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LSBC Senior High Camp **We are not an official page of Lake Springfield Baptist Camp or it's board**

10/19/2026

WEEKLY BIBLE VERSE - Proverbs 4:23 (NIV): Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Our verse this week talks about our hearts and how they impact how we live and relate to the world around us. It starts out with the words “above all else”. This means what’s about to be said is important and should be paid attention to. What’s about to be said should be a top priority for us.
The priority is to “guard your heart”. The heart is not just the organ that pumps blood to the rest of our body. It’s also the place that pumps out our spiritual life; it’s our innermost self, our soul. Our heart is where our thoughts, desires, motives, the things we love most reside. Not only do these things reside in our heart, they will eventually spill over into our attitudes, words and actions.
Guarding our heart is not about building a wall around our hearts so that the messiness of the world doesn’t get in or that our thoughts, desires and motives don’t get out. It’s about paying attention to what are we allowing into our hearts. Are we measuring what we read, listen to, watch, believe against the guide of is this of God and good for me or is this of culture, society, the world and maybe not good for me? We want to be careful about how many things that may not be so good for us we let into our hearts. The truth is the majority of the kinds of things we let into our hearts will be the majority of the kinds of things that come out of our hearts.
So how do we guard our hearts? We need to make sure we are spending time with the things of God. Talk to God on a consistent basis, let him know what is going on in your life and listen to his guidance. Read God’s word and let it be the measuring stick for how you relate to the world around you. Notice where you see God working – in you, in others, in the world. Spend time with other followers of Jesus. Develop a mutual flow of encouragement, support, and accountability to help you in your faith journey.
This week, as you go through your days, pay attention to what you’re letting into your heart. Hold each thing up to God to see if it is good and beneficial for you. And as you do this, you will notice the things that come from your heart will be good and beneficial for those around you.

10/12/2026

WEEKLY BIBLE VERSE - Micah 6:8 (NIV): He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does he Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Micah speaks to the people of the Old Testament who thought pleasing God was happened through rituals, the system of sacrifices or extreme offerings. God responds saying that what he really desires is a transformed heart that impacts how we interact with the people around us. These words Micah speaks on God’s behalf still have meaning for us today. Let’s take a look.
Act Justly. We are to live according to what is right and honest and fair. This involves personal integrity. We are to keep our word, to be truthful in our daily tasks of work or school or chores. We are to be good stewards of our things – money, possessions, thoughts and actions. But acting justly also involves communal integrity. We have to ask ourselves do the groups we involve ourselves with keep their word. Are they involved with standing up for the vulnerable? Do they work towards making sure everyone has a fair and equal opportunity? Acting justly means examining not only our personal dealings but the dealings of the communities we are a part of.
Love Mercy. Mercy is not getting what we deserve for what we have done. For us to love mercy, we have to start with remembering God’s mercy towards us through Jesus. Mercy in our lives is treating others with kindness and compassion. It’s cutting others some slack, not acting as judge and jury and putting others ahead of ourselves, not being harsh or self-seeking in our interactions with others. We want mercy to permeate everything about how we deal with others.
Walk Humbly with God. To walk humbly with God begins with constantly reminding ourselves of the overall direction in our lives. Where is that each of us is heading in our relationship with God. Without a daily reminder to ourselves of who we are walking with, we can easily get pulled off course and walk a different way. To walk humbly is to recognize and live in total dependence on God; to acknowledge God’s control, guidance, and provision in our lives. It’s moving away from an arrogance or ego that we are the ones acquiring or doing all the things in our lives and recognizing that our faith and strength come from God and not our own merits.
Now, these are not easy qualities to maintain in our lives. We have to work at them. It begins with asking God to give us opportunities to practice these things. Then we have to ask God for the strength and endurance to actually practice them. We also need a community of fellow believers who encourage us to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly. These are the people who demonstrate what these things look like in real life, who walk with us as we attempt to live that way and who pull us back to the right direction when we wander off the path.
This week, may we ask God to remind us to live these three qualities in our lives and to bring others into our midst to walk with us.

10/04/2026

WEEKLY BIBLE VERSE - 1 Peter 4:10 (CEV): Each of you has been blessed with one of God’s many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gift well

