One of my favorite moments from YES camp this year didn't even happen when the campers were there. It was Friday night and a few of us staffers were sitting around this massive campfire. I was sitting back watching everyone else interact with each other. Eddie and Ginnie were discussing family reunions and Eddie was concerned that hers wouldn't have food. Kelli and Caitie were talking, Trevor was staring at the fire. Off a little ways away from the rest of us, but still close enough was Chris and another staff member. Chris was talking to the other staffer about salvation, and the end times. This is some serious stuff for young men to be discussing, but knowing Chris it just made more proud of who he is. But it still amazed me that these two teenagers were discussing salvation and the end times when they could have been doing anything else that they wanted to do. It gave me hope for the future and for teens not only in River of Life Fellowship, but also across the country.
God gave us the command that we go out into the world and spread the word of God. I don't think there is one right way to do it. I know people who just shove the gospel in your face, others let the light of God shine through their actions. And then there are those like Chris and myself that wait until the right time presents itself. Chris and this other staffer were talking about God and end times as if it were a part of their everyday conversations, and I think sometimes that how our witnessing should be. Not shoving the Word into our friends' faces or fighting with other people about what they believe but discussing it. Asking and answering questions of each other. Todd and I have those discussions all the time. In fact we had one just last night about end times and then purgatory. I may write about our purgatory discussion tomorrow. But anyway. Witnessing shouldn't be this hard thing to do. Shouldn't it be easy for us Christians to be able to talk to our peers about the love of Jesus the way Chris and his friend were?
Like I said before I learned more from observing things at camp than I did teaching. God gave me that opportunity to learn more and grow and that's what I did. After seeing Chris interact with his friend, I know that is one of the best ways to witness to people. That way people aren't uncomfortable about God and feel free to ask questions and state their own opinions without being afraid of what we would say to them. As I end this post I think back to high school chorus and we sang a song (of course right). I don't remember the name of it, but one part went: Go ye into all the world a preach the living gospel, go ye into all the world and preach the living gospel. It was one of my favorite songs, and it helps me remember the command from God. So Go ye into the world (or your world) and preach the gospel to those you met, but not in a judgmental way, but a way like Chris that makes people feel comfortable.
Well we are back from camp. What a week! I tell you I was so exhausted on Saturday, but you know what: it was well worth it. I learned so much and throughout the week I will be telling you of what I experienced. We were in the mountains where there was no television, no internet and almost all of the phones had no service so there was no calls or text messaging. All these kids had was each other and to learn about Jesus. We had two camps: Junior Camp and Senior Camp. We were combined at one site, but it worked out well. I was a cabin director at the jr. camp (ages 6 to 10).
First Y.E.S stands for Youth Experiencing Salvation. The kids had two services so to speak: RWG {rapping With God} and a chapel service along with cabin devotions. My part was to do the cabin devotions all week. As I said before I was way out of my comfort zone. Many of you reading know I have problems speaking in front of people even if it is young children. But I was able to do it with God's help. I was speaking his word and many times it was as if God was there helping me through it; especially in the beginning before I got used to my kids. Granted I haven't made it to where I want to be but I now know I can teach. Baby steps. Soon I will be able to be in front of a large crowd and not have a panic attack.
God sends things our way to teach us different things and to help us through something. YES Camp was his way of showing me I could do the things I never thought I could do. It helped me grow in my faith. God puts in positions where he knows we will learn, but many times we don't take the opportunity presented to us. I know plenty of people who didn't take this opportunity to be either a camper or staff and missed out on something wonderful. What opportunity are you missing? What are you passing up by not volunteering to do something even if it is helping in the nursery at church one Sunday? Are you going to keep passing up opportunities? How else do we grow in God if we don't do things like being a cabin director for a camp?
We are going to venture into the book of Malachi. It is the last book of the Old Testament. Malachi like many of the other books are conversations he had with God. There are parts of God speaking and then Malachi speaking. The book opens very powerfully and sets the stage for what it will fully be about.
"I have loved you deeply," says the Lord. But you retort, "Really? How have you loved me?" That is what verse two says. How often do we ask God how have you loved me? To often we want God to prove his love to us instead of us proving our love to him. God says he loves us and sends his son to die for us and yet we still ask for proof! We still want to know how he has loved us. We still want proof of his love. When something bad goes on in our lives we assume God doesn't love us or worse doesn't exist. God constantly says I love you deeply. Yet we want proof.
We should be the ones working to prove our love to God. The way we treat others, the way we treat ourselves, how we act and react. Just many things go into showing how we love the Lord our God. How can we honestly say we love God, yet won't help someone in need? Or say "we can't bring drug addicts into our church." Isn't the point to show God's love through our actions? How can we say we love God yet judge those around us, yet sometimes we have the gull to ask God how do you love me.
I understand asking WHY. I admit I am unworthy of his love, but he still loves me. Instead of trying to find proof of God's love, why not try proving YOUR love.
I have been look a lot into rejoicing in the Lord when depression seems to sink in. It's when depression rears it's ugly head that it seems so incredibly hard to rejoice in the Lord. We feel so down, and couldn't imagine God hearing our praise and prayers when we think so little of ourselves. When we read scripture with depression, it seems like the words aren't hitting the way they normally do, and worship/praise songs don't seem to have the same effect they do otherwise. Throughout the Bible there are scripture and stories about people who struggle with depression in one way or another: Job, and David are two of the most thought of. Many of David's Psalms where written in a fit of depression calling out to God. Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine, even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty.....yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my Salvation. The Sovereign Lord is my strength! Habukkuk also knew the pains one can feel during times of trials. Chapter 3 verse 17 through 19 show us that Habukkuk wanted to be joyful in the Lord. Don't we all want to be joyful? We just find it hard sometimes. Habukkuk didn't want to let the elements around him effect his relationship with God, and we shouldn't either.
Granted our emotions effect how we think and feel at times, but we need to push through the depressive thoughts. Though the scriptures may not seem helpful at the time, deep inside they are. They help rid your mind of depression as you think about what you've read. Habukkuk and many others throughout the Bible have said that the Lord is their strength. God is our strength and refuge. We need to lean on him and rely on his strength to life us up on wings and Isaiah said.
Rely on God the Father and make him your strong tower in times of need. Rejoice in the Lord always, rely on him for the strength you need. Rejoice when things seem, lost because with God we have everything!
