First, let me express gratitude for thoughts and prayers. Yesterday I got news of last week’s tests. It was perfect! God is so kind. We are so thankful…
Out son, Taylor, has become a pretty good fisherman. He not only likes to fish, he enjoys studying different strategies and techniques. Recently, he bought a two-hour video of an old Tennessee fisherman who discovered a new method of bass fishing. I chuckled as I watched Taylor soak in the instruction as Charlie Brewer and his sidekick, “Foxey”, discussed and demonstrated the art of “slider fishing”.
What if Taylor had watched the video and then just talked about it? “Dad, that was a cool video. You should have seen all the fish those guys caught. I’m glad I bought it.” Buying and watching a video was not my son’s goal! The other day, school started late, so Taylor and his friend, Jake, got up at 6:00 AM and went fishing. “Dad, it works! I caught ten bass this morning and one of them weighed 4 pounds!” (If my math teaching could only produce such excitement!)
Taylor believed that if he put into practice the things he learned, he would catch some fish. In a deeper way, Jesus often stressed this obvious truth. He knew man would be saved by grace through faith in Him, but He clearly described those who were His disciples.
“You say you follow Me? Check out your life. My family members not only hear what I say, they put My teaching into practice. Don’t be fooled by any talk that says you can please Me without doing what I say. Many will tell Me of all the great things they did while on earth, but I will say, ‘I never knew you’. Those that truly love Me, obey Me. If you have ears to hear, listen carefully then put My words into practice.”
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!’ Therefore anyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:21-27