A Million Pieces

A Million Pieces
Read This Passage: Proverbs 6:12-15

“Therefore calamity will strike him suddenly; he will be shattered instantly—beyond recovery.”
—Proverbs 6:15

IN 2003, author James Frey released his first memoir, A Million Little Pieces. Publicly praised and touted as a brutally honest portrayal of Frey’s experiences in rehab, the book was selected to be part of Oprah’s book club and topped the best seller list.

Eventually, though, it became clear that Frey had fabricated large portions of his memoir, all the while portraying them as true. While Frey has continued to write, this incident left his credibility shattered—in a million little pieces.

As today’s Scripture passages points out, there are people who deal in dishonesty. Deception and trickery are their strengths. The key verse tells us that they are constantly stirring up trouble; but when all is said and done, they will fall into calamity. There will be -consequences; they will be shattered.

When we sin, there are always consequences. God loves us and is a wonderfully forgiving God, but we still have to live with the fruit of our actions. Asking for God’s forgiveness and repenting are vital and necessary, but they don’t make the consequences of our sinful actions disappear.

If you are living in a way that you know is displeasing God, you need to turn your life around. No one is faultless, but it should be our goal to be more like Jesus since He is absolutely perfect.

We aren’t supposed to be like the wicked man described in these verses. That behavior will lead to disaster—in your relationships with others and with God. It is up to you to go to Him and ask forgiveness. Don’t let your life be shattered by deception.

Real Choices
Take a hard look at your life, then read over the descriptions in today’s Scripture passage. Be honest. Do any of these characteristics describe you? Why or why not?

Digging Deeper
Read 1 John 1:9. Confess to Him. He is listening.

Pray
Father, I am a sinner, and I need Your forgiveness. Help me to live in a way that brings glory to You.

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A Million Pieces

A Million Pieces
Read This Passage: Proverbs 6:12-15

“Therefore calamity will strike him suddenly; he will be shattered instantly—beyond recovery.”
—Proverbs 6:15

IN 2003, author James Frey released his first memoir, A Million Little Pieces. Publicly praised and touted as a brutally honest portrayal of Frey’s experiences in rehab, the book was selected to be part of Oprah’s book club and topped the best seller list.

Eventually, though, it became clear that Frey had fabricated large portions of his memoir, all the while portraying them as true. While Frey has continued to write, this incident left his credibility shattered—in a million little pieces.

As today’s Scripture passages points out, there are people who deal in dishonesty. Deception and trickery are their strengths. The key verse tells us that they are constantly stirring up trouble; but when all is said and done, they will fall into calamity. There will be -consequences; they will be shattered.

When we sin, there are always consequences. God loves us and is a wonderfully forgiving God, but we still have to live with the fruit of our actions. Asking for God’s forgiveness and repenting are vital and necessary, but they don’t make the consequences of our sinful actions disappear.

If you are living in a way that you know is displeasing God, you need to turn your life around. No one is faultless, but it should be our goal to be more like Jesus since He is absolutely perfect.

We aren’t supposed to be like the wicked man described in these verses. That behavior will lead to disaster—in your relationships with others and with God. It is up to you to go to Him and ask forgiveness. Don’t let your life be shattered by deception.

Real Choices
Take a hard look at your life, then read over the descriptions in today’s Scripture passage. Be honest. Do any of these characteristics describe you? Why or why not?

Digging Deeper
Read 1 John 1:9. Confess to Him. He is listening.

Pray
Father, I am a sinner, and I need Your forgiveness. Help me to live in a way that brings glory to You.

Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Proverbs, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Weekly Devotion | Leave a reply

Slacker

Slacker
Read This Passage: Proverbs 6:6-11

“Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise.” —Proverbs 6:6

AESOP’S FABLE ABOUT the ant and the grasshopper is a classic. The ant works all summer long, stores his food, and prepares for the winter. Meanwhile, the grasshopper laughs at the ant and plays the entire time. Then, when winter arrives, the ant is warm and well fed while the grasshopper suffers and shivers in the cold. That tale has been used to help children understand the importance of hard work and to fight against laziness for centuries.

