Outdoorsman for Jesus Christ

Ticks!

2011-06-06T06:23:00.000-07:00

This weekend I was able to go out to the hunting club with some good friends and clear out some shooting lanes. As we worked I would feel things crawling up my legs. (Yes I was wearing shorts) To my amazement there was 4 or 5 ticks crawling up my legs, I was amazed because I had used bug spray to keep this from happening. When I got home I found 2 ticks "latched on" the backside of my legs. These little creatures can cause some discomfort and pain if not pulled out soon. This reminded me of those "ticks" that I allow to creep into my life. It may be gossip, jealousy or just plain negativity that latches on my soul and can cause great discomfort if not pulled out and killed. Search your soul and check for ticks!

Heavenly Rewards

2011-02-10T12:15:00.000-08:00

Rewards in Heaven? Lots of people read about it but do we ever take time to study it. Well I have, and I am going to give you what I think the Scriptures teach about Heavenly Rewards.
Throughout the Bible we see the mention of rewards, Christ talked about them as well as Paul and other Biblical authors. But what do these rewards look like? And how do we get them?

First lets look at how. I think that we are rewarded in heaven by our faithfulness on earth. In Matthew 20:20-28 James and John's mother came and asked Jesus if her sons could sit "one on the right and one on the left" Jesus told her this was not His to give but it was the Father that would decide. To me this clearly states that there will be one on the left and right and in front and all around, but Jesus says the ones that are faithful will be the ones fully rewarded. So we will be rewarded by how faithful we are with what God has given us here. Some men and women have given the ultimate sacrifice, their own life for the sake of the Gospel. Others have became a "living sacrifice" denying self and embracing the cross.

So what are these rewards? Well I think that the reward is simply serving the King. When I was a child I was told that every time you won someone to Christ you received a jewel for your crown, if that is the case I know several godly men that will need several heads to carry all their bling around. It is true that the Bible talks about a "crown" but to me that is figurative language to the reward that is serving. In Revelation John saw the 24 elders cast their crown before the King, I think that we to will cast our reward before the King. That is to say that we worship and serve with what gifts we have received.

To bring all this to a close, I think that the scriptures tell us of a reward in heaven that we will receive based on our faithfulness here on earth. I think the Bible pictures these rewards as gifts of worship and service and we will all be serving King Jesus in many ways, just like the varying levels of angelic hierarchy.

True Followers

2011-01-11T12:33:00.000-08:00

Is being a Christian as easy as it seems? I mean with the social network now running full speed everyone is choosing a religion, right? I have found that most of us choose to say Christian based on the fact that we went to church growing up or maybe we attend church every Christmas and Easter, or maybe we go to church every Sunday and read our Bible every morning and condemn those that don't act like we do. We go to church so that we can check that off our "list" and read our Bible so that we can check that off. At the end of the week we feel really good because we have lots of check marks. (Pride) Or we feel really bad because we have no check marks. (depressed) What makes a "true follower?"

I think this question is found in words of the very one we follow. Matthew records it this way, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." Lets unpack this.

"Whoever" meaning this is for anyone, black, white, Asian, Indian. "whoever", poor or rich, fat or skinny.

"Wants" this word to me means desires. You must have a desire to follow Jesus. When you have a desire to do something you will do whatever it takes to get it done.

"to be" this is future words meaning Jesus will make us disciples we just don't magically become one.

"my" this word is showing ownership, meaning you are not your own anymore, the old you is gone and now you are becoming a "new person"

"disciple" simply follower, learner (is that a word?)

"must" this word allows no option, it is not "may" or "can if you want" it says must, this is a very important word here.

"deny" turn away, have no part of, stay away from. This is the hard part for all of us. (for me anyway)

"themselves" the object of what is being denied, you don't deny your bad habits or your job you deny yourself and all that goes with it. Take your motives out and put God's in.

"and" meaning plus something

"take up" you are going to pick something up, or add something to. You were just told to subtract something and now we are told to add something.

"their" your own, not your friends but yours, you own it!

"cross" an instrument used to torture and kill people.

"and" meaning plus something

"follow" to get BEHIND, your not leading here simply following. (again another tough one for me)

"me" the person you are following.

Now lets put that all together. "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." Notice He never says where we are going just simply to follow. It may not be where you want to go but being a "True Follower" does not always mean being comfortable. Remember as we follow we are carrying a cross and denying ourselves.

Being a "True Follower" is stated here, forget yourself, love Jesus and because of that people are gonna make fun of you, hurt you, and for some, kill you.

Whats our reward for being a "True Follower?" Stay tuned and I will tell you.

Grace and Peace to you all in the name of our King!

Family Matters

2011-01-08T14:12:00.000-08:00

How much time do you spend in "family time?" As a new year has begun and new goals have been set, where does family time weigh in? As a father of four I know all to well the importance of family time. I am not talking about playing video games with your kids or watching them watch TV, I am talking about doing stuff as a family. In a world moving as fast as ours we need to slow down and spend some family time together because family matters!

Good People In Heaven

2010-12-09T06:42:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy hanging out with lots of different people. Often times when guys figure out that I am a pastor they get defensive, they apologize for cussing or tell me where they go to church. But the real concern came just last week when I was hanging out with a group of guys and after about an hour it was brought up that I was a pastor. One of the men said this, and I quote "I know I am going to heaven because I am a good person." Now his idea was based on what the world also thinks. Good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell. This type of thinking is very dangerous and extremely wrong in several ways.

