A few days ago I was at the lake house swimming way out in the deep part and I was going underwater, swimming laps, diving off the dock and really have a good comfortable time. Now it's important to know that it took me time to warm up to the lake water swimming. I always feared weird creatures coming along side me when least expected or stepping on something that just feels weird underneath my feet. I get the chills thinking about it right now!
I was comfortable because I never ran into something that I feared. YET.....
Well just the other day I got out of the water and sat in one of my favorite chairs to dry off. A few minutes after relaxing my son Benjamin screams "Mom, hurry up and look, its a huge snake swimming in the lake!"
Yes, it sure was a big snake swimming
in the same spot I was in just a few minutes ago!
I now felt unsafe about my comfortable swimming surroundings. Let me just explain, if I was in that water just a few minutes longer I would have come in contact with that snake and I would have FREAKED OUT BIG TIME! JUST SAYIN.... Everyone on all ends of the lake would have heard me loud and clear. This was a large, long U G L Y black snake that had no business in my territory!
Today while reading the daily reading I almost fell out of my chair!
God sure wanted me to understand something about snakes. So this was a lesson for me and I am honored to share with you! I just love how God uses our daily circumstances and then speaks to us through His word to help us understand some things in this life.
BTW if you click on the date below it will bring the bible reading up for today, its that easy!
Lets zoom in on this passage
3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
Let me share what I learned...
Paul in scripture was being a faithful servant to God and after enduing many days on the sea and the long cold swim to shore he decided to gather a pile of sticks for a fire.
Paul without knowing picked up this snake as he was gathering the sticks. Does that not give you the creeps? When he put the branches in the fire the snake took his way out: PAUL'S HAND!
Can you imagine a snake on your hand?
Like I said earlier, I would go crazy if that snake would have touched me. However, Paul responded with not a sound, he did not panic, scream, question God or become scared. Paul just SHOOK THE SNAKE OFF INTO THE FIRE.
Well friends here is our application...
In the word of God when you come across the term viper or snake it represents something sneaky, tempting or deceitful. The enemy is like a snake sneaking to kill, steal and destroy your lives. He will deceive and tempt you in all sorts of ways.
What did Paul do in scripture to keep the snake away?
HE STARTED A FIRE
Snakes cannot stand the heat. God is interested in doing a great work in your life. When God's fire burns the devil has to get out. I believe the devil knows who to attack and how to deceive. We all have different strongholds in life.
WE NEED TO STIR UP THE SNAKE BY STARTING A FIRE
Are you allowing God to move in your life?
When you open the door to God and allow Him to stir up a fire it keeps the devil away.
KEEP ADDING FUEL TO THE FIRE
Remember a fire must be tended. Paul in scripture gathered sticks and added to the fire.
God is wanting to add and offer more then we accept.
*Greater filling of the Holy Spirit
*A deeper wisdom for circumstances in your life
*More effectiveness in service
*Your character more conformed to Christ
*A more intimate relationship with Christ
How are you stirring or adding to the fire?
Remember today, if you have a snake tempting or deceiving you STIR UP A FIRE AND SHAKE HIM OFF. In other words get busy in the things of God.
Sometimes it's just getting to church on a Sunday. That alone will start a fire and get you to shake off the snakes in life.
Sometimes it finding those God friendships that stir your heart
This story taught me to be calm and smarter then the snake. Snakes will slither around us in life but if we stay stirred in the things of God they will not bother us. If they do try to hang around we need to learn from Paul to stay calm, focused in the things of God and SHAKE HIM OFF!
CLAIM THIS VERSE TODAY
EPHESIANS 4:22-25
put off/shake off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
Blessings,
