Predictions

Read This Passage: John 15:18-22
“If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours.”
 —John 15:20b

People today are always making predictions about what’s going to happen in the future. They try to predict which way the stock market and the housing market will go. Meteorologists try to predict what weather patterns will emerge. Pundits make predictions about who will win political races, commentators try to pick the winners in the biggest sporting events, and entertainment reporters spend a lot of time trying to predict the year’s best movie, actor, and song. At camp, many of you try to make predictions about what the SockWar theme will be, or what activity you will play that evening.

But predictions aren’t really new. Today’s key verse involves a prediction Jesus made to His followers about the future. Unlike our present-day -predictions about movies, sports, weather, and markets, Jesus’ prediction had to do with how the world would treat those who chose to follow Him wholeheartedly.
Jesus knew that really living out our faith wasn’t going to be easy. He knew that people would take notice when they saw real live faith, and many of them wouldn’t like it. And the truth is, there are people all around the world facing persecution because they are choosing to follow Christ. The Bible says that we shouldn’t be surprised when it happens because, after all, they persecuted Jesus. Is there any reason to believe that we will have it better than the Son of God?

While most predictions don’t change the way we choose to live, this prediction helps us gain the necessary strength to keep pressing on. The real question is, what will you do as a result of Jesus’ prediction? What do you think your counselor would do? Would they stand up for Jesus? Will you choose to quit following Christ or will you choose to draw even closer to Him? Follow Christ and draw closer to Him every day.

Real Choices
Write down the ways you believe you have been persecuted for following Christ. Think back to those times and ask yourself if you walked away stronger or more defeated in your faith because of the way you handled the situation.

Digging Deeper
Check out www.imb.org or www.releaseinternational.org to gain a better understanding of how Christians are being persecuted. What can you do to help minister to those who are suffering today?

Pray
Praise God today for the times you face persecution. Thank Him for the opportunity to grow stronger in your faith. Pray for those around the globe that are facing persecution today.

Posted in Devotions | Tagged John, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply

Shawnee Cabin going up!

It didn’t take long for our new friends to throw up a floor system and the walls on the new Shawnee Cabin. They did all this work in only 2 days! It won’t be long and I’ll have some pictures with the roof on and a covered porch. Check back soon…

Also, they have poured the footers for the Spilman Lodge addition. It should be any day that they come back and start putting the floor system in. I’ll be sure to add some pictures soon…

Posted in News | Tagged construction, New Cabins, New Dining Hall | Leave a reply

Warning

Read This Passage: 2 Timothy 3:1-5
“But know this: difficult times will come in the last days.” —2 Timothy 3:1

Think about all the warning signs you see every day. There are signs that warn you about railroad crossings, deer crossings, merging traffic, hazardous cargo, and poisonous products. Warnings go off if your house is on fire, if there’s a gas leak, or if large amounts of carbon monoxide are in your house.
There are also warnings on products we consume every day, like meat, canned foods, beverages, vitamins, and a host of other products that if not consumed or prepared correctly could be hazardous to our health.
So why all the warnings? Do we really take time to read all the warning signs that we come across every day? Chances are pretty good that you don’t read them or pay that much attention to them until there’s a crisis at hand. We seem to just skip over and ignore the warnings that could ultimately save our lives.

Today’s Scripture passage outlines a pretty harsh warning to believers about how people will act in the last days. It’s clear that they’ll live pretty much as they want to, with no form of godliness at all in their lives. Everything will be focused on themselves and fulfilling their own needs and desires at all costs. The characteristics of God won’t be all that apparent in many peoples’ lives.

Many already believe that these events are currently taking place, while still others believe the worst is yet to come. In either case, Scripture gives us the warning for a reason. God wants us to know what is going to happen so it won’t be a surprise, and we can hold fast to the truth we know. Warnings can save our lives, but only if we listen and adhere to them. What will you choose to do about this warning?

Real Choices
Today’s key verse says that difficult times will come for believers, meaning living out our faith won’t always be easy. Take a look at your life this week. When has it been difficult to live out your faith in your life? Why?

Digging Deeper
Take some time to read Galatians 5:22-23 and discover the characteristics that God desires us to live out daily in our lives. If you don’t have these verses memorized, take time to memorize it them week.

Pray
God, help me to live my life according to Your characteristics. Help me to notice the warning signs and avoid the danger that lies ahead.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2 Timothy, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply

Warning

Read This Passage: 2 Timothy 3:1-5
“But know this: difficult times will come in the last days.”  —2 Timothy 3:1

Think about all the warning signs you see every day. There are signs that warn you about railroad crossings, deer crossings, merging traffic, hazardous cargo, and poisonous products. Warnings go off if your house is on fire, if there’s a gas leak, or if large amounts of carbon monoxide are in your house.
There are also warnings on products we consume every day, like meat, canned foods, beverages, vitamins, and a host of other products that if not consumed or prepared correctly could be hazardous to our health.
So why all the warnings? Do we really take time to read all the warning signs that we come across every day? Chances are pretty good that you don’t read them or pay that much attention to them until there’s a crisis at hand. We seem to just skip over and ignore the warnings that could ultimately save our lives.

Today’s Scripture passage outlines a pretty harsh warning to believers about how people will act in the last days. It’s clear that they’ll live pretty much as they want to, with no form of godliness at all in their lives. Everything will be focused on themselves and fulfilling their own needs and desires at all costs. The characteristics of God won’t be all that apparent in many peoples’ lives.

