Gen. 2:16-17 - The LORD God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die."        NASU 

• 2014 NCAA Wrestling Championships Are In The History Books 

Some history making events took place at this year's championships. Penn State won their 4th consecutive title, something they had never done before. ESPN televised all three days of the wrestling event another first and for that I give ESPN, a big hearty "THANKS, U ROCK". 

• God and Coaches Are Similar 

God the Coach, told Adam and Eve, the participants, what to do, "From any tree…Eat Freely." And He also told them what not to do, "From the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall NOT EAT."

Now what is so hard about those do's and don'ts?

Wrestling coaches are like God in that they tell their wrestlers what to do and what not to do. All coaches will emphasize these do's and don'ts -"Do get your proper sleep and nutrition, Do attend all of your classes, Don't let your weight get out of control, and Don't miss practices." 

Coaches also are at mat side giving instructions when their wrestler is in the battle. Your coach wants the best for you exactly like God wanted the best for Adam and Eve. 

• What Was He Thinking 

I have to admit while watching a few of the matches the thought, "What was he (the wrestler) thinking?" came to my mind. Some wrestlers tried moves that everyone knew would not work. So why did they try? 

I believe in the heat of the battle you will resort back to old habits when you become impatient or desperate. Even if you know this move will not work against this wrestler you will try it.

In one weight class the wrestler was known for his ability to ride his opponent. The commentators were wondering if the other wrestler when it was his choice would take bottom or neutral. He took neutral. He was better in the neutral position and that was his strength. He went with his strength. He stayed away from the other wrestler's strength. Now was not the time to be macho, now was the time to win a championship.

There was no doubt in my mind that wrestler listened to his coach and won the match. 

• Wrestlers Are Like Adam and Eve 

And then it dawned on me wrestlers are like Adam and Eve sometimes. They don't listen to their coaches. Adam and Eve were not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and they didn't listen to their coach, who just happened to be God.

There are some wrestlers today who are going over and over in their minds, what if. What if I would have done this or what if I would have listened to my coach?

You can not change the outcome of your match now so let me say this, "Use this as a learning experience, listen to your coach the next time and now it is time to move on in your life. Set another goal and start working to accomplish it." 

• Coaches Aren't Infallible 

Wrestling coaches aren't infallible as God is but they do have an advantage when coaching from the mat side. They are able to see the match from another perspective. I am not saying all coaches always have the correct advice, but they are there to help you in the heat of the battle.

It all comes down to trust. Do you trust your coach?

When the pressure on the mat is turned up do you trust your coach? If you don't trust him then why did you ever accept the coach's invitation to come and wrestle for him? You are both going to be frustrated.

Adam and Eve simply didn't trust God. They listened to and believed a lie and lost their match. When the pressure of your life is turned up are you going to trust your coach, God?

• What Are You Wrestling Against Today? 

Do you have a coach or someone you can trust? Ask them for their advice on how to defeat this opponent you are wrestling at this time.

Have you been coached on how to defeat this problem in your life? Implement what you have been taught.

Think on These:

Confidence is the feeling you have before you fully understand the situation.

A good coach inspires men to have confidence in him; a great coach inspires men to have confidence in themselves. 

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago
Minister of God's Word

Luke 5:1-5  Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; … 3 And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat. 4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”  5 Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing…

Serago are you trying to tell me God wants me to go fishing. No, not exactly, but I am sure some would not argue with God if that were His command. There are too many people who read the Bible and don't understand what is happening all around the story.

• Background Information Is Very Important

Jesus is doing what He does best and that is teaching the Word of God. He knows the best way to teach is to be separated from the people just a little and this would allow the people to hear His voice. He gets into Peter's boat and asks Peter to move the boat out into the water and this will allow His voice to project so that a larger number of people will be able to hear what He is saying.

When His lesson is over He wants to bless Peter for the use of his boat and more importantly He wants to teach Peter a life lesson on TRUSTING GOD. Jesus says, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch."
 
There is only about 10 things wrong with that statement from a fisherman's point of view.

Peter is the fisherman by trade here not Jesus. Pete had been fishing when you are supposed to and that is at night. The top of the water is cooler at night and the fish will come up to feed. It is now day and the sun has been heating up the top of the water so the fish swim to deeper water where it is cooler. Throwing their nets out now when the water has warmed is not going to help them catch any fish.

Pete informs Jesus, we fished when we were supposed to and we caught nothing. Now you want us to throw out our nets when we are not supposed too.
 
Pete probably wants to ask Jesus if He had ever fished in His life, but he didn't.
 
Pete is at the crossroads of Dilemma and Frustration.

He had pulled in his nets, if they needed fixing he has fixed them and now they are drying and put away. It is time to go home. It is time to get some sleep because he will be back here later today with his crew and they once again will be going out all night trying to catch some fish.

• What God Really Wants From Peter and Us

God wants Peter, you and me to TRUST HIM.

When you and I have done something for the 1,000th or 10,000th time God just might want you to do it a totally different way. WHAT! Are you kidding me? This will never work in a million years.

Yeah, that is probably what Peter was thinking.
 
Can you just hear Peter talking to himself, "This will never work. Everyone knows you fish at night, except this guy. If I had only worked faster I could have been off the boat and at home in bed sleeping, but no I had go back and double check those nets. I am such an idiot."

Jesus wants Peter to trust him and as we can see Peter did NOT automatically trust God's Son. To help Peter grow in his faith God worked a miracle right there in front of him. Pete did something in a totally different way. He fished during the day with his nets and Jesus filled his nets with fish. 

If we will trust God a little He will pour out a blessing from heaven that will be enormous.

• What Is It That God Wants You To Do In A Totally Different Way? 

What have you been doing the same way over and over again? What is it that God wants you to change? What have you been doing for years the same way that God wants you to try it a different way so that He can fill your nets with a blessing?
In what area of your life does God want you to fully trust Him?

We might want to start where Peter finished and that is by bowing down to pray and telling the Lord that we are sinful because we have not fully trusted Him. 
 
What one thing does God want us to do?
 
Trust Him!

Think on These:
​
Never be afraid to trust your unknown future to a known God.

God still speaks to those who take the time to listen.

Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago
 
Minister of God's Word