Bible Study Verse
Proverbs 24:27
Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house. (NIV)
Thoughts
I grew up "camping out" with my Dad on our hunts. That is, we never had the luxury of a trailer, a motel room, or the like. Our typical shelter consisted of a tent.
It was always important that we arrive at our destination early to set up camp, find a level area for the tent, and clear the ground, usually my job.
First I had to remove all the small boulders, and large rocks. Next came the stones, and digging up what looked like stones but sometimes turned out to be large rocks hidden beneath the ground. This was important so that the floor of the tent wasn't damaged and most importantly so we didn't have to sleep on them. Sometimes it would take a few days to discover one under your bedding you hadn't noticed before. It could make for a long uncomfortable night!
(Ruben C)
Action Point
I recently read an analogy how sin in our lives is like the clearing the ground of our campsite. When we first become Christians God points out many major attitudes and behaviors in our character that are easy to see and need clearing out.
Later you will discover the stones and even pebbles that were not so obvious at first, but definitely there, and they need clearing out as well. Sometimes we will remove many stones before we notice the hidden ones. Left unaddressed, they will be revealed sooner or later, one way or the other, and when you dig at them you may discover they're bigger than you think!
Don't stress! It's normal, and it's God's way of refining us. Even the Apostle Paul wrote, "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead," Philippians 3:12-13 (NIV).
Be encouraged, repent and carry on Brothers!
Sportsmen's Tip of the Day
Place a tarp on the ground before you set up your tent as added protection against unseen stones that might damage your tent floor. If you use cots, place carpet scraps under the legs to protect the floor from above. It can add years to the life of your tent.
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