fella takes his fishing more seriously. He is not on the docks, he has a small boat with which he goes out on the water. He has several sophisticated fishing poles of different sizes & brands, each for catching different kinds of fishes and they are mounted on his vessel and has buckets-full of different kinds of bait he uses to attract his prey. He typically catches tens of fish everyday.

The Commercial Fisherman
Now this man is a true artisan at the craft of fishing, a dedicated professional. He owns a large, high powered commercial fishing vessel equipped with all kinds of fishing gear & tools from hooks to trawls, to nets to harpoons. He is dressed in boots, gloves and water-proof gear as he works his traps efficiently. He even recruits & hires several extra skilled hands to work his boat. He has mastered the craft of fishing for very large quantities of varieties of fish and constantly looks for ways to improve his methods. He is the gold standard and reels in thousands and thousands of different kinds of fish everyday.

So Christian, what kind of fisherman are you?

A commercial xtian. Thanks alot

Ermmmm, Ermmmmm #Raising my hand to answer the kweshion ma.

That is an interesting classification, sis. I can relate to that. I think that the normal for the Christian is the commercial fisherman. Any other condition is an anomaly.

Like I mentioned in an old thread, the Christian is a 'diplomatic' effort of Heaven's. Heaven is meaningless and a vacant concept except as it is interpreted in and through the Christian. However, this diplomatic effort is both deliberate and instinctive. In other words, there is a something of the Recreational Fisherman and perhaps the Casual Fisherman in the Commercial Fisherman. This is the meaning of "in season and out of season". It's not only in elaborate church or other religious activities that we pass on Heaven's message. It's in our day-to-day living, mistakes and all, that Christ shines forth.

To further elucidate this, there is a mentality that we witness to Christ only when we are absolutely innocent of all failure of every kind. Now while it is indeed true that the power of Christ is manifested by the liberation of a man formerly caught in some moral failure, it is also true that it is manifest in the survival of a terrible failure by the same man. The Christian is a story God is telling to both angels and men. It is a story of resilience, of constant resurrection, of power in great weakness, of triumph when defeat appears total and irreversible. As long as the Lord is free in a Christian to tell this story im fullness, Heaven's purposes will be accomplished.

GOOD QUESTION. DONT QUITE KNOW WHICH ONE I AM

Goshen360: Ermmmm, Ermmmmm #Raising my hand to answer the kweshion ma.

Lol, answer now, you dey fear? lol.

delkuf: A commercial xtian. Thanks alot

wow...good for you dude!

To be totally honest, I am squarely in the Casual Fisherman category - much to my shame I don't go out of my way very often and that is sad.

Ihedinobi: That is an interesting classification, sis. I can relate to that. I think that the normal for the Christian is the commercial fisherman. Any other condition is an anomaly.

Like I mentioned in an old thread, the Christian is a 'diplomatic' effort of Heaven's. Heaven is meaningless and a vacant concept except as it is interpreted in and through the Christian. However, this diplomatic effort is both deliberate and instinctive. In other words, there is a something of the Recreational Fisherman and perhaps the Casual Fisherman in the Commercial Fisherman. This is the meaning of "in season and out of season". It's not only in elaborate church or other religious activities that we pass on Heaven's message. It's in our day-to-day living, mistakes and all, that Christ shines forth.

The bolded is simply exquisite and right on the money. It should really be second nature to the christian. Mine has mostly been simply focusing on the "day-to-day living" as you put it - but I had neglected to go out the commercial vessel as well.

To further elucidate this, there is a mentality that we witness to Christ only when we are absolutely innocent of all failure of every kind.

Indeed... or we would never witness at all! lol.

Now while it is indeed true that the power of Christ is manifested by the liberation of a man formerly caught in some moral failure, it is also true that it is manifest in the survival of a terrible failure by the same man. The Christian is a story God is telling to both angels and men. It is a story of resilience, of constant resurrection, of power in great weakness, of triumph when defeat appears total and irreversible. As long as the Lord is free in a Christian to tell this story im fullness, Heaven's purposes will be accomplished.

Word! I love the way you express brother, very rich in substance - definitely a God-given gift. Stir and apply often sir, very often .

Accidental and Casual fisherman. Lord help me to be a better fisherman. I suppose the commercial are the jet riding pastors abi dem no fall under any of the aforementioned categories?

JeSoul:

This topic is for Christians Please, thanks.

The following is based on a sermon recently preached by my awesome pastor.

The message convicted me on many levels and I hope it blesses someone .

