My First Rant.....(show me some grace)

Frankly, I'm a little upset. No...actually I'm pissed. Sorry if that offends you. And I know full well that you shouldn't type blogs when you're angry. I also know that what I'm going to write is going to make it look like I think I'm all high and mighty and I've got life figured out. Forgive me for not caring too much. The truth is, is that I do have some of life figured out and if more Christians knew.....or believed...what I'm about to write then the world would be a whole lot better off.

Let me explain why I'm upset. Men that I know, good men who love God keep getting taken out. They are falling prey to addictions. They are falling prey to affairs. They are falling prey to the lies of Satan and I'm seeing my friends and people close to me becoming casualties. Families are being ruined. The impact of these casualties is always widespread.
And simply put, it sucks!

I'm not mad at the men themselves who have made mistakes, and I don't favor kicking a man while he's down. What I'm angry at is the preparation. You know the best way to guarantee that you will become a casuality is to live a casual life. And I'm perplexed by the contemporary Christian Church and it's acceptance of "casual." We are not called to live a casual life. If you are a Christ follower you are called to live a crucial life.

Can I just clear something up? I don't think men need more discipline. I don't think we need to learn more Bible verses. And I don't think that learning to keep our promises is going to fix the problem either. Going to church every Sunday and getting inspired for a few hours does little to help and most of us have learned how to fake our way through a Bible study course. We need two things. The first is understanding.

We need to understand that we each have a crucial role to play in the story that God is writing. That crucial role is written on our hearts in the form of desire. If we do not find that which we were created for, we will fall prey to all sorts of counterfits to fill the void. But they will not satisfy the aching places in us.

We need to understand that we live in a world at war. We have an enemy who works 24 hours a day 365 days a year at destroying the image of God in you and trying to keep you from your glory. You cannot approach this battle in a casual manner. Passivity and Christianity cannot go together. It is an oxymoran. You name one passive man held up in scripture as an example that we are to follow. But yet, how many Christian men do you know who are passive? It only goes to show how far we have strayed from an accurate, biblical, picture of the Christian life as warfare. If you do not fight for the life you desire in Christ you will get taken out. Usually just withdrawn, on the sidelines, ineffective type of men. Or, these men have a gut feeling that they really should be fighting for something so they pick a small battle and make their life about getting all of the neighbors to comply with the CC&R's or something even more important like fighting through church legislation to get new choir robes.....stuff like that.

So we need understanding. We need clarity. But the second thing is we need to be made whole. Understanding and clarity don't bring healing. We need to take Jesus up on his offer to come and do what he said he came to do. To heal the brokenhearted and set us free. At the center of the battle is our hearts. And if we do not get that back, whole and free and alive, then we don't stand a chance. The battle is too difficult, the role God has for us too great....we simply will not get there by being half hearted.

So what is my point in writing all of this on a hunting blog? I don't know, I think it started by just blowing off some steam from the latest dissapointment. But maybe what I wrote will help someone. Maybe for some the message will click and a light will go off and you will have some understanding maybe for the first time in your life. I first understood that message at age 28 after being a Christian my whole life and going to church my whole life and going to Christian high school and Christian college. But I never got it. And then I hit a low point in life. I read "Wild at Heart" and it just clicked. Suddenly, the frustrating Christian life I had been trying to live but never could quite get my act together enough for started to make perfect sense. But understanding does not equal healing. And knowing does not make you whole. But the next 4 years of my life was an amazing time of God taking me through the things he wanted to show me. I haven't by any means arrived. But the journey has been a good one and I pray that more men will journey with God into what He has for them.

One more thing I guess. Would you pray with me that our churches start becoming a more relevant place for men and boys to be challenged to enter into a crucial kind of life and discover all that God has for them?


