Be Open to What God is Telling You

Devotion For 2014 Bahamas Trip

I was chosen to write a devotion for CCA's next generation of eight graders on their Bahamas trip in 2014. Enjoy

Be Open To What God is Telling You

1^st Kings 19:11-13

Marcos L.

            Has God ever spoken to you before? The right answer to this question, is yes. You may be thinking that God has never spoken to you before, when in reality He’s always trying to talk to us and get our attention. In the Bible, it says God speaks in a still, small whisper. He doesn’t literally whisper to us, but He tries telling us things by what we read in the Bible or what we learn while going through trials. We normally think of the voice of God as booming like thunder, but that’s not the case at all. We compare God’s voice to a whisper because it’s so easy to miss what He wants to tell us and drown out His calls.

            The problem we as humans have with hearing this voice of God is by the way we drown it out with the world. What that means is that we can get so caught up in what the world has to offer that we forget that God has something even greater. That’s a good description of how I was living my life before the Bahamas Mission Trip. I was filling my life with worldly desires until I didn’t want to have anything to with God. Yet, it gets worse from there. At school and church, I would present myself as this great spiritual person, even though I wasn’t. I’d then go home and do the opposite of what I would say, living a lie like a hypocrite. See, I was really good at talking the talk but nowhere near walking the walk. This all changed on the trip when my Bible teacher, Mr. Fanning, casually went up to me and told me to be open to what God was telling me. That was when I realized I was doing everything but; I was doing everything I could to keep God out of my life and utterly reject and avoid Him in every way possible. Initially, I wasn’t drifting away from God on purpose, but that’s just what happens when you let the world take a hold of you. Sin has a way of sneaking into your life and blinding you so blind and indifferent of the Way, the Truth, and The Life. After understanding that I wasn’t letting God in, I opened up myself to Him so that He could use me and he ended up showing me that He really could. We can’t bask in all the world has to offer because it’s so easy to miss the still small whisper of God. With God in control, He uses us to be great and do awesome things through Him.

Application Questions

1.      What are some things God might be trying to tell you right now in your life?

2.      What are some things in your life that you think can (or already is) keep you from God?

Interview With My Dad

Second Interview

My Dad

This is an interview I got to take with my dad
This link will take you to the YouTube video of this

Interview With My Mom

First Interview

My Mom

 

This is an interview with my mom that I shot about the Bahamas
This link will take you to the YouTube video of this

My Autobiography

My Trip Autobiography

Marcos Leite

 Block 4 Lawson

I often reflect on my Bahamas trip, so I can remember how evident God was with me there. I drew close to God and He drew close to me. I did not want to leave at the end. Through the time I spend recollecting the events that happened in the Bahamas, it helps motivate me in my spiritual life. Be open to what God has to tell you and he will make himself evident through you.

On day two of the trip, I was really noticing the joy of people I was surrounded by. People who had little to nothing, had something in their life that I was lacking, like James at the All Saints Camp. They had the love and joy that comes from Christ. I was jealous of another thing I did not have. Subconsciously, I knew how much I wanted to have it too. How selfish was I to want to take something away from someone who had almost nothing but a small room and a bed? And they were still content. But I was not. On the same day, at night, I was upset and deep in thought while I was sweeping the kitchen. Casually, Mr. Fanning, my Bible teacher, told me, "Marcos, be open to what God is telling you." And then it hit me. I was doing everything but. My problem lied within myself. Leading up to this point, I have been taking the initiative to avoid, reject, and resist God in every way possible. How can I live with the joy that comes from Him if I am angry with HIm and do not want to have anything to do with Him? I drowned out the still, small whisper of God with sin. I then began to wonder how my life would of turned out if I did not have my mom and dad as parents and had it much worse than I did then. I spent time in prayer and then surrendered myself to him. I listened to what God had to tell me he wanted to share this experience at the campfire. And I did. The next day, we brought kids from an elementary school. to the Adventure Learning Centre. I had a blast playing with tons of kids and letting over fifteen of them gang up on  me and beat me up. After the fun and games, I set the tone by getting a group of twelve kids together and giving them the core Gospel message. Although a few kids left, I had about eight left. I asked them if they wanted to receive Christ and they did. The Spirit really moved then. A seed was planted in those kid's hearts. Afterwards, we took a bus to visit a different elementary school. There were hundreds of kids there but we got a group of about forty kids together and did some skits for them. At the end, I got up and gave another gospel message. At the end,  I asked if anyone wanted to receive Christ and about thirty kids rose their hands. How amazing is God? How can you put into words this amazing moment of the Hand of Providence? More lives are entering the kingdom. That really blew me away. I led the kids in the sinner's prayer aloud, and they accepted Christ. Praise God.

