Author Topic: Lessons from the Backcountry  (Read 29585 times)

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Richard Myers

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Re: Lessons from the Backcountry
« Reply #60 on: January 27, 2013, 08:28:00 AM »
Absolute truth!

Why is it that one who is so evil by nature could possible be associated with such purity as white fresh fallen snow?
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

JimB

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Re: Lessons from the Backcountry
« Reply #61 on: January 27, 2013, 09:04:24 AM »
Because they've come to Jesus that He might save them. Here a couple of Bible texts and a stanza out of a famous hymn that come to mind as I think about your question.

Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Rev_1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

From the hymn... "There is a Fountain Filled with Blood"

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.



By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.  {DA 291.1}

JimB

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Re: Lessons from the Backcountry
« Reply #62 on: October 12, 2014, 06:08:15 PM »


Ok everyone, meet Henry! I met Henry's owner on the trail one bright and wonderful Sabbath day. This isn't my typical lesson from the backcountry but since that is where I met him I'm putting the shared lesson here. :)

According the owner he rescued Henry from the a local pound earlier that week but had already developed a great attachment for his new owner as he was not happy with me approaching them and growled. However, just a few miles down the trail Henry liked me so much he wouldn't let me drink in peace which is why he is tied up in the picture. In the picture he may look a little dejected but trust me he is happy dog.

Now on to the "lesson from the  backcountry". Henry's owner and I decided to hike for a while together. So down the trail we went in this order. 1) Henry's owner 2) Henry  as close as he could get without bumping into his owner's heels 3) Me.

As we walked I was watching Henry and his relationship with his new owner who he obviously adored. Henry didn't care where he was going so long as he was with his owner. You could tell that he was a happy dog. So I got to thinking. Henry has no idea where he is going. He trusts his new master implicitly and just enjoys being in his company. He doesn't know what lies ahead around the next corner or top of the next hill but he is not worried about that. He is only worried that he doesn't leave his new master's side. Now there were times in crossing rickety old bridges that Henry would pause not wishing to cross over on such a contraption. However, with just a few encouraging words from his new master who was already on the other side of the bridge Henry would although somewhat reluctantly cross over in a hurry as if something was going to grab him part away across. Then there were other times when Henry would go where he shouldn't. At these times his owners tone of voice got sterner until Henry complied. On other parts of the trail Henry was not able to navigate because of his little short legs so Henry's master would pick him up and carry him. Henry also got lift from his master when other strange dogs appear and he didn't put Henry down until the "danger" had passed.

Is this not like our relationship with the Lord. We want and desire to be and stay in His presence. After we learn to trust our Lord we are no so concerned about tomorrow or what lays waiting for us around the corner. However, there are times when our trust may give sway a little and that's when we remember a promise from the Bible that encourages us to keep going. Then unfortunately there are times when we need correction for going our own way. Then there are greatest times when we know that the Lord is carrying us in His big protect arms keeping us from danger.
By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.  {DA 291.1}

Vicki

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Re: Lessons from the Backcountry
« Reply #63 on: October 13, 2014, 04:21:23 PM »
Awww, Henry is so cute! What a great hiking buddy he would be. Thanks for sharing the lesson; spot-on.

JimB

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Re: Lessons from the Backcountry
« Reply #64 on: May 04, 2015, 05:54:09 PM »


Joh 12:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

In order to live we must die. No matter how big, tough, and old we are. I realize we aren't looking at corn but the principle applies. There are other lessons I can think of but that was the first that came to mind when I saw this.
By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.  {DA 291.1}

Dorine

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Re: Lessons from the Backcountry
« Reply #65 on: May 05, 2015, 06:00:29 AM »
Henry touched my heart. Thank you for sharing that story and the spiritual lesson found there.
But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press  toward the mark. Phil. 3:13,14

Richard Myers

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Re: Lessons from the Backcountry
« Reply #66 on: May 06, 2015, 08:45:16 AM »
Amen, Dorine.  I missed the post on Henry until today!  The object lesson is as Vicki put it, spot on!

I have never seen a tree growing in such a manner.  It is a powerful revelation of the promise made to us, if we will abide in Christ, He who has the  "keys of hell and of death" will bring forth a new life out of death, both literally and spiritually.

