As we returned from our church camping trip to Mount St. Helens, I was reminded that I am either too old to enjoy camping anymore or just too out of shape to deal with camping 'reality!'  Either way, I have come to the conclusion that I am basically "Tired of Camping."

Camping is suppose to be in a quiet place, away from the bass beat of the boom boxes on the other side of town (yes, I know, the other side of Touchet is only 4 blocks away, but still...).

Camping out in the woods (or in the prairie) is suppose to be a place of solitude and beauty.  It is suppose to be a place that is as far away from the world's affairs as one can get (or at least afford to get).

LAWS!
There are more laws today than ever before that actually prevent people from enjoying nature.

• Even though the woods were soaking wet, we still could not have a campfire.  Even just with our briquette fire going, we still attracted General Vivian in less than a minute to make sure we didn't have a single piece of paper or wood in that small bowl of heat!
• We were not allowed to do anything with guns.  But then, who would think that anyone would want to shoot those black Washington Roosters cawing in the early morning hours?  Who would want to think that we would ever need any 'protection' from the drunks down about 6 sites from ours.  Who needs protection from those people as we walk off to the bathrooms in the middle of the night.  Is Big Foot still alive? Would General Vivian pop her head up to make sure that we stayed on the trail and make sure we washed our hands?
• There were "quiet time hours" that would prevent us from singing up a storm of praise to the Lord around the propane but still allowed the loud talkers & shouters to go on into the morning hours.
• And those sanitation laws... Why walk 100 yards with the flu when a bush is just a few steps away!
• We certainly felt like we were criminals because we had brought an extra car - we had to make sure we paid that extra $ to make that car legal - in spite of a huge empty parking lot.

• We didn't get away from the sounds of the world at all anymore.  From drunken parties to music to engines, etc.
• Why is it other people have to have barking dogs?  Don't they hear them barking or what!!!

• Our camping 'items' we take with us these days cause a lot of work to pack & then unload it all  - then later having to load it all back up to unload it all again at home.
• Ladies had to almost bring their entire kitchen with them.
• There were prepackaged snacks of all kinds.
• There were propane lights & lighters and heaters & stoves.
• There were even fluorescent lights - portable as well as permanent.
• We had air mattresses with electric pumps to 'blow them up.'
• We had multi-roomed tents and multi-sized RV's.
• We had to have refrigerators instead of coolers for the refrigerated foods.
• We had bathrooms and showers (3 minutes for .50).
• We had nice folding 'almost' recliners for camp chairs.
• We had various flashlights that lit up bugs on the ground and all the way past the tree-tops.
• We had hair dryers that not only dried hair but were also great for drying towels and tents.

Now, I am not complaining about those luxuries for a second.  These and other things made the trip much easier and very enjoyable - but keep in mind the original intent for camping: to get out into nature!

DIFFERENT TYPES OF CAMPSITES

• We can choose between large or small campsite areas?
• We can choose to have them close to other sites or further away?
• We can have a group campsite or a private one?
• Can we pull the RV through the site or must we back into it?
• We can have sandy bottoms for the tent - or grass - or needles - or dirt and rock?
• Do we need reservations so that we can have the one we want or on a first-come basis?
• Are we close enough to our friends or would we rather be further away?
• Do we want a site under the trees or out in the open?
• Do we want a site that is close to the bathrooms or away from them?
• Do we want electricity and water or should we 'dry' camp?

All that camping talk above isn't really the camping I am tired of.  "Actually," I may be willing to try to camp again next year - although I could surely do withOUT the flu bug that I picked up this year.  We could also do without Vivian telling us we can't have a fire.

• There is growing confusion developing in all the camps as to what IS REALLY right & wrong these days.  More and more people are happy living on the fence, enjoying both sides - trying to serve both masters and yet wondering why they are so unhappy!
• The King James Bible is falling in all the 'camps!'
• More and more people are letting 'men' come between them and their KJV!
• Fleshy bluegrass country music is moving into camp after camp!
• More and more perversions are being 'accepted' within our own homes!
• The godly family structure is all but dead within our own KJV churches!
• The Spirit of God is quenched and grieved more than any time in history!

The walk is getting narrower and narrower for those wanting to stay on the straight path - or least try to stay on it, anyway.

The Lutheran camp - I did learn to believe in God there - as well as the Bible - even KJV!  But I was also taught to stay away from the baptists.  I didn't learn a thing from confirmation, etc.  that is good, eh!  Not so much to unlearn.  In fact, when a preacher asked me if I wanted to 'know' 100% how to get to heaven, I was a textbook case!
The Catholic camp - I didn't really belong to one, but I did visit one with Kurt Kral a long time ago.  There are millions who believe that silly stuff - amazing!
The Mormon camp - I didn't believe their teachings, but I did work for a bishop for a year as a Culligan man - learned a lot about their organization.  Again, I am amazed that there are people who will believe that stuff!

When Satan blinds a persons mind, then they will believe anything that 'helps' them these days!

