Wilderness Survival Guide‚Ä® * Backpacking Trip 2009 * Seeing God in real life!

Here you will find the morning and evening devotions from this year’s backpacking trip.¬† They were originally published with in the C3y Wilderness Survival Guide.¬† I hope you enjoy them!

Devotion #1
In Wonder of our Creator
An excerpt from The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning

“Sir James Jeans, the famous British astronomer once said, “The universe appears to be designed by a Pure Mathematician.”  Joseph Campbell wrote of, “a perception of a cosmic order, mathematically definable.”  As they contemplated the order of the earth, the solar system, and the stellar universe, scientists and scholars have concluded that the Master Planner left nothing to chance.

The slant of the earth, for example, tilted at an angle of twenty-three degrees, produces our seasons.  Scientists tell us that if the earth had not been tilted exactly as it is, vapors from the oceans would move both north and south, piling up vast continents of ice.

If the moon were only 50,00 miles away from the earth instead of 250,000, the tides would be so enormous that all continents would be submerged in water––even the mountains would be eroded.
If the crust of the earth had only been ten feet thicker, there would be no oxygen, and without it all animal life would die.

If the oceans would have been a few feet deeper, carbon dioxide and oxygen would have been absorbed and no vegetable life would exist.

The earth‚Äôs weight has been estimated at six sextillion tons (that‚Äôs six with twenty-one zeros).¬† Yet it is perfectly balanced and turns easily on it‚Äôs axis.¬† It rotates daily at a rate of more than a thousand miles per hour, or 25,000 miles each day.¬† This adds up to nine million miles a year.¬† Considering the tremendous weight of six sextillion tons rolling at a fantastic speed around an invisible axis, held in place by unseen bands of gravitation, the words of Job 26:7 take on unparalleled significance: ‚Äú…He suspends the earth over nothing.‚Äù
The earth revolves in it’s own orbit around the sun, making the long elliptical circuit of about six hundred million miles each year––which means we are traveling through space at nineteen miles per second or 68,000 miles per hour.

Job further invites us to, “consider the marvelous works of God” (37:14).  Consider the sun.  Every square yard of the sun’s surface is emitting a constant energy level of 130,000 horsepower (that is, approximately 450 eight-cylinder automobile engines) in flames that are being produced by an energy source much more powerful than coal.

The nine major planets in our solar system range in a distance from the sun from 36 million to 3,664 million miles; yet each moves around the sun in exact precision, with it’s orbits ranging from 88 days for mercury to 248 years for pluto.

Still, the sun is only one minor star among the 100 billion burning orbs that comprise our Milky Way galaxy.  If you were to hold out a dime at an arm’s length while gazing at the night sky, the coin would block out 15 million stars from your view, if your eyes could see with that power.

When we attempt to to comprehend the almost countless stars and other heavenly bodies in our galaxy alone we resonate to Isaiah’s hymn of praise to the all powerful Creator: And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing.”

Small wonder that David cries out, “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” Psalm 8.

Devotion #2
Wilderness Navigation

Navigating the wilderness is quite different from the city.  There are no road signs telling you where you’re at and no people to ask for backcountry directions.  In fact, being lost in the wilderness can be so scary that some people die from it.  The number one reason for people dying in the wilderness when they’re lost is that they give up.  It’s not starvation or dehydration, it’s not bears or mountain lions, it’s fear.  Rescuers say that it is common to find lost people dead and sitting against a tree with their boots off.  They are so turned around that they sit down make themselves comfortable and die.  It’s really creepy!

Have you ever been lost?  I mean the type of lost that causes you to panic inside and feel helpless. I am sure most of us have experienced this type of lost at least in our childhood.  If you haven’t, I know you can imagine what it feels like to be lost in the wilderness.

So how does getting lost happen anyway?  Bad decisions, snow storms, rain storms, ill prepared, maybe it was a tragedy like a rock fall, flood, or avalanche, I’m not sure.  Whatever the cause is, it’s disorienting, terrifying, and lonely.

You know there are some real similarities between being lost in the wilderness and being spiritually lost.  A spiritually lost person could be lost because of tragedy, storms of life, bad decision making, or a neglect of taking one’s bearings.  Thankfully in the same way that people have given us instruction on how to survive being lost in the wilderness, God has given us instruction on finding Him.

The first thing God tells us is we do not need to be afraid of the dark!  “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105.  If we look to follow God’s word it will illuminate our lives.  In the same way that a flashlight in the wilderness will help us avoid hazards in the dark, the word of God helps us to avoid the hazards of sin and keeps us from destruction.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12.  I can’t help but think of the North Star (Polaris).  It is the one star that  is always fixed to North and can give you a bearing.  It has been used to navigate for thousands of years.  The Norse people (Vikings) called it the “Guide Star”.  The Inuit Eskimos called it “Never Moves”.  If we “fix our eyes on Jesus” Hebrews 12:2 we will always have our bearings.  He never changes and will lead us out of darkness and into a Godly life.

