Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.

Malachi 3:6  

"For I am the LORD, I change not....."

This time of year is a time of change. God's awesome creation is on full display during the fall season. Waterfowl are leaving their northern haunts and moving south for warmer climes. The deer are trading their red summer coats for their dark winter coats. Several species actually change their appearance by completely changing colors. The ptarmigan changes from a dark color phase to a white color. The snowshoe hare also completely changes color. These types of color changes allow the animal to survive during the snowy winter times when they are susceptible to predators. Probably the most evident change in nature during the fall season is the changing of the color of the leaves on the trees. The woods come alive with vivid tints of yellow, green, red, and brown. All these changes are a testament of God's hand in His awesome creation. 

There is one thing however that never changes. Our God, the Ruler and Creator of all things is unchangeable. The doctrine of God's immutability is documented throughout the Bible. This is a big word that means God does not change and cannot change. What God was, He is now and always will be, for He is eternal. Moses said "From everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." This immutability is the basic difference between God the Creator and His creation, including humanity. As the verse in Malachi states, "I am the LORD, I change not." Unlike the lives of men, whose lives are disappearing like 'smoke', passing 'like a shadow', and withering 'like grass'. God is immutable because of His infinite perfection and sufficiency. He can neither increase or decrease. Aren't you glad that due to God's immutability, He will keep all His promises and His blessing on His chosen people will not fail.

His promises will never expire, for His plan will never change. We can trust His Word. Revelation 21:5 tells us "These words are true and faithful."

Hebrews 13:8  "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever."  Praise His Holy Name!

Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.

But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

I've been watching my trail cameras a lit this time of the year.  I live seeing what bucks are out there living in the properties we hunt.  Where we live we can feed the deer, and to be honest, it's the best way to get a pretty clear inventory of the bucks you have in the area.  

Those same bucks, and many does, get used to the "bait" that's put out and soon they become comfortable with it.  While everyone has a different opinion on putting out "bait", it's a way to draw the deer in to an area.

Linda and I have had occasion to be in Las Vegas for several work related conferences over the years. The city has drawn in many outdoor related conferences that were attended.  I have always been impressed with the architecture, the fountains, displays and the lights.

For many years I said, "everyone should see Las Vegas justonce to see all this".  Our last trip I saw beyond all of the grandiose display and saw that it is nothing more than a "bait", a way to entice people in to the trap that is "THE STRIP" of Vegas.  Behind that façade WAS sexual debauchery galore, gambling abuse and hidden sin.  I say WAS with tongue in cheek....  A few years ago we again attended a conference and we saw that the issues that we saw as somewhat hidden was now, "in your face".  

We've all seen the cartoon of Satan depicted as a little red figure with a pointed tail, horns and holding and pitch fork.  In reality Satan does not come this way to us.  In fact in verse 14 we see that he comes quite differently.

14"..."for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness."

We have to realize that there are many people masquerading as angels of light amongst us.  We need to test the spirits to see how they stand up against God's word.  If they teach anything that does not line up perfectly with Christ's Gospel, then it is false teaching and being used by Satan to deceive others.

1 John 4:1 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

Satan is a crafty creature that will do anything to pull people down into permanent damnation.  He wants to see Christ's work fail.  He wants our testimony and ministry destroyed. Even though he shows himself as an, "angel of light".... He is really a "prince of darkness".

We must realize that the fact that people may have a "religious title", this doesn't mean that they know Christ and teach the true Gospel.  Its like Las Vegas, behind all of amazing bright and seemingly beautiful architecture, is an extremely dark and sinful world.  In the same way, false teachers can and will be appealing... however, they will lead us away from the freedom we have in Christ and into a trap of bondage, set by Satan himself.

TEST THE SPIRITS against the Gospel, don't be fooled by a false beauty.

Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.

Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.

Isaiah 53:3  “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief…….”

The U.S. Navy Seals are an elite fighting group of the United States Military. These highly trained warriors go through some of the most grueling testing and training of any fighting force in the world. You can have confidence that when needed, the SEALS will show up and see the mission to completion. Suffering and tribulation is part of life for these great men who volunteer for this special training and duty. These men choose to suffer during their six months of training that includes conditioning, diving, and land warfare. “Choose to suffer, and suffer well” is a mantra of the SEALS.

