Introduction of camp theme:
Open the door to Berachah
24 Mar 2005
Berachah means blessing. We read it first in 2 Chronicles 20: 26 'And on the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah, for there they blessed the LORD; therefore the name of that place was called The Valley of Berachah until this day.'
Why did they call it the valley of Berachah? It was God who blessed them with victory over their enemies and gave them plunder that took three days to gather. We have also learnt to praise God only when we get blessings. So how do we react when trouble comes? Some may praise but most of us pray to God to remove the suffering.
When this God works in our lives - we praise Him. How many situations come into our daily life? He helped us in our studies, job, generations when doctors said that it was impossible. If there is anyone who says that they will get hundred times blessings in this world and eternal life in the world to come, it is we. (Mark 10:30)
Berachah means blessing. If we were to look for similar words, we come across 'Barak' in Aramaic, which means kneel. The word is used to depict the camels when they kneel down to drink water from the valley. This valley is called Berachah. There is a valley where if you will kneel, you will be blessed. I believe that God will open a Berachah valley for us in the wilderness.
When I was young and at home, we used to make goodies to eat for Easter. These were packed in containers and opened only on the day of Easter. There was one thing that we eagerly awaited - that is when Easter comes, all these goodies would be opened. Yes there are boxes getting ready for you today. All that you may see is the packing now but they are going to be opened for you.
Suffering. We have enough of it and we all pray, 'Lord, when will it all go away?' One thing is sure - at the Lord's second coming, all suffering will go away. That is then, but what will we do in the present? How are you going to meet that need tomorrow? It may be your family, marriage, career or whatever. There is only one answer - Jesus Christ.
If God can give a free ticket to Philip and take him to his destination (Acts 8:39), then I say that God will take certain servants of God to many countries around the world. But I must warn you that there are many things in this world that will affect our personal holiness. From my experience, I have been to all five continents. When I was a small boy, I used to wonder if I ever would get a chance to go abroad. But later, I had had enough. Your holiness needs to be guarded. Your eyes and ears need to be protected and you need to keep your testimony.
In Greek, the words for blessing are Yoodoo, En Hodos and En Logos. Yoodoo means to succeed in reaching - to reach the place you desire. When you drive your car to a location, your final destination is that location but there will be places where you stop for breakfast and lunch. They are resting places in our journey.
In our journey, God will take us through certain resting places. The God who is able to give manna to the Israelites in the wilderness is able to take you to your destination. The advantage is that you will have a pillar of a cloud to lead the way and pillar of light to give light in the night. God has surrounded you, your family, and your children this way. Why? To make you cross this wilderness without losing your faith.
If you noticed the passage in the Bible, the Israelites that did not make it to the Promised Land are the ones who murmured, who did not believe God's Word. But the people who did cross over were the ones who had faith.
You may have heard people say that we will have to bend before this world but that is not true. God will not let us bow down.
In Genesis 28: 20, Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on.
Jacob prayed for three
things -
1. That God be with him
2. To succeed in business affairs
3. To have a prosperous journey
I do evangelism as a business, for profit. Not for me but for heaven. Our previous camps at Shengottai, Kalpetta, Kumily and Palakkad have proved this by the increasing attendance. If the attendance had dwindled, these camps would have died out.
Next >> Actual Implementation of Berachah, Prosperity and Blessing