Bible Study Verse
1 Samuel 17:34-37b
But David said to Saul, “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I went out after him and attacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.” And David said, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine”. (NASB)

Thoughts
I know I have written about David in the past, but just can’t seem to get enough of him. David the sweet writer and singer of songs, David the poet; David the musician, and David the boy who grabbed a lion by his beard, struck him, and killed him! Wait a minute! Did you read that right? You bet you did! What a man! David did that when he was just a boy tending his father’s sheep. No wonder he went on to be such a famous warrior. This guy was fearless! What was his secret? No secret at all! He comes right out and says, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear”. He did not take credit for anything. He knew that apart from the Lord, he was nothing. Too bad Samson didn’t learn that lesson earlier; his outcome might have been much different. Yes, we know that David had his share of sins. Terrible, horrible sins to boot! But even then he knew what to do, repent and take it to the Lord! “Against you – you alone – I have sinned,” he said, Psalms 51:4a (HCSB). (Dave H)

Action Point
We need role models in our lives. We need to teach our children the right way to live. Yes of course we should always consider” What Would Jesus Do”, WWJD, but we should also study about the great men of the Bible. They are put there for a reason. They are put there for us to learn from. Remember folks, these aren’t just some tall stories told around the camp fire. These are gospel. What is recorded is actually what happened. David was not given any supernatural strength as Samson was given. He was given one thing, a heart for God. Pray that the Lord would give you this same heart, the same heart that was also given to our Lord. Your children can learn so much from studying the lives of these men. They will hopefully learn to draw from the strengths of these people and to avoid their weaknesses. More than anything else, they will know who to turn to and that they are no less of a man or woman for admitting their mistakes and falling on their faces in front of the Lord.

Sportsmen’s Tip of the Day
David did not use a slingshot made out of surgical tubing like we have today. It can be fun project for you and the kids to construct one like he used. He would have taken two cords of leather that can easily be had from Tandy or any leather supply store (or make your own from your next deer). Even heavy duty shoe laces can be used. Take a piece of leather or cloth material about one inch wide and two or three inches long, punch a hole in each of the long ends of the cloth and attach one of the leather cord to each hole you have made. The cloth forms a pocket into which you place the stone or other object you wish to throw. Hold the two loose ends of the cords together in your hand and swing them over your head like you have seen Argentinean cowboys swing a bolo. Release the end of one of the cords and launch your projectile toward a safe target. A word to the wise: practice this in the wide open spaces till you get the hang of it! We don’t want to break any windows or heads!

Bible Study Verse
Daniel 3:28-29
Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.” (NIV)

Thoughts
I love to fly, whether I’m at the controls or a professional. My pilot’s license allows me to fly single-engine fixed-wing aircraft. Don’t ask me about the time I got to fly a 747 Simulator, it wasn’t pretty. Crash and burn, baby! Maybe I’ll leave flying the big planes to the pros! On a fishing trip to Alaska I was constantly amazed at the sights from the window. Now, think with me. We’re in a metal tube at 35,000 feet above the earth doing something that humans aren’t supposed to be able to do, fly. We put our trust in the machine, the pilots, and the maintenance people that take care of that plane. The views are awe inspiring. I never get tired of looking at the tops of clouds. There are peaks and valleys and you can see where the wind currents have cut channels through them. When we enter those clouds, we can’t see anything and sometimes the ride gets a little turbulent. Again, we have to trust the pilots and the machine. We don’t even ask about the qualifications of either. We just assume that they will safely take us through the rough stuff. Talk about faith, it doesn’t get any deeper than that. Right? (Cliff S)

Action Point
When we walk with God, we have to put our faith and trust in Him and His Holy Spirit, always. There are going to be times when we can’t see where He’s taking us and times when the ride will get rough. Those are times when, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, our faith will be tested. It may be when you get a bad report from the doctor, when something goes terribly wrong on a hunt and your very survival is uncertain, or when God has allowed you to prosper to see how you will handle what He’s given you. There’s a saying, “Character is tested when you’re up against it”. Well, guess what, God tests us. He’s watching to see how we react to adversity, eo see what kind of character we possess, and to see if we really trust Him.

The founder of this website, Sportsmen’s Devotional, always signs his letters with the acronym, “WIHP”. The letters stand for “Walk In His Paths”. Good advice when the road gets hard to see and maybe a little bumpy! Trust God that He will lead you through the rough stuff!

Sportsmen’s Tip of the Day
When booking with a guide, always check his references and those of his associates. You want to be sure that he will be able to get you there and back safely and hopefully put you onto the animals you’re hunting.

Bible Study Verse
Psalm 103:12
as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (NIV)

Thoughts
In Arizona we are blessed with many days so clear that one can see from one end of our state to the other. After riding the ski lift on San Francisco Peaks, near Flagstaff, I was to see Mt. Lemon over 100 miles south just outside of Tucson. (Byron S)

Action Point
How big is our God? For mankind, God is hard for us to comprehend. Many of us want to downsize Him in order to better understand his ways. But He tells us that our ways are not His ways.

