Daily Devotional

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Daniel 2:21
He changes the times and seasons: he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. (NIV)

Thoughts
As I looked out my blind window (or my office window as I like to call it) one more time for the year, I pondered on the blessings from the Lord. Muzzleloading deer season came to an end here in the Midwest about a week ago and I already miss it. However, I’m already transitioning to hard water fishing in my head and praying for some cold weather to freeze up my area lakes. I love ice fishing when I can get out, but sometimes in the state of Indiana ice is hard to come by. But as each season rolls around, I often think of the blessings in my life around outdoor sports and the different seasons I have experienced. Rob D.

Action Point
Us outdoor people, we always put a lot of time in and around our sports and the seasons which they fall. As I was closing up my deer hunting season this year with one last walk in the woods for a bit, I was reminded that God our Father actually controls everything. Our lives, our money, material possessions, our bodies, minds, talents, and even our hunting and fishing adventures. He controls it all and it reminded me that I don’t need to worry or fret about the next season that’s coming in my life. Whether it’s the next hunting season, or a season of poor health, or unemployment, or family drama…. HE’s in control and I have to trust Him just like Daniel did in our verse. He found himself in a strange kingdom, surrounded by enemies and he chose to put his trust in the Lord. Will you do that today?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Genesis 3:1-3 -- 3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” (NIV©)

Thoughts
In Arizona, where I live, we have fifteen species of venomous reptiles. There are thirteen different varieties of rattlesnakes (Yes, I said thirteen!), coral snakes, and Gila Monsters. Rattlesnakes can be quickly identified by the diamond shaped head and their neck being smaller in diameter than the head is wide. On the other hand, non-venomous gopher snakes have heads and necks that are identical in size and width. However, when threatened the gopher snake can flatten its head on the ground so that it takes on the appearance of a rattlesnake head. I have personally witnessed this once and had to look it up on the internet to be sure of what I had seen. (Cliff S)

Action Point
Today’s passage is one of the most famous passages of the Bible and is known to believers, and some non-believers, throughout the world. But, did you catch the error in Eve’s answer to Satan’s question, Did God really say….? God instructed Adam and Eve not to eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree. But, nowhere in scripture, prior to this event or later in the Bible, is it recorded that God said not to touch the fruit of the forbidden tree. In my mind I often wonder, why did Eve add to God’s words? And, by the way, this still goes on today. People still want to add to what God has told us within the pages of the Bible so it will fit their purposes, not God’s. A classic example is people posting the statement that Cain killed Abel with a rock. Go back and reread the story. How Cain killed Abel is not identified. Ask yourself why? I believe it’s because God wants us to focus on Cain’s heart problem rather than on how he killed his brother. So, it goes without saying, but I will say it anyway. Read your Bible! Become familiar with God’s words, so much so that, when you hear something that isn’t included in sync with the Bible, you will immediately recognize it and know that it isn’t from God. I repeat myself, read your Bible!

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction.” 2 Timothy 4:2 (NIV)

Thoughts
A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine paid a visit to his neighbor on Christmas Day to simply drop off some extra venison he had from a whitetail he had shot. When the neighbor came to the door, he just looked awful. In spite of that, he invited my friend in to visit.
This neighbor had lost his wife the year prior on Christmas day, and the whole past year had been a struggle for him. His normally tough exterior was shattered! He relayed to my friend that he had never been a “religious” man, but he wanted to join his wife in heaven and didn’t know how.
Right then and there, my friend, who is a Believer, sat down and prayed the prayer of salvation with his neighbor.

Action Point
We need to always be prepared to share our faith with others. My buddy never intended to lead his neighbor to the Lord that day, but he was blessed and privileged to do so. He had made himself available and was simply being a good neighbor. May each of us have this servant’s heart and be ever prepared to share the good news of the gospel.

Sportsman’s Tip of the Day
Sharing your wild game bounty with your friends and neighbors is a great way to build meaningful relationships and can often lead to great spiritual conversations.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Ecc 3:1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: (ASV)

Thoughts
I don’t think modern man contemplates and frets over seasons the way we have in all of history. The modern rancher needs to follow the weather and seasons, but not the town and city folk.
If you consider how connected the world is today, if you think of modern technology; seasons are now rather part of something we can enjoy, or in which to be annoyed. Not so for the sportsman! We live by the seasons. We closely follow the seasons. We anticipate the next season. Right now, my family is excited that ice fishing season is upon us. We have pulled out our hut, rods, and other gear and we are hitting the ice.
We will then be excited as turkey season follows and open-water fishing after that. Michelle H.

