Living Waters Bible School

Good day everyone.
We're starting this year a little early.
Starting date for Certificate in Ministry 12 January 2022. Every Wednesday 09:00
Teens: 15 January 2022
Every Saturday 14:00 (2pm).
Anyone welcome. Costs are only if you want a University Certificate (1 St year of degree).
All others wanting to learn only, free. For those who cannot afford university fees, sponsorship requests will be made.
Come and join us here in Khula Village.

Patience Day 31

Scripture
2 Kings 5:10-12 (AMP)
10 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.
11 But Naaman was angry and went away and said, Behold, I thought he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and heal the l***r.
12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
Action
Greet a person that normally irritates you and tell them how much God loves them.

Message
Read 2 Kings 5
This is the last reading for the month on patience, but certainly an interesting one. Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army and highly successful in action, has leprosy. Vs 2 tells us 2 The Syrians had gone out in bands and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid, and she waited on Naamans wife. This little maid tells Naamans wife that there was a prophet in Israel that could help him and so Naaman goes to Elisha and Elisha doesn’t even come out to see him, but sends a messenger to tell Naaman to dip 7 times in the water of the River Jordan. From what we understand, the Jordon is a muddy river. Naaman rejects this idea saying there are better rivers in his country and is angered by this simple action. However, he relents and after his servants speak to him, and is healed.
Sometimes it is simple things that make us angry, or times when we think our ideas are better than others’. It is interesting to note that Jesus referred to Naaman in Luke 4:27 , telling the people in the synagogue that Naaman was the only l***r in the Old Testament to be healed of leprosy. This outraged the people in the synagogue.
There’s a joke that goes like this: a man goes to his pastor and tells him how much he needs more patience and asks that the pastor pray for him in this matter. The pastor agrees and suggests they have prayer right there. As he prays, he prays that this man would have trials come into his life and have many struggles. Right in the middle of the prayer, the man stops his pastor. “That’s not what I asked for.”
Sure it is,” his pastor replied, “the way to patience is through just such trials. Paul himself told us that tribulations work patience.”
if that’s the case,” the man answered, “I’ll be glad to wait a little longer to get it.”
Unfortunately, this is too often very close to the truth and not so much of a joke. Many years ago, a chorus did the rounds: Freedom isn’t free, you have to pay a price, you have to pay a price, you have to sacrifice, for your liberty. When we pray for patience, it’s not a wave of some wand and we have it. Tests and trials come to increase our patience

Patience Day 29

Scripture
Hebrews 6:12 (AMP)
12 In order that you may not grow disinterested and become [spiritual] sluggards, but imitators, behaving as do those who through faith (by their leaning of the entire personality on God in Christ in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness) and by practice of patient endurance and waiting are [now] inheriting the promises.

Action
Take interest in those who are/have been patient and are benefiting from His promises and try to imitate their patience.

Message
Below is a list of promises by God that have taken many years to be fulfilled, or are still being fulfilled today. This is patience on God’s side, waiting to see all fulfilled. We are here for only a short span, in which time we can learn and get to know God better everyday. Through salvation, we know we will be with Him in heaven, but we can start knowing Him here and develop our characters to be like God or more earthly said, like Jesus
Do not grow disinterested and become [spiritual] sluggards: This shows how the full assurance of hope is to be regulated and maintained. We must be diligent; being a sluggard will deprive us both of hope and faith. That faith, which works by love will maintain hope in its full and due exercise.
Imitators: That you be mimics or imitators of them who are inheriting the promises. And they inherited these promises by faith in Him who is invisible, and who, they knew, could not lie; and they patiently endured, through difficulties and adversities of every kind, and persevered unto death. "The promises made to Abraham and to his seed were,
1. That Abraham should have a numerous seed by faith as well as by natural descent.
2. That God would be a God to him and to his seed in their generations, by being the object of their worship and their protector.
3. That he would give them the possession of Canaan.
4. That he would bless all the nations of the earth in him.
5. That he would thus bless the nations through Christ, Abraham's seed.
6. That through Christ, likewise, he would bless the nations with the Gospel revelation. Four of these promises the believing Gentiles were inheriting at the time the apostle wrote this letter.
1. They were become Abraham's seed by faith.
2. God became the object of their worship and their protector.
3. They were enjoying the knowledge of God in the Gospel Church, and the gifts of the Spirit. Galatians 3:4.
A Commentary and Critical Notes.

Patience Day 30

Scripture
Proverbs 15:18 (AMP)
18 A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger appeases contention.

