“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”

This verse of scripture is giving reference to the brethren! Those who have repented of their sins and confessed with their mouth that Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose again for eternal salvation. Once we become born again, we are called into liberty, meaning we are not bound to the laws of the Old Testament. Basically, we won’t be judged for being liars, thieves, blasphemers, and so on. It’s hard for us to wrap our mind around the thought that once were saved we could never lose it, regardless of what sin we may fall into; however, that is what the Bible teaches. When we get saved, we will not be judged for our sin, but notice how this verse in Galatians doesn’t tell us that once we get saved, we can live however we want. It does direct us to keep sin out of our life. It appears in this context of scripture that there may be some contention among believers in the Galatian church because the following verses say, “14. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love they neighbour as thyself. 15. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” It seems they’re using their liberty in Christ to treat their brothers in Christ in a wrong way. Sure, they won’t die and go to hell for the sins their committing, but God is commanding not just them, but also us, to not use our liberty to please the flesh.

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1) Too many believers are using their liberty to live life how they want to, but yet can’t figure out why they are so miserable in life. God gets angry with disobedient children that say, “I don’t care, I will live how I want”. ” Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption…” (Galatians 6:7-8) Notice how it says, “his flesh”, don’t we just love ourselves? It’s always about us right!

How can we apply this to our hunting career? First off, are you truly saved? Did Jesus Christ really change your life? Why do you still live like an outlaw? You may think its ok to break game laws, but the Bible says, “…only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh…” Have you ever wondered why your kids are so dishonest? Could it be that dad has been teaching them to lie on their game harvest records? When they fill out a tag to an animal that dad killed, it’s called lying! A lot of Christian men say, “I don’t think there is anything wrong with it, God gave these animals to us. “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake…”(I Peter 2:13) If you intentionally break a game law, you are disobeying God. Have you ever cared about your testimony in front of the game warden? Has it ever crossed your mind that he or she might die and go to hell? Do you think he will listen to your gospel witness while he is writing you a ticket for having to many rabbits in your pouch? “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” (Philippians 2:15) Is your daily bag limit not enough? This upcoming season, Ohio will allow you to take 6 deer statewide, but yet there will be many illegal deer tagged or not even tagged at all. This is expected of a lost sinner. They’re lost, how else would they act? Why are Christians doing this? Why have men and women of God justified to themselves that its ok? “…only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh…” I have to admit, I’ve had my days in the woods where I made some decisions that could have caused a great deal of trouble, but can I also say there were many other things in my life that was not right with God! As I began to confess my sins and grow closer to the Lord, God showed me that I cannot do wrong and have a right relationship with Him. What is your story man or woman of God? Will you purposefully break the laws in your state this season? If so, how can you stay unspotted from the world? How can you obey every ordinance of man? “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.” (Romans 13:14)

Memory Verse

Galatians 5:13

“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”

“14. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15. That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16. Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”

What are people seeing on your social media posts? When I was younger, I established a desire to know more about archery. As I learned different things from different shooters, I would always gravitate towards those who were open to share their knowledge with others about the skills they have mastered. Even today, I still like to listen and learn from shooters that are more experienced than me.

If you spend much time on social media, you will quickly identify with people who don’t care about anyone but themselves. Whether knowledgeable or not, I’ve never had much interest in learning from arrogant self-centered archers. They just love to hear themselves talk about their knowledge and even shoots they may have won over the years. They are quick to degrade others at how they shoot rather than encourage them. With the uprise of social media over the past 10 years it doesn’t take long to find these bread winners posting about something negative toward other archers. Anymore, hunting groups on social media bash people more than help them. You can’t find a post without someone trying to say mean hurtful statements toward a simple question from a beginner. It seems like the nature of hunters today says, “If you don’t do everything like I do, you’re a loser.” Who likes this type of language? Who likes this type of treatment? No one likes to be degraded or cut down, but yet that’s all they do to others. I’m drawn more to those who have a willingness to help others. I am more prone to listen and observe how they have become successful whether in the field or on the range!