Thanks for sharing the object lesson, Jim. It is right to the point. All around us in nature are object lessons that reveal the power of grace to transform sinners into saints. But, as you have shared, we must first die to self.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

JimB

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Re: Lessons from the Backcountry
« Reply #67 on: January 10, 2016, 08:52:19 PM »
This also isn't one my typical object lessons from the backcountry since there is no lesson take directly from the pictures themselves. However, the pictures doe represent the culmination of a wonderful day! It's representation of how much the Lord loves each of us! I want to tell you how the Lord gave me one the best birthday presents ever while I was on a backpacking trip.

That morning as we hiked along shoreline of Lake Superior the day started out kinda nasty with mist & fog and strong stiff wind coming off the lake. How strong you ask? Well take a look below. Notice the pant legs of my friends and the blue pack cover. In some ways it was kinda miserable since I had to remove my glasses because the mist was clouding them so I couldn't see but taking them off also presented problems.

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However, as the day went on the clouds, mist, and fog cleared up and brought us bright blue skies and sunshine. Like this.



Then since the weather cleared up and it was my birthday and I was at Lake Superior I couldn't resist jumping in for a swim even with blistered toes. Now that was refreshing and I just love swimming in Lake Superior. Clean, cold, crisp water makes one feel clean and refreshed and ready for anything. :) I thought the day couldn't any better than this after starting out so miserable. However, the Lord wasn't done putting on a show. Here was what I thought was a wonderful finish to a wonderful birthday.





At this point I couldn't ask much more I was with good christian friends out in God's creation enjoying the wonderful day an scenery that God was providing but even then the Lord wasn't done showing me His wonders. After the sun set we sat around fire talking about journey so far and what was to come the stars started coming out. One by one. Slowly at first. One would show up here and then there and then they started rapidly spreading across a truly dark sky. I don't get to see the stars like this very often so we just sat stared. Then I noticed something shinning above the lake. It didn't make sense to me. Lake Superior is too big to see lights from a city shinning the sky. Yet there it was. I couldn't figure it out so I pointed it out to my friend and he sat there for about a seconed before he exclaimed "the northern lights!!!"  The the Good Lord had His northern lights put a show on for us the likes that I had never seen.

The light grew until it filled across the sky. It would dance and skip. It was mostly green but would have light shades of red and and white. It would morph into different shapes and grow dim only to brighten up so much that it would reflect off the lake. It went on like this for 2 or 3 hours before decided to hit sack. The Lord is always good to us but that birthday will always be special in my mind.

I'm not that great at night time photography but here is a very small taste of what it looked like. If you'll click on it to make it larger and look at it in a darker room you can see the big dipper and fire light reflecting of the stones on the shore and it reflecting light coming off the lake.



So my friend. How is your life going? Does it seem that you're caught in a dreary day with fog, mist, rain and facing a stiff wind? Are the storms life trying to blow you one direction and then another? Keep close to Jesus and trust Him! In the end, in His time He will turn your stormy day into something spectacular that you can't forget.

Psa 8:3  When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
Psa 8:4  What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Psa 8:5  For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
Psa 8:6  Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
Psa 8:7  All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
Psa 8:8  The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
Psa 8:9  O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.  {DA 291.1}

Vicki

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Re: Lessons from the Backcountry
« Reply #68 on: January 11, 2016, 07:01:36 AM »
Amen! I think that's a spectacular photo of the northern lights since it includes the big dipper and campfire lights. Thanks for sharing your spectacular day...and night.

JimB

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Re: Lessons from the Backcountry
« Reply #69 on: July 30, 2016, 05:27:01 PM »
Took this picture standing underneath a ledge and looking almost straight up.



I'm wondering does anyone see a spiritual lesson in this picture?
By communion with God in nature, the mind is uplifted, and the heart finds rest.  {DA 291.1}

Ed Sutton

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Re: Lessons from the Backcountry
« Reply #70 on: July 31, 2016, 01:57:35 AM »
Coming up out of the Earth - The Lamb like beast that speaks as a dragon - USA in prophecy - that induces, seduces, enforces worship of the first beast - The Papacy, and the horns (symbols of it's power are no longer lamb like, but more like the dragon's horns - the dragon gave the first beast his power, seat, great authority; (horns); he must be loaning such to the second beast by now also. 
Grateful for Psalms 32 and Titus 2:10 - The divinity of Christ is acknowledged in the unity of the children of God.  {11MR 266.2}