Many already believe that these events are currently taking place, while still others believe the worst is yet to come. In either case, Scripture gives us the warning for a reason. God wants us to know what is going to happen so it won’t be a surprise, and we can hold fast to the truth we know. Warnings can save our lives, but only if we listen and adhere to them. What will you choose to do about this warning?

Real Choices
Today’s key verse says that difficult times will come for believers, meaning living out our faith won’t always be easy. Take a look at your life this week. When has it been difficult to live out your faith in your life? Why?

Digging Deeper
Take some time to read Galatians 5:22-23 and discover the characteristics that God desires us to live out daily in our lives. If you don’t have these verses memorized, take time to memorize it them week.

Pray
God, help me to live my life according to Your characteristics. Help me to notice the warning signs and avoid the danger that lies ahead.

Posted in Devotions | Tagged 2 Timothy, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply

Spilman Expands

We have broken ground on the new addition to Spilman Lodge! (Click on the picture to the right to see what it will look like.) We are excited about a 24’x18′ expansion going onto the Choctaw Arapaho side of the Dining Hall. This new room will give us more dining space which will be crucial with the addition of a few new cabins. There will also be an 11′ cover front porch that will stretch the length of the building. The porch will be covered with a green metal roof, with traditional log spindals used for the railings. This front porch will be wide enough for additional rocking chairs for campers to hang out and enjoy their free time! With a little help from a local architect, we believe that this addition to Spilman will be a definite improvement that we can all be proud of. This project should be compete within the month, so check back often to see pictures!

Posted in News | Tagged construction, New Cabins, New Dining Hall, spilman addition | Leave a reply

We Are the Champions

Read This Passage: Romans 8:36-39
“No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.” —Romans 8:37

Imagine yourself as a soldier. Not in Ridgecrest Sockwar from last summer, but in the middle east, in the middle of a war. The enemy lines are quickly approaching as you await your commander’s order from the depths of the trenches. Your heart races; your palms grow clammy; sweat begins to pour from your forehead. A fierce battle seems imminent. As the advancing army begins to get louder, you look toward your commander, still waiting on his lead. Just when you think they can’t get any closer, your commander stands above the trench, aims his rifle, and fires. You jump to your feet, but when you peek above the trench, what you see is astonishing. With just one shot, your commander has overtaken an entire army. The enemy lines have fallen.

As Scripture says, “If God is for us, who is against us?” (Rom. 8:31b). You see, this passage clearly shows us that we are on the winning team—we are more than victorious because of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection! We are the champions.

Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Nothing today or tomorrow, no difficulty, no sin, no terrorism, no natural disaster, no circumstance, no amount of money, not even death itself can separate us from our Father’s love. When God sent His only Son to die for you and me, He proved His immeasurable love for us.

Life is hard and often unfair. It’s pretty easy to watch the evening news or read the latest headlines and get depressed. You may not feel like a champion, even though you belong to Christ, when everything seems to be falling apart.

Know this: God loves you more than you will ever fully comprehend. Life is hard, but you don’t have to live in doubt with Him as your Commander.

Real Choices
All too often, we allow circumstances to alter our view of our relationship with God. Write out Romans 8:37-39 and place it where you will regularly see it this week. Make it your goal to memorize it to help you remember its truth even in difficult times.

Digging Deeper
Check out 1 John 2:12-14. What do these verses teach you about the victory you have in Christ?

Pray
Ask God to calm your heart and mind. Thank Him that we are more than conquerors because of His great love for us. Ask Him to help you rest under His command and let Him lead.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Romans, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply

We Are the Champions

Read This Passage: Romans 8:36-39
“No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.” —Romans 8:37

Imagine yourself as a soldier. Not in Ridgecrest Sockwar from last summer, but in the middle east, in the middle of a war. The enemy lines are quickly approaching as you await your commander’s order from the depths of the trenches. Your heart races; your palms grow clammy; sweat begins to pour from your forehead. A fierce battle seems imminent. As the advancing army begins to get louder, you look toward your commander, still waiting on his lead. Just when you think they can’t get any closer, your commander stands above the trench, aims his rifle, and fires. You jump to your feet, but when you peek above the trench, what you see is astonishing. With just one shot, your commander has overtaken an entire army. The enemy lines have fallen.

As Scripture says, “If God is for us, who is against us?” (Rom. 8:31b). You see, this passage clearly shows us that we are on the winning team—we are more than victorious because of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection! We are the champions.

Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Nothing today or tomorrow, no difficulty, no sin, no terrorism, no natural disaster, no circumstance, no amount of money, not even death itself can separate us from our Father’s love. When God sent His only Son to die for you and me, He proved His immeasurable love for us.

Life is hard and often unfair. It’s pretty easy to watch the evening news or read the latest headlines and get depressed. You may not feel like a champion, even though you belong to Christ, when everything seems to be falling apart.

Know this: God loves you more than you will ever fully comprehend. Life is hard, but you don’t have to live in doubt with Him as your Commander. 

Real Choices 
All too often, we allow circumstances to alter our view of our relationship with God. Write out Romans 8:37-39 and place it where you will regularly see it this week. Make it your goal to memorize it to help you remember its truth even in difficult times.

Digging Deeper
Check out 1 John 2:12-14. What do these verses teach you about the victory you have in Christ?

Pray
Ask God to calm your heart and mind. Thank Him that we are more than conquerors because of His great love for us. Ask Him to help you rest under His command and let Him lead.

Posted in Devotions | Tagged Romans, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply