Dear Angler Tract (Fisherman tracts) 50 tracts total

Do you know someone who loves to fish? Well this tract is just for you. It relates the gospel in a simple yet straightforward biblical way for fishermen. The tract is spelled out in detail below:

Dear Angler

Every fisherman typically has their own “big fish” story of catching a very large fish. From parks, to rivers, to deep sea fishing, the thrill of trying to hook a special fish is very exciting. Fishing has been enjoyed for centuries in all different cultures. But sadly we won't be able to fish forever as this life has an end to it. So why are we here on this planet called earth?

Lured and Hooked

There is a true fishing story in the Bible. A man named Jonah was swallowed by a massive fish and was in the belly of the fish for 3 days and 3 nights. The fish ended up vomiting him up and he survived to tell the story! But the reason Jonah was swallowed whole is because he disobeyed God. God asked the prophet Jonah to go to Nineveh but he rebelled and went a different route. Jonah eventually found himself treading water in the middle of the ocean and God is the one who brought a massive fish to swallow him as punishment. This humbled Jonah greatly! And if we look at God’s moral law of right and wrong everyone comes up way short of being good. God’s 10 commandments are His law, so let's take a look at a few. Don't tell lies. How many lies have you told in your life? Don't steal. Have you ever stolen anything regardless of value? Don’t commit adultery. Jesus said if you look with lust (sexual desire) at anyone you're not married to , you commit adultery in your heart. Have you ever looked with lust? Like Jonah, everyone has disobeyed God’s laws and we are all guilty. None is righteous…none does good. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The wages of sin is death. Sin is like the bait on a hook. It lures and tempts us and then when we give into it, we are hooked. Guilty law breakers deserve justice by being punished. And since we all are guilty before a Holy God, we also deserve justice. And if you die without receiving God’s free pardon (gift), you will end up in a terrible place called hell. God does not want you to go there. The choice is yours…

Set Free

When a fish gets caught and brought out of the water, it's terrified. But the moment it gets released back it's free. Every single person is lured and hooked by sin and if we don’t ask God for mercy we will spiritually die like a fish out of water. The good news is that God gave His One and Only Son Jesus Christ to save us. He came to free us from sin’s grip and to forgive us of all our guilt. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” Jesus' mission was to save us from going to hell and bring us into a loving relationship with Himself. He accomplished that by taking our punishment that we deserve for our sin. He died on a Roman cross of brutal crucifixion as our substitute, taking our place. “God showed His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” And just like Jonah was in the belly of the fish for 3 days then released, Jesus also died and three days later resurrected from the dead, defeating death itself! He is alive which proves He is God. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and no one goes to the Father except through Him.

Get Released

Just like an angler pursuing to catch a fish, God has been trying to catch you. He wants a relationship with you and wants to bring you to heaven when you die. Here is what you need to do:

Repent. Change your mind about your sins. Sin is no longer cool, fun, or pleasurable but offensive to a Holy God. Admit your sin and ask for His forgiveness.

Believe. Trust in Jesus alone to forgive and free you from your sin. Pray a prayer asking to receive His free gift of salvation. “ If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” “Yet to all who did receive Him (Jesus), to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God”.

If you prayed to receive Jesus as your savior and Lord, you are now in a relationship with Him, heaven bound. To grow in your new relationship with Him, read your Bible daily and obey it. Jesus said “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men”. Meaning go out and “catch” other sinners to follow Jesus by sharing the good news with them too!