Camp: Yesterday and Today

Prestonwood students are off to camp this week and I can’t help but think of my own student days and the life-changing experiences at Camp Sagamore at Latham Springs, Texas. Our home church, Sagamore Hill Baptist Church in Ft. Worth was well known for it’s youth ministry and camp was always the focus each summer. Over 500 campers joined us every August for fun and faith on the Brazos River near Waco. Scores of teenagers came to Christ each year and many others strengthened their walk with Christ – including me.

In 1965, I was a 15 year-old soon to be sophomore at Eastern Hills High School. Playing baseball was pretty much my world. Girls were also in the mix, but the great game was the most important thing in my life. Growing up in church and being saved as a child, my Christian faith was stable but definitely not a priority. Some spiritual slippage was taking place and compromise was a real possibility. I was at a crossroads. Would I follow Christ with my whole heart or just be a “church kid.”

The theme of Camp Sagamore that summer was “I Take Hands Off My Life.” Taken from a chorus we sang at each camp service, the words began to capture my heart:

I take hands off my life
It is no longer mine
I take hands off my life
Let it be forever Thine.
Help me to walk each day
Just for Thee
All the heart of me
Every part of me
Just for Thee.

I knew it was time for me to get in or get out spiritually. Lukewarmness was not a choice. Be “hot or cold” Jesus said – not lukewarm. My friends needed to know Christ. I needed strength to face temptation. What kind of person would I be? What would I do with my life?

That summer of ’65 my life turned. I fully surrendered to know and do God’s will. I gave myself unconditionally to Christ. It wasn’t long after that I heard God’s call to preach and the course of my life was in motion. Camp Sagamore was the place I discovered my purpose and passion.

This is why I strongly urge you to make sure your children are involved in the student ministry of your church. It has been more than forty years since my camp experience but obviously I’ve never forgotten what God did in me those hot days of August so long ago.

There are many activities that seem to compete with the church youth ministries. There are many more options for kids in 2008. But make sure your teens are being exposed to spiritual influences at church. I am preaching the Word of God today because of what happened in my life at youth camp.



This photo is taken of me and my pastor Dr. Fred Swank a few years late baptizing campers in the Brazos. The young boy who was called at camp is now preaching and baptizing.

As I am praying for Prestonwood students at camp this week, I am forever grateful for God’s work in me and asking God to raise up a new generation of young men and women who will take this Gospel to the world.

A Superior Savior

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released a report Monday from a major national survey taken last year. The survey asked about religious identification, beliefs and practices. The vast majority of Americans questioned, say they believe in God (or a “universal spirit”). But substantial majorities from all major religious categories say they believe their religion is not the only path to eternal life and there is not just one correct version of faith. This includes evangelicals and Southern Baptists who said by a clear majority of 57-60% that other religions besides Christianity can led to eternal life.

A whopping 85% of members from mainline churches such as Methodist, Lutheran, United Presbyterian understand there is more than one way to Heaven. Catholics weighed in at 79% who said Jesus is not the only way to salvation. In Texas, the so called buckle of the Bible belt, 65% said you can get to God by your religion of choice.

Are you surprised at these overwhelming numbers of acceptance and tolerance? I’m not. We have been observing a growing willingness of people in America to reject Biblical Christianity in favor of an eclectic homogenized form of religion which has as a supreme goal of religious tolerance.

Many claim it is offensive and even bigoted to say that the Christian faith is superior to others. How dare someone say that Jesus is the only way to Heaven and salvation is found in Him alone.

The exclusivity of Christ is the major point of resistance by most unbelievers and it is a volatile discussion among friends and family members. Of course when you begin with the cultural relativism that pervades our times and believe that all truth is relative, you soon conclude that it is not just one truth that is absolute. Yet the concept of God alone being our Savior is common in both the Old and New Testament. For example, Isaiah 43:11 “I, I am the LORD, and besides me is no Savior.”

God our only Savior, sent His only Son, Jesus, to provide salvation. Jesus is called our Great God and Savior in Titus 2:13.

“waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,”

Jesus came to be the Savior of the world. That includes the world of all religions, all races, all nations and generations. The love and grace of God is inclusive of all but it is exclusive in that only Jesus can save.

Jesus claimed this in John 14:6.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

The apostles proclaim it in Acts 4:12.

