verseoftheday

Friday! Proverbs! If you repay good with evil, evil will never leave your house. Proverbs 17:13 NLT You may know houses like this. No amount of goodness makes any difference. You may know people like that...see them on the news...this proverb speaks to them... And then I look into my own heart...and the times that I have not responded with love but with anger or rejection, when I've been cold, selfish...and this proverb speaks to me...there is evil lurking in my house, sometimes even  harboured there. While I'm free of its ultimate penalty, I'm not yet fully free of "it". Its a bit like the vacuuming... there's always a bit more dust or dirt to be found...it just keeps appearing from somewhere, and it seems to be the same with my heart. So today I pray that I won't repay good with evil, & that goodness and grace will be my currency today :) #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #Godsgym

...be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. ...Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. James 1:6, 8 NLT James is encouraging us to see everything and everyone from a faith in God place. Start there. With who God is With what He says What he says about me, about others, about the world. Start with faith in Yahweh. How does that shape my answers, my questions, my relationships...my actions... When my loyalty is undivided I have 2 things: A firm foundation. And freedom Freedom to give, forgive, create, relate, thrive... Becauae that foundation gives purpose, direction...and hope. Its all about Who we place our faith in... #james #james1 #undivided #Godsgym

But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:6 NLT A quick recap. James is writing to Christians - scattered everywhere. He says in the trials, perservere because in that, we gain something important. And in those tough things ask for wisdom. And this verse James reminds us who our faith needs to be in. In God alone. Undivided. This question, this challenge, echoes down through the Bible to the very beginning (cue Adam & Eve) Is my faith in God alone? Do I really trust Him? Or do I trust me more? In the trial In the perservering In the maturing In the praying for wisdom My faith can only be in Yahweh. #james #james1 #faith #Godsgym

"Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep." John 10:1-2 NIV Since we seem to be going backwards in John 10...I always thought of this in context of people...but what  if its ideology, culture, & even our thoughts. Things that have come into our minds and thinking that have not come through the gate of our God. Thoughts that have climbed in over the wall, snuck in, thoughts that don't belong, thoughts who's purpose is to rob and steal. To steal what? Our thinking, our direction, our joy, to turn us away from God and lose sight of who He says we are... Jesus says He is the Way, Truth, and Life. He is the Gate. There is so much that will just rob and steal... kick it back over the wall of your mind... #heknowsyourname

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. John 10:3 NIV When I think of a shepherd and sheep its a large flock, all the same, being moved or shorn, & yes the shepherd cares, but in a general sense... But this is different. This is a personal shepherd. This is not someone moving us around using a barking dog. This shepherd is personal He knows your name. He knows you. He loves you. He calls by name, and then what? Leads us out. Into the light Into a spacious place Into nourishment Can you whisper this out loud: "He knows my name He knows me Jesus loves me" We don't have to get it. Just believe. #thisisourGod #personal #dearlyloved #heknowsyourname

"...When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." John 10:3-5 NIV Ever been in a crowd or a busy restaurant and heard a familiar voice? It's familiar because we know it, heard it many times before, and we don't hear it in the noise because it's louder, shouting to be heard, but because we know it. When we hear a voice, someone or something pulling us in a direction how do we know its true? How do we know His voice as the strongest and most familiar? The only way is to spend time in God's word for ourselves. Seek Gods voice in the quiet. Alone. Personally. Seek Him in the quiet. Let Him speak to you So that you can hear him in the noise. #sunday #worship #thisisourGod

Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly. Proverbs 17:12 NIV The Bible is in many ways a story of "fools bent on folly". People choosing their own way, running from God, thinking we know better, know it all...and in that foolishness we're destructive. We hurt ourselves, the planet, and other people. We wreak havoc. At the cross, havoc is met by Love Love that overcomes Love that makes a way Love that changes us Love that nudges us to see creation as an expression of God's grace toward us Love that nudges us to see people as His image bearers and worthy of our care Love that nudges us to replace foolishness with wisdom. #proverbs #nudged #jesusatthecentre #somethingtochewon

Friday! Proverbs! Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool bent on folly. Proverbs 17:12 NIV An angry bear is a dangerous creature who can wreak havoc on your life in an instant...better to keep well away... Have you  met someone so committed to what they want to do that they stop  listening? Even if what they're doing is wrong, unhealthy, destructive? The writer here is saying get out of their path otherwise you'll get damaged too... Sometimes its a conversation that you know there's no value in trying to change someones mind or shift their thinking... A fool bent on folly is so easy to spot...in someone else...makes me wonder how often I'm that person...? #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you... James 1:5 NIV This is The statement about God's grace. Our God who gives generously. Who gives without finding fault. This is who our God is. Hallelujah! If he was a fault finder...well... I'd get nothing. If he was stingy... The difficult thing is that this is how he wants me to be too. A person who gives without finding fault. What does that look like for you and me today? Am I holding something too tightly? Time, money, resources, information...love? Is it the generous part that is sticking? Or the fault finding part? #james #james1 #givegenerously #givewithoutfindingfault #lovewithoutmeasure #Godsgym