This trip took me out of a dry season in my spiritual life and renewed me. God was so evident on this trip and His glory shone bright. Funny how I was avoiding God so much that I had to go to another country to find him. It was there I finally listened to what God was telling me. And He allowed me to do great things by letting the Spirit work through me. How awesome is He? People were saved and lives were added to the Kingdom. God works great things though those who listen to Him.

Day 5 of the Bahamas, Sunday, January 13, 2013

Day 5 of the Bahamas Trip

The Last Day

We begun this day by waking up early and having church at the beach. We then returned to our cabins, packed up all our stuff and cleaned up, then stayed at the Adventure Learning Centre until we had to leave to the airport. During this day, I got to have a long conversation about what comes next after this trip. That was really the big focus of the day. What is next? What will come after this? At our last time at the ALC, we wrote letters to ourselves to open at our 8th grade graduation. I wrote about the things I learned and challenged myself to pursue my life for the Lord. It was really awesome to reflect on the amazing trip we had. Most of the day was spent reflecting. I was excited to come home and see my family but I was very sad to leave. Some many awesome things happened, it was very hard to just leave.

Pastor Sean giving us a message for church

Having church at the beach

What comes next?

Day 4 of the Bahamas, Saturday, January 12, 2013

Day of 4 of the Bahamas Trip

Evangelizing at the Bahamian Straw Market

On our second to last day, we had some quite time in the morning to spend with the Lord and then we went on a bus ride to the Bahamian Straw Market. We took a group picture and broke into individual groups to evangelize to the people on the streets. My group was led by a student leader named Matt, and among my group were my friends Nick, Theo, and Andrew. We first met some ladies sitting on a bench and we told them about our trip and school. They were already Christians but we enjoyed a good talk with them. We then went up to a man standing out of the way and talked to him too. He told us he was a Christian and we had a good conversation with him too. The last person we got to talk to was a man named James who was helping sell some things on the side of the road. James believed in a God, but was not too sure about the Bible, Jesus, Heaven and Hell. He has not really thought much about it, but my group got to have an awesome conversation with him. He was not ready to be saved, yet we were able to pray over him and then I gave him my Bible. After the Straw Market, we then went to the hotel/resort Atlantis. The point was to see all this luxurie in the tourist part of the Bahamas after going through a sick and poverty stricken part. It was really impactful to see this beautiful tourist attraction and compare it to all the other places I have been on the trip. Afterwards, we went back to our camp. When then had our nightly campfire and it was especially amazing. The worship was awesome and I grew really close to the Lord. We then took communion. After, we got to reflect on our trip. It was awesome to see how far we came from the first day of the trip to that day. It was truely a great day.

Sean giving a devo before we go off to the Straw Market

Our Group Bahamas photo



My friends praying at Straw Market

More of my friends praying at the Straw Market

My group at the end of our time at the Straw Market

My friends and I after we were at the Straw Market

Atlantis

Day 3 of the Bahamas, Friday, January 11, 2013

Day 3 of the Bahamas

My favorite day

At the beginning of the day, I was one of about eleven kids who were chosen to help pick up kids from an elementary school, and bring them to the Adventure Learning Centre. The kids we were ridding with were awesome! We were singing songs with the kids on the way there, and even though they were from a public school, all the songs they chose to sing were Christian songs. I thought it was really amazing, especially how full of joy the bus was. When we got there I easily made friends with lots of the kids there. We were playing in a big open area and a few kids began to attack me because my friend Josh encouraged them to and this commotion encouraged what became a few kids to about twenty to attack me and form doggy piles on me. I was mildly used to the mountain of kids attacking feeling from serving in children's ministry at my church for a few years. I had bumps, bruises, and scratches on me afterwards and all of them in the name of the Lord haha. After I changed into a new shirt (my old one was torn up) I got a group of about 12 kids together and I told them we were going to play a game to see how smart they were. I asked them questions and gave them points for correct answers. I began transitioning from a game to more of the story of Christ and the Gospel message. Even though a few kids left, many remained. Afterwards I asked them if they wanted to accept Christ as their Lord and savior, and the eight that I had left did. This moment was really amazing because I opened myself up to God the day before and he used me and spoke through me on this day. We played with the kids some more and then said our goodbye's. Afterwards we went to another elementary school in the Bahamas and we brought a group of about 40 kids together. We had a few skits planned for them and afterwards, I closed it by giving the kids the Gospel message. God spoke through me again and then I asked if any of them wante to recieve Christ and about 30 of them rose their hands. For a millasecond, I was astonished, but then I had this feeling of not being to suprised because I felt God telling me, "This is really happening. Do you see what happens when you open youself to me? This is easy for me." We got to spend some more time playing with kids and then we left.

