MONTHLY ARCHIVES: December 2015

Who’s Ready?

Posted by Karah

IMG_9757Pause

Find a quiet place where you can be alone. Begin your time with God in prayer. Ask Him to help you understand His Word.

Scripture tells us that God sent a special prophet, John the Baptist, into the world to prepare His people for the coming Messiah. Learn more about him in Luke 1:2-25, 57-66.

 “And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.” —Luke 1:17

Consider these questions:

Reread Zechariah’s response to the angel in verses 5-25. Was Zechariah ready for the message? How do you know? Explain.

Were Zechariah’s and Elizabeth’s neighbors and families ready for the truth about John? Why or why not?

Focus on verse 17. Elijah was one of the most revered Old Testament prophets whose ministry was centered on calling the people back to God and His righteous ways. John would do the same. Why is this important?

Respond

God had a purpose for John, and He has a plan for you, too. Pray that you will grow in relationship with God and walk according to His ways and wisdom and fulfill His purpose for your life.

Knowing God’s purpose for your life is intricately tied to knowing Him. What specific steps will you take this week to grow in relationship with Him? List two below.

Think about how you came into a relationship with Jesus. How did the Holy Spirit prepare you? Who did God use to bring you close to Him? Record your thoughts in your journal. End in a time of prayer, thanking God for pursuing you.

For further study of how others responded to God’s call, read Genesis 22:11; Exodus 3:4; and 1 Samuel 3:10.

Behind the Story

Hundreds of years before John the Baptist’s birth, God had spoken through the prophet Malachi of a time when He would send “Elijah the prophet” to His people. This Elijah would “turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers” (Mal. 4:5-6). Malachi’s prophecy isn’t about the reincarnation of the most revered prophet in Israel’s history. Instead, this promised prophet would share the same mission as Elijah: to call the nation back to God. In Matthew 17:10-13, Jesus identified John the Baptist as the Elijah whom Malachi had foretold.

The Point

God used John the Baptist to prepare the people for the coming Messiah.


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Camp Ridgecrest Construction Update, December 2015

Posted by phil

Maybe you’ve heard Camp is doing some renovations this year. You’ve heard we’re adding some cabins. You’ve heard about the new tribes. And maybe you’ve seen the map from the newsletter that shows the layout of some stuff. But what is REALLY going on a camp right now? Rather than try to explain everything, we thought we’d show you some photos of the progress!

Did you know the NEW Lake Lodge will have a brand new Clothing Store in it? That’s right! In addition to that, the Lake Lodge will have some nice, new bathrooms available to everyone! So if you’re playing 4-square, you no longer have to go back to your Egypt to use the bathroom. And parents, you won’t have to wait in line to use the bathroom on Opening Day! Here’s a layout of the new Lake Lodge:

Lake Lodge renovation, as of December 4, 2015

Lake Lodge renovation, as of December 4, 2015. Click to enlarge.

Your first reaction to that photo may be “WHOA! That’s getting really close to messing up the 2-square court! Well, don’t worry, in addition to the Lake Lodge, there will be some awesome improvements and additions around the Lake Lodge as well. We’ll be adding more 2-square and 4-square courts, as well as a NEW basketball court area and an awesome deck at the corner of the lake that extends out over the water. Also, we’ll be adding a brand new Archery range, up above the Middle Green. So whether you enjoy fishing, playing basketball, or just hanging out with your friends by the lake, this area is something to get excited about! Check out this photo to see exactly where things will be:

Camp Commons Area Plans, as of December 4, 2015. Click to enlarge.

Camp Commons Area Plans, as of December 4, 2015. Click to enlarge.

Be sure to check back in the coming weeks and months to see and hear more about what is going on around here. We can’t wait for you to be here to enjoy all of this with us!


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Shout Out from Dr. Rainer, President of LifeWay

Posted by phil

Check out this video of Dr. Rainer, the President of LifeWay Christian Resources giving Camp Ridgecrest and Camp Crestridge a shout out.  It’s cool to hear other people who are as excited about what is happening at the Camps. Watch this short clip…


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