Daily Devotional

[Ronnie W. Stark]

When God Appoints You, He Anoints You
By Rick Warren — 02/01/2023

“The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.”

1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NIV)

God never asks you to do something without providing what you need to do it. Anointing is a sign of God’s equipping and empowering you to fulfill an assignment he’s given you.

Do you want God’s resurrection power to work through your life? Then you need to understand what it means to have his anointing. To understand God’s anointing, you need to keep a few things in mind.

1. When God says to do it, you can count on his anointing. Jesus’ last assignment to his disciples was impossible. There was no way they could possibly take the Gospel to the ends of the Earth. It could only happen through his power. God will often give you an assignment that looks physically impossible, but he will make it possible.

“The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24 NIV).

2. God’s anointing makes difficult tasks easier. Your resources, energy, knowledge, wisdom, and talent are all limited—but God is not. With God’s anointing, you can handle things better, last longer, and go farther.

“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources [God] will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit” (Ephesians 3:16 NLT).

3. God’s anointing makes the impossible possible. In your business, marriage, health, and relationships, you’re going to come up against seemingly insurmountable problems. God is a competent Father. No problem is beyond his ability to provide.

“What is impossible with man is possible with God” (Luke 18:27 NIV).

4. God anoints your life to bless others. Jesus came to comfort the afflicted, blind, broken-hearted, and those who are enslaved to bad habits. And he anoints you to comfort others as well.

“Jesus arrived from Nazareth, anointed by God with the Holy Spirit, ready for action. He went through the country helping people and healing everyone who was beaten down by the Devil. He was able to do all this because God was with him” (Acts 10:38 The Message).

5. For every new challenge, you need renewed power from God. Anointing by the Holy Spirit cannot be stored up. You cannot handle today’s problems with yesterday’s anointing. You certainly can’t handle the problems you’re going to have tomorrow, next week, and next year with yesterday’s anointing.

Stay in touch with God so that he can constantly fill you with his grace, love, and power. James 4:2 says, “You do not have because you do not ask God” (NIV). Ask for God’s anointing again!

Talk It Over

If you believed God wanted to bless your life, what would you ask of him?
Do you try to accomplish your tasks based on your own power or God’s power? What difference does it make?
In what ways do you see how God has anointed you—that is, equipped you—to fulfill whatever assignment he has given you?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Mark 6:31-32 NKJV
And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. 32 So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.

Thoughts
These verses remind me that Jesus and the disciples were some of the first outdoorsmen because of the way they lived. They went from place to place, camping out in remote spots between towns. Then, when they needed solace, they went to a deserted place or a mountain, away from everyone, to pray and rest. (Jimmy S)

Action Point
If you haven't already found that secret place to be with the Lord, away from the business of life, then you need to find that place. Maybe it's just on your drive to work every day? For me, it's early in the morning when I walk in the mountains above my house, with my bird dog bounding through the desert.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Hold on for God’s Blessing
By Rick Warren — 02/02/2023

“I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

Genesis 32:26 (NIV)

When God blessed Jacob, he promised to give him land, multiply his family, make him a mighty nation, and use him to bless the world. He made Jacob and his family God’s chosen people.

But just like he does with you today, God gave Jacob a promise and then tested his faith in that promise.

In Genesis 32, Jacob struggled with God all night long in a wrestling match that tested his patience, faith, and trust. Then God injured Jacob at his hip and gave him a serious disadvantage. Jacob was hurt and tired, and yet, at dawn, he still said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me” (Genesis 32:26 NIV).

Isn’t that an interesting thing to say to somebody you’re wrestling with? Apparently sometime during this all-night struggle, Jacob became aware that the one he was wrestling with was no ordinary individual. He was wrestling with God. And so, Jacob refused to let go, knowing that God could bless him.

Maybe you feel like you’re wrestling with God right now, and the struggle is lasting way too long. Maybe you don’t want to do the things God has told you to do, like be generous or obey his rules for sex or be kind to your enemies.

