2025-06-11_Wednesday Service; The Uncommon Reception in Challenging Times: By PBC Deacon Francis Hiu Hu.

When life hits you with challenges that seem insurmountable, where do you turn? The story of Peter's empty fishing boat offers a powerful metaphor for all of us facing disappointment and frustration. After toiling all night with nothing to show for his efforts, Peter encountered Jesus - and this encounter completely transformed his circumstances.

This message uncovers three essential principles for experiencing God's uncommon provision during difficult seasons. First, we must receive the Master - allowing Jesus into our challenging situations rather than trying to solve everything on our own. Just as Peter surrendered his empty boat for Jesus to use, we're invited to surrender our disappointments, frustrations, and struggles to Him.

The testimony shared about a business facing auction and subsequently receiving three miraculous opportunities demonstrates how God works when we refuse to compromise and instead trust Him completely. Within weeks of losing everything, God provided not just one but three fully-furnished spaces - a powerful reminder that divine provision often exceeds our expectations.

Second, we need to receive the Master's Word. When multiple voices compete for our attention during trials - voices of fear, doubt, and discouragement - God's Word provides the clarity and courage we desperately need. As we receive His promises, our focus shifts from the magnitude of our problems to the greatness of our God.

Finally, the breakthrough comes when we trust and obey the Master's instructions. Peter's statement "Because you say so, I will let down the nets" represents the pivotal moment between frustration and miracle. Though fishing during daylight contradicted his professional experience, Peter's obedience positioned him to receive an abundance that his boat could barely contain.

Whatever challenges you're facing right now, this message will encourage you to invite Jesus into your situation, listen for His specific word to you, and step out in obedience - even when it doesn't make logical sense. The result? Uncommon provision in the most unexpected ways.

Chapters

• 0:00 The Uncommon Reception in Challenging Times
• 6:16 Peter's Empty Boat: A Challenging Situation
• 12:39 Receiving the Master: Surrendering Your Situation
• 21:55 A Powerful Testimony of God's Provision
• 29:20 Receiving the Master's Word
• 37:42 Trusting and Obeying God's Instructions
• 46:47 Invitation and Closing Prayer

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

I would want us to look at a topic the uncommon reception in challenging times. Tell your neighbor the uncommon reception in challenging times, and I know each and every one of us. At one point of your life you have had or you have a challenging experience or a situation that was challenging. Or even as we are speaking right now, you are going through something challenging. But this evening the Lord is saying even in that situation, you can still experience the uncommon, you can still receive the uncommon, even in that challenging situation. Even in that challenging time, the Lord has something for you, amen. And we shall be looking at the book of Luke, chapter 5. Luke, chapter 5. We'll be looking at Peter when he had some challenging situation and the Lord came through for him. This evening we shall be looking at three ways or three things that believers, as believers, we should do to receive the uncommon even in challenging times. And we shall be looking at number one, that we should receive the Master. And number two, we shall be looking at receiving the Master's Word. And finally, we shall be looking at obeying the Master's Word. Word Luke, chapter 5. We can start from verse 1.

Speaker 1: 2:52

The Bible says one day, as Jesus was standing in the lake of Gennesaret. The people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water's edge two boats left there by the fishermen who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon Simon pulled out into the deep waters 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. 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. 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. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said Go away from me, lord. I am a sinful man. Let us pray, our Heavenly Father. We thank you this evening. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you this evening and even as we get into your word this evening, we desire that your spirit may speak to us, that your spirit may encourage me, as your vessel, to just bring your oracle forth, to bring your word forth as it is. Therefore, I desire, my God, that you give me your words, that I may speak them. You give me your word that I may bring them, bring it to your people. You say in your word that you never gather us. You never gather your people in vain, but in every gathering you send your word. May you send your word this evening in Jesus' name, amen.

