To rally, equip and deploy Bay Area Youth to serve in the Kingdom of God as a Biblically-sharpened and spirit-filled positive influences to win souls for Jesus Christ through transformed lives.

Encounter Bay Camp is a Christian Summer Youth Camp with the purpose of preparing young people for the adversity they will face in their formative years to adulthood. The camp provides an environment to equip the youth with foundational teachings toward a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and to provide them wit a memorable and life-changing experience.

Encounter Bay Camp is a collaborative partnership of local Bay Area Christian churches that seeks to unite Bay Area youth in fellowship with Jesus Christ. The youth between the ages of 12-21 gather for a time of Biblical teachings, powerful praise and worship, and fellowship between like-minded believers in Christ Jesus.

Encounter Bay Camp is a time for young people to experience passionate praise and worship, form lasting friendships through fellowship with others, and learn how to deal with life challenges from a Biblical perspective, and gain spiritual refreshment, renewal and transformation through the Love of the Lord.

Encounter Bay Camp's purpose is to ground the youth in God's Word while inspiring them to live for Jesus Christ. The camp will feature powerful, relevant and entertaining messages that lead the youth to have a meaningful understanding of God in their lives, their relationships with family and friends, and to live lives rooted in faith in Jesus Christ. The camp will also include small group sessions to provide a more interactive setting to discuss what was learned and minister to each other in an atmosphere of prayer and meditation. In addition, workshops dealing with topics such as sexual purity, prayer, worship, family, and the power and influence of the media, will be presented to address specific needs of youth believers.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Moved By The Holy Spirit, Not Human Honey

Leviticus 2:11

"No grain offering which you bring to the Lord shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey in any offering to the Lord made by fire."

Imagine yourself walking past the prodigal son sitting in the pigpen.  (Luke 15:11-24)  You look at him and see him salivating for the pigs' food.  Believing that it is good to show kindness, you give him money to buy food for himself.

That is human kindness which says, "I am a Christian.  I should be kind, good and forgiving."  Such human sweetness or kindness may be likened to honey.  Interestingly, while we elevate it, God tells His people not to bring Him a grain offering with honey in it.

The grain offering speaks of Jesus' life on earth.  Not mixing honey in the grain offering speaks of how the compassion and goodness we see in Jesus during His earthly ministry were all divine.  There was no "honey" of human goodness that is tainted with human weakness.

In retrospect, the worst thing one could do for the prodigal son was to give him money when he was in the pigpen.  Not only would he not have gone home, but what the Lord was doing in his heart would also have been spoiled.  This is what happens when we go by the goodness of our human hearts instead of the goodness of God in our hearts, which is directed by His love, wisdom and perfect timing.

My friend, God does not want you to be moved by what you see but by His Mighty Holy Spirit.  There were many needy folks surrounding Jesus during His time on earth.. But He did not heal every sick person around Him, feed every hungry stomach he passed or raised all who were dead.  Isaiah 11:2-3 tells us that the Lord was not moved by what He saw or heard.  He was moved ony by the Spirit.

You too have the Holy Spirit in you.  (1 Corinthians 3:16)  Be moved by Him.  Follow the peace that He puts within your spirit to do or refrain from doing something.  That peace is the peace of God.  Acting on that peace will cause God to be exalted, and His divine goodness and kindness to really be a blessing to you and others!  Our focus is on God Almighty...Not anymore or anything else!

God Loves You and I Love You!

Pastor Erwin

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