The very God you’re wrestling with is the one who gives you your dream for your life. He’s the one who will make it happen! God’s not trying to thwart your dream. He’s getting you ready for it. Your struggle will build your stamina, deepen your patience, and increase your resilience.

Your wrestling match will also bring you to the point of commitment. Right at the moment when you think you’ve got to give up, you need to turn to God and say, “I’m in this struggle for as long as it takes for you to do your good work in me and bless me.”

That kind of response to God’s test will show him that you’re ready for his anointing on your life.

Talk It Over

What things in your life do you think God wants to bless? What things are keeping you from his blessing?
How does God help you when you commit to his work in your life, even when it is painful?
Do you want God’s anointing on your life? Why or why not?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." NIV

Thoughts
I missed the buck. It was the evening’s prime time, and he walked across my shooting lane—I rushed the shot and missed. I still had to check and ensure it was a clean miss, so I gathered my gear and went to the end of the lane, searching for blood with my flashlight. There was no sign of a hit in the lane, and I walked into the woods, where the buck ran for a quick look. The batteries in my light died, and the sky was pitch black. It was dark and still, with overcast skies—no moon, no stars. I tried to find my way back but couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. Lost is such a demeaning word for a seasoned hunter, so I’ll say that I was turned around. I finally heard a car crossing a bridge, and I knew where that was. I headed straight in that direction. I came out on a blacktop road and walked two miles to my truck. Andy D.

Action Point
Being lost in the deer woods is a bad feeling. Being lost in life is a dangerous place to be. Without Jesus, the light of life, we are hopelessly lost. The good news (gospel) is that Jesus is there waiting for anyone who is lost, and He is there for anyone who has gotten turned around in life. Follow Him continuously, and you’ll never walk in darkness again.

Some people know they are lost and continue their path despite it. At the same time, others are just journeying down life’s way and have no idea that they are lost and in danger. We all who are being saved should not hide our light. We ought to do as the Lord instructs us as in Matthew 5:16 – In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (NIV). We may be the only light that some will ever know.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Do You Have a Shortage or a Surplus Mindset?
By Rick Warren — 02/04/2023

“My cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life.”

Psalm 23:5-6 (NIV)

Is your life overflowing? If you’re like most people, it may be overflowing—but not with goodness. So many people have overbooked their calendars, overspent their money, overdrawn their credit, overloaded their emotions, overworked their bodies, overcrowded their days, and overvalued the approval of others. As a result, they wind up overstressed, overanxious, and overwhelmed—and they’re over it! They are far from experiencing the goodness of God.

Why do we do let ourselves get overextended? Often the fear of missing out motivates us to do more. But the truth is you’re not missing out on anything when you rest in the goodness and provision of God.

God wants to move you from being overwhelmed to overflowing. He wants to meet all your needs—and he can! First, you need to recognize two fundamentally different approaches to life that either keep you from God’s abundance or bring you into God’s abundance: a shortage mindset and a surplus mindset.

With a shortage mindset, you constantly think, “I don’t have enough time. I don’t have enough money. I don’t have enough energy. I don’t have enough contacts, opportunities, knowledge, education, or whatever.” It’s the sense that you’re always a day late and a dollar short. A shortage mindset focuses on your limited resources, and the result is an overwhelmed life.

A surplus mindset focuses on God’s limitless resources, and the result is an overflowing life.

Have you ever worried that the person breathing next to you is stealing your air? Of course not. You know that God created more than enough air for everybody to have all the air we need.

The Bible includes words like abundance, plentiful, abounding, and bountiful to describe what God has to offer you. God has more than enough to meet all your needs and everybody else’s needs at the same time.

Jesus said, “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of” (John 10:10 The Message).

You don’t have to worry about running short of anything, because God is the source of your life. He wants to fill you with an endless supply of his goodness, joy, blessing, hope, and peace, so you’re able to say, “My cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life” (Psalm 23:5-6 NIV).

