verseoftheday

Matthew 21:4-8 NIV This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: ...See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey. ...They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on... Jesus was being crystal clear that he was the fulfilment of the prophets words. He was The One the people were waiting for. The coming king who would save them and rescue them from under  roman domination...to put everything right...the city was full of visitors...pumped...friends and families gathering...talking...youtube full of clips of Jesus coming into town...could this really be The One the prophets foretold? #easter #Jesus #king 

Matthew 5:13-14 NLT You are the salt of the earth... You are the light of the world... Implied in this is that the world needs people who are salt...who are light...this world is broken and needs...us! On that first Palm Sunday the people wanted a king who would restore everything...but...instead Jesus rode in on a borrowed donkey and headed to his death. His plan gave us the job of bringing about His Kingdom...of living a life of forgiveness, grace, truth, justice...God didn't just ride in and fix everything then...his solution was that his people would be salt and light the world...that's us. #brokenworld #salt #light #thisiswhatlovelookslike

Colossians 1:19-20 NLT For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross. Everything Everything is made right by Christ's blood. God. Man. Came to earth...the author entered the story...to make things right...to make a way... Why? Love is the only thing that makes sense. Because He loves us! #dearlyloved #youaredearlyloved #nothingbuttheblood #grace #thisisourGod #sunday #worship

John 11:43, 45-46, 53 NLT Then Jesus shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. But some... Imagine being an eye witness to events that day...a person they knew was back from the dead! But some...even when they saw a glimpse of God's power revealed still did not believe...still maintained their own agenda, still chose not to believe This is the freedom that God gives...to choose...to choose Him, or not. Isn't that the heart of love? Love because we have to is not love at all. He loves. His heart is open, wanting us to choose Him...needing us... #encounterswithJesus #choose #belong

Friday! Proverbs 15:10 NLT Whoever abandons the right path will be severely disciplined; whoever hates correction will die. Woah there...discipline! Correction! No thanks. I just want love and acceptance thanks...so what's this about? We make choices and there are consequences...and if we step outside God's design for us...eg the Bible is full of "otherness" love your neighbour, love your enemies even, forgive...if I choose selfishness, me, mine, revenge, then maybe I'm living outside God's design...and the consequences may be loneliness, bitterness...so even when forgiveness is hard, loving others is tough going, don't abandon the right path. Stick with God's truth & grace will prevail... #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #keepyourpathsstraight

John 11:25-26 NIV Jesus said to her I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;  and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this? What do we believe? As Jesus says to Martha...what do You believe? Not your parents, your friends, your church...but you? What we believe about Jesus is the most important thing. He claims to be: the resurrection life it's by faith in him we get this life Is Jesus deluded? A fraud? Or who he says he is? #choose #encounterswithJesus #ichooseLord

John 11v3 NIV So the sisters sent word to Jesus; Lord, the one you love is sick A friend sent me this note this week... Martha says "the one you LOVE is sick" Love here is Phelo, not Agape. Jesus loved Lazarus with a deep affection, and he can relate when we are hurting, when a relationship that matters to us is facing turmoil... Jesus. Fully human, who understands our love for each other as well as our pain, loss, grief...he walks with us in the good and the hard times #encounterswithJesus #thanksIgor #with #love

John 11:1, 4 NIV Now a man named Lazarus was sick...When he heard this, Jesus said This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it. God's focus was on Jesus. Jesus was all about the Father and making Him bigger...what's mine? So often it's all about me. #jesusatthecentre #encounterswithJesus

Matthew 6:24 NIV No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. What is it that rules your life? What's the focus of your decision making? Me? My stuff? My career? My education? My business? My lifestyle? I think money here represents something. That whereever it is that my focus is...that will "save" me, give meaning and purpose to my life...   that I can save myself. I am god But Jesus is clear. There can't be 2 gods because we'll always be conflicted... #beattitudes #wordsofJesus #yougottaservesomebody #choose

Colossians 1:19-20 NIV For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Jesus. Fully God Fully human It's His blood only, his sacrifice only, his death only, that makes all things right...the only way our just and holy God is able to reconcile everything...to balance everything...to make peace it seems with himself...it's not my work, my action or my goodness but His. Alone Jesus #thisisourGod #Jesus #sunday #worship #Christalone #nothingbuttheblood

Psalm 119:52 NIV I remember, Lord , your ancient laws, and I find comfort in them. Where do we turn in times of trouble? is God's word the first place? or the last place? God's truth is just that. Truth. Valid for all time. The psalmist says he remembers them...how much of God's word have I committed to memory? Maybe those verses on forgiveness or gentleness or...?? Comfort comes when my fears are removed...and God's ancient words remind me of God's story that we are in...that no matter what...the God of the Universe has a heart of love towards me... #ancienttruth #hidethewordinyourheart #dearlyloved

