Men of the Outdoors

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: Matthew 24:4-5   “...Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.” Thoughts: One of my favorite species to hunt is turkey, and an aspect that I always get a kick out of is calling in the birds to my decoys with my box call. I can’t claim to be an expert caller by any stretch of the imagination, but the sounds I produce are good enough to trick those birds over and over and over again. Action Point: Calling turkey and tricking them is a hoot, but people being deceived by false spiritual calls is not! It’s important as followers of Jesus that we know our Bibles. We need to know what the truth is to navigate this topsy turvy world. If you don’t have a set-aside specific time to get into God’s word, it’s time to make it a priority. Otherwise, you risk being deceived by the calls of the world. Sportsman’s Tip of t...

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: Jeremiah 11:4  The terms I commanded your forefathers when I brought them out of Egypt, out of the iron-smelting furnace.' I said, 'Obey me and do everything I command you, and you will be my people, and I will be your God. (NIV) Thoughts: The trails that I am currently hunting are all well known to me right now. I'm hunting private land that I've been on for years. When I arrive in the morning to go back to any of my tree stands, I simply start hiking the trails without any worries, because I have the trails memorized. It can be pitch black, but no flashlight is needed. However, a few years ago, I was leasing some property with a couple of friends. This property was unfamiliar and was an incredibly thick cedar swamp. The trails that led us to our blinds were mucky, brushy, and zigzagged all over. The only way I could find my way back to the stands was if I placed glow-in-the...

Men of the Outdoors 8th Annual Sportsmen Breakfast Date March 7, 2026 Location – Emanuel Lutheran Commons 200 E Quincy St. New London Ticket Price - $10.00 in advance and $15.00 at the door.  Children 12 and under are Free Ticket Locations – Johnny’s Little Shop of Bait and Emanuel Lutheran Church Office. You may also purchase tickets Online at www.emanuelnl.org/moto   Our 8 th Annual Sportsmen Breakfast begins at 7:30 AM. The Breakfast program includes:  a hardy breakfast, keynote speaker, workshops, vendors, kids’ activities and door prizes. New this year will be a resale table with used hunting and fishing equipment. A donation of any amount will be asked for most of the items on the table. All proceeds will be donated to charities. Breakfast includes: Pancakes with real maple syrup, sausage links, hard boiled eggs, fruit salad, muffins, coffee, milk and bottled water. Fun games and activities for kids will be available during the entire program To expan...

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission  Bible Study Verse: Luke 5:4-6    “And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.” Thoughts: When you’re out fishing, it’s no secret that sometimes you’re going to have a bad day and catch nothing. As much as we wish we could, we can’t control the fish. Sometimes this may make you want to give it up altogether, other times, this may make you want to push for a new spot, new methods or use new baits. Being successful at fishing isn’t always about how many fish you catch, it can be about how many times you don’t give up. And that’s not just fishing, that’s anything you do. Real success will never come without some, if not a whole...

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: Mark 4: 26-28   He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain-first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. (NIV) Thoughts: I have never been much of a farmer, but nevertheless, I really relate to this scripture. When I stock fingerling fish, such as trout or bass, in a small stock dam or mountain pond, and return to that water sometime later, I am always amazed when I cast in a spinner and pull out a 12-to-14in fish. I know it's supposed to work that way, but I'm amazed every time just the same. Action Point: Whether you're scattering seeds or scattering fish, when the conditions are right, they are going to grow. It is the same for God's Word. I think of the seeds of ...

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: Corinthians 16:13   Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. (NIV) Thoughts:  To be a proficient shooter there are 7 fundamentals you need to know and use.  The first one is position/stance. You need to have a solid and stable stance to shoot from.  Sometimes situations don't allow for you to get into the same type of stance you use at the range, but you should always try to get into as stable of a stance as possible when shooting. You can become more proficient at getting into a solid stance through training. Action Point: Just like with shooting, there are fundamentals we as Christians need to be proficient with. The first is where do you stand with our Heavenly Father? How solid is your faith?  You need to stand on the solid ground of truth. The truth found in the scriptures. Your faith should be in Jesus Christ and His promises re...