First Camp:  My wife and I were first saved a Baptist Revival meeting in Minnesota - then we found an Aubry McGann (?) crusade right away for our first feeding about being saved.  Soon we found the Evangelical Free Church so that we would be able to claim this as our first camp - this was all before the KJV issue arrived into our personal camp.  During those same years, we also visited a very large baptist church as well as a tongue speaking 'temple' in Houston - not knowing about doctrinal camps yet, we just returned to our little homesite in Minnesota.  We had no idea what was about to take place in our future "camping" years!!!

We were 'church searching' in Las Vegas when we found a church that preached that water baptism is what saves a person - but that preacher kept his Bible under his armpit through all of his sermons.  We didn't last long at that "campsite."  We also visited a church that the soloist for that morning was a dancing show girl for Hallelujah Hollywood the night before!  We also visited a modern church with a glass pulpit that rose out of the stage while we all sat in soft theater seats.  I have no idea what he preached on.

Remember this thought: the idea of camping is to get us "out from the world" into nature; so the idea of church camping should be to "get out of the world's secular & religious affairs" and just get closer to God.

• Good devotional material, but more and more of it is becoming humanism & psychology!
• There is a lot of emphasis on the pastor; some to the point of him being like a 'pope!'
• They 'park' on I Timothy 3 for their 'qualifications' and even look at only one as unpardonable!
• There is little if any scriptural dividing of the word of truth!
• The bible to them is a "do & don't do" book!
• Many of these folks are usually King James 'almost' in that they do go to the Greek for their final authority.  The KJV is only "the best" - to them the 'originals' are the only inspired ones and because of that secret belief, many of those pastors are pulpit liars!
• There are plenty of programs & activities to appeal to all kinds of desires and ages - more than preaching time!
• Of course, many of them ARE nice people. They really do care for others - in fact, many care for others more than they do for God or for the truth!
• These folks are mostly concerned about their outward walk and testimony, be it fake or real; it must look good to the others in the church family!
• The people do even 'want' hard preaching, but only on the "walk" - not on the doctrinal matters!  To them, doctrine divides and makes for unhappy church members.
• These folks do learn the walk pretty well, but never the Book - thus down the road, when temptation flares and the fiery trials appear, they tend to fall apart!
• They are so into education that many have their own institutes and colleges - some even have their own elementary and high schools.  For many, education is becoming their religion and their 'god!'  These students don't ever seem to make it out to the empty pulpits throughout all of America!
• It is too easy to 'hide' in these big camps - it is easy to find a clique and to pretend that everything is fine on the outside yet remain miserable and unsure on the inside!
• Yes, there is truth there - but it is not as important as other things such as numbers and activities!
• There has recently developed a lot of 'man' worship in regards to their pastors & teachers, etc.  They even have statues of their pastors in the lobbies and courtyards.
• Money has become a necessity - thus all activities and programs are designed to bring in money!
• Music seems to have become the great 'draw' in order to get folks to come to church!
• Some have even now published their own Baptist Bible!
• Tithing has become such a big issue that a fight within their own campsite is causing serious damage.  It is now being said that in order to understand the Bible & the power of God, they need to be tithing, etc.  The Charismatic influenced teaching regarding the Prosperity Gospel has infiltrated the major camp headquarters.

• These folks mean well & try very hard these days, but the struggle is a tough one - both for the church folks AND the pastor!  The church is like one family and along with that one family comes all the family problems - and they can't be hidden or ignored as easily, either!
• Financially, things are getting harder and harder - nearly impossible to solve unless it involves personal sacrificing.
• Personal encouragement is hard to find - especially for the kids in the church.
• The same problems with music and bibles along with godly walk issues have moved into the little church and if anyone cares to take a stand on any issue, it usually gets frowned upon as causing division within their own campsite.
• The little camps shut down a lot quicker and easier than the big ones!

• Rightly Dividing is the big doctrinal issue, and rightly so - it is key to understanding Biblical doctrine!
• They are very secure on the KJV - at least 'most' teach it as 'only!'
• They teach a final authority within the home, the church family, and on a personal basis!
• Unfortunately, their personal walk and testimony is often a poor one in many homes!
• Many of the teens eventually walk away from the Book and church family!
• Some folks even say, "The walk is nothing we can do anyway!"
• Some say to "Dress, talk, walk any way you want - you are covered by grace!"
• Some say, "We ARE under the law - and that we ARE sinners!"
• Some say, "If you don't street preach, you are out of the will of God!"
• Some say that their children should preach to adults - even if around the queers, etc.!
• Their language can be quite rough - and if a pastor spews his garbage mouth, nobody will say anything for fear of losing their support - or any future money from the income of his books!
• Fleshy bluegrass music has infiltrated these churches and is running out those who stand against the new music!
• Their liberty is often abused and is often used as an occasion for the flesh!
• The man is becoming more important than the truth.  It is what "he" says, not what "He" says!

But we also can't forget that throughout all of this country, no matter what 'camp' you are in, solid home-hitting at your heart preaching is OUT OF SEASON.  People can not and will not ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE.

Church growth can not take place when the word of God is being watered down, ignored or even eliminated, so something must be wrong in those KJV churches that are headed for mega camp size.

