Timber Lakes Newsletter Mar-Apr

Greetings from Timber Lakes! Spring has sprung and with it comes the anticipation of our 2012 summer camping season!

Praise:

As many of you may be aware, on March 4^th we were blessed with the opportunity to see God's hand move at Timber Lakes. This was the day that a major natural gas leak was discovered. Through God's provision, we were sitting on the back deck of the associate director's house and heard an odd rushing sound. Upon further investigation, it was the sound of thousands of cubic feet of natural gas rushing through the meter 50 yards away. Praise God He put us in the exact right place at the exact right time to discover the issue within hours of the leak starting! Now the daunting reality of not having heat or hot water in our facilities or a way to cook for any group was staring us in the face. We took this challenge to the Lord as well trusting and believing in God's provision!

After extensive trouble shooting we found that the gas leak was unfortunately underground. Due to the nature of the leak, the only option was to replace every foot of natural gas line...all 3,000 feet of it! Reluctantly, we were forced to call in a expert to bid fixing the leak, all the while prayerfully seeking the Lord asking for His guidance. The bid came in right at $26,000. This was a crushing blow and would really affect our maintenance budget. Yet, we kept praying and believing that God would not lead us where he can not keep us.

It was at this time that God prompted our hearts to call on Dave Parry, a close friend of the camp, for added counsel and prayer support. By the grace of God, Dave was prompted to call a professional acquaintance Shon, owner of Moore Plumbing. Without ever stepping foot on the camp before or hearing of the ministry, Shon was prompted by God to come alongside us. Shawn arrived March 9^th and within 4 hours God had stirred his heart to halt his other projects and out of his own pocket pay for 100% of the trencher & labor for his crew to lay the 3,000 feet of gas line! This left us with $8,000 (which we are still believing the Lord to provide) for the cost of the pipe and fittings. As of March 15^th 20 hours before the district Men's Retreat, all 3,000 feet had been laid and every building turned back on! NO PIPES FROZE!!!! Dave Perry then graciously donated 100% his time and equipment to back fill the trench. Along with the others mentioned, we would like to thank Gary Chadwell, who took 2 days off and came to help lay the pipe! Praise the Lord!

We are extremely excited to make everyone aware that the 2012 Family Retreat program is officially open for registration!

During this one week program you are invited to Pray, Play, and Provide! During your week there will be family prayer and spiritual growth opportunities. You will have the opportunity to build relationships and play through different activity sessions that will appeal to all age and physical ranges. As you grow together your family will have the chance to provide by engaging in two daily service opportunities (approximately 1 hour each). This has spurred our hearts in such a way that Timber Lakes is subsidizing this program so that no matter what your income level you can participate in the full six day program for just $40 a day for the whole family! This is all-inclusive: meals, lodging, activities, and supplies! Just bring yourself, bedding, and a heart that is wanting to engage your family!

For reservations or information contact us at:

Phone: (785) 242-3422
E-mail: timberlakesretreat@gmail.com

Prayer:

Please seek the Lord and ask if there is a way you could use your gifting to further the ministry here at Timber Lakes. As mentioned before, we are at this time $8,000 off our fiscal plan for 2012 due to the unexpected gas pipe replacement. Please seek the Lord concerning your involvement in this working at Timber Lakes.

We are also seeking donations of used paintball equipment. You might have dusty gear laying in the back of your closet that you would be willing to make a tax deductible gift of! We will be using this equipment as back up gear if there is an unexpected breakage.

As spring cleaning ensues, you may come across some gently used fishing equipment that you no longer have need of. Prayerfully consider making a tax deductible gift of your equipment! We will be using this equipment for ministry opportunities where a staff can take a youth, child, or adult fishing who many times has never have the thrill of catching their first fish!

Many of us have just done our taxes and realized that we could have invested some of our resources in kingdom ministries as opposed to paying into the government. We would ask you to prayerfully consider helping us fully support our missionary couple Skylar & Ashley Lipson. They are only $6,500 away from being fully supported for 2012! Praise the Lord for his provision! Please consider making a tax deductible gift to fully support their ministry efforts here.