Rather than trying to downsize God, see Him for what He is. His handy work is all around us, especially in the outdoors. Be thankful and blessed by the fact that He gave His only Son to die for our sin so that ALL of our transgressions are removed from us. Just take hold of that, believe it, and give Him thanks. Rejoice in the fact that He is so big that we cannot comprehend. Romans 1:20 says, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse (NIV).”

Sportsmen’s Tip of the Day
Keep a pair of binoculars and a camera handy in your pack or in your car glove box. I have missed out on many great wildlife shots simply because I didn’t have them with me

Bible Study Verse
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. (NIV)

Thoughts
This past fall my dad, brother, my two older children, and I spent quite a bit of time hunting on one of our leases in the Ozark foothills. We setup the camper, but had no electricity or running water. We ate by campfire light, we cleaned our deer by hanging them from a tree limb, and we feasted on charcoaled hamburgers and soup. Night was utterly quiet. We were separated from the hustle and bustle of the world. We worked hard and played even harder. When the game warden stopped by to check our licenses, we were able to look him in the eye and enjoy his company. We stood honestly before him and as a result, were able to tell him about our relationship with God. It turned out that he was a Christian as well. I was glad that we were living a quiet and honest life out there. (Brian H.)

Action Point
My grandfather was not an educated man. He dropped out of school in the third grade to help raise crops and take care of his younger siblings. As an adult, he painted John Deere tractors and worked at a shoe factory to support his wife and six children. By the time I came along, he was retired and had settled down to raise cattle and chickens. Everyone around the county knew who he was, but he kept to himself. He was hardworking and honest. Late in life his brother quietly led him to the Lord while standing in his garden. As Christians, it is our responsibility to live a life of honor. We will give an account to God for what we do or not do with our lives. Visit 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 again. Read it slowly and turn it over and over in your mind. Meditate on it and make it your life verse. Let’s resolve to live lives that win the respect of outsiders and win them quietly to Christ.

Sportsmen’s Tip of the Day
For a quick and easy wind tester, tie an eight inch length of white sewing thread to the stabilizer on your bow. Secure it with a tiny drop of super glue. It will blow with the tiniest of breezes and notify you of wind direction at all times

Bible Study Verse
Hebrews 12:15
Make sure no one gets left out of God’s generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. (MSG)

Thoughts
Three hours deep into the interior of the snow covered mountains, I enjoyed the rare treat of being in God’s country for the day. Far enough away, I thought that I would not see anyone. Hunting season was over and it was the middle of the day in the middle of the week. I was just out exploring. Imagine my surprise when I came across another human dressed in full camouflage with his hunting rifle.

I stopped and learned that he was “bird and varmint hunting”. He then began a lengthy bitter diatribe that consumed the next half hour of my life. He was angry that the mountains we were occupying had been hunted out of deer, that the state of AZ used a drawing method for obtaining a hunting tag, that he seldom got drawn, that the current economy had cost him his job, and that he seldom had food to eat. He was just plain bitter. As I drove away I felt a wave of depression come over me that lingered far longer than the thirty minutes it had taken to go to seed. Boy did he just ruin my garden. (Brett M)

Action Point
The author of Hebrews is not exactly known, however the message is clear. He is telling Hebrew Christians that Jesus is the Messiah and the way to salvation. He then gives advice for daily living: to follow Christ, not cling to their old ways, and to eliminate bitterness from their lives. I found it interesting that the scripture eludes that bitterness in one’s life can lead to being left out of “God’s generosity”. Looking back now, it seems evident that this bitter man was not enjoying many of the blessings he could have. It may have been a direct result of a withholding of God’s generosity.

Bitterness often is a result of hurt and pain. Hurts left untended fester into resentment and ultimately into bitterness. Remember Jesus heals all hurts. Turn it over to Him, forgive the offender, and let Him heal the pain before it goes to seed and ruins your whole garden.

Sportsmen’s Tip of the Day
Never confront a suspected poacher. If possible observe from a distance and gather as much information as possible. Many states have a poacher’s hotline, memorize it or keep it nearby and call from a safe location

Bible Study Verse
Exodus 4:1
Then Moses answered, “What if they won’t believe me and will not obey me but say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” (HCSB)

Thoughts
Moses was afraid to accept the challenge God gave him to lead the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt. To prove to Moses and the rest of the Israelites that He was in charge, God told Moses to throw down his staff, which turned into a snake. Here is the tough part for me, He then told Moses to pick it up by the tail. Moses did, and the snake became the staff again. That staff was no longer a shepherd’s staff, but an anointed tool for leading God’s people to the Promised Land. (Bink G)

Action Point
God challenges us from time to time to leave our comfort zones, take a leap of faith, and obey his will. It would definitely take an act of God for me to pick up a snake by the tail. As anglers, we all have our favorite fishing spots; and we fish these spots 90 percent of the time. We rarely look at new water for fear of failure, especially when we have paying customers. Just the other day God challenged me to seek out a dear friend who was having family problems. Honestly, I did not want to do it. I wanted to stay out of it, but God burdened me to leave my comfort zone and talk to my friend about being a godly man and in doing what is right. My friend, a proud man, was very receptive to the discussion. I knew it was because God was there, leaning against the truck with us.

