Well, I am back! I survived my first summer camp as a counsellor. :) What a week!
We got back late last night, and of course, my sister and I were chattering non-stop about all the fun and wild things that happened during the week. However, when asked about the messages, I really had to stop and think a minute about what the messages were about. I remembered the general thoughts, but the details were already starting to get a little fuzzy (which is why you take sermon notes!)
So I have my handy-dandy sermon notebook out, and I am going to give you the message highlights of the week. In my next blog entry, I'll give you all the other details. :)
Monday PM -
Bro. Sam Robinson preached on I Samuel 16, when Samuel was choosing the next king of Israel. His focus was primarily on Eliab and how he looked good on the outside, but the inside was not right. He then went on to say how teens growing up in a Christian home tend to look good on the outside. They know what is expected of them, and how they should look, but they could get so caught up in looking good on the outside, that the inside is neglected.
Incorrect perception - What looks good on the outside must reflect what is on the inside.
Important principle - Standards are not an issue of command, but an issue of the HEART.
God wants truth on the inside! - Proverbs 4:23
Let God work on the inside -
- Ask God to know your heart.
- Search me and try me and see if there be any wicked way in me.
Tuesday AM
Chris Gable preached on Mark 9, about the man who had a son with a demonic spirit. His message was about God's single most important requirement to enlisting in His army - Surrendering.
The Boy's Problem
- Painful
- Permanent
The Man's Problem
- Deflecting plea (The father blamed others for his son's condition.)
- Doubting plea ("but if thou canst do any thing...")
- Desperate plea ("Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief")
Salvation begins when we finish! There is nothing we can do. We can't keep holding on to our own good works and ideas. We need to let go and accept God's salvation.
Tuesday PM
Bro. Robinson preached on lessons from the life of Joseph.
"We spend our years as a tale that is told."
A Life with Unfair Circumstances -
- hated by his brothers
- hurt by his brothers
A Life with Undesirable Setbacks -
- falsely accused
- fiercely arrested
- forgotten and alone
A Life with Unwavering Shelter -
- Life's not always easy, but God is always there.
- God is in control and Satan's on a leash.
An Unbitter Servant -
- Don't let circumstances dictate who you will become!!
Wednesday AM
Bro. Kenny preached a message about us being in a spiritual "boot camp".
- We need to be skilled in the Word of God.
- We need to learn how to pray.
- We need to learn to communicate with God.
- We want to have our drill instructor close because we are in a battle.
- The more skills we have, the more strength we will have in the battle we are facing.
- I am not strong enough to overcome it.
- We are in a spiritual battle, therefore we need spiritual help.
- When I try overcoming in my own power and strength, it is like putting myself on the front lines with no defense.
I John 4:4 - We can be overcomers by allowing He that is in us to be stronger than he that is in the world.
Don't expect to overcome sin if you are not strengthening the inner man.
God prepared Moses for 40 years before He used him.
Am I preparable?
Wednesday PM
Bro. Robinson preached on John the Baptist. He opened the message up with this question, Do you want to be great?
Greatness - superior in character and quality
What did not make John the Baptist great:
- Faithful parents
- Favored posterity
- Famed popularity
What made John the Baptist great:
- Power (being filled with the Holy Spirit)
- Purity
- Patience (Wait on the Lord!)
- Proclamation (He realized who the Lord was)
- Promotion
Thursday AM
Pastor Gable preached on Becoming Conduct versus Unbecoming Conduct of a soldier of Christ.
Extent of Conduct Unbecoming -
disobedience, discord, disrespect
disgrace, dishonesty, disinterest
disorderliness, disruption, desertion
We are in a battle - What I want to do versus what I ought to do. (Paul in Romans 7)
Examples of Conduct Unbecoming -
Sovereign - David with Bathsheba (started small - a thought)
Soldier - Saul & Israelites vs. Philistines (started small - a fear)
Servant - Ziba, servant of Mephibosheth (started small - a word)
Exhortation of Conduct Becoming
- Readiness
- Steadfastness
- Alertness
Thursday PM
Bro. Robinson preached on Samuel, and his exhortation to us was to live without regret as Samuel did.
"Life is not a chalkboard where we can erase and start over."
We sow in the flesh and then pray for crop failure.
If you want to live without regret, you must learn to respond the first time God speaks to you.
- Salvation
- Surrender
- Sanctification/Seperation
- Service
If you put confidence in the flesh, you will not run from the flesh.
I am not immuned from temptation.
- Run from sinful deeds.
- Run from sinful dialogue.
- Run from sinful destinations.
Refuse to compromise for your friends.
Remain in the service of the Lord.
Friday AM
For the last message of camp, Bro. Robinson preached on Peter and how he had denied Christ after arrogantly stating he would never do such a thing. Now that everyone had made fresh decisions for Christ, we can't leave camp thinking that we will never fall again into the same sins.
We are bound to fall the moment we are arrogant to believe we can't fall!
When you get arrogant, you are going to act.
Even when we fail the Lord, there is an afterwards. After Peter denied Christ 3 times, he was given a new chance to serve the Lord.
