Planting Seeds

I’ve just experienced an awesome week volunteering at my church’s kid's summer camp (vacation bible school). This was my ‘sophomore’ year being a Head Counselor to a vibrant group of 22 nine year old boys. Something I’ve learned, is there’s a HUGE difference between that ‘Freshman’ and ‘Sophomore’ year. The first time; you have plans, expectations, and eagerness to change some children’s lives.  This year I came in knowing that I just wanted GOD to use me as HE needed me and leave the changing of kid’s lives to HIM.

The first time out, you have that dream of perfect kids, behaving like little angels and everything goes according to schedule…(makes me giggle today thinking about those naive thoughts)!! A kid’s Church camp is pretty much the same as life:, stuff happens, you roll with the punches, and different personalities will cause conflict. Kids are no different than us adults, the difference being adults have learned you don’t call people names to their faces (whereas adults wait to the backs are turned).   Not everyone is going to ‘like’ you, so hang out with those who do - instead of trying to make the person who doesn’t like you, change their mind. My freshman year I ended up disappointed in myself, upset that I had to get on to some kids for acting inappropriately or disrespectful.

What I discovered along the way though: these are kids, they are at camp to learn and I volunteered to teach them, it just meant teaching them what is appropriate behavior and how to show respect along with teaching them about GOD! I honestly thought all my lil campers last year probably hated me after having to correct so many of them and move them around from their ‘friends’ (aka partners in crime) – but I was totally blown away this year by seeing those same kids come up to me and give me hugs and say ‘Hi Ms. Dawn!’.

This year I went in knowing that each and every kid has a different story and background. They are at camp because their parents or grandparents wanted them to come, they want to have fun and be with their friends. Our Church does an awesome job of keeping the kids focused on God while entertaining them. My goal at camp was to lead by example, that’s what Jesus taught us to do and that’s what I wanted to teach my campers. If someone needed correction, I corrected them, if they apologized and showed better behavior, I told them how much I appreciated their choices; but if they continued to show the wrong choices, I told them there would be consequences. Jesus loved us through the sins and mistakes of our lives, so I was going to keep loving these kids through the mistakes they made - not by labeling them and expecting them to make the same mistakes. 

One child in my group started off on the wrong foot, he had to have corrections made several times the first day; but I told him at the end of the day that tomorrow was a fresh start and I believed in him. Over the next couple of days I had encouraging talks with him and I always noticed he would sing at worship just as loudly as anyone else, always eager - just needing direction for that eagerness. After Chapel one day, he came up to me and said he wanted to pray with me but couldn’t see me up front (during Chapel the Head Counselors go up front and we have an opportunity for the campers to come up and pray) so he was apologizing for going to another counselor – I told him he didn’t need to apologize, we can pray with anyone and we don’t even have to pray with someone, we can talk to God all on our own, anytime we want. Last night when he was going home, he asked me if I was going to be at camp next year, because he wanted to be in my group again, that made my heart smile.

Our church prayed over our camp long before this week, one of the prayers was that each camper, each volunteer would be placed where God wanted them to be. I know God answered that, I know each and every child that was in my group was meant to be where they were.  I still have so much to learn, and I love how God will use these kids to teach me as much as I can teach them. I pray that God will use me and that I will bring honor and glory to HIS name and not harm the hearts of those around me. Every day we touch the lives of those around us, whether we want to or not, the question is: are we encouraging them or harming them. Our words, our actions, they make a difference; we can plant a seed, water that seed, encourage its growth or we can uproot what was planted, the choice is ours.

I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.  The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.  For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. (1 Corinthians 3:6-9 NLT)

My Weapons of Mass Destruction

Once we’ve said it, it’s impossible to take it back. We can say we’re sorry, but that doesn’t remove the impact the words created, whether intentional or not, our words can be weapons of mass destruction.  But it's not just our words that can be used to hurt or harm a person, sometimes it’s the words we don’t say as well.

Recently I chose not to say anything after a friend was hurt by something I had said: the problem was, I was equally hurt because she took what I had said the wrong way –  we both were hurt by something that was never intended to hurt. My biggest mistake in the whole thing was my silence, I chose not to correct the situation and apologize for the miscommunication. What bothers me the most out of this predicament, is that she is a new Believer and I don’t want her taking offense.  I should have spoken out from the beginning and now I’m concerned that my late apology might not be enough for her and the last thing I want is her heart to be hardened by my mistake.

Thank you God that you are a loving, kind, and merciful God. Thank you God, that you allow us to come boldly to your throne of grace and receive your mercy, I pray that you would keep my own heart tender so that I wouldn't take offense, but keep my focus on you, by blessing and encouraging others, and to speak up when I need to.