---

Matthew 4:18-20
18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

Matthew 28:18-20
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Before ascending into heaven, Jesus charged us His followers with the Great Commission - to go out, fish for men and make disciples out of them. We are fishers of men but what kind of fisherman are you? Imagine a bright sunny day at the waterfront....

The Accidental Fisherman
He sits reclined on a beach chair with a sun hat over his face as he snoozes with his feet in the sand. He has an unattended fishing pole parked in the water over at the docks. At the end of the day he will walk over to it (if he remembers) and check to see if he caught any fish. Depending on the type & size (of the fish) and distance to his car, he may simply decide its too much trouble to take home and simply throw it back in the water.

The Casual Fisherman
He is bit more purposeful about his fishing. He sits with his fishing pole at the docks and attaches bait to his hook. He is reading a book but will turn to the pole should he feel a tug and reel in the catch. Re-attach more bait to the hook, let down the line into the water and return to his book. At the end of the day he may go home with a couple of fish.

The Recreational Fisherman
This fella takes his fishing more seriously. He is not on the docks, he has a small boat with which he goes out on the water. He has several sophisticated fishing poles of different sizes & brands, each for catching different kinds of fishes and they are mounted on his vessel and has buckets-full of different kinds of bait he uses to attract his prey. He typically catches tens of fish everyday.

The Commercial Fisherman
Now this man is a true artisan at the craft of fishing, a dedicated professional. He owns a large, high powered commercial fishing vessel equipped with all kinds of fishing gear & tools from hooks to trawls, to nets to harpoons. He is dressed in boots, gloves and water-proof gear as he works his traps efficiently. He even recruits & hires several extra skilled hands to work his boat. He has mastered the craft of fishing for very large quantities of varieties of fish and constantly looks for ways to improve his methods. He is the gold standard and reels in thousands and thousands of different kinds of fish everyday.

So Christian, what kind of fisherman are you?

TV01:

Why are people meandering around this topic?

Giving people like the OP and others leave to continually promulgate this error.

Will someone not simply spell it out?

Preach the gospel if you will, but what's with these protracted discussions?

Nansense!

@TV01

What is the gospel eh?

Isn't it about acceptance or love?

Is it not that God loves or accepts the gay, the lesbian etc but hates or rejects the perversion?

Isn't that the good news to the gay, the lesbian etc which we preached in preceded or earlier postings?

We are called to be fishers of men and that is no accidental of choice of words

God knows that it isn't easy catching a fish talkless fishes

It requires patience, stillness, perseverance, long hours, good baiting, good rod with adequate reeling line, preparedness, catching net, concentration etc

One doesn't skin fishes alive except for that it's dead

Shout from rooftops, the good news that God loves or accepts the gay, the lesbian etc

and they should come to the LORD just the way they are,

however also inform that God hates or rejects the perversion or abnormal sex lifestyle which they NEED or have to be DEAD to, in order to remain loved or accepted by Him and be in His good & perfect will.

https://www.nairaland.com/1197395/biblical-interpretations-homosexuality/1#14440533

Paschal007: Accidental and Casual fisherman. Lord help me to be a better fisherman. I suppose the commercial are the jet riding pastors abi dem no fall under any of the aforementioned categories?

A capital NO to that! Those ones are not fishermen, they are astronauts . A regular everyday mog such as you and myself can absolutely be commercial - what matters is the deliberate concerted effort you put into it.

---

moredendisc:



@TV01

What is the gospel eh?

Isn't it about acceptance or love?

Is it not that God loves or accepts the gay, the lesbian etc but hates or rejects the perversion?

Isn't that the good news to the gay, the lesbian etc which we preached in preceded or earlier postings?

We are called to be fishers of men and that is no accidental of choice of words

God knows that it isn't easy catching a fish talkless fishes

It requires patience, stillness, perseverance, long hours, good baiting, good rod with adequate reeling line, preparedness, catching net, concentration etc

One doesn't skin fishes alive except for that it's dead

Shout from rooftops, the good news that God loves or accepts the gay, the lesbian etc

and they should come to the LORD just the way they are,

however also inform that God hates or rejects the perversion or abnormal sex lifestyle which they NEED or have to be DEAD to, in order to remain loved or accepted by Him and be in His good & perfect will.

https://www.nairaland.com/1197395/biblical-interpretations-homosexuality/1#14440533

Hehe...right on topic... uhm which kind are you again?

