“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;”

“1. Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world: 2. Both low and high, rich and poor, together. 6. They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; 7. None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: 11. Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names. 12. Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.”

Have you spent much time on social media? If you’re part of any hunting groups, you will quickly notice that men and women are consumed with their trophy rooms! I recently noticed a few pictures that were posted by a man that was so proud that he didn’t waste his life and money on drugs or alcohol, but directed his life toward something much more valuable. I will say that his man cave was very nice. Lots of animal mounts all arranged in a way that would catch the eye of any hunter. One thing interesting about his post was that he stated, he didn’t waste his money on alcohol, yet in the midst of the room was a bar. In the backdrop of the bar, you could see different bottles that appeared to be hard liquor. So, if this man didn’t waste his money on alcohol, why is there a bar in his basement? The devil is good at deceiving people! Some people are deceived in alcohol, some are deceived in trophy rooms, some are deceived in both, and many other things. A man thinks his life is measured by his accomplishments, but the Bible clearly shows that its nothing more than deception. We could start at the beginning of the Bible with a man by the name of Cain. He tilled the ground and brought his works to the Lord for sacrifice! Today, Cain is in hell because he chose his own way and refused the truth. Is having a trophy room wrong? Of course not, but why exactly do you have it? Psalm 49:6 tells us that this lost world “boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;” If you think your trophy room is something to boast about, you are being deceived by the devil himself. Psalms 49 also tells us that your wealth and riches can’t redeem one soul from eternal hell! Is Jesus Christ the most important one in your life today? You may think your good at deceiving people in your Christianity, but truthfully, everyone around you knows that your life is not about Christ, but that it is about your hobbies, your job, and yourself! Stop fooling yourself! Life is so short! Why waste it? James 4:14 “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” Don’t feel that hunting and enjoying the outdoors is wrong or sinful in anyway, but if that is your focus in life, it can easily become sin. God wants us to have proper balance! He wants us to laugh, love, and enjoy life, but that can only come when Jesus Christ is the focus! Proverbs 11:1 “A FALSE balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.” So how can you determine where you might be on this spiritual matter today? Answer this question! What or who do you talk about most? Your wealth? Your riches(possessions)? Jesus Christ? If you’re a born again believer, I hope you can say Jesus Christ! If you are not born again, I would encourage you to consider eternity! The following link will direct you to the Bible way to heaven! Have a great day!

Lost – Hunting for Eternity (sixthdayom.com)

Memory Verse

Psalm 49: 11-12

“Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names. Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.”

Their in verse 11 is in reference to those who trust in their wealth and riches!

“6. Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea. 7. Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. 8. Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God. 9. And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God. 10. And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. 11. As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. 12. Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said. 13. And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. 14. Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.”

In this passage of scripture, we find the word wholly underlined three times. This word is not underlined in your Bible, but for the sake of today’s thought! Looking at this word wholly we find it defined in the Webster 1828 dictionary as entirely; completely; perfectly; totally; in all the parts or kinds. Looking back at an earlier stage in Caleb’s life we can see his life started in bondage to the Egyptians. He had the Red Sea Crossing experience! He watched God destroy the entire Egyptian army! As he receives the law from Moses we find some very important words in Exodus 23:20-21, “Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.” Do you realize that when God spoke these words that He already had a mountain prepared for Caleb! You would think after a Red Sea Crossing that it wouldn’t be difficult to trust the Lord, but unfortunately it was.

In Joshua 14:8 he had a quick reference to Numbers 13 and 14 and how the children of Israel chose to follow men rather than God’s Word. Moses had sent 12 spies into the land of Canaan to search out the land. Caleb and Joshua came back with a good report saying that even though it looks difficult, we can conquer the land because God said we could. Unfortunately, 10 other spies said that there was no hope that they couldn’t conquer the inhabitants of the land. The people of Israel chose to follow the 10 rather than obey God, so God let them wander in the wilderness for 40 years. Not only did Caleb have to suffer 40 years in the wilderness for their decisions, but he also had to watch an entire generation die before he could move forward. One amazing example Caleb shows us is that even through difficulty he would follow God’s Word with all of his heart. Caleb made it! He is now about to inherit the mountain God had prepared for him.

