Sex, Supremes, and Starts

Today is the final full day of junior high week at Crescent Lake Bible Camp.

Last night we addressed, strongly and clearly, the subject of sex outside of marriage.

"To junior highers?" 

If that is your reaction may I suggest you get your head out of the, ah, sand?

"That should be talked about at home!" Couldn't agree more...but guess what?  It isn't...in the vast majority of cases. Many youth pastors, volunteer or "professional," don't address the issue for fear they'll be run out of town.

Many of these young people indicated God spoke to them through His Word and we pray the impact will continue.

This morning I encouraged them to try the following in order to help ensure that they are able to continue to 2 Peter 3.18 (look it up if you don't know it; it summarizes our "mission statement")

Our theme has been "STAND" and thus I am hopeful they can remember to:

Study (no way any of us...of any age...can be effective for the Lord until and unless we develop a regular, systematic intake of the Word of God. Period. End of sentence. That's it.

Talk nag God..."pray without ceasing" perhaps means "pray without ceasing." Encouraged to develop a written prayer list so they don't lie too often..the first most stated lie of Christians is "Fine" (in response to "How are you doing?"). The second, probably unintentional, is "I'll be praying for you."

Assemble be part of a Bible-believing, Christ-exalting church. "Ask not what your church can do for you; ask what you can do for your church." Don't be like so many "I love Jesus but I hate the churchers"...spiritual adulterers having an affair with Jesus...

Notice Stay alert to people around you, "esteem others as better than yourselves". Be Jesus-with-skin-on to hurting people. Don't pray for opportunities to share Jesus, take advantage of the opportunities we have every day.

Do Yup, we are saved by grace through faith and that not of works, but Ephesians 2.10 is just as inspired (if too often ignored) as 8 and 9, "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for the purpose of bringing forth good works, which He has before ordained that we should practice them."
Genuine salvation works - no fruit, no shoot, no root.

Tonight I'll challenge them to go "all in" with the Lord Jesus, and tomorrow the camp ends.

No, by faith and through faith I pray the things they've learned in Bible study, preaching etc start as they go back to the war zone of real life 101.

And...tonight I tell them of the Supreme Court's decision, and remind them that the Supreme Court is NOT supreme...and that whatever they say does not negate God's Word. And though many Christians will be whining, we instead should be worshiping, because, after all....Speakers Up...Click Here