Friday! Proverbs 15:8-9 NIV The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.   The Lord detests the way of the wicked, but he loves those who pursue righteousness. Two people's actions or life on the outside can look the same...they go to church, give, pray ...but it's the heart that God is interested in...are we oriented towards Him...see Romans 3v22,  this righteousness for us is found in the person and work of Jesus, are we reliant on Him? We so often want to be the masters of our own righteousness...but the good things we do won't make us right with God, but are in response to what He has done for us #Christalone #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

John 4:13-14 NIV Jesus answered Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,  but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life. Drink it. Then it becomes a spring inside...echoes of saved and being saved, as this person encountered Jesus he says drink this living water (which is me) & I will become something that works from the inside (God's Spirit within) that will keep welling up...God in us...if we let Him... None of us can survive without water...real life comes from the living water... #encounterswithJesus #wordsofJesus #somethingtochewon #livingwater

John 4:25-26 NLT The woman said, I know the Messiah is coming - the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us. Then Jesus told her, i am the Messiah! This is the central question to everything...who do you believe Jesus is? Was Jesus deluded? Was he a fraud? or was he telling the truth? Is he the Messiah that the Bible had been pointing to...because He doesn't give us any other option...he doesn't leave us with I'm a rabbi, teacher, with some wise things to say. His claim is that he is God. In the flesh Living among us Here to make a way through his own death & resurrection As CS Lewis put it Lunatic, Liar or Lord? #choose #ichooseLord

John 4:9-10 NLT Why are you asking me for a drink? Jesus replied If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water... If you only knew the gift God has for you...Jesus was right there talking with her and she almost missed him completely...we so often want the big,  spectacular, the instant transformation, the healing, the sign...but Jesus here is so ordinary she almost missed him...he is gentle, quiet, accepting of our past mistakes, full of love and grace towards us... #grace #forgiven #ifyouonlyknewthegift

John 4: NLT He had to go through Samaria on the way. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water...The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans...Go and get your husband, Jesus told her... The woman at the well...alone at lunchtime rather than in the morning or evening with everyone else The Samaritan. A third class citizen A many times divorced and rejected person But Jesus chose to go thru Samaria, knew she would be there, chose to trample over all the social norms and cultural barriers to reach out love and forgiveness and grace...he wants us. You & me. you are more sinful than you could ever dare imagine and you are more loved and accepted than you could ever dare hope #dearlyloved #youaredearlyloved #hope

Colossians 1:19 NIV For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him... Jesus. Fully God creator sustainer with all the power of God... But. He stepped into our world, his creation, constrained himself into a body just like ours, lived in our world, felt what we feel, was hurt, suffered and killed for us... Fully God...yet...made himself vulnerable to us... This is love. It's not just a global this is how I'll save the world, but it's personal. not only do we have a heart that can only be filled with God, He has a heart that needs you. And me. It's personal Love. #sunday #worship #Jesus #jesusatthecentre #thisisourGod

Genesis 15:6-8 NLT And Abram believed the lord , and the lord counted him as righteous because of his faith. Then the lord told him, I am the lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as your possession. But Abram replied, O Sovereign lord , how can I be sure that I will actually possess it? Abram's story faith...and questions God seems to be talking directly with Abram, he had chosen to believe Him...& then he is questioning...can you really do this? isn't that the way especially after a time when God has worked something in our lives, been at a great church service or camp or experience...and the next thing we know we have questions and doubts... it's ok to ask God questions...that's how our faith develops :) #faith

Friday!! and the next Proverb is... Proverbs 15:7 NLT The lips of the wise give good advice; the heart of a fool has none to give. Where do we look for advice? is it the wise? or just the loudest voice? how do we assess who is wise? qualifications? public profile? ...or results? So easy to accept the popular wisdom...popular opinion - lasting wisdom is found in God, his word. Seek it out. What do we want to be known as? Wise or the heart of a fool? All of us have a bit of both...but which way are we trending?? #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

Matthew 6:22-23 NLT Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light.  But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! isn't that what we want? A body filled with light! what we see, what we choose to look at, choose to go back to...it's important...it's light or darkness... what are we reading, watching, searching...creating how can we tell if what we think is light is actually darkness? Ask God Ask the wise people in your life think long term...where is this leading... #beattitudes #wordsofJesus #choose #chooselight