Speaker 1: 5:39

Let me begin by saying that God is more than willing to get in our situations. In every day of our lives, each day of our lives, we face various situations. Some of them are good, some of them are a little bit challenging, as we are seeing. Peter here was in a challenging situation. The Bible says that Peter had, together with his friends, they had stayed all night and they had caught nothing. And you can imagine, in this situation, fishermen experienced going throughout the night in the deep sea and catching nothing. I want you to picture this situation in a better way.

Speaker 1: 6:59

These guys had left their families. Some of them were fishermen you know business fishermen so they wanted to get the fish and sell it next day. Some of them were getting food for their families. So they left their families, they left their houses and went out into the sea to fish. And these guys were experienced. It was not their first day. They were used to doing this. They would go and come back with a catch, but this night was a different one. They went and caught nothing At daybreak.

Speaker 1: 7:52

This is when they are meeting with Jesus. They had abandoned their boats and they were washing their nets. So we are talking like around maybe nine that's the time maybe those people who had slept. You know they are coming out to this at the center, the lake, maybe to buy fish, and jesus is in the vicinity and people wanted to hear Jesus and the crowd is pressing on Jesus. So Jesus finds these two empty boats they didn't have fish. So Jesus steps into one of the boats, which happened to be Simon's, and he tells Simon, please push this boat over here a little bit inside so that I may use your boat.

Speaker 1: 9:08

And think with me for a moment that Peter is very tired at this time. Peter is frustrated at this point because he has heard nothing, he has caught nothing. You know I don't come from the. He has caught nothing. You know, I don't come from the lake, lakeside, but I come from the hills. You know the mountains. But in one of those early ages, early age of life, we used to go and fish in the rivers and I remember one of my experiences was when I told my mom that I'm going to fish and we are going to eat fish tonight. But what happened is that when I went with my you know fishing rod, once I threw my fishing rod and on pulling it out, maybe only a flock would come out. And you know, you put, you know what do you call them the baits. So you have so many baits, but when you throw your fishing rod you only get a frog at your best, or that's the best shot. So you can imagine Peter is very tired, he is frustrated and here comes a person who is telling him I want to use your boat.

Speaker 1: 11:03

Let me say at this point that Jesus has a plan. Jesus had a plan for Peter. Peter might not have seen the plan, but Jesus had a plan. And I want to underscore this evening despite what you're going through, the Lord has a plan for you. Amen. Bible says in Jeremiah 29, 11,. For I alone know the plans I have for you. Plans to bring you prosperity are not disaster. Plans to bring you about the future you hope for. Amen. Praise the Lord. Jesus has a plan for Peter, but at this point, does Peter know the plan? He doesn't, doesn't.

Speaker 1: 12:12

So Jesus steps inside Peter's boat and he asks him can you push it? Can you push it? And you see, something happened. Peter didn't refute or didn't refuse pushing the boat. He didn't refuse Jesus using his boat, as much as Jesus was not using it to bring fish or to encourage him or to help him out in the situation he was in. Jesus was using the boat, wanted to use the boat to teach, but Peter did not refuse Jesus to use his boat. Maybe ask your neighbor if you were Peter at that situation, what would you have done? What would you have done? Would you have given your boat A very tricky situation? You're washing your nets aside, but someone is coming and asking for your boat. Peter allowed God, allowed Jesus to use his boat in his lowest moment. A boat was one of a fisherman's important tool of trade. Without a boat it meant one could not venture into the deep, hence could not get big fish. By asking Peter to move to the boat to move the boat of the show Alitro. Jesus wanted Peter to surrender his tool of trade and Jesus also wanted Peter to surrender his experience to Jesus. Jesus wanted Peter to focus on the Creator, the Teacher, the Creator of the sea, the Creator of the fish.

