Mountain Men

Thank God for the battle verses in the Bible. We go into the unknown every day of our lives, and especially every Monday morning, for the week is sure to be a battlefield, outwardly and inwardly in the unseen life of the spirit, which is often by far the sternest battlefield for souls. Either way, the Lord your God goes before you, He shall fight for you!  Amy Carmichael

My husband and I were watching TV yesterday and there was a show on the History channel called Mountain Men.  We love the outdoors and my husband used to hike in the mountains so we decided to watch a few episodes.  The show follows the lives of various men who have moved into the wilderness to live.  We’re not talking about living a few miles from town.  These guys live in the coldest and most remote places.

I am the first to admit that I don’t know much about living in the wilderness.  The closest we ever got to wilderness was camping in state parks. I am also not a fan of the cold.  Freezers are for meat and frozen TV dinners, not people. 

Anyway, one of these guys lives in Alaska where the temperature can drop to 30 below.  This guy would trap animals for a living. Every day he would get out his snowmobile and drive it 8 to 10 miles down a frozen river to set traps.  You would think this guy would have quite a bit of experience with cold weather.  He drives about 10 miles away from home and stops to check a trap and when he returns his snowmobile won’t start.  So the commentator starts telling about the mistakes this guy made on this hunting trip. 

First, he didn’t bring a spare set of spark plugs. Second, he forgot to bring a compass and third, he forgot to wear his extra thermal gear.  So he is alone in the wilderness with no transportation, no warm outerwear, no compass, with a 6 hour hike back home in deep snow and it is dark.

I know the producers of this show were trying to make it exciting but this guy just looked inept.  I don’t know, call me silly but the three things he forgot to bring would have been the first things I packed if I was living in Alaska.  I am no mountain man but even I can figure out that part.   

As I watched I started thinking about how amazing our God is to have created such beauty in the wilderness but it also holds great danger for the person who isn’t prepared.  The same thing happens to each of us if we live in the city.  There are dangers around every corner and we have to be prepared.  Satan isn’t standing back watching us.  He is in full battle mode.  If we are not prepared for the fight of our life, we are in no better position than the mountain man.  Be prepared because Satan will come as a thief in the night. 

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, I am often guilty of not being prepared.  You give me the best tool, the Bible, to help me in the preparation for the biggest battle of my life.  Help me to use it to overcome Satan when he attacks.  I am fighting for eternity and I want to win.   

Scripture: Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.  Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.  And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”  Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.  Matthew 4:1-11