Camp Ridgecrest for Boys

A Compassionate God

Posted by Karah

Pause

Find a quiet place where you can be alone. Take a deep breath and ask God to reveal more of His character to you today.

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and rich in faithful love. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.”

—Psalm 103:8,13

Read Psalm 103:8-14 in your Bible. Underline the words or phrases that teach you about God’s compassion and how He shows it to us.

• Think about the analogy in verse 13. How does it help you to better understand God’s compassion? If compassion isn’t a big part of your relationship with your parents, how is God’s compassion different?

• How have you seen God display His compassion in someone’s life? In your life?

Respond

Think about God’s compassion toward you—shown most clearly in Jesus willingly taking on our sin and defeating it on the cross. Journal your response to God’s compassion below. Take time to thank and praise Him for specific ways He has treated you with compassion.

Behind the Story

In verses 11-12, the psalmist used imagery to help us understand both God’s love and compassion toward us.

“As high as the heavens”: This is an immeasurable distance used to show that God’s love for us is infinite.

“As far as the east from the west”: Another immeasurable distance is used to help us see that God doesn’t just forgive; He takes our sin away, removing it from our lives.

The Point

Compassion is a key component of God’s character. Because compassion is at the core of who He is, God has not given us what we deserve: punishment for our sin.

Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest Alumni and Friends, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission., Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply

Sock War: The Sock Night Rises

Posted by Karah

Can Batman and his team of crazy campers protect camp from Bane and his group of soldiers?

Posted in Boys, News | Tagged Batman, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Ridgecrest Summe Camps, sock war | Leave a reply

Ruler Over All

Posted by Karah

Pause

God’s sovereignty is a difficult subject to wrap your mind around, but it’s crucial to understanding who God is. Stop right now and ask Him to give you an open mind and heart to hear and experience what His sovereignty truly looks like.

“Not to us, Yahweh, not to us, but to Your name give glory because of Your faithful love, because of Your truth. Why should the nations say, ‘Where is their God?’ Our God is in heaven and does whatever He pleases.”

—Psalm 115:1-3

Read Psalm 115:1-2 carefully, paying attention to what it teaches you about God and His character. Then, consider these questions:

• How does this passage point to God’s sovereignty?

• “Whatever He pleases” doesn’t mean that God is always changing His mind or giving in to whims; it means He does what He has planned. How would truly recognizing this aspect of God’s character change your point of view on things that happen in the world? In your life?

• Why is it vital that God’s children understand that He is absolutely sovereign?

Sovereign-adj.= Possessing supreme or ultimate power; God’s absolute rule and reign

Respond

• Take a minute to really think about the concept of God’s sovereignty. He is over all. Nothing happens that He has not ordained for His glory and purposes. In a world that seems out of control, God is in control. What an amazing God! Praise Him for that today.

• For further study of God’s sovereignty, read Psalm 135:6, Daniel 4:35, and Romans 9:19-21.

Behind the Story

Written at a time when Israel had suffered devastating defeats and when God seemed nowhere to be found, this psalm records the taunts of Israel’s pagan enemies. They misjudged Israel’s defeat in battle as the result of God’s weakness or non-existence, even asking, “Where is your God now?” But instead of complaining, Israel announced their confidence in Him, declaring God sovereign over all, including the powerless idols these nations worshiped. Idols can do nothing, but our God is on His throne and knows His plan and purpose.

The Point

God is the ultimate Ruler with supreme power over all. He does what He pleases, always acting for His glory and your good—wanting to bring you back into a right relationship with Him.

Worthy of Worship

Posted by Karah

Pause

Take a few moments to worship God. Pray aloud a psalm, sing your favorite worship song to Him, or just sit in silence, meditating on His greatness.

“Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory

and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in the heavens

and on earth belongs to You.”

—1 Chronicles 29:11a

Read David’s prayer in 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 in your Bible. Take note of all the words or phrases that reflect how David viewed God. Think through these questions:

• What are some of the words or phrases David used to express why God was worthy of worship? What words or phrases would you use?

