CORRESPONDING ACTIONS

Matthew 17:27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first comes up; and when you have opened his mouth, you shall find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and you.

First of all, this miracle was not a miracle of necessity since Jesus and Peter didn’t really owe any taxes. But because Peter got them into it, Jesus took the high road and decided to supernaturally pay the taxes. The Lord will help us, even out of the troubles we get ourselves into. It is best to stay out of troubles we cause where we need a miracle, but I am glad the Lord is so kind to help us when we do. He told Peter, a fisherman by trade, to do something that Peter had obviously never seen before in his life, and it would go against everything Peter knew in the natural. This was a “Do you believe me?” moment from Jesus. This was Jesus saying to Peter, “When I tell you something, I am good to my Word,” and He would have to be because He is the Word made flesh. 

Peter did exactly what Jesus said. He didn’t even try to use a net; a net was not what Jesus said to do. Jesus didn’t say, “Go search until you find a fish with a coin.” Jesus said, “The first fish you catch, open its mouth, and there will be a coin in it.” Have you ever caught a fish? Now, I’m no expert, but I have pulled up a few catfish from the river and watched some shows where they caught all kinds of fish, but I have never heard someone exclaim, “There is a gold coin in this fish’s mouth.” Never! And neither had this expert fisherman Peter, but he did it anyway! Why? Because Jesus said so. Well, I wish Jesus would tell me what to do. He has, and it is written down. He leads you by your spirit all the time. Whatever He says, just do it!