Avoiding the Spiritual Slump

By: Kelsey Tome


Nehemiah 9:28 But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee . . .


Now that camp and VBS is over, we all have to face our normal routines and the challenges of temptation this world and the devil throws at us. It is too easy to leave camp or VBS on fire for God and then dip into a slump only a few weeks later. You may ask, “How do I avoid that slump in my walk with God? How do I keep those decisions I have made?” Let’s look back in history to a group of people who were often on fire to serve God but fell into a slump and backslid many times. The Israelites were just like you and me, and there are two things we can learn from them.

1. Do not trust in your own efforts to live for God.
The children of Israel were tired of being in bondage to other nations after they were disobedient to God. You possibly may have felt the same way before camp or VBS and wanted deliverance from the consequences of your sin. After God delivered them, they were excited to return to a renewed walk with God. But “after they had rest”, or you could say “after things returned to normal and everything seemed to go well”, they backslid. In Deuteronomy, the Israelites started to trust in their own selves instead of God when they were in pleasant circumstances.

Deut. 8:11,12,17 - Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments . . . 12 lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; . . . 17and thou shalt say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.

Do not forget that it was God’s power that changed you, and it is His grace that still sustains you. When you begin to feel you are conquering ground as a Christian, beware not trust your own strength.

2. Do not become self-satisfied.
Revelation 3 talks about the lukewarm church. A lukewarm drink is disgusting, and so is a lukewarm Christian to God. To be lukewarm means you are satisfied with yourself; you are comfortable where you are at in life. Do you know that God says He would rather you be cold? “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.” (Rev. 3:15) Why is that? Remember when you came to camp or VBS cold hearted toward God. You knew you had a problem, and God was able to show it to you. The problem with a lukewarm heart is that you do not see you have a sin problem. God’s message does not get through to you anymore because you feel that you are okay the way you are. I once heard a pastor say, “Lukewarm Christians have done more damage to the Christian faith than all the drunkards, infidels, murderers, idolaters, and heathens there ever was!” Ask God to rekindle your fire to serve Him and let Him show you what needs to change. He will never ask you to do something that will hurt you. It will only make you better!

“I Have Learned to Be Content” -Paul

By Kelsey Tome

Philippians 4:11-13 . . . for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. ¹² I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. ¹³ I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Contentment has always seemed to me to be a hard concept to grasp. What really is contentment, and how do I get it? Is it really that important? I think the reason why contentment is hard to understand is that it has to be learned by experience, as Paul learned to be content. You are not filled with contentment right away at salvation nor do you get it instantly by reading about it in a book. It can only be learned by experience.

So what really is contentment? Is it when everything around you seems to be going just the way you want it too? Is it escaping into an emotional happiness to make you immune to the hurts of life? Contentment is none of these. Trials and sorrows will come, but that does not necessarily mean you are discontent. To be content means, “to be self-sufficient, needing no assistance, adequate.” (Vines Concordance) It is an inner source of strength and peace to keep going even when the going gets tough. Now this inner strength does not come from ourselves as the world likes to make you believe. Verse 13 tells us where this deeper, inner strength comes from – Jesus Christ! Paul explains in verse 12 of all the changing circumstances he faced in his life, but he was able to get through all of them with peace in his heart because Christ gave him the strength to stand firm even when he felt sorrow, grief, and rejection. When you connect verse 11 to verse 13, you see that contentment comes from knowing Christ will strengthen you. Contentment is necessary before character can be built in your life. We try so hard to find help from outside resources such as friends, encouragements, vacation and all these do help for a little while, but will not be enough to make you content or sufficient. Only Christ can do that. Jesus is all you need. Your life will change when you do not want it to. Learn from those experiences to be content. I once read this question by Warren Wiersbe: “If you had all the props and crutches taken away from your life, would you be able to stand?” Paul could answer yes to that question. How about you?

Where to Find Wisdom

by Jeremiah Tome

Job 28:12-13 But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

There is a huge difference between being smart and wise. Only God can show you where to look to find wisdom because he is the source for wisdom. Job 28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. True wisdom is having God’s perspective on your life. It is pointless for you to try to become smart in seeking your own wisdom because God alone sees the greater purpose for your life. Job stated that wisdom cannot be found among the living. People look to philosophers and other leaders to give them a direction for their life. But the Bible says wisdom cannot be found there. When looking for guidance, seek to know God’s wisdom as it is made clear in the Bible.

Perfect Attendance

by Pastor Chris Starr

1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Have you every received a certificate for perfect attendance? Maybe you had perfect attendance for VBS or Sunday School, or maybe in school you had perfect attendance for a semester or quarter. As many students finish their school year and classes, they look forward to summer break. They look forward to not having to go to classes every day. However, some students don't want the end of the school year to come because they are behind in classes. They have missed too many classes and their work is not done. They are worried about failing a class and having to take it again next year. Missing class day after day will cause a student to fall behind quickly.

Here in 1 John 2:27, the Bible introduces us to another teacher and class that we as believers have. It's our daily class with the Holy Spirit. We call it daily, personal devotions. To miss devotions is to miss class with your teacher - The Holy Spirit. To miss class day after day will put you not only behind where God wants you to be in the Christian life, but will lead to failure in your life spiritually. Your daily classes with the Holy Spirit and with your textbook, the Bible, are most important to your success as a Christian.

Have you been getting lazy in your personal devotions or church attendance? These are two classes the Holy Spirit has for you. Have you been hitting and missing lately? Have you been content just to have devotions 3-4 times a week and that's good enough? When you and I accept mediocrity in this area, we are minimizing the influence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We are missing classes that cannot be made up.

Don't take a break from this class over the summer! Strive for perfect attendance! The Holy Spirit is the best teacher in your life and He has many things to teach you!!!

Wisdom about Finances

By Bill Hardecker

"Honor the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." (Proverbs 3:9-10)

The Lord has so much to teach us about money especially in the book of Proverbs. Someone has said: You can tell a lot about a man’s spirituality by his pocket book. This is an extremely practical way to determine one’s love for God. I will make what would look like a leap, but not really…ready…Tithing. I believe that this verse teaches us principles of giving and specifically about tithing.

When we tithe, we recognize that every monetary blessing comes from God, and we are simply returning to Him what is rightfully His. Next, God deserves our finest or our “firstfruits.” The word “increase” in this verse can also be translated “income” (Strong). Another truth is that we can and should honor the LORD with our “substance” or “part from our wealth or riches” (Strong). It is really “squanderous” (mine) to not give unto the Lord. On the other hand, what a blessing it is to give unto the Lord. What rejoicing we ought to have, to be able to live with 90% of our income – along with the promises of God – and give it joyfully to the One who supplies all our needs. I am not a “prosperity gospel” advocate, neither am I a proponent of “give to get” mentality, rather as one man puts it: we give in order to give again. The truth of the matter is that our giving ought to be more than just tithing. As God enables and blesses us with His grace, we should grow in the area of giving as well.

Proverbs has so much to say about treasures, riches, etc. I will simply list some of my favorites:

Pro 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
Pro 8:18 Riches and honor are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
Pro 8:19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
Pro 8:20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
Pro 8:21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

Pro 10:22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.

Pro 11:4a Riches profit not in the day of wrath:

Pro 13:7 There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.

Pro 23:5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

Pro 27:24 For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?

Pro 30:8-9 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.