When I was growing up, one of my favorite things to do

was go fishing with my dad.

My favorite part of fishing though, if I'm being honest,

it was never the fishing part.

It was always stopping at this little fishing equipment store

place that we'd stop at.

And dad would go get all the bait that we needed

and my brother and I, we'd go get all the snacks.

Dad would explain the different types of baits

that we were going to use to catch

different types of fishes.

You know, I believe that Satan always

uses bait to lure you into a path of destruction.

The bait of Satan is out there to-- as John 10:10 says--

to steal you and to kill you, and I hate to be graphic,

but to destroy you.

That's the bait of Satan.

But the invitation from heaven is always

to bring you into betterness.

This is God.

This is the message of hope.

This is the gospel.

You know, I'm thinking about the life of Job.

Job experiences the hashtag worst day ever.

He gets sick, he loses his kids, he loses his reputation.

All this stuff goes bad, and even his own spouse,

you know, his wife, the one that's

supposed to stand with you in rich and poor,

in sickness and health.

Even his own wife comes to him and she says Job,

please tell me we're not going to church this Sunday.

We're not going to keep praising your God.

Job made a decision.

I'm not going down this path of bitterness.

I'm not going to get angry at God and frustrated at God.

Job says things in his resolve like even if He slays me

I'm going to praise Him.

I know my Redeemer lives.

Job had this resolve to say I'm going

to get better from my circumstance,

and I'm refusing to get bitter.

What about you?

What about what you're going through?

I believe with all my heart that you can get better

through your circumstance.

You can actually get stronger.

You can get wiser.

You can get healthier.

And you can get happier.

And I'm not preaching to you out of theory,

I'm actually talking to you out of my own life.

You know, I've experienced a lot of tragedy.

Many of you might know our story, my wife and I.

We got a sick daughter.

When my daughter got sick, and that was four years ago,

we still face it today.

I had to make the decision.

Am I going to take the bait of Satan that wants to lure me

to offence and bitterness?

Or am I going to accept the invitation from heaven that

will allow me to get better?

I can tell you four years later we are not bitter,

but we are better.

We're stronger.

We're a little softer.

We're a little bit more aware of other people's struggles.

And it's only because we've heard

heaven say, if you allow me to, I

can actually make you overcome through your tragedy.

I'm inviting you to do the same today.

Reject the bait of Satan.

Say yes, to the imitation of heaven.