Speaker 1: 14:39

After a long night of frustration, a long night of frustration this evening we are talking about our first point is receiving the Master, letting Jesus in our spaces, letting Jesus in our situations. What is that situation that is challenging to you? Or the situation that you're going through this evening? The Lord wants you to surrender it to him. The Lord wants you to say I don't know, I do not know how to handle it. Come in and take over, come in and take over, come in and take charge. I don't know how I am experienced, but I don't know how to handle this one, a challenging situation. The Lord wants you to give him your vessel. Just as Peter said, I will give my bow to Jesus. Let him use it for whatever purposes he wants.

Speaker 1: 16:05

This evening, are you willing to surrender your situation to Jesus? Are you willing to receive the master into your situation? And sometimes, truth be told, as Christians, we want to handle, we want to deal with a situation. It's challenging, but sometimes we give it to God in prayer, but another time we go and get it back. We want to handle it. You know we want to handle it.

Speaker 1: 16:41

What is that situation that you're going through? My encouragement this evening is that give it to the Lord, commit it to the Lord. Is it a situation at work, your workplace? Commit it to the Lord. Is it a family situation? Commit it to the Lord. Is it a business situation? Committed to the Lord. Is it a business situation? Allow God to come in. He is best suited to handle your situation. Amen. The Lord is best suited to handle your situation. Sometimes, as brothers and sisters, sometimes we, when we are going through a situation, we see that the Lord doesn't care. The Lord is too far, but the Lord is as close as you may never imagine. He just wants you to let him and to allow him into your situation. The Bible says in Revelation, chapter 3, verse 20, here I am. Revelation, chapter 3, verse 20, here I am. I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person and they with me.

Speaker 1: 18:51

Last year, part of last year was a bit tough, for we ran our business, me and my wife. We run a business a school to be specific and last year was a bit tough, a little bit tough towards the middle of that last year, that last year. I just want to give this testimony to encourage you to allow God in your situation. So we had set our business, our center, in this town, in the town of Nairobi, cbd, and it happened that we had accrued some arrears on our rent. The rent was going almost every month, could be around about $50,000. But because of whatever had happened since COVID, there were some areas which had accrued because during COVID we didn't have too much of the students.

Speaker 1: 19:58

So it happened last year around June, that the landlord, or the person who was acting on the landlord, came to our door and, you know, told us guys, I know you have been trying and you have been trying to, you know, clear this debt, but as it seems it's still high and so I'm giving you 15 days. If you will not have cleared the debt, then we don't have any other option. We just have to call in the auctioneers. So I was not in the office that day, so part of the staff people were there and so in the evening they told us that news and they said what the landlord had said. But there was another fishy detail that came in, remember, this was a person acting on the landlord's behalf. He said but if you can give me something small, I'm willing to close an eye and after 15 days you have not paid, I can let you out with your things. You know, at the school you have these furnitures, you have computers. I can let you out with these things and then, without paying, the rest of the rent.

Speaker 1: 21:49

So my wife and I met in the evening and we were like okay, this is the situation. We have this rent. We might not be able to finish it within 15 days. This is our years and there's this offer. As a son of God, as a child of God, what would you do? Challenging situation. We decided we shall not do anything of that. We shall not give the bribe. It's a bribe, right, we shall not give a bribe. And to make the matter worse, my wife wrote a check of like a hundred thousand to try and clear the rent areas. Okay, and it was received. But I think it was received with anger from the people who were acting on the behalf of the landlord. So what happened? After 10 days, we had paid 100,000 of rent trying to clear. After 10 days, we had paid 100,000 of rent trying to clear, but the auctioneers came and they took everything. They took all the seats, the computers and everything that we had.

Speaker 1: 23:10

It was a challenging moment. We had to move some of our students online to try and cover up. You don't want to show your clientele that you are going through a rough patch, right? So we put some of the students online and then we closed off. It was so disheartening, such that even my wife didn't want to go back to that office. You know, we prayed and committed everything to God. We invited God in this situation. We didn't have money to buy this situation. We didn't have money to buy more furniture. We didn't have money to go to a smaller space. We were just like that. That was around June.

