Light

“This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.” – John 1:5

Light is among the numerous various natural elements that cannot ever coincide with its opposite, darkness. Whenever light enters a dark space, it repels the darkness around it.
That cannot ever be together; its either one or the other.

God is holy. He is always pure and righteous. Because of this attribute, He can never. Not only can ever commit sin but He also coincide with it. Sin separates us from God. Size doesn’t matter. Once you have sinned you have broken fellowship with God. We all have sinned at one time in our lives and therefore are repelled from relating to God. But it was by the blood of Jesus on the cross that we can confess sin and be removed of its power and punishment over our lives.

We can have fellowship with God but only as we continually acknowledge and confess the sin in our lives and seek to please God by being blameless and living holy lives. God desires intimacy with us. If we truly desire to be intimate with Him then we must seek to be in the light as He is in the light; removed from the presence of sin and full of righteousness.

Jesus Our Help

“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. ” – Jer 33:3.

God is all sufficient. He has everything we need. There is nothing greater than coming to Jesus first with our cares. He is God! There is no task too big or too small. “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all–how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). If God was willing to offer his only begotten to be our atonement for our transgressions, (an incredible and incomparable sacrifice) how much less can God handle your problems?

Too often we try to fix the mess before we come to Him. O how I can imagine that makes God sigh. Jesus came to give us life and to give it abundantly (John 10:10). He doesn’t want to see us carrying unnecessary weights; he yearns that we come to him first, acknowledging our need for Him. And Christ understands your struggles: He was human for crying out loud!

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16).

People Make the Difference

Teen Extreme Camp left many unforgettable meomories and lessons. One very valuable lesson was from two boys. They were among the ill-loved at camp. I myself even tried to avoid them; but when I felt the Lord impressed to give these guys a chance, I was amazed how much I learned from them. How we treat people makes the difference in the world and wherever we find ourselves on this planet in whatever encounter, we must hold to remember that it’s the people around us that define the moments in our lives. People make the experience.

The campus can add another 150 feet to the Rockwall and without people enjoying it is just a decorated plastic junk keep. We can turn the water park into Wet World and yet without people enjoying it, its just a big bathtub taking up wasted space. The time we spend judging people, criticizing and presuming their habits and what not, we could be prayerfully trying to relate to them. A lot of the times we miss knowing people by when missed out getting to know them. So many of the barriers we face with people are mostly ones we have erected with our sinful thoughts and prejudices. I believe when we really adapt the love traits of 1 Cor 13 then we will see a brighter place to call a community. Life is generally a one value that rotates around a center core: life is about relationship with others that reflects and generates from a personal relationship with God.

These young men denounced my perception about them. One was like a thorn in the flesh and the other, an agent from the enemy; but I was wrong and blinded by my own pride. When I finally let my guard down and spent time with these boys, I saw their potential and their need. They made me laugh and really impressed me with their spirituality. One of the boys wants to be a pastor. (Isn’t that great!) On the last day of one camp week, the other boy pinned me down and had me teach him how to witness to someone. The following camp week he returned joyfully to tell that he won his Muslim friend to Christ! Both just needed me to notice them. Now I love them to death but they’re gone and I miss them. Isn’t it funny that absence makes the heart fonder but pride it keeps it from enjoying company?

The little things in life can make a big difference. The least thing I could give was just a sacrifice of my time to these boys. I thank God I gave some before it was too late.

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When All Good Things Come to An End

This is the empty hall of our men’s corridor where I stayed. The last day of camp has arrived. As farewell wishes, hugs, T-shirt signing and last laughs are shared, I feel both satisfied and unfulfilled. Almost like experiencing that last Skittle in the bag. You feel you have enjoyed it and yet you feel you could have had gotten more out of it. Or we can spiritually refer it to our human nature. We usually don’t really value something until it is fully gone. During the experience we are looking for that “end” relief. Once we have reached it, we feel we have been robbed of time.

But I did enjoyed the whole camp experience. I have established some great friendships, saw some awesome decisions, made especially souls coming to Christ. I know this time will remain an overall enjoyable moment in my life and I do hope for another opportunity to do something like this.

In the back of my mind is a thought provoking ponder. Does this really have to end? I mean sure Teen Extreme is over but do I have to stop making a difference in someone else’s life? There are over 4000 people here on campus and there are many in that number that do not know Christ or need spiritual encouragement. Summer camp is done, but the adventure doesn’t have to be. When projects or tasks we are in cease, God doesn’t want us to stop making an impact on the people around us. Matthew 5:16,” Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” We are not an organization; we are family. We are part of God’s family, doing a great job for Him which is to invite others to join the family and experience God’s great love.

Eat to Live

And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

We need to eat to live. Our body inquires nutrients that oxygen and water does not contain to help ourselves mature and grow properly. More importantly without food, we will die!

Jesus is not only our creator but he is also our sustainer. He is the origin of all things and He is what keeps things in balance. For someone to live out his life untouched by the life of Christ, he has only existed.

Jesus called Himself the bread of life. By this sentence He implied that He is what we need to survive from death eternally and is what we need to grow up spiritually.

Adapt the attitude that you need Christ everyday. Just you need to eat daily. Step out of that traditional and make you relationship with Christ a survival. ” I need Christ or I will die!” This mind set can help guarantee to birth a habit of stronger devotional life with God and help ourselves see our spiritual life grow and mature properly.