Though it was written much earlier, today’s Scripture passage reminds me of that fable. This portion of Proverbs takes the form of a father giving advice to his son. The key verse encourages the son to be like an ant, always diligently working and refraining from laziness.

We’re not supposed to be slackers, either. We’re not to be all talk and no action. And that truth applies to all areas of our lives, from jobs to school to camp to relationships to working for the kingdom of God.

As Christians, we shouldn’t be known for our laziness in any area—whether it’s living the gospel message or doing our homework to the best of our ability. Work diligently for God. Don’t be a slacker!

Pray
Father God, help me to work diligently for You in all areas of my life.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Proverbs, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Weekly Devotion | Leave a reply

Slacker

Slacker
Read This Passage: Proverbs 6:6-11

“Go to the ant, you slacker! Observe its ways and become wise.” —Proverbs 6:6

AESOP’S FABLE ABOUT the ant and the grasshopper is a classic. The ant works all summer long, stores his food, and prepares for the winter. Meanwhile, the grasshopper laughs at the ant and plays the entire time. Then, when winter arrives, the ant is warm and well fed while the grasshopper suffers and shivers in the cold. That tale has been used to help children understand the importance of hard work and to fight against laziness for centuries.

Though it was written much earlier, today’s Scripture passage reminds me of that fable. This portion of Proverbs takes the form of a father giving advice to his son. The key verse encourages the son to be like an ant, always diligently working and refraining from laziness.

We’re not supposed to be slackers, either. We’re not to be all talk and no action. And that truth applies to all areas of our lives, from jobs to school to camp to relationships to working for the kingdom of God.

As Christians, we shouldn’t be known for our laziness in any area—whether it’s living the gospel message or doing our homework to the best of our ability. Work diligently for God. Don’t be a slacker!

Pray
Father God, help me to work diligently for You in all areas of my life.

Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Proverbs, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Weekly Devotion | Leave a reply

Freedom!

Freedom!
Read This Passage: Proverbs 6:1-5

“Do this, then, my son, and free yourself, for you have put yourself in your neighbor’s power: Go, humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor.” —Proverbs 6:3

YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE THIS! Yep, we live in a gotta-have-it kind of world. The latest in technology and gaming systems? Check. The coolest clothes and things to make life easier? Mark those off, too. The newest cell phone, best credit card perks, and every gadget you can think of seem to all be high on our lists of gotta-have items.

All these things are great when we use them wisely, but it is so easy to get carried away. High phone bills and even higher credit card bills are everywhere we look. And more often than not, greed and the allure of an easier way of life fuel our desire for more. Before we know it, we find ourselves entangled in financial obligations, bound by extreme debt. As a result, our relationships suffer.

The Bible tells us that we should free ourselves from the power of debt and live in financial freedom. Today’s key verses warn us to stay away from relationships and agreements that bind us, financially or otherwise. You might not think it applies to you, but it does. Be wise with your money and humble yourself in your wants and desires. Don’t be foolish when it comes to the relationships you allow into your life. Live in Christ’s freedom.

Pray
Father, help me to be wise about my finances and my relationships.

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Freedom

Freedom!
Read This Passage: Proverbs 6:1-5

“Do this, then, my son, and free yourself, for you have put yourself in your neighbor’s power: Go, humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor.” —Proverbs 6:3

YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE THIS! Yep, we live in a gotta-have-it kind of world. The latest in technology and gaming systems? Check. The coolest clothes and things to make life easier? Mark those off, too. The newest cell phone, best credit card perks, and every gadget you can think of seem to all be high on our lists of gotta-have items.

All these things are great when we use them wisely, but it is so easy to get carried away. High phone bills and even higher credit card bills are everywhere we look. And more often than not, greed and the allure of an easier way of life fuel our desire for more. Before we know it, we find ourselves entangled in financial obligations, bound by extreme debt. As a result, our relationships suffer.