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

This is the difference of the Christian faith and all the religions of the world. Religion is man’s effort to please God and earn eternal life. But Jesus came because we cannot save ourselves and He died and rose again to give us a hope and future with Him in Heaven.

Without Jesus we have only the puny efforts of religion that cannot save or even help to save. We need so much more than religion – we need a Savior. It is true…one religion is as good as another – none of them can save from sin and provide eternal life. Only Jesus saves.

The problem is people don’t want Jesus. They want a religious salad bar to pick and choose what they like and want to believe. People choose idolatry – a designer religion, rather than the one true God and Savior.

One final word on this today. Is tolerance and acceptance of all gods really a virtue? Paul commends the warnings of the Old Testament against false religions with these words.

“No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?” 1 Corinthians 10:20-22

So here it is – any religion that does not worship the God and Savior of the Bible is worshipping demons! What do you think? Let me hear from you…Jack.

Why We Came

There are many reasons to take a trip to the Holy Land. To strengthen faith, to grow in Gods Word, to celebrate the Promised Land, to view prophecy fulfilled and yet to be fulfilled, to meet and enjoy new friends. But on our last day here we realized why we really came to this incredible place. We gathered our group in a Garden and walked into a two thousand year old tomb that is… empty. Inside the words were written… “He is not here, He is risen.” So when you think about it, we traveled all this distance to see … nothing! This empty tomb could be the very place where Jesus was laid. There is compelling evidence to suggest that the Garden Tomb is the burial site for Jesus. But wherever the place, an empty grave proves our Savior lives and that He is Lord.


Just a few steps away is a rugged cliff which mysteriously looks like a skull. If you look closely you will see the bridge of a nose and two eye sockets in the photo. We are told in the Bible that Jesus was crucified at Calvary that means “the place of the skull.” Jesus did not die on a “Hill Far Away”, as the song suggests, but in a well-known public place of execution just outside the walls of Jerusalem. He was exposed to the stares and jeers of all who passed by. So when you look at the skull like features of this hill you realize the most important event in human history likely took place here.

Back in the Garden, we all remembered why Jesus died and shared the Lord’s Supper together. We wept and we worshipped. Most of all we celebrated the reality of the resurrection. We stood together, held hands and sang these words:
“Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, because He Lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living just because He lives.”

This is my last blog from a trip of a lifetime to the lands of the Bible. I hope that you can go with us same time next year. But even if you have never come to the Holy Land, never forget this truth… Jesus is where you are right now. If you are a Christ follower you are the temple of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19). So every place you go is a holy place. Every step you take is a walk with Him. Jesus is alive and living in the Believer. So you don’t have to come to where He was to know where He is, if He lives in you. You are His Holy Place.

As we left Israel, we all felt like the disciples on the road to Emmaus. After they walked with the Risen Savior they exclaimed, “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the road, while He opened to us the Scriptures (Luke 24: 32).” So we come back home with our hearts believing and burning. Make it your prayer each day to walk in His steps and by His Spirit make life a journey that never ends.

From Jerusalem – that is all for now. But join me regularly from this blog as we will have a chance to connect and communicate. I am looking forward to talking with you about a variety of important subjects. Stay tuned. Shalom!! Jack



Pictured: Jack, Deb, Kelly, Josh and Kaytie Graham

Gethsemane

The Garden of Gethsemane is near the Mount of Olives. Olive trees still grow here including some, as pictured above, which may be over 2000 years old. Gethsemane is the place where Jesus prayed and prepared for the cross. Near these olive trees, Jesus poured out His heart in passionate prayer to the Father and surrendered His will to God’s purpose in saving mankind. He was to “taste death for every one” (Heb 2:9). Jesus lived all his life under the shadow of the cross, and now it was time to drink the cup of suffering for all our sins. The Bible tells us that He sweated drops of blood as He agonized over the prospect of His imminent death. As gruesome as the physical suffering of the cross was, greater still was the terrible prospect of experiencing spiritual death. In this very garden where Jesus prayed-- we prayed. Individually and in small groups we prayed the prayer of Jesus “Not my will but Your will be done” I prayed with our family members on the trip - Deb, our daughter Kelly, our son Josh and his wife of two months Kaytie. We prayed to know and do God’s will, and just as Jesus fulfilled His destiny, so would we. Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 16:11)… So His passion is our purpose as well. Here in this ancient garden Jesus surrendered fully to the Father and went to Gethsemane to Calvary for you and me. Our group walked away from the garden with an enormous sense of gratitude for what Jesus has done for us.