Talk It Over

What perspectives or emotions reflect a shortage mindset?
How does a surplus mindset produce peace in your life?
Why do we so often worry about how much others have instead of focusing on God’s abundant provision in our own lives?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Testing Comes Before Blessing
By Rick Warren — 02/03/2023

“I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them.”

Zechariah 13:9 (NLT)

Some prayers are answered immediately, but others take weeks, months, or even years. You probably know this all too well! But there’s good news: While you’re praying for God’s answer, you’re going to learn some things that you can’t learn any other way.

In the waiting, there is blessing. One of the blessings is that you learn more about yourself when you don’t instantly get everything you want.

For two of the most important prayers I’ve ever prayed, God took 13 years to answer one of them and 25 years for the other. But he answered! They were the most important prayers in my life at that time. Why did it take so long? Because while I was working on the prayer, God was working on me.

When you’re going through fire, do you ever wonder why you have to go through it? It’s for testing and purification. As you pray about something over and over again, you face tests that reveal more about you.

God says in Zechariah 13:9, “I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold” (NLT).

You test gold by putting it in a big vat and heating it until it gets so hot that all the impurities are burned off. How do metalsmiths know when gold and silver are pure? When they can see their reflection in them.

God can see his reflection in you when the impurities have burned out of your life—after you’ve been through the fire. He says that, after he’s done the testing and purification, “They will call on my name, and I will answer them” (Zechariah 13:9 NLT).

Answered prayer comes after the test. Before every blessing, there is a testing. God tests you with stress before he trusts you with success. These are the principles of persistent prayer.

God is going to test you before he blesses you. And in that test, you’re going to learn a lot about yourself. If you give up praying, you’re never going to learn the lessons that help you become more like Jesus.

Keep praying with persistence each day. And remember that after the testing, the blessing will come.

Talk It Over

Think of a time when God allowed you to go through the fire before he answered your prayer. In what ways did you grow through that experience?
Why is it important for you to become more like Jesus?
How is God testing you right now? What will you do today to be persistent in prayer?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
1 Peter 5:7 TPT “Pour out all your worries and stress upon Him and leave them there, for he always tenderly cares for you”

Thoughts
There have been numerous occasions in my lifetime of hunting where we found ourselves in a precarious situation. Most of them revolved around elk hunting on a horse in the mountains. Like what kind of situations, you might ask. Situations such as going across a frozen river and falling through into 4 feet of water on a frightened horse, or walking along a steep mountainside on loose gravel and having your horse slide down about 20 feet, fun ride, being caught in a snowstorm and staying the night in the wilderness, chaining up all four tires on my truck and going through snow up to the hood to get out of the backcountry. Those are just a few of the adventures. What I can tell you is, no one ever got hurt, including the horses. Yes, a dent or two for my truck but that was it. Sometimes the folks with me had a lot of fear in these situations. I guess, looking back, I cannot blame them. Bob M

Action plan
What is fear, exactly? Is it a healthy emotion? Or, is it a lack of faith? While I’m no expert on the subject, I know all of us have had fear in our life at some time. Many of us are going through some type of fear right now. Maybe it’s facing the death of a loved one, health issues for yourself or a loved one, losing your job, money issues, relationship issues, the list goes on and on. The major question is, how do we want to handle it? The Scriptures say “Fear not for God is with me…”, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

[Ronnie W. Stark]

How God Helps You in Your Grief
By Rick Warren — 01/31/2023

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and he saves those whose spirits have been crushed.”

Psalm 34:18 (NCV)

Everyone will experience loss. And you don’t just “get over” a loss. You can’t go under it; you can’t go around it. You’ve got to go through the grief. If you’re scared to express emotion and refuse to go through it, that’s where you get stuck.

You get unstuck by letting God help you. Here are six ways he does that:

1. God draws you close to himself.
Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and he saves those whose spirits have been crushed” (NCV). When you grieve, God may seem a million miles away. But what you feel and what is real are not always the same thing. In fact, God has never been any closer to you than when you are grieving.