Have you ever thought what it would be like to have a mountain? Can you imagine the deer, turkey, elk, or any other wild critter? I know plenty of hunters that would love to have a mountain or maybe even a valley. God had some great valleys for Israel as well! The truth is, God has great things in store for you, but you’ll never see them if you don’t serve Him wholly!

I believe the word wholly is a word that could be evident in the life of many believers, but not when it comes to serving God! What about turkey skills? Yep, we do everything we can to make sure we go hunting and know everything that there is to know about killing a bird. We could say that about all different kinds of wildlife that what hunt for. We could also say that about cars, football, work, or 4wheeling! You name it! What do you give your all to? Why can’t we have victory over our spiritual battles? Why can’t we have the mountains God has set aside for us? It’s because wholly is not in its right place! We are more concerned about ourselves, our friends, and our hobbies, than serving God! “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world…” God’s Word has always proven that He is faithful! Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to lead you in soulwinning? Is your prayer life and Bible reading time truly genuine, or just a ritual? Do you look forward to Sunday, or is it just another day? Maybe you’re not following the Lord wholly. The good news is that you can make a change today! Spend some time with God and allow Him to redirect some things in your life. Don’t miss the mountains friend! God is faithful!

Memory Verse

Joshua 14:14

“Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.”

“8. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. 9. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.”

As a kid, I really enjoyed watching hunting videos on the television. As I got older, I always looked forward to the big buck video that would be coming out next! There was one particular group I really enjoyed watching. Before I had any sense, I always felt I had to use the same equipment that they had because that was a sure way to be successful. I’ve never had a big interest in meeting famous people, but if I could meet one, it would be an individual from this particular hunting crew.

It was a handful of years ago I had the opportunity to go to a large hunting show in the south. I was excited when I saw the ad that this one individual was going to be there. I’ve watched this guy kill animals since I was a kid and the thought of being able to meet him brought some excitement.

As we walked through the show, we stumbled upon the booth that was full of the hunting crew I was looking forward to meet. The one individual that I really wanted to see was there and greeted us in a very friendly manner. He gave my kids some free gear and gave all his attention to everyone in the family but me. As we stood there in conversation, I don’t know that he acknowledged me with more than a “Hi”. As we stood there together it was as if I wasn’t even there. We all got our picture together then moved on to other parts of the booth to meet the rest of the crew. Another famous face sat there at a table and wouldn’t even acknowledge our presence. He seemed to be having a bad day for some reason. We did talk to some others that were very friendly and very genuine, but with a lifelong desire to meet some of these folks, I must say, I was a bit disappointed.

I’m not saying these were bad guys, they run a business, and even talk about the Lord from time to time. It seems as if they probably know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour. I’m sure many others have had much better encounters with these particular two, but I was a bit let down. I’ve spent many years of my life wanting to meet these folks, but I walked away realizing that people are just people regardless of their position. The Lord taught me that looking up to a man can bring discouragement.

We could take this even a little further. There have been certain people in the ministry that I have looked up to over the course of my ministry. There were times when I thought I want to have a ministry just like theirs. As I’ve grown closer to the Lord and even studied the Bible more, I have wondered if some certain individuals are even walking with the Lord. Be careful, your relationship can easily become a ritual if you get lifted up with the success God gives you.

