Weekly Inspiration (04/08/17)

Crooked Creek Lake Recreation Area, Ford City, PA.
This is below the spillway.  Photo taken September 25, 2016 at 6:00 P.M.

Forget Tax Day. Opening Day of Trout Season Is April 15.

Linn Run State Park,    Rector, PA
Photo taken November 25, 2016 at 2:35 P.M.

This is one of the streams that will be stocked and ready to fish 81 days from now.  Not that I'm impatient or anything.

The Parable of The Dragnet (Mt. 13:47-50) (Part 2)

JESUS TELLS A BRIEF STORY AND THEN EXPLAINS IT.

JESUS TELLS A BRIEF STORY (13:47-48).

• The net was cast (13:47).
• The net was filled (13:47).
• The net gathered “fish of every kind." 
• One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
• Good fish, bad fish
• Mild fish, strong fish
• Suckers, bottom feeders
• The catch was sorted (13:48).
• The good fish were kept aside.
• They were marketable and profitable.
• The bad fish were thrown away.
• They were useless:  “…but the bad they threw away”.
• It doesn’t say they threw them back.
•  If they weren’t acceptable to one fisherman, why would they be okay for another?

JESUS EXPLAINS HIS BRIEF STORY (13:49-50).

• Jesus’ explanation deleted two things.
• He did not mention the net.
• He did not mention the catch.
• Jesus’ explanation highlighted one thing.
• Jesus emphasized the separation.
•  The separation would be done at a certain time:  “So it will be at the end of the age…” (13:49).
• The separating would be done by a certain group:  “…the angels will come…” (13:49).
•  The separated would be damned to a certain place.
• It is a place of fire:  “… throw them into the furnace of fire…” (13:49).
•  It is a place of torment:  “… there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (13:50).

The Parable of the Dragnet (Mt. 13:47-50) (Part 1)

Introduction:  

• How many of you have heard of the author Anne Rice?
• Years before her conversion to Christ, Anne Rice authored a successful series of books called “The Vampire Chronicles."
• Later, Anne described her conversion to Christ in a book titled Called Out of Darkness.
• She went on to write several books on the life of Christ.
• More than five years ago, on her Facebook page, Anne wrote:  “Today I quit being a Christian!"
• She didn’t say she quit following Christ.
• She said she quit being a Christian.
• Evidently, her experience was that some Christians acted like Christ but too many did not.
• The Christians who did not act like Christ she labeled as “quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious and a deservedly infamous group."
• In her mind Anne separated “Christians” from Christ-followers.

• Gandhi had said something similar:  “I do not like your Christians.  Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
• Gandhi realized, as Anne Rice did, that there is a separation between the term “Christian” and the term “Christ-follower."
• One is a title, the other is a lifestyle.
• One is cultural, the other is spiritual.

• In our Bible verses for this week, Jesus Himself spoke about separation.
• In His story, Jesus used the imagery of bad fish and good fish.

Little Juniata River

 Yesterday, Marshall and I enjoyed a day fishing (what else?) in south central Pennsylvania.  Spruce Creek and Little Juniata River were our destinations. With friendliness, professional knowledge and quality hand-tied flies, Spruce Creek Outfitters got us set for a great day.

It was a great day, even though I didn't catch anything.  Okay, I had a rainbow trout almost in, but it wiggled off before I could grab it.  I only count a fish "caught" if I hold it in my hand.

On the way home we stopped at Spruce Creek Tavern.  If you're ever in the area, you need to go for the french fries (Some things just have to be clarified when you're a pastor.)

 Both shots were taken from the bridge in the town of Spruce Creek.

Little Mahoning Creek

Photo taken 4-29-16 in Rochester Mills, PA at 12:30 P.M.

I accessed the creek at the end of a street that crossed the railroad, and I was the only one on this section of the creek.  Fish?  What fish?  I didn't catch one or even see one. How can you lose, though, being in a peaceful place such as this?  (No cell phone reception.  That's relaxing!)

Since the creek is only an hour from where I live, I'll give it another try.

Weekly Inspiration (11/7/15)

Oak Orchard River, 7:30 A.M., 10.10.15
It was 37 degrees at the time of this picture.

Going Fishing

Last Thursday I walked the Furnace Brook Trail.  I wonder what lurks beneath the surface?  Opening  Day of trout season can't come soon enough!  This will be one of the first holes I'll fish.

"Simon Peter said to them, 'I am going fishing.'" (Jn. 21:3)

My "Trophy" Catch

Glendale Lake 7.23.13

I really had to "work" for this one.  (In case you're wondering, I caught him on a crayfish pattern.)

"See that you do not despise one of these little ones..." (Mt. 18:10).

The "Fight" Tells It All

I went fishing last night.  Shocker, right?  One of the fish I reeled in was...well, it looked like a white bass.  Being unsure what it was, I compared it to the picture in the booklet (the one you get when you sign for your license).  Yep, it sure looked like a white bass.

Problem?  That fish was lazy.  It didn't "fight" like any bass I've caught.  A bass without a fight?  No way.  So was it really a white bass?

Though it looked like a white bass, it acted like something else.  I'll take experience over a picture any day.  Forced to choose between the picture in the book and the fight on the reel, I'm going with the fight.  It wasn't a white bass.

How do you know a true Christian?  The "fight" tells it all.  "Fight the good fight of faith" (1 Tim. 6:12).  When your life nears its end, you want to be able to declare, "I have fought the good fight" (2 Tim. 4:7).

For reflection:  What degree of "fight" do you have?

Reminders from a Frustrated Fisherman

At the end of my prayer walk I noticed a frustrated fisherman. How do I know he was frustrated? His line was snagged on something in the water. There was a good chance his tackle would be lost.

Here are some lessons I recalled about fishing.

• You must fish repeatedly and consistently. I have seen this guy there before. He just doesn't know when to quit. He really believes there are fish to be taken from that spot.
• You must be willing to be inconvenienced. You might get sunburn. You might get snagged. You might not be comfortable. Despite these things, this guy keeps coming back.
• You must be willing to lose some tackle. Fish bite best on what's most appealing. I'm convinced they know the difference between a $1 special and a $6 lure. Fish hang out near things that cause snags. This guy was about to lose a $6 lure. I'm willing to bet he'll be back at it shortly.
• You must enjoy the process, since there is no guarantee of a catch. If nothing else, this guy was out there having a good time. Fishing was fun. Fish were a bonus.