Thank you to all who consistently keep us in your prayers. We feel you lifting us and this ministry up! Timber Lakes would not exist without every man, woman, and child's support. May God have all the Glory!

In His Service,

Randall Lipson [Director Timber Lakes]

Tozier Devotional

TOZER DEVOTIONAL
Friday, April 06, 2012 "Tension Between the Old Nature and the New"

Christ in a believer's heart will act the same as He acted in Galilee and Judea. His disposition is the same now as then. He was holy, righteous, compassionate, meek and humble then, and He has not changed. He is the same wherever He is found, whether it be at the right hand of God or in the nature of a true disciple. He was friendly, loving, prayerful, kindly, worshipful, self-sacrificing while walking among men; is it not reasonable to expect Him to be the same when walking in men? Why then do true Christians sometimes act in an un-Christlike manner? Some would assume that when a professed Christian fails to show forth the moral beauty of Christ in his life it is a proof that he has been deceived and is actually not a real Christian at all. But the explanation is not so simple as that. The truth is that while Christ dwells in the believer's new nature, He has strong competition from the believer's old nature. The warfare between the old and the new goes on continually in most believers. This is accepted as inevitable, but the New Testament does not so teach.

A prayerful study of Romans 6 to 8 points the way to victory. If Christ is allowed complete sway He will live in us as He lived in Galilee.

Verse:  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:24-25

Thought:  Christ in us does not mean that we no longer are. Our old nature is not ripped out. Christ will change us and live out through us as we daily live under His control.

Prayer:  Thank You, Lord, for Your patience with me. I sometimes stumble and miserably fail. But You convict me and forgive me. Live through me!

After salvation...then what?

TOZER DEVOTIONAL Devotions » Tozer Devotional Monday, March 19, 2012 Growing Up into Christ By "instant Christianity" I mean the kind found almost everywhere in gospel circles and which is born of the notion that we may discharge our total obligation to our own souls by one act of faith, or at most by two, and be relieved thereafter of all anxiety about our spiritual condition. We are saints by calling, our teachers keep telling us, and we are permitted to infer from this that there is no reason to seek to be saints by character. An automatic, once-for-all quality is present here that is completely out of mode with the faith of the New Testament. In this error, as in most others, there lies a certain amount of truth imperfectly understood. It is true that conversion to Christ may be and often is sudden. Where the burden of sin has been heavy the sense of forgiveness is usually clear and joyful. The delight experienced in forgiveness is equal to the degree of moral repugnance felt in repentance. The true Christian has met God. He knows he has eternal life and he is likely to know where and when he received it. And those also who have been filled with the Holy Spirit subsequent to their regeneration have a clear-cut experience of being filled. The Spirit is self-announcing, and the renewed heart has no difficulty identifying His presence as He floods in over the soul. But the trouble is that we tend to put our trust in our experiences and as a consequence misread the entire New Testament. We are constantly being exhorted to make the decision, to settle the matter now, to get the whole thing taken care of at once--and those who exhort us are right in doing so. There are decisions that can be and should be made once and for all. There are personal matters that can be settled instantaneously by a determined act of the will in response to Bible-grounded faith. No one would want to deny this; certainly not I. The question before us is, Just how much can be accomplished in that one act of faith? How much yet remains to be done and how far can a single decision take us? Verse Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:15 Thought Growing up into Christ calls for tremendous growing. It does not occur at one point in time or by means of one decision. Oh, how much growing we have yet to experience! Prayer Lord, plant my feet on higher ground! I want to grow up into Christ. May Your Spirit fill me and change me day by day, month by month, year by year.

The Cross...Foolishness or Power?

