“Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.”

I had an opportunity to write about this verse of scripture back in the spring. It’s been a verse God has used to speak to me about different things throughout my life, but back in the spring it became even more special. Please read the turkey hunt on Psalm 86:17 (Part 1) here!

If you’re not familiar with a few words in this verse of scripture, let me help you understand quickly. The King James Version was finished in 1611. The spelling of words in 1611 was a bit different than what we see today. Between 1611 and 1769 there were a handful of revisions made to help with the spelling of words with the changing of time. Today, we use the 1769 edition of the 1611 version of the King James Bible. Some of the words in Psalm 86:17 are spelled slightly different than what we are using in the present time. However, they are still accurate, and can easily be researched for the true understanding of the word. The two words that may stick out to you are “shew” and “holpen”. Shew means to show and holpen means helped. Though we don’t typically use these two words with the way they are spelled, they are easily understood!

David says, “Shew me a token for good…” The word token means a sign; something intended to represent or indicate another thing or an event. We read about the account of The Great Flood in Genesis 6-9. We see a token mentioned as Noah comes off of the ark. God made a covenant with Noah and all of mankind that He would never destroy the earth with a Great Flood again. Genesis 9:12-13 “And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.” Today, we still see that token that God set forth in His Word. Many times when it rains, you will see a beautiful rainbow appear when the sun shines through falling rain. It even appears in the cloud, just like God said it would. God always proves His Word to be faithful.

In Psalm 86 it appears that David is in distress. Psalm 86:14 “O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul…” Psalm 86:16 “…and save the son of thine handmaid.” God speaks of His love all throughout the Word of God. David knows that God is a faithful God, but when He gets to verse 17 he says please show me your loving kindness as something I can see. David is requesting that God would do something great for him so his enemies could see that he serves the faithful living God. Tokens can come in many different ways, but its important to understand that we must read and study the Word of God so we can watch God prove himself to us! “Shew me a token for good…”

Back in the spring, the Lord pressed upon my heart to leave the camera at home and go back to enjoying hunting for what it is. The last weekend of the spring turkey season I was able to take a nice bird. God used Psalm 86:17 to show me that leaving the camera at home was what He was leading me to do. I’m very thankful for the success God gave me back in the spring, but I must say, the thought of taking the camera to the deer woods has weighed on my mind. I felt the best decision to make this season was leave the camera at home and just allow God to lead the hunting as He chooses.

The beginning of October was very hot in northern Ohio. We have had some busy days on the road and with the heat, there was not much interest to go hunting quite yet, but God directed a little differently. The temps were in the 70’s and it was a bit humid. I had no intention of hunting until I realized there was work I could not do because of my computer crashing. It was a week or two before I could get business in order again, but through my daily reading I felt God was leading me to purchase some tags and hit the woods.

My first night out was very exciting. The foliage was still very heavy, but the deer herd sounded like a train as they came past the stand. Unfortunately they were 10 yards out of my shooting lane. As they came into eyesight I counted at least nine and they didn’t have a clue I was there. I slipped out of the stand thanking God for such an exciting night.

With the temperatures still warm, and hopes of the computer files getting transferred to a new laptop, I figured that was the only night I would hunt until I returned home from my next road trip. The next night, the computer was not yet in working order and it wasn’t going to be for a few more days. I had just finished a Bible reading schedule, but had not started a new one yet. I asked my wife where she had been reading and thought we could read a few chapters together before going to bed. I never gave it any thought, but as she opened her Bible, she had Psalm 84 marked for her next reading. We read three chapters together and the very last verse was Psalm 86:17 “She me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.” I felt the Holy Spirit begin to press upon my heart, “why not go hunting tomorrow”.

I woke up early the next morning still battling whether to go or not. I looked at two different weather apps and they were giving opposite directions for wind currents. The last thing I want to do is have my scent blowing right into the bedding area. I don’t mess with the whole scent free method, but I do use the wind direction any time I am hunting whitetails. I read a few scriptures and then went back to sleep!

