How to use SOAP

How do we cleanse our minds and become closer to God? By getting more like Jesus! How do I get more like Jesus? By reading and studying the Bible, together with prayer. We need to be washed, cleansed from the daily clutter. Soap gets rid of the dirt on our clothes, so let's use SOAP as a basis to cleanse our minds!

A lot of people don't know where or how to begin with Bible study. Hopefully this will give you a good idea and starting point.

Decide beforehand which scripture you are going to read. Read the passages with an open heart and allow Jesus to give you the words of encouragement, direction, correction and hope that you need.

PRAYER

WHAT IS PRAYER?

In Philippians 4:6 it says, Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and

supplication along with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God.

Basically prayer is simply talking to God just like you would talk to your very best friend. God made us all unique and wants our love. He is our Father and loves us very much. Talk to Him, tell Him you love Him and thank Him for the blessings you do have. Prayer's purpose is to assist us in building our relationship with God. There is incredible power in prayer. Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

Are you good enough?

The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...

Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was arrogant
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt

The secret of Christian living and victory

The most important thing for any person is to be transformed into the image of Christ. 

Romans 12 says we should be transformed by the renewing of our minds that we might be able to know what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of good for our lives. It’s almost like living on a 30, 60 or 100 fold blessing. Good, acceptable and perfect. 30, 60 and 100. With the measure that we are transformed is the measure that we will move into the degrees of the levels of the will of God. 

Are you?

Salt and Light: “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

The Divine Conspiracy

The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard helps us rediscovering our hidden life in God. A Powerful, Thought-Provoking Guide to Living the Life Jesus Intends for Us.

Is Jesus part of your daily life—here and now? Or, by failing to take him seriously, have you relegated him to the realm of the "hereafter"? In The Divine Conspiracy, biblical teaching, popular culture, science, scholarship, and spiritual practice are weaved together to capture the central insights of Christ's teachings in a fresh way and show the necessity of profound changes in how we view our lives and faith.

Adult Sunday School

Did you enjoy or "Adult Sunday School Series? 

Follow this link to view the entire series!

Which one are you feeding?

TWO WOLVES

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. 

He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all. 

"One is Evil - It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

"The other is Good - It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee replied, "The one you feed ..."

Which one of the wolves are you feeding??

Why read the Bible?

Because it’s message is true and timeless:

All men are like wild grass and all their glory is like it’s flower. The grass dies, it’s flower falls off, but the Word of the Lord remains forever. 1 Peter 1:24-25

The Words of the Lord are true and all His works are dependable. Psalm 33:4

Because it is God’s inspired Word:

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults and giving instruction for right living. 2 Tim 3:16

You will do well by paying attention to it, because it is like a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the light of the morning star shines in your hearts. For no prophetic message ever came just from the will of man, but men were carried along by the Holy Spirit as they spoke the message that came from God. 2 Peter 1:19-21

The Blood of Jesus Christ

The phrase "blood of Christ" refers to the Work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. Blood represents judgment - the judgment for our sins while Christ was bearing them on the Cross (His spiritual death). The physical death of the animal in the Old Testament sacrifices is analogous to the spiritual death of Christ.

"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." 1 Pet. 2:24

Joseph as a type for (of) Jesus

Adult Sunday School - Part 8 - Joseph as a type for (of) Jesus

- by P.K.Odendaal - August 2012

We find the story of Joseph in Genesis chapters 30 to 50, and nowhere else in the Bible has one man gotten so much coverage as Joseph, except Jesus Christ, and the point is that it is a very important story. Not so important as a story of Joseph, but much more importantly, as a foreshadow of the story of Jesus Christ.

The story of Joseph contains numerous intrigues, prophecies, examples and lessons interspersed with the best mankind has in terms of courage, long-suffering, forgiveness and love - characteristics we find in Jesus Christ himself. So we are not going to read this story as a story of Joseph. We are going to delve deeper into it and regard it as a story of the life and times of Jesus Christ.