Yeah, about what type I am, I honestly don't know. My whole life is a testament. And my attitude toward bringing others to the knowledge of the Lord is just to relate with them. It's been quite a while since I mounted a preaching campaign. I tend to get in the water instead and swim with the fishes.

I live consciously under the Hand of the Lord, with my fears, worries and hopes and aspirations open before Him. I think the best way to describe how I feel about me is to point to David or Paul. Not that I'm anywhere near their position with the Lord, but that they are bright examples I model after. They were free with the Lord and utterly devoted to Him. They were not bound by convention, but they weren't rebels either. They were not afraid toake mistakes because they knew the Lord's ability to keep His Own but they didn't go looking for mistakes to make either. To put it simply, they loved the Lord and all of His. They never tried to do anything out of obligation, at least as far as I can tell. Their whole life was a fishing trip for the Lord. That's who I am ecen if very imperfectly.

tbh, I don't think I even measure up to the Accidental Fisherman ..Lord help me.

But when we bait fish, they call us names. If we catch fish, they take on self-appointed ministries of poisoning the fish, why?

Dear Lord, give us the wisdom not to take a fish hook made for tilapia to go catch hammerhead shark. Amen

@JeSoul, I used to be a "Recreational Fisherman" but now....I need prayers.

Ihedinobi: Yeah, about what type I am, I honestly don't know. My whole life is a testament. And my attitude toward bringing others to the knowledge of the Lord is just to relate with them. It's been quite a while since I mounted a preaching campaign. I tend to get in the water instead and swim with the fishes.

I live consciously under the Hand of the Lord, with my fears, worries and hopes and aspirations open before Him. I think the best way to describe how I feel about me is to point to David or Paul. Not that I'm anywhere near their position with the Lord, but that they are bright examples I model after. They were free with the Lord and utterly devoted to Him. They were not bound by convention, but they weren't rebels either. They were not afraid toake mistakes because they knew the Lord's ability to keep His Own but they didn't go looking for mistakes to make either. To put it simply, they loved the Lord and all of His. They never tried to do anything out of obligation, at least as far as I can tell. Their whole life was a fishing trip for the Lord. That's who I am ecen if very imperfectly.

Very well put sir. I like the part in bold very much because I think that is the very example that Jesus set before us. He mingled freely with all kinds of fish - reeling in many into His fold. I also nod along on the part where you said you simply "relate" with people and leave the rest to God. That has been my strategy for the most part but I'm also realizing I need to go out of my way and 'comfort zone' much more often. I'm more on the private, quiet side so I tend to employ the "mind my own business" mindset often and even "church" activities self I no dey do lol. That is not good enough for a true "fisher of men" - I don't think...

---

Image123: But when we bait fish, they call us names. If we catch fish, they take on self-appointed ministries of poisoning the fish, why?

Matt 5:11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

As to the why? surely hell is not going to give up its treasured assets without a fight. We must remain focused on who we are really warring against.

SNCOQ3: Dear Lord, give us the wisdom not to take a fish hook made for tilapia to go catch hammerhead shark . Amen

LOL oh mehn...this quote/prayer is loaded with truth!!!! we can have a whole thread on just that concept of using wrong methods to attract the wrong prey.

@JeSoul, I used to be a "Recreational Fisherman" but now....I need prayers.

We all need prayers oh my brother, we all do.

JeSoul: Very well put sir. I like the part in bold very much because I think that is the very example that Jesus set before us. He mingled freely with all kinds of fish - reeling in many into His fold. I also nod along on the part where you said you simply "relate" with people and leave the rest to God. That has been my strategy for the most part but I'm also realizing I need to go out of my way and 'comfort zone' much more often. I'm more on the private, quiet side so I tend to employ the "mind my own business" mindset often and even "church" activities self I no dey do lol. That is not good enough for a true "fisher of men" - I don't think...

Yes, sis. That's why there's the deliberate side. I'll explain a little. I was born into the family six years ago and almost immediately I began to be trained. In fact, by the next year I was sitting in a very hot oven and it stayed that way for the next four years or so with small periods of reprieve. It was all so that God could have unlimited access to my career in order to use it as ministry for His hungry kids and the yet-missing ones.

Now the work I have been given to do is just mundane and ordinary, like any other job or career, but the difference is that it is an anointed effort to bring Christ through to those who need Him. I should have dropped the ball when I ran into a bad pocket of turbulence that lasted from November till some time this week or so, but I was held, the love of Christ constrained me and today, the road opened up again.

