Signalling for Wilderness Survival

Signaling for Wilderness Survival

Genesis 4:25-26; Psalm 116:1-4, 12-14

During our flight over to the US to visit Ben, I watched a Master Class on Wilderness Survival.

Why do individuals die in the wilderness?

Appropriate Preparation can mean the difference between living (surviving) and dying in the wilderness. You can’t wait until you are stuck to figure out how to get unstuck—in danger, lost, injured…

Having a Survival Strategy beforehand may very well save your life.

Signaling is A-Number One

Signaling is so important. Unfortunately, when too many end up in trouble, they end up stuck either for longer than they wanted to and sometimes end up dead because of it.

We were designed by the Creator with Signaling Capabilities.

· We are designed to signal to others for our survival.

· We are designed to Signal the Creator for our continuing survival and wellbeing.

God created Adam with a need for help from another person.

He created Eve with this purpose in mind:

“It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him”(Genesis 2:18).

Signaling: Help Them Find You

My first year at Yale Divinity School I was drowning in the academic waves.

This was especially the case in NT Greek. I signaled for help…

God has designed us to need help, and we honor him in asking for it.

“Refusing to ask for help when you need it is refusing someone the chance to be helpful.” –

Ric Ocasek

Many people hate to ask others for help.

Do you have an “I can do it on my own” mentality”?

In life when something is broken in the marriage, wives and husbands believe they can fix it, even though neither one knows how.

In the workplace, some people have a ton of work to do, but they refuse to ask their co-workers for help.

Sometimes it’s because we don’t want to feel like a burden, sometimes we don’t want to be turned down, sometimes we just want to control everything, and some people hate anything that feels like a handout.

There is nothing wrong with seeking help in fact Scripture encourages it.

When life happens and you end up in a situation, God wants you to signal for help.

Believing that we can handle whatever the wilderness throws our way leads to failure and disaster.

We must never be afraid to get wise counsel and help with big decisions from others.

Signaling for help doesn’t mean you’re weak, but it means you are strong, smart, and brave.

To survive the wilderness, you need to be strong, smart, and brave...

“Be strong enough to stand alone,

smart enough to know when you need help,

and brave enough to ask for it.”

Ziad K. Abdelnour

“Asking for help is an act of brave humility, a confession that these human bodies and minds that we inhabit are frail and imperfect and broken.”

“Humble people ask for help.”

Signaling God to Signal Others

—The Satellite Phone

The Psalmist confirmed for himself that Signaling to God would be noticed:

I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. 2 Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.

Signaling God to Signal Others

David signaled God every time he was in danger.

Signaling was the most important element for his survival.

The children of Israel had to be reminded of this time and time again throughout their history.

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him for the elements and to store his few possessions. Then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, but smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost! He was stunned with grief and anger. “God, how could you do this to me!” he cried. Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. “How did you know I was here?” asked the weary man of his rescuers. “We saw your smoke signal,” they replied.

· Saul (Paul) was in distress. His whole life as he knew it went up in smoke and the Lorddispatched Ananias to rescue him.

Signaling God to Signal Others

· Help may not come in the way you expect.

· Some things in your Situation may actually become signals that work for your good.

—The Signaling Mirror

Signaling with the mirror—you become both a receiver and a transmitter. I acknowledge and receive the Light in my distress.

Signaling Mirror = Reflecting the Light to Signal Others to Help

I signal others with the Light enabling them to honor God by assisting me. Blessed to be a Blessing.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

Remember what the Scripture commands us:

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

Don’t miss the significance of the second part of this order.

When you ask someone else to help you bear a burden, you are giving them an opportunity to serve God and share Christ’s love with you.

· Joseph flickered light and found favor as a slave in Potiphar's house and as a prisoner in an Egyptian Prison

· Nehemiah was a cupbearer to Artaxerxes the King of Babylon. He was in distress and the light of the God that was in him flickered—his face was sad (and he was not sick).

· Esther flickered light towards the Persian King to rescue her people, the Jews…

· Ruth flickered light into the eyes of Boaz and won his heart

·

The South American Couple signaled and the Holy Spirit signaled my spirit.

Information and Invitation

While in Shreveport, we came across a couple from South America who were begging.

Signaling with their sign. They were like those using a Signaling Mirror.

They reflected the Light—“God Bless You” was written on their cardboard sign. The Holy Spirit (like a hovering satellite) signaled my spirit to respond. Signaling involves information and invitation.

The Good Samaritan

The story of the Good Samaritan exemplifies this

· Information is accompanied by Invitation

Compassion is the greatest element to the success of signaling.

Compassion is God’swavelength.

We need to stay close to Him, learn more about what is important to Him and grow in faith in Him by demonstrating compassion to others.

Signaling Honors God by Transmitting His Light on His Wavelength of Compassion to others.

Signaling God gets us on a divine frequency that invites us to join the rescue mission of God’s First Responders.

·

Compassion is the key element that makes signaling successful.

He is our deliverer, saving us from sin and destruction. He is the good shepherd who leaves the 99 and searches for one that is lost.

God does not intend for us to “grin and bear it” or “push through” without calling on his grace and compassion.