Action Point
Ecclesiastes chapter 3 goes on to explain, through examples, the day to day experience we will all face. We have to live through all the natural and regular issues of life. We will experience hardship and pain, but we also will have joy and we will prosper. When we recognize God as the orchestrator of life, we find peace and comfort even during difficult moments.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

G – R – A – C – E

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:8-10)

I was listening to a preacher on the radio several years ago (Dr. Ron Jones, Something Good Radio), and he was talking about grace:

G – God’s

R – Riches

A – At

C – Christ’s

E – Expense

I’ve loved that acronym for “grace” ever since the first time I heard it many years – probably decades – ago. Dr. Jones was talking about how the price for salvation has already been paid and that we cannot reach into our wallets and pull out something to give in exchange for it.

I agree that you and I can do nothing to earn salvation. No price we could dream up would be enough because there was only one person who could satisfy the requirement for redemption … His name is Jesus.

However, there is something we exchange in the transaction of salvation, and that thing is the very essence of who we are.

If you recognize that you are a ragged and nasty mess and think that God could not possibly desire to have a relationship with you, He says this: “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool” (Isaiah 1:18). This means there is no sin too great that God cannot or will not forgive if you bring it to Him.

Or if you are, like I once was, depending on your good works and self-generated righteousness for entrance into heaven, then this is God’s view on that: “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away” (Isaiah 64:6).

In other words, regardless of how many meals we have delivered to shut-ins, how much we have read the Bible, how many rowdy 5-year-olds we have taught in Sunday school or Vacation Bible School, the distance or length of mission trips we have gone on, God tells us that we are in the same position as the “ragged and nasty” bunch mentioned above. No better. No worse. Just equally as wretched and in need of a Savior.

Now don’t misunderstand me. When we do good works in response to God’s mercy and love, those are not the same as the “polluted garment” mentioned in Isaiah 64:6. In fact, Romans 12:1 exhorts us to give ourselves to God “as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Serving God through serving others is a natural reaction of gratitude for His priceless gift of salvation. But what amount of even righteously motivated deeds could possibly be equal to what we receive?

It doesn’t matter what our old selves were: whether murderous, angry, bitter, abusive, or promiscuous, or whatever “bad” actions you name that are “red like crimson” – OR – self-righteous, prideful, unkind, idolatrous (worshipping at the altar of our own egos) … whatever less-evil-sounding-but-just-as-wicked label it would take to describe our “filthy rags” – none of that is acceptable to God. All of that is unrighteousness (sin), and all of it keeps us from a relationship with Him. As a matter of fact, anything that does not align with God’s requirement of sinless perfection separates us from Him.

But in God’s amazing and awesome holiness, love, and grace (remember, God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense), salvation is an exchange of who we are … for who Jesus is. We give Jesus all of that ugliness and wickedness and pain … and in exchange, we get to be covered in His righteousness … His beauty, purity, and holiness.

What a magnificent trade-off … for us. And what may be even more amazing is that God determined – before He even created us – that we would be worth the effort, the sacrifice, and the uneven rate of exchange entailed in the deal.

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).

He knew what He was getting into … but He did it anyway.

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,

What wondrous love is this, O my soul!

What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss

To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,

To bear the dreadful curse for my soul. – “What Wondrous Love Is This”

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
“If you love me, keep my commands. Jn 14:15, NIV

Thoughts
Every year, in October, riders from the West saddle-up and compete at “Man vs Horse” in Prescott Valley, Arizona. This race is unusual because riders and runners compete against one another over 10, 25 and 50-mile courses. Because race courses overlap, colored ribbons are tied to bushes and trees to guide competitors. Unfortunately, dishonest entrants often sneak onto the course before daybreak and switch ribbons to mis-direct competitors. What I appreciate is how experienced riders, without snootiness or disdain, counsel newbies to spot-check the consistency of each new red-ribbon against subsequent 2-3 red-ribbons and pre-race directions. This mature experience, without arrogance or shame, keeps novices (like me) on-course. - Bruce M

Action Point
Commands are directions that don’t change. This year, I recommit myself to obey God’s directions: His commands. I choose to double-down on my pledge to be God’s new creation (2 Cor 5:17). I choose to live-out my faith (Jas 1:22) whole-heartedly (Deut 6:5). I obediently put on spiritual armor (Eph 6:10-18) each day to combat the mis-direction of the deceitful culture around me (Eph 4:14). Obedience confirms that twists and turns in the race are on-course. Once confirmed, obedience guards the course. Today, mis-directed media and leaders shade God’s commands to validate secular goals. Like blind guides who lived 2000 years ago (Mt 15:14), many leaders deliberately place or unknowingly follow red-ribbons that lead those less informed off-course.