TOZER DEVOTIONAL Devotions » Tozer Devotional Monday, March 05, 2012 The Cross Message: Foolishness or the Power of God? The cross stands in bold opposition to the natural man. Its philosophy runs contrary to the processes of the unregenerate mind, so that Paul could say bluntly that the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. To try to find a common ground between the message of the cross and man's fallen reason is to try the impossible, and if persisted in must result in an impaired reason, a meaningless cross and a powerless Christianity. But let us bring the whole matter down from the uplands of theory and simply observe the true Christian as he puts into practice the teachings of Christ and His apostles. Note the contradictions: The Christian believes that in Christ he has died, yet he is more alive than before and he fully expects to live forever. He walks on earth while seated in heaven and though born on earth he finds that after his conversion he is not at home here. Like the nighthawk, which in the air is the essence of grace and beauty but on the ground is awkward and ugly, so the Christian appears at his best in the heavenly places but does not fit well into the ways of the very society into which he was born. Verse For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18 Thought The message of the Cross--Christ dying for sinners--is perceived so differently. It is foolishness to those who are perishing. It is the power of God to those who are being saved. Faith makes the difference; faith that recognizes personal sin and God's i Prayer You are the crucified, risen Christ. I thankfully receive Your forgiveness of my sin and Your life for my daily living. Praise Your name!

Randall the "pancake man" for Wildmen of KS Retreat this last weekend

His mercies never fail!

Psalm 77:8-14

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁸ Has His mercy ceased forever?
Has His promise failed forevermore?
⁹ Has God forgotten to be gracious?
Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Selah

¹⁰ And I said, “This is my anguish;
But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.”
¹¹ I will remember the works of the Lord;
Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.
¹² I will also meditate on all Your work,
And talk of Your deeds.
¹³ Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary;
Who is so great a God as our God?
¹⁴ You are the God who does wonders;
You have declared Your strength among the peoples.

Devotional

Christ's Loveliness Reflected in His People

Some good Christians are afraid to give notice to any lovely virtues which may appear here and there among God's people lest they detract from the glory of Christ. Such timidity is understandable, but uncalled for. If we know to begin with that all goodness is from Christ, that all sweetness, all holiness, all loveliness are out of Him and from Him and in Him, we will not hesitate to recognize moral excellence wherever it may occur on this dark planet. If a ray of holy light shines out from any man's life, it must be because Christ is there shining in secret in a human breast, and we should be quick to catch this dim glimpse of the Light of the World again incarnated in a human being. The glory of Christ will not suffer from this frank and eager acknowledgment of virtue where we find it. Because we are sentient beings, we must have some love-motivation to keep us running. This fact (on a lower level) is well known to everyone. God knew this (for He made us) and gave us the supreme love-Object of the universe to fire our hearts with holy passion. That Object is Jesus. The Christian faith may be summed up in the love of Jesus. To love Him enough is to be sweetly and wonderfully free. To love Him as He should be loved is to know at once complete release from religious forms and traditions. It is to reach the goal of life even here below.  A.W. Tozier

Verse

And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us, confirming the work that we do. Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do! (The Message). Psalm 90:17

Thought

Experiencing Christ's love and loving Him brings a new dimension to daily living. We serve Him, we obey Him, we follow Him because we love Him! Have we opened ourselves to that love?

Prayer

May Your loveliness rest on me and all your people. It is that loveliness that confirms the work we do. We serve You as an expression of our love for You.

Wildlife Around Timber Lakes

Devotional

When it pleased God . . . to reveal His Son in me . . . —Galatians 1:15-16

"The call of God is not a call to serve Him in any particular way. My contact with the nature of God will shape my understanding of His call and will help me realize what I truly desire to do for Him. The call of God is an expression of His nature; the service which results in my life is suited to me and is an expression of my nature. The call of the natural life was stated by the apostle Paul— “When it pleased God . . . to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him [that is,purely and solemnly express Him] among the Gentiles . . . .”