The second thing that God’s word shares with us about spiritual navigation is that we can do more than just survive, we can thrive.  Joshua 1:7-8 says, “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”  Joshua was getting ready to go to war against the people of Canaan.  Israel was an absolute underdog, they were out numbered, they were out gunned (can’t say out sworded), and they were attacking fortified cities.  Joshua only needed to be faithful to God and the Lord would do the rest.

We need to let God’s word be our compass.  The only way we can have an intimate relationship with our God and know the right path is to read His word.  The Bible is the only map for life that will keep us from getting lost and help us to thrive.  “How can a young man keep his way pure?  By living according to your word.  I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.  I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”   Psalm 119:9-11.

The third principal that our Heavenly Father teaches us about navigation is recovery.  Sometimes once you’re lost it seems so hard to find your way out, and we are tempted to accept defeat Рvery much like the lost people who die with their boots off.  God promises us that “(He) will never leave us or forsake us” Joshua 1:5.  Even if we feel recovery is impossible we only need cry out to God and He will answer.

I want to challenge you as you are on the trail to look for landmarks that can help you navigate. You can use a  mountain peak and keep track of its relation to you.  You can use the sun knowing that it rises in the east, travels across the south, and sets in the west.  You can also keep track of the river flow knowing that we will always be heading down stream.

Devotion #3
Shelter

If you find yourself in a survival situation you will need water, fire, shelter, and food if you plan on staying alive!  The order in which you prioritize these essentials depends on your situation.  If you are in a desert, water will be your priority.  If you are in the frozen tundras of Siberia shelter is of first importance.  Prioritizing needs is a key to any survival situation.

I believe the same is true for our spiritual survival.  There are times when we need to prioritize our spiritual needs.  You may be a person that loves the intellectual side of things (food).  So you spend most of your time learning about apologetics, the greek language, or reading commentaries. In focusing all your resources on the food you have forgotten to stoke your fire (worship).  Or may be you are going through a storm of life and you need to focus on your shelter.  It is essential for our spiritual survival to worship God (fire), to walk in the spirit and overflow (water), to abide in Christ (shelter), and to seek God in His word (food).

This devotion will be focusing on shelter.  I know that we can all relate to a time in our life when we’ve been in the midst of a storm and wanted to take refuge.  Here is a story from Matthew about when Jesus and His disciples were in a storm.

“Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!””  Matthew 8:23-27 NIV

We know that the disciples believed at this point that Jesus was their Messiah, but they didn’t understand everything.  Hence their astonishment at Jesus commanding the storm.  I want to give you three principles that we can learn from this story.

The first is storms will happen!  None of us like storms or trials in life because they bring pain with them.  We would rather have it easy and pain free the problem however is we live in a fallen world with sin.  It is impossible to be pain free.  Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.  We will have troubles but if we make our refuge in Him, He has overcome and some day we will too.  The disciples did the right thing crying out to Jesus because only he had the power to calm the storm.

The second principle is storms and trials test our faith and help us to grow stronger.  In the same way and athlete submits their body to painful training so that they can become stronger.  James writes, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4 TNIV.  Dealing with trials and storms not only helps us to achieve a greater faith in God but also prepares us to minister to others.

Finally we need to make God our refuge and our fortress.  King David writes, “The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?  The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” Psam 27:1 NIV.  We do not need to be afraid or worried in our storms because the Lord is an indestructible stronghold.  I saw the aftermath of the destructive power of Hurricane Katrina.  Homes leveled, trees pulled out of the ground!  Cars and boats on top of houses!  Praise God there is no force on earth, in heaven, or in all creation that can separate us from His love.  David goes on to say, “For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in his dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.” Psalm 27:5 NIV.

When I am enduring hard times I always remember the cross.  God went to such great lengths to grant me salvation.  He humbled Himself and became a man enduring the torture and the shame so that I could be made holy!  If God loves me enough to go to the cross and suffer as He did surely He will carry me through the storms.

Devotion #4
Fire

In the wilderness fire can make the difference between living and dying.  It not only allows you to cook, but it can purify water, scare away dangerous animals, keep you warm, give you light, signal for help, and bring comfort.  I love watching shows like Man vs Wild and Survivor Man.  The one thing that both Bear Grylls and Les Stroud always take the time for is making fire and they make sure to stoke the fire and keep it going.  A fire that can be started is no good if it dies in the middle of the night.