We got back late last night, and of course, my sister and I were chattering non-stop about all the fun and wild things that happened during the week. However, when asked about the messages, I really had to stop and think a minute about what the messages were about. I remembered the general thoughts, but the details were already starting to get a little fuzzy (which is why you take sermon notes!)
So I have my handy-dandy sermon notebook out, and I am going to give you the message highlights of the week. In my next blog entry, I'll give you all the other details. :)
Monday PM -
Bro. Sam Robinson preached on I Samuel 16, when Samuel was choosing the next king of Israel. His focus was primarily on Eliab and how he looked good on the outside, but the inside was not right. He then went on to say how teens growing up in a Christian home tend to look good on the outside. They know what is expected of them, and how they should look, but they could get so caught up in looking good on the outside, that the inside is neglected.
Incorrect perception - What looks good on the outside must reflect what is on the inside.
Important principle - Standards are not an issue of command, but an issue of the HEART.
God wants truth on the inside! - Proverbs 4:23
Let God work on the inside -
- Ask God to know your heart.
- Search me and try me and see if there be any wicked way in me.
Tuesday AM
Chris Gable preached on Mark 9, about the man who had a son with a demonic spirit. His message was about God's single most important requirement to enlisting in His army - Surrendering.
The Boy's Problem
- Painful
- Permanent
The Man's Problem
- Deflecting plea (The father blamed others for his son's condition.)
- Doubting plea ("but if thou canst do any thing...")
- Desperate plea ("Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief")
Salvation begins when we finish! There is nothing we can do. We can't keep holding on to our own good works and ideas. We need to let go and accept God's salvation.
Tuesday PM
Bro. Robinson preached on lessons from the life of Joseph.
"We spend our years as a tale that is told."
A Life with Unfair Circumstances -
- hated by his brothers
- hurt by his brothers
A Life with Undesirable Setbacks -
- falsely accused
- fiercely arrested
- forgotten and alone
A Life with Unwavering Shelter -
- Life's not always easy, but God is always there.
- God is in control and Satan's on a leash.
An Unbitter Servant -
- Don't let circumstances dictate who you will become!!
Wednesday AM
Bro. Kenny preached a message about us being in a spiritual "boot camp".
- We need to be skilled in the Word of God.
- We need to learn how to pray.
- We need to learn to communicate with God.
- We want to have our drill instructor close because we are in a battle.
- The more skills we have, the more strength we will have in the battle we are facing.
- I am not strong enough to overcome it.
- We are in a spiritual battle, therefore we need spiritual help.
- When I try overcoming in my own power and strength, it is like putting myself on the front lines with no defense.
I John 4:4 - We can be overcomers by allowing He that is in us to be stronger than he that is in the world.
Don't expect to overcome sin if you are not strengthening the inner man.
God prepared Moses for 40 years before He used him.
Am I preparable?
Wednesday PM
Bro. Robinson preached on John the Baptist. He opened the message up with this question, Do you want to be great?
Greatness - superior in character and quality
What did not make John the Baptist great:
- Faithful parents
- Favored posterity
- Famed popularity
What made John the Baptist great:
- Power (being filled with the Holy Spirit)
- Purity
- Patience (Wait on the Lord!)
- Proclamation (He realized who the Lord was)
- Promotion
Thursday AM
Pastor Gable preached on Becoming Conduct versus Unbecoming Conduct of a soldier of Christ.
Extent of Conduct Unbecoming -
disobedience, discord, disrespect
disgrace, dishonesty, disinterest
disorderliness, disruption, desertion
We are in a battle - What I want to do versus what I ought to do. (Paul in Romans 7)
Examples of Conduct Unbecoming -
Sovereign - David with Bathsheba (started small - a thought)
Soldier - Saul & Israelites vs. Philistines (started small - a fear)
Servant - Ziba, servant of Mephibosheth (started small - a word)
Exhortation of Conduct Becoming
- Readiness
- Steadfastness
- Alertness
Thursday PM
Bro. Robinson preached on Samuel, and his exhortation to us was to live without regret as Samuel did.
"Life is not a chalkboard where we can erase and start over."
We sow in the flesh and then pray for crop failure.
If you want to live without regret, you must learn to respond the first time God speaks to you.
- Salvation
- Surrender
- Sanctification/Seperation
- Service
If you put confidence in the flesh, you will not run from the flesh.
I am not immuned from temptation.
- Run from sinful deeds.
- Run from sinful dialogue.
- Run from sinful destinations.
Refuse to compromise for your friends.
Remain in the service of the Lord.
Friday AM
For the last message of camp, Bro. Robinson preached on Peter and how he had denied Christ after arrogantly stating he would never do such a thing. Now that everyone had made fresh decisions for Christ, we can't leave camp thinking that we will never fall again into the same sins.
We are bound to fall the moment we are arrogant to believe we can't fall!
When you get arrogant, you are going to act.
Even when we fail the Lord, there is an afterwards. After Peter denied Christ 3 times, he was given a new chance to serve the Lord.
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