Get Rock'd

   This week I spent my time at Camp YoliJwa. Our theme for the summer is ROCK. I had the privilege of teaching the young adults during the week. Using past words that God laid on my heart we discussed building a foundation on the rock of God. As I was writing this blog, I heard a message about people who were struggling with recovery. The pastor said that rather than focusing on the problem they need to focus on the solution: Jesus. Jesus is our rock.

   The camp verse is 1 Samuel 2:2 "There is no one holy like the Lord. There is no one but you. There is no rock like our God." When we focus on the problems of this world, we are building our foundation on the sand of this world. Instead, we should be focused on the holiness of God. He is able to cleanse us from all sin. There is no one but Him. When there is no one but Him, when we only care what he thinks about us, and when we are focused on growing in him we are building our foundation on the rock. It is a solid rock that will not wear and tear away with wind or the elements. 

   It's amazing the imagery God puts in the Bible over and over. In Daniel 2 he gives the king a dream, which Daniel interprets. Verses 34-35 says "While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth." This giant statue has many metals in it made of precious and not so precious things. All of those are nothing compared to that stone. To that rock, which is God. He created everything and everyone. He is all powerful. When we rely on anything or anyone else, we will crumble like that statue.

   So are you built on the rock of God or the sand of this world? If you are not built on the rock, why not and what can you do to change that?

Blinded By the Light

   Have you ever been in your house, your place of work or somewhere else dark during the day? I'm sure you have. Then, for some reason or another you need to go outside to do something. How does it look outside? It's really bright, to the point of you are squinting. Then, as you are outside for a bit you get used to the light. Everything finally seems commonplace and normal.
   This is just like our Christian walk. We come out of our darkness and sin and we are overwhelmed by the light because it's new. We like the light, in fact we love it. We are on fire for God. We want to spread the good news. Then, as time goes on, we start to get used to the light. We stop telling others about God. We start thinking we know all there is to know about God. We start only thinking of ourselves.
   If our jobs were done on earth God would've taken us away. He has us here for a reason and wants us to grow in him. We need to let our lights shine for him. Once we come out of the darkness we give off his light. I don't know about you, but I want my light to shine bright for him. I don't just want it to be dull, that doesn't make a difference for the kingdom at all. We must tell others about what Jesus has done for them so that as many as possible can come to the kingdom.
   So, has the light become commonplace for you? Is your light becoming dim? What can you do to let your light shine for God? 

   Matthew 5:15-16
   Image from here. 

Jesus Washes Us Clean

     I enjoy doing object lessons to bring the Bible to life. One object lesson I have done a lot with my preschoolers is a germs experiment. We take Crisco, rub it on their hands, then put colorful sand on their hands to represent germs. If you try to get the sand off with just water, it does not come off. The children need to use soap and water to remove the "germs." 

   At camp when I was teaching the elementary children in vespers, I told the children the sand represented sin. They tried to get the sand off by themselves and it would not come off. Then I gave them soap which represented Jesus. They were able to remove the sin because Jesus came to remove it for them. 

  As hard as we try, we cannot remove our own sin. It does not matter how good you are. It does not matter if you try not to do bad things. You are a sinner. God is holy and cannot abide with sinners. That is why Jesus had to come to rescue us from our sins. He was the sacrificial lamb who died to wash us clean.

   To help you remember this I am going to mention something you may be tired of hand sanitizer. I gave each child their own hand sanitizer after the lesson to remind them that Jesus has washed us clean of our sins. Each time you put on sanitizer remember what Jesus has done for you and thank him.

   So, are you washed clean of your sins? How can you share with others about Jesus each day? 

   1 John 1:7

Ride the Wave

  We all go through them: seasons of stress. Maybe there are health problems in your family, maybe work is causing your eye to twitch, maybe someone in your family is making your brain explode. The list could go on and on but you get the idea. 

One time I was going through a season of stress a friend sent me a video. In the video someone was surfing a wave. The person fell as he was surfing. He went under the water. He was under the influence of stress. The problem is if we choose to wallow in that stress we will drown and die. 

The surfer got back up on his board and got ready to ride the next wave. The next wave was bigger but the surfer was more prepared. He was able to ride the wave. In life we can choose to stay down when stressful times come. We can have pity parties or we can get back up and ride the wave.

Psalm 118: 5-6 says "Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" It is important to remember that we cannot learn how to ride the waves on our own and in our own strength. We need to ride with God. When hard times come we need to call upon the Lord. Sometimes that's easy other times it is not so easy. We may feel so beat up that we question if it's even worth getting up. That's when we need to call on the Lord. He will lift you up. He will prepare you for whatever wave you face next. He will remind you that with Him on your side man cannot do anything to you. 

So, will you choose to get up and ride the wave with God?

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