Week 3 2011

Day 2 Week 3

The Mcleod brothers, Gregory and Micah defend the fort in a game of paintball.

Jordan Adams out shot the field at skeet today hitting 3 of 3 on his first set of targets.

Day 1 Week 3

First night of Week 3 was wonderful! A full week of teenage boys and all the staff are expecting great things in the name of the Lord. It was nice to see so many seated under the "Big Oak" and to hear the voices of young men singing to God. I would imagine that by the end of the week the sound of that singing will be somewhat louder.

Kyle is singing "I can only Imagine" in this picture. A particular part of the song speaks of worshipping 'forever'. I was struck at the moment of even considering worshipping forever. I see that the flesh of man gets weak quite quickly in a worship setting whether at church or even at a camp. I "dont imagine" that there will be much distractedness around the throne of God.

The Word of God says in Revelation 4:8 that day and night the angels never cease to sing Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God almighty, who was and is and is to come!" It might sound odd but the opportunity to worship God forever sounds like an amazing thing to me! Would that we could worship now with our minds set on forever!

Week 2 2011

Day 3 Week 2

Day 2 Week 2
Mud pies, chicken w/rice and green beans sounds like a great day at camp!

We are swinging our way into week 2 at TC! All is well on on first full day. Campers enjoyed Rifle and survival skills today. It was a hot one today with the heat index reaching 105 so you can imagine how welcome the sound of going swimming was this afternoon. The rope swing is a favorite.

Reading in 2 Kings yesterday and learned of Ahaziah who sent some messengers to inquire of a false God called Baal of Ekron. You see, he had fallen in his house and evidently was injured bad enough in the fall that he feared he would die. In his anxiety he sent these messengers to travel and inquire of this false God as to what the future might hold. At the same time, the Lord spoke to Elijah and told him to intercept the messengers of Ahaziah and ask them "Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?". We encounter different struggles each week at camp. They can be as little as no breeze and 100 degree weather, a homesick camper, a scraped knee, or an a/c unit going out. I can hear the word of the Lord speaking to me when I try to handle even the smallest things without coming to him first. "Is it because there is no God at Tracy's Camp that you are trying to handle this on your own?" Why would we not go before the Lord? I stand convicted.

On Sunday evening as we headed to the "Big Oak" to worship the air was still and muggy. I thought of Ahaziah and the words that Elijah had spoken to him and thus to me. I prayed to the Lord for a breeze to break the heat as we would begin to worship. Just know that their is a God at Tracy's Camp! He indeed hears our prayers! Thank you Lord for such a cool breeze. You are so gracious.

Week 1 2011

Day 1 Monday, June 13

The Sun rises on our first day of camp for 2011! We had a wonderful rain storm last night that was an answer to prayer on our first night. We have been without rain for almost two weeks. The roads were dusty and the ponds and fields all look much more refreshed this morning not

to mention it is a few degrees cooler.

Our first night at the Big Oak was a hot one with not much air moving at all. The campers all agreed that our God was worthy of worship and praise and the heat was no hindrance. We sometimes only "feel" like worshipping when all things are comfortable to do so. Not just with the temperature but with situations in our lives. It is true we are less likely to lift our hands whenever it hurts to do so. I am amazed at the simple understanding of children.

Last nights teaching from Genesis revealed to us all that the sin which began in the garden with Adam is still alive in us today. In the same way that Adam and Eve immediately continued to sin after first disobeying God's command to not eat from the tree, they then began to lie and try to conceal or hide from the one who knows all things.

I read this morning in 1 Kings the story of Jeroboam sending his wife to a prophet of God and when sending her he told her to conceal or hide her identity in order to find out what would happen to their son because he was sick. It is so ridiculously funny for man to think he can hide from God! In the next few verses I actually laughed aloud as I read that God then spoke to the prophet and told him all of Jeroboams plans. What makes it even better is that the prophet of God was physically blind. When Jeroboams wife walks in "disguised", the prophet is able to recognize her by the way her walk sounded!! He spoke her name as soon as she entered the room! She must have been shocked.

Adam and Eve sinned and revealed their lack of obedience and trust in God alone. God gave a simple command and with it the just punishment if they were disobedient. They listened to the enemy and paid the price of death. So to with Jeroboam who was cut off from the Lord because he was disobedient and did not trust the Lord. His family suffered as a result of his disobedience for years afterwards. Adams sin was brought upon his family as well and that sin bore the fruit of death when Cain killed his brother Abel. Sin brings about death.....period.

