Daily Devotional

[Ronnie W. Stark]

”God made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing” (Ephesians 2:10 NCV).

God shaped you to serve him.

The Bible says, “God made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing” (Ephesians 2:10 NCV).

Before you were born, God had already decided what contribution he wanted you to make with your life. God didn’t put you on this planet just to take up space, to use resources, and to die. No! He put you here to serve him by serving others.

And nobody else can be you. If you don’t serve God the way he intended for you to serve him, then the world misses that part of the jigsaw puzzle.

Another name for good works is ministry. Anytime you use your talents and abilities to help somebody else, you are actually ministering to them. The Bible says in 1 Peter 4:10, “God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of blessings” (TLB).

You know the talents that you’ve got? They’re not for your benefit. God gave you your talents for the benefit of other people. That’s why nobody’s got it all together. God wired the universe so that we would need each other.

When you get to heaven, you’re going to love God, so he wants you to practice now. You’re going to love other people in heaven, so he wants you to practice now. You’re going to grow spiritually in heaven, so he wants you to practice now. And you’re going to serve God in heaven, so he wants you to practice now.

You serve God by serving others. On Earth it’s impossible to serve God directly. The only way you can serve God on Earth is by serving other people. So anytime you help somebody else, God says it’s like you’re doing it for him. You’re practicing on Earth what you’re going to do for eternity.

Talk About It

In what unique ways has God shaped you so that you can serve others well?
How are you using your talents and abilities to serve others?
How much does your motivation matter when you serve? Why?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verses
Matthew 7:13 - 14
"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." (ESV)

Thoughts
I am fortunate to have permission to hunt on a piece of property that borders the Shenandoah River. There is a dirt road that leads up from the river bottom to the top of a large hill. The road forms a large circle around the perimeter of the hill top. The deer love to use the road to move around.

One day while scouting I took a short cut through the woods and brush that was in the middle between the roads. Right in the middle I stumbled across a very well-worn narrow trail that ran up the middle. Any deer walking up this trail would be extremely difficult to see. As I walked the trail I found several signs left by the wise buck who used it to avoid danger.
(Terry L)

Action Point
The road above makes for easy walking and we know it and so does the deer and many a deer has lost its life by taking the easy road. As we walk through this life we make a lot of choices and one of them is what path we will take.

We can take the easy wide road or we can take the less traveled narrow road.

On the easy road we turn our back on the truth or we comprise to the point where it is no longer relevant. Sure it could make our walk easier, but what about our witness and effectiveness for the kingdom?

The narrow path is hard, but it leads to a life that is a shining example of God's love and it gives us a life worth living. On the narrow road we stand on biblical truths and trust in our Lord.

Sportsman's Tip of the Day
When ever out scouting and you find a trail that is being heavily used by does check for parallel trails. Checking on the downwind side is a good starting place. Mature bucks will stay out of site on these safer trails and they like to be downwind so they can keep a check for a doe that might be in season.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

”From the very beginning God decided that those who came to him—and all along he knew who would—should become like his Son” (Romans 8:29 TLB).

God created you to become like Christ. He wants you to grow up spiritually!

The Bible says, “From the very beginning God decided that those who came to him—and all along he knew who would—should become like his Son” (Romans 8:29 TLB). God’s goal has always been to make you like himself—not to become a god but to become godly, with godly character.

The number one question I’m asked as a pastor is, “Why is this happening to me?” I’ll tell you why: It’s to help you grow up spiritually. Everything in life is designed to help you grow up spiritually—the good, the bad, the ugly, the stuff you bring on yourself, and the stuff that other people do to you. God is not the author of evil. But God can bring good out of bad things.

Instead of asking, “God, why is this happening to me?” ask, “God, what do you want me to learn from this?” Every situation in life will either make you bitter or better. You choose how you will respond to it.

Every problem has a purpose, and the purpose is to help you grow up spiritually to be more like Jesus Christ.

So if one of the purposes of your life is to grow up spiritually and to become like Jesus, what is Jesus like? When you look at him, you see what the Bible calls the fruit of the Spirit. It says, “He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 TLB). These are the qualities God wants to build in your life.