Today, there are soulwinners from the past that won’t even step foot into a church because they put too much faith into a man that failed. Look at the verse again, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” In this context the word better means more safe. Let me ask this question, who are you putting on a pedestal today? Is it a preacher? A man or woman in the church? A spouse? A child? Warning! They are going to fail you in some way. Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned…” There is nothing wrong in having confidence in someone but remember you will be more safe if your trust in the Lord is far greater than any man. The Devil wants us to trust more in a man because he knows that man will fail. Additionally, he knows that other believers will hold grudges and hatred towards that individual for a long time, they may not ever forgive them either. That is a huge problem in our churches today. We put all our confidence in man, then fall away from serving the Lord when they fail. Remember, “It is better to trust in the Lord…” When we trust in the Lord, it gives us the ability to love and help those that fall, rather than hate them. What’s your story? Who do you talk about most in your life? An individual, or the Lord Jesus Christ? “It is better to trust in the Lord…”

Memory Verse

Psalm 118:8

“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.”

“1. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 5. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

“Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things;” If one was to pick up a Bible and start reading in verse 5, it would be easy to raise the question to who is the Who! Vs 1 makes it abundantly clear who the Who is referring to, it’s “the LORD”. Psalm 103 is an amazing Psalm. It describes how great God is to mankind. It’s all about giving praise and blessing to the One who does so much for us. It tells us He forgives our iniquities, heals our diseases, redeems our lives from destruction, crowns us with lovingkindness and tender mercies, we could go on for a while talking about the things God does for us when we surely don’t deserve it! Read all of Psalm 103 today!

As I got to verse 5 this morning, it hit a special place in my heart! I was able to take a nice buck back in 2016 and then a nice doe in 2017. These were the last years of finding success in the whitetail woods, until recently. We are currently in the midst of our Ohio late muzzleloader season. For many years in Ohio, I never had a good shotgun to use so I would most often take my muzzleloader. I’ve always enjoyed using a muzzleloader and have been blessed to take many deer over the years with it. Back around 2014 would have been about the last time I had taken a deer with a muzzleloader, but as we approached this season, my desire to hit the field again was heavy on my mind. I must say that God has been good to me this deer season. I’ve had the privilege to take some deer with a bow, a new 350 legend, and also make some great memories with my son, my dad, and a missionary friend. I don’t ever want to be consumed in the pleasures of this world, and though the desires on my mind were to muzzleloader hunt, I didn’t want to purchase another tag without direction from the Lord.

It’s really amazing how God speaks to us through His Word! God has really used Psalm 86:17 “Shew me a token for good…” to direct me to the woods through recent hunts. I do like to read through the Psalms on a day to day basis, but it was no coincidence that the day before season opened, it crossed my eyes and ears again. I bought a tag and off to the woods I went.

Opening morning was a brutal 14 degrees and winds reaching 15mph through the day. Before season opened up, I had marked a tree that I could use for my climber if the opportunity would arise. The Lord blessed with a nice buck early season while hunting off the ground, but I quickly realized that the tree I had marked was in the middle of a bedding area. It only takes a time or two to bust out all your deer before your hunting becomes much more difficult. After recovering the nice buck, I never stepped foot back into that area at any time of the season.

We did not have a good wind to hunt any other stands that morning and that tree came to mind! With not much time left to hunt in the season, I figured it wouldn’t hurt anything to hunt that tree since I was only after a doe. There was a lot of squirrel movement that morning, but things were slow until about 10am. I never even heard them, but as I glanced over my shoulder, I could see the back half of a deer standing still. They were roughly 80 yards away and it was hard to find a clear shot. I was unable to get a shot on the first one, but the second deer offered a little better shot opportunity. After I squeezed off the trigger, the smoke cleared and the deer ran just a short distance before stopping. Miss! Frustrating! There was a frozen swamp in between us and I couldn’t find any more opportunities after I had reloaded.