There are so many spiritual parallels that we can draw from fire.¬† The Bible says that God will be a ‚Äúrefiner’s fire‚Äù in Malachai 3:2.¬† The term refiner’s fire comes from purifying precious metals such as gold.¬† The refiner would melt down the gold in a fire and all the impurities or non-gold would float to the top and be discarded.¬† Paul tells us to put our efforts toward eternal things like sharing the Gospel rather than temporal things like accumulating wealth, ‚ÄúIt will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man‚Äôs work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.‚Äù 1 Corinthians 3:13-14 NIV.

God is also referred to as a consuming fire in Hebrews.  “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.”” Hebrews 12:28-29 NIV.  The author of Hebrews is reminding us to worship God with fear and reverence because He is holy!

Another illustration for fire is the Holy Spirit.  At pentecost when the gift of the Holy Spirit was given it is described as such, “They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” Acts 2:3-4 NIV.

Fire is also used to describe our spiritual temperature.  In Revelation chapter 3 Jesus is correcting the church in Laodicea and he says, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:15-16 NIV.  This passage tell us that there  are only three spiritual temperatures we can have.  The first is cold, which means you have no understanding of God.  You are spiritually dead.  The second temperature is lukewarm.  This is the person who has the knowledge of God but lives carnally or for the flesh.  These people attend church but the things of this world are of greater importance than God’s kingdom.  The last temperature is the one that we want to strive for, burning hot and on fire for the Lord.   This Christian loves the Lord and puts the emphasis on living for eternity rather than the here and now.  This is the person who would rather store up treasures in heaven than here on earth.  Their desire is to please God!

The last illustration I want to share about fire is that it can be a beacon for rescuers.  Only in this case we Christians are to be the beacon showing the way to the rescuer Jesus Christ.  In Jesus’ sermon on the mount he taught this, ““You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 NIV.  We are to be living our lives and using our talents in such a way to draw people to Jesus.  This is truly “on-fire” living.

How is your fire?  Have you kept it burning strong and focused on things that please God.  Have you been trying to lead people to Jesus?  Remember in order to keep a fire burning you have to tend it and stoke it.  Jesus said, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:7-8 NIV.

If you have let your fire burn out there are a couple things you need to know.  The cold can overtake you causing you to become numb and lethargic taking away your will to survive.  One of the signs of hypothermia setting in is the overwhelming desire to sleep and give up.  Don’t do it!  The Bible tells us, “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Ephesians 5:14 NIV.  Take care and guard your fire dear Christian!

Devotion #5
Traps and Snares

If you find yourself in a survival situation eventually you are going to need food.  Unless you have an intimate knowledge of edible plants the risk is to great to eat vegetation.  Less than a half teaspoon of the wrong plant can kill you.  Other poisonous plants can cause sickness including vomiting, diarrhea, intense stomach cramping, fever, and dehydration.  So you will have to plan on getting your food another way.  You are going to need to set some traps or snares.

There are many different types of traps: deadfalls, snares, spring spears, and pitfalls.  The idea is to mangle, strangle, dangle, or tangle your prey.  Remember that animals are surviving everyday of their existence, so if you are going to trap them you will need to follow some basic rules if you want to be successful.  First, set the traps near game trails or homes of the animals (fallen logs or burrows).  Avoid disturbing the normal environment as much as possible.  Second, you will need good bait.  Because it is impossible to completely disguise your scent the bait must be enticing enough that the animal will discard it’s inhibitions and go for it.  Third, you must camouflage your trap well.  Hide fresh cut ends of wood with mud and cover any snare on the ground to blend it in as naturally as possible.  You want the animal to believe that it is safe and the environment is normal.  Lastly, make your trap strong!  Remember the animal will be fighting for it’s life once it realizes the trap.  It will expend a great amount of energy to break your trap and any weakness in the snare will be exposed.
You know when you think about the rules of setting effective traps and snares they apply to us spiritually.  Satan uses the same strategies to mangle, strangle, dangle, and tangle us.  The Bible tells us, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 TNIV.  Paul also warns us to be on our guard, “in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” 2 Corinthians 2:11 NIV.  Explore this idea for a moment with me.

Rule #1 Set traps on the game trails or near the homes of animals.  We are most tempted to sin when we fill safe and have let down are guard.  It is not on the mission field or when your serving the homeless breakfast that we are most tempted, rather it is in the everyday stuff that we fall into Satan’s snares.  Paul says, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 NIV.  Do not allow yourself to be comfortable or flirt with temptation rather we are to trust in God and walk in faith.

Rule #2 Use bait that is so enticing the animal will not listen to it’s inhibitions.  “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” Genesis 3:6 NIV.  It is only desirable things that we are baited with.  You may not be tempted by fruit off a tree but I am sure you can identify with Adam and Eve.  It will always be things that are pleasing to the eye or we believe will bring some sense of satisfaction that we need to be cautious of.