As good as these fighting men are at learning to deal with adversity and suffering, there is One that is truly a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. That man is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus chose to suffer and He suffered well. 1 Peter 3:18 tells us that “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.”  Christ had to suffer on that cross to save us from our sins. There had to be shedding of blood for the remission of sin. Jesus did not deserve that horrible death and it was through no fault of his own that he suffered and died on that tree. Jesus Christ left his place with his Father in heaven and came to earth as a human to make salvation sure for all who would repent and believe. There is comfort in suffering because the Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:5 “For we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”  It also tells us that we should rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. { Romans 5:3-4} Just as suffering in training is essential for producing an elite war fighter, suffering in the life of a Christian is essential to learning important lessons such as compassion, empathy, and resilience. Through suffering, we can learn to live more fully in the present moment, and to cherish each day as a gift from God.

Are you suffering well?

Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning—yes, more than those who watch for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption." 

There is something deeply peaceful about sitting in the dark and waiting for the day to break. This is especially true on those crisp mornings spent waiting in a brand-new location. Before the sun rises, the darkness plays tricks on you. Your eyes try to feed details to your mind, but the lack of light sends back misinformation. In those early hours, ordinary tree stumps can look like hidden figures, and small bushes easily transform into sudden obstacles. But as the horizon begins to lighten, a sense of hope and anticipation takes over, eager for what the morning will reveal.

On a special morning, several years ago, I found myself high up in the rugged mountains, navigating a steep, rocky ridge just before dawn. It was pitch dark, the air biting cold, and the wind broke through the ponderosa pines and engleman spruce as I finally reached an open glassing point. I sat down against a massive boulder, pulling my jacket tight, and set up my spotting scope to overlook a massive alpine basin below. In the total darkness, the vast wilderness felt empty and silent as I waited.

Slowly, the blackness gave way to a sliver of deep orange on the distant peaks, quickly bleeding into vibrant pinks and golds across the high country. As the sun cut through the mountain mist, the entire basin was flooded with light, revealing a small herd of elk grazing in a meadow far below. I reached for my binoculars, completely transfixed by the majestic view. The incredible vastness and beauty of the mountain sunrise captured my entire attention, lifting me emotionally and spiritually as I witnessed a spectacular new beginning of a new day.

We all face difficult seasons. When times get tough, it can be an exhausting struggle just to keep our chin up. It is easy to find ourselves trapped in a dark place, feeling overwhelmed by the weight of life's challenges. In those heavy moments, we can easily forget that the darkness is only temporary. Morning always comes, bringing with it a fresh sunrise and the promise of a better tomorrow.

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" — Jeremiah 29:11

Are you feeling weighed down today? Have the trials of this world and the exhaustion of tough times left you feeling drained? If you are struggling, try to get up early tomorrow morning. Step outside before the sun even begins to break the horizon. Watch the sky change, breathe in the quiet, and appreciate the arrival of the new light. Let it remind you of the hope and grace available in a fresh start.

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." — Isaiah 40:31

No matter how dark the night feels, do not give up. Trust in His timing, because a beautiful new beginning is just over the horizon.

Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.

Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.

A few days ago I was riding through a hunting property and I saw up ahead a ruffed grouse walking down the road. As I got closer I noticed that the grouse was a male and he was displaying for a female that was hidden from my sight. He walked back and forth showing off for the girlfriend that must have been there somewhere. He was very sure of himself and after a while I thought that he looked pretty silly, strutting around like he was something special.

Over the last 35 years I've met countless guides, outdoor TV personalities and hunting writers from all parts of this continent. I've been amazed at how some of them, especially some of the writers and TV hosts that knew almost nothing about hunting, yet they spouted information that sounded good but had no basis. The were like that grouse in the road that was strutting around like he was something special, yet it was all for show. They were charlatans, selling snake oil and were deceiving those that put their trust in them.

Today when we look at religious beliefs we are overrun with, "deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition" in our world. Entire so called "christian" religions are based man-made rules that can be found nowhere in the Bible. Traditions that were man-made to put money in the pockets of individuals or even sometimes in the “church” coffers… Not for the work of Christ, but for the work and glory of men. But God has made it perfectly clear that we are not to follow these lies.

Christianity is being watered down and slowly the sacrifice that Christ made for us is being replaced by things that just make us feel better. The churches are filled with charlatans selling snake oil that is worthless and deceptive.

The very definition of charlatan is being played out all over the world, deceiving both Christian and seekers alike.

Be on guard! Satan is moving through our world looking for who he can destroy. By creating lies about what it takes to attain eternal life or to live a godly life here on earth.

The Bible is the true word of God, nothing else added to it is needed. Trust in what it says. Live out the directives it gives… all else it empty and for show… like that grouse strutting, just to make himself look important.

Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.

I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths 12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.

