Sep 03 2020
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BE YOU – all the time!

By Sodwana Bay

May the Force . . . Be You [ 1 min read ★ ] . . . what I want mostly is for men to pray—1 Timothy 2:8-10 There are many forces at work in this world—forces colliding, reacting to each other, influencing one another. And you, brother, are one of them. Each of us is. The question is, though, what kind? Are we forces for goodness and generosity? I mean, is this broken, evil world better because of us? Or are we forces that are simply neutral? Or are we forces for ‘me’—for selfishness, for stockpiling, for negativity, or depravity even? These questions matter to God (Galatians 5:13-26). They should matter to us. And if we want to change our kind—or just intensify the positive force we already are—here’s a place to start: intercessory prayer. “Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know” (1 Timothy 2:1-3 MSG). God certainly wants us to use our hands to help people in need, and he wants us to use our voices to reach people who’re lost. But, since “prayer is at the bottom of all this,” wrote the Apostle Paul, what we mostly need to do is pray (1 Timothy 2:2-10 MSG). You see, intercessory prayer—praying on behalf of other people—is the most powerful thing we can do (James 5:16-18). When we do it, we lay aside our own meager strength and call upon the awesome strength of Almighty God. When we do it, we call forth the most powerful force in the universe and focus its goodness and generosity right onto other people and right into their circumstances.   Okay, so what do we do? Take a simple prayer walk—around your neighborhood, praying over each house; around your kids’ schools, praying over each locker; around your workplace, praying over each office and cube. Pray against pain, fear, and darkness. Pray for healing, peace, and light, all in the name of our King, Jesus Christ.    

Sep 01 2020
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Caring for Yourself

By Sodwana Bay

Stewardship: 3 Inspirational Thoughts to Make the Most of What God Has Given August 31, 2020 Caring for Yourself I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1 Paul was like a father to his protégé, Timothy. And one of the things that concerned him most was that he look after himself. With safe drinking water difficult to find, Paul urged the young pastor to drink some wine to keep himself in decent shape (see 1 Timothy 5:23). He didn’t think that caring for our physical bodies was a waste of time or a vanity. On the contrary, maintaining our physical health is an important part of maintaining our spiritual health. Paul wanted to see Timothy flourish, and in flourishing, to serve others more effectively. How would you rate yourself at taking care of your body? READ MORE

Jun 03 2020
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Christ around me!

By Sodwana Bay

“I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” Gal 2:20. THE HEART of true religion is to believe that Christ is literally within us. We must not simply look to Him as our Mediator, Advocate, and Example, but as being possessed by Him. He is our Life, the living Fountain rising up in the well of our personality. The Apostle Paul was never weary of re-affirming this great fact of his experience, and it would be well if each of us could say every day, before starting forth on our daily duty: “Christ is in me; let me make room for Him to dwell.” We must say No to self, that the life of Christ may become manifest in and through us, and our standing become a reality in daily experience and conduct. When evil suggestions come to us, we must remember that we have entered a world where such things have no place. We are no longer in the realm of the god of this world, but have passed into the realm of the Risen Christ. Let those who are tempted believe this, and assert it in the face of the tempter, counting upon the Holy Spirit to make their reckoning a living experience. In Eph 6:13-17 is described the armour of the Christian soul; in Col 3:12-14 the habit or dress which he wears beneath his coat of mail. We must be careful to be properly dressed each day. If we lose our temper over trifles, or yield to uncharitable speech, it shows that we have omitted to put on the girdle of love; if we yield to pride, avarice, envy and jealousy, we must not simply endeavour to put off these evils, but take from the wardrobe the opposite graces. It is not enough to avoid doing wrong. Our Master demands that we should always do and be what is right. When we fail in some sudden demand, it is because we have omitted to put on some trait of Christ, which was intended to be the complement of our need. Let us therefore day by day say: “Lord Jesus, wrap Thyself around me, that I may go forth, adequately attired to meet life’s demands.” In Christ for standing; Christ in us, for life; we with him, for safety. PRAYER Set my heart on fire with the love of Thee, and then to do Thy will, and to obey Thy commandments, will not be grievous to me. For to him that loveth, nothing is difficult, nothing is impossible; because love is stronger than death. AMEN.  

Sep 30 2019
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Unending life, the real life! ~ Jude 1:20-21 MSG

By Sodwana Bay

Sodwana Bay Information But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God’s love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life! Jude 1:20-21 MSG READ ON THE BIBLE APP

Sep 28 2019
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Live this new Life! ~ 1 Peter 1:24 MSG

By Sodwana Bay

Sodwana Bay Information www.sodwanabayinformation.co.za Now that you’ve cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it. Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God’s living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself! That’s why the prophet said, The old life is a grass life, its beauty as short-lived as wildflowers; Grass dries up, flowers droop, God’s Word goes on and on forever. This is the Word that conceived the new life in you. 1 Peter 1:24 MSG

Sep 26 2019
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Want more Strength?

By Sodwana Bay

Want More Persevere(ability)? Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour—1 Peter 5:8 The ability to persevere—to remain strong and steadfast in the face of difficulties and delays and distractions—is a fundamental skill, necessary for any man choosing to devote himself to our King, Jesus Christ. He showed us how in the wilderness and against the temptations that followed (Matthew 4:1-11). Like him, we too must bear up against the pressures of the world, and not only for a while, but until the very end of our days. Though any one trial or temptation may be short lived, there’s always something out there capable of our destruction. Preparedness is paramount. You see, when we’re unprepared and trouble comes (at work, in our relationships, our finances, our health) it takes us down: into anxiety, anger, bitterness, despondency, depression, isolation. When we’re unprepared and temptations come (material, carnal, moral) they too take us down: away from God and into sin. Compounding our lack of preparedness, the enemy is always quick with interference and misinformation. “You won’t make it.” “This’ll be long and difficult . . . too long, too difficult for you.” “You’re alone, forgotten.” “You won’t have strength enough to persevere.” “You should just give-up/give-in now, and avoid the grief of waiting, just to give later.” Okay, so what do we do? Perseverance isn’t innate; it’s learned. All of us can do it if we train. So, brother, manufacture some pressure and train yourself. Push your limits, physically, mentally, spiritually: climb a tough summit; tackle a hike of many miles; fast for a period of days; turn devices off and embrace quiet and solitude and prayer for an uncomfortable period. Remember, God designed you for perseverance. So, by training, you’ll simply learn what you’re made of (plus you’ll expose the lies of the enemy). It doesn’t take much to learn a whole lot about yourself.