Posts Tagged ‘ Christ ’

Answered Prayers from Youth Camp

Firstly, thank you to all who prayed for our youth this past week (July 22-25). 5 churches were represented this week, about 140 students attending.

Here are some quick updates on this week:

Our 2 JH boys
  • One student confessed his pride struggles, and he showed the fruit over the next day we were at camp.
  • Several students committed to actively living their lives for serving Christ.
  • At least four students came forward to receive Christ!
  • James was praying someone would experience a miracle to help their faith grow deeper. He was born color blind (able to see black/white, grays, and brown (typically from red)). After about 30 minutes of praying for his fellow students, he opened his eyes to notice the stage lights looked different. This young man, praying someone else might experience a miracle, had his own! James is no longer color blind!
    • James is not from my congregation, but he was in my cabin. We did not get to bed until after 1:00 am, because he kept discovering new colors and shades
Immediately after the Wednesday night prayer time. James is surrounded by friends praising God.

It is always amazing to see the goodness of God. Please continue to pray for our new believers, students who had major breakthroughs, and for James and his new vision!

Love and grace,

Daniel

VerseD: Hebrews 12:12-14

Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:12-14, NASB

To overcome the problems and difficulties of this life, we should focus on God and His Word, seeking His wisdom and helping each other to grow in Christlikeness and the peace of Christ.

VerseD: Hebrews 12:11

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

Hebrews 12:11, NASB

Many of the difficulties we face in this life come from our own bad decisions, but God uses those difficulties to overcome them and to grow us in Christlikeness. It does not feel pleasant, but like Christ conquering death through His death and resurrection, we see the hope of peace on the other side, the righteousness of Christ that is made ours.

VerseD: Hebrews 12:10

For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.

Hebrews 12:10, NASB

Many of the problems and difficulties we face in this life are from our own bad decisions, but God uses those times to discipline us, to make us more Christ-like. The difficulties we face help us grow in holiness for God.

VerseD: Hebrews 12:7-8

It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

Hebrews 12:7-8, NASB

Many of the problems we face in life come from our own bad decisions, but God uses those situations to help us overcome this world and grow in the likeness of Christ. This discipline should give us hope, knowing that it means we are His children through the blood of Christ.

VerseD: Proverbs 3:11-12

My son, do not reject the [d]discipline of the Lord
Or loathe His reproof,
For whom the Lord loves He reproves,
Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

Proverbs 3:11-12, NASB

We face problems and difficulties in this life, many of which come from our own bad decisions. Oftentimes, God uses our circumstances to teach us through consequences. If we are wise, we listen to His Word before we suffer, but He offers His correction through the Word and consequences because He loves us and wants us to grow in wisdom and overcome this world.

VerseD: Proverbs 3:5-7

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

Proverbs 3:5-7, NASB

Many of the problems we face in this life come from bad decisions we have made, thinking we know better than God or that God might not care enough to bother with us.

We can overcome the problems in this life as we turn our focus on Christ and living according to God’s will through the power of the Holy Spirit. He cares for every part of our lives, and He has given us guidance through His Word and by His Spirit.

VerseD: Proverbs 3:3

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.

Proverbs 3:3, ESV

Life has problems and trials, but relying on God’s love and faithfulness can help us overcome anything that comes our way.

VerseD: Hebrews 7:21-22

but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever.’” This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.

Hebrews 7:21-22, ESV

God called us to perfect obedience, but only God is able to make us perfect after our sin. The Old Covenant was based on obeying God’s Law, but the New Covenant is based on Christ’s obedience and love.

Believe in our High Priest who sacrificed Himself for us.

VerseD: Hebrews 7:18-19

For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

Hebrews 7:18-19, ESV

God’s Law shows us how sinful we are. God Himself came to us as a human, perfectly obeyed the Law, and then took our place of punishment and became our High Priest. When we believe in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we are able to draw near to the One who first drew near to us.