John 21:15-17, “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.”
What a statement? Jesus asked Peter, “Lovest thou me more than these?” I
watched a film titled, The Gospel of John, based upon the corrupt
NIV, in which they portray Jesus asking Peter if he loved Him more than the
other disciples. That's not what the Bible says, nor what Jesus meant. Jesus
was talking about the fish. Jesus asked Peter if he loved fishing more than
Christ?
After Jesus had risen from the dead and appeared unto His disciples, Peter decided to go fishing. John 21:3: “Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.” The disciples caught NOTHIN. Many people choose a career over serving God; but you will find as did the Apostles did, that living for this temporal life always amounts to NOTHING. It was Jesus, when they saw Him upon the shore, Who told them to cast their net into the sea on the right side of the ship, and they caught 153 fish (so many that the Bible says they couldn't pull in the net). This does not teach that God will make anyone wealthy; but it does teach us that God will supply all of our needs in Christ Jesus. What a beautiful truth. This also evidences what Jesus was referring to when He asked Peter, “Lovest thou me more than these?” Jesus was referring to the 153 fish which they had caught.
This Scripture has a very powerful and practical application for every Christian believer's life. What is it in your life that consumes your time? What is that favorite sport, hobby, or activity that you commit your life, resources, and time to? So many people today live for cars, boats, homes, and other earthly investments. I know people who live for a musical instrument. It is their entire life. One man called his Las Vegas guitar playing, “My Ministry.” Yeah right! How can playing a guitar be a ministry when you never share the Gospel with lost sinners? That's NOT a ministry. What a sad testimony to spend one's life wowing audience after audience with a musical instrument, but never sharing the Gospel with anyone.
If you believe that the Bible is God's inspired Words, then you know that there is a literal place in eternity called Hell, where all Christ-rejecters who die in their sins (John 8:24) go to suffer for ever. That thought should frighten and compel every believer to serve God day and night. Yet, I know so many people who live for things, for nothing. Think about all the shallow things people spend their lives doing. One man showed me a boat that he built in a bottle. It was marvellous; but the man wasn't a Christian and didn't care about getting saved. The greatest things in life are not things. As Christian believers, we have an obligation to fetch souls for Christ; that's what soul-winning is... bringing lost sinners to Jesus, just as the Samaritan woman ran and brought all her friends and family to Jesus to be saved.
Many people live for a secular career, trying to work their way up the company ladder. Most people sit in front of the TV, and that is their idol which controls their life. Everything they think comes from television. They are too lazy to read or study, and any interest in the Bible is shallow and sporadic at best. If they do buy a book, it is some brainwashing New World Order religious propaganda by Rick Warren, Max Lucado, Joel Osteen, or Joyce Meyer (the four stooges). Although these authors make many helpful and good points as far as psychology is concerned, they totally leave people in the dark concerning spiritual truths that truly matter. Any unsaved hellbound Catholic could pick up their lame New York Times Best-Seller books and not be offended in the least.
There's a very good reason WHY these heretics and sinister ministers get their books into the top seller lists:
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Because they're promoting ecumenical unity between different religions. Ecumenism is setting aside doctrinal differences and sharing the common belief that God is love, and we should just trust Jesus, case closed. Every demonic cult in America would agree with that logic. Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses teach to trust Jesus. It's all lame trickery and deception. Ninety-nine percent of everything being preached from America's pulpits today is secular psychology mingled with bits and pieces of Scriptures to confuse the listener.
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Because these authors are all committed to the New World Order. Every one of the authors I've mentioned (and there are a bunch more) have sold their souls to work evil in the sight of the Lord. They will do anything to stay rich. They got rich serving the Devil's New World Order agenda (which in part is a one-world religion), and they'll stay rich continuing down the same road. Their job is to bring the different religious faith together, including non-believers. This is why Joyce Meyer's website actually promotes how non-believers can enjoy life without God.
The Bible foretold that these wicked times of apostasy would come. We are no doubt living in the End Times. The wickedness upon the earth is too woeful, as it was in the days of Noah before the flood, 2nd Timothy 4:3, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” 2nd Timothy 4:3 is synonymous with the New York Times Best-Seller list.
Some people live to watch sports on TV, spending all their time and money on sports. Many people live for booze and partying. All they want to do is party, go to Las Vegas to have fun, wine and dine, and live like there's no God, no Hell, no Heaven, and the Bible is only for religious people. You are gravely mistaken friend. You are squandering your life away.
“The clock of life is
wound but once, and no man has the power,
to tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour;
To lose one's wealth is sad indeed, to lose one's health is more,
to lose your soul is such a loss, that no one can restore.”