How does God produce those qualities in your life? How does God grow character and help you grow up spiritually? God teaches you these qualities by putting you in the exact opposite situation.

He teaches you love by putting you around unlovely people. He teaches you joy in the middle of grief. God teaches you peace in the middle of chaos. He teaches you patience in the Department of Motor Vehicles!

God will teach you all of these qualities throughout your life—and it will take the rest of your life. It’s a process. He will use all kinds of situations in your life to help you develop spiritual depth and become more like Christ.

Talk About It

What kinds of situations have taught you the most about becoming more like Christ?
Why do you think so many Christians are still spiritually immature?
What priority does spiritual growth have in your life? How might your priorities need to change?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Ecclesiastes 10:10
If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength; but wisdom [to sharpen the axe] helps him succeed [with less effort]. (Amplified Bible)

Thoughts
Seeking and hunting the elusive gamble quail in the West can be frustrating. A prudent, smart hunter will spend time studying maps to analyze and understand where coveys of desert quail might live. These quail do not have to live near ponds, lakes or streams, as these birds have learned that morning dew on grasses, leaves and brush provide them with their requirement of daily moisture.
(Carl B)

Action Point
Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:25-26, "Therefore I tell you, stop being worried or anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted) about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, as to what you will wear. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow [seed] nor reap [the harvest] nor gather [the crops] into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they?" (Amplified)

Stop worrying about your trousers and whether they match your hunting vest. Enjoy your walk and time outdoors. And, as an added benefit, you just might jump a covey of quail.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

“God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure” (Ephesians 1:5 NLT).

The Bible says, “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure” (Ephesians 1:5 NLT).

God wanted more than angels and animals and plants. He wanted a family. The Bible says the whole reason you exist is because God wanted you to become a part of his family, and that family is going to last forever.

Your spiritual family, God’s family, is going to outlast even your physical family. Physical families don’t last. They grow up, they move away, they die. But the spiritual family of God is going to go on and on for eternity.

The Bible says that God never meant for you to go through life alone. In fact, God hates loneliness. When God created man, he put him in the Garden of Eden, a perfect environment, and the first thing God said was, “It is not good for man to be alone.” God wants you to be part of the family of God.

What is God’s family? “That family is the church of the living God, the support and foundation of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15 NCV). The church, the body of Christ, is not an institution. The church is not a bureaucracy. The church is not an organization or a social club. The church is God’s family. It’s not about rules and regulations and rituals and religion. It’s about relationships. It’s about love.

The church is “the support and foundation of the truth.” What happens when a building has no support and foundation? It collapses. Those of us in California understand this more than most because we have earthquakes. If you don’t have a good foundation under your building, it’s going to collapse when the earthquake comes.

God says your life is the same way. You’re going to experience some earthquakes in your life—financial earthquakes, health earthquakes, emotional earthquakes, relational earthquakes, career earthquakes. When those tough times come along, you’re going to collapse if you don’t have a spiritual family to support you.

You cannot fulfill God’s purposes by yourself. God wired us to need each other. We need each other in the family of God.
Talk About It

God wants you to have the support of your spiritual family when life’s earthquakes come. How can you support someone in the family of God who is experiencing tough circumstances right now?
How do others in the family of God know the best ways to support you when you need it?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Matthew 25:13
"Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." (NKJV)

Thoughts
In just a few weeks, hunting season opens. I am already seeing seasoned hunters out, watching their favorite spots and probably wondering, "Is the game still there this year?"

Watching is an important part of the hunt if we want to find a trophy. Jesus tells us to watch for His return--be mindful of His return and be ready! He is our Trophy!!!
(Byron S)

Action Point
Watching is not passive; it involves our interaction with the Word of God. We need to understand the times in which we live by keeping ourselves immersed in God's Word, the Bible. Use your knowledge to encourage your family and friends to also be watching for His return.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Isaiah 40:29
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. (NIV)

Thoughts
A few years back, actually a bunch of years back when I was sooooo much younger, I shot a deer on top of a rather tall and rough desert mountain, rough being the operative word here. As soon as I'd made the shot, I realized that the rest of the day was going to be an ordeal. Once the deer was dressed and skinned, he was lashed onto a pack frame, along with everything that I had carried up the mountain. Needless to say, by the time I reached camp, I was weary, thirsty, and very weak.

