podcast: simon gets [another] lesson in fishing

 

Photography/Art ©️ Pasturescott

Simon Peter may have been a pro at fishing but he still had a lot to learn about discipleship. (Don’t we all?)

Let’s talk about that today on the Pasture’s Podcast.


I don’t know when I’ve had more fun doing a podcast. That’s actually saying something, too, because I love every podcast I’m part of.

Joy is what I felt. It seemed as if the pleasure of the Father was streaming back-and-forth between John and myself as we conversed about gospel truth, living faith, and, yes, fishing…Simon Peter style.
 

Luke 5:1-8
On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret,and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”


 
I hope you’ll tune in and get a sense of what I’m talking about. For me, you can’t beat a dialogue that seems to be carried on the easy winds of divine grace. It’s effortless and oh so inspiring!
 
My friend and mentor, John Brown, joins me for a new edition of the Pasture’s Podcast, and we’ll swap thoughts and insights on not settling for less than the life our Lord is making available to us.
 
As we were talking I couldn’t help but think of the quote from C.S. Lewis,
 

It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us; like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.

 
So, with that, let’s go to an ancient Sea and learn how we might trade in our half-hearted lives for Another Life where greater things happen in the deep end of the ocean.

Alzheimer’s of the Soul (Podcast #27)

image

Running Time: 14m, 17s

Psalms 78:9-11
The Ephraimites, armed with the bow,
turned back on the day of battle.
They did not keep God’s covenant,
but refused to walk according to his law.
They forgot his works
and the wonders that he had shown them.


“I married my bride 33 years ago. I suppose if we married on August 20, 1983 and never cohabitated, never communicated, never contemplated each other in the ensuing years, in time, we’d forget each other as much as a human being can forget another…

“…Pick a spiritual discipline – any discipline at all – and through ignorance, neglect and emotionless connection you’ll discover emptiness, joylessness, lovelessness, and solitude of the soul…”

Today on the Pasture’s Podcast.

Save

A Psalm That Calms

image

Welcome to Podcast #26!

 

“Psalm 23 teaches us to embrace the immensity of the adventure that takes us home. David has been there. He knows. He’s learned the twists and pitfalls, the sunny trails and the dangerous cliff edges. He knows where the forks are and the spacious green fields. He’s painted us a picture in this stanza. He’s set a table in the wilderness for us and invited us to hear his adventures by a roaring campfire…

“I’m not home yet. But I’m closer than I was 35 years ago when my dad read me this psalm that calmed my terror-stricken heart back then. Wild dogs were snarling at me from that dark valley of death but goodness and mercy were there all along, leading me home.

Every mile, every trial,
every cross, every loss,
Every step, every stop,
All has been mercy and grace.

Through every danger, toil, and snare
Mercy and grace has followed close beside, nipping at my heels.“


I could as easily have called this message “Dad and Me and Psalm 23” because the two are so intimately entwined in my life. You’ll see why.

What you’ll hear today is from a recent sermon I shared with the wonderful people of West Huntsville Baptist Church* back in late May. I pray it’s a blessing and encouragement to you…and that the calming grace of our Shepherd God will lay a blanket over your soul.

As always, thank you for listening – and by all means, please share this podcast episode with others who might need the Lord’s comfort as well.


* I absolutely LOVE these people! My wife and I had our very first date on their campus wayyyy back in 1982 – just 4 months after my life-altering, life-bettering ‘accident’ (go to the “My Story” page)! Then youth pastor Pastor Scott (whose wife’s name is also Sandra) invited me to share my very new-to-me story at their fellowship’s Valentine Banquet, so I took my future sweetheart along for the occasion. Scott has been one of my life’s most important encouragers. So, what you’ll hear today is us being with our faith family of three decades…