We must all stop believing that somehow we can hide from the Lord. We disguise our lives with good works, church attendance and the like in an effort to somehow hide the underlying sin from God. Repentance is full disclosure! A bearing of ones sin before the Lord.

May we recognize the only victory over death is in the Cross of Christ Jesus!! Otherwise, we stand alone to face the penalty for our sins. He died in my place so that through Him I might live!

Campers enjoyed a great breakfast before spending some time in the Word with their assigned tribe for the week!

Headed to the "swimmin hole"! Lots of happy faces. A great group of boys to start off the summer!

Paintball!!

Day 2 Tuesday, June 14

The day when campers begin to open up! Sunday night and Monday are often difficult days at camp for many campers who enjoy the comforts of their own bed at night and the safety of mom and dad's presence. This year is no different. However, what I have seen today gives me hope for the next two days together. A little opening towards coming together as a camp. New friends are formed and together we begin to open up our lives to one another. Beautiful!

How dirty is dirty?! Well when every pore is filled with red clay mud I would say you are dirty.

John the Baptist cried out in John 1:29 "Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world". His cry was to beckon all who hear to listen!! Listen to what I now say to you! This Jesus is the Christ, the lamb of God who by his unblemished life and spotless obedience to God has been sacrificed on the Cross to provide the means of salvation and cleansing of sin. Are you dirty with sin? The scriptures say that we are filthy even at our best before God(Isaiah 64) and not just dirty with sin but actually we are dead in sin and trespasses(Ephesians 2).

What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Muuuuuuuudy!

Day 3 Wednesday, June 15

Zachary Hodge prepares to reel in his first catfish while Andy Pack handles the net! 15lbs! Great job Zachary.

Cool morning this morning that was almost spring like gave those who went primitive camping last night a break from heat and they were up early this morning standing by the fire. Our Lord is a perfect provider for all things.

Today we learn the truth of Christ living and dying as a slave. Philippians 2 says that "He who was God did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant (slave), and humbled himself by becoming obedient unto death, even death on a cross".

A slave serves! Some slaves as written in the scriptures would grow to love their masters and as a result would want to stay a slave and serve that master forever. When this was the case the scripture says that the master would take the ear of the slave and pierce it through into the door post of the house signifying that he would remain the property of that master indefinitely.

We are slaves to sin and unrighteousness. Our master is the devil and the flesh. We might be quick to say "I have never been a slave to anyone" as did the religious Jews in John 8 however Christ was quick to respond "Anyone who sins is a slave to sin". So our master is the enemy of God. Sounds like grim circumstances to me. No enemy of God will withstand his power of judgement nor escape his wrath.

What then? How can a man be set free from unrighteousness? How can we release the shackles that bind us to sin and death? Through the one who came as a slave, as nothing, and humbled himself becoming obedient unto death even death on a cross (our cross). Jesus! "If the Son sets you free you will be free indeed!" The Apostle Paul said that he "..was crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who lives but Christ who lives within me" .

If Christ be your master, you will be his slave. As the slave who wants to stay with his master allows the piercing of his ear into the doorpost of the house, so to should we submit to our Lords command and "..deny yourself, take up your cross and then come follow me"

Only the man who sees himself as dirty will ever desire or have gratitude for the washing and only the slave likewise will appreciate true freedom!

Last night tonight! May God be Glorified throughout.

2011 Summer Camp!!

Tracy's Camp Counselors as Walmart greeters! Every year all the staff make the trip to Sumter for worship and swimming at the home of Dick and Sandy Davis and then head over to our local Walmart for our last minute shopping before campers arrive. We are blessed to have those pictured above to minister at the camp for the weeks of summer.

Training week has its challenges each year and through them we learn in preparation for the ministry to come with our campers. For us this year, we will certainly have our eyes open to serve every camper that steps onto the lawn at TC. Our eyes have been sharpened through the word of God and our hearts long to minister His love as we share about the Cross.

Our focus for 2011 is "The Cross of Christ". A real look at what took place on the hill at Calvary. It is so much more than mere suffering and death. We hope that none will ever look at a cross the same again after realizing that Christ died upon the Cross IN MY PLACE!

2 Corinthians 5:21 brings us face to face with the reality of Christ sacrifice. "For OUR sake He Made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God"
We await with eager expectation those whom the Lord will send this summer. May He and He alone be glorified and the name of His Son exalted!