After waking up later that morning, I couldn’t get Psalm 86:17 out of my heart, “Shew me a token for good…” It weighed heavier and heavier on my mind as the day went on. By afternoon, I felt I better go to the woods! I looked at the wind apps again and they were still showing opposite wind currents, Uhh!! What to do? I didn’t realize it, but one of the apps redirected my location to the other side of the country. Turns out my wind was just right for hunting that stand again. I didn’t want to miss another opportunity on these deer coming through, so after thinking about it for a bit I decided to wear a leafy jacket in and hunt off the ground.

I slipped quietly into the woods and tried to find some good brush and a clear shot to this deer highway from two nights before. I stayed off the deer trail and quietly slipped past the tree stand. I was about where I needed to be, but I couldn’t quite find the right tree to brush myself in. I was trying to be as quiet as possible because I wasn’t sure where these deer were bedding. As I glanced and glanced, looking for the right tree, something caught my attention. It was one of those thoughts that cross your mind, “was that a deer I just saw?” As I took a double look, sure enough, I was already within 30 yards of a bedded deer. There was a good size beech tree blocking the deer’s view of me and he had no idea I was in his bedroom. As I looked closer, I could see the right side of his antlers when he would turn his head the right way. A time or two I could even see the tip of his nose, but could never see his eyes. He looked like a shooter buck, but it took me a few minutes to determine whether or not I would shoot him because I could only see the outer edge of his antlers. I dropped my pack and chair and decided I will just stand here until dark if that’s how long it will take.

I ranged his tree at 26 yards and quickly decided my red 30 yard pin would be right on the money! I had my arrow nocked, my release hooked up, but I’m standing in the open. I am like 85% sure that this is a deer worth taking home, but I wasn’t going to be positive until I could see both sides of his rack. There was a small sapling next to the beech tree that would allow me a shot, but I really wanted him to clear either side of the tree if possible.

Twenty minutes into the wait I heard something moving over my right shoulder. As I slowly turned my head I could see a small deer moving away from me about 40 yards away. A moment later, I saw a mature doe becoming alert to my presence. They were on the edge of my wind and I’m pretty sure they got my scent. At this point the mature doe started to blow. Great!! She blew three times and the buck never moved. She became even louder with her danger sounds because he just laid there taking it easy. I could see her out of the corner of my eye, but I was waiting for just a touch of movement so I could draw my bow. She is now looking at this buck and blowing like crazy. Its like she was saying “something is wrong”. It seemed like forever, but it was probably only seconds. I saw his rack shift forward and I went to full draw. It didn’t take long for the other 15% of commitment to shine. By the time he got to his feet I knew there was no hope of him stepping out where I wanted him to, but he was perfectly broadside between the small sapling and the beech tree. As my red pin floated from the top of his back to behind his front shoulder the last thought I remember was, “easy on the trigger, follow through.” As the red lighted nock lit up the shaded forest I could see my arrow buried on the edge of his front shoulder. As he ran to the left I could see good penetration and the red nock appeared to be right in the heart. This is the part where the adrenaline starts pulsing through your body!

I looked at my phone and saw my wife’s text asking me if I had made it in yet. I made a quick call and shared with the family all of the excitement. After hanging up the phone I slowly stepped toward his bed where the arrow hit him. As I got to his bed, I glanced through the woods in the direction that he went and I could see him laying maybe 40 yards away. Praise the Lord for such an exciting hunt!

I am reminded of King Saul when God told him to destroy Amalek and everything in it. Saul thought his way was better, so he spared the king and all the good animals that were used for sacrifice. Saul disobeyed God and he lost the kingdom. In I Samuel 15, Samuel says to Saul, “…to obey is better than sacrifice…” Saul may have had good intentions, but that is not what God wanted. We are just like Saul sometimes, we have good intentions, but it’s not what God directs. God wants us to simply obey when he directs us! I do believe I have good intentions when using the camera, but there is an inner pride struggle when the success comes. Since I have put the camera down, there has been a great deal of peace in making this decision. God has again shewed me evidence that leaving the camera at home is part of his plan for the future. Can I ask you, have you seen any tokens lately? Maybe there is something you are struggling with that gets you discouraged. Ask God to show you a token to prove His Word faithful in whatever matter you are dealing with! “Shew me a token for good…” The last thing to say about this hunt is found in Ephesians 3:21, it starts out like this, “Unto him be glory…”

Memory Verse

Psalm 86:17

“Shew me a toke for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.”