Speaker 1: 24:07

After one month and a half, my wife got a call. Three of our partners wanted to see us and I just want you to see this. They wanted. They booked an appointment on the same day, but since they are on the same side Lovington, yaya and Brookside so we decided we are going to see them. And guess what they were calling us for. And guess what they were calling us for.

Speaker 1: 24:57

Partner number one called us. They wanted us to partner with us and they wanted us to partner and do some business. And guess what was in the offer? An office fully furnished. Amen, yes, you can give the Lord a praise. That was around morning hour, 11 o'clock. So my wife was like okay, let me go think about it. She drove to Lovington to meet partner number two. And guess what was in the offer? At around one o'clock. Now, now it's around one o'clock.

Speaker 1: 25:40

Partner number two has been running a school Full of fresh school, but it was low on business. And they told my wife we just are feeling we want to invite you, full of fresh school, but it was low on business. And they told my wife we just are feeling we want to invite you because your school is so big. We want to invite you to come and see what you can do in this location. Praise the Lord. And guess what was there? It was a building which has books and, just to mention, we run a Chinese kind of school. It was a school owned by a Chinese person. It had Chinese books, a full wing of a library full of books, chinese, and it had three classrooms full of books, chinese, and it had three classrooms full of desks and everything that you need for a school. That was offer number two. Yes, give the Lord a praise.

Speaker 1: 26:46

Offer number three at around four o'clock at Yaya, so my wife went and she met this guy. This guy didn't know that we had been auctioned. He is a Chinese. They had built a, a flat sort of those which are in the area of Yaya, and so he wanted to start an English class. And so, as they were speaking I don't know whether my wife mentioned that we have been auctioned or something, but immediately they said we are willing to give you one year, without pay, a room and we shall furnish it. You just come and for one year year, you stay with us. We shall be collaborating, we shall see how we collaborate on our English business, but you can also use the other wing for your Chinese classes. Amen, yeah, you can praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. All that to say and to encourage someone that there is a God in heaven who cares about your situation. And so in the evening when we were meeting with my wife, she is telling me all these stories and I'm like. Who is God? And like Reverend Abruz usually put it, mungu ni nani. He is God who cares for us. Amen.

Speaker 1: 28:37

Peter invited Jesus, welcomed Jesus in his boat. Least did he know what would happen, but he agreed to push his boat a little bit into the sea so that the master would use his boat. My encouragement this evening is that the Lord knows your address. The Lord knows what you are going through and he is able to do it for you Quickly. Number two receiving the master's word. Receiving the master's word Luke, chapter five, verse three. Bible says Jesus got into one of the boats. He got into one of the boats it belonged. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and told the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon Peter put out into deep water. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon Peter put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch. Receiving the master's word.

Speaker 1: 30:11

During challenges, there are many words and voices that come to a believer. Some of the voices are to discourage you. Some of the voices are to cause doubt. Remember Job. He was going through a tough time but his friends could not encourage him. Even the wife was saying do you still love the Lord? Voices that come during challenges, during hard situations, to bring fear and doubt? But I want to encourage us. May we always receive the master's word. The Lord has a word for your situation this evening. What is it that you are going through? The Lord has a word for you in this evening.

Speaker 1: 31:13

The word of God comes to bring faith in our lives. Romans, chapter 10, verse 17, a verse we know. That says consequently, faith comes from hearing the message. That is the word, and the word is heard through, and the message is heard through and the message is heard through the word about Christ. See the situation now at Peter's place, peter now sits down together with the other people as Jesus is teaching the word. Peter sits and listens to the word of God and this helps him to refocus on God instead of his challenges.

Speaker 1: 31:59

When we receive God's word, it builds our faith. We stop focusing on the greatness of our needs. We start seeing the greatness of our God. Let me repeat that when we receive God's word, it builds our faith. We stop focusing on the greatness of our needs and we start seeing the greatness of our God. Our God has a word for every situation, and he has a word for every situation and he has a word for you. Whatever thing that you are going through, the Lord has a word for you. Are you sick or do you have an ailing person? The Bible says in Isaiah 53, verse 5, by his wounds we are healed. Do you need provision?

