Fri.’s Devo - Following Jesus

Read: Numbers 32:1-33:39; Luke 4:31-5:11; Psalm 64:1-10; Proverbs 11:22 The tribes of Reuben and Gad were farmers with many animals. The land they had conquered outside the promised land was fertile and perfect for their livestock. They asked Moses if they could have it instead of the lot they would be given in the land. Once they promised Moses they would send their warriors in to conquer the land for their fellow tribes, he agreed to let them have the land they requested. So the tribes of Reuben and Gad rebuilt the towns of the Amorites and renamed them. *** We are given a list of the 37 places they camped at on their through the wilderness for those 40 years. Aaron died at the age of 123 on Mt. Hor. *** In Luke, Jesus taught in Capernaum and the people were amazed that he spoke with authority. When a man possessed by a demon yelled at him, saying he knew he was the Holy One of God, Jesus told him to be quiet. He then told the evil spirit to come out of the man. The demon came out but not before throwing the man to the floor. The people were amazed that evil spirits were afraid of him. *** Jesus went home with Simon and healed his mother-in-law. She was so healed she got up and fixed their dinner. That night many from the village brought their sick and demon possessed to him and Jesus healed and delivered them. They begged Jesus to stay with them but he had to leave to tell others. *** One day, Jesus was preaching on the shores of Galilee. A crowd so large gathered that Jesus got into a boat and preached from their so they could all hear. I call this the first marketplace-evangelism. Jesus took what was used for business (the fishing boat) and made it his platform. *** When he had finished preaching, he told Peter to row out to the deep and cast out his net. Peter told him they had fished all night and found nothing, but he obeyed. When he brought up his net it was full of fish and almost sunk the boat. Peter was immediately struck with the holiness of the moment and who he was with. Jesus was not just some ordinary man, he was the Messiah, the promised one, the Holy One of Israel. John, James, Zebedee were with Peter and they were all amazed. Jesus told them that from now on they would be fishing for men. When they got to the shore, these men left their jobs of fishing and followed Jesus. *** Lord, may we lay down all the things that keep us from following you whole-heartedly. Make us fishers of men.