“16. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased; 17. For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him. 18. Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself. 19. He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light. 20. Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.”

The rich man is so magnified in this world. Why are people so focused on wealth? Its understandable when a lost person desires rich’s. Their lost, they are just looking for something to fill the void in their life; but why do believers get so entangled in money? Look at vs 17 again, “For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.” We can look to the account of Matthew when Jesus told the disciples that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Wealth can be used to glorify God in a great way, but God is not concerned about how much money you make and what everyone thinks of you. A very high percentage of wealthy people will spend an eternity in hell because they feel they don’t need God. Notice vs19, “He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.” Hell is full of darkness and torment. Wealth should never be a desire in our life, “Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.” When you die, what will you have to offer God? In this passage the rich man is magnified in the eyes of man, but yet he will open his eyes in hell. If you’re a born again believer, don’t set your hearts desire upon what the lost crowd thinks happiness is. Psalm 62:10 “Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.” The last verse in this passage is talking about those that have made it to wealth and fame, but never accepted God’s love and mercy. ” Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.” How many dead animals have you seen in your life? There was a man that recently said he has taken hundreds of deer throughout his life time. Animals die everyday, whether by a car, bullet, arrow, or even old age. When a hunter takes an animal, its exciting at the moment, but in just a short time, that animal is in the past and the desire for the next one is now at hand. Its not really thought about much more. The memory may last, the big buck may hang on the wall, but the actual existence of the animal is forgotten about. The Bible is telling us that just like animals that perish are forgotten about, so are those in honor, meaning everyone looks up to them, but yet don’t understand that life is about Jesus Christ and not themselves. Maybe today God has blessed you with wealth, that’s a good thing, but it must not be the focal point of your life. Maybe today you don’t have much, but truthfully, if you have Jesus, He is all you need! Don’t worry about the wealth of others. Walk with the Lord and let Him use your life for His glory!

Memory Verse

Psalm 49:20

“Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.”

“A FALSE balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.”

Have you ever used a deer cart to get your deer out of the woods? They are a great tool to use if you do not have access to an ATV. If used correctly, they can save you time and energy! Through different hunting situations, its become evident that using the center of the cart carries all your weight and will allow a smooth exit from the forest. That is common sense, right? There have been times when the deer wasn’t secured correctly and it caused a great deal of energy to be wasted. Along the departure the deer sometimes will shift to one side or the other. If there is too much weight toward the front of the cart it will cause you to carry the weight of the deer on your upper body causing you to burn energy that’s not necessary. If there is too much weight on the back side of the cart it will cause you to fight the cart all the way to the truck. Trying to hold the cart down while pulling can do a number on your back causing a great deal of frustration and pain before making it to the truck. Balance! Its necessary for a smooth ride and an easier walk to the truck!

Many times our lives reflect that of a deer cart. Out of balance and out of breath! Working for the Lord we tend to do things our way sometimes. All the weight is at the front of the cart because we think we are so tough and know how to do it all. God doesn’t want us to use our strength, He wants us to use His strength! Are you working for the Lord in His strength, or are you using your own? Sometimes we need to stop for a minute and think about the work load: Is it balanced? God has designed for all of us to rest. Rest helps the body recover! Look a what Jesus said to his disciples in Mark 6:31 “And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.” God wants our lives to be balanced. With that balance comes rest. You cant always make it to the truck in one motion. As you travel over sticks and logs the deer can change positions. When you hit your resting point it becomes a good time to readjust the deer, relax, and then reload your focus back to your destination. The truth is, you may need a vacation! You may need to spend a little time in the deer woods this fall so you can clear your mind, rest, and think about some things that need to get back in balance!