-Scott

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Permanent, not Perfect

I've been fighting what God wants me to say for a couple weeks... not sure why really... perhaps because it won't pertain to all of you, or maybe because I don't want to sound too "preachy" or even cliche... but He keeps bringing me back to what's been on my heart recently... relationships... marriage. A handful of you have had conversations with me about this very topic in recent weeks, and there's a couple others who aren't on our email list who've revealed things about their significant others and life's situations. So I'm rolling with this out of faith that one or all of you can use these words to find more enjoyment and satisfaction in your relationship with your spouse (or future spouse)... and ultimately, grow closer to Christ as we all hope in Heaven to come.

My wife and I have definitely had our share of struggles, as nice as we may seem to have it... something many of us can relate to. The last couple years have been a very trying, but growing experience for both of us. Both in our faith in Christ to see us through and our understanding of how and why God's designed us. I'll never claim to know it all, certainly not about women, but what I have learned and come to know has been profound. And while it'll never make our relationship perfect, it will make it permanent.

I don't believe in "soulmates", or that there is only "one" significant other out there for everyone... that just sets us up for all kinds of trouble. You see, it paints the picture that you can find a perfect relationship, or a perfect person, but I think we can all agree that doesn't exist. What makes a relationship function isn't that you've found a perfect person, but that you've chosen to care for them in spite of their imperfections. Just as being a Christian doesn't mean we're perfect, but that we recognize we're imperfect, and in need of a savior. Think about it... EVERY relationship has its ups and downs, and extremes in both... and when it hits a low, or an extreme low, many will think, "She must not be the ONE" or "I made a mistake" or "He's changed" and on and on and on. Then what comes (especially in marriage, after not only the commitment has taken place, but a covenant has been formed)??? Resignation, separation, divorce, guilt, scars, unworthiness, on and on and on and it affects everyone and everything (kids, work, friends, family, etc) in a way that can take many further from God in an infinite number of ways... why? Because Satan is at work AGAINST the things of God.

All of us were created in the image and likeness of God...yet men and women were clearly created different... equal, but different... both with qualities and attributes that speak of our Creator. Man alone cannot fully reflect the attributes of God, just as women alone cannot fully reflect the qualities of God... but when rightly united, a man and a woman can reveal God in so many ways. And when you begin to understand relationships in that way, you realize Satan's reasoning behind the constant assault on marriages, especially of Christian marriages! Satan is in constant opposition to all things of God. And nothing showcases the Glory of God like a Christ centered marriage... love, mercy, forgiveness, protection, beauty, devotion, commitment, tenderness, power, unity, happiness, oneness. By devouring Christian homes, Satan is trying to destroy the integrity of the Christian faith, and through it, children are left with missing pieces, while thoughts of hypocrisy creep into skeptical minds. Don't you see how this fits into the larger story of life?! There is a very real enemy in the world today, and not just on the news, but in our homes! We need to change our outlook, often times, as to who the enemy really is... it's not our spouse, our kids or our job causing the turmoil, it's the "great deceiver". He's given that name in scripture for a reason.

This isn't the time to reflect on mistakes that may have been made in the past, we've ALL got those... these words are to bring HOPE from this day forward! Please take from this what is meant to be shared... encouragement for the future and all you can control from now until Christ takes us home!

As I close this out, the MOST IMPORTANT thing I've learned through the ups and downs in Mindi and I's relationship, is that LOVE IS A CHOICE. It's not a feeling. Sure, the feeling is there from time to time and should be, but there are times it's not; let's just be honest with each other here. After all, Christ didn't FEEL like dying on that cross, He CHOSE to. Let Christ's death define love... He SO LOVED the world, He died for our sins, so that whoever believes will gain eternal life.

"Love is not a place to come and go as you please, it's a house we enter in, and then commit to never leave...so lock the door behind you, and throw away the key, work it out together, let it bring us to our knees." Click play below and listen to the song by Warren Barfield... and may you pray for for angels to guard your doors.

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Humor Me!

