A Week at Camp

If I had more time I would take it to tell of God's work at Ironwood over the last 20 years of our church.  This is God's place.  When you are coming in on the old Ironwood Cherokee Road and see the facilities for the first time it is breathtaking.  Most new wooders say things like how could a place like this be here in the desert.  There is only one reason-God did it.  God used a man named Walt Brock to have a vision for a place for kids and adults to get away from the things of the world to have chance to get to know the Savior and Creator of the universe.  Of folks from Bullhead City-I was the first person to visit Ironwood that first year as a counselor in 1983.  God worked in my life.  I grew more as a Christian that summer then perhaps any other except possibly since my days at Prescott Pines as a Junior High Camper when I dedicated my life to serve God!)  This is  God's place.

So the rest of this note is to our Trinity kids.  Many of us are praying that God would do a great work in your life and challenge you to serve God!  I pray that God would be real to you this week; that you would be open and honest with your counselors and the staff and that you would seek the answers to the tough questions in life-and above all listen to God working in your heart.  Have a great time, enjoy all the games-but listen to the Spiritual messages that you are hearing.

We all love you and are praying for you  earnestly!

A Great Perspective From a Pastor from Canada

What a tumultuous week for the church in America.  The Supreme Court ruling concerning marriage has seemed to have turned everyone into debaters and experts on the subject of marriage.  No matter what the SCOTUS has ruled we as believers must stand firm in the truth.  May we be strong in our faith and not be discouraged by the so-called  liberal experts on God's Word who despise those who believe in a inerrant infallible an inspired foundation(basically, this means that we believe all of God's Word is true, without error and comes from God Himself).  Our view of right and wrong is not changing like shifting sand in a Colorado River sand bar.  When it comes right down to it-one of the most important principles in this debate is if we are willing to say yes to the reliability and trustworthiness of God's Word.  I've been reading the liberals who would try to tell me that I believe my religious conviction about marriage between one man and one woman based on the book of Leviticus.  God gave us all of His Word for instruction-but thank God the law-based faith of the OT believers has been overtaken by the New Covenant and the gospel of Grace when Jesus came.  It doesn't mean I get no more teaching from Leviticus-but it does mean many of the practices of Leviticus are now done away with.  I seek out the New Testament story of grace for guidance.  I also look at the definition of marriage found in the very beginning in Genesis.  It is pretty clear-marriage is between one man and one woman.  Any other interpretation questions the true foundation that God's Word is.

With that being said-I'd like to share an article from a Pastor in Toronto.  Canada has been dealing with same-sex marriage for over a decade.  This pastor's perspective is encouraging and hopeful.  May we, the true Christian church in the USA, stay vigilant for truth no matter what obstacles our government may put in our way:

http://www.churchleaders.com/daily-buzz/257355-advice-sex-marriage-us-church-leaders-canadian.html

About Doubt

I'm currently reading my way through Tim Kellar's book The Reason for God.  To start off with I want everyone to realize that he has one problem and that is that he believes in the long day of creationism.  It does poke some holes in some of his reasoning-but generally he has put together some excellent arguments for today's skeptic of Christianity.  I've been trying to pull out his most quotable quotes to help us answer the hard questions about our faith.  The first is Keller's way of challenging questioners to really seek truth.  So many want to answer a question that doesn't jive with their own personal feelings.  Unfortunately, instead of really seeking truth, many just finish the discussion there.  Instead of truly seeking truth-they give up and let a simple doubt destroy their entire foundation.  Here is Keller's statement.

In fairness you must doubt your doubts. My thesis is that if you come to recognize the beliefs on which your doubts about Christianity are based, and if you seek as much proof for those beliefs as you seek from Christians for theirs— you will discover that your doubts are not as solid as they first appeared.

Keller, Timothy (2008-02-14). The Reason for God . Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.        
In fact, your doubts should crumble amid solid reasoning and clear thinking.  I hope you will seek out this book and read it.  It will strengthen you if you are solid on your beliefs and it will clear things up if you are willing to confront your doubts with the truth.

Getting Up With God

This morning I got up at 5:00 am.  Age has brought me to early rising.  The best part is more time with God.  When we read of the great men of God of history, almost always they write of their early rising to meet the Savior.  I get it.  The best times in my quiet time is when I rise early with little distraction, in the cool of the morning.  God is there with me.  I also was blessed on a river bike ride just after my quiet time.  A

little exercise and being near God's great creation helps to make His presence even greater! Sleeping in can be nice-but I am always more refreshed in God's morning.  Today I've been grappling over Tim Kellar's "Reason for God".  My mind and Spirit have been reaching out for those answers for the tough questions.  Kellar does a great job of answering them with confidence and intellect.  If you are questioning this read is good. He does take the long day theory of evolution but holds on to a personal God and creator who is real, loving and just.  Looking forward to mornings this week. God use them so I can get to know you better!