Speaker 1: 33:24

There's a portion of the word that I want us to read that is in 1 Kings 17, verses 13 to 14. Media, if you could give us that 1 Kings 17. Maybe you could pick it from a little bit back. Let's pick it from verse 11. Let's see, this is talking about the window, the window at Zarephath. A writer has announced that there will be no rain and there was famine. Elijah has announced that there will be no rain and there was famine. But God tells Elijah go to Zarephath and I have commanded a widow who will be hosting you, and this is the story a widow who will be hosting you. This is the story. So Elijah meets this woman. Verse 11 says as she was going to get it. Let's speak it back, maybe verse 8, so that we may get the context.

Speaker 1: 34:49

Then the word of the Lord came to him, that is Elijah, go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food. So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked would you bring me a liter of water in a jar so I may have a drink? As she was going to get it, he called bring me, please, a piece of bread. And he called bring me, please, a piece of bread. As surely as the Lord, your God, lives. She replied I don't have any bread, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jar. I'm gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son that we may eat it and die.

Speaker 1: 35:55

Some situation that happened in our lives is just. You know, you are at that very end point. This is where this woman was at. So Elijah said to her don't be afraid, go home and do as you have said, but first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son, for this is who are the Lord. We are talking about receiving the master's word, for this is who are the Lord. The God of Israel says the jowl flower will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land. May this be your portion this evening If you need provision. God told this woman that the jar of flour shall not go dry. Flour shall not go dry and the jar of oil shall not be shall not run out dry until the day the Lord sends rain on earth. The Lord is our provider. The Lord is Jehovah, jireh. He has a word for your situation. He has a word for your situation.

Speaker 1: 37:42

Finally, our last point, let's look at trusting and obeying the master's word. Trusting and obeying the master's word Luke, chapter 5, verse 5. Bible says Luke, chapter 5, verse 5. 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. So they signaled their partners in the other boats to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

Speaker 1: 38:30

This is what happens when we trust and obey the master's word. Finally, peter said at your word, I will cast down my nets. What has the Lord told you? Nets? What has the Lord told you? Has the Lord given you a word? Has the Lord given you some instruction? Are you willing to trust and obey whatever the Lord has called you to do?

Speaker 1: 39:04

For Peter it was hard and it was difficult. That's why he's saying we have toiled all night, we have caught nothing. But the Bible says that Jesus told him cast down your nets. Maybe it is in your business, maybe it is in a different situation. You have done it is in your business. Maybe it is in a different situation. You have done it this whole year until now. But the Lord is saying, maybe do it again. Or the Lord is saying, maybe move to this location. Maybe it's a family situation. It's a strained relationship. What is the Lord telling you concerning it? Maybe it's a challenge whereby the Lord is telling you you need to forgive, you need to let it go.

Speaker 1: 40:12

Are you willing to trust and obey the Lord's word, the master's instructions? When we obey, when we obey, when we trust and obey God's word, we shall receive the uncommon amen. We shall receive that which is not expected. Peter didn't expect this. Remember this time it was during the day. Those who normally know how to fish, they know, or they say fish. If you want to fish, if you want to get the big fish, you go at night. But our God is the creator of heaven and earth, day and night. Amen. He can turn around a situation, even during the day, even when the circumstances are not as men think, even when circumstances are not favorable. The Lord can turn your situation around. Just be willing, just trust in the word of God, just be obedient. Peter writes down his net and he caught. They caught a large number of large number of fish, such that they beckon their partners, come over and help us.