At one point, a smaller deer made an effort to cross the frozen swamp but turned back after a few steps on the ice. As they moved off to the north, I thought to myself, you blew it! Little did I know they wanted to be where I was, they just had to get to the end of the swamp before coming my direction. As a nice big doe steps into range, I cocked the hammer and waited for a clear shot. They were less than 50 yards, but with all the saplings I had trouble finding the shot that I was comfortable with! The deer were on edge because of my previous shot, but they had no idea where it came from. This caused them to move very slowly. Finally, a clear opening! The front part of her shoulder was slightly covered, but I had a nice clearing just behind her front shoulder! Bang! I wish the story ended there, but unfortunately it didn’t.

I didn’t hit here where I wanted to, but she ran even closer to me, and it was obvious she was hurt. I slowly reloaded my gun, but before I could get recapped, she got out of my shooting window. One thing that can get a hunter discouraged is making a bad shot and not finding the deer. I haven’t done that in a long time and the thought that this one might get away was a very uneasy feeling. I told my son I would take him hunting that evening and leaving this deer until tomorrow morning was not going to allow time to recover the deer if left overnight. Fortunately, she didn’t go far before laying down. As I waited quietly in my stand, I could see the three other deer that were with her move off to the west, but no sign of her. There were even two more that came through off to my south.

After giving it plenty of time I eased out of the tree quietly and slowly. I had a tree marked where I last saw her, but I wasn’t sure if there were more deer that I didn’t see. I’m in their bedroom so who knows how many deer are around! As I stepped out of the climber, I could see movement from a deer that looked to be bedded, maybe 60 yards away. Once I got my gun capped again, I used my binoculars to try and locate exactly where she was. Though I saw the movement, it took me a minute to find her. I wanted to put myself in position to make another shot, but with the thick cover it was a bit difficult. She had bedded down on the other side of a downed log, and I had a large beech tree in between us which allowed for an opportunity to move a little closer. At one point, I had a clear shot on her head, but didn’t feel comfortable making the shot additional to not being certain it was the same deer. Another step or two and off she went! I thought it was her, but with the thick underbrush I still wasn’t certain because there were so many deer around me that morning.

I eased up to where she stood after the shot and found some blood. It was more than drops, but it wasn’t heavy. Sure enough, the bed had blood, but it was not enough to have a positive outlook. The truth is, she is probably gut shot. She needs a lot of time before a good recovery, but I can’t wait until tomorrow morning. I have to preach out of town all day and an attempted recovery at night may not be enough time. I made a phone call and fought with myself what to do. The best thing in this situation would be to back out and return later, but that is not going to work. I took a few more steps in her direction to see if I could find any more blood, but nothing. I am fighting with myself over every step knowing the best thing to do would be go home, but waiting this deer out is just not probable.

In discouragement, I called upon the Lord! As I talked with the Lord, Psalm 86:17 was still heavy on my heart. “Shew me a token for good…” was all I could say when speaking to the Lord. “This is not how it’s supposed to work, did you really speak to me with that verse?” There are many circumstances like these in life when we begin to doubt God’s Word and how He directs us because it’s not the way we had it settled in our hearts. Remember that its always Satan that wants us to doubt! God has truly used this verse to guide me to the woods two different times and both times they ended with great success. I felt defeated that I may walk out of woods with a wounded deer and no hopes for recovery, but wait, God is faithful!

After ending my prayer, I took a few more steps and caught movement a little to my right. I could see her head and ears over some downed logs running straight away from me! I had permission to shoot the neighboring field, but all that ran through my head was that it was an impossible shot and if she makes it across that field, I have no idea who owns the next wooded area. I cocked the hammer, shouldered my gun, and pulled the crosshairs up to the back of her neck and still can’t believe there wasn’t one branch obstructing my view. She was a good distance, but it was an opening from heaven like I’ve never seen in the deer woods before.