2. God grieves with you.
The Bible says Jesus was “a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief” (Isaiah 53:3 NLT). When you come to Jesus with your grief, he understands your pain. God is a suffering God, and he is a sympathetic God. He’s not aloof or apathetic.

3. God gives you a church family for support.
We’re meant to grieve and heal in community through our church family. We’re better together!

“In Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others . . . Be devoted to one another in love . . . Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:5, 10, 15 NIV).

4. God uses grief to help you grow.
God uses grief and even pain to help you become more like Christ, and he does it in three ways. First, God uses pain to get your attention. The Bible says, “My brothers and sisters, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure” (James 1:2–3 GNB).

Second, he brings good out of bad (Romans 8:28), and third, he prepares you for eternity (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

5. God gives you the hope of heaven.
If you believe in and trust Jesus Christ for salvation, then you will spend eternity in heaven with God—and that hope will sustain you through your time of loss. The Bible says, “We don’t want you to be - about those who have died. We don’t want you to grieve like other people who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13 GW).

6. God uses your pain to help others.
This is called redemptive pain, and it is the highest and best use of your pain. “[God] comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:4 NLT).

Talk It Over

Why do you think God allows you to experience grief and loss?
If you do not have a church family or small group, what steps can you take today to get connected so that you have the support you need when you go through a loss?
What is the deepest pain you have experienced? How can you use that pain to help others?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Daniel 5:22-31 - 22 “But you, Belshazzar, his son,[a] have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. 23 Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. 24 Therefore he sent the hand that wrote the inscription. 25 “This is the inscription that was written: mene, mene, tekel, parsin 26 “Here is what these words mean: Mene[b]: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. 27 Tekel[c]: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. 28 Peres[d]: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” (NIV©)

Thoughts
When I conduct a Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) class, there is emphasis on using a firearm safely, properly, and legally. Safety is first, nothing good happens when guns are being handled carelessly. Properly simply means, learn how your firearm functions and how to maintain the firearm. Legally goes without saying. CCW training focuses on personal protection with a firearm. But, I don’t care if you use your firearm for fun shooting, hunting, or personal protection, in Arizona, and most other locations, if you use a firearm illegally, you will likely wind up behind bars. On the other end of the spectrum, if you follow the safety rules and use your firearm properly and legally, you will have hours of good fun, maybe put a little meat in the freezer, and, if necessary, you will be able to protect yourself in a hostile situation. (Cliff S)

Action Point
There are many focus points in today’s passage. Belshazzar knew the history of the kingdom including that of Daniel and the exiled Jews living in Babylon, but he ignored what he knew. Belshazzar disrespected God and desecrated the Temple’s holy objects, and Belshazzar worshipped false gods. Because of that, Belshazzar paid a price for his behaviors: his life. I wonder how things would have been different had Belshazzar behaved differently, had he respected and worshipped the one true God? My question for us today is, how are we living? If the one true God examined me or you today, would we be found wanting? Or would the Father speak of us as He did Jesus when Jesus was baptized? I long to someday hear the words, “This is My Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17 NIV©)

[Ronnie W. Stark]

From Overwhelmed to Overflowing
By Rick Warren

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 15:5 (NIV)

The moment you start doubting the goodness of God and deciding for yourself what will make you happy, all kinds of problems begin in your life. You wind up overworked, overanxious, and overloaded—and just generally overwhelmed!

But God promises you an overflowing life, not an overwhelmed life.

Jesus said, “I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness” (John 10:10 GNT).

How do you experience an abundant, overflowing life? There is one habit that, if you do it every day, will fill you with an endless supply of God’s goodness: Stay connected to Jesus.

In John 15:5, Jesus compared staying connected to him with a grapevine: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NIV).

What happens when a cluster of grapes is cut off from the vine? It dies. The same is true with you.