Speaker 1: 42:00

This evening. I want to encourage you, brothers and sisters, that when we obey his voice, we are setting that when we obey his voice, we are setting ourselves to receive the unexpected. May we be willing and obedient to do what his word commands us to do and it shall be well with us. Genesis, chapter 26. We are not going to read, but you can go read it. Chapter 26 of Genesis, verse 1 to 12.

Speaker 1: 42:49

Bible says Isaac sowed during famine and he reaped a hundredfolds. He received God's word. He obeyed by sowing and he received a hundredfolds. What is the Lord telling you this evening? What is the Lord telling you this evening? What is the Lord telling you in this situation, in your situation? May you be trusting in him, in his word, and obedient, and you shall receive the uncommon, even when situations are not favorable. This evening we have dealt with or we have talked about receiving the Master. My encouragement to each and every one of us. May we invite the Master. He knows our situations. He knew Peter had not caught anything during that night. He knows what you are going through. Invite him, surrender your situation to him. But, number two, may we receive his word, because when he comes he gives us a word. In that situation, he gives us a word. Number three be willing and obedient to do according to what his word says amen, amen and you could be there. To do according to what his word says Amen, amen and you could be there.

Speaker 1: 44:33

Your life You're feeling it's frustrated, like this one of Peter. So many situations Going from bad to worse. Maybe you've never given your life to Jesus. May you take this opportunity to receive the Master in your life and you will receive uncommon freedom because he says come to me, to all you who are heavy and burdened, and I will give you rest. John 3.16 says, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whomever believes in him, just believes in him, just believing in him, shall have eternal life.

Speaker 1: 45:36

This evening maybe you are here. Maybe it's not even your first Wednesday to come. You've come several, but you've never given your life to Jesus. I give you this opportunity to just say, lord, I come to you Even before I give you all the other situations and challenges in my life. I want to give you my life. Would I see by a show of hand, and we shall pray together. Would I see you by a show of hand and we shall pray together together, this evening also?

Speaker 1: 46:34

You've been having a situation and this evening, after hearing the word, you want to just commit it to the Lord. You want to surrender it to God. You want to invite, commit it to the Lord. You want to surrender it to God. You want to invite the master to come and sort the situation, because he is able. You can just lift your hand and put it down and we shall pray together. Thank you for those hands. You're lifting them to the Lord and you're inviting the Lord to come into those situations. Let us pray, our Heavenly Father. We thank you, we bless your name because of your word.

Speaker 1: 47:35

We have read your word and studied your word this evening in the book of Luke, chapter 5, where you met Peter when he was in a challenging situation and you gave him uncommon success, uncommon supply. And, father, we could be in such situation, but we are reminding us that we need to receive you, we need to invite you into our situation. We need to receive your word, we need to obey your word. May you help each and every one of us who could be going through such situations, such challenging times, and may you help each and every one of us who could be going through such situations, such challenging times. And may you come through, oh, my God, just as you came through for Peter and you've come through for many other, each other of us. Lord, may you come through for that brother, may you come through for that sister this evening, and we declare and decree that uncommon supply, uncommon. They are going to receive the uncommon even in this week and before the end of this week.

Speaker 1: 49:02

In the name of Jesus, father, we thank you and we bless your name because of your word. Lord, we thank you and we bless your name because of your word. Lord, we know that you say that you are looking down. You're looking at your word to perform it. May you perform your word in our lives in this week. In the name of Jesus, father, we thank you. Those who are believing in you for healing, may you touch them.

Speaker 1: 49:29

In the name of Jesus, father, we thank you. Those who are believing in you For healing, may you touch them. In the name of Jesus, those who are believing in you for provision, may you come through for them. In the name of Jesus, may you heal Relations In our families. May you restore our families. Whatever situation we could be going through, lord, may you restore our families. Whatever situation we could be going through, lord, may you come through. We invite you, lord, this evening, that you may come and reign in the name of Jesus. Take over and reign. Take over and have your way For this. We pray, believing and trusting in Jesus' name, and God's people say Amen, amen. You can give a hand to the Lord.