365 Days in the Gospels and Spirit of Prophecy
February 15
Bible discovery
Matthew 4:18-22 365DGSP 47.1
18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 365DGSP 47.2
19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 365DGSP 47.3
20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 365DGSP 47.4
21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 365DGSP 47.5
22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. 365DGSP 47.6
16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 365DGSP 47.8
17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. 365DGSP 47.9
18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him. 365DGSP 47.10
19 And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. 365DGSP 47.11
20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him. 365DGSP 47.12
1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, 365DGSP 47.14
2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. 365DGSP 47.15
3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. 365DGSP 47.16
4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 365DGSP 47.17
5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. 365DGSP 47.18
6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. 365DGSP 47.19
7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. 365DGSP 47.20
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 365DGSP 47.21
9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: 365DGSP 47.22
10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. 365DGSP 47.23
11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. 365DGSP 47.24
Spirit of Prophecy Reading
The Desire of Ages pp.244-251: 365DGSP 47.25
This chapter is based on Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11. 365DGSP 47.26
Day was breaking over the Sea of Galilee. The disciples, weary with a night of fruitless toil, were still in their fishing boats on the lake. Jesus had come to spend a quiet hour by the waterside. In the early morning He hoped for a little season of rest from the multitude that followed Him day after day. But soon the people began to gather about Him. Their numbers rapidly increased, so that He was pressed upon all sides. Meanwhile the disciples had come to land. In order to escape the pressure of the multitude, Jesus stepped into Peter's boat, and bade him pull out a little from the shore. Here Jesus could be better seen and heard by all, and from the boat He taught the multitude on the beach. 365DGSP 47.27
What a scene was this for angels to contemplate; their glorious Commander, sitting in a fisherman's boat, swayed to and fro by the restless waves, and proclaiming the good news of salvation to the listening throng that were pressing down to the water's edge! He who was the Honored of heaven was declaring the great things of His kingdom in the open air, to the common people. Yet He could have had no more fitting scene for His labors. The lake, the mountains, the spreading fields, the sunlight flooding the earth, all furnished objects to illustrate His lessons and impress them upon the mind. And no lesson of Christ's fell fruitless. Every message from His lips came to some soul as the word of eternal life. 365DGSP 47.28
God takes men as they are, and educates them for His service, if they will yield themselves to Him. The Spirit of God, received into the soul, will quicken all its faculties. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the mind that is devoted unreservedly to God develops harmoniously, and is strengthened to comprehend and fulfill the requirements of God. The weak, vacillating character becomes changed to one of strength and steadfastness. Continual devotion establishes so close a relation between Jesus and His disciple that the Christian becomes like Him in mind and character. Through a connection with Christ he will have clearer and broader views. His discernment will be more penetrative, his judgment better balanced. He who longs to be of service to Christ is so quickened by the life-giving power of the Sun of Righteousness that he is enabled to bear much fruit to the glory of God. 365DGSP 47.29
Men of the highest education in the arts and sciences have learned precious lessons from Christians in humble life who were designated by the world as unlearned. But these obscure disciples had obtained an education in the highest of all schools. They had sat at the feet of Him who spoke as “never man spake.” 365DGSP 47.30