Trusting God

Trusting God

Dear Champions,

I wrote the short excerpt, and the scripture is 2 Timothy 1:7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

Yesterday I was disappointed and angry.  Camp Greystone, like many camps throughout the country, has cancelled every session this summer.  What expert in North Carolina decided that overnight camps in the state can only have campers from N.C. or from states that border N.C.?  Who decided that Staff and campers with symptoms (fever, cough, runny nose, etc.) at camp should immediately be separated and sent home and referred to their healthcare provider?  The experts came up with impossible guidelines for Greystone to follow.

In life there are risks.  Every time we get in a car there is a risk that we could be in a wreck.  Every day we decide if we want to take that risk.  

I listen to the experts, but my trust is not in them.  Their opinions change, and they vary from state to state.  I do trust in God!  He is Sovereign! Isaiah 55:9 says, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."  I don't know why He has allowed this to happen, but I am going to trust Him.

Philippians 2:4 says, "Look not only to your own interest but also to the interest of others."  Imagine losing your entire income for a whole year!  That is what Camp Greystone & camps all over are facing right now.  We can show God's faithfulness to them by helping them out by praying for them and possibly by donating to them.  Here is a link to donate to Camp Greystone if you would like to help.  Please forward this link to people that you think might want to help.

https://www.cognitoforms.com/CampGreystone/SupportGreystoneDuringThePandemic

If you are receiving this and are not associated with Greystone, perhaps there is a camp that is special to you that you could help get through this challenging season.

Champions, be wise but live with power, love and self-discipline!  Have a great week!-David Vining 

Sinful & Incredibly Valuable!

Sinful & Incredibly Valuable

Dear Champions,

 

The scripture is by Tim Keller, and the scripture is Matthew 5:45   God causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

 

Over the years I have seen people getting completely destroyed by the troubles in their lives.  And here's why.  There's a premise underneath our lives that's so deep that we don't even realize it is there.  And the premise is this: "If I live right, my life should go right."  So if your life goes wrong, you either say (1) "Something's wrong with me.  I hate myself, because I must be a failure."  Or (2)  "I hate God, because He's not treating me as I deserve."  Then, every mode of the experience is either going to lead you into self-hatred or God-hatred.  And if that becomes a sustained theme in your life, your life will be poisoned. 

 

The gospel says that you are sinful and incredibly valuable.  People who try and earn their salvations think like this.  "If I'm living up to the expectations and obeying all of the rules and doing right, then I'm good and I'm valuable." Then when things go wrong the

anger is toward God. "I hate you! How can you do this to me?" But if you're not living up to your standards, then you feel sinful and worthless. Then when things go wrong you get angry, but instead of getting mad at God you get angry with yourself.

 

The gospel doesn't say that you are either good or valuable or sinful or worthless. It says that you are very sinful and absolutely valuable in Christ. Because you know that you are sinful, when bad things happen, you don't complain. But because you know that you are valuable, when bad things happen, you know that it is not a punishment.

 

Champions, have a great week!-David Vining