verseoftheday

But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, but all the leaders answered, "We have given them our oath by the Lord , the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now." Joshua 9:18-19 NIV Josh's team was deceived (because they didn't ask God first) & made a deal,  commitment, a covenant. There was public dissent. Pressure. The people were unhappy, but the leadership not only stuck to their promise, but stuck together. Not just a practical leadership lesson whether that's at home, at work, at church, but also a picture of how God stuck with his promises, his covenant, even though it hurt, even though it cost him. Jesus stayed on the cross for me, when he could easily have walked away... #joshua #leadershiplessons #promises #covenant

And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" and they cried out in fear. Matthew 14:24-26 ESV They didn't recognise Jesus. Maybe it was the circumstances - just when the night was darkest, maybe they just didn't expect anyone to save them...or maybe they really didn't recognise him... How often do I miss Jesus? Maybe I'm not looking, not expecting to see Him, see his hand at work in my life. Sometimes he uses what's there (the loaves) & just multiplies it, & sometimes the miraculous (let's not bother with a boat) But he does do the unexpected, works in ways we may not anticipate, answers prayer in his way, and can be seen when we least expect him...in a way we may not recognise... #lookingforJesus #unexpected

...but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. Matthew 14:24-25 ESV The fourth watch... after 3am... when the night is darkest When they'd been working all day and now up all night in the storm... when their own resources felt depleted When not only the night, but the situation seemed darkest... Jesus came to them. Out of the dark. This week Lynne has mentioned 2 people who had been on her heart - & after contacting them found they were in the middle of the storm - if God places someone on your heart, go to them, be Jesus hands and feet, reach out... And no matter what the storm, we get to choose to hang on to the hope that Jesus is coming for us. Out of the dark. #hope #hopeiscomingforyou #thisisourGod #faith #faithinthedark #sunday #worship

Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. Proverbs 13:11 ESV From the air, vapour. A breath. And yet that's what we both fear and so often put our faith in... We fear a new president, yet his life is just a breath... We put our faith and hope in... when I get that job, when I get married, when I finish my degree, when I have a child, when I win the lottery, when my body is healed, when my parent accepts me, when... when... when... Vapour A breath What, or who, we put our faith in, our hope in, our trust in... is important. Put it in the One who gave up the glories of heaven to slog it out here with us, who became one of us, who knows and understands... and who made a way #faith #hope #jesusatthecentre

Friday! Proverbs! Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. Proverbs 13:11 ESV When we have to work hard, save, then we value what we've worked for, & you don't have to look hard to find stories about people who have won or made large sums and lost it, blown it, or its ruined their lives... or read about some of the misery of the rich & famous... The word translated  "gained hastily" has an interesting meaning. From the air, vapour. It's like if money just appears out of the air we spend it or consume it so easily...but it also carries the meaning of "vanities" & used in other parts of the Bible in relation to idols... when money and wealth is an idol, the important thing, in the end it's going to dwindle away to nothing. Like vapour. What we really invest in is the only thing that will last... #loveGod #lovepeople #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

...but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. Matthew 14:24 ESV "A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for" Don't live in fear of the storm, 'cos they're going to come...sometimes from our choices and decisions and sometimes they're dropped on us...sometimes we can see them brewing on the horizon & sometimes they just happen... So. Prepare Train Provision yourself But most of all have a clear sense of purpose about your life, who you are in God's sight, that your significance and position as a dearly loved child of His cannot be shifted by all the forces of any storm... then the storms of life have a different look to them... #faith #faithinthedark #thisisourGod

...He directed the disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side [of the Sea of Galilee] ... But the boat [by this time] was already a long distance from land, tossed and battered by the waves ... Matthew 14:22,24 AMP In the dark In the storm It often feels like we're on our own... But usually we're not! The boat had the other disciples, maybe some crew, other passengers...sometimes when we're in the storm we've got to put our hand up and ask for help, support, encouragement, resources...and we might just find someone else who's in, or been in, the same boat... It's OK to ask for help. It's OK to say I'm struggling with this. It's OK to ask someone to walk with you for a while #stormsoflife #inthistogether #faithinthedark