We all know that God cares about us. Our verse this week is a reminder of that. It tells us that God has blessed us with a gift. “Blessed with” means to possess something special and beneficial given to us by God. And it’s not just some of us who are blessed with gifts from God – every single one of us is blessed with God’s gifts. God has created each person to do extraordinary and unique things here on earth and has given each of us the ability to do those things.
So, what do we do with a gift? We open it. When it comes to the gifts God gives us, each of us has to find what that gift is. We often think of what I might call the “churchy” gifts of pastoring, missions, teaching, evangelism, etc. But God also gives gifts of art, music, writing, working with your hands, listening, helping, etc. We may be able to figure out our gifts on our own – from what we’re good at or enjoy. Sometimes we need others to help point us in the right direction. What you’re good at or enjoy doing along with what others see in you and encourage you to do is often a sign of your gifts.
After you open a gift, what do you do with it? We don’t usually get a special gift and then just keep in the box on a shelf. It’s the same with our gifts from God. We are blessed with these gifts because God wants us to use them to serve others. We want to use what God gives us to help others in whatever ways we can. And it’s through this helping of others that they come to know God or to know him better.
Spend some time this week looking for the gifts God has given you. Make a list of what you’re good at or enjoy doing. Ask others what they think your gifts are. Then ask yourself and others how you could use that gift(s) to benefit and serve others around you. Look for opportunities to use your gifts at home, school, work, church, in the neighborhood. God has plans for you and has given you the abilities to do them. Now is the time to use you gift(s) well!

09/27/2026

WEEKLY BIBLE VERSE - Psalm 34:8 (NLT): Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

Imagine being seated at a table in a restaurant. You smell the aromas coming from the kitchen. You see the food your neighboring tables are enjoying. You pick up the menu and read it. And then you say, “Wow, I’m really satisfied” and walk out. Of course not! You don’t want to just read about the food or hear others talk about how good it is. You want to experience the food for yourself! This is the invitation David extends to us regarding God's goodness.
Tasting requires action. David isn't asking us to simply acknowledge God's goodness intellectually; he's urging us to experience it firsthand. God invites us to test his faithfulness, to share with him our cares and concerns, to let his peace surround us in the midst of turmoil, to feel his forgiveness in moments of sin. The more we allow God to be involved with our daily moments, the more we begin to experience God personally.
Experiencing God in our lives on a personal level leads to a growing awareness of God. David says to “taste and see”. When we make a habit of tasting God’s grace in small moments – an answered prayer, a quiet comfort, a daily provision – our spiritual sight sharpens. We begin to notice God’s goodness all around us. And as we notice more and more of God’s goodness around us, the more we experience who God is in new ways in our lives.
Our verse promises a blessing to those who “taste and see” that God is good. We will find refuge and joy in God. Refuge is a place of protection, safety, restoration and renewal. When we dwell there, we find a deep, settled joy that doesn’t change or go away when our circumstances get hard. Accepting God’s invitation to really know him and have a relationship with him changes the way we do life. It’s not that life is necessarily easier; it’s that now we have a place to go when life is tough, when life is good, and when life is everything in between.
This week just don’t read off the menu of what you hear about God. Let yourself taste and experience God firsthand. Look around and see how God is right there with you bringing his goodness into your life.

09/20/2026

WEEKLY BIBLE VERSE - WEEKLY DEVOTION - Nahum1:7 (NKJV): The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.

Our verse this week is a promise from God that can become a life verse for us. Let’s take a look.

God is good. Goodness is part of God’s very nature - goodness is not just something God does; it is who he is; all truth, life, and joy flow from Him. God shows us goodness through his grace and compassion. God treats us with generous love, mercy and patience – even when we don’t deserve it. Goodness is seen in God’s faithfulness to us. He keeps his promises to us. And God’s goodness to us doesn’t change based upon our circumstances. Even when life seems heavy or chaotic, God is still good to us. As we experience and remember God’s goodness in our lives, we are able to trust God more and more with our life.
God is our safe stronghold. A stronghold is a fortified, high place that offers protection and refuge. When we find ourselves in trouble or afraid or stressed or under attack, we can go to God for protection. God gives us an unshakable place of safety. A stronghold is also a place of refuge. When we’re not sure what to do, when we’re tired or overwhelmed we can go to God for rest and renewal. In God’s presence we find encouragement, guidance and strength. We can take a step back, spend time with God, be taught by him and made ready to go into the world again.
God knows you. To be “known” by God means that God sees you. God understands you and what you’re going through. God watches over you personally and actively. God has set his affection and choice on you. You are never invisible to or forgotten by God. You don’t have to fear rejection from God because of his love for you.
This week, write this verse down. Keep it where you see it throughout the day. Let yourself be reminded of who God is and the relationship God has with you. Look for God’s goodness towards you and towards the world. Seek God’s protection and refuge – especially when things get tough or difficult. Trust in the fact that you are known to God – that he is there in every detail and moment of your day. Live each day in the goodness, protection, and relationship God desires to give you.