For some of us, deliberate ministry seems to mean picking up a Bible and talking Scripture and there's nothing wrong with that. But with the Lord, it goes well further. He wants to be aable to touch His wearu world through the hands of the Christian mechanic, the Christian writer, the Christian businessman, the Christian engineer, the Christian doctor etc. The Word is preached ecen without words and many times more effectively so.

Furthermore, understanding of the times is imperative for the Christian. We live in days that, as the Scriptures prophesied, men are hard of hearing and do not care to be told the truth even with their great thirst for erudite speech. Thesr days more than ever, men need to be shown the truth more than told it. So, deliberate ministry is actually consciously giving into the Hands of the Lord the workings of your life so that out of it He can make broken bread and poured out wine for the hungry and the thirsty, comfort for the weary and sad, strength for the cast down.

My current project is a deliberate effort to take earth to heaven, to bring to bear the Will of Heaven upon earth. And like you said, our defeated enemy is never in an accommodating mood for such enterprise, so he will fight back and seek tp destroy such moves. He did fight in my case and I was held up these four months. Bur thw beautiful thing is, "this is the victory that overcomes the world: even our faith." So I wasn't put out of action and now, I even rise again with all the power of Heaven behind me.

It's a fight, but we've already won.

am a fish

An Otuoke Fisherman with lots of Goodluck!

Learning

this came up cos of popes fisher man ring

yuzedo: An Otuoke Fisherman with lots of Goodluck!

Jeez! i was about typing that!

I'm Noah. I don't need to fish.

All the meats and fishes come to me. I'm that good.

Na wa o...message don finish 4 bible

You and your pastor need to do a thorough self assessment. Why are your black race and Nigeria people so poor? Your conquerors - Lord Lugard, Queen Victoria, the British army etc, were they not reading the bible? You are really smarter them and the Jews who are not christians? Is your land mentioned in your Bible? Don't you realize you are the freaking fish that the Arabs and Whites have hooked with a religion they don't even practice? You sound like a domesticated pet, fishing while your sisters are in Italy paddling ass and your average life expectancy is 55 years.

dedons: Na wa o...message don finish 4 bible

Message dey inside Bible b4?

I no be fisherman but if ever I wanna be, I go like to be jonathan's kind of fisherman.
I like dt aspect of fishery die!!!

JeSoul: This topic is for Christians Please, thanks. The following is based on a sermon recently preached by my awesome pastor. The message convicted me on many levels and I hope it blesses someone .

---

Matthew 4:18-20
18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

Matthew 28:18-20
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Before ascending into heaven, Jesus charged us His followers with the Great Commission - to go out, fish for men and make disciples out of them. We are fishers of men but what kind of fisherman are you? Imagine a bright sunny day at the waterfront....

The Accidental Fisherman
He sits reclined on a beach chair with a sun hat over his face as he snoozes with his feet in the sand. He has an unattended fishing pole parked in the water over at the docks. At the end of the day he will walk over to it (if he remembers) and check to see if he caught any fish. Depending on the type & size (of the fish) and distance to his car, he may simply decide its too much trouble to take home and simply throw it back in the water.

The Casual Fisherman
He is bit more purposeful about his fishing. He sits with his fishing pole at the docks and attaches bait to his hook. He is reading a book but will turn to the pole should he feel a tug and reel in the catch. Re-attach more bait to the hook, let down the line into the water and return to his book. At the end of the day he may go home with a couple of fish.

The Recreational Fisherman
This fella takes his fishing more seriously. He is not on the docks, he has a small boat with which he goes out on the water. He has several sophisticated fishing poles of different sizes & brands, each for catching different kinds of fishes and they are mounted on his vessel and has buckets-full of different kinds of bait he uses to attract his prey. He typically catches tens of fish everyday.

The Commercial Fisherman
Now this man is a true artisan at the craft of fishing, a dedicated professional. He owns a large, high powered commercial fishing vessel equipped with all kinds of fishing gear & tools from hooks to trawls, to nets to harpoons. He is dressed in boots, gloves and water-proof gear as he works his traps efficiently. He even recruits & hires several extra skilled hands to work his boat. He has mastered the craft of fishing for very large quantities of varieties of fish and constantly looks for ways to improve his methods. He is the gold standard and reels in thousands and thousands of different kinds of fish everyday.

So Christian, what kind of fisherman are you?

Jamb comprehension passage indeed!!!

Don't ask me, and don't ask google. Ask Retardeen Jonathan. Maybe he's a CAN fisherman. My guess!