Our Adult Bible Study focused on the definition of faith found in Hebrews 11:1—the idea that faith is about the unseen. Bob Flint zeroed in on this truth with a true story about a boy who lived in a large, rambling house in Pittsburgh. His father would read a story to him at night and then would say to him, “Do you want me to leave the light on and go, or turn off the light and sit with you in the darkness for a little while?” The boy said he always chose the latter—describing it this way, “I always chose presence in the darkness, rather than absence in the light.” Faith is about the unseen.

Dr. John Neihof’s morning message, taken from Leviticus 6:8-13, outlined “How to Keep Sanctified” or how to keep the blessing of a clean heart. Quite simply:

1. Keep your ashes empty
2. Keep your fire burning
3. Keep your sacrifice on the altar
4. Keep your garments clean

Dr. Roy Lauter’s evening message was entitled “Beware of the Dog,” spotlighting the story of Elisha and Ben-hadad in 2 Kings 8:7-15, with reference to Philippians 3:2. With an “Ezra and Arze” story, and a true story from his own experience, Roy illustrated that the “dog of sin” bites every time. He closed with this admonition: Beware of the sleeping dogs in the believer’s unpurified heart.

Life is good, God is better, and his people are something else!

First, thanks to some of God’s people. Thanks to Heidi Shreve and Beth Neihof for stepping up and stepping in to help with our Sebring Camp children on Friday morning while Don and Jessica Specht were away ministering to their family in the event of Don’s brother-in-law’s passing.

Bob Flint began our Adult Bible Study with an excellent overview of the book Hebrews. Roy Lauter’s morning message was a challenging indictment. Roy called it a “lecmon” –a combination of lecture and sermon. His subject was “culpable neutrality,” calling us as Christians to rise up and take a stand in our world and culture for that which is right and godly. Not getting involved—or neutrality—is not an option.

John Neihof’s evening message from Jeremiah 2:22, filled with vivid illustrations from his own experiences, was a tender appeal to the simplicity of the gospel. Young and old alike shall not soon forget, “We have sin problem, and the sinner needs salvation, not soap.”

We’re looking forward to a great Saturday at Sebring Camp. WeatherBug promises mostly sunny, cooler than it has been temperatures, with only a 5% chance of precipitation. We begin this morning with another great passage on prayer—Genesis 32:24-32—wrestling Jacob. Much more certain than WeatherBug is God’s promise to bless!

If you can, join us today on old Quaker Hill in Sebring. If you can’t, pray for us, that God will bless, and touch the lives of children, youth, and adults with His grace.

First, we covet your prayers for our Children’s Evangelist, Don Specht and family. Don’s brother-in-law passed away suddenly on Thursday evening in Canton, Ohio. Don will be attending to his family and especially his sister, Laurie, as needed. Heidi Shreve will be ministering to our children this Friday morning. Your prayers for her are also appreciated.

We are off to a great start! Roy Lauter preached on “Blind Bartimaeus” last night, highlighting the wonderful good news, “He is calling for you!”

We’ll begin today with a brief devotional and morning prayer meeting at 7:15. One of the great passages on prayer is 2 Kings 6, when Elisha prays that his servant’s eyes will be opened. Lon Woodrum, a wonderful evangelist, who preached many times at Sebring Camp put it this way in his poem:

God Has Chariots, Too
by Lon Woodrum

Elijah stood by the Jordan ford
And said, "Elisha, here comes the Lord!"
A fiery chariot came blazing by—
A whirlwind swept down from the sky.

Elijah rocketed through the air,
And left Elisha—just standing there!
Elisha went in the power of grace,
To speak the Word in Elijah’s place.

His preaching angered a Syrian King,
Who called his general, ordering:
"Go, find Elisha—wherever he be,
And bring that preaching man to me!"

Elisha, sleeping sound one morning,
Suddenly woke at his servant’s warning:
"An army’s coming ~ with chariots, too!
We have no army, what shall we do?"

Elisha rose, and gave a roar:
"So, they have chariots, but God has more!
O Lord, please open this young man’s eyes,
Show him the Captain of earth and skies!"

God’s answer came like a sudden shout;
The young man looked, and his eyes stood out.
Ten thousand horses pawed the sod,
Before the chariots sent by God!

Why count your enemies and start to moan,
Remember, "God is King, He has a throne!
Don’t count your troubles, and lose your nerve;
God has battalions in reserve!

Your enemies may have troops galore—
But the Lord God has chariots, too,
And HE has a whole lot more!

President's Message - 2002 - Still Appropo

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

Those are the last lines of Robert Frost’s famous poem, The Road Not Taken. That poem has persuaded many of us to stop and reflect on the paths of life we have journeyed. Truthfully, most of us walk on well worn tracks where many others have led the way. However, if you’re part of the campmeeting crowd, you traverse a trail where most people do not tread.

Only a fraction of the American populace attends campmeeting. Not even a majority of the church crowd finds its way to a tabernacle in the woods. In fact, to a great extent, the “holiness crowd” (whatever you conceive that to be) has found other paths to wander in the recreational frenzy of the American summer. Let me thank you for considering The Road Less Traveled.

At the end of his poem, Frost declared that his choice of the less traveled road had made all the difference. I believe choices do make a great deal of difference, and perhaps “all the difference.” This less traveled road to campmeeting can make a difference in your life, and could make all the difference for eternity, for you and others you know and love.

The campmeeting road is a unique experience. If you have walked this way before, I don’t need to explain. If you haven’t, there’s no use trying. You just need to make the trek yourself. You will discover what I’m talking about.

I hope to see you on the road less traveled these next ten days. For those of you who have gone this way before, as it always does, it will give me great joy to see you there again. If campmeeting is a road you have never taken, there’s no finer way to go, and no better place to meet with God and those who love Him. If you do make the journey, I believe you’ll be glad you did. And if you do, I’ll

See you at Campmeeting time!

Charles A. Nutt, President
Sebring Interdenominational Holiness Campmeeting
charlesanutt@aol.com
615-775-4526