Did you hear God say, "I love you" last week?

If not, perhaps you'll hear it today.

Your greatest need, whether you recognize it or not, is love.  You expend vast amounts of energy seeking to be loved.  You want to be appreciated, respected, looked up to, cherished, befriended, approved, valued, etc.  Like me, you probably also get caught seeking to satisfy this need apart from God.  At times I easily forget  the only place where my greatest need is met.  This is why you have to read Isaiah 43, to hear straight from God's mouth that He loves us, that He loves you (see verse 4).  Then take a moment to circle all the ways in chapter 43 that you see God's love for His people, and for you too.

I overheard an interview this weekend of the lead singer from Tenth Avenue North.  He said that so often we look for God's love in the circumstances of our lives.  Meaning we feel that God loves us because of a certain provision that day, or a way that He blessed us.  Then he profoundly pointed out that we should look, not at circumstances, but at what God has done on the cross.

The greatest expression of God's love for you has already been spoken.  Jesus Christ on the cross is the biggest, loudest, most affirming "I love you" that has ever been communicated.  It is Christ's sacrifice that is the entire reason why you can read Isaiah 43:4 and hear that verse as words spoken to you.  Don't let your circumstances, whatever they might be, blind you from the reality and intensity of God's love for you in Christ Jesus.

Devotional Passages for the Week of September 25- October 2

Sunday: Isaiah 45:11-48:11, Ephesians 4:1-16, Psalm 68:19-35, Proverbs 24:3-4

Monday: Isaiah 48:12-50:11, Ephesians 4:17-32, Psalm 69:1-18, Proverbs 24:5-6

Tuesday: Isaiah 51:1-53:12,Ephesians 5:1-33, Psalm 69:19-36, Proverbs 24:7

Wednesday: Isaiah 54:1-57:14, Ephesians 6:1-24, Psalm 70:1-5, Proverbs 24:8

Thursday: Isaiah 57:15-59:21, Philippians 1:1-26, Psalm 71:1-24, Proverbs 24:9-10

Friday: Isaiah 60:1-62:5, Philippians 1:27-2:18, Psalm 72:1-20, Proverbs 24:11-12

Saturday: Isaiah 62:6-65:25, Philippians 2:19-3:3, Psalm 73:1-28, Proverbs 24:13-14

Sunday: Isaiah 66:1-24, Philippians 3:4-21, Psalm 74:1-23, Proverbs 24:15-16

Relive Summer Life Night At The Que: Summer One

Relive Summer Life Night at Lake Gloria: Summer One

Don't Begrudge Your Hardships

 Do not be annoyed with the difficulties you face. Isaiah 26 helps us see a profound truth about hardships.

"For when your [God's] judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. If favor is shown to the wicked, he does not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness he deals corruptly and does not see the majesty of the LORD." Isaiah 26:9-10 

When met in the proper way, hardships help people see and live rightly towards God. Ironically, favor has just the opposite effect, particularly on those who oppose God. When their lives are easy they fall into even deeper patterns of sin and corruption. This is often true of believer's lives as well.  In times of favor and ease we go on our merry way, forgetting God.  So do not begrudge, resent, or be annoyed with your current difficulties.  It might very well be that God is disciplining you so that you can see and enjoy His majesty. 

"O LORD, in distress they sought you; they poured out a whispered prayer when your discipline was upon them."  Isaiah 26:16

Do You Feel Distant From God?

Devotional Passages for the Week of September 19-25

Monday: Isaiah 30:12-33:9, Galatians 5:1-12, Psalm 63:1-11, Proverbs 23:22

Tuesday: Isaiah 33:10-36:22, Galatians 5:13-26, Psalm 64:1-10, Proverbs 23:23

Wednesday: Isaiah 37:1-38:22, Galatians 6:1-18, Psalm 65:1-13, Proverbs 23:24

Thursday: Isaiah 39:1-41:16, Ephesians 1:1-23, Psalm 66:1-20, Proverbs 23:25-28

Friday: Isaiah 41:17-43:13, Ephesians 2:1-22, Psalm 67:1-7, Proverbs 23:29-35

Saturday: Isaiah 43:14-45:10, Ephesians 3:1-21, Psalm 68:1-18, Proverbs 24:1-2

Sunday: Isaiah 45:11-48:11, Ephesians 4:1-16, Psalm 68:19-35, Proverbs 24:3-4

Relive Summer Life Night At Lake Gloria

Relive Summer Life Night At The Que

In God We Trust

"When I am afraid I put my trust in you.  In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid."  Psalm 56:3-4 