Playing with the kids

Playing a what was at first a game with the Bahamian kids

Starting to give the kids the Gospel message

Praying with the kids to recieve Christ into their lives

Giving the Gospel message at the elementary school

Talking about Jesus to Bahamian kids

Day 2 of the Bahamas, Thursday, January 10, 2013

Day 2 of the Bahamas

First day of Ministry

Day two was the first day of ministry Group 2 had. Prior to this day, on day one, the highlights were arriving on a safe flights, getting encouraging words about the entire trip ahead, experiencing team building exercises, doing a work project, and having our nightly worship and message around a campfire.

A good word from Sean at the beginning of day one





Team building exercise with a hula hoop
 



Team building exercise with a game called tangled
 

Blind team building exercise
 



Work project at the Adventure Learning Centre
 



Pastor Sean giving a message at one of our nightly campfires

 

On the beginning of day two, Sean talked to our small group about how God speaks to us in a still small whisper and how God speaks to us all individually in a different way. I began to wonder how God speaks to me and while I was pondering this, I realized I wasn't too sure. I read Psalms 31:4 during our quite time, and it said, "Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge." I knew that when I am caught and become entangled in sin, God is always my refuge. We then went to the All-Saints Camp, a place for sick people who need help being taken care of. A small group of friends and I began doing a work project of sanding these floors and while we were doing it, we spent an awesome time in prayer and in the Lord. Afterwards, I had my first encounter with a man at the camp named James. He was the most joyful man I ever met. He rejoiced in knowing our names. He loved to talk to us, especially about life in the Bahamas and about God. He sang us the Bahamian National Anthem and some hymns with us. We got to sing worship songs with other locals at the camp with a guitar accompaniment from a good friend of mine, Jake. Some of the locals, like James, had such peace in their life despite the conditions they were in or how many valuables. There were people there who may not be able to sit up by themeselves but they did have joy that came from the Lord. That thought really sank deep into my heart. We then went to an elementary school where we got to play with some kids, make ballon animals for them, and maybe talk to them about Jesus. Afterwards, while my team was on kitchen duty, I was a little upset because I got in a small spiff with someone and not knowing this, Mr. Fanning casually came up to me and told me, "Be open to what God is telling you". I was really convicted when he told me that and realized that I have been anything but open to God. In reality, I've been resisting Him and rejecting Him in my life and spent to much time being angry at him for no good reason. I was not letting God be in complete control in my life because of sin holding me back. Up until this point, I have been subconsiously trying to avoid God as much as possible. I also thought how blessed I was with, with the life I have, a family who loves me, and an amazing school where I am brought up in a Christian enviornment. I wondered how my life would be like if I was a lot less fourtunate and may not have a family or at least not a loving one. I shared about thisI had at the campfire at night and how at school, I have been really good at, "talking the talk" but not, "walking the walk" anywhere outside of school. I then fully submitted myself to God and started listening to what God was telling me instead of ignoring the still small whisper (like Sean talked about earlier) of God. I have not been hearing this still small whisper of His because I have been too busy ignoring it. But God is merciful and forgiving. He still accepts me and loves me no matter what.



Us having small groups with Sean at the beginning of the day and the back of my head



Some of my friends with Natalie at the All Saints
 



My friends walking through the All Saints



Me standing behind a pole while my friends and I help give out food to feed the people at the All Saints
 





Me still behind a pole while we sang and talked to James
 





Making ballons for a huge group of kids at the elementary school
 





Our group photo at the elementary school

 

Cover Photo for Trip

The Cover Photo

 

Photos Used:

At the Bahamian Straw Market

With Leader Sean F. and friend Mason



Playing with elementary students we brought to the Adventure Learning Centre
Boys will be boys

Introduction

Knowing God and Making Him Known

Bahamas Mission Trip 2013

Welcome to the blog for Calvary Christian Accadmy's 2013 Eight Grade Bahamas Trip! My name is Marcos, and I am a student at CCA. If you would like to see the main blog for this mission trip visit The CCA Bahamas Blog. This blog is completely student made and is dedicated to the Bahamas trip. From January 5th through January 13th, two teams went to Nassau, Bahamas to spread the love of Christ and make him evident. The students on the trip  also drew close to Him in their own relationship with Christ. Trip One was in the Bahamas from Saturday, January 5th, through Wenesday, January 9th. Trip Two was in the Bahamas from Wenesday, January 9th, through Sunday, January 12.

