March 2006
DELETING AND ADDING NEGATIVES
Once the Sovereign Lord’s ten commandments provided the standard for making laws and for living in the nations influenced by Judeo-Christian teaching. In removing them from sight and from teaching in the USA, we have basically removed the negatives God put in and inserted some of our own. So the commandments in actual practice read like this:
1) You shall have other gods before Me.
2) You shall make for yourselves idols of anything and everything, and worship them.
3) You shall misuse the name of the Lord your God.
4) Don’t observe the Sabbath day for worship and rest, but use it for work, pleasure, and sports.
5) Don’t honor your father or mother nor obey them.
6) You shall murder. (45 million babies in 33 years in the U.S.)
7) You shall commit adultery. (And our families and homes are falling apart.)
8) You shall steal. (So stealing is a way of life.)
9) You shall bear false witness and false judgment. (Imprison law officers for doing their duty and let the criminals go free.)
10) You shall covet your neighbor’s wife, house, land, servants, and animals.
THE END RESULT
"But mark this: there will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, and disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God. Having a form of godliness, but denying its power." (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
COMMANDMENTS OF GOD—OUT OF SIGHT—BUT IN OUR HEARTS
"But as for you (who love the Lord) continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know from whom you have learned it, and how from infancy (or older) you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 3:14-17)
CHRIST JESUS IS BUILDING HIS CHURCH
"…and the gates of hell are not prevailing against it." (Matthew 16:18) Pastors and evangelists are using modern communication technology to proclaim the Gospel worldwide. Thousands on every continent are coming to know Christ. In turn, they are reaching their own people for Christ.
Jesus said in Matthew 24:14, "This Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me! I will give to everyone according to what he has done." (Revelation 22:12)
JESUS HAS RESURRECTION POWER (JOHN 11:23-27)
Four days after Jesus' friend Lazarus died in Bethany, Jesus came there. He met Martha on the way to her home. She said, "Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died, but I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" "Yes, Lord," she told Him, "I believe you are the Christ, the Son of the living God, who has come into the world."
Do you, who read this, believe that? Do you believe what Jesus said in John 14:6?
"I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but by Me."
Lizetta Williams
THE DIRECTOR'S CORNER
Like a chipmunk's cheeks when gathering nuts for the winter, I have felt some stretching lately: culturally, professionally, and spiritually. Some recent events have reminded me how fragile life is. Judy fell and broke her hip, which may result in some major changes for her. A much-loved young man from our camp family was killed in an auto accident. He was 20, with a promising life ahead of him. His funeral here in our gym last Saturday was stretching, both emotionally and physically, as 500-600 people crowded in to pay their respects. The young man's family gave a clear witness to God's power over tragedy. The dinner afterward went smoothly and abundantly, people pulled together, and God answered prayer.
For God’s child, stretching is a good thing. I want to welcome the new "wine" of God's challenges, and I need to be able to stretch and contain what may be unfamiliar experiences. In praying for us, our biggest need is to know God's love and how to reflect it. Thank you for standing with us.
WOMEN AND GIRLS DAY WITH AUTHOR SHARON EWELL FOSTER
Sharon Ewell Foster was our speaker on February 25 for a one-day retreat.
Over 70 women and girls from BWC and other local churches attended.
SHARON EWELL FOSTER never shies from confronting difficult issues with truth, wit, and humor. This double RITA-Award finalist and Daily Guideposts writer has found loyal fans that cross racial, religious, age, and gender boundaries. A former U.S. Defense Department instructor/writer/logistician, Foster is the author of many books, including the bestseller and Christy Award-winning Passing By Samaria; Essence Magazine bestseller and Golden Pen Award-winning novel Ain't No River. We were honored to have her as our guest.
Listening and learning, interacting, praising and worshiping God
meeting new friends
getting to know Sharon
Occasionally we get calls asking about work projects. Please give us a call at 815-944-5711 or an email note to biblewitnesscamp@juno.com to find out if we can match something on our "to do" list with your group's skills and schedule. Thanks!
* Moving? Loved one deceased? Please let us know of any address changes and corrections to our mailing list.
* Send us an email note to biblewitnesscamp@juno.com if you would prefer the electronic edition.
* Reading the newsletter on the web at www.biblewitnesscamp.us is another option.
Dave and Becky McMillan; Lizetta, Mary, Mark and Karen Williams; Judy Chesebro;
Joji Barredo, Philippines; Trudie Hayon, Trinidad
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