^{There is no "if".  "When I am afraid" is the statement.  We all deal with fears.  We can call it anxiety, worry, fretting, panic, distress.  Whatever we call it, it boils down to us being afraid.  What I love about this verse is it tells us exactly what to do when we have these feelings.  Its a very practical verse.  Put your trust in God.  When you are tempted to be overwhelmed by feelings of fear, open your Bible and remember who God is, remember His promises, remember His power and control.  He is not up in Heaven biting his fingernails.  Trust Him.  Pray and commit yourself to him.  Give up all your fears to Him, because He cares for you. (I Peter 5:7)}

Devotional Passages for the Week of September 11-17

We will again be posting suggested Scripture verses for you to read.  Every week there will be Old Testament & New Testament passages, as well as a Psalm and Proverb.  Know that your ability to live faithfully outside of the camp gates are directly tied in with your reading or lack of reading the Bible.  Make it a point to print out these readings every week and sticking them in your Bible.  Don't feel like you have to read it all.  Pick a passage or two a day, then read and pray.  If you would like to comment on something you read, just click on "comment" at the bottom of this list.  Let us know how you are growing through your reading of Scripture or ask a question, we'll post your comment and respond to you.  We'll keep posting our own devotional thoughts once a week.  Next devo will be up tomorrow. 

Sunday: Isaiah 8:1-9:21, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, Psalm 55:1-23, Proverbs 23:4-5

Monday: Isaiah 10:1-11:16, 2 Corinthians 12:11-21, Psalm 56:1-13, Proverbs 23:6-8

Tuesday: Isaiah 12:1-14:32, 2 Corinthians 13:1-14, Psalm 57:1-11, Proverbs 23:9-11

Wednesday: Isaiah 15:1-18:7, Galatians 1:1-24, Psalm 58:1-11, Proverbs 23:12

Thursday: Isaiah 19:1-21:17, Galatians 2:1-16, Psalm 59:1-17, Proverbs 23:13-14

Friday: Isaiah 22:1-24:23, Galatians 2:17-3:9, Psalm 60:1-12, Proverbs 23:15-16

Saturday: Isaiah 25:1-28:13, Galatians 3:10-22, Psalm 61:1-8, Proverbs 23:17-18

Sunday: Isaiah 28:14-30:11, Galatians 3:23-4:31, Psalm 62:1-12, Proverbs 23:19-21

Monday:  Isaiah 30:12-33:9, Galatians 5:1-12, Psalm 63:1-11, Proverbs 23:22

Living Amidst Affliction

In what are you being afflicted?  Have you been benched by an injury?  Is there strife in your family or friendships?  Are you dealing with anxiety, discouragement, or disappointment?  For the Macedonians  affliction meant extreme poverty.  It is how they handled this affliction that is so amazing.  What might we learn from them?

"We want you to know brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.  For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints- and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us."  2 Corinthians 8:1-5

How?
 How in the world did they have an abundance of joy in the midst of a severe test of affliction?  Most of us only need a touch of affliction in our lives to become severely cranky.  The writer, Paul, begins by acknowledging that they experienced the grace of God.  God's gift to them was the ability to give of themselves generously and joyfully even though they had very little.  They lived out the truth, "It is more blessed to give than receive." Their affliction did not turn their eyes inward upon themselves in self-pity.  They did not lament their circumstances, complain, or grumble.  No, they overflowed with joy.

Why?
Paul tells us why.  There was something the Macedonians did prior to all this that prepared them to live in such a God-glorifying way amidst affliction.  "They gave themselves first to the Lord."  Sound familiar?  Then they gave themselves to others.  Sound familiar?  God first, others second, I'm third is the way we are meant to live.  As we put God first the rest of our lives are put into proper place around that which is of primary importance.   We must give ourselves to the Lord.  Surrender to him first.  Then seek to give ourselves away for the benefit of others.  What will it look like today, this weekend, and beyond, to give abundantly, joyfully, and beyond your means? 

Chinese Weekend At SB2W

 Over Labor Day weekend SB2W hosted for the 20th time a retreat weekend for Chinese internationals.  Through an organization called China Outreach Ministries we were privileged to have Chinese students from universities all over the US at camp.  They and their families worshiped, played, attended seminars, and ate authentic Chinese food catered to our dining hall.  The purpose of the weekend was to both grow and challenge those who are already Christians and to present the gospel to the many who are not believers.  These students will return to China with a new found faith and help to continue the already explosive growth of Christianity in that country.

According to Operation World, "The staggering recent growth of the Chinese Church has no parallel in history - from 2.7 million evangelicals in 1975 to over 75 million in 2010. [Jason Mandryk, Operation World. (Colorado Springs: Biblica Publishing, 2010), 216.]" Is this not amazing to see what God is doing?  We are blessed to be able to be a very small part of this work of God amongst the Chinese people. 