• Notice the phrase “in the sight of all the assembly” in verse 10. Why is it important that this wasn’t just David’s private worship?

Respond

Read over David’s praise in verses 10-13 again. If you were writing your own prayer of praise to God, what aspects of His character would you include? Jot down a few.

Look over those words again. As you live your daily life—not just at church—are you living like those things you praised God for? If so, how? If not, what changes will you make today to trust God’s greatness and majesty more in those areas?

Behind the Story

Chapters 28 and 29 in 1 Chronicles detail David’s final days as leader. Earlier in life, David had endeavored to build a temple for God, but God had explained that David’s son would build the temple (1 Chron. 17). In the closing days of his reign, David commissioned his son Solomon to build the temple, donated much of his personal fortune to the project, called the people to support Solomon in building the temple, and to also offer their own gifts and talents to the Lord to use in the process.

The Point

Because God is majestic, He is worthy of our worship. We should worship Him, but we should also call others’ attention to His character and lead them to worship Him, too.

Shout it Out!

Posted by Karah

Pause

Silence your phone and turn off anything that could distract you from God’s Word and what He needs to say to you today. Spend some time in silence before God, kneeling as acknowledgment of His majesty.

In your Bible, read Psalm 145:1-7, underlining any words or phrases that point to God’s majesty.

“One generation will declare Your works to the next and will proclaim Your mighty acts. I will speak of Your splendor and glorious majesty and Your wonderful works.”

—Psalm 145:4-5

Your works and your mighty acts: Telling of God’s great works in history and in your own life. Who needs to hear what God has been doing in your life?

Splendor: The sum total of God’s attributes; the vast greatness of who He is; His magnificence.

Majesty: God’s grandeur, beauty, and honor.

Wonderful works: God’s mighty deeds and miracles, all of which display His power and awe those who see them. What works of God in your life or someone else’s have brought you to a place of awe?

Splendor, glorious majesty, and wonderful works describe God’s majestic character, but if you told your peers and friends about Him using these words, they’d probably think you were pretty weird. How would you describe God’s character to your friends?

Respond

Look at the list of people who need to hear about God’s work in your life that you listed earlier. Pray for each one by name, asking God for opportunities to share. Jot down one way you’ve seen God at work recently that you’ll tell them about.

Read the entire psalm, underlining any words or phrases that teach you about our majestic, yet personal, God.

Behind the Story

Psalm 145 was written by David to extol God’s greatness. In it, he used several verbs to describe ways that he, along with others, will tell others about God’s greatness: declare, proclaim, speak, give a testimony, and joyfully sing. It’s interesting to note that in Psalm 145:7, the phrase “give a testimony” literally means “pour out a memory.” That means the people were telling about important things God had done in their lives. What memories will you pour out in praise to God?

The Point

When you realize the truth about God’s majesty, you won’t want to keep it to yourself. If God is this majestic, this powerful, you must tell “the next generation” about Him.

Unveiled

Posted by Karah

Pause

Ponder this quote:

“The purpose of worship is to change the face of the worshiper.”

—Max Lucado

“We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

—2 Corinthians 3:18

Read 2 Corinthians 3:17-18.

How would you write verse 18 in your own words? Give it a try:

What does this verse have to say about you? Who are you to become more and more like? Are you?

As followers of Christ, we should be becoming more and more like Him. It’s not a change that happens overnight, but by the Holy Spirit, God works in our daily lives to conform us to the image of His Son. In salvation, God takes the veil of sin away from us so that we can truly see Him and become like mirrors, reflecting His light to the world.

Respond

• Personalize this verse and pray God’s Word back to Him. Ask Him to reveal the areas in which you aren’t reflecting Him and confess them to Him today.

• Memorize Philippians 1:6, trusting that God will do as He promised.

