Matthew 4:18-22

"While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is caleed Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And He said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." IMMEDIATELY THEY LEFT THEIR NETS AND FOLLOWED HIM. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with zebedee their father, mending their nets, and He called them. IMMEDIATELY THEY LEFT THE BOAT AND THEIR FATHER AND FOLLOWED HIM."

From time to time in my Christian walk I have wondered if I had been Peter or Andrew or James or John would I have left my nets, my boat, my father and followed Jesus? I was sometimes bothered by this but not enough to dwell on it.

This morning I had one of those moments where I realized that OF COURSE I would have followed Jesus, just like I did 20 years ago when Jesus called to me! I followed Him because the call of Jesus is effective!!!! I was able to drop the things of this world and follow him because the Holy Spirit caused me to be born again! He regenerated my heart! God gave TO me the faith that would allow me to leave behind my "nets" and follow Jesus! It is ALL God and nothing of me! I would have followed Jesus then, I followed Jesus 20 years ago and I continue to follow Him because He loved me first and He called me. HE gave to me the desire and the ability through faith to turn from my sins in repentance and faith and follow Him! Oh the Lord is good!

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive [quickened us] with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.
Ephesians 2:4-5

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.
1 John 5:1

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me [i.e. believe in me] unless it is granted him by the Father.”
John 6:63-65

Faith in the living God and his Son Jesus Christ is always the result of the new birth, and can never exist except in the regenerate. Whoever has faith is a saved man.
Charles Spurgeon from the sermon “Faith and Regeneration”

If salvation is the implantation of a new, infinite life in the soul, it must be a work of God. Self-caused effects can never rise above the character or qualities of their cause. "Flesh gives birth to flesh but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit," Jesus told Nicodemus. This saving grace cannot be caused by the creature, it can only come from God.
John Hannah from To God be the Glory (pg. 34-5)

Oh Lord, thank you for opening my eyes to the understanding of these scriptures! I have read the Matthew passages so often through my lifetime and today you connected the dots for me! Thank you that it is YOU who gives to me all I need to be saved. I was dead in my sins and you brought me to life by the power of the Holy Spirit so then I could turn to Jesus with faith and repentance! Oh Lord, your kindness does indeed lead us to repentance! You are so loving, so beautiful, so kind, so merciful. I am amazed and in awe that you have indeed given us ALL we need to be saved. Left to myself I never would have "left my nets or my boat" but would have stayed there... but because YOUR call is effective, because you turned my heart towards you, I followed you. Thank you for not leaving me to myself. Thank you for calling me. Help me Lord to walk in a manner worthy of the calling. I love you Lord God!