Several years ago I was climbing hard and fast up the mountain trying to catch up to a bugling bull elk.  It had been a tough hunt and finally we were closing the distance on a trophy...  I so badly wanted this hunter to be successful.  I found myself praying for success for him.  I prayed every morning on those hunts for safety and success and also that my words and actions will glorify the Lord each day as I spent time with my hunters.  But this day I just wanted this hunter to have a successful hunt.  It had been a tough hunt and he deserved a break.

As I climbed and prayed it hit me... The words of Solomon, the son of David... "Vanity, vanity all things are vanity!  What does a man gain by all his toils that he toils under the sun?

Sure I want my hunters to be successful, but is that the most important thing in life?  How much time do I waste in my thinking about the things of this world and not on God?  I started praying not for that success... And started praying for Wisdom.  The value of Wisdom, godly Wisdom, is much greater than anything we could hope for in just "things".

Since that time I’ve tried to make a habit and a pattern of of praying for wisdom… and not for my glory, but for His.  And using that wisdom for anything but for God’s glory would be more vanity…  I could use that wisdom for myself, but God would take that wisdom from me.  What a shame that would be.

In Proverbs 3:13-15, Solomon also wrote,

"Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, 14 for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.  15 She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her."

I want that kind of wisdom!  So I'm "ON THE HUNT" for wisdom.  I challenge you to join me!

Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.

Proverbs 3:5 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

We were on a freelance duck hunt in North Dakota in late October. During this time of year in North Dakota, you can have 70 degree weather one day and blizzard conditions the next. This is exactly what happened on this hunt. The forecast was calling for heavy snowfall with high winds and white-out conditions. When we got up that morning, we already had blizzard weather. The snow was blowing sideways and visibility was about 50 feet.

We were determined to get out and hunt because who knew, maybe the storm had pushed a new batch of birds into the area. When we got to the slough we intended to hunt, we decided to hunt in pairs. Two would stay in the truck while the other two hunted and then switch out after a short time. It was so cold and windy that you could only stay out in the swamp for about an hour at the most. We had no idea what we were going to experience that day. Ducks were everywhere and seemed like every duck in the county was trying to get out of the wind right where we had set up. They just hung in the wind trying to set down in our spread. This was one of my most memorable hunts of all time. We had great success but that success did not come without some adversity and suffering.

 In our life as Christians, the Bible tells us that we will face adversity, trials, and tribulation. James 1:2-3 tells us “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”  It is so comforting to know that while we are going through the trials and tribulations, we are not alone. Psalms 34:19 states “many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Jesus himself overcame the ultimate adversity, trials, and tribulation by going to the cross, being crucified, being buried, and then being raised from the dead and returning to his Father in heaven. Victory belongs to the Lord!

Adversity is a part of life, but with faith and perseverance, we can overcome challenges and grow stronger in our walk with the Lord and find strength, courage, and hope in God’s promises during life’s toughest challenges.

Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.

Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

I was staring at the log that crossed the creek in front of me.  I was trying not to look down at the 10' deep crevice between the log and the water below.  If the log was on flat solid ground, I'm sure I could have jumped up on it and had no problem walking down it.  But I was a little scared or falling off the log and into the rocky creek below.  But, there was a bull elk bugling on the other side and time was wasting... I made the decision to go for it.

A friend of mine is at a place where things seemed to be falling apart in life.  Just after retirement everything changed and now all the plans that he had made are all in question.  He was doing his best to keep his focus on God and it didn’t seem as though life was going anywhere.  He is really struggling.  I thought deep about how to answer… how do I respond?  What does God want me to pass along?  The best I could do is advise to keep your eyes and heart on out all loving God.  We have so many options in life…  we must move forward in faith.

I crossed the log on the elk hunt… we didn’t catch up to the elk, but we did what we thought was right.  We come to places like this in life all the time.  We see what we feel is the right direction to go, but is it the right time and place to cross?  Decisions, decisions...

How many times have we heard people say, "God has a perfect plan for your life"?  We keep waiting for that plan to appear and a neon sign to point the direction to go.  But God rarely works that way.

Over the last several years I've found that we spend so much time seeking God's will for our lives we stop looking for God.  We're so worried we might miss something He is trying to show us we become paralyzed and can't move forward without a sign of some sort.  All of a sudden anything that might happen to us, becomes a "sign" from God and we jump just to make something happen in our life. We fail to live out His perfect will day to day for fear we might be wrong.  Then we get nervous and bolt forward just to do something... Anything.

God knows that we aren't perfect.  He knows that we will make mistakes.  If that wasn't true, then Jesus came and died for nothing.  God wants us to be bold.  To remain close to Him and move forward.

We have to trust God and stay close to Him. This means seeking wisdom, talking with... and listening to God in continual prayer, and looking to see where He is working in the world around us. It also means obeying God's Word, even when doing so seems costly.