This life will soon be over. All of the signs of Christ's coming have been met. There's nothing remaining that needs to be fulfilled. By all indicators, the return of the Lord Jesus Christ could be at any time. The entire world is looking for something big, and it's coming friend. When I do not know, and neither does anyone else here on earth. Personally, I believe that the Lord will return very soon, but I cannot say for certain. The Bible plainly teaches that NO MAN knoweth the time of the Lord's return. However, the Bible does give us enough information to clearly evidence that we are living toward the end of time as we know it.
Jesus asked Peter, “Lovest thou me more than these?” Do you think God doesn't mind if singers like Faith Hill, Taylor Swift, Amy Grant, Katy Perry, Sandi Patti, and other female so-called Christian singers never share the Gospel with their fans? I think God does mind, a lot. What about Mercy Me, Newsboys, Michael W. Smith, TobyMac, and other so-called Christian male singers? Are they exempt from sharing the Gospel with the lost? If a celebrity has influence over millions of fans (people), but never takes the opportunity to warn any of them about the coming judgment, wrath of God, and damnation in Hell forever; I know God will hold them accountable. I know He will, because the Bible says so in Ezekiel 33:8, “...if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.” 2nd Corinthians 5:11 says, “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men...” And in 1st Corinthians 9:16, “...yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” It is apostasy and wickedness for any profess Christian to diminish, brush-off, and excuse them self from the duty of winning souls to Jesus Christ.
“Too long I've laid
me down to sleep, and prayed the Lord my soul to keep.
I should awake before I die, and realize time is passing by;
And rise and go and tell the lost, despite my plans despite the cost.
Too long I've laid me down to sleep, while multitudes about me weep;
And other cries of dark despair, for no one ever seems to care.
My life is short, and soon I'll stand, with sinner's bloods upon my hand;
Unless I wake before I die, and realize time is passing me by.”
Time is running out. We must redeem the time the Bible says. Please read this article, because it is a powerful and practical truth that will help you maintain a proper perspective about life, good and bad. Read this incredible passage of Scripture...
"But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away. But I would have you without carefulness." —1st Corinthians 7:29-32
God is telling us to look at the BIG PICTURE. If we do this all the time, then the smaller trifle things that take up most people's times, and drive them into depression and even suicide, won't matter anymore. The Bible says if you have wealth, live as though you didn't. So many people live for a marriage, a career, wealth, their kids, a hobby, and so forth; but time is running out. God says if you weep, don't let it overwhelm you because this life is only temporal and winning souls to Christ is all that matters. If you rejoice, great; but winning souls is what really matters. God wants us to STAY FOCUSED on eternity. That's what this Scripture passage means.
Jesus asked Peter if he loved fish more than Him...
John 21:15-17, “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs....He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”
Peter finally figured it out and realized that Jesus wanted him to live for OTHERS by mentoring them in the Lord. Living for others means nothing if the name of Jesus is not lifted high and the Gospel preached regularly for all to hear. I've known many believers to get excited for a short time, and then become as cold as can be toward the things of Jesus Christ soon thereafter (Philippians 2:21). Luke 8:14, “And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.”
Most professed Christian believers have been choked by the cares, riches, and pleasures of this world. They talk a good talk, but they do nothing for God. Making money means more to them than anything else. They honor God with their mouth, but their heart is far from God (Matthew 15:8). It is a matter of faith my friend. How much faith do you have?
Most people these days offer God a sycophantic type of phony praise, trying to impress God, waving their hands in the air with their eyes closed to some religious Rock music; but they couldn't care less about winning souls to Jesus Christ because their sorry rascal for a pastor is apostate and hasn't taught them about winning souls.
I'm not trying to be unkind; but most people today are selfish, and that includes all of us. We have to purpose in our heart daily to get out of the self life, or we'll just end up choked by the cares, riches, and pleasures of this life (Luke 8:14-15). It is a matter of priorities. Jesus asked Peter, “Lovest thou me more than these?” Winning souls to Jesus Christ ought to be our highest priority.
King Agrippa told the Apostle Paul in Acts 26:28, “...ALMOST thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” Unfortunately, “almost” is not acceptable to God.
Here we see what it means to try to win a soul to Christ. Paul was presenting the Gospel, i.e., the good news of Jesus Christ crucified and risen for our sins. When we go soul-winning, we are persuading a person to come to Christ for salvation. God wants every believer to persuade people. 2nd Corinthians 5:11 says, “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, WE PERSUADE MEN...”
Biblical Evidence of Eternal Punishment
In youth I'm too happy to think, I've got plenty of time left.
In manhood I'm too busy to think, I'm trying to make a lot of money.
In the prime of life I'm too anxious to think, worry has taken over.
When I start getting old, I'm too old to think—life's wasted, heart's got harder.
Dying in bed—I'm too sick to think, I'm weak and suffering.
Death is too late to think—time's over and opportunity is lost.
In eternity—forever to think, I'm in Hell now with no mercy, and lost forever.