There is more danger when the deer is toward the rear of the cart. There are plenty of people today that live out there life with permanent back injuries because they didn’t use the best method in getting the deer to the truck. There are many born again believers that cause damage in their lives because their balance is more about doing things the way they want to do it. Sure, it seems ok for a while, but one day you start to wear thin. Its like being totally worn out, but then you give one last little pull to get those two wheels over a log and the next thing you know, you’re on your way to the chiropractor for a visit. If your cart was balanced right, you wouldn’t have to pull so hard. The truth is, you might need to set out of the woods a little while. God gave us hunting, its not sinful, unless, we become unbalanced. In Romans 1:25 we read about God rejecting man because they rejected Him through uncleanness; “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” Its unfortunate that believers begin to take on this same image when there life becomes unbalanced. They worship the creature more than the Creator. If you’re giving yourself more to the world than to the Lord, you need to get back in balance. Stop what your doing, pick up your Bible, get on your knees and ask God to forgive you. He will help shift the weight back to the center so you can continue smoothly through this bumpy old world. Be careful, if you don’t fix the weight, you may come out with a permanent injury that you will have to live with for the rest of you life!

Where are you at today? Do you need a break to refocus or do you need to take a break to focus? Proverbs 11:1 “A FALSE balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.” God wants us all to be balanced! Let Him help you fix it before you burn out or break down!

Memory Verse Week 9/26/21

Proverbs 11:1

“A FALSE balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.”

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

I have several friends who enjoy taking me hunting and fishing. These men know where the fish are biting, the turkeys are gobbling and the deer are roaming. I show up, they put me in place and the rest is in the books. Once these men have executed their part, it is up to me to set the hook or pull the trigger.

A guided hunt takes the work out of the process for the one that is being directed. On the other hand, the guide has cleared brush, set up stands, waded the river to find the deep spots and carries with him permission from the land owners. Countless hours are spent in preparation while the one being guided just shows up! Watching me take a harvest is just as exciting for the men that have included me in their labor as it would be if they pulled the trigger.

I woke up around three o’clock this morning with the words, Search the scriptures, ringing in my thoughts. Ever since I last read John 5:39, this phrase has been continually showing up in my mind. My Guide, the Blessed Holy Ghost, will daily put me in the exact spot in the Word of God where I can take a harvest of encouragement, gain a message for others and give me purpose! For me, it brings me great joy to labor in the Book so I can guide others on the hunt for their purpose. When we fill our hearts with God’s Word, listen carefully to what the Guide is saying, do it every day and store them in your heart, we are sure to have a trophy room filled! Finding Jesus in the Scriptures, …they are they which testify of me, will cause you to hunt for sinners and fish for men in a world that is filled with them! Have a blessed day!

By Missionary Mike Van Horn

Memory Verse Week 9/5/21

John 5:39

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”

“1. UNTO thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. 2. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. 3. Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.”

Hunting is not easy. A new hunter tends to think that all you have to do is find a tree, sit down, and then make an easy shot in a short amount of time. If you’ve spent much time in the field you already know that even though a few hunters kill a big buck there first time out, that’s not how it usually goes. Killing big whitetails is a game of patience. Waiting, waiting, and waiting! Some hunters have been waiting for season to open up since the end of last year. Some hunters are going into their 5th year of hunting and still waiting to kill a big one. Some will watch the pattern on their big buck, but then wait for the right wind and temperature before even heading to the stand. Whether its a summer, a season, or a south wind there is never any shame when the success comes your way! Its hard work, yes, but do you know of anyone that becomes ashamed when they kill their target buck? Of course not! Its a great feeling! All the hours and work were definitely worth the wait!

