All You Have To Do Is Listen

I have been going to church for a long time, listening to pastors talk about listening to God, doing God’s will, God will speak to you. There are countless passages in the bible about people that were spoken to by God or by the Holy Spirit. Remember Paul on the road to Damascus, or how Moses talked with God through a burning bush. There are countless other biblical characters that have been spoken to by God and written about in the bible.

So, why haven’t I heard voices calling to me from any of my trees in my backyard?
And why, when I have been nasty to my wife or friends, doesn’t God intervene with a bolt or a flash of lightning that blinds me for a second, followed by a loud, tremendous deep voice saying, "My son, why have you forsaken me?"

The answer is…..He Has!

God’s Voice

When I was a small child, I remember my parents told me not to eat candy from strangers. Yes, this is as old as the day rule, but one that every parent teaches their children. But the day came when I was playing at a friend’s house and we all decided to play hide and seek, and I chose to hide behind a propane tank that was located behind some stranger’s house. Crouched down behind the tank, I could hear my friend’s feet stomping around close by, and when I looked around the tank, not only did I see my friends, but there was a large bag of candy there as well! Woo-Hoo! Jackpot!

I then heard the loud deep voice, "Don’t eat candy from strangers" rattling between my ears. "But a stranger didn’t really GIVE it to me, so it must be alright", I thought. The voice was even louder, which made me glance to see if Mom was looking.

The voice was there, I just chose not to listen.

Then there was the time in the 4th grade, when all of the students were on the playground. The game of the day was, "Beam the other guy in the head with a rock!" Rule #1 at our school was "Do Not Throw Rocks!" The game was fun, there had to have been at least 50 kids out there, lots of targets! Then there was that loud deep voice again, as I picked up the rock and beamed Robby H. in the head.

That voice has always been there. I remember it now, now that I am older. Some people call that a conscience. Some people were born without consciences and do mean and terrible things without feeling any remorse. I personally believe differently. I believe that yes, it is my conscience, and God made my conscience, just like he made your conscience as well. God also made the consciences of the "evil doers", to coin a fraise. But do they feel no remorse for evil activity? Perhaps, or maybe the calluses of sin have made it so that God’s voice is no longer heard.

We all have been there, Saturday night out with the girl friend at the ball game or the dance. You pick your date up, and she looks spectacular. Wow! The other guys are going to drool when they see her draped across your arm. Now, the thoughts of promiscuity are running through your mind. The loud deep voice is there louder than ever, but you don’t listen.

These experiences we have all encountered at one point or another in our lives. The loud voice has always been there. We either ignored it, thought that it was just our conscience and chose to ignore it because our parents just don’t want us to have any fun. Or maybe the voice is so faint, because we haven’t talked to God in a very long time, and we forget what His voice sounds like. I find that this one is probably the answer that best fits most of us.

So, when the pastor is standing up on the stage talking to us about having a relationship with God, or being closer to God, can you hear God’s voice saying "Come"? Or do you find yourself looking around the packed room wondering what time it is or if there is anyone there that will recognize you? Your conscience must be talking to you, because you are feeling embarrassed.

God’s Plan

I know that when we all come into this world that God has a plan for our lives. Each one of us is special to God and unique in our own way. God says that "each hair on our head is numbered", which tells me that God knows me better than I can ever know myself.

But do you know God’s plan for your life? That is one of life’s enormous secrets that each and every one of us struggles to no end to learn. What am I supposed to do in my life? Is this all I was meant to be? Why can’t I find a job that I like? Why are all my relationships always failing?
Some of these questions as well as many more go through my head on a daily basis. I am sure that there are countless other people out there that are struggling with similar ones as well. How to find God’s plan for our lives?

I believe that this question is easily answered. I said, easily answered, not immediately answered. God wants to have a relationship with us, ALL of us. I believe that this question can be answered when we submit our lives to Him. "What does that mean?", you ask. Let me have the honor of telling you.