The Bible tells us that we should free ourselves from the power of debt and live in financial freedom. Today’s key verses warn us to stay away from relationships and agreements that bind us, financially or otherwise. You might not think it applies to you, but it does. Be wise with your money and humble yourself in your wants and desires. Don’t be foolish when it comes to the relationships you allow into your life. Live in Christ’s freedom.

Pray
Father, help me to be wise about my finances and my relationships.

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All or Nothing

All or Nothing
Read This Passage: Proverbs 3:5-8

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths. —Proverbs 3:5-6

I WAS LISTENING to a sermon recently about modesty.  The pastor asked a question that really caught my attention: Do you take God to the Gap?

His point was clear. You should “think about Him in all your ways,” even when it’s a decision about T-shirts and jeans. Clearly, God wants all or nothing. He desires our trust in all areas, clothing included!
But a thinking strategy like that doesn’t come easily. First of all, that’s not the way we like to do things. We want to give God the big things—decisions, goals, dreams, sickness, pain—and handle all the little things on our own. We can call Him in if things get out of control, right?

The thing is, as today’s key verses point out, God wants us to trust Him in all things with all of our hearts. He doesn’t just want the big things. He wants it all.

So, how would our lives be affected if we really sought to acknowledge God in everything we do? It might mean rethinking what we wear or the events in which we participate. It could mean preparing for our someday spouses rather than dating around. It might mean giving God the glory when you achieve a goal, win a game, or receive an award. It might mean serving God without recognition, notoriety, or the big bucks, which directly opposes the world’s understanding of success.

According to today’s verses, a “Think-About-God-in-All-Your-Ways” strategy isn’t optional. He wants us to rely on Him in all things, not just the things we don’t think we can handle. God wants it all. What does that mean for you?

Real Choices
Set an alarm on your watch or phone to remind you to think about God periodically throughout the day. When it sounds, ask yourself: Am I allowing God to guide me right now?

Digging Deeper
Proverbs 3:5-6 is a popular pair of verses. Read them in context as you study the entire third chapter of Proverbs. What new insights can you gain by reading them as a whole?

Pray
Father, help me to seek You in every area of my life. I want to trust You fully to guide me on the right paths.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Proverbs, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Weekly Devotion | Leave a reply

All or Nothing

All or Nothing
Read This Passage: Proverbs 3:5-8

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths. —Proverbs 3:5-6

I WAS LISTENING to a sermon recently about modesty.  The pastor asked a question that really caught my attention: Do you take God to the Gap?

His point was clear. You should “think about Him in all your ways,” even when it’s a decision about T-shirts and jeans. Clearly, God wants all or nothing. He desires our trust in all areas, clothing included!
But a thinking strategy like that doesn’t come easily. First of all, that’s not the way we like to do things. We want to give God the big things—decisions, goals, dreams, sickness, pain—and handle all the little things on our own. We can call Him in if things get out of control, right?

The thing is, as today’s key verses point out, God wants us to trust Him in all things with all of our hearts. He doesn’t just want the big things. He wants it all.

So, how would our lives be affected if we really sought to acknowledge God in everything we do? It might mean rethinking what we wear or the events in which we participate. It could mean preparing for our someday spouses rather than dating around. It might mean giving God the glory when you achieve a goal, win a game, or receive an award. It might mean serving God without recognition, notoriety, or the big bucks, which directly opposes the world’s understanding of success.

According to today’s verses, a “Think-About-God-in-All-Your-Ways” strategy isn’t optional. He wants us to rely on Him in all things, not just the things we don’t think we can handle. God wants it all. What does that mean for you?

Real Choices
Set an alarm on your watch or phone to remind you to think about God periodically throughout the day. When it sounds, ask yourself: Am I allowing God to guide me right now?

Digging Deeper
Proverbs 3:5-6 is a popular pair of verses. Read them in context as you study the entire third chapter of Proverbs. What new insights can you gain by reading them as a whole?