• For further study and greater context, read 2 Corinthians 3:14-18.

Behind the Story

After Moses witnessed God’s glory on Mt. Sinai, he wore a veil over his face while the glory of God faded. The people had to look at the glory through the veil. In today’s passage, Paul reminded His readers of Moses’ veil, using it to symbolize the spiritual blindness we all have before Jesus opens our eyes. When you became a Christian, that veil was taken away, so that now you can truly know God and reflect His glory, love, and power to the world around you because He lives in you.

The Point

If you’re a Christian, Jesus has removed the veil from your heart. You are being transformed into His likeness and should reflect His majesty to the world around you.

Heirs of God

Posted by Karah

Pause

Start your time with God today with a time of worship. Listen to “Desert Song” by Hillsong United to prepare your heart.

“The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—seeing that we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”

—Romans 8:16-17

Read Romans 8:14-17 in your Bible. Read verses 16-17 again carefully and think through these questions:

• Think about what the children of extremely wealthy people stand to inherit someday, even though they’ve done nothing to earn it. How do you feel about those children?

• As a child of God, what do you stand to inherit?

• What have you done to deserve that immense inheritance? Is this fair?

You are a child of the Most High, Amazingly Majestic God. Your inheritance far surpasses anything a wealthy family could leave their children.

Respond

If the Most High God dwells within you, then you share in some of His majesty. Grab a dry erase marker and go look in the mirror. Do you look like you share in Jesus’ glory? Do you feel majestic? On the mirror around your reflection, list ways you are majestic because Christ dwells in you and God is your Father. Cling to Biblical truth, not your feelings, as you write.

Behind the Story

In this passage, Paul declared that children of God should not “fall back into fear.” Why? Their relationship with God is secure. They’ve been adopted and get to call Him Abba forever! They will never lose their place in His family. Not only are they children, but also heirs, even co-heirs with Christ. Why is this good news?

The Point

As Christians, we are heirs of God Himself! Fear doesn’t have to run your life because you know the majestic Father through the Son and are guided by His Spirit.

Sock War: Battle of the Trilogies

Posted by Karah

The clash of the trilogies was one of the most intense sock wars! Which trilogy would you be fitting for?

Posted in Boys, News | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Ridgecrest Summe Camps, sock war, Trilogies | Leave a reply

A Majestic Son

Posted by Karah

Pause

Briefly look back through the last two devotions on majesty, then consider how God’s majesty is displayed in Jesus, His Son. Thank Jesus for what He has done in your life.

Who do people say you look like? Do you agree? Jot down or sketch some characteristics you share with that person.

With that concept in mind, read Hebrews 1:2-4 in your Bible.

“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” —Hebrews 1:3

What does it mean that Jesus is the radiance of God’s nature?

The word, character, comes from the Hebrew, charaktēr, meaning “engraving.” Used only here in the New Testament, it pictures a distinguishing mark being imprinted onto an object, like a coin. The idea is that Jesus gives us a clear picture of God’s character. How does He do that?

God’s word is a powerful force. By it, He created the world, and through it, He governs the world. How does this help you to understand His majesty better?

Respond

Consider the ways Jesus gave up His majesty when He took on flesh. Meditate on what the majestic Creator and ruler of the universe gave up to die on the cross for your sins. Thank Him for His sacrifice. Journal your prayer below.

Behind the Story

The writer of Hebrews gave importance and authority to the words and actions of Jesus by setting Him apart from the prophets. Jesus didn’t just speak for God—He was God. By asserting that God spoke through Jesus “in these last days,” (v. 2) it might seem as though the writer of Hebrews thought the end of the world was near. More than likely, however, the writer meant that God spoke with finality through Jesus, His Son. Jesus is God’s ultimate revelation and the only way to be saved.

The Point

Jesus possesses the full majesty and character of God the Father. He is God. He created the world, then took the sins of that world upon His own shoulders, making a way for our salvation and eternal life with Him.