As the hammer dropped, all I could see was white smoke! As the smoke cleared, I was looking hard at the field just knowing she would be long gone. I looked and looked and looked but couldn’t see any more movement. I started her direction but after a few steps I stopped myself and said, you dummy, you’ve been here before, reload your gun! I ran a wet patch, a dry patch, and reloaded while trying to regain composure. You may think it’s weird, but I get really excited shooting does too!! Once reloaded, I took a few more steps in her direction and saw what looked to be a deer laying in the edge of the hardwoods. My binoculars confirmed that it was a big o’l doe not moving a breath. As I walked her direction, I couldn’t help but smile from ear to hear. “Shew me a token for good…” rang out in disbelief with every step that I took! Looking back, it seems there was no way I could have made that shot, truthfully, I couldn’t have made that shot. God has always been faithful! As I made it to the deer, I found an entry hole in the top of the spine and exiting toward the chest! Not everyone gets excited about hunting, but that’s ok! This past week as I was spending time with the Lord, I thanked him for making me a hunter. There is something about 14 degrees, 15mph winds, your heart beating out of your chest, and Psalm 86:17 that never gets old! Thank you, Lord!

Proverbs 25:4 says, “Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.” The last 4-5 years without success has been some days full of trial and purging, not just hunting, but also in serving the Lord. There are many impurities in our lives that God wants to take away so we can be better used of Him. Many times, the vision we have set in our mind is not the actual plans that God has for us! The direction is always serving and soulwinning, but truthfully, we all have dross that needs taken away. Dross is simply the impure metals that needs to be separated from silver so it can be more pure. There is always a dry season, it’s something that we all need in our lives because God wants us to get out of the way and trust in Him. Are you in a dry season? Are you at a crossroads and not sure what to do? Psalm 27:14 “Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” Remember that the dry season doesn’t last forever. God is always at work and knows exactly where you’re at and exactly what He is doing! Remember Psalm 103:5 “Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Memory Verse

Proverbs 25:4

“Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.”

“Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.”

What a thought to dwell on! Quietness is better than strife. Being still and quiet is a very important part of deer hunting. There are many deer hunters today that purchase a tag, go to the woods, but always return empty handed. The truth is, some people can’t sit still. You must realize that God created these magnificent creatures with a survival instinct. Getting into a blind or tree stand will definitely help your odds, but even then, you must remain quiet. Hunters that are repeatedly successful are those who are willing to listen, learn, and sit quietly!

There are many men and women of God today, that have trouble grabbing hold of this quiet concept. It’s sad that a believer would rather have travail and vexation of spirit than quietness. We tend to take on the place of God sometimes and act like we need to have vengeance on every little thing that’s not right. Don’t forget the Bible still says, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord”. Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” Vs 7 “A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;” We act like its always a time to speak and yet we can’t figure out why there is so much strife in our lives. Are you studying to be quiet today? The truth is we can’t control anything! We need to learn to trust in God. There are times to speak, yes, but don’t forget, there is a time to keep silence.”

Are you struggling with anyone today? Anyone who serves the Lord will quickly realize there is someone close by that wants to stir up trouble. Sometimes it’s family, sometimes a co-worker, sometimes a church member, and sometimes a neighbor. These are the times we need to learn to be true Christians and respond in quietness and love, not hatred! Proverbs 30:33 “Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the ringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.” We choose the strife many times because of our pride, but remember the Bible says a handful of quietness is better. There are many men of God in the ministry today that are overloaded with strife. Sometimes its because it’s just part of ministry, but other times it’s because they are trying to make a name for themselves and think they have to correct everyone. I would encourage you today, if you’re having any type of contention with anyone, stop for a minute, seek God about the matter, but then do what He tells you to! If it’s time to speak, God will lead you, but if it’s time to be silent; Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Memory Verse

Ecclesiastes 4:6

“Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.”

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

When you go to the woods, do you like to be prepared? Can you trust in your equipment? Some have this idea that if you can hit the target in the general area of the bullseye, your good to go. Over the years I’ve looked at that much differently. I want to know that when a deer or turkey steps into my shooting lane that my equipment is dialed in exactly where it’s suppose to be. Today, we are living in a generation where people think if the Word of God is close to the truth, its good enough. Why be close when you can be exact? I like my gun or bow to be tuned in exactly where its suppose to be, not in a general area.