Well, the draw results have been out for a while in our Oregon big game tag drawing and we are pretty excited about the results. My dad, uncle, grandpa, and good buddy Brian will all be hunting bucks over in the central part of the state again this year. I drew a sweet elk tag in Northeast Oregon that has already caused many sleepless hours at night with me mulling over the possibilities in my mind. Jeff will be archery hunting bulls and doing his normal west side blacktail ventures. Anticipation is running high, and anticipation is good. So is humor. And so for this weeks blog I thought we would feature a funny hunting story my dad typed up after his successful blacktail buck outing last season.

Just to give you a little background, Jeff and I both wrote some detailed stories about our buck hunts last year. Jeff's story was posted on the Sitka Mountain Gear's blog (view it here: http://www.sitkainsight.com/2009/10/nw-oregon-blacktail-by-sitka-ambassador-jeff-dunn/) ...a well written story about the ruggedness of the terrain, the stealth of Jeffy stalking his prey in his socks to 40 yards while trying to avoid stepping on dry leaves, determination, the beauty of creation and the like. Well not to be out done dad wrote his story about his hunt and it was a pretty good spoof on Jeffy's tale. Here it is:

The day started well before sun up. At my age I have to get up that early most every morning to pee. This morning was no different. As I finished the business at hand I noticed a little crack of daylight starting show in the sky off to the east. I decided it would be a perfect morning to go deer hunting. So I stumbled out to the living room and donned my hunting gear, a pair of binoculors. Then as it got light enough the hunt began. I started by peering out the windows on the west side of the house, then slowly worked my way to the north, east and then south. Nothing. I thought of getting back into bed and catching a few more winks but out of shear determination I decided to give things one more look.

I went back to the east window and glassed a little further out now that it was getting some more light. Right away I spotted 3 deer in the distant low lying fog and one of them had a rack! This put my hunt into high gear as the adrenaline started to flow a bit. I grabbed my gun that was leaning up next to my recliner (that is where I keep it during buck season). All I had on was my boxers so I knew that this early November hunt was going to be a cold one. I slowly and quietly turned the knob and opened the door to the front deck. I too, took my shoes off so I could put on a silent stalk (I just took them off the night before). As I crept slowly across the deck I heard a deck board squeak. Three hundred and sixty pounds will do that, but I did not get this big by eating salad. I knew I had the skill to bag this buck and fill the freezer, but I was going to have to be extra careful now. The buck looked up at the sound of the squeak and I had to stand dead still with my weight unevenly and awkwardly distributed between my two feet. I knew I could not hold this position for long as the cold rain was pelting my raw hide. It was sooo cold!

About 5 minutes worth of thoughts were running through my mind in about 3 seconds. Should I go back into the house and get back in bed and wait for it to warm up a bit? If I get this buck will I still have time to soak in the hot tub this morning? Is the field too wet to get out there with the tractor and retrieve this deer? Or will I have to pack it out of the field 4o yards or more to the house? Again, I decided to just man up and stay determined after this buck.

By now I'm starting to shiver, stuff is starting to shrink and I'm begining to think about hypothermia. The head of the buck is just behind a dogwood tree and I can't quite field judge him to decide if he is the kind of trophy I am looking for or not. I felt good about the 40 yard shot and was able to move a bit and get ready if I decided to shoot. I went through the check list in my mind, cartridge is locked and loaded, scope covers off, thumb on safety, target is just south of the neighbors house which is good because I do not want to put a 7 millimeter 150 grain bullet through his bedroom wall and wake him out of a deep sleep.

The buck poked his head out and I get a good look. Yep, I can clearly see a fork! He's a shooter! Now I just need him to turn broadside a little. Safety off.....the buck turns broadside.....crosshairs just behind the front shoulder.....BANG! Then I hear a loud yell fom the bathroom. My wife woke up and was unaware that I had gone hunting. The shot had really startled her. But would you believe that I was able to enjoy the beauty of God's creation on this hunt as she ran in her bathrobe out onto the deck to see what was going on.

The buck stumbled a bit and fell right where I shot him. I wanted to pound my chest and let out a yell to celebrate the succesful hunt and the fact that I braved the elements and stuck it out to the end. But I held back as I did not want the neighbors to see me standing on my porch in my boxers pounding my chest and yelling. They might think that kind of behavior is weird. You never know I guess.