In our spiritual walk, we are going to experience times of weariness. I've been going through such a time recently - work that never seems to get caught up, equipment (computer) problems, health issues with family, a myriad of problems that seem to never get solved. Sometimes, it is truly overwhelming. That's when God steps in. His strength, power, and wisdom are available if I'm willing to accept them. So often we are determined to do things through our own power and strength; and that's just not going to get them done. We are admonished to let God see us through our adversities; and sometimes that's tough, because He doesn't do things in our time or in our way. But remember, Gods thoughts are higher than our thoughts; and God's ways are higher than our ways. Trust Him to do what He says, to give you His strength, His power, and His wisdom.
(Cliff S)

Action Point
Do you really trust God? Do you really believe that God can and will do what He says? Plain and simple - God cannot lie. If he could, He couldn't be the Almighty God. Put your faith in Him today, whatever you're going through. Read His Word. Wisdom and answers are there if we will simply listen and submit to His ways.

Sportsmen's Tip of the Day
Always carry a little more than you think you will need in your day pack, especially water. When you get in a tough spot, pace yourself and your resources. Plan what you are going to do and how you're going to do it. Your brains, not your brawn, are what will get you out of that tight spot.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verses
Ephesians 5:15-16
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. (NASB)

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (KJV)

Thoughts
Anyone who has hunted for very long has come to understand the importance and value of the walk. To be a consistently successful hunter, one must walk well. Paying attention to changes in wind direction, looking for good cover to prevent long periods of exposure, and careful foot placement with each step are priorities.

When the walk becomes a stalk, paying attention to these priorities is usually the difference between success and failure. I have bagged several animals because others walked carelessly and I capitalized on their errors.
(Randy E)

Action Point
The Holy Spirit gives us the reason for walking as "wise" men and women of God, "So that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain," Philippians 2:15-16 (NASB).

So, how are you walking?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Malachi 3:12
"And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land," says the Lord of hosts. (NKJV)

Thoughts
September 11, 2001, the day that the United States of America was attacked by 19 foreign terrorists. Two-thousand, nine-hundred ninety-eight people were killed, and not only Americans. Over 80 different countries mourned their own nationals who were among the casualties. It was a tragic day in world history.

The United States of America stands tall as the land of the free and the home of the brave. We stared tragedy in the face and solemnly reacted when war was declared on us. For the safety of all Americans and in defense of freedom, we transferred that war from our turf to the sands from which it emerged. Now, brave men and women wage the battle there. My brother is currently among them, as are others I personally know. We've yet to be attacked again in the homeland. God bless our warriors and keep them safe.

Throughout our nation's history, we have won freedom for millions, both here and abroad. We stand in the line of fire against tyranny. We sacrifice uncountable numbers of our own for liberty and justice around the world. We embrace and lift up impoverished nations. We establish democracy where no one dares think it possible. We are truly a blessed nation, a delightful land. Our enemies know this. Too many nations loathe it. But some do, indeed, recognize it and gladly call us friend.
(DAH)

Action Point
These words in Malachi are a promise God gives to those who fully trust in Him. It's actually part of a series of promises God makes. In Malachi 3:10, He challenges people to bring all the tithes into the storehouse and to try Him in this--if He will not pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. May we as a nation keep God truly the One in whom we trust.

Sportsmen's Tip of the Day
Keep copies of The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and The Bill of Rights near your reading area or with your Bible. Read them often. Christians should be on the front line of knowing the contents of these precious documents.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Acts 3:19-21
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you-even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. (NIV)

Thoughts
My son and I snuck off during Javelina season to try to find him a pig. In reality, to just get away from the daily grind for an afternoon. Our trip took us about an hour north of Phoenix into the higher desert country. The only problem was that a storm was coming in and it was raining intermittently. We soon found ourselves under a juniper tree watching it rain and trying to stay dry. The rain made things kind of miserable for hunting. But, the countryside was absolutely beautiful.

It's amazing what rain does to the desert. Everything is cleansed, refreshed, and takes on a new look. A look of life, just as the blood of Jesus cleanses us and allows His Holy Spirit to refresh us and to restore our love for Him and our life in Him.
(Cliff S)

Action Point
When you find yourself out of fellowship with God, repent of whatever is standing between Himand you. Allow Him to wash your sins away. Pray as David did in Psalm 51:2, "Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin" (NIV).

[Ronnie W. Stark]

“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13 NLT).

Do you show people grace? It’s what God wants us to do, but it’s not always easy to remember to do because we are so often focused on ourselves.

It’s easier sometimes to be selfish instead of gracious. You see the slow checker in the grocery store line as a five-minute interruption to your day rather than somebody who might be struggling to keep his job, somebody who just got the worst news of his life a few minutes earlier.

You see the one in your family who’s struggling right now as a drain on you rather than seeing her hopelessness over a desperate situation. You see the person who cut you off on the freeway as the physical embodiment of Satan instead of just a jerk who is in need of God’s love.

We are all jerks in need of God’s love. That’s why Jesus Christ came into this world. And to show people grace is to remember what God has done for us. The ultimate way God shows us grace is by forgiveness. And the ultimate way he asks us to show grace to other people is by forgiving them.

Colossians 3:13 says, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (NLT).

People often ask me, “How can I find the strength to forgive? I don’t have it in me.” I don’t have it in me, either! The only place I’ve ever found the strength to forgive is to remember how much Jesus has forgiven me. When I remember that, then he gives me the strength and grace to forgive others.

Clara Barton, who founded the American Red Cross, was reminded by a friend of an especially cruel thing that somebody had done to her years before. Barton acted like she didn’t remember it, and the friend asked, “Don’t you remember?” Her famous reply was, “No, I distinctly remember forgetting it.”

What do you need to forget? If you don’t forgive, you’re not going to enjoy God’s vision for the rest of your life, because forgiveness will keep you stuck in the past. You need to forgive for your sake, and then you need to get on with your life. Forgiveness is not saying that what somebody did was right or that there shouldn’t be consequences for what happened. It just means that you let go of your anger and hurt and give it to God so that you can move on with God’s purpose for your life.

When that seems impossible, when you feel like you can’t be gracious toward someone, just remember one thing: Jesus forgave you. Remembering the grace God has shown you will give you the strength to be gracious to and forgive others.

Talk About It

How does forgiving someone affect the other person? How does it affect you?
What do you need to let go of so that, with God’s help, you can forgive and show grace to someone?
How do resentment and bitterness keep you from fulfilling your purpose?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

“By faith [Moses] left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27 NIV).

The first resolution: Choose to be who God wants you to be. The second resolution: Choose short-term pain for long-term gain. The third resolution: Choose God’s values, not the world’s.

And the fourth resolution Moses made: He chose to live by faith rather than by fear. You’re going to face the same choice, too: Either you’re going to live by faith or you’re going to live by fear.

The Bible says of Moses in Hebrews 11:27, “By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible” (NIV).

Moses went to the most powerful man in the world and said, “You know those slaves that are building all your pyramids? I’m taking them, and we’re all leaving. You’re not going to have slave labor anymore. Let my people go.”

Moses had every reason to be afraid. He was going up against the most powerful man on the planet at that point. Pharaoh in those days was considered a god, and whatever Pharaoh said, you had to do. What he said was the law. And here comes Moses who says, “We aren’t going to do what you say anymore. I’m not afraid of you because I report to a higher authority.” It took some guts to do that!

Do you want the same kind of faith in your life so that you can overcome your fear? The closer you get to God, the more you’re going to be filled with faith. The further away you get from God, the more you’re going to be filled with fear.

I cannot overemphasize the importance of faith for the rest of your life. The Bible says that whatever is not of faith is sin. How many times did you sin this week? A lot. So did I. Because anything I did that wasn’t done in faith but was done in doubt was a sin. The Bible also says that without faith it is impossible to please God. How many times did you please God this week?

Do you want something to change in your life? Stop complaining and start believing. God is not moved by complaints. God is moved by faith: “According to your faith let it be done to you” (Matthew 9:29 NIV). You get to choose what he does in your life.

