A Daily Study of God's Word for Christian Sportsmen September 10, 2011


Today's Photograph . . . .    Billows of Smoke in Bastrop State Park, TX  (Tom B)

Bible Study Verses
Acts 2:18-21
"Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (NIV)

Thoughts
In southeast Texas where I live, we are in the midst of some serious wildfires. Instead of clear blue skies, billowing smoke is blocking out the view. Schools are closed in the areas where the fires are burning. People are told to evacuate their homes; later coming back and hoping their homes are still standing.

All of this is because of a severe drought the entire state is experiencing. Thousands of acres are being stripped of vegetation. Wild game is either moving away from the fires or consumed by it. People who own livestock or small animals are trying to move their animals.

Dove hunting season has just started. Hunters are asked to be extremely careful when afield.
(Tom B)

Action Point
Quite often I hear Christians talking about that we are in the midst of end times. What with the earthquakes, fires, and other things happening in the world, we just might be.

We should consider all the days of our lives as living in the end times, not just when our attention is focused on the latest natural disaster. Each of us individually is living out the days that the Lord has in store for. Our end days may be this week, or it could be when we reach the ripe old age of 90. Only God knows that.
"The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord," Acts 2:20 (NIV). We will have days, maybe even years, when we feel we are living in darkness. The clouds of smoke are billowing around us.

Live beyond your situation. Every day seek the Lord's direction. Make a difference in the lives of those around you. Help others to know that Jesus is shining through the darkness. "For,   
'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,' " Romans 10:13 (NIV).

Sportsmen's Tip of the Day
Most wildfires are not started by a lighted match tossed into try tinder. It's situations we don't even think about that cause problems. Forget campfires. Walk into your hunting spots.  Forget the ATVs; a spark from the exhaust or hot muffler might start fires that devastate thousands of acres. Don't park vehicles in the field; a hot catalytic converter might be just the spark needed for a conflagration. Think "out of the box" for ways to prevent fires