PETER, I CAN BE A WITNESS PART 9 of 10

TEXT- LUKE 5:1-11

THIS MORNING IS OUR THEME DAY WHEN WE EMPHASIZE OUR CHURCH THEME AND GOALS.

IN TODAY'S BULLETIN YOU WILL FIND SOME INFORMATION REGARDING THE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE THIS YEAR IN ACHIEVING THE GOALS THAT WE ESTABLISHED FOR OURSELVES AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR.

I MIGHT ALSO SAY THAT THIS MORNING OUR DEACONS, TRUSTEES AND PASTORS WILL BE MEETING TOGETHER TO DISCUSS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OUR 1994 CHURCH THEME AND GOALS.

THIS YEAR OUR CHURCH THEME HAS BEEN, "THE CAN DO CHURCH" AND OUR THEME VERSE IS PHILIPPIANS 4:13 WHICH SAYS, "I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH HIM WHO STRENGTHENS ME."

THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR YOU HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED TO FIND THINGS YOU CAN DO TO SERVE THE LORD AS WELL AS IMPROVE YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE.

WE HAVE SEEN THROUGH NOAH HOW WE CAN BE GODLY IN A WICKED WORLD.

WE HAVE SEEN THROUGH ABRAHAM HOW WE CAN BE FAITHFUL DURING TIMES OF SEVER TRIALS.

WE HAVE SEEN THROUGH MOSES HOW WE CAN LEAD WITHOUT OFFERING EXCUSES.

WE HAVE SEEN THROUGH SAMSON HOW WE CAN BE STRONG IN SPITE OF OUR WEAKNESSES.

WE HAVE SEEN THROUGH DAVID HOW WE CAN BE VICTORIOUS OVER THE GIANTS WE FACE.

WE HAVE SEEN THROUGH DANIEL HOW WE CAN PRAY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

THIS MORNING THE TITLE OF MY MESSAGE IS, "I CAN BE A WITNESS" AND OUR TEXT IS FOUND IN LUKE 5:1-11.

IN THIS PASSAGE WE FIND JESUS CALLING OUT HIS FIRST DISCIPLES.

WHEN WE EXAMINE WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE JESUS CALLED WE FIND THAT THEY WERE COMMON FISHERMEN BY TRADE.

IN MANY WAYS, FISHING FOR FISH AND WITNESSING TO PEOPLE ARE VERY SIMILAR.

A MAN AND HIS FAMILY WENT ON A FISHING VACATION TOGETHER AND RETURNED HOME. A NEIGHBOR SAW THEM ARRIVE AND ASKED THE MAN IF THEY HAD CAUGHT ANY FISH. THE MAN PULLED OUT A PICTURE SHOWING ALL THE FISH THEY CAUGHT. "MY DAUGHTER CAUGHT THE BIGGEST FISH ON OUR VACATION," SAID THE MAN. "WHAT KIND WAS IT?" ASKED THE NEIGHBOR. "A TWENTY-FOUR YEAR OLD YOUNG MAN!" REPLIED THE FATHER.

AS WE STUDY OUR TEXT TODAY I WOULD LIKE US TO NOTICE THREE WAYS TO BE AN EFFECTIVE WITNESS FOR GOD.