Snakes in the Woodpile

Here is a thought for you today, something to think on.  In Acts 28, after Paul has been shipwrecked and come to shore, he is out gathering sticks for the fire.  As he places the sticks on the fire, a viper comes out and attaches to his arm.  He shakes the viper out and is unharmed, much to the amazement of those around him.  If I may, I would like to make an application with these verses.  How many times do we find in the church, there are snakes there unaware.  You see, Paul would have never known that there was a snake in the woodpile had he not placed them in the heat. Many times, there are snakes in our churches, and it is only when the man of God turns up the heat that they come out.  After the heat, they begin to try and harm the man of God with their mouths.  Think on these things concerning those snakes.

1. The deceitfulness of snakes

Paul had no clue that the snake was in the woodpile.  We never know when there are snakes in the church.  They are certainly quiet.  They camouflage in the woods well.  They have no odor or large size to point them out.  You would never know they are there.  They are deceitful.

2. The danger of snakes

They say that typically, a snake is more afraid of you than you are of it.  Most of the time, a snake will not harm you.  However, it will cause you to harm yourself.  How many times have pastors harmed themselves because of fear when they find a snake?  They react too quickly or too harshly in fear of those snakes and they cause great harm to themselves, more harm than the snakes could have caused on their own.

3. The destruction of the snake

In Acts 28, the snake was destroyed when he was cast into the fire.  I believe such may be the end for snakes in the church as well.  Their destruction could be found in the lake of fire.