MONTHLY ARCHIVES: January 2018

From the Inside Out

Posted by Karah

PAUSE

Ask God to reveal to you any unconfessed sin in your life. Then, repent and ask Him to help you pursue a life of holiness.

“In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” —Matthew 23:28

Read Matthew 23:25-28 and answer the following questions:

• Underline the word hypocrites each time it appears, and look at the definition below. Define the term in your own words.

• Jesus pointed out that the Pharisees were living a life of hypocrisy—they didn’t live for the God they proclaimed to love. Why is this so damaging to the name of God even today?

• When have you heard someone claim to love Jesus, but act in ways that failed to match up with those words? What did you learn from that experience? The Pharisees were overly concerned with their outward appearance and gave little attention to their inner purity. Scripture however tells us that righteousness flows from the inside out and results in Christ-likeness.

• How does knowing Jesus encourage you to pay attention to your inner purity?

• Look at verse 26. How does a person walk in righteousness? Describe this process in your own words.

Hypocrite (n) = a person who claims to obey God, but outwardly shows signs of disobedience

RESPOND

• Evaluate your own life and ask the Holy Spirit to examine your heart. Are you guilty of acting one way at church or camp and another way around your friends at school?

• What changes do you need to make in your life today to get rid of sin and truly live in a way that honors Jesus? In your journal, list the steps you will take to make these changes.

• For further study on purity of heart, read Psalm 51:10; Psalm 119:9; Matthew 5:8; Philippians 4:6-8; and Titus 2:11-14.

BEHIND THE STORY

The reference to cleaning only the outside of the cup and being like whitewashed tombs emphasized the Pharisees’ obsession with ritual cleanliness. However, they disregarded cleanliness of the heart. The Pharisees outward practices masked the internal state of their hearts.

THE POINT

Hypocrisy has no place in the lives of true followers of Christ. We must pursuing inner purity.


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What’s your Crestridge Tribal Name?

Posted by Becky Haltiwanger

Take this quiz and find out your Crestridge Tribal Name!

https://www.buzzfeed.com/beckyhaltiwanger/whats-your-tribal-name-3ax1p?utm_term=.whzb4ylreP#.lk2Pq8OljW

Here’s what your Crestridge team got…
Ron – Loyal Lion
Karah – Loyal Lion
Elise – Exuberant Elephant
Becky – Playful Platypus
Ashley – Faithful Fawn
Sharon – Courageous Cougar
Aaaaaannnnddd Scout is a Loyal Lion!

Comment on Facebook what your tribal name is!


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False Security

Posted by Karah

PAUSE

Think about the moment you realized you needed to trust Jesus as your Savior. Journal about your experience.

“They do everything to be observed by others . . . They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.”

—Matthew 23:5a,6-7

Read Matthew 23:1-15. Answer these questions:

Jesus identified the Pharisees as hypocrites who burdened people with strict rules and regulations; they claimed that abiding by these rules would help people find favor with God. They loved the structure of religion, but they didn’t know God.

• Ponder verse 12. What does it mean to be humble? Why is this important? Explain.

The Pharisees had a false understanding of salvation and were setting others up for hardship and heartache by teaching that salvation came from following rules.

• When you talk about your faith with someone, should you focus more on the rules you follow or what Jesus did for you? Why?

• Why is it important to recognize that your relationship with Jesus is not a checklist or long list of rules?

RESPOND

Without a relationship with Jesus, you can’t experience salvation or true reconciliation with God. You can know about God and even talk about God without knowing Him personally.

• Explore your own thoughts about your relationship with Jesus. Do you believe your salvation is based on how well you follow the rules or solely on the work of Jesus? Why? Journal your answer.

• For further study on assurance of salvation read JD Greear’s book Stop Asking Jesus into Your Heart (LifeWay Christian Resources, 2013).

BEHIND THE STORY

To “sit in Moses’ seat” was to have the highest authority to instruct people in the law. Phylacteries were leather boxes containing small scrolls and were worn on the arm or the forehead. Religious leaders often increased the size of the Phylacteries to appear more righteous.

THE POINT

Our standing before God is not based on outward actions, but on our relationship with Jesus.


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Apple Pie Bites

Posted by Ashley Genoble

Missing camp and skills? Here’s one of the recipes our cooking skill made during the summer! Grab some friends and parent supervision to make these apple pie bites to brighten your day!

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Makes: 8 bites

Ingredients
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 small Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced into 8 slices (1/2 inch)
8oz can Pillsbury Original crescent rolls

Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and apple pie spice. Set aside.
3. Melt butter and toss apple slices in butter. Set aside.
4. Separate and arrange crescent roll triangles on baking sheet. Evenly distribute brown sugar mixture onto each triangle.
5. Sprinkle each triangle evenly with chopped pecans.
6. Place an apple slice on the wide end of each triangle. Wrap crescent roll dough around each apple.
7. Brush each crescent roll with remaining butter. Sprinkle lightly with additional apple spice.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra sweet treat!


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Coffee and Convo with Ron Springs

Posted by Elise Moffatt

Well hello everybody!!!! It is the moment we have all been waiting for… Yes, it is time for Coffee and Convo with the one and only, Ron Springs!!! Ron is our fearless leader. He is full of grace and wisdom. You may have seen him around camp eating in the dining hall, leading us in all of our favorite campfire songs or playing foursquare. Now it’s time to hear a little bit more about our wonderful executive director!

Me: Ron, If you could be any kind of animal, what would you be?

Ron: A spider monkey. I love spider monkeys. I always look for them at the zoo.

Me: Tell me, Ron, is a hotdog a sandwich?

Ron: Absolutely not!

Me: What is your favorite campfire song?

Ron: Pharoah, Pharoah is my favorite campfire song!