Pilate’s Pavement

As if that wasn’t emotional enough, we also gathered the group at the Antonio Fortress that contains pavement etched with Roman games dating back to the time of Christ. This means we were looking at the place where Jesus was mocked and beaten by Roman soldiers and then tried and convicted in the court of Pontius Pilate. Here the precious blood of Jesus was poured out. We stood under a first century arch where Pilate said “Ecce Homo” which means, “Behold the Man.” If you saw the movie the Passion of the Christ you will recall the violent beating of Jesus… beaten and bloody He was then led away to the cross to die. Rick Briscoe sang, “Behold the Lamb” and we walked away in silence remembering the One who was slain before the foundation of the world. His love for each one of us is eternal and we are forever saved because of what Christ did for us at Calvary.


To experience a Biblical-spiritual trip to Israel is to never be the same. I can’t wait to tell you more the next time- Jack

Jerusalem

We are now in Jerusalem described in the Bible as the joy of the whole earth and the city of the great King (Psalm 48:2). It is breathtaking to stand on the Mount of Olives and view this city and consider its history and destiny. Though Jerusalem is a very powerful city it is really a small stage for the divine drama of salvation. Jerusalem has been a city in conflict for most of its history and in the end all the nations of the earth will surround Jerusalem for a final world battle (Zechariah 12:2). However, when you consider this city you realize that…

God loves it
Satan hates it
Jesus wept over it
The Spirit descended on it
The nations are drawn to it
And Jesus is coming to it to reign over it!

Today, I had the opportunity to talk about the future and the prophetic events that will unveil here. Prophecy and the study of last things should motivate us to live Godly lives and to be more intense and intentional about sharing our faith. God gives us prophecy to change our hearts, not just fill our heads. I am amazed that some choose to neglect prophecy and yet every time I speak on the subject of the last days and the return of Christ, our church is uniquely blessed and people seem to respond so positively to these messages. You can go to Powerpoint.org and find my message series “The Beginning of the End” which is my latest series on the return of Christ if you are interested. Just because some people abuse prophecy does not mean we should avoid it. There is a crown of rejoicing to those who love his appearing (2 Timothy 4:8). So today on the Mount of Olives we talked about the future and the final events from the very place where Jesus ascended and will return one day! Read the words of the Angel who announced “Men of Galilee why do you stand looking into heaven this Jesus who was taken up from you into Heaven will come in the same way as you saw him go into Heaven (Acts 1:11).” Jesus is coming soon! Have you ever noticed at the end of a ball game the tempo of the game picks up and the energy and intensity of the game increases because the clock is running out? Because the time is short we need to make sure we are giving ourselves completely to Christ!


Ps. We are also having a whole lot of fun meeting new friends…. Meet my new best friend Clyde the Camel.

Sunrise at Galilee

Check this photo out. I took it from our hotel at 5:30 AM as the sun was rising over the Sea of Galilee. This is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. It is also virtually unchanged from the time of Christ. No wonder Jesus spent so much of His time and ministry here. It was the center of His earthly ministry. He called His disciples here. He performed amazing miracles in the towns and villages surrounding the sea. He preached powerful messages overlooking the water including the Sermon on the Mount.

Our day began on boats as our group boarded small vessels called, “Jesus Boats.” We traveled to the middle of the lake (The Sea of Galilee is actually a large, freshwater lake) and anchored our boats together. I then preached from Matthew 14 where we are told Jesus walked on the water. He came walking on the water with regal strides in the middle of a storm to demonstrate that everything over our heads is under His feet. He is the Master of the winds and the waves. If you are going through a storm in life, remember Jesus is always in control.

Revival at the Mount of Beatitudes
We then made our way to the Mount of Beatitudes where we had a service at the place where Jesus delivered His famous Sermon on the Mount, which is recorded in Matthew 5-7. After reading the Beatitude, “Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted” I asked Prestonwood member, Velma Mitchell, to tell her story. Velma then began to tell the story about how her 17-year-old son was killed in a drive-by shooting in South Dallas several years ago. Velma spoke of God’s grace in her life that comforted her and of God’s people from Prestonwood who ministered to her in this time of great need. There was not a dry eye when she concluded and sang…

In times like these we need a Savior
In times like these we need an anchor
Be very sure, be very sure
Your Anchor holds, and grips the Solid Rock

God moved throughout our entire group and our Jewish guides spoke to me privately about how much her testimony touched their hearts. We then worshiped as Rick Briscoe sang, “The Lord’s Prayer.” Since this was Father’s Day, we will never forget these moments in the presence of our Abba Father.