1- We are all sinners in the eyes of God. And God hates sin. But God loved us so much that he sent his only son to die, so that whoever believes in Him, will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

I know, we all have heard or seen that one before, probably hanging on a banner at a football game in the end zone. And why would any father send his son to be killed, especially knowing that he will be killed? Who would do such a thing?

Back in the day before Jesus was born, the ritual that the people practiced was to ward off the wrath of God by confessing their sins to God and then sacrificing their best lamb for God. This was considered the way that God would forgive your sins and peace would be in the valley. Well, do I have to kill a lamb for every sin that I make, or is one lamb good enough for all my sins? How about the sins of my kids, or spouse? Are they also forgiven or do they need to kill a lamb each for all their sins? What happens if we run out of lambs, or if we do not own any lambs?
Jesus was the "Lamb of God" that placed all the sins of mankind on Him, all we have to do is confess in our heart that we are sinners, and accept Jesus as our personal savior, our personal "lamb".

2- Once we have accepted Jesus into our lives as our personal savior, we can then rejoice and begin to grow, knowing that God is now with us. GOD IS NOW WITH US!! God lives in our hearts on a daily basis. I know that some of you are married or involved with a significant other in some capacity or another. How many of you remember the day when you would hold hands and go for long walks on the beach? How many remember the hours that you spent talking on the phone whispering gentle sweet nothings in each other’s ear? And if you mastered the art of communicating with your spouse or significant other, then you now enjoy a very loving relationship where sometimes you don’t even have to speak to each other because you know what the other thinks, feels, needs, and desires. You are that close.

God wants that kind of relationship with you as well. He wants to spend time with all of us talking, praying, and whispering sweet praises in his ear. As you begin to develop your relationship with God, just the way that you did with your spouse, you will notice something remarkable happening in your life. He will speak to you and give you direction in your life that will be as clear as the day in long. And you will hear Him, just the same way that you knew what your spouse was thinking, even when she didn’t say a thing.

3- The last thing to do in order to find God’s plan for your life, is to serve. You say, "How can serving do anything for determining the plan for my life? I barely have enough time to get everything done as it is!" That is an excellent question that I think that we all ask. Let me answer that question by returning back to the example of a good marriage. How’s this going to work for you? "Honey, I love you so much, but I don’t have time to take out the garbage or cut the lawn because me, Jimmy and the boys are going to watch the ball game". If that kind of activity goes on for any length of time, do you think that your spouse is going to believe that you are madly in love with her? Of course not. There will be turmoil, fights, and uneasiness. The once close relationship that you and your spouse enjoyed will be replaced by a division between you. Your life plan will seem uncertain!

The bible says that our God is a jealous God, and we should not put anything else before him, as stated in the 10 commandments. When we serve Him, we are putting him first, and erasing the division between Him and us. Now let’s try this one instead, "Honey, I took the garbage out, and cut the grass, and there were some really pretty wild flowers that were growing in the back yard that I thought that you might enjoy, so I put them in a vase for you. The big game is on today, and me, Jimmy and the boys would like to see it. I will be home by 6, and I have dinner reservations at Sal’s for us tonight." Now that is putting her first! God wants the same thing. And when God’s happy, everyone is happy! He will bring opportunities your way that you may never have seen before. God will unravel His plan for your life right before your eyes.

Get involved in your Church, in out-reach programs like Christian Life, and in your community. When someone says that you are really great, give the glory to God. The bible teaches us, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God…and all these things will be given unto you!" Put God first in everything you do. Your reward will be great!

Just Listen!

Times have been rough these days with the economy sinking into a depression. Thousands of jobs have been lost, businesses have closed their doors after being in operation for years, families are being disrupted, and communities are feeling the strain. These are really difficult times for all of us. As I write this, I am without a job going on 6 months. But I know there are others that have been without employment for much longer than I. All these problems!! What are the answers?

