WHAT SIGN GIVEN TO THE SHEPHERDS?

STONE MANGER IN BETHLEHEM

JESUS IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.  He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them."   John 10:11-12 NASB


JOSEPH AND MARY WENT TO BETHLEHEM, BECAUSE OF CAESAR'S CENSUS
Mary  "...she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."  

Luke 2:7 NASB

SHEPHERD WERE KEEPING WATCH AT NIGHT
"And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened."  Luke 2:9 NASB  


GOOD NEWS
"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."  Luke 2:10 NAS


SIGN TO THE SHEPHERDS
"This will be a sign for you:  you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.  And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."   Luke 2:12-14 NAS


THE SHEPHERDS SEARCHED
"So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.  When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this child.  And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds."  Luke 2:16-18 NAS


Born this day in Bethlehem, the Savior, Messiah, Lord, and Good Shepherd.
"But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler of Israel..."  Micah 5:2 NASB

Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd, and I know my own and my own know me..."   John 10:14 NASB

STANSBURY ISLAND ROAD

    Enjoy riding your mountain bike down the road to the north side of the Island where you'll find a restroom, several kiosks and a hiking trail to the salt flats.

MILEAGE: 17 miles total

ELEVATION GAIN: 180'

DIRECTIONS: Take I-80 west toward Wendover, do not take the Tooele exit but continue on I-80 west to exit 84 (SR 138). 

After you exit take the Broken Arrow Salt road (dirt) and do not take the Grantsville road.  

You'll cross the railroad twice.  GPS: 40.806380, -112.520406

Travel on the main dirt road 7.1 miles until you come upon a sign: 

STANSBURY ISLAND INTERPRETIVE TRAIL where you'll see a parking loop marked with large boulders on the right side of the road.   

Do not turn left and follow the road to the salt plant toward the lake.  Keep driving straight past the gravel pit and look for the above sign.

NO RESTROOMS at the trailhead. 

GRAND CANYON BACKPACKING LIST

HIKING RIM TO RIM

 GOD HAS CREATED A 

GRAND WONDER!

BACKPACK:  Find a light weight backpack that fits your body and feels comfortable on your shoulders.

FOOT WEAR:  Wear hiking shoes that have toe protection, good traction, and protects the bottoms of your feet from sharp gravel.  Everyone needs to bring Bandaids or Moleskin for their feet.  Cut toenails before hiking to avoid black toenails.  Bring sandals to play in streams.  

HIKING POLES:  Everyone needs poles!  When you carry 30lbs on your back, it is easy to fall over. 

 

TAKE BREAKS

CAMELBACK and WATER BOTTLE(s):  Make sure you carry enough water between water spigots.  A separate water bottle is good to mix powder electrolytes.   The water system may be down, be prepared to filter water from the stream.

SUN PROTECTION:  Apply sunscreen, wear UV protective clothing, hat, sunglasses, and long clothing.

BRING A LIGHT WEIGHT CAMERA

CAMERA:  Make sure you bring extra batteries, lens tissue, and SD cards. This is a once in a lifetime experience.

TRAIL SNACKS:  High energy foods, bars, trail mix, fruit, nuts, electrolytes gummies and salty foods. 

CAMPWARE:  Bring a one burner stove, small can of fuel, titanium pan with a lid, drinking cup/mug, bowl, and a spork.  To cut down on weight, some people share cans of fuel.

BREAKFAST:  Oatmeal in a zip lock bag or paper pouch.  Orange peels and Apple cores can be disposed of in a few compost restrooms in the Grand Canyon.

LUNCH:  Sandwich, fruit, trailmix etc.

DINNER:  Freeze dried food, or make your own meal.

NORTH KAIBAB TRAIL

FIRST AID:  Bandaids, moleskin, ankle wrap, roll bandage, Ibuprofen, pocket knife, toe nail clippers, and anything you might need.

RAIN JACKET:   You might enjoy getting wet, but it is always good to pack a rain jacket so you don't get hypothermia. You may need a rain cover for your backpack too.

GARBAGE BAG:  Most backpackers take out a large zip lock bag full of garbage. Remove all packaging from food items, and put the contents in labeled zip lock bags.  

TOILET:  Not everyone needs to carry a plastic shovel; but everyone needs to bring their own toliet paper.  Bring a zip lock bag, to carry out all tissue and baby wipes.  It is illegal to bury or burn.

TOILETRIES:  Small toothbrush, mini tooth paste, floss, soap, hand sanitizer, baby wipes,

TENT:  The smaller and lighter your tent, the more fun you'll have hiking.  A two men tent is great to share with someone and each person can carry half.   We do not recommend you sleeping on the ground, because of critters.

To protect your tent from damage, use a tarp, space blanket or footprint.

SLEEPING BAG:  Lightweight sleeping bag.

On the Rims it can drop to 30's at night, and at the bottom of the canyon, it may be so warm, you'll have to sleep on top of your bag.

Make sure you have clean clothes, wool socks, and knit hat (cold season) to sleep in.

Bring a therma rest or air mattress to help you stay warm at night.