1. Who gets to determine the definition of "good people?"

In the worlds eyes good people don't murder or steal, they check off a list of things that make them good. This creates two things, first it creates pride, "look what I have done" and second it creates despair "look what I can't do."

In the eyes of Christ there is no one good, we all are sinners and need to be rescued.

2. If you can be "good" and get into heaven then you have no need of a Savior.

In other words Christ died for no reason.

The Bible teaches us that "while we are sinners, Christ died for us." This means that we don't have to clean up before Christ will rescue us, in fact we can't clean up. When we come to Christ this does not mean that we no longer sin and suddenly become "good people." We will continue to sin but now the payment of sin has been paid.

Often times people turn their life over to Christ and bite their teeth and squeeze their fist in a vain attempt to be "good." When they fail, and they will, they often doubt their salvation. They think that Christ was gonna knock this addiction out of them and now that they have slipped into sin Christ must have left them. Don't allow Satan to put this doubt in your mind. Have faith that if you are a child of God he will never leave you.

Hunting Before God

2010-11-18T13:56:00.000-08:00

There is nothing I enjoy more than Nov. deer hunting. Bucks are on the move, the rut is on, what more can a hunter want. As a passionate deer hunter I can't wait for this time, but it can be very dangerous. The past couple of weeks my passion has turned into an obsession. It was all I could think about and all I could talk about. If I was not in the woods I was looking at hunting blogs and forums on the Internet. Slowly things started becoming effected because of my obsession. My mood and my children were the first things I noticed, then my personal time and marriage. I was reminded as I looked in the mirror that I was placing hunting on the throne in my life where Christ needed to be. So what am I doing to "dethrone" hunting?
1. I am going on a hunting fast. This means for 7 days I am not going into the woods at all. This may seem trivial to some but I have been hunting morning and evening for the past 2 months.
2. When I have the urge to look at hunting blogs or go hunting the next 7 days I will turn to prayer.
3. I am spending my time now showing my wife and kids and most importantly God that things are going to be different.

It is not good enough to just know you have a problem you must do something about it.

Bite and Devour!

2010-10-01T10:42:00.000-07:00

This is not the sight you want to see after recovery that big deer you shot. There is nothing more depressing than finding your trophy only to see that it has been tore apart by wild beast. I am sure this is what Christ thinks about when he see His church tearing apart one another. The Apostle Paul reminds his readers of this in Galatians 5:15. The churches in Galatia were struggling with legalism (man made religion that takes the focus off of God and on to man) Paul has reminded them several times that there is no other Gospel other than that of Christ. Often times we in the church forget what we are doing. We have great programs and we draw a crowd, but we forget Christ. In Revelation 3:20 Christ says "behold I stand at the door and knock" what he is saying is that the church has put him on the outside! He is standing outside knocking to come back in. To often we turn from the cross and turn to ourselves. Paul warns us here that if we do that we will only eat one another! This is what he says "If you bite and devour one another beware lest you be consumed by one another." This is a warning for all of us, what ever we do in the church or in your home do it because you love Jesus and you desire to see His Kingdom expand. If you do it for selfish gain then before long you will turn on those around you. No hunter wants to see his deer consumed by wild beast, and Christ does not want to see His bride (the church) consumed by His people.

Comeback Kiddos

2010-08-18T05:56:00.000-07:00

Being a father is one of the most important things in my life. I am the proud dad of 4 boys, and things are always CRAZY. In the fast pace of life that goes on today we as parents tend to let the T.V. raise our kids. It is the easy way out, we sit with them and play video games and pass that off as "quality time." One of the most rewarding things to do with your children is to get them involved in the outdoors. Take them camping or fishing, introduce them to what God has given to us. Too many dads are not involved in the raising of their kids, they simply take the back seat to mom and allow her to teach the boys how to be a man? How involved are you? Why not take some time during the week to turn off the T.V. and spend some real quality time with your kids. This will be a tuff time for some of us because we have allowed the T.V. to take over for so long, and the kids will complain and get bored, but hang in there and take back your children.

Running the Race!

2010-06-17T11:16:00.000-07:00

I know that I have written about this before but I think that it is imperative that we understand the need of the running! Here recently I have jumped on the ban wagon of the newest fitness fad around, P90X. Does it work? You better believe it does, but it is hard and takes commitment in order to see results. Just simply getting the videos does nothing, you must push play and make it a part of your life in order to see the changes you want. So far I have lost 22lbs! I am determined to change my lifestyle and to run the race the best that I can.

The writer of Hebrews tells us in chapter 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." In this verse we can see a few important steps to take in order to run the race.

1. Surround yourself with godly people.

This is very important, because these are the ones that are going to motivate you and keep you running. My lovely wife works out with me in the P90X program and tells me how good I am doing.

2. Shed the hangups that keep you from running. This I think will help you run better and faster in this godly race. The things we need to shed are the sins "that so easily entangle us." How can we ever run if we are tangled up? Have you ever tried to work out with jeans on? It is very hard to do. Get rid of those sins that are keeping you from God.

3. Don't Quit! "Run with perseverance" that means in spite of the ungodly world we live in, don't stop running. Things are going to "pop" up to slow you down, but we must push through.

