Category: Sodwana Bay

TODAY’S BIBLE VERSE Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again — rejoice! Philippians 4:4 During the six years I spent raising my son alone, both my parents died of cancer, my divorce became final, and my brother had a brain tumor removed. I prayed, worked, cared for my family, and went to church, all while trying to make my son’s world seem as normal as possible. Every morning the sun came up and I did what needed to be done. It seemed no one noticed the heavy burdens I carried. At times, the pressure built to where I thought the world was crushing me as it rested on my shoulders. Through those difficult years, I learned, like the Apostle Paul, to be content and face each day with renewed strength. I may fail from time to time, but I soon regroup and regain the victory through Jesus. Today, are you bearing life-altering burdens? Are you afraid one more struggle — one more small-hair of a problem — will break you? Do you feel buried beneath the load wondering if anyone cares or even notices? Take courage, Dear One, Jesus knows and Jesus cares. He holds the power to ease your burdens. He holds the key to your strength during difficult days. You can rely on Him when troubles come. Paul, writing to the church at Philippi, said he overcame the sufferings he experienced because of Christ’s strength fortifying his will to trust and endure. This strength and trust rose up in the heart of the Apostle and shouted, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13 (KJV) But how do we access Christ’s strength when we face hardships? The same way Paul did. We access Christ’s strength through rejoicing. Chained in a dark prison cell, Paul and Silas began to sing and thank God after being beaten and battered. As praise rose in their hearts and rejoicing flowed from their lips, Christ released His strength into their wills. God worked a miracle and many were saved because what went on in Paul and Silas’ hearts proved more powerful than their bonds. In the middle of our struggles, it is easy to forget our Christian experience has more to do with what is going on inside us than what is going on around us. Christ’s strength is released when we stop and rejoice in Him. As we rejoice, we are refreshed and relieved during times of hardships. Rejoicing refreshes us because it shifts our focus from our difficulties and places it on Jesus — the One who walks above the raging sea of life. Rejoicing relieves us because it substantiates our faith by shouting to our burdens, “I have faith in God, Who is good and Who is good to me, no matter what difficulties may come. I am and will be victorious through Him.” When we rejoice, we are showing those around us God is faithful, and we trust Him. Through rejoicing in Jesus, I stand victorious over those difficult years. Through rejoicing in Jesus, I greet the morning with a song of praise to my God. Through rejoicing, I face each day with renewed hope and trust in God’s promises. This same strength is available to you. What has God promised you? Has He promised you deliverance? Or victory? Has He promised you ministry? Or healing? Has He promised you forgiveness? Or security? God is willing and able to keep His word regardless of your circumstances. Continue to hold fast to His promise because what God has promised He will fulfill. In fact, “… all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, …” 2 Corinthians 1:20(NKJV) And that, Dear One, is something to rejoice about. Through rejoicing, you can experience Christ’s strength and the refreshing relief of trusting Him Who is able to guide you safely through life’s gravest difficulties. “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4 (KJV) Copyright © January 2018. Used by permission.

Proverbs 18:24 MSG Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family. Proverbs 18:24 MSG

Isaiah 43:11-12 “I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed — I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God.”  Isaiah 43:11-12 Thoughts on Today’s Verse…. 1 Peter 2 reminds us that we are here as witnesses to “declare the praises of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.” We have seen and experienced God’s saving work. We are recipients of his blessing. We are the people who anticipate his mighty deliverance yet to come. How can we remain silent? How can we remain bitter, pessimistic, or discouraged? The God who made the tomb empty and made the corpse of Jesus our living and exalted Lord is our God. He is mighty to save. He is our Savior! My Prayer… O Mighty God, I confess that I slip so easily into my day-to-day rut and grow immune to the joy and excitement of your salvation. Give me fresh eyes to see and a bold voice to tell of your glorious deeds, your mighty works, and your answered promises. I believe you are leading me to glory, so help me show and share that glory with those who do not know you as God, Savior, and King. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Savior I pray. Amen.

TODAY’S BIBLE VERSE Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith. Philippians 3:1 Don’t be afraid of repetition. Paul said, “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.” Philippians 3:1(NKJV). The New Living Translation says, “I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.” Parents know this. Teachers know this. The Spirit of God knows this: repetition is good. I have a friend who has said to me on more than one occasion, “Faith comes by hearing, not by having heard.” This is true. Just this morning I opened a podcast to listen to a teaching I’ve listened to at least a couple of times already. Why? Because I need to strengthen my faith in a particular area. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17 (NKJV) Notice faith comes first by hearing, but not just any hearing, it must be the Word of God we’re hearing. I won’t ask if you are a stubborn person—but in the past, I have been. My point is you don’t have to be stubborn or hard-headed to need repetition. Paul felt it was important to remind the church in Philippi of things he had previously mentioned. First, he said, “Delight yourselves in the Lord and continue to rejoice that you are in Him.” Philippians 3:1 (AMP) I will add a hearty Amen! It’s no secret the times we live in are growing increasingly evil. We aren’t exempt from the pressures of life, the temptations to throw in the towel, or the heartaches of personal tragedies. Yet despite all of these, we can rejoice. Life may try to tell you otherwise, but the truth is believers have an unspeakable joy the world does not understand. Paul summed it up well in a later portion of this same letter: “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:11-13 (NKJV) Paul discovered a recipe for being happy. Whether he had much or little mattered not. He understood the joy and strength which came from who he was in Christ. Anything in addition to this was simply gravy. Paul said, “I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.” And then he said, “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!” Philippians 3:2(NKJV) This is surprising, but if we continue reading we discover his statements are directed toward having a religious mindset. He felt it necessary to keep the church in remembrance of the deceptive spirit of religion that sneaks in only to steal, kill, and destroy. A spirit of religion convinces a person struggling with their worthiness before God that they must earn their salvation. The result of this belief is a strict regimen of religious activities and judgment toward those who do not follow such. Those who live in this atmosphere begin to breed religious pride. They reduce their faith in God into faith in their religion. God said, “My people perish for a lack of knowledge.” Hosea 4:6 (KJV) This word “perish” can be substituted with words like destroyed, cut down, or silenced. In other words, God’s children are destroyed, cut down and/or silenced by a simple lack of understanding of His truth. No wonder Paul said, “For me to write the same things to you is NOT tedious, but for you it is safe.” Paul understood the destruction which stems from simple ignorance. And the best weapon against ignorance is repetition! Say it once… say it again! Hear the truth, learn the truth, walk in the truth! But there are boundaries to our repetition. Franklin Roosevelt made a good point when he said, “Repetition does not transform a lie into truth.” God’s unfailing, reliable Word is our truth. No matter how long you and I have been in church, and no matter how many times we’ve heard a message on a certain set of scriptures, repetition of God’s Word is for our safety. Therefore, this truth remains: faith comes by hearing, not by having heard. Copyright © Daphne Delay. Used by permission.

Philippians 2:3-4 MSG If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care—then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. Philippians 2:3-4 MSG