The answer I believe is written clearly in the bible. We are not the only ones that faced terrible times. I am reminded of the story when Jesus and his disciples were in a boat crossing the sea, Jesus had gone to sleep, and the winds began to pick up, the seas began to be angry, and the boat was taking on water and was in danger of sinking. The disciples were in fear of losing their lives, and called out to Jesus. And what did Jesus say? "Be still!" I believe that the answer to all our problems is, "Be still, and know who I am". Why should we worry about what is going to happen in our lives when "even the wind obeys His command."

This is so hard to do when your whole world is crumbling down around you. I am there too. With no job, no one hiring, all the businesses that I have talked to are laying off. It seems easy to give up hope and become depressed. But I believe that is when God is talking to you the most saying, "Follow Me." There is all the noise of everything crashing down all around you, and hearing God’s voice is difficult, and spending time with Him is even more difficult.

I had been trying to find a job for some time and had been praying continuously about this everyday. I asked my parents to pray for me, I asked my sister, and all my friends as well. Some time before, I had signed up at my church to serve in the Children’s Ministry. I needed to go to an introductory class to learn about the program and to meet the director and staff members. I had a lot going on with the loss of my job, the searching for another job, we were also just moving into our new home that I had been building for the past year and a half. My wife reminded me that maybe I had too much on my plate and that maybe I should not go to the introductory class that evening. I let that play on my mind for a good long while, and then finally made the decision. No, I will put God first! So I went. That evening went great. I really enjoyed meeting all the people there and learning about the program. When I was asked what I did, I stood and said that I was a pilot. Later, when I had the opportunity, I was chatting with the director and relayed to her that there may be times that I might not be able to come to volunteer, as I was on call to fly as a contract pilot with Carolina Tractor. Her eyes lit up. "Oh", she said, "My husband is a VIP for Carolina Tractor, I will have him put a good word in for you." I could feel the hair all over my body tingling, something I had felt many times before.

God works in mysterious ways. No, wait…God works in His Perfect Way. I told my father what had happened, how I almost decided not to go, but at the last minute, re-thought my decision. He sat me down in the garage and we had one of the most memorable, most special moments I have ever had with my father. He said, "Son, follow God, keep praying, keep praying all the time. And then…Listen! All you have to do is listen!" God will speak to us, and we will hear him, if we would just listen.

So, what should we do with all these uneasy times happening all across the world? The answer is: Get straight with God, put Jesus in our hearts, spend precious time with Him, and serve Him. Then when things are so loud that we can’t hear ourselves think, "Stop, be still, and know who I am." Just Listen! The answer will be given to us, if we would just listen.

I have learned over the years, to really spend time with God. I believe that God speaks to everyone differently. Paul was blinded by a brilliant light and then God’s voice spoke to him; Mary was spoken to by Gabriel, an angel of God; and Moses chatted with God through a burning bush. God spoke to my sister through a beam of light that ran through her body one evening. I have learned that when God is in my presence, and is speaking to me, all the hair on my body stands on end. I get the chills. It is the weirdest feeling, and yet it is the most comforting feeling for me, because I know that God is with me.

I hope that this short dissertation will help you find God’s path for your life. The answers to life’s most difficult questions are easy, they’re written in the manual. God’s manual on how to live life properly. He calls it the Bible, the Living Word of God. Spend time in the Word. Put your worries in God’s hands, and then…Listen!

Building A Kingdom For God

We have so much to be thankful for. God has given us so much. Beyond material things, God gave us his perfect, sinless son to die an excruciating death as a sacrifice for our sins. We did not deserve it, not at all! I don't k now how that makes you feel, but it makes me feel ashamed of the life that I have lived. It makes me feel that I owe Jesus an enormous amount of debt for His sacrifice for me. And all he asks for is my love for Him.