Anyway, the Lord really blessed me on this hunt as I was indeed able to get the tractor out into the field. In fact I was able to get the buck gutted, hung, skinned and be all done by 9am. I did miss out on the hot tub soak but that was okay. That deer is going to make some prime eating.

I hope you enjoyed dad's story. Have a safe and happy 4th of July.

-Scott

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The Contrast of Christ

A good friend of mine shared this with me yesterday...I couldn't think of better words to follow last week's blog...

The Contrast of Christ

He was the meekest and lowliest of all the sons of men. Yet he spoke of coming on the clouds of heaven with the glory of God. He was so austere that evil spirits and demons cried out in terror at his coming, yet he was so genial and winsome and approachable, that the children loved to play with him and the little ones nestled in his arms.

His presence at the innocent gaiety of a village wedding, was like the presence of sunshine. No one was half so kind or compassionate to sinners, yet no one ever spoke such red-hot scorching words about sin. A bruised reed he would not break. His whole life was love. Yet on one occasion he demanded of the Pharisees, how they were expected to escape the damnation of hell.

He was a dreamer of dreams and a seer of visions, yet for sheer stark realism, he has all of us self-styled realists soundly beaten. He was the servant of all, washing the disciples’ feet, yet masterfully he strode into the temple, and the hucksters and moneychangers fell over one another to get away in their mad rush from the fire they saw blazing in his eyes. He saved others, yet at the last, he himself did not save.
There is nothing in history like the union of contrasts which confronts us in the gospels; the mystery of Jesus is the mystery of divine personality.

Reading that reminds me of the video below (you may have seen it on our website)...Reverend S.M. Lockridge's famous sermon...we serve a mighty God and gracious savior!!!!

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Some Fathers Day Thoughts...

Paul makes an amazing statement in 1 Corinthians 11:1. He says, Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

I love that verse. It has become my lofty goal of fatherhood to try and live in such a way that I can say those words to my kids and that they will mean something. Lord forgive me for how often I fall short! But the thought of living my life in such a way that my example would be something to follow; a legacy......something about that stirs my heart. I want be able to say "Follow my example." How can I earn that right? By following the example of Christ.

For most of my years I've heard pastors, parents and Sunday school teachers telling me that I should follow the example Christ. Be Christlike. What would Jesus do? Be an imitator of Christ. And truthfully that didn't make a lot sense to me. I mean Jesus was God right? Of course He got an A, He wrote the questions to the test! Isn't that kind of cheating?

But I had my theology wrong. The Bible teaches that Jesus was fully God and He was fully man. But here is the part I missed. In His humility, he took on humanity as a man and actually set the God part aside. Doesn't that change the perspective?

Everything Jesus did was to demonstrate for us what it looks like to have a true faith, a real relationship with the Father. He was walking with God as a man. Really!

Do you know what that means? Isn't that great news! Jesus didn't cheat on the test, he was showing us the kind of life that is available if we really believe. We really can follow the example of Christ!

Jesus was approachable. He was kind, generous, flexible, selfless, self controlled. He was fierce, and fiercly devoted to his cause. He knew who he was. He was caring, He was the epitomy of love. He was holy, he was rightous. He was a man's man. He got angry, he was strong, he drove demons out of people and sent them packing in fear. He was tender. He had a sense of humor. He could relate with anyone. He lived with integrity. He was totally free from any kind of bondgage or addiction. Nothing had a hold on him. He was free. He didn't seek praise or glory or get a big head when people were literally ripping the roofs off of houses to get near him. He was genuine. He was the truest person you will ever meet. He did not boast, he did not shrink back. He was himself. And he gave everything he had.

Don't you want to be like Him? I do. We really can live the life of Christ. It really is available. It doesn't roll in on a platter for $29.95 like prime rib though. It is a process. It starts with discovering God as Father, then trusting in him. There is a dismantling process, then restoration and then a thousand small choices everyday. Maybe I should say a thousand small battles every day.