Do you realize this is the same behavior we are seeing among born again believers? What are you posting on Twitter, Facebook, or other social media outlets? Whether it’s a closed group, a friend, or even a friend you don’t know, there is always a post of something negative. That is not how God wants us to use social media. So, a church you went to did something you didn’t like or didn’t treat you the way you thought they should. Boo Hoo! Social media is not the place to complain! “Do all things without murmurings and disputings:” (Philippians 2:14) Why would anyone want to be an independent fundamental Baptist when all they see is negative posts towards a church, pastor, evangelist, or leader within a church. “I EXHORT therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;” (I Timothy 2:1) Stop blasting other Christians for what they do differently than you! Maybe they are wrong! Now pat yourself on the back and tell yourself how great you are for finding their problems. You might need to consider scrolling through some of your old posts and see if there is anything negative about it. Either erase it or fix it! It’s surely not going to help anyone get to Jesus Christ and it surely won’t give struggling believers a desire for the local New Testament Church. “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.” (Ephesians 5:1-2) We still need to follow II Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” Preaching the Word is not disputing and complaining on your social media posts about all the things a church is doing wrong. We need revival! Many of us need to repent for not having a life like Jesus Christ! We are seeing this great falling away because Christians want to rule with an iron fist rather than live the life of Jesus Christ. When Christ was hanging on the cross, He did not degrade those who had hung Him there. “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do…” (Luke 23:24) How is your social media page? Are you magnifying the name of Jesus Christ? Could it be you need to shut off social media for a while? Maybe there are some posts that you need to correct or erase? You may even need to apologize to someone you don’t even know because you have had such a nasty spirit in the things you have commented on? Most believers would rather “regard iniquity in their heart” than repent and make things right. What is your story? What will your lost friends see you post about today or what will they read concerning your post yesterday? “Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.” (Philippians 2:16)

Memory Verse

Philippians 2:14-16

“Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”

“1. The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. 2. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. 3. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? 4. A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them and departed.“

You’ve probably heard the old saying “red at night, sailors delight, red in the morning sailors take warning.” Did you know that was from the very Word of God? Here, the Pharisees and Sadducees were able to determine the weather by the color of the sky but couldn’t identify with Jesus Christ as their Messiah. We are living in a day where many people look to signs for direction from the Lord. Jesus was headed to the cross! Rather than show the Pharisees any type of sign, He directed them to the Word of God. “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:40) Jesus was letting these Pharisees know that He would be buried for three days and three nights but then raise from the grave in power. How sad it is that the religious crowd missed the most life changing sacrifice that would ever take place. Jesus Christ died for you! He was put in a tomb and rose with new life to save every sinner from a devil’s hell! “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us!” (Romans 5:8) Do you know Him today? Is Jesus Christ your Lord and Saviour? The Bible says we must repent of our sins then confess to God that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again to have eternal life. Please make that decision today if you’re not born again!

You may be reading this with the thought, I have been saved! If that is the case, how is your walk with God today? There are many believers that know more about how to catch a fish than then very Word of God. They know the structure of the lake, the color of the crank bait to use whether its cloudy or sunny, and even the right temperatures for a fish spawn, but yet know nothing about the Word of Truth! Are you facing discouragement and depression? “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” (Joshua 1:8) Are you at a crossroads and not sure what to do? “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” (Psalm 1:1-2) Have the pleasures of this life not brought you the peace you have been searching for? “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.”(Psalm 51:12-13) God doesn’t want us to look for signs, He wants us to know Him by reading His Word! How is your walk with Him? Are you faithful to the Word of God? Have you been faithful in your prayer life? The Word of God has all the answers that we could ever need in life! If it’s not your roadmap, there is good news, you can make some changes today!

Memory Verse

Psalm 1:1-2

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”

“Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

Two words that every believer can take note to in this verse is “he shall”. Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? This question must me raised: Is God giving you the desires of your heart? The word delight means a high degree of pleasure, or satisfaction of mind; joy, according to Webster 1828. Patience could be one reason your prayers have not been answered yet, but that is for another day! Some think just because they go to church they are delighting themself in the Lord, but it’s so much more than that! Do you enjoy reading your Bible? Do you enjoy telling others about Jesus Christ? Do you enjoy serving in a ministry in your local church? Do you enjoy being at church? Many don’t see the desires of their heart come to pass because they have the wrong desires which is a result of having the delight of your life in the wrong area! Many Christians delight in worldly pleasure which is opposite of what the Bible teaches! Proverbs 21:17 “He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.” Is your delight in the Lord today? If it is, you should be filled with joy! If you are not seeing your desires answered you may want to do a heart check and make some corrections!