So, what are we doing for Jesus? The bible says that all that accept Jesus as his/her personal savior will go to the Kingdom of God. But is that all we should do for Him here on earth? He gave us everything! The bible has the answers for us: In Mark 16:15-16, Jesus gives the Great Commission to all followers of Him:

15 Go into all the world and preach the Good News to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

So kids, there is our job, straight from the mouth of Jesus. There is our loving duty. Go out, everyday, and lovingly tell the good news of the gospel. Build the Kingdom of God one person at a time.

One of Christian Life's goals is to build the Kingdom of God by creating Frontier Forge Christian Camp. There we can shout out to thousands of kids for Jesus. Our "light" will shine for Him. All that will be done will glorify Him in every way.

But, we have to start small, starting in our everyday lives. So kids, this is our challenge: Everyday, make it a point to talk to at least one person about what God has done in your life, about what Jesus has done for all people. If you are excited about what God has done in your life, shout it out! Tell someone! Matthew 5 tells us to "let your light shine before men". Go out with all the passion you have in your heart, but go out with love, so "that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven".

See what Jeremy Camp has to say about "Speaking Louder Than Before" about Jesus: Click the video below.

Serve God

Just as we were beginning to present our lesson concerning Serving God to the tweens at sunday school, the door suddenly busted open, and a rather unsavory character bounded in wearing old warmups with shorts overtop, a wig, sunglasses, a headband, and wearing unsightly Bubba Teeth, wielding a tennis racquet. He busted into the room and said loudly to someone trying to stop him on his way in, " I am a member of the World Tennis Federation, the ATAA, the NBA, CIA, the FBI.... ", as he ran into the room.

"Excuse me, Excuse me", said the teacher, rather shocked, "Can I help you?" "UUHHH, Yeah, I am here to serve God!", taking his tennis racquet out and wielding it around. "Back up kids, I am a bad man, I have a serve like lightning! LIKE LIGHTNING !! I tell you! Back up!!"

"Excuse me, but...who are you?" said the teacher.

"I'm Bubba Igga Gump. I have the baddest serve this side of The Cove parking lot! I have a fast ball serve, a curve ball serve, behind the back serve, between the legs serve, a ping pong serve...."

"But this lesson isn't about serving a tennis ball", the teacher exclaimed. "HUUUHHH??", a confused Bubba responded with his teeth falling out. "What you mean....Uhhh, It says right there", referring to the words on the projector screen, "I worship God when I serve Him".

"But it says 'serve Him', not serve TO him", said the teacher.

Bubba Igga left the room dejected, but the kids all had a laugh at his expense.

Matthew 25:31-40 says:

31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

What this message is telling us is this: Serving God is not just praying to Him, putting our lives in His hands, and walking with Him. Serving people in need is also serving God, for we are to act as Jesus did, and become servants to others. Nothing shows God's love for his people more than Christians serving others, as Jesus did.

Jesus was sent to earth to tell the truth, and to set an example for us to follow. Jesus was God, and yet He humbled himself before all men, and served us, even though we were not worthy. He washed the desciples feet before He was to be executed, even though He knew that Judas had betrayed Him. He showed no preference, however.....He just served with Love!

This is how we are to serve one another...with Love.....as Jesus did.

PARTING OF THE RED SEA

Chariot Wheels found at the bottom of the Red Sea

Are you surprised to see proof of Pharaoh's chariots and bones of horses and men found in the Red Sea? You really shouldn't be. Nothing in the bible thus far has ever been disproven. Please join me in glorifying God after reading this article.

Evidence of the crossing of the Red Sea including Pharaoh's drowned army has been found!
Confirmation of the actual Exodus route has come from divers finding coral-encrusted bones and chariot remains in the Gulf of Aqaba . ONE of the most dramatic records of Divine intervention in history is the account of the Hebrews' exodus from Egypt . The subsequent drowning of the entire Egyptian army in the Red Sea was not an insignificant event, and confirmation of this event is compelling evidence that the Biblical narrative is truly authentic. Over the years, many divers have searched the Gulf of Suez in vain for artifacts to verify the Biblical account. But carefully following the Biblical and historical records of the Exodus brings you to Nuweiba, a large beach in the Gulf of Aqaba , as Ron Wyatt discovered in 1978. Repeated dives in depths ranging from 60 to 200 feet deep (18m to 60m), over a stretch of almost 2.5 km, has shown that the chariot parts are scattered across the sea bed. Artifacts found include wheels, chariot bodies, as well as human and horse bones.

