In Christ Alone

It’s that time of the year again. CAMP. The past Labour Day weekend was AMAZING!! I think it’s safe to speak for all counsellors and say the Holy Spirit was truly in that place throughout the whole weekend at retreat. It was a blessing to have a number of counsellors in attendance. Out of the 3 retreats I’ve been to (including this one), this was the best one I’ve experience. It was truly a blessing to all.

Dear Lord,

God you are just AWESOME, words can’t even contain your love, holiness, awesomeness and goodness. The past weekend has been a blessing unto many as we felt you move through the place to meet with us at our most desperate needs and sorrows. Your name be glorified through our praises, may they have been sweet savor to your heart and move You to see our faithfulness. 

We thank You for your wisdom and knowledge that you poured out into us so that we may have have planned the weekend and various camp to the glorification of your name. May the will of You, Jesus, be fulfilled through each came, to win souls for Your kingdom. Jesus let you reign in that place, in our lives as we live lives to honour YOU and YOU alone. 

There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain (Jesus Culture). So I pray Lord that you break every plans of the enemy to prosper in this place. I pray that you convict the hearts of the campers to live for you Lord. Convict the hearts of the counsellors to further their relationships with You. Remove ALL fear and negativity that may hinder growth among us for You, Lord, HAVE NOT given us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.  

Matthew 4:19 (AMP) And He said to them, Come after Me [as disciples—letting Me be your Guide], follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men!

Lord I pray that we will make disciples of the nations in Your name JESUS. Amen

God wants to make us all winners with our resolutions! But He also dreams much bigger for us. Total surrender to Him is so important. Sometime we have to give up we desperately want in order to get something better. We need to ask God if there is anything we need to give up to him in order for us to grow. Here are the las of the pointers about resolutions:

24. Xenophile: One attracted to foreign things. Do not allow yourself to be attracted to things of this world.

25. Yield: yield every sing area of life to the authority of Jesus Christ.

26. Zealous: zealously attack your resolution.

1 Timothy 1:18 - 19 (AMP)

¹⁸ This charge and admonition I commit in trust to you, Timothy, my son, ^[a]in accordance with prophetic intimations which I formerly received concerning you, so that inspired and aided by them you may wage the good warfare,

¹⁹ Holding fast to faith (^[b]that leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence) and having a good (clear) conscience. By rejecting and thrusting from them [their conscience], some individuals have made shipwreck of their faith.

Peace Out

Are you willing to make sacrifices if necessary? What, specifically, will you need to deny yourself in order to reach your goal? Admit to God that it’s tough for yo to deny yourself some of the things you need to keep your resolution. It’s hard to take a step back from some of your friends who don’t share your faith. Tell the Lord you realize he has a calling on your life, and you want to answer his call. And again more resolution pointers:

20. Track: track your progress

21. Understand: understand you’re not perfect and that you’ll mess up.

22. Visualize: visualize victory.

23. Write: write it down.

1 Corinthians 9:27  But [like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit]. (AMP)

1 Corinthians 15:58  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord [always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord], knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile [it is never wasted or to no purpose]. (AMP)

2 Corinthians 4:18  Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting. (AMP)

Peace Out

Not everyone will applaud your determination to keep your resolutions. Some of your friends may get angry because you’re not doing the same stuff they are doing any longer. Except flak, and continue to draw strength from your growing relationship with Christ. So here are more pointers for you guys:

15. Optimistic: always remain optimistic even when you think you can’t go on.

16. Pray: pray daily about your resolution.

17. Quit: quit doing things that hinder your ability to keep your resolution.

18. Repeat: repeat progress. Whatever works, repeat it!

19. Surround: surround yourself with positive people who can cheer you on to victory.

1 John 5: 1-5
1  EVERYONE WHO believes (adheres to, trusts, and relies on the fact) that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah) is a born-again child of God; and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of Him (His offspring). 2  By this we come to know (recognize and understand) that we love the children of God: when we love God and obey His commands (orders, charges)—[when we keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and His teaching]. 3  For the [true] love of God is this: that we do His commands [keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and teaching]. And these orders of His are not irksome (burdensome, oppressive, or grievous). 4  For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world; and this is the victory that conquers the world, even our faith. 5  Who is it that is victorious over [that conquers] the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on that fact]? (AMP)

Peace out

Continuing with the whole resolution thing. I pray that you find the information a blessing. Some more pointers for my family:

8. Hold On: this lifestyle isn’t easy and some people may find it boring. Hold on to the promises that God has given us in his word.

9. Iron sharpens iron: essentially this just brings us back to accountability.

10. Just do it!

11. Kvetch: means to complain habitually. Don’t do it!!

12. Live it!: make your resolution a part of your lifestyle

13. Mean it: don’t just make a resolution, mean it. Back your words with actions

14. Never give up!

Psalm 101:3  I will set no base or wicked thing before my eyes. I hate the work of them who turn aside [from the right path]; it shall not grasp hold of me.

Psalm 1:1  BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather. 2  But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. 3  And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity]. 4  Not so the wicked [those disobedient and living without God are not so]. But they are like the chaff [worthless, dead, without substance] which the wind drives away. 5  Therefore the wicked [those disobedient and living without God] shall not stand [justified] in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous [those who are upright and in right standing with God]. 6  For the Lord knows and is fully acquainted with the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly [those living outside God’s will] shall perish (end in ruin and come to nought).

Peace Out

Dear Lord, I pray that we may hear from you and obey your will over our lives. I pray that you help us take you more seriously and to hunger for your word. Amen

I know it’s kind of late to be thinking of New year resolutions but the devotional I started is a yearly one and I started the book at January a couple weeks ago. So be blessed.

God takes resolutions seriously. He wants you to take it seriously as well.

1 Corinthians 2:2  For I resolved to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified. (AMP)

Here are some pointers as to keep resolutions:
1. Make yourself accountable
2. Bring in your friends. (want to lose weight? Carry a friend to exercise with)
3. Be willing to call for help
4. Change requires discipline
5. Exclude temptation from your life
6. Find others who are willing to make the same resolution as you are
7. Give your resolution to God.

Point: Accountability is ESSENTIAL!

Peace Out