Matthew 17:27, “….go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.”
I hate being in debt, and I believe everyone does too. I do not like owing anyone, Romans 13:8, says, “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another:” To me this is a clear indication that even God hates to see His children in debt. That is why he had to do something about our sin debt, the reason we pray Matthew 6:12, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors”(NIV).
Who in their right mind would want to owe someone else? And yet we find that we are debtors to other people. The most common debt of our day is financial debt. We owe the credit card companies, car payments, appliances, accumulated electrical and gas bills etc. I believe with all my heart that debt can be a disease that needs to be cured before it destroys a Christian. Some bring this disease upon themselves by being careless and misusing the resources God has provided to them and to some, life circumstances force them there.
In Matthew 17, it happened that Peter and Jesus owed the temple taxes. The bible says the wealth of the wicked is stored for God’s children right? How come Jesus knowing about this still was liable for taxes? Does not the bible say, “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness of it?”, This is for our learning. Yes we are the children of God and God provides for us but He will not let us ignore our responsibility to others (government, companies, those we owe).
Jesus turns to Peter and says, ““….go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.” Here is what got me, instead of Jesus calling money into existence and Peter taking to use to pay taxes, He gives him an instruction that is mind blowing. Backing up to Mathew 15, Jesus fed 4,000 with seven loaves of bread and few little fish. Why could He not perform a miracle right there to clear up this debt? Why is it that we have Christians in debt who do not want to do anything about it? They are sitting and doing nothing hoping that God will perform a miracle right before their eyes and their debts will disappear. I know God can and we know of some people who have experienced it but we cannot limit God to one method of helping us deal with our problems. Is it not clear that if we owe, we should find a way to pay it back? And our prayer is Lord provide away, we want to owe man nothing. Jesus provides and Peter had a job to do and here is what he had to do, GO, CAST, TAKE, OPEN, FIND, GIVE. God can provide away for you to minimize or clear up your debt, not by calling money into existence but by leading you places to fish. He can provide by creating more work that would require overtime if they pay overtime. You may be required to take a part time job because that is what he has set a side as a way to provide for you. You have to go an extra mile with His help. Peter had to do the same, yes Jesus provided yet in a way Peter’s other abilities were required. Now Jesus did not ask Peter to do an impossible task, He already took care of the need. He asked him to do what He knew He could give him strength to perform. What are you doing to pay your debts? Are you praying, Lord provide away then going an extra mile to fulfill what He has provided or are you doing nothing, less or just enough hoping it will go away? If you pray Lord provide away, don’t be surprised to hear GO, CAST, TAKE, OPEN, FIND, GIVE. Blessings Ev
He Has Magnified His Word 