...but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves... Matthew 14:24 ESV In the dark In the middle of the night A long way from land In the storm The disciples at that time had no idea what the outcome was going to be...they just followed Jesus instructions, did the right thing, and now they were in trouble. In the dark In the storm Jesus was nowhere to be found, & they were a long way from land... Maybe you're in the storm right now...in the dark... we get to see how this story ends...but the disciples didn't know that in the dark We know how this story ends. We know that Jesus made a way...became the way...that we're dearly loved - and that one day all will be made new - and sometimes, in the dark, that's all we have to hang on to. That who Jesus said he was, what we believe in the daylight will sustain us in the storm... #stormsoflife #inthedark #faith #faithinthedark #hope

Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Matthew 14:23-24 NIV The disciples had been with Jesus all day, hearing his teaching and being right there in the middle of that miracle of feeding everyone. Maybe they still had baskets of leftover food with them. But they were literally being smashed in a storm. Isn't that the way it is sometimes...we've been at a great church service, been there when God has been at work in someone's life...and now it's Monday and we're getting smashed by the storms of life...we've slipped again into that habit...our circumstances threaten to overwhelm us... We're in good company. If Jesus disciples were in the dark being tossed by the storm then we can expect it too. Why should I be immune? #stormsoflife #expectit #inthistogether #faith #faithinthedark

With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night. Matthew 14:23 MSG Sometimes I want God's blessing, want guidance or direction...an answer...and I expect a 30 second prayer to sort things with God... How long since I set aside an hour with God? Or like Jesus did, deliberately getting away from the distractions & noise...to pray, to commune with the Father... Being together with other Christians, getting to church is important, but if Jesus needed time alone with God then I'm pretty sure I do too... How can I love someone otherwise? #sunday #worship #timewithGod #makeithappen

As soon as the meal was finished, he insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the people. With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night. Matthew 14:22-23 MSG Just before all this Jesus had the news that John had been murdered & had been looking for some time out when other events (teaching and feeding 5,000+ people) took over...but Jesus needed time alone, time with the Father, time to pray. And he had to make it happen. He sent his team away, sent the people home, & headed for the hills. Alone In the quiet To talk with God To replenish his spiritual batteries... In today's world of constant interruptions & noise and messages and chats and...and...when do we make it stop. And spend time with God? If Jesus had to make it happen so do we. #timewithGod #makeithappen

Friday! Proverbs! Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. Proverbs 13:10 NIV When I look back on my life pride certainly is in lock step with strife. CS Lewis said "... it is Pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began" So where is the path of wisdom? It's found in those who take advice. To take advice I've got to be willing to: 1. Ask - this takes humility to start with. 2. Listen - really listen, to perhaps more than one side, to listen with the heart 3. Consider, think, ponder, reflect 4. Choose a path that honours God and may not even be in my best interest... John Stott said "Pride is your greatest enemy, humility is your greatest friend" That "friend" is the one who allows me to take advice... to find true wisdom #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #humility

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have freed me when I was hemmed in and relieved me when I was in distress; Be gracious to me and hear [and respond to] my prayer. Psalm 4:1 AMP God you've answered my prayer before...but where are you now? When I really need you I'm getting silence. Why won't you just do what I ask? God here's my problem. I think that I'm the key player, the centre of the story, that it's all about me... on Sunday I'm happy to praise you as the centre of it all...but on Thursday? When I want an answer? Lord I know you're good. I know you've saved me, redeemed me. You know what I'm facing now too and I choose to trust you - no matter what. #psalms #psalm4 #faith #faithinthedark #sovereign

They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. Matthew 14:20-21 NIV God's grace is plentiful, bountiful, knows no end...it's for everyone and then some... And this is Jesus model for us...how often do I miss out on showing anything like the grace I've received... Or clung on to the blessings like they'd be diminished if I shared... Lord, help me today to model your grace, to be a blessing, to give, to share, to love...may that come from your bounty, your surplus, & may you get the glory. Amen. #grace #itsagift

