RE: 20 feet closer to God
 

AMEN Great post,,GOD's GOOD,,just look around at first light 20' up

RE: 20 feet closer to God
 

I consider myself spiritual more than religious, but I feel the same thing, NJ/PA. And I do pray and give thanks when I am in the stand, especially as the sun rises and the woods stirs to wondrous life.

I don’t hunt with a gun, only a bow. I know many on these forums hunt with a gun, and that is fine with me (not that THAT matters), especially for meat hunters who feed their family and/or friends with what they harvest. But, for me, it’s more than just the challenge of bowhunting, although there is that. It’s an energy thing. When you shoot something with a gun, you pull the trigger, there’s a chemical reaction that releases the energy in the gunpowder, which propels the bullet to the animal you shoot. With a bow, all of the energy that propels the arrow to the animal comes from me as I pull back the bow, aim carefully for an ethical shot, and release my energy into the arrow to find the animal. If you like this way of thinking, I recommend a book, “Hunting from Home” by Christopher Camuto, who writes for Field & Stream and other magazines. It goes through a year with him living primitively and spiritually in a log cabin as he has done for the past 10 years. I really enjoyed it when I read it last year

Also, aside from the beauty of nature and being a part of it, as opposed to just an observer, I think hunting is the most ancient dance in existence. From what I can piece together, the dance between predator and prey was the first real interaction between two beings, predating even sex, as simple, one-celled organisms sought out and preyed on other one-celled organisms to survive. As such, I believe it is so basic it must be a holy truth. I know that this may sound “cold” or “scientific” to some, but I believe there is no conflict between logic, science, nature and spirituality. As a matter of fact, I believe that scientific exploration merely exposes the wondrous complexity of God’s beautiful creations. And I think that a better understanding of science gives us a better understanding of how things work. And I think that understanding how things work gives us insight into how they were created, which gives us more insight into the Creator.

RE: 20 feet closer to God
 

You are exactly right about the relationship of science and faith. Many think that faith is 'blind' and devoid of reason.Nothing could be further from the truth.The irony is that the impetus that motivates much of science is to disprove a Creator by 'dummying down' everything to a chemical composition and to provide a 'logical' explanation fo the world as it exists, to only ,actually(as you put so well) reveal more and more about the ways of the Creator and His creative genius. Faith is placed in what can only be seen and understood---it must have an object. In fact, everyone places their faith in something-and your faith is only as good as where it is aimed. In my case and most on here, the object is the person and finished work of the Son of God--Jesus Christ.His life, existence, resurrection is well documented and very evidential. Lee Strobel's book, A Case For Christ,is a good example of just one of manyvolumes of the rationale of our faith.

RE: 20 feet closer to God
 

Me too. Start every morning with a prayer to the Good Lord. then I watch the sun rise and talk to my Grandfather. He passed away this August and it's tough. He used to be the first one I would call to tell him about the big bucks running in my back yard. He tought me to enjoy the sunrise and cherish the time in the field. I also end each hunt with a prayer as well.

Great topic and God bless and have a safe season.

Denny

RE: 20 feet closer to God
 

I agree with you. I dont see how anyone can doubt God after hunting.

RE: 20 feet closer to God
 

This is one of the best post I have ever read. It is so great to see everyone professing their love for Christ. That is rare in today's world. I am a born again Christian who was saved from the pit by the blood of my Lord and Savoir Jesus Christ. I give him all praise, glory and honor for all that he has blessed me with. I start every morning with a prayer and when I hunt I ask the Lord to let me be safe and that if I have an opportunity to harvest an animal that my arrow will fly true and I can make a clean ethical kill. If I am blessed with an animal I stop and give God thanks for blessing me.

God bless each and every one of you!

RE: 20 feet closer to God
 

God's Creation is Awesome!

RE: 20 feet closer to God
 

My experience starts when I awake...I try to get my thoughts together so I won't forget any of my equipment. I then get in my Explorer and pray going down the road..with low Christian music playing. when I met the man at the WMA gate he told me of a huge rattler that was killed in the WMA.I begin praying again and walking very carefully. Serious..just the mention of a rattler had me feeling eery till I started up the tree with my Summit. Once there I realized it would be too noisy to go through my pack to get out my New Testament so I just rehashed some Bible verses I had memorized and said some prayers for people I know in need. While all this is going on God's Spirit communicates withours as spoken of in Corinthinas ."His Spirit and our spirit is one", Faith began to stir and I started believing I would see a deer...which would be my first.OH MY !! I looked up and reality was there. A real live deer within 10 yds. but I was busted..Still every moment is wonderful with God and spending quiet time in His world. After reading your post and replies here I know what I will do the next time I 'm in that situation.
1. Already have an arrow nocked.
2. Shoot from the sitting position if you have to
C7

RE: 20 feet closer to God
 

Awesome post. I just saw it. I always pray to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ while heading to my hunting spot and while sitting there in my treestand. I carry and read a small camoflaged pocket New Testament and a couple daily devotional guides as well. I love the time from just before light when you can hear God's creatures moving about, but it's not quite light enough to see through sunrise when the woods come alive and God's creation is clearly visible. It's a great time to be talking to God and praising Him for all that He has given us. I also kneel, remove my cap, place my hand on the deer and thank the Lord for every kill He allows me to make.

RE: 20 feet closer to God
 

ME TOO!

Amen,
Dave

PS: as my signature has always read........