This morning I had an opportunity to fish in the neighbors pond before heading to the dentist. My first cast I caught a small bass, but the next 30 minutes I never had a bite. As I cast the worm in the water, I bowed my head and asked the Lord for 2 nice fish before I had to leave. Literally, as I was praying, I felt a jerk on my rod and as my eyes opened I set the hook! Praise the Lord! It was either the next cast or the second one I landed the biggest bass in that pond yet! You have to yell praise to the Lord when it happens that quick. As I made my way back to the house the Lord reminded me of Psalm 37:4 “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

Recently, the Lord has allowed me to lead some souls to Him, I was able to take two young men to their first church service last night, and we also have our first fishing tract at print! God is faithful!

Memory Verse

Psalm 37:4

“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

“5. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: 6. To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. 7. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

I had the opportunity to visit the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina many times for family vacations while growing up. During my later teenage years, I was able to start trout fishing the beautiful streams that flowed from the mountains. Though no one cared for fishing in that part of the family, I had the opportunity to go with some friends which were from a different part of the country. A couple years in a row we would hit the streams but only return with a couple of fish between the 3 or 4 of us. It was great listening to the streams flow and being in the midst of the mountains, but deep down it burned in my heart that there had to be a better way to catch these cold-water trout.

The campground we stayed at year after year was managed by an avid fisherman. I observed some of my friends return with this local guy a handful of times with a cooler full of fish! How is he doing this? After a few passing years I finally had the opportunity to go along with the manager from the campground. We dropped some of our party off at one location but then headed down stream to fish a different part of the river. It was me, the campground manager, and a friend from the other part of the country. I observed for a little while and watched him catch a couple as we started wading down the river. I was trying to stay with my friend that was moving a little slower, but decided I better catch up with pro to see if he could teach me something. I finally asked him, how are you catching these fish? We were using ultra-light fishing rods with a small hook and some split shot sinkers. I had been using a red worm, but he said that night crawlers work the best. He said, “Tear a night crawler in half and thread it up on your string until there is a little tale hanging just below the hook.” He also made this statement along the conversation about the other guys that were with us: “They don’t listen.” As we continued downstream, he spoke of overfishing a hole. Once you run your bait through it a few times, move on. The one friend fell so far behind us because he had a bite in one particular spot then focused his attention on that area for most of the morning. He showed me the angle to cast the line and how to keep the line in your other hand as the worm floated through the current. When you feel them hit your line, set the hook! As we finished our strip of river, I was able to catch two trout. It made my day! I’m starting to get it figured out. The local fisherman had to go to work, so he took the two of us back upriver to meet up with the rest of our crew.

As we arrived at their location, they didn’t have much of a report from the 2 hours they had been there. There was a good rapid out in the middle of the river and it looked like it was bound to have fish. As I waded out to the hole, the great teacher said, “Show them how to do it!” I was amazed! As they all stood on the bank, I made my first cast, Smack! Fish number one! Second cast, Smack! Fish number two! It didn’t take long, and I was at fish number six! It was a great feeling taking home eight trout that day, but it would never have happened if I wasn’t willing to listen and learn!

In our context, we have two different people: a wise man and a foolish one. When it comes to spiritual things, what category would you fall in? Do you have a teachable spirit? Today, we have countless believers that sit in church Sunday after Sunday, but yet no growth. They have all the truth and counsel they need right at their fingertips, but yet they never open their Bibles other than on Sunday. Many Christians today are too afraid to soul win. They say things like, “I can’t do that” or “I’m too afraid”, “I’m not bold”, etc, etc. The problem is not that they can’t learn, the problem is, they can’t listen. “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning…” There are plenty of people that know how to win souls to Jesus Christ, if believers would go with those who know how to follow the Lord, they too can become effective soulwinners. The Bible says, “…a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:” The first counsel in our life should be the precious Word of God, it will guide us in all matters of life, but then also men and women of God who are wise in the scriptures. Who is your counsel? The pride in our movement today says, “I can do it on my own.” Wait, “…but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Do you want to be successful? Do you want the joy of the Lord to be your strength? Do you have a teachable spirit? Then move on to the next hole, change your bait to the right worm, and please, put away the bobber and wade out into the current! “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:”

Memory Verse

Proverbs 1:5

“A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:”

“12. Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? 13. The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it. 14. Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine; 15. And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.”

“Why hast thou broken down her hedges…” Reading Psalm 80, you can quickly identify with “her” as being the nation of Israel. At one point they were given the land flowing with milk and honey, but now through their prosperity they have found themselves with their back turned from the face of the Lord! Galatians 6:7-8 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

Israel has chosen to sow to their flesh, and in return they have found their hedge of protection broken. Their great land is now being destroyed and devoured by the boar and the beast! Have you ever saw the destruction of a wild boar? Though boar can be fun to hunt, they are a very destructive animal. If you talk to land owners in states with wild boar, you will see their response of disgust because they are so destructive. Crops, plants, and fields suffer great damage from these nuisance animals!

Does this context of scripture remind you of any other nation? Have you noticed how God is no longer in schools? Hunting on Sunday is more important than worshipping Jesus Christ? Sports events are more important than Sunday worship and church outreach? Houses, trucks, and hot rods are more important than sending missionaries to the field or taking care of financial needs in the local church! Most believers sit back and identify with all these problems, but yet do nothing about it in their own life or community. How sad it is! Scott Pauley said, “Most people don’t really want revival. They want nice sermons, great music, full buildings, and everyone else to get right with God. When real revival comes we see our own sinfulness and God begins to change everything in us that is not like Jesus.”

There is a center piece in Psalm 80 that we must all take very seriously: “Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.” (Psalm 80:3) “Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.” (Psalm 80:7) “Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.” (Psalm 80:19) Could it be that we can’t see God’s face shining in our lives because we have turned our back to Him? Matthew 23:25,27 “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess…Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleaness.” What is keeping you from revival today? Notice how we see this turning again Psalm 85:4,6-7 “Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease…Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.” Before we can ever see revival again, we must examine our own individual heart and seek God in repentance! Psalm 80:18-19 “So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine: and we shall be saved.” Do you really want your life, your family, your church, and your country to look like the destruction of a boar or beast? Its already taking on that appearance! What will you do about it? Psalm 138:7 “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.” The underline to “revive me” was added! Hint! Hint! Have a great day!

Memory Verse

Psalm 138:7

“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.”

“5. Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. 6. For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law, a man’s enemies are the men of his own house. 7. Therefore I will look unto the LORD, I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. Rejoice not against me, O enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me. 9. I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgement for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.”

Israel has come to a place where there is no one to be trusted. God has had enough with the sin of his people. In the future, Assyria will carry away the 10 Northern Tribes. Years later it will even follow with the Babylonian captivity. A great problem in the nation is the fact that God’s chosen people have turned to graven images and idol worship. The prophets in the land are corrupt and misleading the people. Through God’s leading, Micah gives a plea to “look unto the LORD”. We must realize that there is always a penalty for sin. To the lost, it’s eternal damnation in a lake a fire. To the saved, it’s hardship, emptiness, and even a life cut short. Galatians 6:7-8 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to the his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

God is not pleased with the wickedness of our nation. Could we end up like the nation of Israel? It’s possible! The first thing Christians need to do is exam their own personal heart rather than look at others sin. Psalm 38:18 “For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.” In the context of Micah, notice how it says, “Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide…” Today, born again believers spend more time watching the news than studying God’s Word. Covid swept through the world and some people are not even back to church yet. People that use to be active in soul winning hardly pass out a tract and have become Sunday morning Christians. They look more to friends and guides than to the Word of God. There are so many things failing in society today, but we can go even further than society and look at our wildlife populations. Chronic Wasting Disease is spreading more every year. The turkey populations are declining and their not sure why. Biologists are helpful, but their not God! Psalm 50:11 “I know all the fowls of the mountains: and wild beasts of the field are mine.” Stop putting all your focus on the guides of this world, they are failing everyone! We could even go farther and say be careful who you are following as your spiritual leader. There are many false teachers on you tube and television today that are leading solid believers away from their pastors and churches.

