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DIVERSE HANDS, ONE MISSION PART 11 – CALLED ALONE, CALLED TOGETHER

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DIVERSE HANDS, ONE MISSION PART 11 – CALLED ALONE, CALLED TOGETHER Mark 1:16–20 Matthew 9:9 (NIV) 🔁 Recap We’ve seen: Some cast. Some mend. Some partner strategically. Now we examine something deeper: God does not call everyone the same way. At the shoreline: Peter and Andrew were called together. James and John were called together. But Matthew? He was called alone. Same Jesus. Different structure. Unit Callings Some callings are corporate. God calls: Brothers. Couples. Teams. Partnerships Why? Because the assignment requires synergy. Unit calling provides: Built-in support Shared burden. Emotional stability Accelerated impact. But even within unit calling, individual obedience is still required. Peter followed personally. Andrew followed personally. They were called together — but responded individually. Individual Callings Then we see Matthew sitting alone at a tax booth. Jesus says, “ Follow Me .” No brother beside him. No partner. No shared transition. Some assignments require is...
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DIVERSE HANDS, ONE MISSION PART 10 – FAMILY PAIRS & STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

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DIVERSE HANDS, ONE MISSION PART 10 – FAMILY PAIRS & STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS Mark 1:16–20 (NIV) “As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ At once they left their nets and followed him. “When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.” 🔁 Recap – Where We Are In The Series So far in DIVERSE HANDS, ONE MISSION, we have established: Jesus calls in ordinary places. Some are wired as casters (outward expansion). Some are wired as menders (internal strengthening). Deep water requires strong nets. Harvest requires teamwork. Fishermen were chosen intentionally. The Kingdom includes the unlikely. Now we see something else intentional:  Jesus d...
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DIVERSE HANDS, ONE MISSION PART 9 – KINGDOM INCLUSIVENESS: GOD USES THE UNLIKELY

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DIVERSE HANDS, ONE MISSION PART 9 – KINGDOM INCLUSIVENESS: GOD USES THE UNLIKELY Matthew 9:9 (NIV) “As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.” 🔁 Recap From Part 8 – Why Jesus Chose Fishermen In Part 8, we learned: Fishermen were patient. They understood failure. They were hardworking. They functioned in teams. They were teachable. Jesus started with fishermen. But He did not stop there. Because the Kingdom is bigger than one profession. After calling fishermen, Jesus walks past a tax booth. And He calls a tax collector. That was not just unusual. It was controversial. Tax collectors were viewed as: Collaborators with Rome. Corrupt. Dishonest Socially rejected. Yet Jesus says to Matthew: “ Follow me.”  No debate. No delay. No explanation. Just invitation. The Radical Nature Of The Call Fishermen were men without titles but full of potential. Tax collectors were fi...
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DIVERSE HANDS, ONE MISSION PART 8 – WHY JESUS CHOSE FISHERMEN

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DIVERSE HANDS, ONE MISSION PART 8 – WHY JESUS CHOSE FISHERMEN Matthew 4:18–19 (NIV) “As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘ Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’” 🔁 Recap From Part 7 – The Power Of Teamwork In Part 7, we learned: Harvest requires partnership. One boat cannot carry deep abundance alone. Jesus built teams, not solo leaders. Now we step back and ask a deeper question: Why fishermen ? Out of all professions in Israel, why did Jesus begin at the shore? Jesus did not start at the temple in Jerusalem. He did not recruit from the religious elite. He did not gather scholars from the schools. He walked along the Sea of Galilee. And He chose fishermen. This was intentional.  1️⃣ Fishermen Understood Patience Fishing requires waiting. You cast. You watch. You endure silence. Ministry requires the...
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DIVERSE HANDS, ONE MISSION PART 7 – THE POWER OF TEAMWORK IN FISHING

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DIVERSE HANDS, ONE MISSION PART 7 – THE POWER OF TEAMWORK IN FISHING Luke 5:7 (NIV) “ So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.” 🔁 Recap From Part 6 – No Strong Nets, No Deep Harvest In Part 6, we saw: Deep water exposes weak nets. Increase tests structure. Breakthrough demands capacity. The nets strained, but they did not break. And when the weight became too much— They called their partners. Now we examine something critical: The harvest was too big for one boat. Fishing in the first century was rarely individual work. It required: Coordinated casting. Timed pulling. Shared strength. Communication. Trust. One person alone could not handle large nets. The Kingdom operates the same way. Jesus Never Built Solo Leaders Notice a pattern: He called Peter and Andrew. He called James and John. He sent the disciples two by two (Mark 6:7). Even power was exercised in partnership. Isolation was ...
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DIVERSE HANDS, ONE MISSION PART 6 – NO STRONG NETS, NO DEEP HARVEST