Pray
Father, help me to seek You in every area of my life. I want to trust You fully to guide me on the right paths.

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Word of Advice

Read This Passage: Proverbs 23:4-8
Don’t wear yourself out to get rich; stop giving your attention to it. —Proverbs 23:4

I’m not sure if it’s human nature or strictly a guy thing, but I have a strong competitive streak. I know with most guys, there is a tendency to want to be the best at something.

The key verse of this passage reminds me of some of the games we play at camp.  I thoroughly enjoy watching people act completely ridiculous while playing with them. It’s all about winning and losing. I’ve seen campers go 100% and dive after balls, and do anything to score. It’s winner-take-all, and every player wants the bragging rights.  I’ve watched so many people try so hard and focus so much energy on being the best in that competition. I’ve seen them lose their composure, their -tempers, and even their control. They’re striving to win that competition, wearing themselves out to be named the winner. And in the long run, it’s an achievement that doesn’t even count for that much.

That’s the point of today’s key verse and devotion: we can spend our lives wearing ourselves out to get more—money, things, attention—and devoting ourselves to activities that, in the end, won’t amount to anything of eternal value. Money is a necessary resource in this world. Fame and attention are accolades we all desire on some level, but they’re not eternal. God wants us to spend our time and energy striving for things of eternal significance, things that matter, like telling the gospel message that you learned at camp and loving God and others. These things last. So take this word of advice: devote your life to things of eternal value. You may not be rich or famous, but you’ll bring glory to God.

Real Choices
Do you focus your energy on faith and ministry or on worldly success? Take a good hard look at the way you spend your time and resources today. What do your actions and behaviors say you value: earthly treasures or things of eternal value?

Digging Deeper
Read James 4:14. What does this verse teach us about our lives here on earth? Reflect on what is important in this short time you have to serve God here.

Pray
Father, help me to use my energy to further Your kingdom in heaven rather than to increase my wealth on earth.

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Weigh In

Read This Passage: Proverbs 16:8-11
Honest balances and scales are the LORD’s; all the weights in the bag are His concern. —Proverbs 16:11

I asked a teenager from my hometown to give me an example of something he did that was dishonest or unpleasing to God. He recalled several instances in which he cheated on homework in one of his classes. It was a subject he had struggled with all year, so he started to copy assignments from his peers.

That particular type of dishonesty is probably more common than most of us would like to admit—or at least a very real temptation in our daily lives. At the time, cheating probably seemed like a good option to the teen I talked with, but it didn’t honor God in any way. And my friend learned the consequences of dishonesty the hard way—a couple of -failing grades on tests because he didn’t actually know the material. It was evident that he had not been doing his own work up to that point. What about honesty while at camp? What if everyone cheated in 4 square – a tiny example I know, but think how it ruins the game. This is true with life. God set it up so that we would receive the best life possible, if we trust him. And he loves it when we are honest!

Honesty is important to God. We serve a God who is in control of all things, who has the right to bestow justice as He sees fit. But our God is also honest and good, and He wants us to embody those characteristics, too. In the simplest terms, God cares about honesty; He craves and desires it in our lives. And He doesn’t just want it every once in awhile or only in certain aspects of our lives; He wants honesty to characterize us, just as it does Him, all the time, every day.

God wants every part of our lives to honor Him, from school to work and especially in finances and when you get a job. In a job setting, you have an opportunity to show people Christ through your life. You can do that by making sure you use your money in godly ways. Strive to live a life—even now—that would make it past God’s honesty weigh-in.

Real Choices
How do you weigh in when it counts? Only you can answer these questions, so ask yourself if you really live with honesty and integrity. Do you honor God with your decisions? Your money? Your attitudes? Why or why not?

Digging Deeper
Cross reference Ephesians 4:28 and 1 Timothy 4:12 as you study this passage. Why is it important that God desires honesty in our lives, even when we’re young?

Pray
Father, help me to be more like You. Help me strive to be honest in every aspect of my life, to operate with integrity, and to set an example for others.

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