How is your walk with God? Are you making the Word of God your final authority? If it’s not, your headed down a rough road of heartache and disaster. Proverbs 7:1-3 “My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.” How is your prayer life? Most people allow too many distractions in their life to have time in prayer with the Lord. Can you imagine how the relationship with your spouse would be if you only talked to her 10 minutes of the day? Not good! We need to stop looking to the friends and guides of this world and start believing in God’s power! Psalm 138:8 “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.” We are in desperate need for revival! Would you make revival a part of your prayer life? God is faithful! “…look unto the LORD…”

Memory Verse

Micah 7:7

“Therefore I will look unto the LORD, I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.”

“1. And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel… 11. Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father. 12. And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah. 13. And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon, 14. And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am. 15. Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. 16. And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: 17. For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest. 18. He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.”

There was a recent social media post of a man holding up his turkey with a comment along the lines of how beautiful the morning was. It was on a Sunday morning and his comment ended with a statement of him being in his church (“my church”). One man even commented that the outdoors was his church and nature was his choir. As I read the post, I thought how sad it is that a man thinks that forsaking God and going to the woods on a Sunday morning will help him through the difficulties of life. II Corinthians 11 also came to mind: 13-15 “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” I’ve also heard Christian’s make statements that they pray to God from the deer stand on Sunday morning or even try to justify why its ok to go fishing on the day we worship The Saviour. Revelation 20:10 “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone…” Don’t be deceived by man’s word, man will aways fail us. We must realize God is true and every man a liar(Romans 3:4). Let me ask this question: Are you obeying God’s Word? God’s Word tells us exactly why we cannot have church in the turkey woods or at the lake. Remember, its not your church. Matthew 16:18 “And I say also that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” The church was not built upon a sinful man, it belongs to Jesus Christ. Who is man to tell is that we can serve the god of creation, rather than the Creator God? Ephesians 4:11-12 tells us that God calls people to serve in the church to help others. “And he gave some, apostles; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” The body of Christ is the local New Testament Church. The greek word translated church is ekklesia, which means lawful, organized assembly. If we could have church in the field chasing wild animals, that would make the entire New Testament untrue!

James 1:15 “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” The flesh is drawn to many lustful things, as believers we must obey God’s Word. Looking back to our main context we see a man of God that is called into Bethel. He has been given very clear instructions to eat no bread, nor drink water, nor return to the same path from which he came. Jeroboam was the new king in the 10 northern tribes. The kingdom has just been divided from Judea and Benjamin. Jeroboam has brought in calves of gold to be worshipped by God’s chosen people in Bethel and in Dan. The man of God is sent from Judah to speak against what has been done. Jeroboam stretched forth his hand against the man of God and his hand literally dries up. Once he see’s the condition he’s in, he changes his course to ask now if he could be healed. Through the power of God, the man of God heals Jeroboam. Jeroboam offers for him to return to his house for a reward, but the man of God that was walking with God refuses to follow king Jeroboam because of what God commanded him to do.

The sons of this local prophet observe what happens and takes word back to their father. We see that account starting in verse 11. Put yourself in the shoes of this prophet from Judea for just a moment! He has been faithful to God’s Word for a time, but now as he sits under an oak tree, he’s very hungry and thirsty. If you have never fasted, you must realize that things can get cloudy at times. Your mind doesn’t always work right. Your internal organs go through changes and hunger pains as the fast becomes more extensive. The days can become weary. Whether fasting or just on a spiritual journey we read so many stories in the Bible about how God puts His children on a mission, and then in a short while, the road becomes long, the waves become bigger, the journey becomes tougher! We must stay faithful to the Word of God. The story doesn’t end well for this man of God from Judea because he chooses rather to listen to the lying prophet, than obey God’s Word. I Kings 13:19 “So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.” As this prophet departs from town the Bibe says he is slain by a lion. Psalm 118:8 “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” Today, maybe you are weary, maybe the path God has put you on has become much harder than what you expected, maybe Sunday is your only day to go hunting. Remember that God’s Word never changes! Don’t be that man that drops out of the ministry because someone told you it was a good idea, don’t start missing services because you are overwhelmed with things and cant figure it out! Stay faithful because God is faithful! I would encourage you to read all of I Kings 13! It may help you with whatever trial or temptation that may be in front of you! Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

Memory Verse

James 1:15

“Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

“7. Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods. 8. Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgements, O LORD. 9. For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods. 10. Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. 11. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. 12. Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.”