COLORADO RIVER SILVER BRIDGE

CELL PHONES:  May not work below the Rim.  Emergency phones are placed at campgrounds, and rest houses along the corridor trails.

CLOTHING:  Wick dry clothing is light weight, dries fast, and doesn't hold odor like other fabrics.

MAPS:  One map, GPS or trail book is needed for each group hiking.    

IPODS:  Leave your music at home and experience the sounds of the Grand Canyon.

This is not a perfect list, you may need other items depending on the weather and time of your Grand Canyon visit.

THISTLES AND THE BIBLE

MUSK THISTLE

According to the Utah Weed Control Association there are 27 noxious weeds.
What does the Bible say about Thorns and Thistles?




Class A weeds have a relatively low population size within the State and are of highest priority being an Early Detection Rapid Response weed.

• Black Henbane
• Diffuse Knapweed
• Johnson grass
• Leafy Spurge
• Medusahead
• Oxeye Daisy
• Purple Loosestrife
• St. Johnswort
• Spotted Knapweed
• Sulfur Cinquefoil
• Yellow Starthistle
• Yellow Toadflax

Class B weeds have a moderate population throughout the State and generally are thought to be controllable in most areas.

• Bermudagrass
• Dalmatian Toadflax
• Dyer's Woad
• Hoary Cress
• Musk Thistle
• Perennial Pepperweed
• Poison Hemlock
• Russian Knapweed
• Squarrose Knapweed
• Scotch Thistle

Class C weeds are found extensively in the State and are thought to be beyond control. Statewide efforts would generally be towards containment of smaller infestations

• Canada Thistle
• Field Bindweed
• Houndstongue
• Quackgrass
• Saltcedar better known as the Tamarix

THORNS AND THISTLES ARE A RESULT OF MAN's FALL
"Then to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it';  Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life.  Both THORNS and THISTLES it shall grow for you; And you shall eat the plants of the field.  By the sweat of your face You shall eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return."  Genesis 3:17-19 NAS

"For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.  For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields THORNS and THISTLES, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned."  Hebrews 6:4-8 NAS

CONCLUSION:
Thorns, thistles and noxious weeds are a result of the fall of Adam and Eve.   Most noxious weeds are difficult to control because of their deep roots, and abundance of seeds.   Noxious weeds take over grazing fields, drain water from streams and rivers, and even poison livestock.
From the THORN bush a crown of thorns was  made for Jesus Christ.  

WANT FRIENDS?

Why is it so easy for some to make friends, while others struggle?

FELLOWSHIP:  If you stay home watching TV all the time how are you going to make friends?  The Bible says,  "...let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as it is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."  Hebrews 10:24-25 NAS

REGARD others as greater than you.    You won't find many friends if you think more highly about yourself than others.   Do you always talk about yourself?
"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;" Philippians 2:3 NAS

INITIATES friendships.   It is up to you to initiate friendships, whether meeting people for the first time, or staying in contact of those who you know.
"A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."  Proverbs 18:24 NKJV

ENCOURAGER.   You need to be the encourager in all relationships.
"Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing."  I Thessalonians 5:11 NAS

NEAR to God.   People are attracted to Godly people.
"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you..."  James 4:8 NAS

DOES NOT keep accounts of all the bad things that people did to me.
"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all thing."  I Corinthians 13:4-7 NAS

SERVES one another.   Christ has set the example to serve others.
"But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."  Mark 10:43-45 NAS

CONCLUSION
If you want friends, you must show your faith by your actions.

SNAKE BITE AND THE BIBLE

THE SHIPWRECK
After a horrible stormy night, being blown off course, Paul had convinced everyone on the ship to eat and stay onboard until the morning after anchoring the ship down by an island.  In the morning, they cut the four anchors and floated the ship in, digging into a sandbar, perhaps in St. Thomas Bay.   The ship's stern started to break up by the pounding surf.  Paul convinced the soldiers not to kill the prisoners onboard; but to let them swim to shore.

WELCOME TO MALTA
"When they had been brought safely through, then we found out that the island was called Malta.  The natives showed us extraordinary kindness; for because of the rain that had set in and because of the cold, they kindled a fire and received us all."     
Acts 28:1-2 NAS

PAUL WITH HIS VISION PROBLEM DID NOT SEE THE VIPER
"But when Paul had gathered a bundled of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand."
 Acts 28:3 NAS

THE MALTESE PEOPLE IDENTIFIED THE SNAKE AS VENOMOUS
"When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, "Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live."  Acts 28:4 NAS

PAUL WASN'T HARMED
"However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm."  Acts 28:5 NAS

THE MALTESE PEOPLE WERE AMAZED HE'S ALIVE
"But they were expecting that he was about to swell up or suddenly fall down dead.  But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god."  Acts 28:6 NAS

CONCLUSION
Today on Malta there are non-venomous vipers:  Black Whip snakes and Leopard snakes.   And only the Cat snake has only the poison to kill small animals.  

