A Roaring Lion

Monday, July 10, 2023

Tim has often commented over the past forty summers that Christian Youth in Action® (CYIA) training camp is his favorite two weeks (actually twelve days for his years in Hawaii and eight days here in Washington) He writes: This year was no different. With 71 teens making it thru the training, 18 clubs taught, 259 children reached and 30 children making professions of faith it was a very exciting week. One thing changed this year that made CYIA all the more wonderful – MARI WAS THERE! For the past few years she has been unable to come with me, so when they had a role for her this year to help with the training, assist with the older advanced students and partner with Leng in the prayer ministry we were both excited about this opportunity for her. On the last day I was curious how much of my life I have spent at CYIA, so I did the math and realized I have now spent 450 days of my life at CYIA. I know what a difference this made in my youth and ministry direction in life, I pray it will have a similar impact in the lives of the teens we work with each year.

Yes, I, Mari, was very grateful to be a part of CYIA this year. The very first CYIA I attended in Washington was at Black Lake Bible Camp in 1990, right before leaving for Austria. After many years of being located in other places (Multnomah Bible School, Lake Retreat Baptist Camp, and The Firs), this year they returned to Black Lake and I was privileged to be a part of that. Furthermore, one of my “hang out with” friends, Tracy Halstead, was now the CYIA camp director. What a blessing. Helping Leng Halstead with the Prayer Hub, teaching the students, helping out with the advanced students, praying for different teams as they headed out to the clubs each day and praying while they were in club was such a blessing. I enjoyed meeting so many, but especially getting to know Tim’s team. They had some pretty amazing stories. Tim shares one here:

For a 5-Day Club® the teens are made well aware that most distractions are a result of their lack of preparation, so they do their best to go to club prepared. Still some distractions remain outside of our control and the enemy likes to use them in his attempts to distract the children from the Gospel. Thus, most unexpected distractions are during the Bible lesson and especially right at the point of the invitation when we are asking the children to respond to the call of the Holy Spirit for salvation. During the first day of club as we pulled up to the house we could see a yard service was just preparing to start mowing the lawn next door to where we would be meeting. Nothing we could do about that except face the other direction. Four very active young boys attended this particular club and as the club began, so did the lawn mower only forty feet away. Next, just as the Bible lesson began a second yard service showed up at the house on the other side … right where the boys were looking. As the next lawn mower started up, the first yard service fired up his weed eater to begin trimming. When the Bible lesson approached the point of the gospel invitation the noise reached a fevered crescendo. The enemy was determined to keep the children from hearing and responding to the gospel. But God’s grace exceeds all the enemies attempts at distraction. Thru all the distractions the four boys had their eyes firmly fixed on the teacher as if there were not a single distraction around them. Then as the invitation to place their faith in Christ was given one of the boys responded, indicating he was ready to trust Christ as Savior. The Following day we prayed that God would work once again. No yard services working on this day, but as the Bible lesson began a street sweeper drove by right next to the group of boys. Nevertheless, two more boys placed their trust in Christ. The best part is the three boys were also adopted brothers. God’s grace is truly sufficient.

Distractions. They do come. 1 Peter 5:8 warns us to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” To be sober is to be alert, watchful, clearing your mind of other distractions. A lion roars to instill fear and he attacks to kill. The enemy’s goal is to not just distract the believer, but to instill fear and destroy the believer. Thus, Matthew 26:41 instructs us to “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”  Many a believer has compromised or destroyed his/her testimony due to giving in to temptation.

He did not want the teens to be sharing the gospel. Other teams, and even the staff were keenly aware of the devil’s attacks all week. John 16:33 says, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Difficulty will come. But we can have peace in the midst of the difficulties and trials. Peace because we are NOT alone, and peace because we know the end of the story. Christ is now and will be victorious. Because He is victorious, we too, as believers, can be victorious. 1 John 4:4 says, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

We are in a spiritual battle. Ephesians 6:11 – 18 equips us to face the battle and the enemy: “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” First, we are told why we need the armor, then what type of enemy we are facing. Each piece of the armor is vital. In a nutshell, the belt is the truth of God’s Word. The breastplate is claiming His righteousness accomplished through His precious blood shed for us on the cross. Our footwear is knowing and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ is our protection, trusting Him with our very lives. Then we protect our minds through Salvation, not just the act of but also the daily continuing in living our Salvation. Our greatest defense, more powerful than anything else, is the sword which is the Word of God. Then again, we are instructed to pray and watch. With this armor, we can overcome and be victorious.

Are you living in victory today?

Blessings, Mari