Making the cut…

Today in Shreveport, 10 professional fishermen*  are fishing for a $500,000 first prize. But before they could do that, they had to be at the top of a 46-man field at the end of three days.  Before that, they fished all year in tournaments against thousands of others to even make it here.  It’s an uphill battle. A fight against the odds.   But they made the cut!

Thankfully,  God doesn’t just take the Top Ten. He doesn’t require us “make the cut” by besting everyone else in a competition to see who deserves it. Here’s the personal decision he asks a person to make:

I acknowledge I am a sinner in need of a Savior – this is to repent or turn away from sin;  I believe in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead – this is to trust that Jesus paid the full penalty for my sins; I confess Jesus as my Lord and my God – this is to surrender control of my life to Jesus;  and I receive Jesus as my Savior forever – this is to accept that God has done for me and in me what He promised.

John 3:16:  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

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* And as for those fishermen that made the cut… These guys will be fishing today to win the FLW CUP:

Name……………………Hometown……………Pounds (# of fish)

1. BRYAN THRIFT        SHELBY NC                   39-6 (15)
2. RANDALL THARP    PORT SAINT JOE FL    39-2 (15)
3. LARRY NIXON          BEE BRANCH AR         35-14 (15)
4. JACOB WHEELER    INDIANAPOLIS IN        34-15 (15)
5. MARK ROSE             WEST MEMPHIS AR    34-6 (15)
6. ROBBIE DODSON    HARRISON AR             33-5 (15)
7. KERRY MILNER        BONO AR                     32-13 (15)
8. TROY MORROW      EASTANOLLEE GA      32-7 (15)
9. TOM MONSOOR      LA CROSSE WI            32-4 (15)
10. MICHAEL NEAL      DAYTON TN                 32-4 (15)

The winner will be determined at today’s 5 p.m. weigh-in at the CenturyLink Center in Shreveport. We will report on that Monday.