What Floats Your Boat

Bible Verse: Genesis 6:5-7:5; 8:13-22

Have you ever had a dog or pet that when you called him or her they would come running or did it totally ignore you?

When You’re in a crowded room, is there one particular sound you are more likely to here than other sounds?

At one time or another, most of us have experienced dry spells- times when our lives feel a little flat. Maybe you have been a follower of Christ for a while, yet are feeling a little "burned out". Maybe you have been going through tough times or have been too busy to think much about God and you just lack enthusiasm.

Sometimes we forget that being a follower of Christ means just that "following". We have taken that first step and wonder why we don’t have passion and victory in our lives. In this study we will be looking at some of these giants of faith in the coming weeks.

Read: Genesis 6:5-7:5; 8:13-22

Noah was a man that God used to do a great thing. We look at Noah’s life and we see one outstanding characteristic: Noah could hear God’s voice. He knew the most important thing "how to listen to God". Noah’s life illustrates four benefits of listening to God:

Perspective
The first thing that listening to God is that it provides us with perspective. Have you ever built something or made a recipe and it turned out so bad you just destroyed it or threw it away? Genesis 6:6 says: The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. You may think that God would be like us- make it don’t like it destroy it, but that is not the way God is. God is a God of justice- He could not allow wickedness to go on without dealing with it. He is though also a God of mercy, grace and forgiveness. He chose to wipe out the wickedness on earth but choose to save those who were following Him. Genesis 6:8 says "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord." Noah was 500 years old when he first started to build the Ark. People thought he was crazy. Have you ever done something that other people thought was crazy? People sometimes lack perspective; they do not see the total picture. Noah had perspective he was seeing thing through God.

Staying Power
Listening to God empowers us with endurance. Have you ever thought about how long it took Noah to build the ark? 500 years talk about endurance. When was the last time God was asking you to commit to a ministry or project? Are you willing to go the distance? From the movie: Field of Dreams" there is a phrase "build it and they will come". Are you building something are you willing to commit for the long haul? Even though people that are around you don’t understand; you stay in there because God has chosen you.

Perfect Timing
Another benefit to listening to God is timing. You know that something that a fast ball hitter needs in the major leagues. That something that you need in playing that instrument or singing that song? Most of us have a hard time dealing with the difference between our time and God’s time. We live in a microwave society where we want everything now. Instant mail, instant coffee, instant news and even instant entertainment through DVR, VHS and so on. God says walk with me and at the right time I will do a great thing. God is never early and never late. Noah went into the ark when God said to and not before. He waited seven days before anything happened. All together he and his family lived in that ark for a year.

Loving Heart
Listening to Gods heart leads us to love. Noah’s first action after landing on dry ground was to demonstrate his love for God. He knew salvation came from God the Father. The first thing he did was to build an altar and praise God for salvation. What is the first thing that you or I think of when a project is completed on time in your job or at home? Do we stop and give thanks to God for seeing you through? When we receive our pay for our work at the end of a pay period, how do we show our gratitude?

Action Steps -Learn to listen
Accept God’s Invitation- Accept His redemption.
Remove barriers- Remove those things which distract you from hearing God.
Train Your Ears- Train your ears to hear God by making an effort each day to listening to God through prayer and Bible study.

Mark

God's Man God's Chruch Leadership Retreat

Wheatland Christian Church & Camp Illiana invites men interested in making God’s plans for their church and their lives a reality. Local leaders will join Ken Idleman for a retreat designed to grow God’s man, develop leadership and inspire spiritual intensity within the local church. These practical workshops will allow you to walk away with folders of ideas that will help you visioneer your place as God’s man in God’s church. Call regester online at:

http://www.wheatlandchristian.com/

Rebuiling Hope- Missions Effort to Mississippi

"Rebuilding Hope" was a mission’s trip to give assistance to the people effected by Hurricane Katrina. Our mission’s team traveled down to Pascagoula, MS to show the love of Christ. We built relationships, help rebuild homes and assisted those in need. As you can imagine -- this took a lot of folks serving as the "hands and feet of Jesus" to accomplish this effort. A special thank you -to all those involved.

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2

There is a joy in the Holy Spirit that comes to you when you begin helping other people, because you’re doing God’s work! Isn’t that what Jesus said when He helped the woman at the well?

He said, "My meat, my fulfillment, my satisfaction, is to do the will of my Father." John 4:34

When we get busy helping other people, there’s a joy and a strength that comes to us in our lives.