Those that were faithful who have gone before us were no different than you or me. And the same keys to living life in step with God are available to us today as those that have already lived it out in the past.  Those that we read about in the Old and New Testament that seem spotless struggled with following God as well.  David obviously strayed from God's perfect plan, by committing adultery and murder, yet by the end of his life, he was called a "man after God's own heart"...why?  Because he started again to follow God's plan.  If you believe David had it easy… I challenge you to read Psalms 13 this morning.  David is down, he is crushed.  Yet David follows God and comes out of it.

Moses didn't know where he was leading God's people... But he trusted God (off and on) and moved forward.  God saw Moses's faults and failures...  But He lead him and the people through the desert.  He will see you through as well when we seek Him out day by day.

Life is short and chances to make a difference in this life come and go... Don't miss out of serving God by standing at the edge and being paralyzed with fear... Jump in and make a difference.

God will catch you.

Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.

For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.

There is a road in Oklahoma that is called the Rollercoaster rd. When I see photos of it I think back on the ribbon candies that my grandmother always had in her candy dish at Christmas. They were wavy, with highs and lows like the Rollercoaster rd.

Thus is our lives as Christians. Just this morning I lost an old friend. His life was a Rollercoaster of ups and down in his walk with the Lord. He loved Jesus Christ, but he had struggles that affected his walk. But Because he was forgiven, he is with Jesus in heaven today.

God understands that we continue to walk with our old sin nature and He is patient with us. Even the Apostle Paul said in his letter to the Christians in Rome that he struggled with always doing the right thing. None of us are any different.

However, we can have victory from a life lived in sin. Once we have come to Jesus Christ and have been forgiven, we can know that when Jesus died He died for all of our past, current and future sins.

1 John 1:9 tells us that, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

We have victory over sin even when we've messed up and sinned. When we confess those sins to God, He is faithful and will forgive us. That is victory.

Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

It was a beautiful fall afternoon, as I crawled into the copilots seat on the float plane, heading from the town of Kodiak to the small village of Larsen Bay Alaska, on the Island of Kodiak.  It was so good to be back and I couldn’t wait to see the island again from above the rugged mountains. 

We left the dock with high expectations of a great flight and beautiful view.  We climbed above bright green hills along the coast and we were soon flying up a long valley with tall snow covered peaks on either side of us.  I stared down into the valleys searching for Brown Bears and then to the peaks around us for mountain goats that spend much of their year above timberline.  After a long day of flying in a tightly packed, over booked light from Milwaukee WI to Anchorage, AK, all was peaceful and I was oblivious to any danger coming our way.

Suddenly the pilot yelled something urgent (I don’t remember what the words were).  I took my gaze off from the side window and looked ahead.  Faster than I could imagine, the skies and turned black and dropped straight down into the valley below us…  We were about to hit the face of a storm that would give us zero visibility.   The pilot then turned the controls hard left and the plane turned up on its side and a very rapid move swung us around 180 degrees.  We went from an afternoon of wonderful peace to an urgency that was anything but peaceful.

Peace, everyone wants it, sometimes we even find it, but come to realize how fragile it is when the storms of life come our way. It's usually surprising how quickly fear, anxiety and worry can overtake peace.

David, Elijah and Peter dealt with what happens when we lose our peace, and we all know what happened to Peter when he took his eyes off of Jesus.

How quickly we can feel like we're drowning in the circumstances of life, but Jesus didn't let that happen to Peter.

Instead, He spoke peace over the seas & He's holding you and me.

As we build our foundation on Christ, may His Truth lead us to Self-Control and the Security to remember He's got us.

The wilderness way.com

Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.

God’s Great Outdoors

Joshua 4:7  "......So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever."

The town that I grew up in is mostly a military town. There is a very large Command Air Force base located in the city limits. The Base employs approximately 38,000 military, civilian, and contractors from the area. It is the largest single-site employer in the state. The city recently erected a memorial to the branches of the military and gave the opportunity to individuals to have a paver brick placed around the memorial to honor family members who served our country. When my father passed away, my mother purchased a paver in honor of my father's service in the Air Force. This paver honors not only my father's service to his country, but also honors him as a man, a husband, and a father. It serves as a remembrance of who he was and what he meant to his family and those he touched in life.

The Bible tells of an event where another type of remembrance stone was erected. In the book of Joshua, we read where the Israelites were instructed to collect 12 stones from the middle of the Jordan River and build a memorial where they crossed the river. The stones served as a physical reminder of God's miraculous provision and faithfulness during their journey. This memorial was intended to commemorate significant events in Israel's history as well as teach future generations. Joshua 4:6-7 states that the purpose of the memorial was "that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, What do these stones mean? Then you shall tell them....." God was faithful to Israel and performed mighty acts on their behalf. That same God that was faithful to the nation of Israel is faithful to you today.