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DIVERSE HANDS, ONE MISSION PART 6 – NO STRONG NETS, NO DEEP HARVEST Luke 5:4–6 (NIV) “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’ When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.” 🔁 Recap From Part 5 – Net Menders In Part 5, we saw that: Casters expand. Menders strengthen. Growth without structure leads to loss. James and John were mending nets. Peter and Andrew were casting nets. Two functions. One purpose. Now we see what happens when both meet obedience. Jesus gives a command: “ Launch into the deep.”  But notice: He did not say, “ Throw a single line.”  He said, “ Let down the nets .” Plural. This required: Casting skill. Net strength. Team coordination. Obedience. And when the harvest came, the nets began to break. That moment re...
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DIVERSE HANDS, ONE MISSION PART 5 – NET MENDERS: THE GRACE TO STRENGTHEN WITHIN

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DIVERSE HANDS, ONE MISSION PART 5 – NET MENDERS: THE GRACE TO STRENGTHEN WITHIN   Matthew 4:21 (NIV) “Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets.” 🔁 Recap From Part 4 – Net Casters In Part 4, we examined Peter and Andrew — the casters. They represented: Initiative Expansion Outreach Evangelistic grace We learned that without casting, there is no harvest. But now we shift focus. Because before expansion can be sustained, something else must happen. The nets must be prepared or mendered. James and John were not casting. They were mending. Repairing. Strengthening. Preparing. Different action. Different focus. Same lake. Same Lord. Same mission. This is the other hand of the Kingdom. What Does Mending Symbolize? Mending is: Inward Patient Detail-oriented Protective Preventative When you mend a net, you: Examine weaknesses. Repair tears. Strengthen fragile areas. Prepare...
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JUMPSTARTING YOUR LIFE—THE POWER OF DIVINE CONNECTIONS PART 8:WHEN IT’S TIME FOR AN UPGRADE—LETTING GO OF THE OLD TO EMBRACE THE NEW

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THE STORY: A FRIEND FACED WITH A HARD DECISION Romans 1:11-12 (NIV) "I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. Welcome to Part 8 of our Series, Jumpstarting Your Life: The Power of Divine Connection.  In Part 7 , we saw how my landlady’s son, who had once been stranded, later became a helper to another driver stuck in the mud . We learned that helping others after receiving help is a key principle of life , and sometimes, we must recognize when we need assistance instead of struggling alone. But what if the real issue isn’t about getting help but knowing when to move on? PART 8: WHEN IT’S TIME FOR AN UPGRADE—LETTING GO OF THE OLD TO EMBRACE THE NEW THE STORY: A FRIEND FACED WITH A HARD DECISION I have a friend named Kwame who had been driving an old car for years . It wasn’t just any car—it had been his first car, filled with memories. One day, after heavy rain, he...
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JUMPSTARTING YOUR LIFE—THE POWER OF DIVINE CONNECTIONS PART 1: WHEN LIFE REFUSES TO START

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THE STORY: A CAR THAT WOULDN’T START Romans 1:11-12 (NIV ) "I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith." One early morning, I was in my room when I noticed my landlady’s son struggling with his car. No matter how many times he turned the key, it refused to start. Minutes later, a co-tenant arrived with a car battery, connected it to his, and in seconds— boom ! The engine roared to life. It hit me: Sometimes, we need external help to restart what isn’t working in our lives. HAVE YOU EVER FELT STUCK? Just like that dead battery , life can sometimes feel like it just won’t start: Spiritually – Your passion for prayer and the Word feels drained. (“ Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” – John 15:5) Physically – You’re constantly exhausted, no matter how much you rest. (“Even youths grow weary, but those who wait on the Lord renew their strength.” – Isaiah 40:30-31...
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DEALING WITH DIABETIC WOUNDS – A BALANCED DEVOTIONAL SERIES PART 1: RECOGNIZING THE WOUND – THE FIRST STEP To HEALING

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DEALING WITH DIABETIC WOUNDS – A BALANCED DEVOTIONAL SERIES PART 1: RECOGNIZING THE WOUND – THE FIRST STEP To HEALING Revelation 2:4-5 "You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first."  Not every wound bleeds. Some deteriorate quietly beneath the surface—unseen, unfelt, and unspoken—until it's too late . Just like a diabetic wound that looks minor at first but spreads when ignored , many of life's deepest issues— spiritual, emotional, physical, and even national—start small . But delay is dangerous . Healing begins when we are humble and honest enough to recognize the wound. Key Scripture: " You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first." – Revelation 2:4-5 LIFE APPLICATION: Two years ago, a friend called me, asking for blood donation for his father-in-law, who was scheduled for a leg amputation at the 3...
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