Psalm 42:1 says, “As the hart (deer) panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.” November 2nd is the opening of deer season for many folks and is eagerly anticipated by hunters of all ages.  Someone said this: “Roses are red, violets are blue, attention all deer, I’m coming for you!”

Some folks across the country think that East Texans don’t appreciate nature because we hunt, fish, and cut trees, but for most of us, nothing could be further from the truth.  Psalm 8:8-9 says, “The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth.”

Natural beauty surrounds us everywhere we look. We may not have the incredible fall foliage of areas north and east of us, but we have a lot of other beautiful sights here in this area. It is worthy of a prayer of thanksgiving lifted from a hunting stand on a fall weekend. Psalm 116:12 says, “What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?”

The question is are you as excited about Jesus as you are your new bow or hunting stand?  Will you skip church Sunday to chase after that trophy buck?  This one Sunday in a Bible teaching church is worth more than all the deer that will gather around your feeder or food plot.

Enjoy your time hunting this Saturday, but do not forget how important the Lord is.  Without Him hunting would be impossible.  I wear camouflage but my faith should never be hidden.  Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.”
 

A recent survey asked Americans what they would do for $10 million dollars.  Some said they would abandon all their friends.  Some alleged they would murder a stranger or withhold evidence so a murderer could go free.  Many responded they would give up their citizenship, and a few reported they would even have a sex-change operation.

You can almost feel the greed of these people who answered the survey’s questions.  If they were willing to do all these things to get some money, you know they would not be very generous with it.  Someone said this, “While it is more blessed to give than receive, most are willing to let someone else get the blessing.”

II Corinthians 9:7 tells us, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”  The Bible tells the Christian to give joyfully and generously.

Generous giving is a genuine form of worship. King David said: “What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me?” Giving is an amazing way of showing our love to God and seeing how He uses us to impact others. When we give, our attitude transforms. 

It is true that you can’t take it anything with you when you die, but you can send it on ahead. Every time we give, we are investing in heavenly rewards that will last forever.

The Bible teaches that if you have material possessions and you see a brother or sister in need and have no pity, how can the love of God be in you?  It is not hard to find people with greater needs than we have, so where is our heart directing us to give? Generous actions speak louder than words.

There is no doubt that there are great doctors, but there are always some who could be considered worthless.  Almost everyone could mention a name who they could put into the bad doctor category.  Maybe they are worthless in your eyes because of poor treatment, high prices, misdiagnosis, or long waits. Someone recently mentioned that they could burn their money and get more use than spending it at their doctor.  “At least I could get a little heat."

Job 13:4 talks about worthless doctors: “But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.” It is a helpless feeling to feel cheated by the one who should give comfort and healing. 

If you face defeat and depression about the treatment you are receiving, or hurt from loss or addiction, there is good news.  Jesus is the “Great Physician” who cares for you spiritually and physically. 

Jesus said in Luke 4:18, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.”

Jesus will never overcharge, and He will always give the right diagnosis.  He knows the cure!  He is readily available and is just one simple prayer away.  There is no waiting room, and no one must wait for an audience with the Great Physician!

Luke 5:31-32 says, “And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”  The Great Physician is looking for new patients—He will never turn you away.  Will you visit Him today?

Most people believe they are better listeners than they really are.  Often friends are just waiting for you to take a breath so they can share their own words which are much more important. John Wayne put it this way, “People are short on ears and long on mouth.”

Proverbs 1:5 says, “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.”  This verse tells us that a smart person will be a listening to other smart people to improve themselves. 

It is possible to hear someone talk but not listen. One of the primary reasons given for failed relationships is the lack of listening.  Two men were talking one day in front of the grocery store.  One of them said, “My wife talks to herself a lot.”  His friend answered, “Mine does too, but she doesn’t know it.  She thinks I’m listening.”

Don’t be too proud to listen to people who want to help you be a better person.  This is wisdom, and a sensible person will gladly hear wisdom.  Proverbs 23:9 says, “Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.” 

Listening is a key ingredient of church attendance.  A wise person would stop sneaking peeks at their social media pages or checking sports scores and pay attention to the speaker.  Unfortunately, church goers are often more excited about the benediction than the opening prayer.  What did your pastor share last Sunday?

Don’t be like the people in Zechariah 7:11: “But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.”  Jesus said, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” How about we all work on our listening skills this week.