09/13/2026

WEEKLY BIBLE VERSE - Matthew 6:34 (The Message): Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

I don’t know about you, but I often get caught up playing out all the possible scenarios and “what ifs” about situations and circumstances in the future. In our verse this week, Jesus gives us some wise advice about today and tomorrow.
First of all, let me say that Jesus is not saying we shouldn’t think about or plan for the future. In fact, Jesus also says that when we’re planning something we should count the cost to make sure we have everything we need to accomplish the task. What Jesus is advising us against is getting caught up – dwelling in – that means pitching a tent and living there - all of the possible outcomes the future may or may not hold for us. Dwelling in possible outcomes takes our energy, it takes our focus, and it diminishes our trust in God’s goodness and being in control. Jesus gives us a promise about trusting God and our future: God will be there to help us deal with whatever happens. We don’t go into tomorrow alone. God goes with us – and in truth – God is already there. Think about that for a moment. God is already in your tomorrow. God is already in all those future situations and circumstances. He’s already working in them for you.
When we believe God is already in our future working, then we can focus on today. I think the key idea in our verse is this: give your entire attention to what God is doing right now. When we spend too much time looking ahead, we miss the right now. What is God doing in your life today? What is God doing in the lives of those around you today? What is God doing in the world today? When we focus on today, we notice the blessings God is giving us in this moment. When we focus on today, we see how God’s hand is guiding us right now. When we focus on today, God gives us opportunities to be involved in his work right now. It can be as simple as offering a smile or a kind word or as complex as sitting with someone in grief or taking actions that relieve someone’s need. Think of how God can use you to be his hands and feet, to be his words, to be his blessing to someone else if you give your attention to today. When we focus on today, we can look back and see how God prepared us for the future.
As you go through this week, keep your focus on God’s purpose for you each day and look for the opportunities he presents. Remember that God is already in each of your tomorrows creating new opportunities for you and preparing to help you in the situations and circumstances that come your way.

09/06/2026

WEEKLY BIBLE VERSE - Philippians 4:8 (NLT): Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

I heard a speaker say once, “It’s amazing how quickly we can go from calm to chaos—all inside our own heads”. Isn’t that true! So many thoughts come into our minds on any given day. Some thoughts are good, some are bad, and some just mess with our minds, hearts and souls. We can’t always control what thoughts show up, but we can choose which ones get to stay. That’s the invitation of Philippians 4:8—to decide our mental focus instead of drifting wherever fear or distraction leads us.
There is a mental side to discipleship – to following Jesus consistently. We need to train our minds in the same way we train our bodies for strength or our spirits for faith. It’s not something that happens once—it’s a practice that grows through repetition and awareness. When we choose to think differently, we begin to live differently.
Philippians 4:8 gives us a blueprint for forming a truth-based thought life and a practical filter for the peace of God. These eight words aren’t just moral virtues; they’re spiritual checkpoints that help us evaluate what deserves space in our minds. When a thought enters, we can hold it up to these standards and ask whether it aligns with God’s truth:
• True: Is this thought grounded in Scripture, or is it speculation and fear?
• Noble: Does it lift my heart toward what’s honorable, or does it pull me down into cynicism or shame?
• Right: Does this line up with God’s ways and character?
• Pure: Is it life-giving and free from bitterness or guilt?
• Lovely: Does it reflect the beauty of grace, kindness, and compassion?
• Admirable: Would I want someone else to think this about me—or hear me think it about them?
• Excellent or praiseworthy: Would this thought be worthy of repeating before God?
When we use this filter regularly, we’re creating a habit of peace. We’re teaching our mind to recognize the difference between thoughts that bring life and those that drain it. It’s a quiet form of spiritual strength that shapes both our inner calm and our outer responses.
This week, as all those many thoughts enter your mind each day, filter them with these 8 checkpoints. Fix your mind – attach it securely so it doesn’t move – on these things. And as you do this, God will replace your fears, uncertainty, distractions with his peace.

08/30/2026

WEEKLY BIBLE VERSE - Matthew 11:28 (NLT): Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Weariness happens to all of us. It’s different than just being tired. Weariness is being exhausted in strength, endurance, enthusiasm and freshness. When we’re weary, our patience, tolerance and pleasure are often exhausted. Weariness can come at us in different ways: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. When we’re weary, we feel like we are weighed down, life becomes heavy and it’s tough to keep going.
This is where our verse this week comes in. Jesus doesn’t expect us to pretend to be strong when we’re weary and overwhelmed. Instead, Jesus offers us an invitation to come to him. When we are exhausted, when life doesn’t seem to have the same joy it once did, when we lose our enthusiasm for our daily tasks, when our patience and tolerance for those around us, we can go and tell Jesus how we feel, how weary we are, how tough life is at the moment. Jesus cares about how we are doing, how life is going for us. He wants us to share that with him.
When we take Jesus up on his invitation to come to him, he will give us rest. The rest Jesus offers is a refreshing quiet for our minds, hearts and souls. This rest is a relief and freedom from the burdens and weariness of life. It’s a support that offers us a mental and spiritual calm. The rest Jesus offers renews and refreshes us in a way that allows us to rekindle our joy and enthusiasm for life. We are made ready to go into our life and the world again.
If you find yourself weary this week, don’t try to go it alone. Go to Jesus. Tell him what is weighing you down, what is making you weary. Let yourself take a breather in Jesus’ presence. Set your burdens down for a moment. Allow his compassion and care to wash over you. Let his rest provide you with relief, calm and refreshment.

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5878 Ironbridge Road
Chatham, IL
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