The Christian walk is not usually easy. We live in a day where waiting is just not the way to live life. The word wait is used three times in Psalm 25, vs. 3 “…let none that wait on thee be ashamed:” vs 5 “…on thee do I wait all the day.” vs 21 “…for I wait on thee.” King David is looking to our Great Creator! He knows that God will deliver him, because He is a faithful God. Waiting is not easy, but it is necessary. Don’t you want to kill a big buck this season? Why is it that most hunters can sit in the deer stand for hours on end, but when it comes to the things of God its now, now, now? God knows tomorrow! Don’t forget that He exists outside of time. He created time and He can see things that we cannot. It may not be a good idea to spend all that money on a bow you don’t need, that house you really want may have more problems than you can deal with, or even that week long hunting trip could have some disasters your not prepared for. It doesn’t mean that these things are wrong, but we do need to seek God in everything we do. Most people don’t want to hear what God has to say, they want it their way, “Lord give me patience, and give it to me now.” When your seeking God about making decisions please allow the Word of God to speak to you. If He says wait, that doesn’t mean yes and it doesn’t mean no. It means wait until God shows you what to do! The word ashamed is mentioned four times in Psalm 25, but three of those times are in a positive note. Wait, three times He says wait, and three times He says you wont be ashamed! Vs. 2 “…let me not be ashamed,” vs 3 “…let none that wait on thee be ashamed:” vs 20 “…let me not be ashamed;” God has a plan! Are you waiting on Him? If the Holy Spirit is telling you to wait on a particular matter in your life, please listen! What kind of whitetail hunter is disappointed when he or she stands over a big set of antlers? None, because it was worth the wait! Some of you are already thinking “I have a friend that killed a big one and he wasn’t very excited about it”, well, that guy should stop hunting!! Waiting is always worth it! God knows, just trust Him! “Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.” There is our fourth ashamed. Its those who don’t follow God and put their focus upon themselves! Will you be ashamed for doing it your way, or will you “not be ashamed” because you waited on the Lord?

Memory Verse Week 8/29/21

Psalm 25:1-3

“UNTO thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.”

“12. He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow. 13. He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins. 14. I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.”

Jeremiah has just watched Israel carried away captive. The temple, the kings houses, and other homes have all been burned with fire. The walls of Jerusalem were torn down and the only thing ahead is 70 years of captivity. There is one great truth we can find here in the Bible, God hates sin. Yes, He is merciful. Yes, He is long suffering, but when a child of God refuses to listen to the Lord, destruction will come. Jeremiah was just the messenger. He did what God led him to do. Sometimes the work of God is painful. Its Satan that make us think that God is punishing us, but the reality is, God loves us with an everlasting love. Jeremiah is giving us an example of what God’s work can feel like sometimes. He thinks God has shot him with an arrow, when in reality, He shot Jerusalem with an arrow. At the end of every arrow you will always find destruction. Sometimes the work of God feels the same way even today. Its like the bag target sitting in the back yard, somedays you get hit with 50 arrows and other days just a couple. After so many shots you feel helpless and wore out. The next arrow will surely pass through and you will no longer be any good. Then Satan makes you think that God is the one shooting the arrows. Not true, the ministry is just tough sometimes. Some of you today may feel like an old bag target that has sat in the yard for too long. One good thing about bag targets is that they can be restored. A new cover, extra stuffing and your good to go. Notice what our Great Shepherd does for us, Psalm 23:3 “He restoreth my soul…” Maybe God has put you in a place where people need to hear the truth. If they choose to refuse it, dont let it knock you down. Though Jeremiah went through much emotional and physical pain, his mind shifts to truth a short time later in the chapter. Lamentations 3:21-26 “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.” God loves you, Friend! Stick with it and keep moving forward!

Memory Verse Week 8/22/21

Lamentations 3:22-23

“It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

“5. Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? 6. Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt? 7. And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination. 8. The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit. 9. Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children’s children will I plead.”

When your friends think of you, what do you think the first thing is that comes to mind? If you are a sportsmen, could it be, “he or she likes to fish”, or “that guy spends a lot of time chasing animals”. Maybe its “he really likes cars” or “man, he can really build.” There is nothing wrong with having some qualities that make people think of you, but what if they have no idea that you love the Lord? When people look your direction do they ever think, “he or she is serious about serving God”, “they really like to pass out gospel tracts”, or even ” they dont do anything on Sunday’s other than go to church”. Its sad that sometimes we are more identified with our accomplishments and pleasures than being servants of God. What is your story today? What are you most identified with, or better asked, Who are you more identified with? Its important to understand that there is nothing wrong with having a nice hotrod, trophy room, or a nice box of fishing tackle, but don’t let these things define who you are.

Jeremiah is sent to Jerusalem to cry into the ears of God’s people concerning the idols and wickedness they have allowed in their life. There was a day when Israel wasn’t treated so nicely. They spent 400 years in bondage to the Egyptians before began to see the blessing of God. The promise land was a land like they had never been to before. There was freedom along with plenty to eat. They lived in great prosperity as they inherited the great promises of God. Here in Jeremiah, there have been many years passed since the entering in of the promise land. Please be careful of your prosperity. What kind of prosperity have you had in your life? Hunting trips? Fancy Cars? Bigger House? Big Bucks? Hunting lands? You must realize that everything you have today is because God has allowed you to have it. Prosperity is where the devil creeps in. He makes us believe that we deserve all these things and that we achieve things on our own. Again, do people truly know that you love the Lord, or do you get all the glory for your own accomplishments in life? Jerusalem has forgotten God! Just as God has given them everything, He is about to take away everything. Jeremiah is the prophet that brings them warning to repent and turn from their ways. Look at what God says about his people in Jeremiah 1:16 “I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.” Notice how Jerusalem responds in chapter 2:35 “Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned.” There are many believers today that choose to continue in their own way. We must come to this place to say, “I have sinned.” There is a sad ending to Jeremiah, Jerusalem refuses to listen and refuses to turn from their ways, so God brought judgement to His people He loved so much. Maybe your not quite at the place of Jerusalem today, but could there be anything trying to creep into your life? Again, what is the first thought that comes to someone’s mind when they look at you? Could it be that you may be a little farther from God than what you think? I John 1:9-10 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

Memory Verse Week 8/8/21

I John 1:9-10

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

“1. Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2. Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3. Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 4. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. 6. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.”

Have you ever had anyone try to discourage you from hunting? Have they ever tried to make you feel guilty for eating meat? What does the Bible say about these matters? You may have heard it said from a non hunter, “How could God be ok with someone killing animals?”, like its something sinful. If we understand our Bible, it wouldn’t take much to silence the mouths of the foolish! Looking at Exodus 20 and The Ten Commandments, yes, we can see the Bible says that killing is against God’s holy law, but most people are good about taking the Word of God out of context. Looking at other commandments we can quickly understand that animals have no place in the context of what is being commanded. “Honour thy father and thy mother” has nothing to do with animals, “Thou shalt not commit adultery”, is the context animals? Nope! “Thou shalt not steal”, nope, not referring to animals! Also, look at how Jesus responds to the rich young ruler in the book of Matthew as he references The Ten Commandments; “…Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,” Jesus said that murder is the same term as killing in the old testament in this context. Now lets define murder(Webster 1828); “the act of unlawfully killing a human being with premeditated malice, by a person of sound mind.” The vegetarian non hunter tries to condemn people for this act of eating meat, but God gives us some very clear understanding on this matter of killing in its proper context.

Looking back to Timothy, we see the ones who are degrading the meat eaters; vs 1, those departing from the faith, those giving care to deceiving spirits, and those living by false doctrine which is contrary to the Word of God. Vs 2 continues, hypocritical liars, and those that have rejected the truth in their conscience. As we begin vs 3 we can see that meat is not just the issue these false doctrine hypocrites are having trouble with, they are also forbidding to marry! What does the Bible say about that? I Corinthians 7:1-2 “…It is good for a man to not touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.” Hebrew 13:4 “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers(the unlawful indulgence of lust; fornication, or adultery) and adulterers God will judge.” So why cant the catholic priest marry? Could it be they teach false doctrines? Give heed to seducing spirits? They look at Apostle Peter so highly, but do they not realize Peter had a mother in law(Luke 4:38)? You have to be married to have a mother in law! We must allow God’s Word to be the final authority in our lives, not just in eating meat, but in every area of our life.

Its important to remember Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye king one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” If someone chooses not to eat meat, let them be! If someone condemns you for hunting and eating meat, respond in kindness, but show them that the Word of God has given you liberty in what you are doing. Vs 3 -5 “…commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” The word sanctified means made holy. So if eating meat is something God made holy, that would mean eating meat is not these things; unholy, sinful, unrighteous, wicked! Let God’s Word be your final authority and don’t forget to pray for the meat blessing that God gives you. Hunting season is near! Amen! The next time you sit at the table or even stand over a nice big set of fresh backstraps, remember these 3 things; receive it with thanksgiving, its been made holy by the Word of God, its been made holy by prayer! Its time to get your bow in tune and your crosshairs on target!

Memory Verse Week 8/1/21

I Timothy 4:4-5

“For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”

“13. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

If you’ve spent much time hunting, you’ve probably had a bad experience in some way. Maybe that big buck you were watching for three years had a bad ending. The shot was high and you never found him. Sometimes that friend, that was a close hunting buddy, does you wrong and turns his back to you. What about that great hunting land that you have hunted for so long, but then gets leased out from under you one day. These kinds of things can really get a sportsman down. It can cause you to want to throw in the towel or even stop hunting the rest of the season. You have to come to the point to realize that the past is the past and nothing can change that. You have to look to the future and decide to move forward. The Christian walk is the same way, sometimes on a day to day basis!

Paul is the writer in the book of Philippians. In previous verses he talked about his past life before meeting Christ. He was a persecutor of the church. In the book of Acts we find him standing at the feet of Stephen after being stoned for his faith. The Bible says that Saul was the one consenting to his death. After Saul is saved and changed to Paul, we can see here that Paul is saying, the only thing that matters now is what’s ahead. I have to put the past behind me and look to the things that are before me.

The Christian life can be very difficult some times. Your lost co-workers hate and reject you, your family forsakes you, even believers that use to be so close turn their backs to you. There are days of ministry you could feel like quitting! Don’t forget that God is still in control! Don’t forget that there may be someone in your path that needs to hear the salvation message today. Typically we get discouraged and start having pity parties for ourselves and it causes us to lose focus on the things of Christ! If they rejected Jesus Christ, it is certain that people will reject you! There will be days that circumstances or even our own failures will weigh us down, but take this passage of scripture to heart: “… but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,” Don’t let the past defeat you! Look ahead and listen to what Paul is telling us about the Christian walk, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” God still has great things ahead of you, but you must keep looking up!

There was some folks that allowed my son and I to hunt their land for a while. Don’t really know what happened, but they became very unfriendly and made us feel very unwelcome when we would be at their property. I felt it was best for us to just stop hunting there. There were other factors, I later found out, contributing to their behavior that didn’t even concern us, but felt it was time to move on. I was blessed to have another place to hunt, but I was unable to take my son. What do you do? Do you get down and sad about it? Of course not! There is a God in heaven that will show us great and mighty things if we would just learn to trust Him! We began to pray and ask God to bless us with new hunting property. In a short time, the Lord gave an opportunity for me to preach and present Sixth Day Outdoor Ministry at a local church. Before the service even started, I mean, I haven’t even preached yet, and a gentleman walks up to the table and says, “Are you a missionary?” I said, “yes sir.” He extends his hand for a handshake and as I pulled my hand away, I can feel a blessing he is leaving in my hand! It was green, and it had the numbers 100 on it! What a blessing! After the service was over I had the opportunity to talk with the gentleman again. Come to find out, he owns a big logging business. He was very kind to give us permission to hunt 85 acres, but it didn’t just stop there! The next year he had purchased another 90 acre piece and also gave us permission to hunt that one as well! I even had the opportunity to witness to some of his employees about Jesus Christ. He even went on to give us permission to hunt more properties he owned in other counties! Praise God for being so good to us!