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.  Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.  Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.   You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.  (Philippians 2:1-5 NLT)

Miracles and Encouragement

Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them.  And he was amazed at their unbelief.”  (Mark 6:4-6 NLT)

Jesus performed miracles everywhere he went, sharing GOD’s Word with all, healing and showing loving kindness to all. The only place Jesus was limited was in HIS hometown.  A person has to be receptive to GOD’s Word; they have to be able to receive GOD’s message and healing. If a person has placed a wall up and closed their ears, they cannot receive what GOD has for them. It’s like a water hose that has a kink in it, causing the water to only trickle out; if you get rid of the obstruction, the water pours out - the obstruction/kink being the people (unbelievers and even some Believers whose faith is weak) unable to receive GOD’s message. If GOD’s Son was unable to perform miracles due to the unbelief surrounding HIM, then we Believers will have the same results when we are surrounded by people who do not want to hear or accept the Good News.

The reason for the people’s unbelief is they knew Jesus before HE started HIS ministry. They watched HIM grow up in their town, they knew HIS parents and it wasn’t possible for them to conceive that someone they knew would be sent from GOD, let alone be of GOD. Consider this in your own life, once you become a new creation in Christ, you want to share with others, but those who knew you before – they have a much more difficult time accepting this ‘new you’. Your old friends are probably attached to the old lifestyle you shared with them and if you are now living a life for Christ; this will ‘convict’ them (this isn’t you judging them, we as Believers are never to judge anyone). A non-believer will feel ‘conviction’ because they do not have the Holy Spirit in their lives. The HOLY SPIRIT’s process in dealing with one’s own conscience, alert and sensitizing us to GOD’s Word BEFORE we have accepted Jesus as our personal Savior. Once we are saved, we no longer are convicted, we may feel guilt and need to repent for a sin we have not confessed, but we are never convicted or condemned.

“If you sin without knowing what you're doing, God takes that into account. But if you sin knowing full well what you're doing, that's a different story entirely. Merely hearing God's law is a waste of your time if you don't do what he commands. Doing, not hearing, is what makes the difference with God. When outsiders who have never heard of God's law follow it more or less by instinct, they confirm its truth by their obedience. They show that God's law is not something alien, imposed on us from without, but woven into the very fabric of our creation. There is something deep within them that echoes God's yes and no, right and wrong. Their response to God's yes and no will become public knowledge on the day God makes his final decision about every man and woman. The Message from God that I proclaim through Jesus Christ takes into account all these differences.”  (Romans 2:12-16 MSG)

The HOLY SPIRIT is a comforter and encourager in Believers, HE is not a convicter or condemner!

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—  the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.  I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”  (John 14;15-18 NKJV)  The Amplified version of this scripture explains the HOLY SPIRIT’s role; “If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands.  And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever--The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you.” (John 14:15-18 AMP) 

When you read about Jesus’ ministry throughout the Bible, you see that HE was always telling the people, to not fear, to have faith. He would always encourage others before HE performed a miracle, it was always a ‘just wait, hold on to your faith, and it will be rewarded greatly’ kind of message.“While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.”But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.” Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn’t let anyone go with him except Peter, James, and John (the brother of James). When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw much commotion and weeping and wailing. He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” The crowd laughed at him. But he made them all leave, and he took the girl’s father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying.  Holding her hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!”  And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed.  (Mark 5:35-42 NLT) 

Another thing I’ve learned from this scripture is that Jesus cleared the room of all the unbelievers; he got rid of the people who would block the miracle HE was going to perform.  GOD can perform any miracle in our lives, but we have to receive that miracle.  In the scripture John 14:17 it explains the word ‘receive’, The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. It’s not that we just hear the Word, but we have to ‘receive’ the Word of GOD as well. Notice to be able to 'receive' we also have to 'know GOD', that is, you must be a Believer! That’s why so many times Jesus would say, “He who has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him consider and perceive and comprehend by hearing.” (Matthew 11:15 AMP).

When a person is bringing down your faith, distance yourself from them. This doesn’t mean you are no longer friends, but you can tell them that you cannot allow their disbelief to be part of your life. Hardened hearts and disbelief will block GOD’s love and message from being received in a person’s heart, that’s why it’s so important to surround yourself with GOD’s promises and fellow Believers. The Bible tells us often how we need to always encourage one another, “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NLT). 

When Jesus was walking on the water towards the disciples and they feared it was a ghost, “But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.  But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.” (Matthew 14:27-30 NLT)  Notice that Jesus told them to have courage, to not be afraid –  HE was ‘encouraging’ them.  Peter was able to perform a miracle and walk on the water as well, that is until he took his eyes off of JESUS; when he took in the surrounding circumstances, the pressures of the world, that’s when he lost his faith and began to sink. So keep your focus on JESUS, surround yourselves with fellow Believers, and encourage others - this will open the doors of GOD’s blessings in your own life and receive the miracles GOD has for you!