God is your true source of energy and power. If you try to go through life on your own power, you’re going to be overwhelmed. But if you’re connected to him, you’ll have all the power you need. Or, as the Bible says, “Your joy will overflow!” (John 15:11 NLT)

One way to stay connected to Jesus is through a daily quiet time. In a quiet time, you set aside time to be alone with God and get to know him through reading his Word and talking to him in prayer.

Mark 1:35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (NIV).

Even Jesus knew his personal need for connection with God—and he was the Son of God! How much more do you need the strength that comes from daily time with the Lord?

Some days you may not feel like having a quiet time—but do it anyway. If you wait to have a quiet time until you feel like it, Satan will make sure you never feel like it.

Do you find yourself needing more time, energy, knowledge, or opportunity? I want to challenge you to develop the habit of spending daily time with Jesus. When you stay connected to him, you’ll find your life overflowing with God’s goodness and power—and you’ll realize that’s all you really need.

Talk It Over

What overwhelming situation in your life would you like to have replaced with God’s abundant goodness?
The more time you spend with your loved ones, the stronger your relationships become. How is that similar to spending time with God?
What distracts you from spending time with God? What boundaries can you put into place this week to help you stay focused on God during your quiet time with him?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

How Gratitude Can Change Your Life
By Rick Warren — 02/06/2023

“In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing.”

Philippians 2:14 (TLB)

If you want to move from an overwhelmed life to an overflowing life, there are three things you need to start doing and three things you need to stop doing.

Today we’ll look at the first pair: Start being grateful, and stop complaining.

Studies have shown that gratitude produces chemicals in your brain—dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin—that make you feel peaceful and happy.

An attitude of gratitude is something you can start the moment you wake up. Before you get out of bed, make a list of things you’re grateful for. For example, your list might say, “God, I’m grateful for air; I’m grateful for this bed; I’m grateful I’m not in danger.” Even if you can’t think of anything to be grateful for, the simple act of trying to be grateful will change your brain chemistry.

The Bible says, “In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing” (Philippians 2:14 TLB).

When you complain about something, how does that help you? If you complain about the weather, does it change the weather? If you complain about the way you look, does it change the way you look? If you complain about your spouse, your children, or your job, does it change any of those things?

Complaining is a total waste of time. It’s stewing without doing. It’s worthless. Complaining will never make you feel better. Instead, God wants your life to “overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all he has done” (Colossians 2:7 TLB).

Sometimes people will say to me, “You know, Pastor Rick, I just want to know God’s will. What does God want me to do in my relationship? What does he want me to do in my career? What does he want me to do in school?”

“Always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 TLB). Why would God teach you step two when you haven’t done step one? If you want to know God’s will on who to marry, God wants you to do step one—always be thankful—and then you can move on to step two, then step three, and so on.

If you want to live an overflowing life rather than an overwhelmed life, stop complaining, and start being grateful.

Talk It Over

What is one thing you wouldn’t change about today? Add it to your gratitude list.
When you are tempted to complain this week, think about a specific way God has been good to you. What difference do you think it will make?
Who in your life are you grateful for? What is one way you can show them how you feel?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭24‬ ‭NKJV

Thoughts
Age and score have taken center stage when talking about whitetail deer hunting. These can be great tools in managing your deer herd but don’t let them take away from your experience. I’ve seen many rude comments on social media regarding these things when a fellow sportsman was showing a harvest they were proud of. If you legally and ethically harvest an animal it is ok to be proud of that animal. By showing your gratitude you honor your harvest. Dlain T.

Action Point
The harvest of an animal should be the icing on the cake. The memory of the experience around that event is what fills my heart. Let us not get weary in the trials and tribulations of being a Christian but let us find joy in the experiences He leads us through on our journey.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

The Importance of Being You
By Rick Warren — 02/07/2023

“It's healthy to be content, but envy can eat you up.”

