Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Monday's Chapels {Explorer Camp 1 /Young Teen Camp 1}

On Monday, Young Teen campers talked about the wisdom of God sounding foolish to men and were asked how what they've heard compares with their previous pictures of God.  John helped the campers to be aware of their need for God and what it means to be in relationship with him. 



Our ways: What do we think we need? What does our culture tell us that we need?
 
God’s ways: The Bible says God has different ideas about that. What do we need according to the Bible, and why?

Our Explorer Campers learned about sin (that it's not about a list of dos and don'ts, but an attitude of not wanting to submit to God) and who is affected, through the story of Moses receiving the Ten Commandments from God.  The verse for the day is Romans 3:23.


Monday, June 24, 2013

Week 2 Chapels {Explorer Camp 1 /Young Teen Camp 1}

Last night, both sets of campers had great chapel sessions!

John Waldo (of Next Step Initiatives) introduced our theme verse (Isaiah 55:8 - 9) and encouraged cabins to memorize the verses.  He posed the question:  "What are some of the things that distract us / that imitate us away from God?"

Jerry Jacoby's focus on Sunday was God being the true God, and that all truth is based in him.  He is our only hope for salvation.  He told the story of God showing himself with Elijah called the people to worship only Him.  The memory verse was "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge."  Proverbs 1:7

If you know young teen or explorer campers, be sure to ask them about these things when they get home.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Wednesday Chapels {Senior Teen Camp 2013}

More of Emily's notes from Wednesday's chapels with Pastor Adam Davidson . . .
 
WEDNESDAY MORNING

"After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Mark 1:14-15

Repeat and believe

Isaiah 55:8-9

Repentance means to turn

To believe: To take something as true even without all of the facts

"As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”
Mark 1:16-17

What has Jesus done that makes him worth believing?  Mark 6:14

Problem with following Jesus: it's free yet it costs you your very life

John followed Jesus right into prison and then to his death

Jesus died so we can be set free

WEDNESDAY NIGHT

1 John 5:1-12
Faith in the Son of God

EVERYONE is being addressed

What does it mean to love God?
To obey His commands
His commands are not burdensome
You won't be able to do this on your own

Verse 6
Spirit capitalized: Holy Spirit

Our testimony < His testimony

I believe in Jesus:

-Jesus is the Christ
•experience of faith
•who He is

-born of God
•experience of rebirth
•what happened to me

- love for the Father
•experience of relationship
•lifestyle of worship

-love for the children of God
•experience of relationship
•lifestyle of service

God the Father is not like your dad
Your dad is not perfect like God is
God does not make mistakes

-carries out God's commands
•experience of instruction
•commitment to obedience

To love God is to live according to His revelation

Gods revelation is for His glory and our good. (1 John 5:3)

Why don't we obey God?
1) it seems impossible . . It's not!
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" Matthew 11:28

2) it seems irrelevant
"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
John 16:33

"If you love me you will obey my command" John 14:15(Jesus speaking)

Life change happens from the inside out

1 John 5:11 - 12

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Tuesday Chapels {Senior Teen Camp 2013}

We're having a great week with Pastor Adam Davidson as our speaker, and worship led by Wellspring.  Here are some notes taken by Emily on Tuesday's chapels.  Be sure to ask a senior teen camper you know about what they learned!
 
TUESDAY MORNING

Exodus 20:3-17
The 10 commandments

Isaiah 55:8-9

We can't do everything God asks us to do on our own

What do you do with the 10 commandments?

Phillipians 3:7-10 (rubbish, garbage... Skubala in Greek)

Don't just follow the law but follow Christ!

You are dead without Christ! You'll never live up to his perfect expectations. What are we gonna do about it?

