Jay Rathman while hunting deer in the Tehema Wildlife Area near Red Bluff in northern California, climbed to a ledge on the slope of a rocky gorge. As he raised his head to look over the ledge above, he sensed movement to the right of his face. A coiled rattler struck with lightning speed, just missing Rathman's right ear.
The four-foot snake's fangs got snagged in the neck of Rathman's wool turtleneck sweater, and the force of the strike caused it to land on his left shoulder. It then coiled around his neck.
He grabbed it behind the head with his left hand and could feel the warm venom running down the skin of his neck, the rattles making a furious racket.
He fell backward and slid headfirst down the steep slope through brush and lava rocks, his rifle and binoculars bouncing beside him.
"As luck would have it," he said in describing the incident to a Department of Fish and Game official, "I ended up wedged between some rocks with my feet caught uphill from my head. I could barely move."
He got his right hand on his rifle and used it to disengage the fangs from his sweater, but the snake had enough leverage to strike again.
"He made about eight attempts and managed to hit me with his nose just below my eye about four times. I kept my face turned so he couldn't get a good angle with his fangs, but it was very close. This chap and I were eyeball to eyeball and I found out that snakes don't blink. He had fangs like darning needles. ... I had to choke him to death. It was the only way out. I was afraid that with all the blood rushing to my head I might pass out."
When he tried to toss the dead snake aside, he couldn't let go—"I had to pry my fingers from its neck."
Rathman, 45, who works for the Defense Department in San Jose, estimates his encounter with the snake lasted 20 minutes.
Warden Dave Smith says of meeting Rathman: "He walked toward me holding this string of rattles and said with a sort of grin on his face, 'I'd like to register a complaint about your wildlife here.'
- Don’t lose in the struggle with the serpent that attacks the soul
- Keep aware on His attacks
James 1:22 (AV)
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Examination
- Main purpose of a mirror
- Funhouse mirrors distort
Mistakes we make while looking into a mirror.
1. v.23-24a - A Passing Glance
- Check your hair, any smudges, how about my tie?
- Not a careful look
- So often our reading is five minutes for the day
- We need more than a candid photo of ourselves
- The needed look has to be X ray type deep into ourselves
2. v.24b - Forgetting What We See
- Oh Oh there is a stain on my shirt, need to change it
- Phone rings
- We forget and are on our way
- We need to see ourselves in the word
Daniel 10:5–8 (AV)
5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:
6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.
7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.
8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.
3. v.25 – Ignoring Its Reflection
Whoso Looketh
Deep meditation
Psalm 119:97 (AV)
97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
Diligent inquiry
Proverbs 2:3–5 (AV)
3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
- Examine our own hearts & lives in the light of the Word
- Disobeying the Word
- Perfect law of liberty
- Hearing & doing are two different things
- The Word has authority –“LAW”
- Word is sufficient “perfect”
- Obedience to the word gives freedom
Freedom from sin ( habits)
- Guilt
- Fear
John 8:36 (AV)
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Romans 8:1 (AV)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
CONTINUETH - Work the works of God:
Faith is our work,
Repentance our business,
Life of love and praise our duty.
Blessing Promised
Does not mean we escape the storms of life
He enables us to get through the storm
Mt 7:24-27 - illustrated by Jesus of the Wise & Foolish Man
Security
Strength
Wisdom