Relive Summer Life Night at the Que

Relive Summer Life Night at Lake Gloria

Devotional Passages for Week of September 4-11

We will again be posting suggested Scripture verses for you to read.  Every week there will be Old Testament & New Testament passages, as well as a Psalm and Proverb.  Know that your ability to live faithfully outside of the camp gates are directly tied in with your reading or lack of reading the Bible.  Make it a point to print out these readings every week and sticking them in your Bible.  Don't feel like you have to read it all.  Pick a passage or two a day, then read and pray.  If you would like to comment on something you read, just click on "comment" at the bottom of this list.  Let us know how you are growing through your reading of Scripture or ask a question, we'll post your comment and respond to you.  We'll keep posting our own devotional thoughts once a week.  Next devo will be up tomorrow. 

Sunday:  Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:18, 2 Corinthians 7:8-16, Psalm 48:1-14, Proverbs 22:17-19

Monday:  Ecclesiastes 10:1-12:14, 2 Corinthians 8:1-15, Psalm 49:1-20, Proverbs 22:20-21

Tuesday:  Song of Solomon 1:1-4:16, 2 Corinthians 8:16-24, Psalm 50:1-23, Proverbs 22:22-23

Wednesday: Song of Solomon 5:1-8:14, 2 Corinthians 9:1-15, Psalm 51:1-19, Proverbs 22:24-25

Thursday: Isaiah 1:1-2:22, 2 Corinthians 10:1-18, Psalm 52:1-9, Proverbs 22:26-27

Friday: Isaiah 3:1-5:30, 2 Corinthians 11:1-15, Psalm 53:1-6, Proverbs 22:28-29

Saturday: Isaiah 6:1-7:25, 2 Corinthians 11:16-33, Psalm 54:1-7, Proverbs 23:1-3

Sunday: Isaiah 8:1-9:21, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, Psalm 55:1-23, Proverbs 23:4-5

How do we continue to grow this fall?

"Blessed is the man who...delights in the law of the LORD and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water." Psalms 1:1-3

Where Are You Planted?
Do you recognize this tree?  Some of you might because it sits on the opposite shore of Lake Gloria across from camp.  It is the tree with the rope that the adventure trippers use to swing into the lake.  It is a huge oak tree.  Its trunk is so wide that two people cannot wrap their arms around it.  This tree often comes to mind when I'm thinking about growth.  Our hope is that as you left camp you have had an even stronger desire to grow in your faith.  How have you been doing?  Are you growing?  Are you backsliding?  Are you a tree planted by the streams of God's law (Scripture)?  There are certainly many things essential to spiritual growth, top on the list, according to Psalm 1, is enjoying God's Word.  Have you tasted the goodness and the sweetness of His Word?  You might ask, "what does it look like to experience this goodness?"

The Delights of God's Word
Let me share a recent example from my own experience.  For some time now I have been in the habit of taking a brief moment, before I open God's Word for a devotional time, to write down a couple of statements that reflect the attitude of my heart.  Some days I write about being excited to jump into the day.  Some days I write a lot of things I'm thankful for or reasons to give God praise, other days I'm struggling with a sin, and still other days I'm confused, frustrated, hurting, etc.  After writing this down I pray for God to meet me, and through His Word to set might heart right.  In My Utmost for His Highest the devotional booklet we hand out at closing ceremonies, Oswald Chambers writes, "At all costs [we] must be rightly related to God" (September 1st entry).  What joy, contentment, and sweetness come from being rightly related to our Lord.

Sweet Deliverance
Have you ever had days filled with worry.  Well, that was my day yesterday.  My restless heart was so anxious, so filled with worry that I struggled to think of anything other than that for which I was worrying.  Ironically, I had just read that morning from Psalm 37, which says, "Do not be anxious; it tends only to evil."  Needless to say, my heart was out of whack, and I knew it.  Sadly, as I'm prone to do, I trudged through the day without truly addressing it.  This morning as I woke up I knew my heart needed to be set right, and thank God for His Word.  I read the next Psalm, number 38.  Wow!! Talk about "needing to hear that".  The Psalm begins, "O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath."  I prayed this very thing.  Then I prayed verse 4, "For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me."  True again.  I concluded by praying with the Psalmist (v. 21-22), "Do not forsake me, O LORD! O my God, be not far from me!  Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation."  These verses have been my meditation today, they have been my delight.    They have been so helpful to my soul.  In other words, they tasted really good, like a cool glass of water on a hot day.  God's Word will be like fresh water to your soul also, as you delight to make a daily habit of spending time enjoying it.

Relive Summer Life Night at the Que

Relive Summer Life Night at Lake Gloria

Tucker Nelson:  Camp Linebacker

                                                

Summer 2011 Pics, Video, and Devos Coming Soon

Be on the lookout because as of September 1st we will again be updating the blog on a weekly basis with devos, news posts, Summer 2011 videos, pics, and more.  Can't wait to continue the Summer's Best experience with you throughout this school year.