Men of the Outdoors

  This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission  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 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’d rather be lucky than good!  Action Point: Our world today is fixated largely on society’s “latest ideas,” also known as secular

  This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: Psalms 46:10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” NIV  Thoughts: My guess is if you were raised in the outdoors you were told to be still. I never mastered that skill myself. I have probably missed a few chances at a wall hanger due to needing to move around a bit.  Action Point: While hunting in close quarters it is usually critical to remain quiet and still. However, we should be quite the opposite of spreading the Word of God. We need to get out there and tell of His great works and mercy.  Sportsman’s Tip of the Day: If you plan to bow hunt in the fall, along with many hours of practice it is a good idea to check your equipment. If you need to visit a pro shop, they can more efficiently help you in the summer months before the big fall rush

This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: 1 Thessalonians 4:9  Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. (NIV)  Thoughts: What a great deer my friend Bill Z. got last year during bow hunting. You see I have several really good friends named Bill. That still makes me laugh when I think about it, but when I meet a new guy named Bill, I usually take notice. The Lord has blessed me with great friends along my walk, but not a lot of them are as humble or profound as Bill Z. He is a true blessing in my life and provides a great example of what is means to walk “in the Lord”. He often provides me with Biblical guidance, prayer, and just a shoulder to lean into when I need it. Bill Z. has his struggles too, we all do. My prayer for our readers is that you can also find one or two or three great friends that you can trust, relate to, and lean into when

    November 8, 2023 Breakfast Chat at Marlys Restaurant Our chat began with a devotion that was drafted by Steve Chapman. The thought of the devotion was that we need to keep a proper balance between our passion to hunt, our Heavenly Father and family. When we announce a chat, we ask the guys to bring pictures to share. It’s interesting to see a bunch of retired guys passing around cell phones. All kinds of deer pictures, some were on trail cameras, some harvested and some just in nature. One deer had a weird antler another some kind of growth on it. Several turkey pictures led to turkey talk. An interesting question for the group, how many turkeys did you get in one shot? Three was the largest number. A lot of conversation in an hour and half and we look forward to hosting our next chat in early 2024.

  This Devotion was written by Sportsmen Devotional and posted with permission Bible Study Verse: Psalm 90:17  May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; (NIV)  Thoughts: As fall approaches quickly in the Midwest, I’m reminded of the hunts of the past. Sometimes those hunts ended up with miraculous stories and great trophies. But more often than not, they ended up with cold feet and an empty truck bed. However, on occasion, like the picture today, the Lord blesses us with great favor. On this hunt I was blessed to harvest my biggest whitetail to date. A solid 13 pointer weighing in at around 220 pounds field dressed. The favor from the Lord was the perfect morning, with the perfect wind, and all the right variables coming together for the perfect hunt. These days don’t come together very often, so after I released the arrow, I instantly began praying and thanking the Lord for the hunt. A couple of hours later I was able to put my hands around those antlers and enjoy a lot of awesome