• "pride" ... (in their pastor, for their pastor, in their facilities, activities and teachings!)
• "man worship" (the pastor has been placed between the Book and God)...
• "money emphasis" and the need for more "money" to pay for all the new programs & new buildings that are being designed & built to 'draw' folks into their particular camp!

As people tire of those previously described mainstream campgrounds, more and more people today seem to be turning to these campsites...

Now remember - some of these camps even have some great preaching, some have great and marvelous christians, some have writers that have written some great books and some sell other great materials; there is a marvelous history of America that flows from within these groups.  In fact, some even have many of the issues right!

But a close look at II Peter 2 shows us the serious dangers that are involved outside of the local church and inside these local modern campgrounds.  Most of these 'other' campsites are laced with some serious poison - some VERY SERIOUS poisons!

• The Holiness - Homeschool Campground - the homeschool holiness movement is leading the mother of the home by their many pernicious ways, making merchandise of the home.  See Homeschool Warning for my sermon on this very serious & deceitful issue.  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.  II Peter 2:18-20
• Political Campground - there are enough political issues that are tearing apart Christianity that one would think we could vote Jesus Christ in if we would all get involved with the political arena. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.  II Timothy 2:4
• Dominion/Kingdom Now Campground - the Overcomers.  These are the ones who believe that Christ cannot return until dominion is achieved on the earth by Christians.
• Reconstruction Campground - The church is the new nation, Christ destroyed the Jewish state - they will set up the kingdom before Jesus Christ returns.
• Latter Rain Campground - Through a new emphasis on unity, prophecy, etc. God will perfect the church to take over and rule the earth.
• Seed Faith Campground - When one tithes, he plants seeds.  One must speak to the seed with his checkbook if he wants something in particular - it is the "name it and claim it" teaching!
• Hundred Fold Campground - When one plants the seed and waters it with money, he can expect that seed to reproduce a 'hundred fold'.  Whatever one gives up for Christ, God will give him one hundred times in return.
• Prosperity Gospel Campground - The promise of material wealth is given to the Christian as a work of Christ on the cross - you know, the abundant life!
• ALPHA Campground - a 10 week course that advertises itself as non-threatening, non-judgmental, bible-based program with good food & warm fellowship - but is so far from the truth of Christianity, it shows the ignorance of modern Christians that so many even consider this program.  It is so far from Biblical Christianity...  it's "biblical' base is Acts & Matthew - it is the one final program that will destroy what's left of Christianity in America and will bring it in to all the churches!
• Extra Revelation Campground - This camp believes that because so many believers are in the kingdom now, they teach extra revelations to special anointed prophets and apostles now.
• Charismatic Theology Campground - Mixed up beliefs regarding spiritual gifts, etc.  This includes the folks that believe in tongue speaking, dancing in the spirit, being slain in the spirit, expressing a holy laughter, dog barking and certainly get into healing, miracles, prophecy, signs and wonders.
• Creationism - Even though the evolutionist takes God out of the Creation, modern Christianity with their modern bible versions take Jesus Christ out of Creation!  This Creation Movement is a smokescreen for the anti-Christ to keep the truth from the 'modern' Christian!

But even at that, there still seems to be something very missing in all these campgrounds.  As it is in the outdoor camping, nature is missing; we see in all the religious camps that God seems to be missing.  Note these two paragraphs from A.W. Tozer's book In Pursuit of God!  This book was written in 1948, and it doesn't take much imagination to see how much even worse the conditions are today.

In this hour of all-but-universal darkness one cheering gleam appears: within the fold of conservative Christianity there are to be found increasing numbers of persons whose religious lives are marked by a growing hunger after God Himself. They are eager for spiritual realities and will not be put off with words, nor will they be content with correct interpretations' of truth. They are athirst for God, and they will not be satisfied till they have drunk deep at the Fountain of Living Water.

A closeness with the Lord can result in a resurrection of life for many souls and a recapture of that radiant wonder which should accompany faith in Christ, that wonder which has all but fled the Church of God in our day.

Sound Bible exposition is an imperative must in the Church of the living God. Without it no church can be a New Testament church in any strict meaning of that term. But exposition may be carried on in such way as to leave the hearers devoid of any true spiritual nourishment whatever. For it is not mere man's words that nourish the soul, but God Himself, and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience - [through that King James Bible], they are not the better for having heard the truth. The Bible is not an end in itself but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts.

In regards to the invitation to this sermon, it is best that one listens to the audio portion.  There is more there than I have typed.

We are going to seek a closer walk with God, not just a closer godly walk!  As your pastor, I am going to try to help you attain that closeness s well as helping you stand against the poisons of these days.

P.S.  Note one more camp I must be wary of:  Proverbs 25:17 - that is YOUR camp.  Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee. The camp in the home is under the direction of the father - the husband.  I will stand at the door of this church and you are to stand at the door of your home.  I have even been burned when 'invited' into your campsite to help.  Dad, Husband - YOU do your own family!

Tonight - I will show you one thing that is falsely given the credit of being the reason that hinders a closer walk with God, and then I will show you the real hindrance that DOES hinder closeness with God!