Be encouraged all of you! Verse 3 says "Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and loose heart.

God Bless!

Snake in the Grass!

2010-05-03T09:46:00.000-07:00

I can remember when I was a boy and my father would take me deer hunting at Table Rock Mountain in NC. We shared some great memories on that mountain and one in particular stands out in my mind today. It was the morning hunt and it was early Sept when the temps are still high enough for snakes to be out. Dad and I had walked to our stands. His stand was first so I had to make the next 400-500yd walk on my own. (when your 10 and 11 it was scary walking alone in the dark!) I came to my tree stand and climbed in. At lunch time I always met my dad and we had lunch before the evening hunt. As I was walking to dad's stand the thought of my ham sandwich was on my mind when the ground below me came to life. I froze mid step and noticed a large copperhead snake at my feet.(The copperhead snake is very poisonous) I only had a bow and arrow no gun so I did not know what to do. After what seemed like 20mins I just ran, I passed my dad who joined me running because he though a bear was chasing me. When we got to the truck both of us were breathing hard I told dad what had happened. We still laugh about it to this day. I say all that to say this, we never know when the devil is going to try and attack us. Sometimes we are just walking along thinking of a ham sandwich and boom were are in his trap. The bible tells us that the devil is like a "roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Keep your eyes open and be ready for the snake in the grass.

Get Busy!

2010-04-24T19:17:00.001-07:00

Lots of times through our day to day walk with Jesus we get side tracked with our own priorities. I once heard "if God answered all you request in your prayers would you see a difference in your world or in every ones world?" Time and time again we are told in the Scriptures to be people of action or what James calls "doers". Do you do things for others with nothing in return? What a joy and blessing it is to serve others. Peter tells us in 1 Peter 4:10 that "each has received a gift, use it to serve one another." What Peter is saying is that every person has a gift from God, a talent, maybe its baking or singing whatever it is God has given it to you. Peter goes on to say that we serve others "so that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ." Enough said! Get Busy!

The Only Way In!

2010-03-30T18:39:00.000-07:00

I had spent the entire summer scouting out a new hunting area and I could not wait till fall. As the leaves stared to change colors I knew it was getting time to go to that spot where I had scouted earlier. One afternoon I was able to take off early and hit the woods. As I pulled my truck off the road I loaded my treestand on my back grabbed my bow and started thought the woods. As I got closer the woods got thicker and thicker until I could not go any further. I needed to get through all this thick stuff in order to get to that perfect spot so I tried to walk around it with no luck, I tried to go through it but it was impossible with the treestand on my back. The only way I was getting through was leaving all my stuff behind and crawling through.

This is the way Christ explains entering into the Kingdom of heaven, He says " Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and few find it." (Matt. 7: 13-14)

Christ is making it clear that only a few will find the narrow door and that we must strive to enter through it. This means that its not easy. A rich man asked Christ how he could enter and Jesus told him to sell all that he had but the man could not do it. He wanted to enter in with all his "stuff." We need to set our own "stuff" aside and let Christ conform our lives.

Who Do You Worship?

2010-02-25T13:45:00.000-08:00

Did you know that we are created to worship? When God created man He created him to worship and obey, and not only that but God told Adam and Eve to "be fruitful and multiply"(Gen. 1:22) meaning to fill the earth with worshipers! Did you ever look at it that way? We are to have children and to make disciples of them, talking with them about God "when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." (Deut. 6:7b) In other words what we say and what we do show our kids how much we love and trust God. What does your actions say? Getting back to the point, we are created to worship and most of us worship without ever knowing it. We choose to worship ourselves by chasing money and fame and our lustful desires and put God on the back burner. If you are living a life of self worship you are called to repent (change the way you are living) and worship God only! Stand up like Joshua and shout out "as for me and my house, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!" (Joshua 24:15b) Now is the time to start and its never to late to return, run to King Jesus and choose to worship Him!

The Consequences of Sin

2010-02-19T17:34:00.000-08:00

Sin, if we get right down to is nothing but selfishness! We act in a way that is pleasing to our self with no regard to those that our sin will effect. But the sins that we commit don't only hurt us but those around us as well. Many times in my past I have committed sins that "rocked" my whole household, at the time I acted on these sins I was only thinking of myself and not the ones that were innocent but yet suffered. There is a clear outline of this in 2 Samuel 11, here we see selfishness rise up in king David.
The Sin
It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said "Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, "I am pregnant. (2 Sam 11:2-5)
Wow this wonderful man of God has fallen into the trap of selfish sin. And his sinful behavior would effect everyone around him. After David tried to cover up his actions he murders the husband of Bathsheba, and the child that was conceived as a result of the sin was also effected with death. What had David done? What could David do? Well from time to time we all find our self in David's position, it might not be as bad as committing adultery, but we all will find that our sins lead us down a path of separation from God. David did what we also should do, he returned to the loving arms of God. Psalm 51 records David's prayer after he had sinned with Bathsheba.
In his prayer he pleads to God to wash him clean from his sins, and to restore in him a clean heart. This is what we need to do, we don't just say "I'm sorry" and go on like nothing happened. We must return to the loving arms of King Jesus, he is waiting for you. Romans 6:23 says "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Running the Race

2010-02-13T08:40:00.000-08:00

I am not a big fan of running, but I know lots of people who do enjoy it. I do know that when someone goes out to run they do not load up their pants with weights and run in heavy boots, instead they wear light weight clothes and light running shoes. Why? Because the lighter you are the faster and longer you can run. The writer of Hebrews talks to his readers about running the race, listen to what he says, " let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily enslaves us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." (Hebrews 12:1b-2) What is weighing you down as you run the race? What sins are enslaving you? Do you know that we have freedom from the bondage of sin through Jesus Christ? We are called to live holy lives, meaning lives that are different from the world and here in this text we see that we are to look to Christ as our example, we are to strive to be Christ like!

