I am sitting at my desk this morning writing my article. I just finished my calendar for the rest of the week. I looked back at the past 5-6 weeks and went wow! Two church camps, SBC in Indian apo lis, took pictures for two other camps and put together slide shows for each and fini shed work on the activity building. I looked at where I have been and where I still have to go. It has been exciting and tiring.
The end of May we went to church camp with 30+ people. Great weather, long days and longer nights, cool temperatures and lots of fun. We also had kids saved and four surrendered to ministry.
The convention in Indianapolis was a long ways to go but very informative and comforting as the SBC seems to be going in the right direction.
When I got home I went to Tenkiller Baptist Assembly and took a gajillion pictures of the first youth camp. It was hot and there was a lot of walking! I did this again right after the Fourth of July.
In between the camps we had the activity building insulated and then had two work crews, one morning and one evening, to hang the plywood on the walls (16 feet is a long way up). Then we finally got the air conditioning unit moved outside. Right after that we got windows cut and framed in for the hallway in the education building.
Children’s camp was in the middle of June. We took six kids and three of them were saved. We came home and then had a baptism service in a swimming pool outdoors. We had almost 70 people for the service.
Currently, VBS preparation is under way. It is the last week of July. Props, decorations, work days, staff meeting and scheduling is all going on. We are praying and expecting 40-60 kids!
When I think of the past several weeks, I understand why I am tired, long days, up early and to bed late and constant going on in the between times. But as I remember it…I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Seeing God working, people giving lives to Jesus and then following in baptism… priceless! When I think of all of the summer stuff it occurs to me it is all just a memory. Not a faded memory but fresh; not a bad memory but good; not a dreaded memory but dynamic. So when I think of summer the word that comes to mind is REMEMBER.
Jesus tells us to remember. In Matt. 5:23 He tells us to remember when we bring our gift to the altar and have something against our brother…go and make it right leaving the gift. He fed the 5,000 with food left over and prepares to feed the 4,000 with doubting disciples He simply asks “Do you not remember…? (Mark 8:18) In Jesus’ parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Abraham asked the rich man to remember the good things afforded him and Lazarus’ evil things? (Luke 16:25) In Luke 17:32 Jesus simply says in one verse, “Remember Lot’s wife.” That is it. Nothing really before it or after. All in reference to the coming Kingdom. Right in the middle He just says, “Remember Lot’s wife.”
The dying thief on the cross next to Jesus acknowledges Jesus as God’s son and says “Remember me…” Then in John 15:20 Jesus says to the REMEMBER the Word that I spoke to you. Following this in John, Jesus tells the disciples to REMEMBER the things He has just told them.
When the rooster crowed, Peter remembered Jesus’ statement that he would deny Him three times (Matt. 26:75). And, finally, in Luke and John, the disciples REMEMBERED what Jesus said about his death, burial and resurrection (Luke 24:8 & John 2:22).
REMEMBER…what a great theological principal. WE should remember what Jesus has done for us. We should remember what has happened in the past and God’s part in it.
AND, we should remember the future. Many people will. We should remember all that is going to happen: Rapture, Resurrection, Judgement and Glorification. There will be knees bowing, tongues confessing, and eternal life…with or without God! Because at that moment in eternity you will remember: “Away from me, I never knew you…” (Matt. 7:23) or “Well done my good and faithful servant…” (Matt. 25:21 & 23) What will you remember? Bro. Tim