Proverbs 14:30 (CEV)

To live an abundant life that overflows with God’s goodness, the first thing you need to do is start being grateful and stop complaining. The second thing you need to do is start being content and stop comparing.

God made you to be you. He doesn’t want you to be anybody else! When you compare yourself to other people, you get envious and resentful, and you might even start to copy them.

But God has never made a clone. God only makes originals. Even identical twins are different in thousands of ways. If you won’t be you, then who will be you?

The truth is that comparing only gets you in trouble. When you compare your looks, your grades, your spouse, your career, or your kids, it causes two problems.

One, you get full of discouragement, because you can always find someone who’s doing a better job than you—someone who is better looking, makes more money, or has more talent. And two, you get full of pride. Why? Because you can always find someone who’s not doing as good a job as you.

The Bible says, “It is better to be content with what little you have. Otherwise, you will always be struggling for more, and that is like chasing the wind” Ecclesiastes 4:6 (NCV).

Because of social media, it’s easier than ever to compare yourself to others. When you see posts every day that shout, “Look at me! Look what I can do! Look what I’ve got!” it can draw you into a state of envy and discontent. It can even cause you to try to impress others with your own posts. But the thing is, you don’t have to impress anyone. A key to living a life overflowing with joy is to just be yourself, content with who God made you to be.

Are you tired of feeling overwhelmed? Do you want to be spiritually and emotionally healthy? The Bible says, “It’s healthy to be content, but envy can eat you up” (Proverbs 14:30 CEV).

Contentment comes when you enjoy what you have rather than waiting for something else to make you happy. Stop comparing yourself to other people, and start being content with what God has given you—and then watch your joy overflow!

Talk It Over

What do you enjoy about your life right now?
When it looks like God is blessing others in a way he’s not blessing you, how does it make you feel? In those moments, what can you remind yourself about God’s goodness?
If you know something like social media is going to cause you to be discontented, what will you do to lessen its effect on you?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (NIV)

Thoughts
So, just why did God create the heavens and the earth? There's only one answer; it's very simple-- to glorify Himself. By doing so, God directs and draws us to Him every time we look into the sky or at the creation around us.

It's explained very well in Romans 1:20: "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 people are without excuse," (NIV). Excuse from what? Not accepting God as God.
(Cliff S)

Action Point
Abraham Lincoln said, "I never behold them, the heavens filled with stars, that I do not feel I am looking into the face of God. I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God." Let's remember Mr. Lincoln's wisdom whenever we look up at the heavens filled with stars!

Sportsmen's Tip of the Day
Always pay attention to your surroundings, the landmarks and distinctive features of the country you're in. You may have a GPS that works perfectly well, but never substitute dependence on something that can fail for good woodsmanship skills.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Psalms 119:9-12
How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, LORD; teach me your decrees. NIV

Thoughts
Where do I go? This is a question I must answer every time I am at the deer camp. A massive aerial photo of the entire leased hunting property is attached to a board hanging on the camp house wall. It has stands, logging roads, creeks, and waypoints labeled to help hunters decide where to sign in and hunt. I stand and gaze at it, considering the wind direction and location of other hunters, hoping to choose the optimal hunting spot where a nice buck may cross my path. Andy D.

Action Point
There is a map to use when trying to figure out my direction in life and all the circumstances I encounter—God’s Holy Word. The Bible contains the answers to all of life’s situations. It is relevant today, the same as it was in all the years gone by. I have found that I must stare, study, and digest it daily. Once a week or now and then isn’t enough. It always points me, via the Holy Spirit’s guidance, to the optimal place I need to be. If I stay submerged in God’s Word, most of the time, I already know the answer to the question—where do I go?

Sportsman’s Tip of the Day
Keep a bible with you, whether hunting, traveling, or in day-to-day activities. A bible app on smartphones is a good way, or a hard copy in a hunting pack placed in a dry bag is a traditional way. Read the word daily. If you don’t know where to start, take the daily Bible verses with the Sportsmen’s Devotional and read the entire chapter.