March 16, 2012   

Today's Photograph . . . . Black Rattlesnake (NPS)

Bible Study Verse

Genesis 3:1

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" (NKJV)

Thoughts

Two days into my Arizona archery elk hunt I was target shooting in camp. I missed the entire target at 50 yards and had to go hunt my arrow down. Found it, immediately reached down to pick it up, and just before my fingers grasped it (the following occurred in about the span of let's say ½ second) saw the rattle snake, my brain registered "rattler", and then my brain screamed, "Rattler!" 

I affected a rapid reverse evasive maneuver (RREM) while releasing a defensive yell in order to confuse and disorient the enemy. It worked; the "RREM" that is.

The rattler was unimpressed with the whole situation and just laid there coiled up flicking its tongue at me seemingly harmless.

(Ruben C)

Action Point

But, rattle snakes are not harmless are they? Neither was the serpent in the garden. Though he didn't strike Eve, his venom was d-e-a-d-l-y for us all!!!

That is exactly how sin strikes. Seemingly appearing harmless, then it engulfs us, and we are deceived by our own thinking. Justifying our sin, we ask ourselves, "Is that really what God meant?"

2 Timothy 3:16 states, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God's people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work," (TNIV). Read on in Genesis 2:16, "And the LORD God commanded the man, 'You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will certainly die,' " (TNIV).

God's word is clear!!! Do not put a question mark in scripture where God put a period!!!

Sportsmen's Tip of the Day

As the weather warms rattlers and other reptiles (on this hunt I encountered numerous Horned Toad lizards and even a Gila monster) will find their way into the sunshine to warm up where you'll discover them lazing in the sun. Give the poisonous ones a wide berth. They'll more likely than not, not even mind your passing.