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Bible Study Verse
Psalms 34:1-3
I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together! (ESV)

Thoughts
I grew up an outdoor adventure and sports enthusiast. In particular, I loved the sport of baseball. Fortunately, God blessed me with an ability to play baseball fairly well and these skills kept me on the field of play. I was always in the game and only sat out for injury purposes for the most part. It was a fun and exciting time in my life.

Now as an adult I’ve moved on to bigger ambitions, a life of ministry. Like baseball, my ministry experiences have been very similar in that I’ve always been doing something. God has sought to use me in various ways and I’ve been obedient and have served him for many years in church and para-church ministry.

But, now, I find myself having to sit the bench, as I wait for God to move me into the next phase of ministry. To be honest, it has been very difficult for me. I want to get back in the game, but for some reason the Coach has determined it is better for me to “ride the pine.”
(Michael T)

Action
Who are we to question the Coach? Know that God’s plans and His timing are always perfect. Why can’t we wait patiently on Him to prepare the way for us? Why do we need to be reminded daily to be patient? Go and pray, read the Bible, and thank God for the extra rest and time He may be giving you to enjoy your family, before the rush of life consumes again. While you’re waiting, bless the Lord at all times.

Sportsmen’s Tip of The Day
Diversify your outdoor activities
. Don’t always go hunting or fishing. Try taking in a ball game with your family, go hiking, or even go whitewater rafting. God is not limited to a box and neither should your hobbies or the time spent with your family.

Bible Study Verse
Hebrews 3:13
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. (NIV)

Thoughts
Did you know that there are 6,692,030,277, (yes that’s billion) people on the planet? You may look at that number in amazement or in disbelief.

I look at that number and get excited. I see that number and say to myself, there are over 6 billion ears to hear the message of Christ. I see that number and almost jump out of my skin. What a better time to be a witness for Christ and spread His Word.

But, sadly there is at least one third who have never or may never hear the love of Christ. We need to start reaching people that no one else is reaching. Creatively in ways that nobody else is using to reach those people. A core group of SD writers have found such a way. Think of it as an extension of your small group. It’s called CHRISTTING.
(Donny N)

Action
CHRISTTING: is a new texting concept that is Christ centered and GOD honoring. So you’ve heard of Sexting, right? Where phone texts are intended to humiliate, sexually arouse, and abuse others or oneself. Christting does the opposite!

By doing the opposite, we mean using texts within an established group to encourage, support, pray with and for, as well as share a short study of the Bible each week.

Over 2.4 billion people text in our world today. Statistics show that over 80% of all cell phone users text. Experience shows that once a person tries texting they are hooked. We are told that the explosion of texters is yet to come among baby boomers in the United States.

Let’s embrace this technology and use it to glorify GOD and grow others in the Christian faith. Become part of this new Revolution. http://christting.com/

Sportsmen’s Tip Of The Day
Visit Christting.com, pray, and begin a fellowship of texting sportsmen.

Bible Study Verse
Matthew 6:33
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (NIV)

Thoughts
Let’s face it, most of our lives are geared for work and some fun as time and money allows. As Christians, however, there is more to our lives than just working, paying the bills, and the occasional reward of taking a nice trip to the woods, wilderness, lake, or stream. The higher calling of connecting with God and His kingdom is so much more fulfilling than anything this temporal world can offer.
(Tom H)

Action
After reflecting on this passage, commit yourself to truly seek God first for at least a month. During that month, see if life becomes a lot more satisfying. If you found that it is, then keep seeking God first; and don’t stop!

Sportsmen’s Tip Of The Day
Great resources for planning trips are available through many different government and private organizations. This information includes river flow reports, weather conditions, fishing reports and projected hunting season data. Contact these organizations on the web for the latest information. Two of these resources are http://www.topozone.com/, which supplies one topo map of each area you plan to visit; and http://www.accuweather.com/, which gives projected weather conditions of the areas by zip code.

Bible Study Verse
II Corinthians 5:17-19
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. (NIV)

Thoughts
I blew it! Absolutely, 100%! Blew it!

I was out turkey hunting a couple of weeks ago, waiting to get a shot off at a tom. We’d had some pretty bad weather–sporadic temperatures–and the birds’ patterns seemed to have gotten thrown off. So rather than sitting there enjoying watching turkeys in the mornings and evenings, it seemed as if I was lucky to see anything. After several unsuccessful hunts, I was in my blind and just about ready to wrap up another morning of seeing practically nothing.

I looked over to my left and there were six toms coming out of the woods, headed right for me. It had been so long since I’d seen one, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I got my gun up as quickly as I could and waited for them to meander in front of me. Sure enough, they did! At about 30yd, I finally got one of the toms to separate from the group a bit so I could get a clean shot off without taking down any of the others. As I pulled the trigger, I was looking forward to finally having a successful hunt.

Well, the shot resounded across the field, and all six birds flew up in the air and went right over my blind as part of their escape route. I felt numb and stunned! All I can tell you is that the rest of that weekend, I found myself ruminating on the idea that I needed a second chance! I had completely blown it!
(Dave M)

Action Point
The great thing about being a Christian is that we serve a God of second chances! We serve a God who believes in forgiveness and reconciliation! Maybe you’ve absolutely blown it: you ignored a chance to speak a word of encouragement to someone who needed it, missed an opportunity to witness to someone who needed to hear the gospel, you got angry over something that in hindsight was petty, the business deal wasn’t exactly up front, and in the end, you flat out didn’t do the right thing.

