TENT TIME - TURNING 40!

So, what did I do on my 40th birthday that probably no one else in the world has done? Well, quite simply, I spent 4 days in a tent in my backyard, alone, without food. Before I write any more, let me start with 2 notes:

Note 1: I don’t want anything I write here to sound boastful or bragging. I really considered not telling anybody what I did for several reasons, but people started asking and it was hard to explain my absence. The easiest way is to write it all down and let you read it.

Note 2: Another reason I am writing this is because as I look back on my 40 years I have found that I learned a lot of things simply by listening to other people’s experiences. Not that I expect any of you to do this, but ideas can be generated from the strangest sources. And I have always known that I’m strange – scratch that, let’s try peculiar. That sounds better.

So here’s the Readers Digest version. Short sentences to keep it simple.

Wayne Tesch, Founder of RFKC, told me several years ago that if I wanted to work with RFKC in the future I would need to get my Ministers License (ML), in order to speak in churches about camps.
I asked God for a specific scripture to tell me if I should start studying for my ML.
In the shower in a Bakersfield hotel I believe I heard the verse, Leviticus 8:5. I was expecting a very specific verse like, “Jeff, study for your ML, and I’ll provide the extra money and time, sincerely, God”. Yes, that’s what I wanted, but here’s what it says, “And Moses spoke to the people and said “This is what you should do”.
Huh? It seemed to lack the specificity that I was looking for.
But when I read on, I found that the rest of chapter 8 has to do with Moses telling all the people of Israel about Aaron and his sons being set aside and consecrated onto the Lord as the Priests for all of Israel. To kill a bull and place the blood on Aaron’s right big toe, right thumb, and right ear lobe, to wear certain garments and then to go into the tent of the Tabernacle for 7 days to consecrate themselves unto the Lord!
Interesting, huh?
So, I took that to be the affirmative answer to my prayer. Now the question is, when do I start my studies?
Before I started studying, Janet and I received the call from God, and then from Wayne, to move to Southern CA to work full time with RFKC.
Once we moved, I started my studies through Berean School of the Bible.
As I started my studies, I realized that even though I had already spoken in churches on behalf of RFKC, I would now be giving longer messages with greater Biblical context and with the title of a Licensed Minister. Standing behind a pulpit is not something I take lightly; I consider it to be a serious responsibility.
I also know that whenever I speak, I really want to do a great job. I want to be a great public speaker, and I know it won’t just happen. I will have to do my part, but I know that God’s blessing can do a lot to help me.
With all that in mind, I decided to read through chapter 8 again, and this time I noticed the verses at the end that mention the seven days in the tent.
I thought, now there’s an idea!!! I could spend some time in a tent, set my self apart, consecrate myself unto the Lord, let God know I am serious about being a Licensed Minister, ask for His blessing to be a better speaker, study, pray and fast. It’s certainly “different and unique” and I’m into things that are “different and unique”!
But, could I really do it for 7 days? I’m away from my family enough now as it is. And what about the bull and the blood? Can I get away with that in Orange County?
Well, in today’s society, if people want to become Ministers or Priests they go to Bible school, they no longer deal with the bull and the blood, thank goodness.
Well, I didn’t want to be legalistic about it, so I thought I would do the following:
I’m turning 40, so I would spend 4 days in the tent, 4 decades – 4 days.
I would drop the bull & blood stuff and add fasting.
I would spend time in prayer, worship, and listening to good preachers on tape.
I would study 4 things that I have wanted to study for a long time. I printed out every scripture in the Bible that contained the following words:
Wisdom – Knowledge – Understanding – Discernment
Then I thought, if I study these words to be a better person and become a better speaker, I had also better study every scripture containing the word Humble, thus my comments in note 1 above.

So, there it is. My four days alone were interesting, wonderful, awful, challenging, intriguing, and unknown. One person asked me “how was it”? Well, there was no bolt of lightning, no super revelation like Saul on the road to Damascus. But I don’t think Aaron and his sons experienced a bolt of lightning either. I think it was just the right thing to do, and I believe it will lay a foundation for greater things in the future. Time will tell.