Overcoming the World

2010-01-30T10:23:00.000-08:00

How many times do you feel pressured into doing what everybody else is doing? Does your life revolve around keeping up with those around you? We live in a fast paced world, that demands all of our time, are you finding it hard to keep up? Why don't you try being different from the world, do things God's way. Don't hear me wrong I am not saying when you follow Christ that you won't face any problems, in fact Christ says the opposite. He says in Luke 14:27 that "whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." The faithful follower Peter states "let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good." (1 Peter 4:19) We are called as Christians to live a life different from the world, are you? Are you different from the world? Listen to what John says "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world-the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions-is not from the Father but from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:15-17) Are you overcoming the world or simply conforming with it.

Concern For the Lost.

2010-01-21T16:55:00.000-08:00

How often do you share your faith with others? Are you concerned about the lost and unchurched people in the world? There are people all around us that need to hear the Good News that the gospel teaches, "That while we were sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). As Christians we are commanded by Christ to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19-20).

Christ is counting on us to take His message to all the nations, to the ends of the earth. If you are a Christian you should have a great concern for the lost people around you, those that work with you, those that live in your town, state, country and world. Christ had great concern for those that were lost. So many times we count on the pastor or a select few in the church to bring others to Christ, but it is the duty of all Christians. We should all be striving to become more Christ like and that means that we ALL should be taking the gospel to everyone and every country.

How I can help? What can I do? These are questions most of us face when looking at the number of unreached people in our world. There are lots of things that all of us can do. Here is a list of just a few things that we can do.

PRAY- pray for those that are lost, pray for those that are on the mission field, pray for God to send workers to the nations.
Give- you can give money to mission programs such as Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong. You can also give to your local mission centers like Pregnancy Care Centers.
Get Involved- You can go to the nations, let God use you to deliver the Good News to the lost people. You can get involved in local mission projects, donating time and talents to your local missions.

People are waiting to hear the Good News, they are waiting for someone to tell them about the love of Jesus. Will you tell them?

For more information http://www.imb.org/main/default.asp

Ring in the New Year Right!

2009-12-30T06:31:00.000-08:00

The new year is right around the corner! Do you set goals make resolutions? You should, it is always a good thing to try and improve yourself. I am going to try and lose a little weight as well as do some volunteering in the community. Did you know that there are many people (adults and children) that are hungry in your community? There are many kids around you all the time that would love for someone to take them fishing or hunting. Why not start there? Contact your local boys and girls club, or your local mission and give back something to your community. We desire to live in a neighborhood that is loving and safe, but yet so many of us do nothing to make it that way. Johnny Hunt said it best by saying, "The future of America doesn't depend on the right man in the White House, it depends on the right men in our homes." Are you sitting back and waiting for the government to clean up your community or are you willing to get your hands dirty and make a difference your self. We as Christians have responsibilities to make a difference in this world, to an example in our work place, in our homes, and in our community. Are you a good example? This means that you don't just go to Sunday morning church service and then live like the world the rest of the week. Knowing God demands a reaction, it demands that you are different. Christ Jesus says " You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? So every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit." (Matt 7:16-17) Do people know you to be a Christian by the way you act (your fruit) or do they just know you go to church somewhere? Get involved in your community this year, make a difference! May the Lord strengthen you and guide you through this new year!

Charlie Brown Christmas

2009-12-08T14:46:00.000-08:00

Charlie Brown Christmas

Keep CHRIST in CHRISTmas

2009-12-08T14:09:00.000-08:00

Well it is that time of the year once more, a time filled with wrapping presents, cooking ham, spending time with family and friends, and of course celebrating the birth of our King, Jesus Christ. As I prepare to face the hustle and bustle of holiday crowds, over priced toys and complaining family I remind myself the true meaning of CHRISTmas. My boys are all growing up and enjoy watching the cartoon "Christmas Specials" and most of them are classics that I watched as a boy, and one of those cartoons was the holiday classic "Charlie Browns Christmas." I hope you all realize the true meaning of Christmas. Enjoy and God Bless.

Thank You Lord

2009-11-21T18:48:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again, a time to gather with family and friends and enjoy good food and great fellowship. I have been in the woods a lot lately chasing that big deer, and I have realized that it does not matter if I kill that big deer but what does matter is what God gives me. Do I thank Him enough for all the blessing that he continues to pour out on my life? My wife is pregnant with our 4th child, our 4th boy! What a blessing! Psalm 100:3-5 says "Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his, we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him, bless his name! For the Lord is good his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.
This holiday season thank God for the gifts in your life, your spouse, your kids, your friends, health, job, home, everything you have been blessed with. Keep chasin that big one but remember to enjoy the woods and time God has given you. Thank you Lord for the memories made in the woods!

