“...Simon Peter said unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, ‘We also go with thee.’ They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore; but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said unto them, ‘Children, have ye any meat?’ They answered Him, ‘No.’ And He said unto them, ‘Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.’ They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.” John 21:3-6
Like many Americans, I believe that the most proven way to have monetary wealth is to be an entrepreneur. We have only to look at, Forbes 100 Richest People in America, to find that more than 90% are entrepreneurs or the heirs of entrepreneurs.
The problem is, being an entrepreneur is never easy; it tests the limitations of your beliefs. If you really want to learn who you are and what you truly stand for, create a cash reserve (very important), stop your daily 9-5 (gradually if possible), and become an entrepreneur. Whether you open a store, create a product, work from home online, or are part of one of those multi-level marketing businesses; your stamina, faith, and core beliefs, will be tested.
There will be things you learn about your core beliefs that will shock you. Your core beliefs will be threatened; and, you will be asked to do things for monetary gain that will either test your faith or enhance your lack of faith. You will learn your true feelings about money in relation to God, time, love, and people (family, friends, business associates, etc.) I added love to the list, because it will test the true depths of your deepest relationships. And, if you don’t know God as yet--you will. —All this, and still most entrepreneurs would not trade places with their 9 am-5 pm counterparts.
When we look at the motley crew Jesus selected as His twelve Apostles, He chose very specifically. At least 1/3 of His Apostles were entrepreneurs; fishermen by trade: Peter, Andrew, James, and John, had to rely on the ocean for a living. Like most entrepreneurs relying on the ocean for a living, you must have faith to believe that you will reap a bounty you cannot clearly see in so vast an ocean. The test for most Christian entrepreneurs will be obedience. The kind of obedience found in today’s biblical verse, where Jesus tells Peter and the others to cast their net on the RIGHT side of the boat; even though, they have just spent an entire day and night reaping absolutely nothing from the ocean. Nevertheless, they were obedient. And, as a result of their obedience, they received a net so full of the ocean’s bounty that they had difficulty reeling it in.
So, for the entrepreneurs who are having difficulty extending their limits, it’s time to step up your faith, focus on obedience, and cast your net on the RIGHT side. This way, like Peter, you too will reap an overflowing bounty so full from God, you will have difficulty reeling it in alone. L.
Study Reference: John 21:3-6, Matthew 9:28-29
From: "Christian Entrepreneurs." In The Master's Hands: 365 Daily Devotions For Everyday Living.
Copyright © 2014 by Lavona E. Campbell
photo: Corey Arnold
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