Looking at this verse of scripture give your attention to the first word. It says, “Behold…” the word behold means to fix the eyes upon, or to observe with care. These next few words are extremely important. If you get this wrong, it’s going to cause some problems down the road. The new modern translations are starting to change what the real truth is. They are changing “a virgin” to “a young woman”. God does not give us something close, He is very precise and very exact! Hey, observe with care(behold), “a virgin shall be with child…” There are many infants born from young women today, but Jesus Christ is the only one that has ever been born of a virgin. The reason for this is because He was not conceived in sin by a man, He was God manifested in the flesh. You must understand that His innocent, pure blood was slain on calvary to pay for all of man’s sin. I Peter 1:19 “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” Satan wants the world to view Jesus Christ as a sinful man born in the flesh, but the Bible says, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child…” The Word of God is exact today! It’s perfect, without error! We can trust it! If we could learn to trust in it like we do our hunting equipment it would truly change our lives. How do you view the Word of God today? Do think it’s the closest? Do you think it contains some truth? It’s perfect in the King James Bible for the English speaking people. Don’t settle for less! Proverbs 30:5 “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.”

Jesus Christ came to this world for one purpose! YOU! Paul said the only way to have eternal life was to have repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ! If Jesus was just born of a young woman, He would have been like many others in this world, but the Bible says, observe with care, a virgin shall be with child. He was born pure so you could be saved through His innocent blood! Have a Merry Christmas!

Memory Verse

Matthew 1:23

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

“10. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12. But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.”

We are living in a world where everyone wants to be Moses! Most people don’t want the responsibility of leadership, but they sure are good about trying to make all the decisions. Are you a very good encourager? It seems like most of the time we are the proudest of the prideful. We want things our way when we are not even in a place of leadership. Regardless of where your position is today, whether at work, church, or home, look at verse 12 again, “…and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side…” In the context of this scripture, Moses, the leader of Israel, has become weary from holding up his hands. The Bible says that when his hands were raised, Israel would prevail against Amalek, but when his hands were heavy, weary, and hard to hold up, Amalek would prevail. Moses needed encouragement, not direction!

Where is your place today? What position are you in? You may not be in a leadership position yet, because God wants you to learn how to hold up the hands of others as an encourager. One thing about hunting, that can really give you a bad taste, is a prideful man or woman who thinks everyone should hunt like them. I’ve heard so many hunters make negative comments towards others because the buck they shot wasn’t big enough. If I could say one thing, shoot the deer that makes you have a fun time and fun experience. That is what hunting is all about. If you like big bucks, great! Keep hunting that way, but how dare anyone talk down to another hunter because they shot a small buck or even a fawn. It doesn’t matter the age, whether young or old, you must realize that others don’t have the same perspective as the big shots! Maybe next time, bite your tongue and say, “Congratulations, what a nice deer.” Recently, I was talking to some hunters at a local restaurant. I asked if they had done any good. One guy said he shot a button buck and the other was like a small 6 point. They felt a little hesitant when they responded with their hunt and it was nothing more than fear of what someone else might think of them. Our hunting society is so full of themselves. I made it clear to both of those hunters that you don’t need to care what others think. Hunt the way it makes you happy. Make sure you take a picture of the smaller deer too, because one day you will look back at the memory and wish you had a picture! I know Satan drives us to pride, but for once, can we put ourselves aside and encourage others in their success? Be an encourager, not a negative know-it-all!

This is the same issues we see in the church, home, and work place all over our country. Have you tried to encourage your pastor lately? What about Sunday school teacher, spouse, or supervisor? Moses didn’t need help in what to do, but he did need help in what he was doing! Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.” Regardless of what position you’re in, ask God if there is someone that you could help encourage! “…and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands…” You never know what someone is dealing with, do your best to help them!