Matthew 6:22 NLT Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body... what does a lamp do? it illuminates. It dissipates the darkness it lights up the path so we can find the way and avoid danger or difficulty... Jesus says here that our eyes do this for our body...Somehow our eyes and our conscience and the values of our hearts...and the health of our bodies are interrelated...what we look at, allow our eyes to linger on, impacts all of life Jesus words always challenge us... Where are my eyes lingering? #beattitudes #wordsofJesus

John 2:11 NLT This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him. Jesus always challenges the status quo...especially the religious establishment...all our church's have a risk of falling into patterns and habits, rules...that somehow become the  important thing...he challenges us about the rules we create... the shoulds and should nots we impose on ourselves and others (not Biblical directives but our rules) And here he is at a social event doing a miracle...not in church...not a healing or life changing thing...but speaking life! to his community and friends Just do that today! Speak life! Help someone with a problem, share a meal, give a kind word, message someone courage...

John 2:1-3, 9-11 NLT The next day there was a wedding celebration... The wine supply ran out during the festivities...When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine...(he said) you have kept the best until now! This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory... Jesus brings life! Life in abundance...even in what may seem a pointless or even frivolous way...but he is bursting with life! and wants us to as well #choose #chooselife #choosetobeablessing

Colossians 1:18 NIV And he is the head of the body, the church; We don't need priests, pastors, intermediaries...there's us, the church, and Jesus. A body and a head. Both need each other. Somehow in this crazy love of God, he has made himself need us, like a head needs a body. In this world, it's up to us, the body, to do his work, his mission...to be his hands and feet in this broken yet beautiful world. "God's church doesn't have a mission, God's mission has a church" #loveGod #lovepeople #embassyofthekingdom #jesusatthecentre #sunday #worship

Psalm 119:51 NIV The arrogant mock me unmercifully, but I do not turn from your law. Can't say I've ever been mocked unmercifully...but we've all been mocked, hurt, humiliated, ignored, put down, discriminated against, unfairly judged, rejected...and what is the psalmists solution? Hang on to the truth of God's word. He knows your name He has chosen you He has given himself for you Loved you. Loves You can't do anything to make God love you more You can't do anything to make God love you less You are enough #youareenough #hidethewordinyourheart

Proverbs 15:6 NIV The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings ruin. Treasure. It can be found in the home of those who follow God. Is where I live a place where treasure can be found? This treasure has nothing to do with oppulence or luxury, but wisdom, encouragement, strength for the journey, nourishment for the soul...can people find that at your place? Or mine? #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #treasure #inthistogether

Matthew 6:20-21 NIV But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Ok. So how do I store up treasures in heaven? Jesus helpfully (not) doesn't give us 7 steps to treasure, or a "how to" lecture...but points us to the heart. What is the orientation of my heart? The list Jesus gave had 2 items #loveGod #lovepeople As we orient our hearts and lives towards God and otherness we will start to see those treasures... #itsnotabouttherules #itstheheartthatcounts #itsajourney #whereyourheartis

Matthew 6:19-21 NIV Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal...For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. How easy it is to place our faith in things...house, bank account, business, health, appearance, education, reputation...all good things, but things that can so easily be lost, damaged, destroyed, stolen... Jesus words are always a challenge. What does this mean to me? Should I give stuff away then? Jesus challenged the rules that people esp religious leaders put in place and asks us to think...what does this mean for me? What is my treasure? What good things have become the most important? #beattitudes #wordsofJesus #itsnotabouttherules

Isaiah 43:2-3 NIV When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.   For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; Boom! Got some raging waters to face? God doesn't say he's gonna  build us a bridge...but He will be with us when we go through it... Is there a fire on the horizon that is threatening? We're still going to have to walk through it... He says in all of that I AM God Holy ...then suddenly it's personal...saviour. #hope #itsajourney #with

Isaiah 43:1 NIV But now, this is what the Lord says - he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. God's people needed reminding, & so do we... Don't fear The present, the future, spiders...we all  have fears...here they are in the context of God reminding us of his history, his creative power, how He had helped before, & says I've redeemed you. Paid the price. Made the way. It's already done. I know you're name. I love you. You're in my care, my love Don't fear No matter what today is like, what difficulties you face, I AM is with you #nofear #dearlyloved

Colossians 1:17 ESV And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Before everything. Jesus. Outside of time and space. Jesus. And somehow it is thru him that the universe works. Yet this same Jesus humbled himself, chose to shrink himself, to become one of us...to walk in our shoes...to suffer...to make a way... Why?!? Love. For us. #Jesus #jesusatthecentre #sunday #worship