“I will make you fishers of men.” - Matthew 4:19
I don't like the winter weather. I'm not a fan of the cold days and frigid nights. I'd prefer to avoid the icy, snowy roads. I don't enjoy cleaning snow from the porch and cars. I don't get excited to hear of a massive snow storm coming my way. I yearn for spring time. I long for warmer days. I want to see the sunshine dominate the day.
In Genesis 8:22, the Bible says, “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” Yes, winter is part of God's plan for us. While we may enjoy the warm weather, we are expected to live and thrive … even in the winter months.
At church, we are tempted to think that we are in survival mode during the winter months. We don't expect God to do great things when snow is falling. We don't think revival is possible when the temperature falls below 32-degrees. We schedule revivals for the other seasons, not winter. We plan special church events during the warmer months, not during these cold months.
For a serious fisherman, the weather is not a deterrent. In fact, in some of the northern states, fishermen will go fishing out on a frozen pond. They will put up down a chair or perhaps a tent, cut through the solid ice and put a fishing line into the water. It is called ice fishing. Yes, fish are caught in this environment.
Spiritually, we need to be ice fishing. Yes, these are cold months, but spiritually, we are living in a cold world. Most people are cold and indifferent to the Gospel. Some are even hostile to Christianity. We tend to get an icy reception from people with cold hearts. Yet we are still called to fish for men. We are called to do some ice fishing.
Personally, I'd rather wait till spring weather to fish, but there are many reasons to fish, even in these icy times.
First of all, we need to go ice fishing because the Lord has called us to fish. We are not told to only fish in the good times. We are to fish all the times. We should obey God regardless of the circumstances. Good weather or bad weather. During snow or sunshine. Yes, fish on the warm days. But also go ice fishing during the cold days. Regardless of the cold nature of our society, keep fishing. The Gospel is unpopular, but it is needed now more than ever.
Secondly, we need to go ice fishing because of the plight of the unsaved. Death does not wait for good weather. Many will perish during these cold months. I head the true story of a preacher who tried to win his father to Jesus. His father finally promised that he'd get saved and baptized when spring would come. Unfortunately, he died that winter. We can't wait for good weather. Souls need Jesus today. Don't wait for the Gospel to become popular or trendy, be faithful and fish the icy pond that God has placed you near.
Also, we need to go ice fishing because of the power of the Gospel. The Gospel is just as powerful in February as it is in July. The Gospel is just as powerful on a cold day as a warm day. Charles Spurgeon was converted on a cold, snowy day. The weather was so bad that the pastor did not come. A deacon stood and brought a message & Spurgeon was converted. Spurgeon would go on to become a great pastor in London. Perhaps someone reading this message can testify that you were converted in the middle of winter. God's grace is just as available in the winter as it is in the spring. God still saves souls. He is not a fair-weather Savior. Spiritually, we are living in a frigid winter. The world hates the Lord and us. Yet this is the exact situation that requires ice fishing.
Next, our passion to see souls saved should not diminish simply because the winter weather is here. Do you seriously long to see people saved … only in the warm weather? I am thrilled to hear of a conversion at any time. Our passion should be just as real in these winter months as other months. Who knows, you may be one conversation away from leading someone to Jesus … right now!
Finally, God has provided all we need to fish for men. Ice fishing may not be popular, but it still can be effective. We have the Holy Spirit, the Bible, and the local church. These provisions are available right now, not just in the popular warm seasons. He has provided us open doors. Sometimes they will come during a phone conversation. At other times, they will come in person, perhaps at work, the store or the gas pump.
Yes, our society is cold about spiritual matters. Many will give an icy response to our message. The first century was a spiritually cold time, too, yet the early church passionately spread the Gospel. They were successful at ice fishing!
Life does not stop when winter weather arrives. Evangelism should not stop because the spiritual thermostat of this world is near a record low temperature.
Grab your fishing pole and let's go ice fishing!
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