<TITLE>13. Par 50-52</TITLE>L-50 Now, the same God that lives then, lived then, lived on. He does the same thing. It's His same nature. God does work in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.
I want to read the Scripture is just now, Saint Luke 5:
And it came to pass, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood the--the lake of Gennesaret,
And saw two ships standing by the lake: for the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
And he entered into the one ship, one of the ships, which was Simon's... (I got ink marked over that, and then it was almost marked out; it's one of my favorite texts.)... which was Simon, and he prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.
Wouldn't you have liked to have been there to heard that? Been wonderful.
Now when he had left off speaking, when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for the draught.
And Simon answered and said unto him, Master, we toiled all night, and taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
And when he had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and the net brake.
And they beckoned to their partners, which were in the other ship, that they would come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
Then Simon Peter saw it... (Or pardon!) When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, and they were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
And when they had brought their--when they had brought their ships to the land, they forsook all, and followed him.

L-51 This is the words I will leave with you. Look at those fishermen, just a minute. Look at them, toiled all night, through the lake. They were fishermen; they knowed the change of the moon. They knowed the time of waters, and they had seined all night, commercial fishermen, and had taken nothing. What a discouraging time. Got out and washing their nets, setting down on the bank.
Let's drama this a minute. Look coming yonder. I see a young Man in His thirties, come walking down the bank. I imagine He looked a little older, because He said, His ministry was so strenuous on Him. Comes walking down the bank, two or three men walking with Him. And I can look way back up on the river along there at the...?... fishermen comes along there, they say, "There is that Prophet of Galilee; let's go down and see what He will say." They gathered up to the bank. I look, laying, setting on a log up there, and there's Simon and them, washed their nets, discouraged. They pressed upon Him to hear the Word of God.

L-52 He said, "Can I use your boat just a moment?" He just got in the boat; they pushed out a little bit. Then after He got through speaking, said, "Come here, Simon, and you all." God never borrows nothing from you, unless He pays you for it. Is that right?
He said, "Come here. Now, thrust out into the deep, and let down to take a whole draught of fish."
Now, Simon said, "Now, Lord, we've seined through these waters all night. We haven't taken a fish. We've caught nothing. We know. We're fishermen. We know this sea. We was raised here. Our fathers was raised here. And we've taken nothing from it. And there's just no fish in that water." Oh, my. "But nevertheless, at Thy word, I will let down the net." There you are.


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