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.  

Feb 19 2020
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You’re Built for Opposition @ Sodwana Bay

By Sodwana Bay

You’re Built for Opposition The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne—Revelation 3:21 Ever been in the middle of something tough, prayed for rescue, and heard . . . nothing? Ever questioned God, in frustration, “Why won’t you answer?” Could it be that God doesn’t always answer because, sometimes, he wants us to stay right where we are and learn, there, how to fight? Could it be that God sometimes allows trouble and pain to train us, to build our maturity, to make us more reliable conduits of his love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control? We often consider trouble and pain as unnecessary, to be avoided, hindrances to ease and happiness. Might it make more sense to consider trouble and pain as opposition, as a mountaineer views the pitch and the altitude, or as a linebacker views the block and the fake? We aren’t meant to be men who avoid opposition, numb it or deny it. We aren’t meant to run from battles, to hide and to let others fight. We’re built for opposition. Truthfully, we’d probably wither without it. We must see it, though, for what it is: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). Our struggle is against being lured into selfishness, indifference, impatience, rage, resignation, or sin in the face of problems at work, or in our finances or relationships or families. These are epic struggles—battles worthy of any man. Okay, so what do we do? God doesn’t always take opposition away, brother, because he’s built you to conquer, not to cower. And he’s given you everything you’ll need. Spend time this week reading and meditating upon Ephesians 6:10-17. Write out what the words mean to you, personally, practically.

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.      

Aug 27 2019
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DauA Psalm 91 Life

By Sodwana Bay

TODAY’S BIBLE VERSE He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Psalms 91:4   Issues of the day begin to crowd my mind as I sit in my chair, trying to decide what to write. Will there be an economic collapse or boom? Will upcoming congressional decisions mean change for the better or the worse? Will there be war? Will there be another terrorist attack in our country? Then on a personal level: will I be able to lose the weight I want to lose this year? Will I get my first book published? Will I move forward financially? What will it be like being a grandfather? Just one of these questions can lead us down the road of fear and anxiety if we allow it. Put them all together and we have a mountain of uncertainty. Many people are fearful and panicked because of these questions, including many Christians. They are asking, “Is there hope? Can I survive? What, if anything can I do?” Yes, there is hope in God! In the Bible, God promises, “Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, There shall no evil befall you, nor any plague or calamity come near your tent.” (Psalm 91:9-10, AMPC) God also states in Psalm 91 that He will cover you; He will give angels charge over you, no pestilence (no disease), no sudden death, nor any evil shall befall you. And the list goes on. The key to these promises is found in verse 14, “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name [has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love, and kindness — trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never forsake him, no, never].” (Psalm 91:14, AMPC) As you determine with your mind to love God and set your heart to do so, you take the first turn of the key for the promises of God found in Psalm 91. Many of you have taken that first turn of the key by accepting Jesus Christ into your heart. For those who have not, there is no better time than now. The next turn of the key is equally important. It is getting to know God with personal knowledge of His mercy, love, and kindness. It is discovering who God is, and not just by reading the Bible and praying. This happens two ways. First, meditate; don’t just read the Bible, but think about what you are reading. According to Webster’s Dictionary, meditate is “to engage in contemplation or reflection; to focus one’s thoughts on; reflect on or ponder over.” In other words, take time to think about what you are reading. In our fast-paced society, we scan more than we read. Take time with the Bible; stop and ask, “What does this mean? How does this apply to my life?” Ask the Lord to help you understand and to teach you. Don’t scan it and walk away saying, “I’ve done my Bible reading for the day,” and check it off of that never-ending To-Do List. Secondly, it happens by making time for God, spending time with Him. Remember, God created man to spend time with Him. An example of this is in the Bible. “And out of the ground the Lord God formed every [wild] beast and living creature of the field and every bird of the air and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them; and whatever Adam called every living creature, that was its name.” (Genesis 2:19, AMPC) God would create an animal, and then bring it to Adam to name. God was interested to see what name would be given. I imagine there was some discussion of the creature’s design and purpose between God and Adam. This took time. Also in Genesis, “And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day … But the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, Where are you?” (Genesis 3:8-9, AMPC) This shows God coming to spend time with Adam and Eve. This was not unusual for Adam and Eve. They even knew the sound of God walking and would go out to meet and spend time with God. This is what God wants, for us to know Him. This is why Jesus came to earth so that a way would open for man to be able to spend time with God and know him again. Set aside time every day to get to know Father God better. Sit and listen for His voice. Get to know His presence. Have personal knowledge and relationship with God. This will unlock all the promises in Psalm 91 and much more will become yours. It will not matter what happens, good or bad, for you will be hidden in God’s presence and protection. Copyright © 2012 Richard Spangler, used by permission.