Missed Opportunity

2009-10-13T06:36:00.000-07:00

The alarm clock rang off at 5:30am and I quickly turned it off, before I woke up the wife and kids. I got dressed into my camo and walked outside, it was the opening week of muzzle loader season and the temp and dropped. I got settled into my deer stand and before long I heard the sound of a buck "grunting" in the woods beside me. Well I never did see any deer, but my wife sent me a message saying "there are three deer in the back yard" (go figure). Well that evening in was still very cool and rainy so I decided to go back to the stand early. After settling in and plugging a few holes in the leaky roof, I spotted to deer walking my way. I decided to let them go on because it was early and I had the feeling that a "big boy" may show up. Well an hour or so later I saw two more big does coming down. After the deer had feed and left to woods got very still. As the sun went down and the woods turned that grayish dark I noticed a deer heading my way! I got the gun up and looked down the scope and it was a good buck! I guess I got "buck fever" and missed the shot. Oh I was and am so depressed about the missed opportunity I had. It reminded me of Galatians 6:9-10 Paul says " let us not grow weary while doing good for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." You see we all have opportunities to do good things for people, helping a neighbor pay a light bill, letting someone in front of us at the grocery store, telling a coworker about Christ. Paul ends his letter to the Galatians with this "And as many walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen." (6:16-18)

A light in the darkness!

2009-09-20T16:39:00.000-07:00

What a time it is to search for a tree stand in the total darkness! I have struggled so many times in the dark, looking for stuff! Do you know that this world is darkness? If you do not have the light of Jesus Christ you are struggling in the darkness. John writes and says "God is light; in him there is no darkness, at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." (1 John 1:5b-7).

Missing the Mark!

2009-09-01T17:22:00.000-07:00

As bow season slowly approaches I have been busy shooting my bow and making sure it is shooting smoothly. After missing two different deer last year I needed to rebuild my confidence, and over the last couple of weeks I have realized that I am not always going to hit the bulls eye. So it is the same in our spiritual life! As we go about our daily life we will "miss the mark", none of us can live up to God's standards but we can try. The Apostle Paul says in Romans that "we all fall short of the glory of God" and later in Philippians he adds "Not that I have already attained or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:12-16) Paul is basically saying "hey I know that I sin, and I know that I will always miss the mark, but I will not lay in my self pity looking at my past sins, I am going to press forward because I live for Christ." So as I said earlier I am not always going to hit the bulls eye, but I will keep shooting! The grace of our risen King Jesus be with you all!

BEE STUNG!

2009-08-21T17:53:00.000-07:00

Just the other day I was picking up some apples from under the apple tree, so that I could feed the deer. I had picked all that was on the ground and decided to "shake" the tree to drop a few that were hanging. After a good shaking the ground was covered again and I began to pick the apples back up, when I noticed an army of bees pouring out of a hole in front of me! Before I could get away I was stung on the wrist. I am allergic to bees, (but not in a way that my throat swells or anything) before and hour had gone by my entire arm was throbbing and swelling fast. After a couple of hours my fingers were swollen and the pain was horrible. That night I didn't sleep to good, and the next day I was only worse. After some much needed advise and some ice and medicine the pain and swelling started to leave. This got me to thinking about how little things like bees can create such a pain. Sometimes in our walk with Christ we get "stung" by little things that create pain and swelling in our souls. These stings can come from other Christians or co-workers or for a lot of people FAMILY, and most of the time it causes us great pain. But we need to turn to our Great Physician Jesus Christ and let Him ease the pain and reduce the swelling. Sometime it takes time but with Christ all things are possible. And you may be reading this and come to realize that you are the one that is stinging people, if so ask the Lord Jesus to help you stop bringing pain on others.

Be Prepared!

2009-08-10T17:28:00.000-07:00

With the eastern NC bowhunting season just weeks away, I have begun to get prepared. Me and some hunting buddies have placed a few tree stands around a farm in places that we hope that big buck might step out at. But that is not it. I have been shooting my bow for several weeks, making sure that it is shooting properly. I have also put out a wildlife camera to take pictures of the deer as they come in and out of the crops. But that's not all. I have washed my hunting clothes in non sent washing powder and placed them in a sealed bag so that no other smell can get on them. And still there is more. The morning of the big hunt I will shower in scent free soap, and spray down with scent free spray. All this preparation for a chance at a big buck. We spend a lot of time preparing for the hunting season, but how much time do we prepare for the battle that is raging around us? The Apostle Paul says " be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of the evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground." (Ephesians 6:10-13) Paul is telling us to be prepared not for a fight against each other but against the devil and his traps and temptations. So as you sit in your tree stand this season or by your computer at work ask yourself....Am I Prepared?

Pick & Choose

2009-07-31T15:19:00.000-07:00

My passion for the outdoors also include the creatures that live in the outdoors, I enjoy feeding a couple of deer that stop by at night for some corn and maybe a few apples, I also like to feed and watch the birds. The other day I was watching a bird eat from the feeder, and I noticed that the bird was picking and choosing what seeds it wanted to eat. As I watched this bird it reminded me of the way some Christians act. We only want to do what we want, and everything else gets spit out or tossed to the side. We get caught up so much in what we want to do that we forget about everyone else. Not only do we act this way concerning our activities, but we do the same when it comes to God's Word. We pick out the verses that we like and the ones we want to apply to our lives, but the others we just pretend they are not even there. Deuteronomy 8:3 says " man does not live on bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." We need to be aware of our picking and choosing and realize that "pushing aside" important food will leave us malnourished.

