DAREDEVIL...

September 23rd, 2022

I grew up in St. Cloud, MN, less than a mile from the Mississippi River. As a kid, on hot summer days, I remember loading up my fishing pole and tackle box and biking down to the river. I had a favorite place just downriver from the Mississippi River Dam where I had learned how to use a daredevil fishing lure.

I remember back to catching plenty of bass, walleye, carp, and even northern pike with a red and white daredevil lure. It was always fun to cast it out into the current, and reel it in, bouncing it off the rocks and sticks and moving water, and then, all of a sudden….a fish would STRIKE.

Often if it was a bass, it would jump out of the water…a carp would drag it down and the northern pike would fight. This challenge of reeling in the fish, often against the current was always a blast. Most times I could reel it in, but sometimes the big one would get away….and then I would have to bike over to the bait shop on 9th Avenue and buy another daredevil lure with the money I earned from my paper route.

I am smiling now as I reflect on those beautiful summer days as a young teenager getting to fish in the river.

It is pretty mind-boggling to think that a fish would fall for that lure… made out of stainless steel, with three very sharp, barbed hooks and simply painted red and white. When examined closely, it’s not appetizing at all.

Yet, the fish would somehow see the flash of silver on one side and red and white on the other and believe it would satisfy their hunger.

Boy, were they wrong!

I still remember trying to get the hook out of the fish’s mouth after fighting for several minutes against the current. Even if the fish survived, it would always be scarred.

This is similar to our Scripture for this Sunday, where James warns us about being lured and enticed by sin that ultimately ends in death.

At first, sin might seem exciting or fulfilling, but in the end, when we are tempted, Satan always magnifies the potential pleasure and hides the consequences of sin.

This Sunday, Pastor Don Lewis will be continuing our series through the book of James, with a sermon from James 1:13-18 entitled, “Death by Desire.”

There is so much more to share, I really hope to see you on Sunday (with an adjusted service order) at 8:00, 9:15 (Full KidCity available) or 10:45 am, or you can watch the Livestream on YouTube (Like and Subscribe) or Facebook at 10:45 am.

Have a great weekend,

Troy

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