Lucas encourages 'burnt out' believers

We may get tired and worn out serving the Kingdom but that is the time Jesus shows up and invites us to love Him again.

That was the message from Jeff Lucas to hundreds of Christians at the Faithworks conference last night.

The speaker and author drew from John 21, where Jesus appears to the disciples at the Sea of Galilee after they have failed to catch any fish.

Fishing in this case meant predictability and "an easy life", said Lucas.

"Jesus invited Peter to give up fishing. It's important we give up fishing quite regularly," he said.

"Maybe you are just worn out and survival won't satisfy because you can get the catch of your life and it still won't satisfy."

Lucas suggested John referred to himself as the disciple the Lord loved because what mattered to him more than anything else was being loved by Jesus.

One of the biggest challenges for Christians, he admitted, was believing that God loved them.

He pointed to the shame still felt by Peter because of his denial of Jesus, saying that Christians could fall into the trap of defining themselves by their worst moments.

Just like Jesus invited Peter to love Him again, he said the Lord called every believer to follow Him.

"Give Jesus the 'now' moment in your life. Follow me in the now," said Lucas.

Earlier in the night, the parents of murdered schoolboy Jimmy Mizen gave a moving testimony of how their faith in God had sustained them.

Barry Mizen reiterated his forgiveness for his son's killer.

He said: "There is always room for forgiveness. There's got to be a way back."