Baptism in water

It is the identification with the Death and Resurrection of Christ . Baptism was ordained to have a unifying effect on members of the body of Christ. Baptism should not be an empty ritual – an outward act carried over from past traditions. Baptism should carry meaning and have a positive effect upon the believer. “Being Born Again” is only the beginning of the life in Christ.

The words themselves imply a beginning – and growth! Salvation is a process the believer now launched upon. This is the salvation process – being rooted out of this evil world and moved on toward completeness in Christ.

Adult Sunday School #6: The Law

The Law 

We find ourselves in the beginning of the world. Adam and Eve, who knew God personally, may have died already. What do we find? Violence, revenge, war, aggression - and people in bondage, even slavery. And this despite God's will that we be kind to each other and enjoy His creation.

How did this transpire then? It is because we could sin with impunity. There was no law. God wanted us to be free and not subject to any laws other than the one forbidding us to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil.

Are you well equipped?

We suggest that you equip yourself when you become a Christian. Knowledge is of utmost importance when trying to get through the daily hurdles of your new life in Christ. There will be times you fail and times you triumph, but ultimately you will grow and become stronger.

Here are a few suggestions:-

Do you feel Overwhelmed by your emotions?

Being a teenager is not easy! You go through many changes, both physically and emotionally. You are getting to know yourself, form a value system, get disillusioned and aren’t always too sure if you are making the best decision for that situation. This can be very overwhelming.

At least Jesus didn’t leave us without help and guidance. If you aren’t too sure of what to do, refer back to the Bible. If you are lonely or scared, don’t think it is just you alone! Jesus is always there, if you would only listen.

The Pilgrims Progress

The Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan:(1628-1688)


You can read the book, or watch the movie, either way, this is a fantastic depiction of our road to heaven, with the stumbling blocks and temptations along the way. It was published in February, 1678.

Next to the Bible, this is the most read Christian book in the world! It is regarded as one of the most significant works of English literature, has been translated into more than 200 languages, and has never been out of print.

Bunyan began the work while in prison for holding of religious services outside the auspices of the established Church of England.
 
Enjoyable and spiritually instructive, Pilgrim's Progress is highly recommended.

The Simplicity of the Gospel

One of the aspects which drew me to our church was the simplicity of the Gospel. When the Lord saved my soul, many churches, preachers and other persons gave me their version of the Gospel and eventually I found it so complex that I was completely confused. What worried me even more was that I could not testify to other people because I was not able to understand such a complex gospel or to carry it across.

When I entered the church as a novice, my expectations therefore were the same as that of Naaman in 2 Kings 5:11 – “I thought that he (Elisha) would come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.  Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?”

The Mayonnaise Jar

Priorities in your life are very important. They will determine your every decision you make, the course of your life and ultimately tour destiny.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day is not enough;
remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and started to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

Noah's Ark Life Lessons

All I need to know I learned from Noah's Ark
* One. Don't miss the boat.
* Two. Remember that we are all in the same boat.
* Three. Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
* Four. Stay fit. When you're 600 years old someone may ask you to do something really big.
* Five. Don't listen to critics, just get on with the job that needs to be done.
* Six. Build your future on high ground.
* Seven. For safety's sake travel in pairs.
* Eight. Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
* Nine. When you're stressed, float awhile.
* Ten. Remember the Ark was built by amateurs, the Titanic by professionals.

* Eleven. No matter the storm, there's always a rainbow waiting.

Do you have a life verse?

Why should I have one?

Do you have a verse you can recall when you feel discouraged or angry? A verse that can comfort and calm you. A verse that can encourage you to stop looking at the current problem and look at the bigger picture? When God was tempted, what did he do? He quoted scripture! Matthew 4. Shouldn’t you do that too when you feel you can’t carry on anymore? That is why it is so important to know your Bible.

Today when you get discouraged, why not quote a Scripture from the Bible?