Divine Appointment

Today right before we started Sunday School a young man called from a travelling singing group wanting to minister to our church on Sunday night.  Feeling a little pressure to help this group out I agreed sight unseen.  At 4:00 pm a large travel bus showed up at church and began unloading all this audio equipment and our small stage hosted a group of nearly twenty for some pleasant encouraging Spiritual music.  The group was very sincere in their presentation.  Probably the most impressive thing is when they came into the audience and each person prayed with a different one of our folks.  We were blessed and encouraged in the Lord.

It appeared that these young people had a sincere relationship with the Savior.  We praise God for touching our lives through this apparent Divine Appointment.

Summer Update at Trinity

It is hard to believe that three weeks have flown by in the summer.  With our ever decreasing summer vacations over the last several years at school-it seems that this high school teacher doesn't have enough time to catch his breath and act like a pastor for the summer.  Hopefully this summer will be different.  A couple of things are helping me to focus a little bit more on the ministry at Trinity Baptist.  One, we do have two more weeks for summer than last year.  Two, I have help doing ministry related things with our summer interns, Andy and Alex.  They have been such a great help in sharing much of the the things I normally do every week.  Trinity is investing in these two young men's lives this summer with the hope that they will be trained to share the Gospel with the incredible talents that God has given them.  So blessed by their willingness to be a help.

One of our biggest projects for the summer is the Musical/Drama Team Presentation.  The kids have put together an amazing selection of God honoring songs and challenging dramatic presentations that could be an entire church service for any churches that are looking for a fresh change for a summer Sunday night, Wednesday night or even a Sunday morning service.  Please message me if you are interested in us sending our young people ot minister to your church this year.  

Finally this summer we are doing some sizzling Bible Study on Wednesday.  We are studying "Walking in the Spirit" n Galatians and it has been a great time of growth and learning for all of us.  Wish everyone could be there on Wednesday at 6:00 pm.

Week Three Growing in Grace-Lesson 4 Homework

1. A Blessing I have received each day from reading the Bible.

      Day 1_________________________________________________________________

     Day 2 __________________________________________________________________


     Day 3 _________________________________________________________________

    Day 4___________________________________________________________________

    Day 5_____________________________________________________________________

    Day 6____________________________________________________________________

    Day 7____________________________________________________________________



2.  Miracles I found in the Bible

      Day 1---John 1  _______________________________________________________________

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     Day 2----John 2 _______________________________________________________________

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     Day 3---- John 3________________________________________________________________

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     Day 4----John 4  _______________________________________________________________

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     Day 5----John 5  _______________________________________________________________

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     Day 6----  John 6  _______________________________________________________________

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     Day 7----- John 7  _______________________________________________________________

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3.   Truths I learned about the Bible the Word of God from the reading this week

John 1________________________________________________________________________

John 2___________________________________________________________________________

John 3__________________________________________________________________________

John 4__________________________________________________________________________

John 5__________________________________________________________________________

John 6__________________________________________________________________________

John 7__________________________________________________________________________

Studying Through the Book of John Week 2 Chapters 8-14

1.  Promises I have found in John 8-14 that were a real blessing (list at least three)

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     2.  _________________________________________________________________

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2.  Truths I received from my daily reading of John 8-14 that I applied to my life each day:

      Day 1---John 8  _______________________________________________________________

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     Day 2----John 9  _______________________________________________________________

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     Day 3---- John 10________________________________________________________________

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     Day 4----John 11  _______________________________________________________________

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     Day 5----John 12  _______________________________________________________________

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     Day 6----  John 13  _______________________________________________________________

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     Day 7----- John 14  _______________________________________________________________

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3.   The verse I found in John 8-14 in which there is a form of the word believe:  

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PS I'll post week 1  later to if you are catching up

Never Stop Praying

At Ironwood this last week, many of us were blessed to see God answer prayer in the profession of faith in Christ by two of our really good friends.  In one case we prayed for four years to see one of our friends to be saved and in another we prayed for at least three years for another individual to be saved.  What a testimony to the fact that we can never give up on praying for our friends and loved ones.  We might have just given up on these two people.  Instead, many of just continued to pray.   God in his perfect timing worked in lives.

Ironwood is wonderful place to get to know our God better.  Its nice to get away from our electronic device, slow down and listen to God speak.  Our kids made many decisions for Christ.   It's our prayer that they'll be able to continue to keep walking with God.

Remembering the Land of the Free

It is the Fourth of July and as I proudly remember the birthday of the "land of the free and the home of the brave" I am also saddened at the passing of a great friend who enjoyed the freedoms we have in America.  But, this friend, being a Iranian-American of Armenian descent perhaps could more value the great blessing of the freedom afforded Americans in our constitution.