Skeptics today say that the Apostle Paul was bitten by the non-venomous Leopard snake.   And maybe the Natives got confused and that it looked like another more venomous snake.    (In the US, some people have a hard time identifying the venomous Coral snake and the harmless Scarlet King snake.)

On the other hand, the Maltese were superstitious people, and had folklore that after Paul was bitten, all the snakes on Malta became non-venomous.

Most likely there were venomous vipers dwelling on the Island and the natives were familiar with identifying venomous snakes and had experience with seeing people bitten and die.  

The venomous South Italian Asp viper lives nearby in Sicily and Italy.   A bite to the hand would be very painful, vision would be impaired,  arm would become numb, he would have breathing problems and possibly die.

Poisonous vipers also live in Turkey, where the ship Paul boarded was from.   Could the snake be a stowaway that found it's way to shore?  

Snakes can give a wet bite or a dry bite.  Maybe God caused the snake not to inject the venom--a dry bite. God protected the Apostle Paul from a bite from a venomous snake bite.  Paul's mission was to go to Rome and proclaim the gospel. 

RAINBOW RIM MOUNTAIN BIKING

GRAND CANYON NORTH RIM

                  God created, the GRAND CANYON  

 The Rainbow Rim trail is one of the ten must do mountain bike rides in the west!  It is pure insanity to try to ride it out and back in one day.   Even doing it in two days can be a hard ride, so make sure you get in condition before coming.

We camped at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and it took 1 1/2 hours to drive to the trailheads each day, and 1 1/2 hours back to the campground.   We liked the general store, showers and other amenities in the park.

You can shave 1/2 hour drive time each day if you camp at the Demotte Campground.   Or better yet if you like primitive camping you might camp near the Rainbow Rim trailheads.

There are no restrooms at the trailheads, just bushes.
Bring TP and a zip-lock bag, because you can't bury or burn any TP.
Bring extra water, and maybe even sports drinks to replenish electrolytes.
Salty snacks and a good lunch is needed.    Bring a wind breaker or rain jacket.
We got cell phone coverage at Parissawpitts Point, but not other places on the trail.

PARISSAWAPITTS POINT

PARISSAWPITTS POINT to LOCUST POINT

This is the harder ride, with some sweet down-hills on the return ride. There are some steep ups and downs. The trail has rocks, and there are a few logs to climb over.
When you come to FENCE POINT, you'll see a marker with an arrow and a circle. This is a side trail that drops down to the overlook. 
MILEAGE: 16 miles (out and back).
ELEVATION GAIN: 750'
RATINGS:  Intermediate technical
RIDE TIME with stops:  6 hours
DIRECTIONS:  South of the Demotte Campground, take FR 22 travel west 10 1/2 miles, turn left on FR 206 and travel 3 1/2 miles, then turn right on FR 214 and travel 8 miles out to Parissawapitts Point.

NORTH TIMP POINT

TIMP POINT to NORTH TIMP POINT

For novice riders this would be a great sampler of the Rainbow Rim trail.  The ride is smooth, and the elevation gain is minimal.   This makes a wonderful ride for tourists.
RATINGS:  Moderate technical
MILEAGE: 7 miles (out and back)
RIDE TIME with stops: 3 hours
DIRECTIONS:  South of the Demotte Campground, take FR 22 travel west 10 1/2 miles, turn left on FR 206 and travel 5 miles, then turn right on FR 271 and travel 8 miles out to Timp Point.  FR 271 has some deep ruts and may not be good for low riders or 2W drive vehicles on rainy days.

TIMP POINT

TIMP POINT to LOCUST POINT

MILEAGE: 16 miles (out and back)
ELEVATION GAIN: 750'
RATINGS: Intermediate technical
RIDE TIME with stops: 6 hours
TIMP POINT:  Look for the marker with an arrow and a circle, this is the trail to the overlook.  The Rainbow Rim trail is to the right with a Hiking trail marker.

FUTURE TRAIL CONSTRUCTION
The Rainbow Rim trail may be expanding east from TIMP Point.

CARBON MONOXIDE and THE BIBLE

Amazing story of a young man 

who is overcome by carbon monoxide 

in the New Testament.

CARBON MONOXIDE is a deadly, colorless, odorless gas produced by the incomplete burning of coal, wood, charcoal, oil, kerosene, and other fuels.   Symptoms of CO poisoning include mental nausea, dizziness, loss of consciousness and death.

SUNDAY NIGHT SERMON
"On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight."  Acts 20:7 NASB

MANY LAMPS BURNING
"There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together."  Acts 20:8

YOUNG MAN SITTING IN THE WINDOW
"And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead."  Acts 20:9 NASB

HEALING
"But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, "Do not be troubled, for his life is in him."  ACTS 20:10 NASB

TALKED ALL NIGHT LONG
"When he had gone back up and had broken the bread and eaten, he talked with them a long while until daybreak, and then left.  They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted."  ACTS 20:11 NASB

CONCLUSION
What could have been a disaster for his farewell message, to the elders of Ephesus in Troas, a young man overcomed by carbon monoxide falls to his death.  But God brings Eutychus back to life, bringing joy to everyone.