What's That Smell?

2009-07-19T18:18:00.000-07:00

As a young man I stayed in the river fishing and catching the things that live in the waters. I remember one time I had been fishing all day in the river and I had caught a mess of trout, that I had decided to bring home and clean for mom to cook. I cleaned the trout and discarded the guts and heads in the trash can in the kitchen. It did not take long to start smelling up the house, and when mom got home it was really "ripe". I took the trash to the outside cans but the next day it still was rotten, so I took the guts and heads and buried them in the field beside the house. The smell was finally gone. This childhood story reminds me of an adult problem. So many times we tend to hold a grudge against someone. That grudge becomes like that fish in the kitchen trash smelly and stinking up your life. You may even try and get rid of it by pretending to forget about it, but sooner or later the smell will catch up to you, and sometimes (most of the time) it will affect not only you but those that are close to you. You will become bitter and negative and really smell. You must do something to get rid of the smell. As Jesus Christ was being murdered he cried out and said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:24) It is time to move on, let it go, and forgive them.

Flying High

2009-07-08T18:43:00.000-07:00

There are many times in life when we feel weighed down by stress from jobs, guilt from sin, pressure from financial problems. What do we do in these times? How do we react? Well, I think many of us tend to hide our problems. We sweep them under the rug only to trip over them later. Why do we have such little faith? We have such faith in God with our souls, yet we struggle to give Him our everyday problems. With the weight of our daily burdens we can barely lift off the ground, yet alone fly. Peter reminds us to "cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you" (1Peter 5:7) When we "give" it to Christ and rely on Him for our strength and guidance He will deliver you. Do you trust Him? The prophet Isaiah put it this way, " Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:28-31) Are you ready to fly? Give all your problems over to God, and trust the Creator of this world to save you.

Don't Lay With The Dogs! (You might get fleas)

2009-06-27T18:48:00.000-07:00

Growing up I was always drawn to "hang out" with the wrong crowd. It was exciting to me to sneak out the bedroom window and stay out late. Many times my mother would warn me running with the wrong crowd, but I threw caution to the wind and went my own way! Years went by and slowly I became the wrong crowd. No longer was it sneaking into the movies, but now it had became drinking and using drugs. And no longer was it exciting, but now it was everyday life. The drinking and druging cost me countless relationships, jobs, and money. I finally hit rock bottom one day, and the only move I could make was up. That is were I met my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I gave my life to Him, and He restored my soul. Never again did I desire a drink or a drug. I gave it all over to King Jesus, and I urge any of you that may be struggling in your daily life to do the same. He can save you, I speak from experience. God's Word says this "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him." (John 3:16-17) The price has been paid for your sins!

Papa please preach!

2009-06-19T14:22:00.000-07:00

As we all celebrate fathers day be in prayer for each other. The Christian men of today are in desperate need of a "restructure". As many of us may be fathers, and some becoming fathers we need to be reminded that we need to be a positive role model for our children. Often I see my three boys doing things that I do, or imitating me. As I sit back and watch I am reminded that they learn from me what a man is supposed to be like, how a husband is supposed to respond to his wife, or a father to his children. I pray daily for God to give me strength to overcome worldly temptations and to be a godly role model for them. Deuteronomy 6:5-7 says "You shall love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and talk of them when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." So we are commanded to love God and talk about our love for Him, teaching this to our children all the time. Please fathers, be the man God desires you to be, and pass it on to your children. I am praying for you all, and feel free to e-mail me any personal prayer request.

Bug Off!

2009-06-11T16:40:00.001-07:00

Chances are if you have been outside at all in the US you have had the aggravating experience of ticks. As you walk through a field or in the woods these blood sucking insects find their way onto your body. I can remember as a child always having a dog or two around our house, and most of the time in the spring and summer you could find ticks clinging to our family pets. I would often make the comment that it looked as if the dogs were wearing earrings, because of the fattened ticks hanging from their ears. I loved to pull the ticks off of the dogs and my favorite tool to use was an old pair of needle nose pliers. I would pull tick after tick and then give the dogs a good bathing. I am sure that this was very reliving for the dogs. My mother once pulled one of my teeth with this same pair of pliers! ( I did not know that it was the same pair till after the fact) If a tick bites in to your body not only to they take blood but they can leave deadly viruses. The same can be applied to grudges we hold onto in our lives. These "spiritual ticks" can suck the happiness right out of your life and create a dark and hardened heart. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:14-15, "For if you forgive others their trespasses (sins), your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." So in other words if you hold a grudge against someone and don't forgive them, God will not forgive you of the sins that you commit against Him. And after all when we sin we are sinning against God. David cried out to God after he had sinned and said "Against you, you only have I sinned" (Psalm 51:4). I encourage you brothers and sisters to let God pull these "spiritual ticks" and pour a spiritual bath over your hardened heart, and feel the sweet relif of God's grace.

Dare To Be Different!

2009-06-03T06:11:00.000-07:00

My family and I were on our way back from an overnight stay at my parents house in the mountains when it happened. I had heard and even read articles about an albino doe around the Falls Lake area but I never expected to see her. My wife and three boys were fast asleep as I turned off the interstate and drove down the HWY that would take us home. I often saw deer at night as they would feed on the shoulder of the road and along the ditch lines. As I turned the corner I saw glowing eyes up ahead and then as I passed there she was! I yelled really loud and the whole car shot up from their sleep. I drove down about 1/2 mile and turned around to go back. As I approached the spot where she was standing, we watched as she disappeared into the forest. This was the first and last time I saw the big white doe. She stood out among her friends and she did not blend in with the environment where she lived. What a wonderful example of how we should be different from the world, "Albino Christians". 1 John 2: 15-17 says this, " Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world -the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions-is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." Some food for thought.

In One Ear And Out The Other!

2009-05-27T12:12:00.000-07:00

It was day 3 of a 5 day bow hunt in Southern Indiana, and I was having little luck. Over the last few days I had spotted a few smaller bucks but nothing quiet big enough to harvest yet. My brother-in-law had taken a nice 8 pointer the evening before, and that morning he had spotted another trophy buck moving across a ridge not far from were I had been hunting. We meet back at the cabin for lunch and a quick game plan, when he ask me if I wanted to hunt his stand that evening and I quickly said "yes". Then he explained to me where his stand was located and that "the tree that it is in has very slick bark, so be careful as you climb up", I heard what he said but I could only think about that buck he had spotted that morning. As I made my way through the corn field and across the stream I saw his stand at the bottom of this big oak tree. I quickly tied my bow to the rope and stared my climb up this tree. At about 8ft, as I was watching the woods (and not what I was doing) and the stand slipped and I head butted the tree, knocking my self out and falling to the ground. When I came to a few seconds later I was uninjured and scared at the bottom of the tree. Why did I not listen? I had heard what he said "the tree is slick", but I didn't do what he said "be careful as you climb". James warns his readers about the same thing saying "be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."(James 1:22) The Lord will bless those that trust in Him. You see it is more than simply just hearing about Christ, it is about following Him. I urge you to read God's word daily and "trust and obey".

"The Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make his face to shine upon

you and be gracious to you;

the Lord lift up his face upon

you and give you peace."

Numbers 6: 24-26

Did You See That?

2009-05-22T19:03:00.001-07:00

Summer time was here, and like always my family had packed up the car and headed south for a week. My grandparents lived in Marco Island, FL and it was a paradise for me, as I would spend day and night fishing in the canal behind their house. But this day we had went offshore fishing and had been fishing most of the morning. I was on the back of the boat fishing when a giant sea turtle popped up beside the boat. Terrified I yelled for everyone to look but it had disappeared back down into the deep blue. I started telling the story, but could tell no one really believed me until it reappeared, this time for all to see. When we returned to land and told the story it was not just my word, but everyone on the boat saw. What if after His resurrection Jesus only appeared to a few people and then disappeared? Would people believe? Luke records in Acts 1:3 "He presented Himself alive to them after His suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God." Not only did he appeared but he stayed with them for a month and a half after he defeated the grave. Proving to them that he was the Son of God. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:6 that "he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep." More than five hundred people saw our risen Lord. So Christ did not just rise from the grave and ascend to heaven, He stayed and presented himself for forty days, and then Luke says "as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight." (Acts 1:9) Praise God for all that he does and continues to do in your life. We worship and serve the risen King! We serve Jesus Christ!

Watch Out!

2009-05-16T18:01:00.000-07:00

It was lunch time, and after a slow morning of watching squirrels gathering acorns I decided to climb down from the tree I had spent the morning in. As usual I was going to meet my father on the old logging road, and then we would walk together back to the cabin for a bologna sandwich and a Dr. Pepper. It was late September and the weather was warming up as I untied by bow and started down the trail. I had not gone far when the leaves at my feet became alive! Terrified I stopped mid step and looked down to see a "whopper" of a copperhead coiled up and ready to strike, at my feet. It seemed like minutes went by as I wondered what to do. Armed with just my bow I decided to RUN, and run fast. I past by my dad who also started running thinking that a bear was chasing me. After a short distance we stopped and I explained my actions, we went back to see if the snake was still there, but it was gone. We have had a good laugh about that for quite some time. Sometimes in life we are walking down "the old logging road" and there the devil tries to attack us. Peter warns us to "be watchful, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking for someone to devour."(1 Peter 5:8) Wow, not just a lion but a roaring lion. And he is looking to devour someone. This my fellow outdoor lovers, is a warning for us all. Be on the lookout, the devil is out there. So how do we protect ourselves from him? Well, Peter continues and tells us to "resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you." (1 Peter 5:9-10) Just some words of warning from our fellow fisherman Peter.

Spring Fever

2009-05-13T17:40:00.001-07:00

Well, spring is here! It is that time of the year that stands for new birth and new beginnings. As spring chickens hatch and baby fawns nurse, I pray that we can reflect in our life and see where we need improvements. Are you pursuing the purpose God has for your life? Are you seeking Him daily and desiring to grow stronger in your spiritual life? King David said to his son Solomon "know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever."(1 Chr 28:9) What David told his son is also applicable in our lives. Know that God loves you and has created the woods and waters that we love to spend time in. Serve Him with all your heart and mind. Thank Him for His creation. If you have never made a decision to give your life to Jesus, don't wait make that decision tonight. Jesus said in John 3:3 "unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." He goes on to say that "whoever believes in Him (Jesus) may have eternal life.(v15) Get spring fever and make a decision for Christ, or spring clean your life and get closer to our Creator.

Grow Strong In The Lord Jesus.

2009-05-09T18:05:00.000-07:00

Paul says in Ephesians 2:4-5 that "God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our sins, made us alive together with Christ"!

We are alive in Christ, and one characteristic of being alive is to grow. So in order to grow spiritually strong we need to study God's word daily. If we are not reading and seeking God in his word then so many of us are missing what God has planned for our life. He speaks through His word, but don't take my word for it, take His!

Hebrews 4: 12 says "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

Dont be Fooled!

2009-04-30T14:20:00.000-07:00

It was still dark as I set up a decoy 40yds from the old house that I would spend the morning hunting from. I had hunted out of this old vacant house, that sat in the middle of a cotton field, the night before. Just before dark I watched a nice buck move through the woods and chase a doe across the field. This morning I was back and this time with a little help from a doe decoy. After I set up the decoy in the field I sprayed her down with doe-in-heat spray and climbed into the old office chair that looked out the broken window of the old house. After the sun rose, I noticed movement in the woods beside me, a few moments later a buck stepped out and headed straight for my decoy. It was not the buck I had seen the day before, but I was on a hunt with my father in the great state of Alabama and I was not going to let him show me up that morning, so I squeezed the trigger and took the buck that had made the fatal mistake of thinking my decoy was the real deal.

Paul warns Christians in 2 Timothy 4:3 that "a time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." Just the other day I saw an advertisement proclaiming the "good news of Jesus Christ" they asked for you to call and receive a free book on the teachings of Christ. After I researched this group I found out they did not believe Jesus to be the Son of God only a good man with good teachings. It was a decoy! Just like the buck that saw my decoy must have thought, "it looks like a deer, it smells like a deer, it must be a deer!" This advertisement looked like the gospel, sounded like the gospel, but it was not the gospel!

In Paul's letter to the Church at Galatia he says this "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel, which is really no gospel at all." he goes on to say "if anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than the one we preached to you let him be eternally condemned!" (Galatians 1:6-7,9)

Study and seek God in His word. So many people today want to find other ways to heaven.

Jesus said "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

That buck followed what he thought was a doe, and it was a deadly mistake. Don't make the same mistake! Hell is real! God is real! Our sins are real! Jesus Christ gave his life as a sacrifice to wash our sins clean. If you do not know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, all you have to do is admit that your a sinner and hopeless without him, pray for forgiveness, and believe that Jesus is the Son of God that He died on a cross and rose from the grave and you will be saved.

Choose Your Path Wisely

2009-04-25T07:15:00.001-07:00

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

(Robert Frost)

Making the right decision is not always easy. Doing the right thing is not always easy either. I spent this morning on one of the best turkey hunts I have had in years, and at the end of the hunt I was empty handed. So what was so great about it? Well I thought all night, just like any other hunter, on where I would hunt and how I would hunt. Would I go after the turkeys or get set up on the field line and wait for them? I made the decision to get set up and wait for them. At first light the woods became alive with the sounds of gobbling turkeys. After a short while I noticed a few birds in the field heading in my direction! I watched as they got closer and closer 5 hens and a jake. I don't have many opportunities to hunt so I decided to take the jake, well two shots later birds were flying all over. Poor shot placement, I was discouraged to say the least. I moved to another field and spotted a hen feeding at the edge, so I got set up and started calling. I looked around to see the largest turkey I have ever seen, heading right towards me. He got about 50yds and moved off in the wrong direction. I tried to bring him back with no luck. After calling at him and looking in the woods behind me I turned and looked forward again into the big field and there was another big Tom 60yds and closing. When he got about 40yds out I went to take the safety off and that was all it took, he was in the air flying high over the pines. Wow what a morning! I had made the right decision on where and how to set up. I can see how some hunters may have gotten discouraged over this, but I was not, I had made the right choice.(I just need to work on the shooting)

Making the right decision is not always easy, make sure that you can live with the outcome of the choice you make. I have made the decision to follow Jesus Christ and to make Him Lord of my life. This decision glorifies our Creator and allows us to spend eternity in Heaven. Romans 10:9-10 says "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

As I said making the right decision is not always easy, but in this case it is. You either spend eternity in Heaven or Hell. The choice is yours!

Little Hunter, Big Woods

2009-04-22T18:46:00.000-07:00

O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have given him (man) dominion over the
works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
all sheep and oxen,
and also the beast of the field,
the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea.

As I read this Psalm I am reminded that this passion that I have for the outdoors has been provided for me by God. As I continue to follow Jesus, He continues to bless me and provide for me. The Lord knows what I enjoy and he has now brought me to do His work in one of the best deer hunting and fishing spots in this great state! I have been deer hunting since I was about 12 years old and last year I was able to harvest the biggest buck that I have ever taken. I am looking forward to this years deer season. I have been turkey hunting a few times this past two weeks and have seen lots of birds, but I just cant close the distance. I really enjoy just sitting in the woods and watching, it makes me think of the first half of Psalm 8...

When I look to the heavens, the work
of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you
have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,

The woods that I so love to sit in and be a part of, is all part of Gods great creation. And as I sit I cant help but remember those words..."what is man that you are mindful of him" how small I am compared to the big woods I sit in, but God still cares for me.

O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!