Rule #3 Camouflage and hide the trap well.  If we could all see the pain that sinful choices cause in our lives and the lives of others we would be less likely to fall into temptation.  I assure you that if an animal knows the the bait will lead it to be mangled, strangled, dangled, or tangled it would never go for it. Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia states, “the one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Galatians 6:8 NIV.  We must remember that if we desire to satisfy our temptation it will destroy our relationships, our families, and ultimately us.  Paul writes, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 NIV.

Rule #4 Make the trap strong enough that the animal will not escape.  I praise God that He has provided a way out of the Devil’s traps.  Speaking of Jesus Christ Hebrews says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:15-16 NIV.

Devotion #6
Wilderness First Aid

When no professional medical help is available the survivor may need to undertake first aid in order to stay alive!  The dangers of surviving in the wilderness by yourself are numerous hypothermia, heat exhaustion, altitude sickness, burns, wounds, etc.  Most of these health risks can be avoided with proper care and prevention.  It is essential for you to be proactive and not allow a problem or a potential hazard to get worse.  Take hypothermia for example it is caused by the dropping of the body’s core temperature below 98.6 degrees.  As the body is no longer able to maintain a constant core temperature normal body functions begin to slow down.

Stage 1 the body temperature drops 2-3 degrees causing mild to strong shivering.  The blood vessels to the body’s extremities begin to constrict causing the hands and feet to become numb.  Complex tasks are no longer possible with the fingers.  Victims may feel sick to their stomach or tired.  As they move into Stage 2 the victim may feel a warm sensation.  At this point the body has dropped it’s core temperature 4-8 degrees.  Shivering becomes more violent. Muscle mis-coordination becomes apparent.  Movements are slow and labored, accompanied by a stumbling pace and mild confusion, although the victim may appear alert. Surface blood vessels contract further as the body focuses its remaining resources on keeping the vital organs warm. The victim becomes pale. Lips, ears, fingers and toes may become blue. Finally, Stage 3 occurs with the body temperature dropping below 89.6 degrees.  Shivering usually stops, difficulty speaking, sluggish thinking, and amnesia start to appear; inability to use hands and stumbling is also usually present.  Below 86.0 degrees, the exposed skin becomes blue and puffy, muscle coordination becomes very poor, walking becomes almost impossible, and the victim exhibits incoherent/irrational behavior including terminal burrowing or even a stupor. Pulse and respiration rates decrease significantly, but fast heart rates can occur. Major organs fail. Clinical death occurs.

No one starts at stage 3, rather they fail to act in stage 1.  Our spiritual life is much the same.  It is always little compromises that make us lose our sensitivity to the truths of God.  Before we know it we find ourselves far from God.  In the Bible Isaiah gives a prophecy concerning the religious leaders of Israel, “The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.” (Is 29:13 NIV).  They had put their trust in themselves and their religion rather than in God.  You may not be a religious leader but you are very capable of making the same mistake.  Deciding right and wrong for yourself and making compromises, flirting with temptation and pursuing after sin all evidence of man made religion versus God ordained worship.

When King David was in need of first aid this was what he prayed…
“I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare. Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD. I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly. Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me. For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me. Be pleased, O LORD, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me. May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace. May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” be appalled at their own shame. But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, “The LORD be exalted!” Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay.” Psalm 40:1-17 NIV.

Devotion by Aurora Taylor

“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be     ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.”
Titus 3:1-2 NIV.

Something that embarrassed me often was when my ‚ÄúChristian‚Äù friends would talk about going to church or saying that they‚Äôre followers of God… but they‚Äôd sport this attitude that was way far from being a Christian. I didn‚Äôt, and still don‚Äôt, like people thinking that Christians are just like the rest of the world. This world totally sucks! One thing that sucks is that THIS WORLD HAS PAIN, death, heartbreak, and lies. Then there is the fact that you can get cancer or terribly sick for no reason at all. You can have a zillion friends one day, then the next day they all hate you. So WHY would someone want to be a Christian if to them a Christian is just like the rest of the world? Really? Think about it.

Some easy ways to show that you‚Äôre a real Christian is to not join a group of people who are gossiping. Speak up and say that it‚Äôs not cool, if they don‚Äôt listen then leave. ‚Äú…whoever spreads slander is a fool. …but he who holds his tongue is wise.‚Äù Proverbs 10:18-19 NIV. Don‚Äôt cuss!! It‚Äôs ugly, in my opinion, and also God said not to swear. But even some good people who aren‚Äôt Christians do that. So how can you be even more different? LIVE FOR GOD. Tell your friends about him and what He did in your life and what He can do for them. (i.e. He can give them eternal life in Heaven with no pain or suffering!) ‚Äúthat everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.‚Äù John 3:15 NIV. Praise him! Show people why life with God is AMAZING!! I‚Äôm trying my best to do that, why not do it with me? (: