Enjoy God's Creation

Good evening. What a wonderful event. I was blessed to be here last year and have looked forward to this all year. If you haven’t participated in a Faith and Feathers event as a volunteer or participant I highly encourage you to do so

For those who do not know me, my name is Josh Smith. I am a Christian chasing Jesus with all that I have and all that I am. God has blessed me with a beautiful Bride Melody and two amazing boys Trenton and Logan and a soon to be daughter in law Claire who is engaged to my youngest son Logan.

God also blessed me in my career as a Pastor at Community Christian Church, a 2nd grade special education behavior teacher and a coach

I pray that God blesses you tonight or convicts you tonight or edifies you tonight. I pray that God gives you exactly what you need tonight

Let’s Pray

Outdoors men and women. You all are a different breed. When I see hunters and outdoor enthusiasts I see extreme dedication

I am not what I would call and outdoor enthusiast. I mean I go outside to get into my truck......I have hunted in the past, mainly deer and turkey

I went duck hunting on opening day one year with my brother Jefferson, who I am sure most of you know

We spent the night in the marsh in the boats to get the good spot the next morning

Dedication

We went walking around through hip deep water.

Dedication

He thoroughly enjoyed all of that

Dedication

Bow hunters spend so many hours in practice and scouting and preparing

Climbing super high trees…I am out there.....I may be big but I am petrified of heights

All to bring down a deer then spend hours processing or money processing it and if they are blessed to get a nice buck spend money mounting it

Those who camp....I love to camp.....in a camper with electric hook ups and air conditioning

Those who camp spend so much time and money in campers and gear and lots of time invested in actual camping rain or shine

Dedication

Those who are true outdoors men and women are a dedicated group of people

Human dedication is a double edge sword

On one hand it is good....dedicated to school=good grades

Dedicated to sport=good results

dedicated to family=healthy family

dedicated to work=security in your job

However human dedication can quickly become idolatry

I know the battle with idolatry all too well and as a human will continue to battle it until Jesus returns or he promotes me to heaven when he calls me home

As I said when I introduced myself....I am first and foremost a Christian

A Christian who is a pastor, father, husband, teacher and coach

This is my first year back in coaching as I took about 5 or 6 years off when God called me to be the pastor at Community

Before that I coached football and wrestling for about 7 or 8 years

Much of that time coaching was an idol in my life

It consumed all that I did

all that I thought

it defined me and my self-worth

I was doing a good and noble thing, just as hunting and fishing and the outdoors are good things.....you can learn many lasting life lessons from the Holy Spirit as you do those things but they can also very quickly become idols

I was doing something very good but for very wrong reasons and a horribly wrong heart

I was driven by pride

I was driven by selfish motives

God showed me at Men’s Encounter in 2015 that I was doing it all wrong

I wasn’t doing it from Him, for Him and to bring Him glory

I was doing it from me, for me and to bring me glory

I got real with God that November weekend and He changed me from the inside out. That weekend I truly placed God as my top priority and returned Jesus to His rightful place as Lord and Savior of my life

I love to coach kids

I love to teach kids

I love to see them get it....the light bulb to go on and watch them grown and succeed

I love being a Pastor

I love being able to teach about God’s Word

I love to preach and bring God’s Word

I truly love those things but I must love God more than those things or they become idols

Dedication so quickly can become making something an idol

If you have a Bible or a phone with a Bible turn to

Mark 7:1–16

Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. 2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. 3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. 5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands? 6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9 And he said unto them, Full well ye hreject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. 10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: 11 But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. 12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; 13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

14 And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. 16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

I was drawn here by verse 8-9

8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition

But I felt like I needed to read the whole scripture to paint the entire picture

Tradition is powerful

Both powerful in a good way and in a evil way

One question I asked my church leaders when I was called to Community was this....are we doing this for tradition or for God’s glory

We must ask God to show us our hearts

Am I doing this....hunting…fishing…camping…work…family…ministry....put any activity or hobby here....for You and Your glory or for tradition or for me and my glory?

I have seen wonderful ministry happen in the outdoors.....I believe the men called to lead Faith and Feathers do this truly to minister and share Jesus with others through something they are passionate about in hunting

Praise God for that…but they also must have God check their hearts

The Bible says in Jeremiah 17:9-10 that our hearts are desperately wicked so if we ask ourselves if we are doing things for the right reasons we will always answer yes

If we ask ourselves do we have idols we will always answer no

That is why you must ask God to show you your heart because In Jeremiah it also says who can know your heart except God

Idols are tricky

Today most don’t openly worship objects but they do in their hearts

Every day you need to ask God to show you if you have any idols

And if so you must crush them

Nothing else on this earth matters except finishing the race.....gaining the crown of salvation....making it to heaven and growing in Christian maturity and sharing the Gospel with those around us.....Loving others as Christ loves you

Nothing wrong with hobbies and hunting and the outdoors and dedication as long as you love the creator more than the creation.

I challenge you to ask God tonight to show you your heart and to respond accordingly to what He shows you.

Let’s Pray