My friend Massis Avanessian passed from this life into the arms of his heavenly father on July 3rd.   He came to America in a near desperate manner.  As he looked at his life in Post-Shah Iran in the late 1970's, he realized that the freedoms he had before enjoyed were being stripped away as religious and racial prejudice became part of the new governments program.  One of the scariest aspects of this new perspective in Iran was that non-native ethnics groups were having their sons drafted into the army and sent to the front lines of the most dangerous and bloody war of the time.  Massis realized his young son would soon be sent to fight a useless war and most likely would not come back from the fighting.   That is when Massis made the plans to smuggle his son out of the country.  All of his family would eventually flee Iran and end up in the United States.  Here the Avanessians have enjoyed all the freedoms and liberties afforded all Americans.  They have made an outstanding contribution to our great land.  America is a better place because Massis came to the United States!  Thankfully, the message of Emma Lazarus' poem helped Massis and his family as they began to start a new life.  I wonder if the world still looks at America as the place of refuge?

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

All Things Work Together for Good ... For Them Who Are Called!

So after an adventurous and not so free from tribulation vacation we are back at home starting another week.  God is good and blessed us with a good preacher last week with Jim Sproul.  From what I heard and the comments of the believers he blessed, challenged and encouraged.  This week I continued on with Romans chapter 8.   We were challenged with the Glory of the Christian.  Glory is the ultimate excellent and blessed state that Christians can have when they are walking with God.   We have obtained Glory through Christ.  We can experience some glory on this earth but are looking forward to the glory in the future.  Our God working in hearts daily helps us to experience this every day.    We were challenged about the glory we can experience in prayer in the exercise of our faith as well as knowing that God is in control.  The culmination of Glory for believers today is found in Romans 8:28-"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose."

Romans and Heaven Go Together

So, interesting title.  I think so.  Without the truths found in Romans there is no possible way to heaven.  Romans on Sunday and Heaven on Wednesday.  That is the schedule throughout this summer at Trinity Baptist Church.  I wish we had a house full on Sunday and nearly a house full on Wednesday.  Folks need to hear the truth from scripture.  Our Sundays have been filled with Paul saying his message one way, another way, and then another way.   His chief aim is to make sure everyone knows that our faith is by faith alone, in Christ alone, by grace alone.  Not buy the works of the law or circumcision, or baptism or some other sacramental creation-but faith in Christ-it is all we need.  Paul also describes the person who is in Christ.  The person who has made the true and genuine commitment to the wonderful Savior.  Last week we read that the true believer has conquered death, is dead to sin and is alive unto God.  Romans spells out what we all need to know.

Wednesday we are learning what heaven is like, how you get there and when and how it will be.  Tonight we'll get the Biblical instructions on how to get to this this wonderful place called heaven.  Sunday we've been getting those instructions.  If you are redeemed your destination is HEAVEN.  Be there to uplift the brethren today.  Encourage heaven for everyone you know.   Come on Sunday and get the important instructions about the important subjects.  Fellowship with the believers at Trinity Baptist Church.  Make it more than just one time a week.  There is too much fellowship and truth to miss it.

Thoughts on a Memorial Eve

Today is Memorial Day Eve.  I'd like to take this time to give tribute to those who served.   So many of my students have faithfully served in very dangerous places like Iraq and Afghanistan.  Its quite a choice to enlist and know that most likely you'll end up where bullets will fly.  But, this year a host of my seniors were already signed to go to basic. May God bless them and protect them from harm.

In our service today we looked at the wonderful freeing life of those in Christ.  We appreciated the way of the believer as a servant to righteousness instead of a servant to sin.  Its a bit of a paradox in that when you are in Christ you are free-not a slave.   Anyone who thinks that being in Christ is somehow stifling and hard has got it wrong.  In Christ we are living under grace, Romans tells us.  Under grace the believer lives free from sin.  The desire to sin habitually is gone.  No one is perfect-but the desire to do right dominates those in Christ.   Today we celebrate this fact.  May Trinity take on the flavor and aroma of the grace walk.

Romans 6:18  ¹⁸ Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

A Summer for Growing

I'm trusting the Lord that He will help us to grow this summer. Prayer is needed to uplift and encourage all of us to be bold in our witness and consistent in our testimony.  May we seek God's Word and direction for the next several weeks.

Congratulations go out to Jackie Borgen who graduated this week.  We will send her off with prayer and loving words of encouragement on Sunday night.

Refocusing and Going Forward

It has been a while since I blogged-and I had a few extra minutes to think this week.

First, our Ironwood week is planned for July 8-13th.  We'll be doing a bunch of fund raisers in the next 8 weeks.

Now on to my thoughts-

I kind of feel like I've taken a sabbatical from the Pastoral duties this last year.  Although, I wish I could do more as far as visiting, planning for evangelism and the other behind the scenes Pastor things, it wasn't what God wanted me to do this last year.