But each day we commit to giving our lives over to Christ to live his life, each day we make a concious decision to not give our hearts over to anything but God, each day we live a whole and holy life....well that is a day to be celebrated because we have just cleared a little more of the trail that will help our kids find their way through this rugged wilderness. And then we can echo Paul in saying, "Follow me as I follow the example of Christ."

Happy Fathers Day!

-Scott

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There is proof

Have you ever questioned the legitimacy of Christianity? Sometimes I fear maybe this is all just a game...our friends and our families all play too...harness the young and give some comfort to the old. We've all had doubts...for you music buffs, those are lyrics from a Caedmon's Call song (click play below)...but do we not all question our faith somewhere in our journey? Sometimes I feel a sort of inferiority about my beliefs, as if there's no backbone to what I hold true, no proof...nothing significant to share that will wow unbelievers or doubters. It stems from two things...lack of preparation and the constant assault from a very evil force in this life. Let us prepare. :)

There is far more evidence than I can share in a week's blog, but here are a few facts that baffle me when I reflect upon them. The Bible is by far the most heavily analyzed work in history, not to mention the top selling book every year, and yet NOT ONE THING HAS EVER BEEN PROVEN FALSE in its pages. Of over 1000 prophecies in scripture, over 600 have been proven true, with not one ever proven false, and the remaining have to do with the end times and events that are yet to come. The bible contains 66 books written over 1500 years by more than 40 authors from different backgrounds, regions, situations and careers, yet their inspirational words tie together PERFECTLY in theme, message and many detailed cross-references. Scripture referenced the stars uncountable, the earth as spherical, and the reality of gravitational pull long before any were ever known to man…even the order of creation as given in Genesis has been proven true in recent years after years of speculation...and numerous cities, cultures and eras have been confirmed using data from its pages. How accurately has it been passed on? The Dead Sea Scrolls, found in the mid 1900’s, contain nearly every book of the Old Testament and match word for word with the Bible we have today. THE BIBLE IS REAL, IT'S TRUE…and while the facts are still adding up, don't forget that its council is sound, its teachings are wise and its message of salvation meets every need from here to eternity!!!

Every person asks themselves the "questions of life"...where did I come from, why am I here and where do I go when I die? Denial, procrastination and ignorance toward the most important question we'll ever ask, or share with our children, is a very sad reality if indeed Christianity IS the way, truth and the life it claims to be. Satan's ploy is to keep us from seeking, because if we truly sought the answers that quench our soul, we will find proof...faith, hope and love for eternity. There IS proof that Christianity is everything it claims to be...and I want that to spur doubters or non-Christians into SEEKING the answers...and to give Christians the BACKBONE to stand up for what you believe, to KNOW why you believe it, and to RISE UP and fight for the truth! It will NEVER fail...what faithful relief.

So according to a very factual book, full of proof and not a shred of disproof, there is a very real Heaven and a very real Hell...and it tells us that accepting Christ’s work on that cross is the only way to eternal life in Heaven…no other means. With so much of the Bible proven true, none ever proven false, I'm not gonna pick and choose what I want to believe...I'm gonna believe it's the inerrant, infallible Word of God like it's proven to be thus far.

Lord I pray...cast all my doubts, please prove them wrong, these demons can be so headstrong...make the walls fall and build me up with your fire so strong! (click play below on the playlist to listen to the Caedmon's Call song "prove me wrong")

For those of you intrigued by the evidence for Christianity, I encourage you all to buy, read and pass on this VERY short (and cheap) book! Especially for your children!

Click here to buy it!

Also, a site I've found very helpful in answering most any question is www.gotquestions.org ...their statement of faith in scripturally sound and the it's a very detailed and easy to use site.

www.gotquestions.org

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Faith

There are some amazing stories in Scripture isn't there? We talk about having "faith in the field" and moving forward with God into the areas He is calling us. To stand up with confidence and to be the man He created us to be is the goal, yet so often confidence is replaced by doubt. And standing up and being God's man, moving into situations He is calling us to gets replaced by a kind of paralysis or passivity.