In our own nation, native Americans stacked stones to make monuments to remember occurrences or help guide those that come behind. 

Families today can reflect on events and times in their own life where they experienced God's presence and provision. Regular family devotions and Bible study are a good way to share these stories and reinforce faith. Physical "stones of remembrance" such as special or favorite bible passages or verses can be visual markers to remind us of God's faithfulness in our lives. By implementing the concept of stones of remembrance, families can strengthen their faith and ensure that the stories of God's good works are passed down through generations. Are you building memorials to God's faithfulness and passing it on to your children and others influenced by your life?

To God Be The Glory!

Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.

I will never leave you nor forsake you

The bull elk stood facing us, not offering any shot opportunity.  My bowhunting client stood at the ready, waiting for the bull to turn and offer a good broadside shot at just 20 yards.  Suddenly the bull turned looked back over his shoulder, then he stepped to the right and turned around and slowly walked away.  Over the years I’ve learned that if an elk looks back and begins to turn, you had better be ready to take the shot.  My bowhunter didn’t know this and he wasn’t prepared and missed his opportunity to take a great bull. It wasn’t much of a consolation, but I offered, “That’s why they call it hunting and not killing”.  He wasn’t impressed.  

Over the last 40 years of guiding. I’ve used that saying often.  Sometimes things happen fast and east, other times they come close, but things fall apart at the last minute.  We often have no control over how they will end.  We go home with a trophy or we go home with an empty cooler…  Things happen.

Sometimes things come together, but other times they don't work out and the last thing you see is that old gobbler tucking his wings and running. "That's why they call it hunting and not killing." Over the years I've repeated that line many times, for myself and others. In fact more often than not I've  come home empty handed. 

Why do I keep doing it? For me, the attraction is knowing that each time I hit the woods,  there is a chance that this time he might just make a mistake. Even when I find myself on the struggle bus, I just think, maybe tomorrow, because it can all change in a blink.  In life, there are no 'sure things'  or guarantees.

However, there is good news. With God there are guarantees. He promises to never leave us in Hebrews 13:5. In Psalm 46: 1-3 He promises to be our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. He promises to meet our needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus, in Philippians 4:19.

In our world we are promised “sure things” all the time, but there is no such thing in this world.  God’s word gives us promises that we can count on as a “sure thing”.  When all else seems to be falling apart… All the God has promised will hold together and us up!

Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. 3 They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. 4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. 5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. 6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other, nothing is deprived of its warmth.

The sky, the trees and ground glowed with an amazing bright gold tone.  Bright gold leaves let go of the branches they had held on to for the last 6 months and floated to the ground around us.  It was one of the most beautiful mornings I had ever seen.  And to make things even better we had elk bugling close by.

As the first rays of sun hit the valley below a wide a big non-typical bull elk materialized out from the valley below us.  Everything surrounding him glowed like I had never seen before.  It was a magic morning. I was guiding a young hunter that had taken a huge bull elk a year earlier and this was the first morning of this second hunt.

Once I saw the big bull coming towards us, It didn’t take me long to already imagine us taking photos of him on the ground with my hunter.  If I life to 100 years old I believe I will never forget that morning.  It’s not the antlers but the beauty of the creation that that I best remember.  But things didn’t work as I expected.  I called the bull right up within 15 yards of the archer and I whispered for him to shoot.  The bull stayed there for several minutes, answering my calls and eventually he just wandered back down the mountain.  My hunter came back to me and said, “It’s the first day, we’ve got all week… besides, it was too pretty of a scene to end it.”

For those in the north fall colors are upon us.  The brilliance and depth of the creation this year is a like I’ve never seen before.  God's beauty is being revealed in a way that can only be explained within the belief of an amazing, loving Creator.  How can we look around at the beauty of His Creation and not praise Him?  Or how can so many doubt the existence of a creator all together?

I don't know what Daniel Boone believed about God, however, he was quoted as saying this… "One day I undertook a tour through the country, and the diversity and beauties of nature I met with in this charming season, expelled every gloomy and frustrating thought."

God put the beauty of His creation before us to enjoy, but also to declare His glory as well.  Get out, look around and praise Him for all He has done and all He has given to us.  Allow His Creation to, "expel every gloomy and frustrating thought."

THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD

Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.

Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.

Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.

Help achieve the mission - GIVE today

Click the button to sign up for Dean’s Daily Devotional. FREE and delivered daily.