Here’s the key: What matters is not the size of your faith but the size of the God you put it in. A little faith in a big God gets big results!

Talk About It

What do you need to do to get closer to God so that you can be filled with faith?
How has fear kept you from achieving God’s best for you?
What is the outward evidence that someone is a faith-filled person?

[Ronnie W. Stark]

“[Moses] regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward” (Hebrews 11:26 NIV).

The first resolution: Choose to be who God wants you to be. The second resolution: Choose short-term pain for long-term gain.

And then Moses made a third life-shaping resolution: He chose God’s values, not the world’s. And that’s why God used him!

Hebrews 11:26 says, “He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward” (NIV).

Moses made a value judgment. He clarified what mattered most to him.

Let me ask you: What matters most in your life? What are the top three or four values in your life? Can you name them easily?

If you ask me, I’ll tell you quite simply what they are for me: integrity, humility, and generosity. I decided more than 30 years ago that I wanted to build my life on integrity, humility, and generosity because they’re the antidotes to the three traps of leadership.

Can you name the three most important values in your life right now? If you can’t, then you certainly can’t live by them. You’re not living your values if you can’t even name them. Before you go one more day, you need to sit down and ask, “What’s most important to me? What are the top values in my life?” And you need to write them out, because until you clarify your values, you can’t live by them.

Moses chose God’s values over the world’s values. Why is this so important? Because if you don’t decide what’s important in your life, other people are going to decide for you. They’re going to push you into their mold. And you’re going to live your life by their values, not yours.

You’ve got to decide what’s most important to you and then live by those values.

Talk About It

What are the three most important values in your life?
How did you determine that those are your most important values?
How are these three values shaping the way you live your life? Be as specific as possible.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verse
Proverbs 12:27
The lazy man does not roast his game, but the diligent man prizes his possessions. (NIV)

Thoughts
The big ten-point stepped quietly out of the woods and began to walk slowly down the field-line. With great caution, he tested the wind and kept his head moving as he watched the open field carefully. Finally, he was broadside, a muzzleloader sounded off, and my brother had his biggest buck to date. (Brian H)

Action Point
That big buck encounter didn't just happen. You see, I've left out some details in that story. I left out the hours we spent scouting and glassing that field. I didn't tell you about the time spent setting up a stand, clearing shooting lanes, trimming limbs, and figuring out prevailing wind directions. I didn't mention that we worked to figure out how to walk in to that stand so that we would remain undetected. The moral of this story is that it took hard work for this big buck encounter to happen.

The Bible has something to say about laziness as well, look at Proverbs 12:27. Wow! That passage paints a great picture for all of us hunters. But, it's a picture that is a metaphor for life.

My paraphrase would go something like this: "Do everything that you do in life to your best ability." Perhaps you wouldn't categorize yourself as lazy, but what about those remarks that goes like this: "For what I'm paid for this job, that's all that I'm going to do." How about this one: "Nobody knows if I finish my paperwork or not. Nobody's checked it, so why bother?"

The correct attitude is that God gave us abilities and we should do everything that we do to the best of OUR ability, but do it for HIS glory. Whether hunting, working, or anything else, you won't roast your game unless you are diligent.

[Ronnie W. Stark]

Bible Study Verses
Psalm 121:1-2
I lift up my eyes to the mountains - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (NIV)

Thoughts
Mountains, they are majestic in their glory of God and His creation. This verse is not talking about the hills being our source of help. It is acknowledging that our helper is the Maker of the hills - none other than God, Himself. But, this verse did prompt my thoughts to go to hills of significance in the Bible:
The hill where the Sermon on the Mount was preached.
The hills where Jesus went to be alone and to pray.
The Mount of Transfiguration.
Especially, the mount called Calvary.
You see, our help does come from that hill, in the form of Jesus' death and His subsequent gift of salvation.
(Cliff S)

Action Point
The next time you're climbing a hill, burdened down by your pack, rifle, and maybe even the trophy you sought, imagine the burden Jesus carried up the hill to His crucifixion. Take time to give Him thanks for not turning back. Jesus was seeking us, you and me, to draw us to Himself and the Father.