" Going Fishing "

[Bishop1]

Please humor an Ole Preacherman -
I have posted this before and thought it was suitable to be reposted -





" A PLEA FOR FISHING "
by John Drescher

IS A PERSON A FISHERMAN
IF YEAR AFTER YEAR HE NEVER CATCHES ANY FISH ?

Now it came to pass that a group existed who called themselves FISHERMEN.
And lo, there were many FISH in the waters all around.
In fact the whole area was surrounded by streams and lakes filled with FISH.
And THE FISH WERE HUNGRY.

Week after week, month after month, and year after year these men,
who called themselves FISHERMEN,
met in meetings and talked about their CALL TO FISH,
the abundance of FISH, and how they might go FISHING.

Year after year they carefully defined what FISHING meant,
defending FISHING as a occupation, and declared that FISHING
is always to be THE primary task of FISHERMEN.

Continually they searched for new and better methods of FISHING
and for new and better definitions of FISHING.
Further they said, "The FISHING industry exists by FISHING
as fire exists by burning".

They loved slogans such as
"FISHING IS THE TASK OF EVERY FISHERMAN,"
"EVERY FISHERMAN IS A FISHER,"
and "A FISHERMAN'S OUTPOST FOR EVERY FISHERMAN'S CLUB".
They sponsored special meetings called "FISHERMEN'S CAMPAIGNS"
and "THE MONTH FOR FISHERMEN TO FISH".

They sponsored costly nationwide and world-wide congresses t
o discuss FISHING and to promote FISHING
and hear all about all the ways of FISHING,
such as new FISHING EQUIPTMENT,
new FISH CALLS,
and whether any new FISH bait was discovered.
These FISHERMEN built large, beautiful buildings
and called them "FISHING HEADQUARTERS".

The plea was for everyone to become a FISHERMAN
and every FISHERMAN SHOULD FISH.
One thing they didn't do, however, THEY DIDN'T FISH.
In addition to FISHERMEN meeting regularly,
they organized A GENERAL FISHERMAN BOARD TO EXAMINE, LICENSE
AND SEND OUT FISHERMEN TO OTHER PLACES WHERE THERE WERE
THERE WERE MANY FISH.

All the FISHERMEN seemed to agree that what was needed
was the General Board,
which would challenge each and every FISHERMAN
to be FAITHFUL IN FISHING.

The Board was formed by those who had the great vision
and courage to speak of FISHING, to define FISHING,
and to promote the idea of FISHING in faraway streams and lakes
where multiple FISH of many different colors live.

The Board also hired FISHING STAFFS
and appointed FISHING COMMITTEES
and held many FISHING MEETINGS
to DEFINE FISHING, to DEFEND FISHING,
and to decide what new streams should be thought about.
But,
the staff and committee members DID NOT FISH.

Large, elaborate, and expensive FISHING TRAINING CENTERS
were built whose original and primary purpose was
to teach FISHERMEN how to FISH.
Over the years courses were offered on the needs of FISH,
the nature of FISH,
where to find FISH,
the psychological reactions of FISH,
and how to approach and feed FISH.
Those who taught had doctorates in FISHOLOGY.
But the teachers DID NOT FISH.
They only taught FISHING.

Year after year, after tedious training,
many were graduated and were given FISHING licenses.
They were sent to do full-time FISHING,
some to distant waters which were filled with FISH.
Some spent much study and travel to learn the history of FISHING
and to see faraway places where the founding fathers
did great FISHING in centuries past.
They lauded the FAITHFUL FISHERMEN of years before
who handed down the idea of FISHING.

Furthermore,
the FISHERMEN built large printing houses to publish FISHING guides.
Presses were kept busy day and night to produce materials
solely devoted to new FISHING methods, new FISHING equipment,
and new FISHING programs to arrange and to encourage meetings
to talk about FISHING.
A speaker's bureau was also provided to schedule special speakers
on the subject of FISHING.

Many who felt the call to be FISHERMEN responded.
They were commissioned and sent to FISH.
But like the FISHERMEN back home, they NEVER FISHED
and like the FISHERMEN back home,
they engaged in all kinds of other occupations.

They built power plants to pump water to FISH
and tractors to plough new FISH waterways.
They made all kinds of equipment to travel here
and there to look for FISH HATCHERIES.

Some also said they wanted to be part of the FISHING PARTIES,
but they felt called to furnishing equipment.
Others felt their job was to relate to the FISH in a good way
so the FISH would know the difference between good and bad FISHERMEN.

Many devised ways to scale and clean the FISH
before they were caught
while others felt that simply letting the FISH know
they were only nice land-loving neighbors
and just knowing of how loving and kind they were
would be enough enough.

After one stirring meeting on "THE NESSESSARY FOR FISHING,"
one young FISHERMAN left that meeting
and ACTUALY WENT FISHING!
The next day he reported that he had caught two outstanding FISH.

He was honored for his excellent catch
and scheduled to visit all the big meetings possible to tell how he did it.
So he QUIT FISHING in order to have time to tell about the experience
to the other FISHERMEN.
He was also placed on the FISHERMEN'S GENERAL BOARD
as a person having considerable experience.

Now it is true that many of the FISHERMEN sacrificed
and put up with all kinds of difficulties.
Some lived near the water
and bore the smell of dead FISH every day.
They received the ridicule of some who made fun
of their FISHERMEN'S clubs
and the fact that they claimed to be FISHERMEN,
Yet NEVER FISHED.

They wondered about those who felt it was of little use to attend
the weekly meetings to talk about FISHING.
After all, were they not following the Master who said,
"Follow Me, and I will make you FISHERS OF MEN?"
(Mark 1:17)

Imagine how hurt some were
when one day a person suggested that
those who 'DON'T CATCH FISH'
were really NOT FISHERMEN,
no matter how much they claimed to be !
Yet it did sound correct.

Is a person a fisherman year after year
------> IF HE NEVER CATCHES A FISH ?

IS ONE TRUELY FOLLOWING-
----> IF HE ISN'T FISHING ?

THINK ABOUT IT !
-----> ARE YOU FISHING ?

JUST WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT ?

LET'S GET SERIOUS AND DO SOMETHING FOR GOD !





just my 2 cents worth for today -
Bro, Holland

[rgcraig]

Great post!

Always love when you pop up around here!