This is the first of 6 Bible Studies that Dr. Joe Taylor, pastor of Southern Oaks Church, Kerrville, Texas asked me to do. For those of you who don't know me, I have just retired after 55 years of dentistry. During that time, God has richly blessed me with insights into His wonderful Word. Digging into It and uncovering His hidden treasures has been the keynote of my life since a dramatic, life-changing encounter with God in 1968.
For those of you who do know me, thank you for your love and encouragement to me and for forgiving me through many failures, foibles and falls.
This message comes from a life of sharing the goodness and glory of God presented to us as a tiny helpless baby, Who lived a perfect and sinless life for 33 years, irrefutably confirming His claim to be God's only begotten Son - A God Who comes looking for us in the dung heap of life and loves us as He finds us ... forgives us, washes us in His incorruptible blood, and destines us for a glorious eternity with His Father and extended Family ... a God Who redeemed us with the highest price ever paid, with the only commodity capable of such purchasing power ... His Own Divine blood.
So, Jesus said, "Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men." And as I have "fished" now these 7 decades (I was a lost fish my first decade, 1941-1950) I have witnessed the Master Fisherman at work, presenting His irresistible bait, the goodness of God. Watching Him work from numerous pulpits, mission trips, prison ministries, and personal encounters, I have realized how perfect His "fishing" metaphor is.
Thus it seems logical to present this Bible study from the perspective of a life-long fisherman.
I pray you will enjoy this humble word, and be enriched in you Spirit and Soul ... that you will meditate on the Scriptures included ...
And mostly I pray that in that Glorious day of His coming, you have a big stringer of "fish" to show in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, and thus wear the Soul Winner's Crown mentioned in I Thessalonians 2:19-20 "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy."
God bless you,
Robby Carpenter