Very Good Counsel

“Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of the sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law does he meditate day and night.” – Psalms 1:1-2(NKJV)

How good is a believer that doesn’t conduct himself to the world’s standards. This however can be very difficult. As we draw closer to the end of all things, the world plummets deeper in things that displease God. And as this happens, the world’s influence becomes stronger. The psalm’s author, David praises the man that does not follow the ways of the ungodly.

Romans 12:2 says,“And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

It’s important that we don’t become so well adjusted to our culture that we fit right in to it. God calls us to be the salt of the earth: meaning He wants us to be a godly influence and not the other way around. Rather than following the crowd- so to say-, our pleasure in life should be to obey God’s commands.

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he mediate day and night.”

A continual study in God’s word is the happy ambition of the character David blesses. Throughout the day his mind is on the things of God.

David compares such a person as a tree planted by river (Psalm 1:3): prosperous and fruitful. What we can expect from a person who is close to God and seeks his will is a successful ministry and an abundant life.

A tree needs water to grow. Even so, for us to mature spiritually we must draw daily and continually from the Living Water – Our dear Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

God desired for us to prosper. We can experience prosperity in our lives only when we align ourselves to God’s counsel and guidance.

A life conformed to God and His Word is safe from being deformed by sin and the world.

The Incoming Seeking Generation

“This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.” – Psalms 24:6

Among the campers who stay on my hall are the potential waves of a coming generation taking its place to serve God relentlessly. The Spirit was amid us at hall devotions. After I preached, we prayed for a struggling camper and then each camper hugged the young man, expressing our brotherly love to him and our heart to pray with him in his problem. When I went to check the cabins for the night God blew my mind from the mouths of these young people.

One kid asked to preached tomorrow night for devotions! Seriously a young person wanting to share the Word of God! What also shook my soul was a room of campers who all profess the desire to serve the Lord in full time ministry. All of them have no idea where God wants them but every one of these four young men have surrendered their wants to be where God desires them to be.

Could these men be among the generation that seeks the face of God?

I only hope to see in my lifetime a near revival stirring the hearts of young men and women to call on the name of Jesus. Praise God that we have young people who want to serve Christ. I shout to God with a mighty voice of triumph that He has allowed me to experience this. I am seeing planet shakers, a faithful remnant that will shine the light of God’s love to the every living creature.

Good Company

“Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of the sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law does he meditate day and night.” – Psalms 1:1-2

How good is a believer that doesn’t conduct himself to the world’s standards. This however can be very difficult. As we draw closer to the end of all things, the world plummets deeper in things that displease God. And as this happens, the world’s influence becomes stronger. The psalmist here praises the man that does not follow the ways of the ungodly.

Romans 12:2 says,”And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” It’s important that we don’t become so well adjusted to our culture that we fit right in to it. God calls us to be the salt of the earth: meaning He wants us to be a godly influence and not the other way around. Rather than following the crowd- so to say-, our pleasure in life should be to obey God’s commands.

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he mediate day and night.” A continual study in God’s word is the happy ambition of the character David blesses. Throughout the day his mind is on the things of God. David compares such a person as a tree planted by river (Psalm 1:3): prosperous and fruitful. What we can expect from a person who is close to God and seeks his will, will be a successful ministry and an abundant life.

God desired for us to prosper. Just as a tree needs water as an essential resource to grow, we must draw daily and continually from the Living Water – Our dear Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Find Meaning by Calling God

Many people drift throught life, never tapping into the vast hidden purpose that God had arranged for them.

People by the numbers down history demand God to show Himself, but He already has.

Nature clearly points to a Divine presence. (Look up a study on eyelids and discover the complexity in its intelligent design).

Deep within our very souls we know there is something more to life than what we can see.

Life has a purpose and it’s found in God.

To understand life and how to live life purposefully is at our disposal. God said “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” -Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV)

It’s in our seeking for God that we find out what is our purpose in life.

What’s Up John Bell News Update #1

After a blessed week of well needed rest, I have return on campus to participate at one of God’s next great events to stir a generation to shout his fame throughout the earth. Summer Camp. The college summer camp called Teen Extreme aims to direct young people to know God and to build faith in Him in a fun, spiritual atmosphere that we harness here at Pensacola Christian College.

I have been a counselor here for two weeks and already I feel I have reached a highlight in my life. I have been having a lot of fun getting to know the youths (see I didn’t call them “kids”) and also being stretched spiritually. I must say its a great place to work off complacency. Last two weeks of camp, we had an estimate of over 700 teens with about 30 decisions for Christ and many more re-dedications. With that kind of outcome, we as counselors can’t afford to slack off. We have to always be prayerfully ready to be used by Christ to reach someone.

The picture you see at the top I took from my dorm room as I gazed at teens coming in from various parts of the country. I can’t help to see the potential some people have here and envision the impact they will have on the world for Jesus.

Pray that God will rid me of anything that will hinder Him from using me to serve these young people.

Pray also that God shake lives here. People that will come to Him for salvation and also people that will be shaped to be used for His glory.

Thanks everyone. May God enrich your lives as you enrich mine with your prayers and support.

Later!