Since 1987, Ron Wyatt found three four-spoke gilded chariot wheels. Coral does not grow on gold hence the shape has remained very distinct, although the wood inside the gold veneer has disintegrated making them too fragile to move. The hope for future expeditions is to explore the deeper waters with remote cameras or mini-subs. Mute witness to the miracle of the crossing of the Red Sea by the Hebrews 3,500 years ago. The coral-encrusted chariot wheel, filmed off the Saudi coastline, matches chariot wheels found in Tutankhamen's tomb.

One mineralized bone, one of many found at the crossing site and tested by the Department of Osteology at Stockholm University, was found to be a human femur, from the right leg of a 165-170cm tall man. It is essentially 'fossilized, ' i.e., replaced by minerals and coral, hence cannot be dated by radiocarbon methods, although this specimen was obviously from antiquity. Chariot wheels and axles were found covered with coral and up-ended. Exodus 14:25 ' And took off their chariot wheels, that they drove them heavily...'

When Ron Wyatt first visited Nuweiba in 1978, he found a Phoenician style column lying in the water. Unfortunately the inscriptions had been eroded away, hence the column's importance was not understood until 1984 when a second granite column was found on the Saudi coastline opposite -- identical to the first except on this one the inscription was still intact! In Phoenician letters (Archaic Hebrew), it contained the words: Mizraim (Egypt); Solomon; Edom ; death; Pharaoh; Moses; and Yahweh, indicating that King Solomon had set up these columns as a memorial to the miracle of the crossing of the sea. Saudi Arabia does not admit tourists, and perhaps fearing unauthorized visitors, the Saudi Authorities have since removed this column, and replaced it with a flag marker where it once stood.

How deep is the water? The Gulf of Aqaba is very deep, in places over a mile (1,600m) deep. Even with the sea dried up, walking across would be difficult due to the steep grade down the sides. But, there is one spot where if the water were removed it would be an easy descent for people and animals. This is the line between Nuweiba and the opposite shore in Saudi Arabia .

Depth-sounding expeditions have revealed a smooth, gentle slope descending from Nuweiba out into the Gulf. This shows up almost like a pathway on depth-recording equipment, confirming it's Biblical description, '...a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters.' (Isaiah 43:16) The Bible writers frequently refer to the miracle of the Red Sea crossing, for it was an event which finds no equal in history. The Hebrew prophets describe the sea at the crossing site as '...the waters of the great deep...the depths of the sea...' (Isaiah 51:10) Knowing the exact spot to which the Bible writers were referring, what is the depth there? The distance between Nuweiba and where artifacts have been found on Saudi coast is about 18km (11 miles). Along this line, the deepest point is about 800m (2,600 feet). No wonder that inspired writers of the Bible described it as the mighty waters. And no wonder that not a single Egyptian survived when the water collapsed in upon them.

God's Word once again confirmed!

Sing Loudly To God!

Today I wanted to talk to the kids about worshipping God through singing praises to Him. I was having difficulty finding what I thought God was wanting me to talk about. I prayed about it asking God to please bring the ideas to my mind and the words to my mouth, and to help me find the supporting verses to share with the kids.

I started writing on Thursday. And God was flowing the ideas through my mind. By Saturday, I had everything that I wanted to say, and God had given it all to me. The talk would be about the where, when, why, and how to sing praises to God.

Where should we sing to God?