Action
Think about Jesus every time you get even a little hassled. When you talk to someone, talk as though you are talking to Jesus.

Message
Proverbs 15:18
A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel. (NIV)

Perhaps it is easier understood from the NIV version above. There are many situations which we find ourselves getting steamed up; however, if, when in a trying situation, we turn our eyes to Jesus and picture this calm, well controlled person, just for a moment, we will ease that urge to react negatively. Many times we react too quickly, only to say to ourselves later that we were wrong in our reaction. Remember, not getting angry does not mean you are wrong and the other person right, it is simply taking it in your stride. You will find you think clearer when not angry and resolve conflict.

Patience Day 28

Scripture
Galatians 6:9 (AMP)
9 And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.

Action
We try to be generous and do good all the time, let us do something very special for somebody today, let’s give the beggar a bonus today – whatever you are led to give.

Message
Be Generous and do Good
The NKJV Bible says ‘And let us not grow weary while doing good…and the (NIV) ‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ’
We need to continue to be generous and do good, even if it doesn’t seem to be making a difference – don’t give up. Recently I planted some seeds in the garden, some sprouted quickly (like radishes) and other seemed to take so long that I began to wonder if the weeds would outgrow them. Some seeds produce fruit or flowers very quickly and others take long (365 days or like a cycad I planted – 35 years for the first flower!) This is part of doing good and being generous – the time to reap a harvest will come, and most importantly, the greatest of all is our place in heaven. So keep going – I’ll see you there.
Please understand that we do not earn our way to Christ, salvation is a gift, God’s Word says it is an offense to Him to believe we can earn our salvation.

Patience Day 27

Scripture
Esther 5:6-8 (AMP)
6 So the king and Haman came to the dinner that Esther had prepared.
7 And during the serving of wine, the king said to Esther, What is your petition? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of the kingdom, it shall be performed.
8 Then Esther said, My petition and my request is: If I have found favor in the sight of the king and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the dinner that I shall prepare for them; and I will do tomorrow as the king has said.

Action
Pray and wait in patience for God’s timing, continuing in His word while you wait.

Message
Read Esther 5
In the above scripture, we see how Esther waits (patience) for the right moment, trusting God for words and actions. Esther saves the Israeli nation from certain death by listening to God and inviting the King and Haman (Haman was against the Jews and sent an order to kill all of them) to a banquet as her request, then does so a second time before putting in her request to save the lives of the Jews.
Sometimes our prayers are answered immediately, and other times we need to wait. Waiting does not mean doing nothing, but rather continuing in your daily work. Do not be anxious for an answer immediately, be at peace.

Patience Day 26

Scripture
Ephesians 4:2-3 (AMP)
2 Living as becomes you] with complete lowliness of mind (humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with patience, bearing with one another and making allowances because you love one another.
3 Be eager and strive earnestly to guard and keep the harmony and oneness of [and produced by] the Spirit in the binding power of peace.

Action
Keep working on your patience daily, remembering that we need to work in unity in spirit of Christ. Speak gently, but with the authority vested in you by God. Share with others your experiences of patience and how you keep it.

Message
In Ephesians 4:1-6 Paul writes to the Ephesians, guidelines for growing in Godliness, in particular, unity, which is, simply put, living the way God wants us to. Here Paul talks about Godly behaviour of which patience (longsuffering) is one element. We need to live a life that will give consistent, undeniable evidence of the truth of the gospel.

Long-suffering—Long-mindedness—never permitting a trial or provocation to get to the end of your patience. A Commentary and Critical Notes.

There are two cardinal sins from which all others spring: Impatience and Laziness.
Franz Kafka (1883 - 1924)

Patience Day 25

Scripture
Colossians 3:12-14 (NKJV)
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if any one has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so also must do.
14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
Action
Adopt or practice diligently every form of relational righteousness, at this time, particularly patience.

Message
Adopt or practice diligently every form of relational righteousness: love, compassion, humble attitudes, self-giving behaviour, freely flowing forgiveness and patience with others.

Human relationships were designed to be fuelled and filled by righteousness. To the degree we give in to the urging flesh nature, we will fail to experience righteous or fulfilling relationships. To the degree we practice those things God commands, our relationships will become a sampling of heaven on earth.
As we continue this month in our practicing of patience, we should be by now more aware of the times we do and don’t have patience – when those negative moments come, we need to stop and ask the Holy Spirit for help. If there are still areas of impatience, keep working on them. This is a lifelong exercise!

Patience Day 24

Scripture
2 Timothy 4:2 (KJV)
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Action
Choose a bible reading you can share with or give to somebody that will encourage them and perhaps help them to change their way of life.

