Choose to Intercede
“But when some became hardened and would not believe, slandering the Way in front of the crowed, he withdrew from them…” Acts 19:9 csb
In my 22+ years as a Christian, I have met people from all over the world. Each person comes with their own worldview, spiritual understanding (or lack thereof), and personal philosophies. I have found that when I share my testimony of how the Lord found me and express my desire for them to believe in Christ, many simply refuse. They flat-out reject it. This can be discouraging—especially when it’s your own family—because you know that what you have found is exactly what they need!
Throughout the book of Acts, the Apostle Paul ministered to people all over the Roman Empire, seeking to persuade them to surrender their lives to Christ. One group he consistently reached out to was his own countrymen, the Israelites. While many did convert and give their hearts to Jesus, many others did not. In the passage above, we see that some Jews in Ephesus not only refused to believe but became callous—more hardened in their opposition to the Gospel—to the point of slandering it! When Paul witnessed this, he didn’t argue, insult, or retaliate. Instead, he chose to leave. He refused to remain where Jesus’ name was being blasphemed.
That is a hard decision to make—when someone rejects the Gospel you share, and worse, when they ridicule the name of the Lord because of your testimony. The reality is that not everyone will believe. As Isaiah 53:1 says, “Who has believed what we have heard?” It is sad and frustrating, but when someone chooses not to believe, we must let them be. The best thing we can do is pray for them. In the Gospels, we see many instances of people coming to Jesus on behalf of others—consider the friends who lowered their paralyzed friend through the roof just to get him in front of Jesus (Luke 5:17).
We can bring others to the Lord in prayer because there are areas of the heart too deep to be reached by words. But the Holy Spirit can access those hidden places and bring conviction. So, we gently depart—but we continue to pray. This is called intercession. Be an intercessor for those who have “become hardened and would not believe.” Put them in the hands of the Lord and watch what He may do.
Agape, Frank
To The Right!
“Cast the net on the right side of the boat,” he told them, “and you’ll find some.” So they did, and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish. John 21:6 csb
My little brother is left-handed, the only one in our family like that. I remember as a child trying to switch from using my right hand to my left, just to see if I could write as well with my left hand. It didn’t take long to discover—I’m not ambidextrous! Using my left hand felt unnatural and awkward. And I’m not alone in feeling that way; only about 10% of the population are left-handed.
After Jesus’ resurrection, He spent time revealing Himself to people across Israel. Peter and the other disciples, who were fishermen by trade, went back to their boats. They didn’t know what else to do, so they returned to what was familiar—fishing. It was their comfort zone, something they knew well. But as the text tells us, despite fishing all night, they caught nothing.
Then, Jesus appeared on the shore and told them to cast their nets again—this time on the right side of the boat.
Now, I can’t say for certain, but it’s likely Peter and the others were right-handed. As fishermen, they were probably used to throwing the nets over the left side of the boat, using their stronger right hand to toss them into the water. Jesus’ instruction to cast the nets on the right side would have forced them to use their left hands—a motion that was probably uncomfortable and unnatural for them.
Jesus was preparing to commission His disciples to go into the world, and His commands often challenge what feels natural to us. Loving our enemies, forgiving those who hurt us, and surrendering control to Him are just a few examples of how His ways are contrary to our flesh.
Jesus never wasted a teaching moment. I believe He used this experience to show the disciples—and us—that serving Him will often take us out of our comfort zones. It won’t always make sense, and it won’t always feel easy. But when we trust and obey, just like the disciples who caught an overwhelming number of fish, we too will experience blessings beyond measure.
Agape, Frank