I've been reading 1st Samuel lately and I was struck again by the story of David and Goliath. I know it is a really popular story and we've all heard it since we were little in Sunday school. And for me at least, I've grown numb to the power of that story. But think of it, a huge man, a warrior....over nine feet tall and probably built like an NFL left tackle. The entire army of Israel was afraid of him. The Bible says they were dismayed and terrified. For forty days morning and night Goliath stepped out and shouted a challenge to the army of Israel to send a man out to fight him. And the Bible says that the Israelites, warriors themselves, ran from Goliath in great fear.

Can you imagine? But then David comes along. He is visiting the army because his three brothers are in the ranks and his father sent him out to bring some roasted grain, some bread and some cheese to his brothers and their buddies. Isn't that nice? What a sweet young lad. A teenager who probably was just sprouting his first tender whiskers. He hears Goliath's challenge, and he says, "Who does this uncircumcised shmuck think he is challenging the armies of the living God?" What a fresh perspective after 40 days of fear. David asks a few more questions and upsets his brothers a little. They call him a few hurtful names like "conceited" and tell him he has a "wicked heart",then they tell him to buzz off and get back to tending his sheep. But word gets back to Saul and he calls for David. I assume they chat for a bit and then David makes a bold statement. He tells Saul, "Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; I will go and fight him."

Time out. Where did this courage come from? Is David just a wild teenager with no fear of death? Is he stupid? Does he have a death wish? Maybe he is suicidal. Perhaps he ate some of the grain along the journey and it was fermented pretty badly. Was he puffing on a crack pipe?

Or did he know and trust God's heart. We know David was a shepherd boy. An outdoorsman who spent nights in the wild. We know he talked with God and had a deep relationship with Him. Remember all of the Psalms he wrote? He loved God. He walked with God. He was poetic in his love for God. He played the harp for goodness sake! How did David get to this point in his relationship with God?

I think he gained that type of relationship with God by being in the wild... alone. He talked with God. God answered him. He was tested in the wild and God came through for him. Remember the bear and lion that he killed protecting his fathers sheep? When he was thirsty he had to find water, when he was hungry he had to find food and God came through for him. He trusted in God because he had to. And he praised God for everything he got. And God blessed him.

And so I got to thinking about my time outdoors. So often I'm so busy pursuing fish or pursuing game that I forget why I really enjoy my time in the wild. It is the pursuit of God that I am really longing for. And I'm sorry, but I don't get that at home on the couch. Or even in the back yard. God created a perfect classroom in which to teach a man and that classroom is in the wild. And when I think of all the times that God has come for my heart in the outdoors I realize why I truly prize my time there.

He has spoken words to me out there that I've really needed to hear. I've felt his love for me out there like I've never felt before. I've seen his hand of protection over and over. I've been lost, I've sunk a drift boat and I've been out on some pretty rough seas. I learned to trust him out there. I've learned that I have what it takes to pack out an elk in the dark when my body was past exhaustion. I've felt the joy of leading others, guiding them into their first fish or their first deer. It was thrilling and then God said, "I have more for you. How much more of a thrill to help lead and guide someone to me."

Right now God is calling me to help get a program started in our area to mentor fatherless boys in the outdoors and also to introduce them to God as the perfect Father who will never abandon them. It feels like the deck is stacked against it. I feel some fear that I don't have what it takes to get it done. This will end up being like the other things I've felt God probing me to do that never seem to fully work out. I feel like I am pretty alone in my passion for this. It has been difficult so far.

But I read a story like David and Goliath and I reflect on what I've shared above and it feels silly really. I mean my life is not in danger here. But I'm struck by just how small my faith in God can feel at times.

So hear is the deal. I'm going to pick out a few smooth stones and I'm going to head out where God is leading. And as always, we could use your prayers going forward.

Thank you.

-Scott

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