Sportsmen’s Tip of the Day
Fishing on days when the weather is not the most conducive to catching makes us better anglers. We must seek out new water and read patterns and tides to find fish. In the process we become better fishers and add a few new coordinates to the GPS

Bible Study Verse
Matt 8:23-26
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. (NIV)

Thoughts
On a January winter weekend a friend and I went bass fishing on a popular southern Texas power plant lake. In the winter they are known for producing great fishing. The heated lake water is not affected by the outside temperature. A major cold front was approaching, but we thought we had plenty of time to get on the lake, catch some fish, and then get off before conditions became bad. Wrong thinking! We were at the opposite end of the lake from the launch ramp when the front blew in earlier than expected. High winds turned the lake into a churning ocean. Temperatures quickly dropped. We were in a bad situation.

We turned my 16′ aluminum bass boat into the wind and waves and headed for the launch ramp. The only way to stay on top of the waves and keep from getting swamped was to run at full speed. Tackle boxes, fishing rods, and both of us were bouncing around as we battled our way up the lake. Only by the grace of God did we make it back to the ramp in one piece and without injury. (Tom B)

Action Point
As I remember that trip, my mind is called to the passage of Jesus calming the waters. He didn’t calm the waters we were on, but He certainly protected us as we fought our way back to the launch ramp and safety.

Jesus is a calming affect in our whole life if we call for him. When things aren’t going as planned or even expected, especially in today’s world, know that we can call on His name. Read the Bible. Look for the many times Jesus is mentioned promising to take care of our needs, bringing calmness to our tough times.

Sportsmen’s Tip of the Day
In the winter months be sure to get an accurate weather forecast before heading out on the water in a boat to fish. Fishing can be fantastic as the barometer drops. The chances for a disaster in the making also go up as dropping temperature, rain, snow, or high winds rake the water. It’s not worth the chance. The fish will be there another day

Bible Study Verse
Philippians 4: 11-13
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (NIV)

Thoughts
Never leave fish to find fish. We’ve heard that cliché a thousand times, yet we still do it. We catch a few, but become dissatisfied with the quality or quantity. We can do better. A life pursuing happiness without Christ is like this – constantly moving from one thing to another chasing earthly satisfaction. (Will D)

Action Point
God made you and me to seek contentment. However, it’s not shiny with big tires, in stacks of dollar bills, with bigger horns, or with larger scales. It’s found in Him. Don’t keep running after earthly things. Seek contentment in Jesus Christ. “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart, Psalms 37:4 (NIV).” Doing so, you will discover the real and everlasting contentment your heart desires.

Sportsmen’s Tip of the Day
Not only are instant hand sanitizers good to keep on your boat for killing water-borne germs, but it will also clean and shine used or stained hard plastic lures

Bible Study Verse
Psalms 103: 2-4
Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, (NIV)

Thoughts
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal brain disease found in deer and elk. The animals infected with CWD show a loss of weight and poor body condition. It is always fatal for the afflicted deer or elk. There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to CWD. For example, it’s not totally understood how the animals are infected or if the disease can be transmissible to humans or domestic livestock. There are no cases of this happening, but one should be cautious and avoid handling any wild game that appears to be sick. (Ron T.)

Action Point
Sickness and disease is a part of this world, but where did it come from? Jesus came so that we may have life, and have it to the full. The Devil came only to steal, kill, and destroy as reflected in John 10:10. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (NIV).”

I have heard it said that God puts disease on people so they might change their ways or learn a lesson. To me that doesn’t make any sense. Our father gives us good gifts, not sickness or disease as reflected in Matthew 7:9, “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone (NIV)? When Jesus walked this earth, he healed a lot of people. I don’t recall him ever refusing to heal anyone. The sick came to him in faith and were healed by faith.

Sportsmen’s Tip of the Day
In your field dressing kit, make sure you have extra surgical gloves packed away and change them out every so often. They can get a little brittle in the cold weather and tear fairly easy. The long gloves that veterinarians use to pregnancy check cows work well. They slip over your coat sleeves and keep everything clean

Bible Study Verse
Psalm 46:10a
Cease striving and know that I am God; (NASB)

Thoughts
Over the years, I have heard thousands of sermons. I’ll never forget the one about taking naps. During cowboy church the good old boy preacher said, “Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is take a nap!” (Tom H)

Action Point
Many times the preparation, packing, last minute responsibilities, and hundreds of miles driving to your favorite getaway can wear you out. Once you arrive and get settled in at your happy hunting grounds or your favorite stream brimming with trout, try taking a power nap. Fifteen minutes works for me, any longer and it backfires making me feel worse.

Sportsmen’s Tip of the Day
If your camp has lots of pine needles, try making a good fluffed up pile. Put your sleeping bag on top and enjoy your power nap right under the trees. Be careful of sap that will drip down if there are broken branches above