Student Thought:
Revelation 22:7 "And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."
God gave us His Word to bless us. His word is meant to be for the good of us. It's not a list of pointless rules. Instead, His Word is His way of looking out for His children.
Student S.O.A.P.
S: Psalms 49: 5 Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
O: Why should I fear? I have Jesus there's no reason for me to fear with Him. There are those who have pain but don't have Jesus. They don't have His joy. The hope of God is in me, I can't keep it just for myself.
A: To spread God's hope.
P: God, I thank You that there is hope in You. When all else fails You prevail. God there's a hopeless generation out there, a people that need the hope I have from You. I pray I won't just have heavy eyes that make me feel sad for these people; I pray I will have feet that move. God show me how it pains You to see these people hurt, but it also pains You when You see those who have called You their Father turn their backs on them. This isn't Heaven, there will be suffering. But throughout it all, You are good.
I love You. In Jesus Christ's name I pray, AMEN.
Student S.O.A.P.
S: Mark 10:21a "Jesus looked at him and loved him."
O: Jesus looked at him and LOVED him. That's the first thing Jesus did when he met the young man. As we become leaders in our schools, works, churches, and even our homes, we need to love on the person first. Because as soon as we start loving on the person they will open up to us. If they feel loved they will listen to what we have to say.
A: I need to start loving on people. If they ask for my advice or my help I need to love on them and show that I care. I can start doing this by just starting a conversation with them, or ask how they're doing.
P: Father, show me how to love, show me people who need your love. Speak to me throughout the day. I need and long for your presence. Fill me and show me where you want me to go. Help me love people to you. Amen.
Student S.O.A.P.
S: Mark 5:36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe."
O: God's words are true. Faith in Him will cast out my fears.
A: I will have faith not fear. If i truly trust in Him, I will know there is no reason to fear.
P: God, I thank You that You know what's best for me. I hold on to YOu. Your love will cast out fear. I love You, and in Jesus Christ's name I pray, AMEN.
Student Blog:
"So Moses told the people to celebrate the Passover in the wilderness of Sinai as twilight fell..." (Numbers 9:4 NLT).
This verse spoke to my heart simply because the Israelites CELEBRATED in the WILDERNESS. And even beyond that, as twilight fell. Which in my mind, means darkness. To me this means that we, also God's chosen people, can choose to celebrate even when we feel like we're walking through the wilderness or we're in the darkness. In fact above it says "Moses TOLD" therefore, the people probably had to choose to celebrate.
In the New Testament, Philippians 4:4 says "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again- rejoice!" This is a choice! But make it a choice even when in the wilderness or darkness.
If the Israelites could do it. We, Converge, can too.
Student S.O.A.P.
S: John 15:2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
O: When God let's us go through stuff, it's to mature us not to harm us. Another thing is, when you prune a plant you get rid of the unneeded branches. The act of pruning is similar to God taking away the unneeded things in our lives that hold us back from knowing Him more.
A: To let God have His way in me while knowing that what He's doing will help me to know Him more.
P: God, I thank You for what You put me through. Without those things I wouldn't be as close to You as I am now. I thank You for the things You will have me do later in my life that will cause me to produce more fruit. I love You, and in Jesus Christ's name I pray, AMEN
My friend once reminded me of the saying we've all heard before, "The Truth Hurts." But this time he followed it up with something that really hit me hard, "But God's truth is life & light."
Often I say some quick, snide remark to a friend & when conviction arises I try to brush it off with, "well the truth hurts." But now that Ive been told the REAL truth....its gotten me thinking.
God's truth is healing, is light, its encouraging & uplifting, it helps us out! The only "truth" I should be dishing out to those around me is the TRUTH! And thats God's truth.
Lord, change my heart. Help me with my sarcasm & my tone. Heal my heart! May I be led by your Holy Spirit, & with that, led by YOUR truth so that I may pour that same truth out on others. Redeem the hurtful words I've said, and fill me with Your love.
I love you, Amen
Matthew 4:1-3
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
It was after 40 days of fasting, when Jesus was REALLY hungry that the enemy came to tempt Him.
We seem to feel as if the hard stuff we go through when we’re tired is unfair. And it is. But unfair or not, that is often the time when the enemy comes to temp us and to lie to us. He doesn’t wait for us to be strong so that we might resist Him. He often times waits for us to be weak so that we won’t want to fight.
Oddly enough, that’s also the time that Jesus likes to shine.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
It’s when things are hard, when I feel weak, when I’m tired, when I’m wounded, that the enemy will come and offer me a way out. Which usually has to do with me choosing myself and taking care of myself.
But it’s also those times of difficult hardships that Jesus offers His way out. Which is Him. In our weaknesses, when either by way of attack or just my own selfishness, I would want to choose myself, my way, on my strength, that God offers His way, Himself, and His strength.
The times of fatigue, stress, and anguish, feel like low points to us. But I think they are often times the major action times and turning points in our lives. And if we choose right, they become the high points.
So when stuff gets hard, will you choose you? Will you trust your strength? Your plans? Your comfort?
Or when you are weak, will you allow God to show you just how strong He really is, how good His plans really are, and how complete His comfort really is?
Hard times show up either way. And when they do, you will find yourself one choice away from those times of weakness becoming stories of victory, or defeat.
Which way will you go?
Student SOAP:
Revelation 12:11 “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the strength of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”
They overcame the devil by Jesus’ blood, and by the strength of their testimony. They had no fear of death, because they did not love their lives more than they loved God. If all Christians were like this, how powerful would God’s people be?
God doesn’t want me to be afraid to do things because I am too much in love with my life, but rather to have faith in Him that whatever happens, I will end up with Him, and that I won’t ever be alone. His love conquers all.
Dear Lord Jesus, give me faith to trust in You, and strength to carry out Your commands. I don’t want to love my life, I want to love having YOU in my life. Amen.
Student Blog:
I wanted to go on a mission trip. I couldn't afford it so I thought God would provide. It was close to time when I had to submit $300 to ensure my place there. However the money did not come. For the longest time I didn't understand why God didn't provide. Until I read Ezekiel 13:6
Ezekiel 13:6 They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, 'Declares the LORD,' when the LORD has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word.
It seems that too often we want to do something and just stick God's name in front of whatever we want to do and expect Him to work it out. Well, that's not how it works out, we are meant to be God's vessels, we need to do His will, not ours.
Even when the things we want are good things, we need to be sure it's God's will before we put His name on it. And if it's not, it's really Ok to just call it something that we want to do.
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