I was excited that my in-laws were in town. I was more excited my nephew and I were going to go fishing. We weren’t going to fish in just any place. We were going to my secret fishing hole! So we got up pretty early the next morning, loaded up the car, and headed out. We first had to stop and get some worms so we did. I had bought bait from this store several times before. Then we headed to the secret fishing hole. The place is actually located right across from our house in the local park—about a ten minute drive. We drove into the park down the windy dirt road until we got to the river. We then drove down a 4 wheeler road (a road not fit for cars) along the river to get closer to my secret hole. This road had some seriously rough terrain. Not a road for my trusty Malibu, but it did just fine. After driving down this rough road a while I decided that the Malibu had enough and parked (pretty impressive for a family sedan). So we parked, got our stuff, and began the hike. You must be thinking this must be some fishing hole to have to go through all of this! Yes indeed! Well after hiking down the 4 wheeler road a while we headed into the thick woods. These woods were not just filled with trees either! They were filled with thorns, briers, bushes, and all kinds of other brush. My nephew said, “It’s so thick in here we should have brought a machete”! As we went into the woods I made sure to make some land marks so we would not get lost. It’s pretty easy to get turned around in there! Well after about 30 minutes of hiking we got to the edge of the woods and I’m thinking, “We’re finally getting close.” As we got out of the woods and into the clearing I discovered that we we’re indeed lost! I had been to my secret fishing hole several times before. I have never gotten lost on the way to the hole! Well as we walked on the dirt road believe it or not we came right smack dab back to the exact place where we started! We had made one great big circle. I could not believe it! My fishing hole was so secret that we couldn’t even find it! We made our way back to the car and rested a while. Then we proceeded back to the hunt for my secret fishing hole. Well praise the Lord we eventually did find it. As we got down to the river I took the worms out and was preparing to bait the hooks when I discovered something very upsetting: there was not one single worm in the container! Our trip went from bad to worse. Well we of course had to adapt our fishing tactics or go fishless. We ended up using some lures, caught some fish along the way, and had a great time!
Life sometimes can take us for a loop too! We think we have things under control, and we know where we are going. We think to ourselves, “I’ve been here before”, but before you know it you get turned around, you lose your way, and get plumb lost. What a horrible feeling to be lost. Spiritually speaking every one of us is born lost. What I mean by that is we are all born into the world with the great need for God to help us find our way back to Him! Because of sin we are born separated from God. But there is hope for us to find our way back!
Galatians 4:4-5 says, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law; To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”
If you try to get there on your own, like when we got lost on our fishing trip, you will just go in a big circle and find yourself right back where you started from. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” You can know for sure you are on the right path to God and heaven by receiving God’s gift of salvation through Jesus His Son. And the good news is unlike my secret fishing hole, everyone is invited to heaven and it’s easy to find. The question is will you accept the truth from God’s Word and receive it by faith. If you know that God is speaking to your heart about receiving His gift of salvation pray a prayer to God like this,“God I know that I am a sinner, and I believe Jesus is the Savior, and that He came and died on the cross for my sins and rose again so I could know you. Please forgive my sins and save my soul. I now receive your gift of salvation amen.”
Do you feel lost in this world? Do you know God, and do you know that you are going to heaven one day? I pray today will be the day of your salvation! And if you do know Him what’s your story? How did God come into your life and guide you back to Himself through His Son Jesus?
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The Preacher's Post 
It sure was a painful trip. BRING A MACHETE! That was a pretty good way of witnessing to other people though.