Confounded means mixed or blended in disorder; perplexed; abashed; dismayed; put to shame and silence; astonished; according to Wester 1828. There is coming a day when every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of all (Philippians 2:10-11). Verse 7 is speaking of the heathen, those who have chosen to live life their way. How sad it is that many will stand before God one day ashamed that they never repented and believed in Jesus Christ. The shame and confounding will come because they boasted themselves of their idols. An idol can be an image, but it can also be any thing on which we set our affections; that to which we indulge an excessive and sinful attachment. When Christ returns will you be ashamed as a believer? I John 2:28 “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.” One thing Satan wants to do is get every believer to revert back to their old sinful ways. He temps us with idols and false gods. There are so many sportsmen today that will open their eyes in hell because they worship the god of creation rather than the Creator God. You may be born again and not have to worry about being ashamed that you rejected Him as your Saviour, but if you’re not careful you may be ashamed that you served the idols and gods of success when you stand before him at death or even at the sound of the trumpet. Have you been boasting of your idols? That would be like having a big head and a big mouth for the deer you kill, turkeys you bag, or even fish you catch. How many services did you miss this past fall because you went to the woods? How many messages did you not listen to, because all you could think about was chasing a wild animal, even though you were present in the service? I John 5:21 “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.” The Bible says in verse 11 of the context that gladness is in the heart of the upright. We have a lot of unhappy believers today because they refuse to put idols out of their life. Keep the outdoors in its proper perspective, if there is an idol that is causing you to boast, it may be best to set it aside for a while and refocus! If Christ returned today, what will be the condition of your heart?

Memory Verse

I John 2:28

“And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.”

“10. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. 11. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

One of the biggest mistakes hunters make when in the field, is not following through on the shot. Its tempting to pull your face off of the stock of your gun or crossbow to see whether or not you made a good shot. Some hunters even forget to lock down on their anchor point. The deer, turkey, or small game is in their eye sight, but their not aiming properly. You always want a solid anchor point and you always want to follow through! How can you accomplish this? Sometimes your adrenaline gets the best of the situation and your animal runs away unharmed, but a little repetition will go a long way!

How much time do you spend on the range? Many sportsmen spend hours in the field, but when it comes time to pull the trigger, they fail completely because they were not sufficient enough with their weapon. Regardless of what season is next for you, make sure you are spending the necessary time on the range to become sufficient in following through and having a good anchor point. When you spend enough time doing the repetition, you will come to find that your mind will connect with the trigger when you’re making the kill shot! This is not full proof when your hunting, but it will make a big difference! Sometimes the adrenaline will get the best of you!

The Christian walk is very similar. Looking at the Psalm we can see the prerequisite to a successful life! Repetition is definitely a key element. How much do you study God’s Word? The more time we spend reading and memorizing, the stronger we become as believers. The psalmist is telling us he has hid God’s Word in his heart, that he might not sin against God. It is so easy for us to sin, but if we could learn to memorize more scripture, we could find success far greater than any animal we could ever kill. We can read God’s Word every day, but we can’t necessarily read it all 24 hours of the day for seven days a week. When we are at work dealing with difficult things, how do we make it to the end of the day? The Word of God, of course! The more time we spend in the Word, the more familiar we become with it. If we don’t memorize it, how could we lead anyone to Christ if our Bible is not handy? When your enemy attacks you, how do you respond? When we memorize the Word of God, scriptures like Matthew 5:44 will come to your heart and mind, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” At this point, you have to make a decision; “I will obey God” or “I will obey my flesh”. Success is not by hating your enemies, its by believing and living according to God’s Word. Are you truly hiding God’s Word in your heart today? When was the last time you tried to memorize a scripture verse? That’s great if you use to all the time, but what about today? Many great men and women of God fall because they put away the simple things God tells us to do. I encourage you today, memorize a verse of scripture! God will use it in your life to bring great success. Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

Memory Verse

Matthew 5:44

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”