Wednesday
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
We have another beautiful day on the mountain. We thought we would have a storm last night, but it passed over us.
Today has been a day of preparation and polishing and editing. Each of the tracks worked to put final touches of their presentations. The vocal track and instrumental track worked together this afternoon for their combined presentation.
Joyce Binick, one of our Bible Study leaders, went down the Road to Damascus this afternoon. Don’t worry, Joyce did know the Lord before she came to camp. She went down the GIANT waterslide called, The Road to Damascus, and survived!
Gift Givers Showcase
Joel Goddard opened the Showcase by leading the campers in singing “Go Light Your World.” Del Morgan introduced each of the Gift Givers tonight.
YPAC Vocal Track sang “We Sing Praises,” a spiritual, accapella under the direction of Rachel Morgan. Kristen Barnett performed a lyrical Dance to “On My Knees.” Praise Team Track under the direction of Bryan Patrick, played and sang, “You Are My God.” Simone Lagergren and Avianne Washington sang “He Still Loves Me.”
Lana Morgan sang and Rachel Shiflett dance to “Held.” Rachel Ford sang “Strong Enough.” Tracy Anderson, Julie Pulsifer and Rachel Word performed as a Woodwind Trio, two pieces, “Russian Song” and “Pastorale.” Kristi and David Van Tassell played guitar and Kristi sang “Trading My Sorrows, Stan Belle on drums. Rachel Llewellan danced to “Frontline.”
El Bethel’s Expressions of Praise with Jeff Autry, Jasmine Newsome and Greg Long did mime to “Get the Atmosphere.” Seth Spaulding, Alex Stuart, Tim Alcott, played an original composition, “Out of Darkness.”
With 11 Gift Givers tonight, the stage crew had a monumental task of keeping the program moving and stayed on top of things!
Joel Goddard led with “There Is Joy In the Presence of the Lord.” Kara Mercer and Kristen Norris signed the incredibly fast song, “I Don’t Know Where I’m Going.”
The Message
Trent Kirkland, camp pastor, opened with a little break dancing with several of the guys joining him on stage.
Trent Kirkland, camp pastor, opened with a little break dancing with several of the guys joining him on stage.
Trent told the campers, “When thinking about the vision of this camp of students who don’t just think of the arts as a way of expressing themselves, but of showing God to a lost world, I believe that God is raising up young people to change the culture – to reach and impact your peers to share the Gospel.”
He spoke from 1 Sam. 14 – Jonathan made a decision to step off of the sidelines and onto the battlefield. Saul was the king of Israel, but he sat under a pomegranate tree instead of fighting. He had the opportunity to seize the moment. But instead of acting on what he knew God wanted for his life, he waited under a pomegranate tree and did not attack, because from his perspective success was impossible.
On the other hand, in the middle of the night his son Jonathan slips out without telling his father, wakes up his armor–bearer, and goes to war. In this moment are two individuals who had essentially the same opportunity in front of them. They both had the same opportunity, in a sense, to seize the divine moment. One of them missed it, and the other one walked through it.
Trent asked, “Ever thought to yourself, why is it that God always blesses that? Why is it that God's always with them? The reality is they encounter the exact same kind of moments as the rest of us, but they face those moments differently than the rest of us.
Those who seize the divine moment know that they don't know.
One of the things you find in people that continually step into the moments and unleash God's divine opportunities is that they know they don't know. They live their lives with a certain amount of uncertainty…. But it doesn’t paralyze them.
Trent asked if anyone had ever heard someone say, “The safest place to be is in the center of the will of God?” It's so beautiful. It's just so unbiblical. We have been taught time and time again that if we will live in the will of God, it will all be a safe journey. It's not. Listen to Paul's diary: ‘I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles, in danger in the country, in danger at sea, and in danger from false brothers.’”
Paul didn't accidentally stumble into all those places without realizing they were dangerous. Those places weren't dangerous. God had made Paul dangerous. He moved forward to do what God's wanted, whether he lived or died. We all need to become dangerous followers of Jesus Christ.
Those who seize the divine moment know they won't live until they die.
Until you are ready to die to yourself and understand that there is a level of risk that only a genuine follower of Jesus Christ can take, because they fear nothing but God, you will miss it.
Trent said, “I think for all of us there are these points of no returning—these commitments, these decisions that God calls us to. And we know if we step one step beyond it, our life will never be the same.
Those who seize the divine moment will go until they get a no.
Men and women who seize divine moments not only understand that not everything will be clear, but also that you cannot see the outcome of those moments. You step into them trusting who God is, knowing it's on his heart, knowing it's aligned with his character, knowing that it's in line with the Scriptures. And you move forward, and then you have to go beyond a point of ever turning back. You have to take that personal leap and say, "God, I'm going to step out beyond this point and trust you to take me all the way through."
The men and women that God uses to change history go until they get a no.
You can live a mundane life and it will be a parallel life to the miraculous life you were created for. You can live your whole life wishing that God had just done more and never realize that God was trying all along to do that.
Those who seize the divine moment take initiative (who make the commitment to carry the light).
Divine moments are right in front of us. And in that moment we have to choose whether we turn to the left or turn to the right. And the person who never sees God work, the person who lives this mundane, average, ordinary life keeps turning to the left when Jesus would be turning to the right.
Trent concluded by saying, “There’s lots of darkness and we need to carry the light into it.” He passed out small lights to the campers. He said that as Christians we are shining lights in already lit rooms. We need these “holy huddle” moments. But we also need to say, ‘Ready, Break’ and go out into the darkness. He asked the campers to turn their lights on and hold them on. He asked what kind of a difference their lights made in the already lit room. He challenged them to take the light into a dark corner and shine. He challenged them to use the arts as a platform for shining the love of Christ. Are you afraid or are you going to be like Jonathan and engage the enemy?
Joel led in the time of decision by singing a song about being bored if we are not afraid to fail without Jesus.
He testified about God’s healing power and how 14 years ago God had healed his knee.
He led in singing, “All I Need Is You.” Joel then challenged the campers once again to sing a new song with their own words and melody.
He concluded the impromptu praise by singing, “Search me, O God and know my heart. Try me and know my most anxious thoughts. And see if there be any hurtful way in me and lead me in the way Lead me in the way. O Lord, lead me in your everlasting way.”
He led the group in a song inspired by the book of Revelation.
“My heart burns for a man. Who gave his life for me let it be known throughout the land He gave it so Id be free. I cry holy. Great is he in our midst. I cry holy There is no one like this.”
“Raise your voice, Say his name, Warriors roar, Let the nations shout
Behold the King of kings. Behold the King, Clear the way, Behold.
He restored my soul from the pit of nothingness. He received my bones and was pleased to take my place.”
“So I cry holy. Great is He in our midst. I cry holy, There is no one like this.
Raise your voice. Say His name. Warriors roar. Let the nations shout His praise.”
“Behold the King of Kings O, I behold the King Clear the way Behold.
Who is this King of glory? Is that the trumpet sound? He’s who we’ve waited for. Look, here He comes...”
“Behold the King of Kings. I behold, the King Clear the way, Behold.”