"Jesus paid it all
All to Him I owe
Sun had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow"
 
TUESDAY EVENING

Genesis 1:1-27
God doesn't need us to be complete...
He created us out of abundance and grace
The one that shaped the dirt has his finger prints all over us
We are created in the image of God
We were created with free will

Genesis 3: (Appearance of the snake)
Free will put was to test and sin was chosen
Temptation: offering you something that can (will) never be delivered
Physical death happened in Genesis 3 as well as a death of the present relationship with god

"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath."
Ephesians 2:1-3

It is by grace we have been saved
God immediately begins to rescue us from our brokenness as soon as it happened

God created satan
There is never a moment when satan is greater than God
Why hasn't Jesus stopped satan yet?... It's not time

"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Ephesians 2:10

Everyone is normal until you get to know them
TV has to put attractive people in their shows because those are the only people we identify with.... We are conditioned to find beauty in the external

If you know Jesus you cannot judge people from the outside
Image of Christ: love, grace, acceptance, value
 
How do you know you're okay?
God created us - Can't take from earth our cues on how you're supposed to look

God loves you exactly how you are
Be comfortable in your own skin!

Monday, June 17, 2013

Monday Chapels {Senior Teen Camp 2013}

Here are a few notes from Senior Teen Chapel with Adam Davidson.  If you know a camper here this week, be sure to ask him (or her) about these things the next time you see her (or him)!

MONDAY MORNING
The Lord's Prayer
“This, then, is how you should pray:
"Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
Matthew 6:9-13

Ask God for the stuff that you need

Our Holy God and father has a plan for us, much better than our own plans!

You can talk to God anywhere. He is not distant.


MONDAY NIGHT
Ephesians 3:14-19
God's love has:
height, depth, width, time, people (involved)

God is not just trying to save us from hell; He also wants our lives here to be different!
What you take in is what you give out
God's love changes us

KEY VERSES: Isaiah 55:8-9 (verses from God to us)
God is different from you and me
Human love is broken and imperfect...God's love changes us from the inside out!
In Hebrews Jesus is referred to as our "brother"... therefore we are sons and daughters of God IF we put our trust in Him and we are brothers and sisters in Christ IF we know Jesus


We read of Paul praying that we would be strengthened (Eph. 3:16)
Have you ever wanted something REALLY bad?!
Can God provide us with ANYTHING? (ex: car, Iphone, etc)
We know that He can, but why doesn't He always do this?
"Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him"
Matthew 6:8
Matthew 6:25-34
We don't NEED stuff from God
STUFF promises what it can NEVER deliver!
10th commandment: Thou shall not covet
Covet: means we have abandoned trusting that God will provide us with what we need
Our prayer lives should be more than just asking God for stuff. God wants us to experience much more than that, for example, HIS LOVE! Think about a thing you wanted so badly and then a week after you got it, it was old news... compare that to God's everlasting love!

What do we need?
Ephesians 3:14: glorious riches= salvation and God's Holy Spirit in us
NO ONE is outside of God's love!
God's love is long. His love reaches into our past and redeems us. It also reaches into the future (ex: when we leave camp and sin again)
God's love reaches EVERYWHERE!
God's love reaches deep
God saves us through Christ because He loves us
God is giving us what we need (His love) but He's a gentleman so He is waiting for us to reach out for his love.
REACH BACK!

Key Word: Light {Senior Teen Camp 2013}

Our speaker for this week, Adam Davidson, is senior pastor at Portage Free Methodist Church.  Here are the notes taken by Emily (one of our activities assistants) on what Adam spoke about last night (Sunday).  If you know someone at camp this week, be sure to ask them about what they've learned.

John 1:1-14
Key word: "light"

Why is the dark scary?
Unknown, imaginations run wild, we often find ourselves here (in the dark)
"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." John 3:19

KEY VERSES: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my plans than your plans." Isaiah 55:8-9

God is different from us!

1st difference: God is Light! (and we are not)

Where are you at with God?

God reached down with Jesus to pull us in...
Our job: reach back to Him!

Who wants to intentionally step into the light right now?

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

WILL YOU REACH BACK TO GOD?