The bible says in Hebrews 2 that we should sing in church. Well that's no supprise. 2 Samuel 22 says to sing among the non-believers. The only thing the kids could think about was standing up on the cafeteria table in school and belting out Jesus Loves Me. That's not going to happen. Psalms 108 says to sing among all nations and Psalms 149 says that we should sing loudly in bed. So, what is the point here? God is telling us to sing everywhere!

When should we sing to God?

Well, again, Hebrews 2 says that we should sing when we are in church. But, Psalms 104 says to sing all the days of my life. But, what about bad times? What about the times when we are down, angry, upset, hurt, or humiliated? What about those times that we just don't feel like singing? God knows about those times and he gave us examples in the bible for us to follow. Acts 16 is one of those examples:

The Apostle Paul and Silas were going to a town to offer prayer. They angered the magistrates and the people when they refused to give time to a fortune teller. They were attacked by a mob of people, beaten, and whipped. They were then imprisoned and chained.

I asked the kids what they would have done if this had happened to them. Most of the answers were to cry, feel sorry for themselves, regret being there, feel badly. But what Paul and Silas did was amazing! They prayed to God and they sang praises to Him! THEY SANG PRAISES TO GOD! WHAT FOR! Well, let me tell you what for! After hearing the praises sung, God shook the ground so violently that the prison cell doors fell open and the chains fell off! God Likes praises sung to Him!

The Point here is this: It is easy to sing songs of praise to God when amazing things are happening and all is good. But in bad times, we have a choice: We can either say "Woe is me" and feel sorry for ourselves and focus on us; or we can focus on God, giving the whole situation to Him, and fill our heart with Him, and sing praises to Him. This may not always solve the situation at hand, but it will definately make us feel better inside, while God is working the problem to the Glory of Him!

Why should we sing praises to God?

I asked the kids to think about taking final exams at school. What is required?
1) Study hard
2) Study all material that will help them with the test
3) If there are any areas that you require help, ask the teacher for help in those areas
4) Form study groups with other classmates to help study the material

Be completely inundated with the subject of the test so that you will know all the answers and do well on the test. This is EXACTLY what God wants us to do too! This is exactly why we sing praises to God.

1) Keeps us in God's presence
2) Keeps us thinking about God and praising God
3) Keeps our attention and focus on God's plan for us
4) We are less likely to stray from God's will when we hold God close to our heart and mind.

How should we sing praises to God?

The bible says in Nehemiah 12 that we should sing loudly! I asked the kids when they go to their favorite ball team's game, do they whisper "go team" to cheer them on? Or do they shout at the top of their lungs "GOOOOOOOOOOOO TEEEEEAAAAAAMMMMMMM!!!!" It is obvious what the answer was.

Ok, so we are supposed to sing loudly to God. One of the kids asked, "What if we can't sing?" That is an excellent question. I know this because I can't hold a note to save my life. I had searched the bible for an answer to this question, and found that there is no-where in the bible that says anything like, "sing praises to God, unless, of course, you can't sing, then God doesn't want to hear you." No, in fact, God knows all of us. He knows how many hairs that are on our heads. And if he knows that crazy number, then I am certain that He knows if we are able to sing well or not. And I don't think that He cares one bit one way or the other!

So, sing praises to God, in fact, shout praises to God loundly! After all, if we are Christians, we have something to sing about. We have been saved! So, put your all into it, sing loudly!

So, where are we here then. We are to sing everywhere, sing all the time, and sing loudly. Again, visions of standing up on the cafeteria tables and singing loudly terrified the kids. But, I eased there minds with this:

This is what I do to keep God in my heart, praises streaming to Him, and listening for His will. I turn the radio on to my favorite Christian radio station. I sing along...loudly...with the songs I know. I listen to the words and listen to what God is saying to me. When I feel bad or upset, I turn the radio on and sing to God. Almost immediately, God takes my bad feelings or anger away and I start to feel better. The problem that caused my frustrations or anger may not be solved yet, but I feel better because I know that God is with me!

Surround yourself with God on the outside, and on the inside, and sing praises to Him! God Bless You!