One, Two, Step | Mornings with Mico

today we are reporting live from my bedroom deck my boys at JCCC told me that they told me to make that clear next time next time my hop on here man it was a yeah like no I'm not at a studio I'm I'm at my kitchen table that's that's not a studio that's really that's really my kitchen table when I'm on my deck this is is really my deck I'm really at the crib just choppin it up with y'all but that's it we're reporting live from the deck and it is on fire out here man I don't know why I decided to come outside 78 degrees with a black hoodie on definitely not the brightest decision I made today but we're gonna be brief we're gonna get back in some shade but really quick man wanted to just wanted to pop out with y'all was having a conversation with a friend of mine he's a pastor here in Cincinnati at another church and it was just a group of us we were chopping it up and he he was sharing with us about the passage and Luke that he had been reading recently it's Luke 5 chapters 4 through 6 or chapter 5 verses 4 through 6 and it's the passage when Jesus is telling Peter to let down his nets after Peter had already been out fishing all night the night before and didn't catch anything so Peter tells him I mean Jesus tells Peter let down his nets he does so and catches this big abundance of fish and my friend who's the pastor he asked us what did we see in his passage and which I said instruction Jesus gave Peter an instruction the answer he was looking for was strategy and that stood out to me it really stuck with me because I think the difference says something about how he and I see Jesus and the role we play in in our faith walk honestly strategy says what did Jesus tell Peter to do differently what did Jesus what insight did Jesus give Peter in order to put the pieces of the puzzle together perfectly to bring about this this this desire outcome right that's what that's what strategy says instruction simply asked who told Peter to do both of these are present in this passage Jesus gave Peter a course of action I'm not I'm not spewing that but I think Peter's response is very revealing Peter says in Luke 5 5 master we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything because you say so I will let down the nets Peter wasn't convinced by the strategy alone he was convinced by the one given the

instruction he had experience he had expertise he was a fisherman by trade he had evidence from the entire night before that said that there's no fish in these waters but then Jesus spoke and Peter obeyed Jesus spoke Peter trusts Peter obeys and then abundance follows that seems to be like the pattern that that that that's revealed in this that we're supposed to take away what gets me is if Peter would have walked away thinking that I figured it out right the secret is to fish in deep water after an unsuccessful night of fishing all night and not catching anything he would have missed the entire lesson the power was never in the fishing strategy the power was in the obedience to Jesus sometimes obedience like it'll look you know like great strategy from the outside people may look at the fruit or applaud the decision the plan or the the quick adjustments you made on the fly or whatever and people will see that but the end of the day you know I didn't come up with this he told me to do it it's funny how often I have these kind of conversations even with other believers where I'll share like you know my reason for making a decision or I'll make a decision that doesn't quite make sense to the naked eye and then certain things who you know a follow afterwards things will kind of come together afterwards and everyone will so even even a lot of believers they'll they'll they'll attribute my decision to the things that follow you know the way things kind of came together like oh okay you foresaw this happening or okay this is how you were moving these pieces around in order for you know this result and I'm like no I didn't I didn't I can't really take credit for that I just know what I believe God spoke to me and I just was obedient to that I I'll be the first to say that there's nothing wrong with strategy in and of itself we need right but strategy should be the servant of discernment and obedience it's not the substitute for and I think that's where like when you don't walk in faith that's It's harder for you to stand ten toes down on, because it's not as concrete as a tangible, seemingly efficient strategy to simply just operate in faith and go on, "This is what I believe God's telling me." That can be harder to do for someone who struggles with their faith.

I think that after reading this and seeing, for me anyways, my takeaway is that the power was not in the fishing strategy, but again, the obedience to Jesus, that it let it stir up in us an urge, let it stir up our faith to be willing to take that step out in faith. Maybe the first question isn't God, what's the strategy? Maybe it's Jesus, what are you saying, and are you saying it? And when he speaks, may our response be just like Peter's, because you say so, I will. Do what that is, y'all. Please today, man.