Service is the overflow which pours from a life filled with love and devotion. But strictly speaking, there is no call to that. Service is what I bring to the relationship and is the reflection of my identification with the nature of God. Service becomes a natural part of my life. God brings me into the proper relationship with Himself so that I can understand His call, and then I serve Him on my own out of a motivation of absolute love. Service to God is the deliberate love-gift of a nature that has heard the call of God. Service is an expression of my nature, and God’s call is an expression of His nature. Therefore, when I receive His nature and hear His call, His divine voice resounds throughout His nature and mine and the two become one in service. The Son of God reveals Himself in me, and out of devotion to Him service becomes my everyday way of life."  Oswald Chambers

2012 Events Calendar

Valentine Couples Retreat:  Feb 17-18
Men's Conference:  March 16-17
Ladies Retreat:  April 20-21
Youth Camp:  June 4-8
Children's Camp:  June 11-15
District Conference & Family Camp:  July 30 - Aug. 5
Fall Youth Retreat:  Nov. 9 - 11  

Facilities & Lodging

Lodge Meeting Room With Fireplace & Pulldown Screen

Lodge Meeting Room With Kitchen 

Dining Hall Serving All-You-Can-Eat Home Cooked Meals

  

North Dining Room/Snack Bar

Multipurpose Sanctuary & Gym

Pavillion w/Stage & Lights

Pool With Water Slide

4-Plex Motel

8-Plex Motel

10 A/C & Heated Cottages W/ Bathrooms & 4 bunks ea .  Bring your own linens.

14 a/c & heated cabins w/ double & 2 bunks.  Bring your own linens.

Secluded South Camp Cabins with Double & 2 bunks

Several fire rings to fellowship around.



6 South Camp Cabins W/ Heat & A/C.  Bring your own linens. 



Three a/c & heated dorms w/ 7 bunks each.  Bring your own linens

Devotional

I now send you, to open their eyes . . . that they may receive forgiveness of sins . . . —Acts 26:17-18

This verse is the greatest example of the true essence of the message of a disciple of Jesus Christ in all of the New Testament.

God’s first sovereign work of grace is summed up in the words, “. . . that they may receive forgiveness of sins . . . .” When a person fails in his personal Christian life, it is usually because he has neverreceived anything. The only sign that a person is saved is that he has received something from Jesus Christ. Our job as workers for God is to open people’s eyes so that they may turn themselves from darkness to light. But that is not salvation; it is conversion-only the effort of an awakened human being. I do not think it is too broad a statement to say that the majority of so-called Christians are like this. Their eyes are open, but they have received nothing. Conversion is not regeneration. This is a neglected fact in our preaching today. When a person is born again, he knows that it is because he has received something as a gift from Almighty God and not because of his own decision. People may make vows and promises, and may be determined to follow through, but none of this is salvation. Salvation means that we are brought to the place where we are able to receive something from God on the authority of Jesus Christ, namely, forgiveness of sins.

This is followed by God’s second mighty work of grace: “. . . an inheritance among those who are sanctified . . . .” In sanctification, the one who has been born again deliberately gives up his right to himself to Jesus Christ, and identifies himself entirely with God’s ministry to others.

Construction of my Son's & Daughter-in-law's home on Timber Lakes

Come volunteer this winter!  We have many projects!

Walk out basement

Spiral stair found on Craigs List

Volunteers helping with baseboard

More framing

Devotionals

"The world's pleasures and the world's treasures henceforth have no appeal for me. I reckon myself crucified to the world and the world crucified to me. But the multitudes that were so dear to Christ shall not be less dear to me. If I cannot prevent their moral suicide, I shall at least baptize them with my human tears. I want no blessing that I cannot share. I seek no spirituality that I must win at the cost of forgetting that men and women are lost and without hope. If in spite of all I can do they will sin against light and bring upon themselves the displeasure of a holy God, then I must not let them go their sad way unwept. I scorn a happiness that I must purchase with ignorance. I reject a heaven that I must enter by shutting my eyes to the sufferings of my fellow men. I choose a broken heart rather than any happiness that ignores the tragedy of human life and human death. Though I, through the grace of God in Christ, no longer lie under Adam's sin, I would still feel a bond of compassion for all of Adam's tragic race, and I am determined that I shall go down to the grave or up into God's heaven mourning for the lost and the perishing. And thus and thus will I do as God enables me. Amen"

Come to Timber Lakes to fellowship with Christ and each other in the midst of God's creation!