Sean F's Group for Trip One

Mr. Fagin's Group for Trip One

Mr. Torres's Group for Trip One

Mr. Wilson's Group for Trip One

Pastor Sean and Dennis's combined Groups for Trip 2

Sean F's and Mr. Fanning's combined Groups for Trip 2

Do not let the name "Bahamas" make you think that this trip was meant to bring some to kids to paradise so they can have fun at the beach and relax. This trip was not meant to be a vacation, nor a trip for "pleasure". In the Bible, Matthew 28:19-20 says, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Christ commanded us to go! And spread the good news of His birth, life, death, resurrection and the hope that if we believe in Him, we can have eternal life through His blood. We, as Christians, believe in the concept of being born again. This is not of the flesh, but of the Spirit. Jesus talks about this in John 3: 3-5, which says,

"Jesus replied, 'Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.'

'How can someone be born when they are old?' Nicodemus asked. 'Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!'

Jesus answered, 'Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.'"

As a Christian, we whole heartedly believe that Jesus Christ is the living God, the Messiah, and that He was born as a human on Earth and lived a sinless (or without fault) life. We believe that he was crucified on a cross, becoming as a perfect, holy sacrafice. We believe that if we confess Him as our Lord and Savior not by our mouths, but in our hearts, and believe He died on the cross so that we can have eternal life. A person who has never done this, and proceeds to do this, becomes born again in the spirit and is able to live eternally with Christ. We can't get to Heaven on our own. The Bible specifically says in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but have the hope in the death of Christ to be saved. We are hopless without Christ and are all doomed to go to hell. Yet John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but hav eternal life". Jesus Christ was all God, and all man, and lived a perfect life. We can be redemeed through Him and be forgiven of our sinful ways. We ca not get to Heaven because we are sinful and impure but when Jesus Christ died for us on the cross, he cleanse us of all our sins so that we can go to Heaven. That does not mean all Christians are perfect, it just means our sins are forgiven. God started a good work in us that would not be finished until we go to Heaven. This is when we become perfect and enter the Kingdom. Phllipians 1:6 says, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." We may neither be perfect, nor "finished" but those who believe in Him are getting there.



My Bahamas Mission Trip Support Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

I have been extremely blessed to be a part of a mission trip to the Bahamas with Calvary Christian Academy this January. I feel a calling from God to go on the trip so he can use me and my talents to minister to His children. I want to be able to help with any elders or children. I have experience in both from taking care of my grandma and being a part of children ministries and watching kids in the past. I can work with anyone who needs to be uplifted, loved, guided, or played with.

Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever!”

I also feel that this trip will be great to strengthen my relationship with God, help reinforce another person’s, or leading someone to having their own relationship with Christ. In order to make this trip possible, the number one thing we need is prayer; the reason for this letter is to ask if you can support our team in prayer. If you are capable, we could also use financial help. I could work by cleaning houses, mowing lawns, washing your car, or any other job you can have me do. You can learn more about the trip by going to: http://www.ccaeagles.org/page.aspx?pid=366. You can reach me at marcosleite@comcast.net.

Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.”

I feel that on this trip, we need to be leaders and I personally think that leadership begins at the feet of Jesus. We need to humble ourselves, serve each other, and lead by example. We have to realize that God can use us now. Our view of Him will determine everything about us and how well we can serve Him. One of the biggest factors of our leadership and the effectiveness of our discipleship is our attitude. It determines our work ethic, relationships with each other, and even our education. Thank you for your time, consideration, and thought. Some specifics you can pray about are the following: health while traveling, the people we will evangelize, safety in our work projects, and that many people will come to know Christ through our efforts. If you cannot support our team finically, it’s ok. The most important thing is prayer. If you are not in a place to offer prayer support for our team, please pass on the word of our trip to another friend or family member.

Luke 14:27 “And whoever does not carry their own cross and follow me cannot be my disciple”

In Christ,

 Marcos L.