Sportsman’s Tip of the Day
About 500 BC, Heraclitus wrote, “The only constant in life is change.” Two thousand years later (1963), John Kennedy said, “Change is the law of life.” Centuries before them, Solomon advised discerning persons to constantly grow, mature and validate change (Prov 18:15) … because truth never changes.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
“It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.” - Proverbs 14:21 (NIV)

Thoughts:
A few years back, a hunting buddy and I got our hands on a couple of truck campers for free. Our initial idea was to use them as blinds to hunt out of for gun season on the hunting property we leased. But, he had a job change and moved out of our area. As I developed the hunting property, the deer patterns changed, and the location of where the truck campers had been placed were no longer of value. In talking with the landowner, he wanted them moved off the property if we weren’t going to use them.
So, this fall, I posted the campers for free online to whomever could use them. I assumed that other hunters would want them for hunting blinds and might modify them to fit their needs. But the first call I got surprised me. The gentleman calling about the blind was homeless and wanted one of them to live in for the winter. We struggled to connect on getting the camper removed, so I posted it again. The second caller who was inquiring about it was also homeless and wanted it to live out of it for the winter. He came out to check the camper out, but it was too wide for his truck, so he couldn’t use it.
At that point, the first homeless person called again, asking for another shot at removing the camper. This time, we worked it out, and he successfully removed the camper for him and his wife to live in. Dave M.

Action Point:
I never would have dreamt that posting the campers online to be removed would end with homeless people looking for shelter for the winter as the camper’s new owners. I was humbled and heartbroken by these situations. We take many things for granted in our daily lives, but if you happen to be in a similar situation where I was where you want to remove a camper from your property, why not call your local homeless shelter and see if they know of someone who could use it? Being able to provide safety and shelter is no little deal to someone who has neither.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Judges 9:11-15
11 Now the Angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, "The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!" 13 Gideon said to Him, "O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, 'Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?' But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites." 14 Then the LORD turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?" 15 So he said to Him, "O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house." NKJV

Thoughts
I took a young man under my wing many years ago. He was 12, and I was a youngster myself, being 17 years old. He had hunted squirrels and fished a little with his dad, but our journey began when he asked if I would take him turkey hunting. I introduced him to the sport, and in one year, I was with him when he took his first big gobbler, first archery buck, and numerous nice bass. I could see his potential. I didn’t know what level he would get to, but after 40 years, he’s an accomplished hunter, fisherman, and sportsman and passed it on to his children. Andy D.

Action Point
Most of the time, we can only see ourselves as we are now, in our current situation, state of being, and skillset. But the Lord sees us—He sees where we’re at now and what we can be. He sees our full potential. Even when we do not have confidence in ourselves, God has a plan and knows what we can accomplish for His glory. In today’s bible verse, Gideon was hiding, and the Lord called out to him, seeing what he would eventually do. It’s the same for you and me. Stay in the Lord’s word daily, walk through the doors He opens, and don't try to go through the doors He closes. If you’re unfamiliar with Gideon, read Judges chapters six through eight.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Acts 17:21 -- 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) (NIV©)

Thoughts
Hunters are always discussing the latest sure-fire ways of how to pursue animals, the perfect rifle or shotgun, and the absolute perfect tactics for a successful hunt. News flash, none of the above exist! What the successful hunter does is learn from the past and what has worked for him/her and what has not. The successful hunter depends on his time-tested strategies. What has worked for someone else doesn’t always pertain to your hunt (e.g., terrain, climate, food and water sources). And, what made the other guy successful might have been just dumb luck! By the way, I’ve often stated that I would far rather be lucky than good! (Cliff S)

Action Point
Our world today is fixated largely on society’s “latest ideas,” also known as secular humanism, and many of those ideas make absolutely no sense in real life. Be aware, if an “unusual” idea is from the “world” it is likely not credible and must be tested against proven standards. What is credible and can always be trusted is God’s Word, the Bible. God can be trusted, His Word can be trusted, Jesus can be trusted, and we should be studying the Word in order to identify false teachings, philosophies, and men’s traditions and/or ideas that are opposed to God’s Word. Remember, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. God doesn’t waver based on man’s theories, ideas, or traditions. Stand on what is in the Word, you will never go wrong!

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Acts 17:21 -- 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) (NIV©)

Thoughts
Hunters are always discussing the latest sure-fire ways of how to pursue animals, the perfect rifle or shotgun, and the absolute perfect tactics for a successful hunt. News flash, none of the above exist! What the successful hunter does is learn from the past and what has worked for him/her and what has not. The successful hunter depends on his time-tested strategies. What has worked for someone else doesn’t always pertain to your hunt (e.g., terrain, climate, food and water sources). And, what made the other guy successful might have been just dumb luck! By the way, I’ve often stated that I would far rather be lucky than good! (Cliff S)

Action Point
Our world today is fixated largely on society’s “latest ideas,” also known as secular humanism, and many of those ideas make absolutely no sense in real life. Be aware, if an “unusual” idea is from the “world” it is likely not credible and must be tested against proven standards. What is credible and can always be trusted is God’s Word, the Bible. God can be trusted, His Word can be trusted, Jesus can be trusted, and we should be studying the Word in order to identify false teachings, philosophies, and men’s traditions and/or ideas that are opposed to God’s Word. Remember, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. God doesn’t waver based on man’s theories, ideas, or traditions. Stand on what is in the Word, you will never go wrong!

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭78‬:‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Thoughts
Typically, the number one goal in the pursuit of wildlife is concealment. Some camouflage outfits cost more than an ATV! Hiding from wildlife is an art. Whether it’s using the lay of the land to stalk a mule deer or sitting in a tree stand waiting on a whitetail, there are many different techniques to remain hidden from our prey. Dlain T

Action Point
While we can spend large amounts of money and time hiding from our prey, let’s spend even more effort revealing the Words of Jesus. Introducing children to the great outdoors is such a joy, and even more so, introducing them to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Not only children, but how many of us have taken a neighbor, friend, or stranger on an outing? Are we using the same effort to bring them to Christ?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Galatians 6:3
“For if any man thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.”

Thoughts
Now that I am in the 70-something stage of my life, I have learned one
thing for sure. Just when I have figured out a fishing
technique or the best time and place to fish, I come to find out that I
am not even close to having it figured out.
No two days are exactly the same out in the field or in life period!
Here’s a quote from a good friend of mine that says it all - “just
when you think you IS – you ain’t!”
Or, in my language - “just when you think you got it FIGURED OUT you
probably got a lot more to learn.”

Action Point
Keep trying to grow in your hobby, or your favorite outdoor
adventures, and grow in your maturity level in life, including your
walk with God. But remember to stay humble, because we are nothing
apart from Him, and can’t achieve anything of lasting value without
Him!

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Jeremiah 17:9
The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? NLT

Luke 5:4-6
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." 5 Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. NIV

Thoughts
There are times when I’ve had a good feeling about where to deer hunt. I love sitting in the middle of beautiful open hardwoods. Nothing makes me happier at that moment than sitting there and soaking in all the scenery—it feels good. I also know that if it is a shooter buck I’m after, my chances are slim that I will see him in wide-open hardwoods. I know from the knowledge of research and trial-and-error that hunting pinch points, drainages in thickets, and wood edges near bedding areas are far more productive. Andy D.

Action Point
The world’s philosophy today is to follow your heart and do what feels right. But I am here to tell you that the world’s philosophy is wrong. The Lord’s word is what we need to follow, not our hearts. As it’s written in Jeremiah, the human heart is the MOST deceitful of all things. Don’t let it fool you, and don’t rely on your feelings. It sounds beautiful and compelling—follow your heart. But don’t fall for this worldly lure, for our own hearts will not save us. Follow Christ Jesus. Just as Simon Peter did in today’s Bible Study Verse. How can we follow Jesus? Yield your life to Him if you haven’t done so; get into His Word—submerge yourself in His Word. The world says follow your heart; Jesus says follow Me—Matthew 10:38.

[Ransom Palmer]

I

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Romans 12:1-2 -
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. NIV

Thoughts
I remember the supply-chain issues a few years back when we had an egg shortage and bacon prices were really high. During that time, I saw a comic about the issue. The comic described a grocery store with a sign on the front that said, “Bacon and Eggs Desperately Needed.”

A chicken and pig walk by, see the sign, and the chicken remarks, “I’ll donate an egg if you’ll give them the bacon.” The pig stares back at the chicken and replies, “Not a chance.” The chicken asks, “Why not?” To which the pig states, “Because for you it’s a contribution, but for me it’s my life.”

Oftentimes, we’d rather be the chicken, donating an egg every once in a while, rather than being, as the apostle Paul states, a “living sacrifice” as we give our body, mind, and will to the Lord in every moment. This requires us to actively surrender our wishes and sinful desires as we actively live for the Lord. (Ryan I)

Action Point
Choose one area of your life where you need to surrender your sinful desires and actions to the Lord. And then, by God’s grace and the power of the Spirit, follow through on it.