Memory Verse

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.”

“3. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4. What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5. For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: 7. All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; 8. The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. 9. O LORD our LORD, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!”

What a powerful Psalm. It’s all about how powerful and wonderful our Creator God is, but yet it’s directed toward the love He has toward mankind. The atheist says everything came from nothing, but the Bible says in Psalm 14:1 “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God…” In Psalm 8, David is admiring God’s magnificent work and also the fact that He gave us rule over His great creation. There are some words and phrases that stick out in this great Psalm. Notice in verse 4 that the Bible says God is mindful of us. We are nothing but dirty rotten sinners, but yet David still identifies that God thinks about us. What an amazing God! What or who do you think about. Maybe a wife or children, maybe a vacation, some church goers tend to think about killing a big o’l buck on Sunday while the pastor is preaching. Do you understand what it means to be mindful of something? “What is man?” Again, we are cursed rotten sinners that deserve hell, but yet God still thinks about us! We are always on His mind! As you continue reading, you can all see that He gave us dominion over the works of His hands. Every sportsman should enjoy verse 7, “…and the beasts of the field;”

Hunting season is open in most states across the country. Hunters are pursuing all different types of “beasts of the field”. Ohio gun season has recently opened up for whitetail deer. There are many hunters taking nice animals as we speak, but can I remind you for a moment that everything God ordains, Satan opposes. Satan does not want God to have the glory for what He has given to us. He wants mankind to have the glory. In Isaiah 14:12-15 we read about the result that will one day come to Satan for the pride in his heart, “yet thou shalt be brought down to hell..” If God has blessed you with success this season, don’t let your pride ruin it for you. Success comes because God gives it. Has He been getting the glory for the skills and accomplishments He has blessed you with? After David gets through the first 8 verses of this Psalm he ends it in verse 9 with all the focus on Him! “O LORD our LORD, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” Are you praising and thanking Him for what He’s done for you? Don’t let Satan get the glory for God’s love toward us!

Memory Verse

Psalm 8:9

“O LORD, our LORD, how excellent is thy name in all the earth.”

“The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.”

The word substance in this verse of scripture is referring to the goods, or the estate of a person. The goods of one that is diligent is precious. Are you being diligent today? There are a lot of dreamers in our society that want to kill a big buck, but there are many of them that will not put in the effort to find the success. They say a blind squirrel will find a nut every once in a while, just like an uneducated hunter will stumble upon a big success, but that’s typically not the way it works. Do you want to kill a deer? You have to get off the couch! You have to wake up early in the morning! You have to be in shape! If you want to kill deer consecutively you have to learn some things about the game, but then you have to be diligent in killing the animal. We can take this thought and apply it to our relationship with Jesus Christ!

Proverbs 11:30 “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” How is your witnessing? In the last few days have you shared with anyone the gospel of Jesus Christ? Its easy to be diligent in the work of the ministry; reading, praying, faithfulness in church, but when it comes to soul winning we tend to look more like the slothful hunter in Proverbs 12:27. Many believers have the same thought process as a slothful hunter, they want to win folks to Christ, but yet they wont take the time to actually go soulwinning. There are times we have easy opportunities to win some to Christ, just like that blind squirrel, but how diligent are we truly seeking lost sinners. Proverbs 10:5 “He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.” Jesus said in John 4:35-36 “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.” What are you taking with you? You should have said nothing, dealing with the material things of this world. You will see every soul in heaven that you win to Christ! The biggest reason we don’t see many saved is because we are not usually working the way that we can! Don’t be slothful when in comes to lost souls. A real friend will rejoice with you when you have taken a nice deer. The story is exchanged and sometimes there are even tears! Have you rejoiced with your brothers and sisters in Christ about the souls that have been won lately? John 4:35-36 “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.” Be diligent! The souls of men, women, and children are very precious!

Memory Verse

John 4:35-36

“Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.”