Lessons From A Laptop Resurrection Part 3

He Makes All Things New!

"When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. (Luke 5:4 -7)

***Peter and the casting of the nets, the calling of Jesus' first disciples; such a strong story and testimony in the bible.  We must have faith that when the Lord asks us to do something, even when we feel as though we have done it a hundred times with same outcome, we must trust that because He says so...we must!  Knowing that He is doing a new thing!***

So the weeks went on, my birthday past and the blessing was imminent.  Not quite enough to get a new laptop, but it was a start and certainly a blessing.  

But once the money was in my account...God started pressing through His spirit for me to give it all, every last penny, to the church.

You can imagine my inner struggle, "But Lord, I need it to do your work!  This money is such a blessing, why would I just give it all away?"

But God reminded me that every blessing from Him should be given it back to Him and while that doesn't always me to give it all.  This time it did.

So I did.

I gave the money, all of it, to the church and that was that.  I was just going to have to trust and believe that God had another plan to give me the laptop that I needed.

**This was huge lesson in faith and giving for me, and while I want to say that it is the point of this message, it's not.  But let me not discard what God wants to point out here.

There are times in our lives when God will give us a blessing.  One that we feel like is an exact answer to prayer, and then ask us to immediately give it all back.  Let me tell you from experience....just DO IT!

That evening while I was brushing my teeth and thinking with the Lord about everything that had transpired over the past 6 weeks, I heard a still small voice say something that at the time I thought was crazy.

"Remember the laptop, your laptop, the one that was spilled on, disconnected and broken apart and is sitting in the corner of your bedroom?  Go and plug it and turn it on."

I laughed...

"Seriously Lord, why would I do that?  It is dead. I've tried it before, it didn't work.  It's not going to turn on!"

But than my spirit stirred and I heard my self saying, "because you say so Lord, I will."

So I walked in to my room, picked up the laptop (back still off), and plugged it in.  The light turned green, so I took a deep breath (trying not to get my hopes up) and pressed the "ON" button.

And here it is...

It turned on!  

I kid you not...it turned on.  I stood there with excited anticipation and fear as I watched the screen start to load.

"Don't get your hopes up now, just because it turned on, doesn't mean it will stay on."

But the log in screen came up and I slowly typed in my password, pressed enter and watched as the screen came to life.

My heart leaped...and I quickly backed up all my files!  But here is the even more amazing part.  My laptop is now running stronger and faster than it ever has.  It is like new!  And all I have to say to that is, Glory to God the overseer of all things!  He is worthy of praise!

Now it is easy to look at all of this and say that the point is: Give all you have to God and He will give it back to you!

And while that statement is true and certainly apparent through this message, it is not the point.

So what is the point?  

The point is that so many of us have been spilled on, disconnected, broken apart, and discarded and all it takes is one person to follow the ushering of the spirit to plug us in so that God can turn us on!

That's it!  We all have someone in our life.  The person we just can't seem to get through to. The family member, friend, or neighbor that we just feel there is no more hope for.  The person we have tried to invite to church, many times. The person who may have even come to church, many times, but just doesn't turn on.  They are connected, but the light doesn't turn green.

They just don't turn on.

We all have someone, and unfortunately to often we give up on these people in our lives. We discard them and move on to someone new.

But the truth is, many of us have been plugged in, with the power button pushed, and we didn't come on either. Why? Because it wasn't God's time. When we try to do things in our own time, take control; try to make things happen; nothing happens. We must learn to except, wait, listen and receive whatever it is that God is trying to teach us during our time of waiting, so that when the time comes to follow His voice, we will know it. And when God's power does enter us and turn us on, will have a better understanding of what the power really should be used for.

But don't miss this point either.  

In that moment when you hear God's spirit ushering you to go back to that person you have discarded as "useless", or "hopeless", and plug them back in again,(even if it sounds crazy) you're answer must be, "because you say so, I will!"

Wait on the Spirit of the Lord to lead you.  And while you wait ask Him what He can teach you during that time of waiting on your friend, family member, or neighbor.

Remember your own journey with God.  What did you have to see before God's light turned on in you?

Ask yourself: what do I need to learn from this journey witnessing to my friend? What do I need to see as I am sharing my testimony with my neighbor?  What do I need to learn during this time of waiting for my family member? When they look at me, do they see Jesus?  Am I trusting God to save them in His time?  Or am I trying to save them in my time?

It is not our job to save people; that job belongs to the Lord.  But we can love people and tell them about Jesus, knowing and trusting that in doing just that; He WILL save them.

So when God says to you:

"Invite them to church, bible study, or a worship concert one more time"
"Tell them about my love for them one more time"
"Pray for them one more time"

You must say:

"Lord, because you say so, I will.."

And watch as the fish begin to appear, the nets begin to break and the blessing is far more than you could have ever hoped or imagined.

Watch as the light turns on and God redeems them, making them like new; brighter, faster, stronger and more powerful than they were before.

Because when it is in God's time; His Glory will shine through and they will have learned for themselves what the power of Jesus really can and will do through them and in them!

Amen!