Sometimes we have hurtful things in the past, but don’t let it get you down! We serve a big God! He will do big things in our lives if we will not get hung up in the past! If you are having some trouble getting over something, try to memorize these verses! Though Paul wrote it, it was actually given from our Holy God of heaven!

Memory Verse Week 7/18/21

Philippians 3:13-14

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

“12. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 17. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19. And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20. For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. ”

In college, I had the opportunity to work at a hunting store. It was the opening day of archery season when a young man brought his bow into the shop. He handed me the bow and said something is wrong with it. I asked the young man what kind of problems he was having with it. He went on to say that he had missed a deer that morning. He was a little frustrated and figured there had to be something wrong with the bow. I asked him if he had shot the bow again on the target, he responded, no. I looked the bow over and found no cracked limbs, crooked cams, or any type of defect. One conclusion we could come to is that he is not familiar with his equipment. That’s just the way hunting goes, sometimes we miss. Sometimes we miss because we know what we did wrong. There are a high percentage of hunters that don’t really know why they miss, but the real truth is, they are not familiar with their equipment. Archery season is just months away. Whether the back yard or a local club, start spending some time getting to know your equipment. We call that practice. Try some targets or even a 3D course. It takes time to know your hunting tools, and the only way to accomplish this is to put some time into it.

Looking at Ephesians, we can see a great importance in knowing your equipment. A pastor once explained verse 12 like this, We are not fighting against the individual(flesh and blood), but against the ideas. Basically, all these names mentioned are the ones who try to influence society for how real life should be. For example, we fight against evolution, atheism, abortion, homosexuality, good works salvation, etc. As believers, we battle against these ideas because they are contrary to the Word of God. How exactly do we fight against these things? It goes back to our equipment! Are you familiar with your spiritual equipment? You cant find the victory without the right equipment!

Ephesians 6 gives us a list of different equipment needed in the Christian walk, but the focus today comes from vs 17, ” And take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Are you familiar with your Bible? Do you know how to use it? Are you allowing it to be the final authority in your life? If your not, that would mean your living by the ideas of society. There are three quick things that our equipment (the sword, the word) will help us accomplish for the Lord in verses 18-20. First, it equips us for prayer, vs 18, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit…” What are some things you are praying for today? Is it pleasing to God or is it a fleshly lust? As we live in the Word of God, He will teach us how to pray and the things that are most important. Psalm 37:4 “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” God wants to do big things for us, but you must answer this question, will my desires bring glory to God? Second, it equips us for perseverance, vs 18, “…and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. Perseverance is persistence. The devil wants to stop the work of God at all costs. The devil will bring anything in your life that he can, to stop your work for the LORD. Many Christians will go through storms! Many of them jump out of the ship or turn back to the land they came from because they are not allowing their equipment (the Word of God) to guide them. There are some seasons that the hunter goes to the field without spending as much time in practice as they have in past years. Even though they were once familiar, they find themselves unsuccessful. Christians are sometimes the same way. In the past, they lived in the Bible. In the past, they saw great victories. The present becomes stale and dead because they put down the Word of God. The Word of God will help you stay persistent, but you must keep it close! Third, it equips us for preaching, vs 18 and 19, “…that I may open my mouth boldly, to make know the mystery of the gospel…that therein I may speak boldly…” Paul is such an honored man even though he has been gone for a long time. We read about these great things Paul did for the Lord, but notice that it was the Holy Spirit that worked through Paul, vs 19, “that utterance may be given unto me.” Paul was a great preacher of the gospel. Why? He said it was because of his equipment! His Prayer, his Perseverance, and his Preaching all came through “…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” We need to stop walking the Christian faith in our own power, we must allow the Word of God to strengthen us and the Holy Spirit to give us boldness in our day to day witness! How are you with your equipment today? Do you know it? Are you allowing it to be your final authority? Before you end this devotion, read over the context verses again! Have a great day!

Memory Verse Week 7/11/21

Ephesians 6:17

“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”