Message
The amplified Bible perhaps explains this verse a little better:
2 Timothy 4:2 (AMP)
2 Herald and preach the Word! Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready], whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, you as preacher of the Word are to show people in what way their lives are wrong.] And convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging and encouraging them, being unflagging and inexhaustible in patience and teaching.
In Pauls’ 2nd letter to Timothy, he expresses the need of commitment to ministry. As the disciples were instructed by Jesus to spread the Word, this is our instruction too. We spread the Word in different ways that is through our actions, our character, preaching, teaching speaking the Word, witnessing and many other ways. Each of us are led by the Holy Spirit to do various things at different times and so when we are prompted, we must react. In the above verse, Paul is saying that we must spread the Word irrespective of circumstances, and to do so with longsuffering (patience) and endurance.

When doing your ‘Daily Action’, think of somebody who needs encouragement or help in changing something in their way or character.

Quote
Patience serves as a protection against wrongs as clothes do against cold. For if you put on more clothes as the cold increases, it will have no power to hurt you. So in like manner you must grow in patience when you meet with great wrongs, and they will then be powerless to vex your mind.

Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519)

Patience Day 23

Scripture
Revelation 14:12 (AMP)
12 Here [comes in a call for] the steadfastness of the saints [the patience, the endurance of the people of God], those who [habitually] keep God’s commandments and [their] faith in Jesus.

Action
Never give up! Trust God for everything. Tell others too.

Message
Yes, never give up on God. Patience and endurance are definitely there for you to keep your faith. Remember Day 14 (Psalms 40:1) where David waited patiently for the Lord? Here we see yet another scripture telling us to be patient and to endure everything to keep
Gods commandments. Every day, start by trusting in God to keep your faith and the Commandments that Jesus gave us. Yes, it’s difficult, but learn from those errors and use the window of repentance God has given us through Jesus.

Patience Day 22

Scripture
Ecclesiastes 8:11 (AMP)
11 Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, the hearts of the sons of men are fully set to do evil.

Action
Discipline yourself to ask forgiveness and to forgive others without delay.

Message
Some words of wisdom in this verse. When we consider patience (what we do while we wait) we must not let it go to procrastination (put off, delay, postpone). At times when discipline is needed, do it immediately, whether it be as a parent, in management, wherever, it cannot be put off. Understanding for the person being disciplined wanes as time go by and the deed is ‘forgotten’ or repeated because discipline did not come soon enough. One thinks about a child being disobedient to their mother during the day, and not being disciplined by the mother who has said the typical ‘just wait till your father comes home’. This can cause the child to fear their father and see him as the big ogre. The child is still unlikely to obey nor respect the mother. Delay may foster wrongdoing Remember, patience is not being a doormat, it’s taken the right action under the circumstances. As for oneself, asking for forgiveness too must be done without delay should there be any sin by or against oneself. Once we have been restored through these actions, life is renewed or refreshed and the blockages to God removed. Whilst God takes great pains for our sins, He has provided us with forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

Because God does not immediately punish every delinquency, men think he disregards evil acts; and therefore they are emboldened to sin on. So this longsuffering of God, which leadeth to repentance, is abused so as to lead to farther crimes! When men sin against the remedy of their salvation, how can they escape perdition? A Commentary and Critical Notes.

Patience Day 21

Scripture
Exodus 34:6 (AMP)
6 And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord! the Lord! a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving-kindness and truth,

Action
Today we need to put into action our patience. Be kind to everyone irrespective of irritations you may feel from them.

Message
Read Exodus 34:1-9
We read of Moses taking two stone tablets up onto Mt. Sinai as God had commanded him. This was the second time, as the first tablets were broken by Moses when he saw how his people had built a golden image of a calf to worship. He had then stood between God and the people asking forgiveness, which resulted in Moses going up to receive the ten commandments a second time. Here in verse 6 God says directly to Moses he is Merciful, slow to anger (in some versions ‘longsuffering’ meaning patient), and has an abundance of love.
What would our re-action have been? We give information to someone and they loose it, and then come back again. Do we gladly give it again or do we give it questionably with some anger? How many times do we discipline a child before they listen, without being angry? Moses showed anger toward his people by breaking the first tablets; this must have been part of his learning to have patience. If one makes a mistake, even if it be in anger, we know that we can come to God and ask forgiveness, knowing that he will do so.
As you put patience into practise today, do remember that you are not a doormat. You can openly ask a person to do / not to do something that may irritate you, but this must be said with love.