"...If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace... But even if he doesn't, it wouldn't make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn't serve your gods... Daniel 3:16-18 MSG Facing the most uncertain of futures, in the midst of the trial, these 3 young men chose to keep the faith. "But even if he doesn't" Their faith was not contingent on God rescuing them. In the midst of their trial, facing uncertainty this week someone said; I believed in the sovereign God yesterday I believe in Him today And no matter what I'll believe in Him tomorrow This year I've seen 3 families journey with God in tough times One included a death One a new lease on life And one in the middle of that journey. They all have faith. Faith that says No Matter What, even if God doesn't rescue us from this, our faith in Him is unwavering... #choose #faith #faithinthedark #faithfulinthetrial

They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. Matthew 14:20 NIV Where did the baskets come from? Why did Jesus work this miracle and then produce too much food? There were 12 disciples & 12 baskets of food. There appears to be a message here for Jesus team - perhaps it's this - everyone here knows who I am, has tasted the bread of life, but you've got a basket in your hand now to take to those who have not been here, who haven't participated...and share with them. This food shouldn't be wasted but given. Will you take this small piece of grace that is in your hand and give it to someone who needs it? You can give it to these people who are already full, you could just discard it...or you could seek out those who need it and share with them... #bread #breadoflife #itsagift #grace

And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. Matthew 14:19 NIV Matt doesn't day who got the fish, but the bread was broken and fed everyone who wanted some. Jesus said in John 6 "I am the bread if life" The bread. Broken. Broken for us. Available for all who are willing to accept Him And this was a pointer to how God was going to operate...no longer in the fire and cloud...no longer in one person...but now available to all. God in a sense consumed by us and living within... #bread #breadoflife #itsagift #sunday #worship #thisisourGod

They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish". And he said, "Bring them here to me" Matthew 14:17-18 ESV This week I heard Sam Johnson of Student Volunteer Army fame talking about his experiences. One key thing they did was use the tools they had in their hands. Students & social media. The disciples had 2 ordinary things. Bread Fish Jesus said bring the ordinary to me, & I'll work a miracle. We too can bring what we have-it may seem ordinary-but Jesus can use it to work miracles... What do you and I have? What's in our lunchbox that God can use? We won't know until we offer it to Him. Time Money Vocation Intellect Strength Skills Talents Gifting What about The Ordinary that most of us have... the ability to listen, to show we care, to hold someone's story... to gently ask how are you, to touch...or as Jesus did - just feed people! My guess is that most of the crowd didn't have a clue about the sourc

Friday! Proverbs The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked will be put out. Proverbs 13:9 ESV On first reading this seemed like a straight forward Proverb highlighting it's better to in the camp of the righteous...to be right with God, than not. But why use different words? Lamp v Light? And how does a light rejoice? The word lamp here is just that. A lamp. It goes out when it runs out of fuel or is put out when the sun rises and it's no longer of any use. The Hebrew word for light here is the same one as used in Genesis 1:3. And God created Light! This is the light that resides in us! The very light of God - and that light can rejoice...and it will never run out of fuel or be snuffed out when it's of no use when the sun rises...because it is the Son. The very light of God. #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #light

As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food." Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." Matthew 14:15-16 NIV The disciples, practical, thinking, doing what seemed sensible. Jesus had been processing the news of John's execution & looked on these people with great compassion. He had more to share, more to teach, there was more going on...so have another look guys, find another way, 'cos it's more important we stay together here... Sometimes we miss the heart need 'cos we're too caught up in the practical. On Sunday I saw someone sitting on their own as I left church - but getting home for my lunch was more important in that moment... Jesus asks what's more important right now? The people in front of you... #lovepeople

This is what the Lord says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, 'We will not walk in it' Jeremiah 6:16 NIV The sting in the tail. Just when we thought we had a nice formula to fix everything...to find that rest for our souls, we can't do it. All the time. It won't save us. Won't make us right with God Just like Eve & Adam at their unexpected crossroads in the garden, rather than look up, look into the God who they'd walked with, chose their own path. The only thing that saves is Grace. The unmerited favour of our loving God who made a way for us, became the way, so that we now can apply these things at the crossroads of our lives confident that we've already been redeemed, already made right, and we can press on secure in His love & grace #dearlyloved #childrenofGod #free #nofear

Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it... Jeremiah 6:16 NIV We've lifted our eyes from an immediate response to see the big picture, see where this is taking us... we've sought God's wisdom and truth, and we've sought out the wisdom of others...we know the right way, the right thing to do, the right response in that moment..."and walk in it" is the instruction... Just do it. And often we don't. Don't choose in that moment to respond how God would have us respond. Make that choice even though it goes against what we know is right... 'Cos it takes practice and work and repentance and going back to God...He's in the business of transformation... from the inside out :) #inthistogether #inthebattle #Godisforus

But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. Matthew 19:30 NIV Today we think about & celebrate the birth of our country...so often those celebrations are overshadowed by what people want... The Bible story too follows the birth of a nation, a nation of God's people who are to represent Him to the world...then God enters the story in a new way and becomes one of us, walks alongside & knows just what it's like to be fully human...and launches a new thing - a kingdom where everything is upside down, where it's not about what I want or can get, but it's a kingdom founded on, steeped in, love. A kingdom where the marginalised are wrapped in, the hurt are comforted, the weak are strengthened, the lost are found...and those seen as poor, worth less, will be seen in a new light...where the last shall be first #waitangi #wordsofJesus #kingdomvalues #youarepriceless

Now we do not want you to be uninformed, believers, about those who are asleep in death so that you will not grieve for them as the others do who have no hope beyond this present life 1 Thessalonians 4:13 AMP Yesterday we watched the tiniest white coffin lowered into the ground... and we stood with that family at their unexpected crossroads & they looked to the horizon with the hope that one day all will be made new and what has been lost will be restored. Tears. Yes. Grieving. Yes. But not just sprinkled with hope, infused with Hope. #hope #onedayallwillbemadenew #sunday #worship #jesusatthecentre Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls...

This is what the Lord says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is..." Jeremiah 6:16 NIV Ask. Sometimes that's the hardest thing! Ask where the good way is - who has wisdom in this area, who knows the good path, who's been this way before? Finding good people in our lives who can share their wisdom can be hard but worth the effort. They may well be there and yet we simply don't ask. Why not? Pride gets in the way, culture gets in the way, fear of rejection, of looking foolish...yet it's an important part of making good decisions...of finding a way in difficult circumstances... Look to the horizon Seek God's wisdom Ask good people #crossroads #unexpectedcrossroads #standandlook #ancientpaths #ask

Friday! Proverbs! The ransom for a man's life is his wealth, But the poor man does not even have to listen to a rebuke or threats [from the envious]. Proverbs 13:8 AMP No point in kidnapping a poor person who has nothing to pay! True. And interesting. But why is this in the Bible? Maybe it's a hint of what's to come - that we have nothing with which to pay - but Jesus, who had it all, paid the ransom on our behalf...the poor man Jesus willingly paid the ransom not for His own life, but for ours. Yours and mine. We think that our riches, our goodness, will save our lives, but it's only Jesus goodness, His wealth, that saves. What do you think? #dearlyloved #redeemed #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

"Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths... Jeremiah 6:16 NIV So lift your eyes from the next step towards the horizon...and ask for the ancient paths... So often we ask what people think, what does our society say...but what does God's ancient wisdom have to say? What is the "big story" that we're part of... God Creation The fall Redemption Restoration And in the context of that big story, what does God's word have to say about my situation...my choice, as I stand at the crossroads? Mmm... means I might have to study it a bit more, dig into it for myself, hunt out principles... But no matter what, we're saved by grace, redeemed by His love, and called to love God, and love people. Look for the ancient paths... sometimes they take a good hard look to find... #crossroads #unexpectedcrossroads #standandlook #ancientpaths

This is what the Lord says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls... Jeremiah 6:16 NIV Sometimes the unexpected crossroads is an opportunity - a job, course of study, travel...and sometimes it's loss, dissapoointment, tragedy...grief...hurt The first thing God says here is to stand. Take some time. Stay still, don't be hasty. Look. Think, assess, pray When we look sometimes we see things in a new light...at a crossroads we can sometimes see a new horizon as we lift our eyes, lift our vision...and whether it's good, challenging, tough... or sad - stand at the crissroads & look beyond... #crossroads #unexpectedcrossroads #standandlook