Caleb's illness has taken priority and we've had to adjust.  We've had to wait on God and wait for every second instructions from the Lord.

Now, as the first anniversary of Caleb's diagnosis has come and gone, I'm praying that I can be more focused on change.  I think we have all need to grow.  Of course, we need to grow in numbers-but more than that-we need to grow in Christ.  We need to be open to God doing something great this summer.  God has answered our prayers and has taught us to rely on him this year.

We continue to pray for our friends who don't know Christ.  I'm praying that we can reach out and make connections of our church with the ones who need the Lord.   Trinity Bapitst, are you willing to do what it takes to grow and make a difference?

II Peter 3:18  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Romans in the Winter Spring and a Powerful Testimony

The book of Romans is a book that truly brings the great message of New Life.  Paul is writing to the far off  Roman believers.  Many Jewish believers traveled to Rom and brought with them their faith in Jesus Christ.  They were a strong lot as they had to withstand the social and political influence of the Roman ways.  Paul teaches them in the book of Romans good doctrine.  He expresses truths that transform the life.

I've been wanting to preach through this book for years.  Today was the right time to start.   I'm excited at analyzing the doctrines like Justification and working through phrases like "there is no condemnation to they who are in Christ Jesus."

Hoping everyone can be there the rest of the way to worship and learn.

On another note.  This week I was introduced to one of the great testimonies of the year.  It is the amazing and straightforward Christian conversion of a woman named  Rosaria Butterfield.  She had previously been a  lesbian college professor at Syracuse University until a Presbyterian Pastor and his wife showed interest in her life and brought her to Jesus Christ.  It is worth the time to listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ_YI6INTQU

Instant Message

This was the "message" from the BJU Drama team on Tuesday night at Trinity.  It was a lesson that we need to be ready for Christ's coming.  It was a lesson of be genuine in your faith.  It was  a lesson of don't make a false decision just to please someone else.

In His perfect way God sent us the "team" to minister for Christ to the group that came.  We were hoping all of  the young people that we knew would be able to come, but only a few were able.  It was the group God wanted.  It was evident in how each person responded to the message.  The message was really powerful.  The message of the gospel was incredibly strong.

Special Services Coming Up

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The next few days we will be hosting two special services.  On Sunday Doyle Robertson will be here with his family and providing special music.  Mr. Robertson will be  sharing with his wife and son and working with our small choir.  It should be an enjoyable and blessed time.  On Tuesday our mid-week service will change form Wednesday while we host the BJU Drama team.  We always enjoy the presentation that the young people bring.  Tuesday would be a great time to invite many of your friends.  The service will be different than most as the team presents compelling dramatic stories and sketches.  You won't want to miss this:

Doyle Robertson-Sunday, 1-27-2013 10:00 am
BJU Drama Team-Tuesday, 1-29-2013 7:00 pm

Don't miss them

Is God Speaking?

Here we are January 20th.  Is God speaking to you?  Today we were challenged from Romans 12:1-2.  We need to be renewed and transformed by the Christ.  The last phrase in these verses tells us that we need to renew our mind.  Are you doing that this year?  Don't worry if you miss a day or two.  God wants you to stay in touch with Him no matter what.

One thing that should encourage us all is that God speaks to us directly by his Holy Spirit.  I'm listening to Josh Teis speaking about how God speaks to us today.   He does it by His Holy Spirit through His Word.  Some would want God to speak everything at once. I know some who want every question answered right now.  Brother Josh is challenging the believers that God can't give you every answer at once.   He wants us to come as a little child

Let us love God by working on our relationship with Christ every day.  Let us be like a sheep.  Call upon God.  He will save you.  He has saved you if you know that He has spoken to you.

With Confidence

So, I'm excited for the year 2013.  I'm praying that God would use our church to make an impact on our community and world for Christ.  Even though we have a small group we have loads of potential.  This truth should be said for every believer.  We have the power of God unto salvation (ref. Romans 1:16), and we have been transformed by the renewing of our mind (ref. Rom 12:2).  We also are more than conquerors (ref. Rom 8:37).  These portions from Romans are excellent encouragements for all believers to be confident in their walk.

That said, we look ahead to 2013.  For me, Pastor Craig, 2012 was the hardest of my life.   It was a stormy harrowing year as we dealt with Caleb's health.  The year ahead has so much mystery for us.  There could be hard times ahead-but God in his wonderful sovereign mercy is in control.  I know God is there and he will take care of us.

As for our church, I don't know what is in store.  Sunday we had a good crowd with our winter visitors encouraging us with their presence.  Some days I wish I could drop everything but the ministry and really focus on reaching out to Bullhead City.  For some reason, this is not what the Lord has for me.

So, I pray that all of us will take the confidence that God has given us in him through His Holy Spirit and begin to have the victories.  Victory in sharing the gospel, victory in loving our family, victory in walk the walk.