That’s all for today but I’ll be back with another post later tonight.

-Jack

Day 2

Our 2nd day in Israel was spectacular! Group spirit is soaring and we are experiencing the presence of the Lord each step of the way. At Caesarea by the Sea, an ancient Roman city, we gathered at an amphitheatre at the place where the Apostle Paul stood before Herod Agrippa who was a powerful Roman King. Paul boldly proclaimed his faith in Jesus and this powerful Roman King ended up saying, “Paul, you almost persuade me to be a Christian.” All of us have a story to tell. Make sure you are telling your friends and family how Jesus changed your life. You don’t have to have a spectacular, dramatic testimony like Paul. Just simply and boldly tell your own story. After a great day, including overlooking the plains of Megiddo where the battle of Armageddon will be fought (more on this in a later blog) we moved on to Nazareth and Cana of Galilee at the very place where Jesus attended a 1st Century wedding feast and performed a great miracle. Together we prayed and dedicated our own marriages to Christ and asked Him for miracles in our lives and families.

I’m looking forward to telling you more tomorrow about this incredible trip of a lifetime. Stay tuned and make sure and tell your friends and family about the blog…

Shalom Ya'll

Welcome to my new blog! I'm excited about this chance to communicate with you on a variety of subjects. Some biblical...some cultural...and I may even give a few sports' opinions from time to time. Most of all it will give us an opportunity to connect and talk about subjects we all care about.

So here we go with my first post...from Israel! So as we say in Texas, Shalom Ya'll. I'm leading a group of 150 on a trip of a lifetime through the Holy Land. Deb and I have been visiting here since way back in the 1970's. A lot has changed since then, but many things are just the same. We love coming here again and again because it always feels like "home." In a sense, Israel is the spiritual home of all believers. Our faith was born here. God's Word was given here. Jesus walked here. And our eternal future is unveiled here. As Christ followers, we have a vested interest in Israel past, present, and future.

This year, Israel is celebrating its 60th year of rebirth as a nation. The state of Israel was established in 1948 after centuries of Jewish dispersion. The very existence of Israel is a miracle of history and it is exciting to be a part of this very important celebration of freedom. My love for Israel is strong and I am grateful for the spiritual heritage we discover each time we are here. I like to say a trip to the Holy Land is like a front row seat to the Bible. The Word of the God comes alive when you see this place up close and personal. There is a very special sense of God's presence when we visit the lands of the Bible. I really hope you can come here someday soon. But til you do, let me tell you about a few of our experiences so far...

Joppa

We began on the Mediterranean Sea at a place called Joppa where Jonah set sail for Tarshish which was 180 degrees in the opposite direction from where God told him to go. Jonah was a reluctant, disobedient prophet who found it very dangerous to try to run from God. He ended up tossed from the ship, swallowed by a great fish where he spent three days in a sleazy, underwater hotel sleeping on a "foam, blubber mattress." He ultimately repented and God gave him another chance to obey Him which he did and God used him to bring about revival in a very pagan city. Also at Joppa, Simon Peter in the New Testament was led by the Spirit to share Christ with a God fearing Roman Centurion. Even though this soldier was responsive and ready to know about Jesus, God spent a great deal of time working on Simon Peter's heart to get him ready to go. Finally after sending Peter a vision, Peter obeyed God and led this man to Christ. It is one of the greatest conversions of the New Testament.

The point of these two stories, which took place in the same place centuries apart, is that God wants to get His Word to the world. He has called us all to share our faith and to tell people about Jesus. There is an incredible blessing when we obey Him and make ourselves available to the work of His spirit in us. As we stood by the Mediterranean Sea looking into distant horizons, I was reminded once again how important it is to do everything possible in our own generation to tell the Good News.

Ok so that's enough for today but I will be posting and telling you more about our second day in Israel as soon as possible. God bless you and... and oh by the way Happy Father's Day!