Me: Would you rather zip line into the lake or do the leap of faith?

Ron: I’d rather zip line into the lake.

Me: What is your favorite thing to get at store?

Ron: Kit Kat! I used to get sodas…. like 5 a day, but if I had to pick a drink now it would be Minute Maid Fruit Punch.

Me: What is your favorite part about camp?

Ron: The campers. I love seeing them have a great time.

Me: What is your guilty pleasure?

Ron: Anything sweet with lots of sugar! Key lime pie is my favorite.

Me: Who is the one person you would want to do the giant swing with?

Ron: Harper Pineda (Sam Pineda, Camp Ridgecrest Assistant Directors daughter)

Me: What is your Indian name?

Ron: Singing Sequoia

Me: Would you rather eat your favorite meal for every meal for the rest of your life or never be able to eat your favorite meal again?

Ron: I would rather never eat my favorite meal again.

Me: If you had an Instagram, what would your username be?

Ron: UNCron of course!

Me: What is your favorite thing to do on the weekend?

Ron: Chill! I like to walk a lot. I go hiking and walking.

Me: What does your ideal s’more look like?

Ron: Classic… just marshmallow, chocolate, and graham crackers.  Marshmallow should be a golden brown, not burnt.

Me: What was your favorite skill to teach when you were a counselor?

Ron: The only skill I ever taught was archery.

Well, thats all the questions we have for today!! Thank you for joining Coffee and Convo with Ron! Catch Ron next summer singing some jams on Campfire night! See ya next time!


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Rule Follower

Posted by Karah

PAUSE

Ponder this quote by Samuel Bolton,

“The law sends us to the Gospel that we may be justified; and the Gospel sends us to the law again to inquire what is our duty as those who are justified.”

Read Matthew 15:1-20

“These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. They worship Me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commands of men.” —Matthew 15:8-9

Answer these questions:

• Jesus railed against the Pharisees for two reasons: Their love of tradition was greater than their love for God and they believed corruption came from breaking the law instead of a sinful heart. Highlight where you see evidence of the these two issues throughout the passage. Write in your journal, explain them in your own words.

• The Pharisees were so caught up living in line with the law that they failed to recognize their own sinfulness. This can also happen for believers today. List a few ways you can guard against this in your own life.

• Why is it important to recognize that we are sinful people and cannot save ourselves?

RESPOND

When has following rules been more important to you than following Jesus? Evaluate the things you say and do. Be honest with God. Pray and ask Him to help you see following Jesus as the most important thing.

People have sin in their hearts, and Jesus came to replace that sin with His righteousness. If you haven’t trusted Jesus as Savior, talk to a Christian that you trust, maybe your camp counselor or a youth director, to learn more.

BEHIND THE STORY

The Pharisees were legalists. Legalism is the act of putting law above gospel by establishing requirements for salvation beyond repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. At the time, believers were to follow the Mosaic Law. The Pharisees added to this law strict rules, passed down orally, to help others understand the Mosaic law better.

THE POINT

Our faith must be in God and not in following rules. We can’t save ourselves; we need Jesus.


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New Year’s Resolutions for Camp

Posted by Sharon

Have you made any New Year’s resolutions? Now’s the time to do so. It’s always a challenge to keep up with them throughout the year but it’s a good way to challenge yourself to do something new or different! Here are 8 resolution ideas to get you ready for camp this summer!

1. Walk up and down at least one staircase a day to get your legs ready for the hikes and climbs around camp.
2. Learn how to build a fire with wet wood so you can be prepared for those rainy Tuesday night cookouts!
3. Sit outside for two hours every afternoon with your Chacos on so you can get a good Chaco tan!
4. Stretch for 10 minutes every Sunday night so you can maximize your dance moves for Singspiration.
5. Find a trampoline and learn how to do the “flying squirrel” so you can do it off the diving board.
6. Work up to running 20mph so you can keep up with Scout.
7. Drink 64 oz of water a day so you can stay hydrated this summer.
8. Do this for 20 minutes a day to build up your arm strength the endless hours of 4-square.

Good luck with your New Year’s resolutions!


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Christ Alone

Posted by Karah

Pause

Listen to Matt Maher’s song “Lord, I Need You” (All The People Said Amen, 2013). Thank God for the fulfilling love and grace He gives.

Read through Matthew 3:1-12.

“Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. And don’t presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones.” —Matthew 3:8-9

Ask yourself:

• What is John’s message in verse 2? Explain in your own words what it means to repent.

• In verses 8–9, John cautioned the religious leaders of two things. List them in your journal.

 

No background and no amount of rule following can make you right with God—only true repentance and Jesus have that power.

• The leaders trusted in their own good works and the their lineage links with Abraham to bring them into God’s covenant. Why would John’s teaching fly in the face of their beliefs?

The Pharisees knew they needed to repent, but they only partially repented. Outwardly, they did what they needed to do to show others that they were repentant; however, they continued to sin while denying their guilt.

Respond

Many people still believe they only have to be good or follow rules to get to heaven. What about you? Journal a prayer asking the Lord to show you ways you might be trusting something or someone other than Jesus for salvation.

For further study on producing fruit consistent with repentance study John 15:1-17.

Behind the Story

The Pharisees and Sadducees were both part of the ruling class of Israel. Pharisees were middle class Jews who controlled the synagogues as well as oral and written law. The Sadducees were wealthy upper class religious leaders who did not believe in the resurrection. Both groups’ leaders were threatened by Jesus because He opposed their traditionally held beliefs. They refused to recognize Jesus as the Messiah and ignored His authority.

REPENT (v.) = to confess and turn away from sin.

The Point

We cannot inherit or earn our salvation. Jesus is our only hope for salvation.


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