​Lk 5:4-7 - 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, …" 6 When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; 7 so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them.   NASU 

• Asking For Help 

In last week's Pump Up I shared the story about Coach Dan Gable leaving the 9 wrestlers and going and finding the one wrestler, Barry Davis. Here is a little more of the story. Barry was 11 pounds over his wrestling weight (118 lbs.) and he had four days to lose 11 pounds so he could wrestle at the Big 10 Championships.
 
Barry told me he made two mistakes. One was allowing himself to get 11 lbs. over weight and two was not asking for help in cutting his weight. The night before he went missing he had worked out by himself and was able to lose 3.5 of the 11 lbs. He lost hope that he could lose 7.5 more lbs. so he gave into his negative thoughts.
 
Barry will tell you now if he had just asked for help from one of his other teammates or coaches he would not have found himself in this terrible predicament.
 
What about you today? Are you finding yourself in a situation where you need help? Then follow the example of the disciples and ask for help. 

• Jesus and Peter Asked For Help 

Jesus had asked Peter to use his boat so that He could teach those who had come out to here His teachings. Jesus needed the help from Peter and his boat. Once Jesus was through teaching He wanted to reward Peter for the use of his boat. So He told them to "let down your nets for a catch."
 
When Peter finally obeys the catch is so large he must ask for help from his partners. One of the best lessons we can learn in life is how to ask for help. What makes asking for help so hard to accomplish? It just might be "pride" and we all know letting pride stand in our way can be detrimental in life.
 
Here are two passages about "pride" from the book of Proverbs:
 
Prov. 11:2 - When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom.
 
Prov. 29:23 - A man's pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor. 

• The Choice Is Yours 

Prov. 1:5 - A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,…
 
Prov. 27:9 - Oil and perfume make the heart glad, so a man's counsel is sweet to his friend.
 
Yes, the choice is ours to make. We can listen to wise counsel which is like asking for help or we can go it alone.
 
Had Jesus not asked for the help from Peter by borrowing his boat a lot of people would not have been able to hear Jesus' lesson that day.
 
Had Peter not asked for help they would have lost a lot of fish that day.
 
If Barry would have asked for help he would not have put himself in that dangerous situation.
 
The choice is yours. Choose wisely my friend.
 
Think About This:
 
It's better to keep a friend from falling than to help him up after he falls.
 
It is easier to point a finger than to offer a helping hand.
 
Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago
 
Minister of God's Word

John 13:3-6 - knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.   NASU
 
John 13:6-7 - So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, "Lord, do You wash my feet?" Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter."   NASU
 
1 Peter 5:5 - "You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another,…"   NASU 
​

• Peter Learned The Lessons 

The first lesson we should learn is about "Humility".

If you would ask Peter where he learned about being clothed with humility, I think he would say in the upper room on the night when Jesus took a towel and girded Himself and washed the disciple's feet.

When Jesus washes the feet of the disciples the lesson He was teaching was about "Humility".  

We don't have to wash a person's feet to show humility. There are many times in our life when we can show humility. How do you accept a promotion or a victory? How do you accept a defeat or a demotion?
 
We can display "humility" in life without washing a person's feet as we should be doing.
 
There is a very old saying that has been repeated many times by parents and coaches:
 
          "Win with Humility, Lose with Grace, and do Both with Dignity."
 
I have to admit I saw this saying with a slightly altered ending that made me smile:
 
                  "Win with Humility, Lose with Grace, but Don't Lose."
 
If only it were that easy in life to not lose.

Seriously, I would have to admit some of my greatest lessons I have learned have come by what I would classify as losses.
 
The second lesson is one I have found very valuable and that is we don't always understand what is going on around us at first.

Be calm.
Don't jump to conclusions.
Give the situation some time.
 
Jesus was washing the disciple's feet and Jesus tells Peter you don't understand what I am doing right now but you will. Give it some time and you will see what I am doing.
 
WOW!
 
Who can relate to that message?

I know I sure can. There have been so many times in my life where God did the exact opposite of what I wanted and had prayed for.
 
God has shown me time and time again if I am His servant then I will trust Him and accept that when my prayer is answered with a "No" it is my best interests God has in mind.
 
He has a better plan for you and me and that we can be sure of.
 
Think About These:
 
Stay Humble or Stumble.
 
The best way to be right or wrong is humbly.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

 
James 4:6 - Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE ." NASU
 
James 4:10 - Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
NASU
 

• Three Benefits Of Being Humble

 
The first benefit is a correct understanding of God. You will notice God is opposed to the proud and being proud is the opposite of being humble.
 
A person who thinks he or she is better than someone else according to the Bible is said to be a "proud person". If you think you are better than someone else you are going to be opposed by God. In other words, you will be having a head-on collision with God and you will not like the outcome.
 
I highly recommend you change your plan from being proud to be humble. If you don’t make the change God will oppose you.
 
We all know that will not be beneficial to the one who God opposes.
 
The second benefit is God's "Grace" is given to you. Now that is a great reason to be humble. By being humble we will be the recipients of God's Grace. What better reason would one need for being "humble"?
 
Humility will put us in direct contact with God's Grace. What an amazing blessing.
 
I have had numerous people ask me the difference between Grace and Mercy. Let me share this with you and hopefully, it will be helpful in answering the question of the difference between Grace and Mercy.
 
Grace is receiving kindness or favor from someone and you didn't do anything to deserve this kindness or favor.
 
Mercy is receiving help from someone because of their love or goodwill when you should have received punishment.
 
The third benefit of being humble is being "Exalted" by God. In a previous verse, James was talking about mourning and in the first century, it was common for the mourners to prostrate themselves during times of grief.
 
James is informing us that if we are humble and when we go through times of grief and this grief drives us to our knees there is good news and the good news is God will "exalt" the humble person. God will be there to help lift you from your despair.
 
I hope you were able to see the benefits of humility far outweigh being puffed up with pride.
 
Think About These:
 
Tempers some times get people in trouble, but pride will keep them there.
 
The best kind of pride is that which compels a person to do their best - even when no one is looking.

​Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word