Go directly to God today and ask Him to forgive you. Ask Him to reconcile the situation. We all blow it. But, God is ALWAYS there, willing to forgive if we are truly repentant. Humble yourself before Him.

Sportsmen’s Tip Of The Day
Range finders are a great investment! They give you the necessary information about how far away an animal is and whether or not you should be shooting.

Bible Study Verse
Psalms 50:1
The Mighty One, God, the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets. (NIV)

Thoughts
The place where I usually feel closest to God is in the outdoors. When a bass takes a top water lure, when ducks cup their wings and commit to your spread of decoys and most certainly when you see the sun rise and set are when I feel God. The colors we see can only be painted by God Himself.
(Jim C)

Action
When hunting and fishing, remember that the outing is not always about the catch or the kill. Those are usually the smallest part of any adventure. The time put in and the time spent with family and/or friends are what make most of the memory.

Sportsmen’s Tip Of The Day
Make sure to always take a camera along to help with your memory as the years go by. Pictures are always good for not only remembrance of the adventure, but the smiles that made the picture worth taking.

Bible Study Verse
Matthew 7:15-16
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” (NIV)

Thoughts
My son and I live in what we refer to as “the man cave.” There is nothing feminine about our home. When you enter it, you know immediately that hunters live here. You don’t have to guess, you see it. When you come in the front door, the first thing you see is Adam’s 2002 elk shoulder mount, then, the racks from the two elk we killed in 2009. There’s gun cleaning stuff in the living room, a reloading bench where the dining room table used to be, more gun and archery stuff in the den, multiple dead animals on the walls, a .22 bullet trap and an archery target, leftover pizza in the fridge, and, when using the bathroom, remember MAN CAVE RULES are in effect!

For Christmas, we didn’t get around to putting up a tree. So Adam printed a picture of a Christmas tree off the internet and taped it onto the lampshade. Hey, there’s no watering a dry tree, no pine needles to clean up, and we can leave it up all year! Add a little pine smelling cover scent and you’ve got it. The perfect Christmas tree! Maybe there’s a reason why we’re both still single. You think? But, hey, you don’t have to ask what we do in our spare time. We hunt!
(Cliff S)

Action Point
When your friends, business associates, the waitress at the diner, the salesman at the gun counter in the sporting goods store, or new acquaintances cross your path, do they see that you are a Christian? Does it show? What fruit do you produce?

Jesus said that we’re to be a light to the world (Matthew 5:13-16) and that the world should see Him through us. That the world would know Him by the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). They should see in us, fruits that we can’t produce. They have to come from God. The world should see Jesus in our attitudes, our words, how we handle difficulties and successes, and in how we treat others. We should also be telling people around us about Jesus and His love and grace. Yes, the false prophets are out there. But, God desires to produce fruit in our lives that will provide evidence to others that He loves them, too, and that they can be in relationship with Him just as we are.

Sportsman’s Tip of the Day
It’s OK to leave your trophies and gun paraphernalia visible to folks who enter your house. But, keep the guns locked up in a safe place. The guns should be in one location, the ammunition in another, preferably under lock and key. This will protect against tragic accidents, and potential loss to thieves.

Bible Study Verse
Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (NIV)

Thoughts
In the late 1990′s a lure was introduced that worked exceptionally well on sea trout and redfish. So well in fact, tackle stores were always sold out. As time passed, newer products became more popular and that particular bait, for whatever reason, seemed to just lose its effectiveness. Few anglers use them today. What was once a superior lure now collects dust on store’s shelves.

Likewise, a book was published several years ago. It created great disdain and debate between the secular world and Christians. Spending weeks as a best seller, it was hastily followed by a movie version. Soon though the book and its notoriety faded from memory.
(Will D)

Action Point
Many worldly things try to lure us. They ebb and flood in and out of our Christian lives like the strong tides of spring. What are popular best-sellers one day, are gone the next.

However, God’s Word is the ultimate best seller; no other book has out sold it. While some Bibles do collect dust on shelves, the author of Hebrews clearly points out a dust-busting fact; the Word is living and active. My elementary school English teacher called that the present perfect progressive tense – events or actions that have begun at some point in the past and continue through the present. Seems presently perfect to me.

Sportsmen’s Tip of the Day
Keep those “old school” lures around. Sometimes when all else fails, they can and will make the difference

Bible Study Verse
Jonah 2:2
He said: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry. (NIV)

Thoughts
I think I’ll start a bad trip internet forum. You know, opposite of the all the ones that post reports of the great trips. Pics of big horns and big fish will be deleted. Mine will just be about the ones that got away. The missed shots. The I-didn’t-get-a-single-bite trips. Empty ice chests.
(Will D)

Action Point
No. No one wants to hear about the bad ones. Wouldn’t get many hits. Yet that is usually the only thing we give God, our breakdowns, mess ups, failures, and faults. He receives them too – catching each and every tear.

But, where go our accomplishments? If we are not careful, we’ll use pride like legs and ego like feet; desperately running ahead of disaster and despair.

Try the opposite. Delete the ego. Give God your pride. Pray to Him: ask him to take all that from you. Save the bad trips for my new forum.

Sportsmen’s Tip of the Day
Practice safe-handling of fish when catching and releasing. Avoid too much handling; use a lip- grabbing device.