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all... James 1:5-6 NIV But I want a carpark, a job, a husband/wife, a pass , success in ________... I want this "trial" to end. Just pull me out. But James, after talking to us about trials, about perserverance, growing in maturity, connects it with wisdom. Maybe it's in the trial that we figure out that we need God's wisdom. That the wisdom of the world often contains some truth, some goodness, if it excludes the Creator, excludes the Big Story, excludes our image bearing status, then it's never going to be True and Good. James says to ask for God's wisdom. Whatever you face today, good, difficult, sad, joyful, celebratory, challenging... ask for Wisdom. #james #james1 #wisdom #ask #Godsgym

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:4 NIV In what area is perserverance at work in your life? The "trials of many kinds" in verse 2 literally means of many colours...this could be anything that we're facing...anywhere that requires perserverance. An Attitude An Action A Habit A skill A commitment A promise My accountability partner is chasing me about Bible memory. The truth is I'm just not persevering. And I'm missing having that scripture hidden in my heart and available to give comfort and courage. Trials come in many colours. James says that in the persevering we will gain something we lack. We get to choose whether we turn up to God's gym, or think we know a better way... #james #james1 #perserverance #faith #Godsgym

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4 NIV So that. The outcome James is pointing to, the result, the reason...is a maturing and completing of our faith. A faith that lacks nothing. I want a faith like that I've seen it in others A faith that is unshakeable despite their circumstances. A peace that is beyond understanding. James says that faith comes from perseverance. And perseverance is learned in the "trials of many kinds". So face them with joy, because that's where God is found, & where our faith grows. Easy? No. When you're in the middle of a 5 day tramp and don't feel you can take another step, the end seems impossibly far, when you don't want to carry on...but do...you learn something. It's the same with our faith. When you don't feel you can take another step. The end seems impossibly far. When you don't want to carry on...but do...you learn somet

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:4-5 NIV I'm going to try to memorise v5. Burn it into my mind. Why? Because it's the reason we have v4, the opportunity and the ability to come into the presence of God with praise (not fear, not worry that we're not good enough,  clean enough, worthy enough), with praise & thankfulness. It's because He is Good Even when I don't feel it. His Love Endures Forever Even when my circumstances are tough He is Faithful Even when there is evil in the world Enter His gates, come into His courts...imagine going to Buckingham Palace or the White House, places of great wealth, power, majesty...we carry that with us, and more so when we meet together...so if you can, get to church today and worship with thanks. Because. He is Good #sunday #w

A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool. Proverbs 17:10 ESV When we look for Jesus in this proverb, he can only be the "man of understanding". What rebuke cut deep into his heart? The rejection of the Father. Not for anything he had done, but for what we've done. He suffered the rebuke of God, the loss of all things, for us. And that leaves me as the fool. The person who has to hear the truth 100 times for it to sink in, who keeps making the same mistakes... Jesus forever carries the scars for me, suffered the rebuke, the rejection of God for me. And for you. Willingly Because he loves. Us Undeserving That's Grace. #grace #scars #proverbs #somethingtochewon #jesusatthecentre

Friday! Proverbs! A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool. Proverbs 17:10 ESV Ok so yes I want to be a person of "understanding", i.e. not a fool. That means I need to be prepared to listen. Really listen And make changes as a result of that listening. This proverb is doing what it's saying... rebuking. The hundred blows? That's about the outside. I can get hardened to that, conditioned to that, so that it does not affect my heart. So does that mean I must take to heart what everyone tells me? Clearly not as we'd just get tossed around like a cork in the ocean...we need something else to anchor our thoughts...and anchor our hearts...and the only thing that can be is the immovable and the unchangeable. Truth has one source. And this proverb takes us back there to hear the rebuke and to weigh it against God's truth. (Often the rebuke comes from God's word so the loop is closed!) The wise take to heart

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:2-3 NIV These verses are all good when it's not me going through "trials of many kinds", but are tough medicine when we're in the middle of "it". Anxiety, depression, work, business, money, study, relationships, health, pain...there's an almost endless list... Today's word is "because". Because tells us that the trials, the trouble, the hurt, the pain is not without some purpose. And while that may not be very comforting it does give this... Hope. That "it" will be used for good in me (as James indicates here) or through me (look at Jesus life!) Because gives us hope. Some days it may be just a glimmer, just a glimpse...but that's enough. God is at work In the world In our hearts "It" will not win There is hope. Our hope is a person #jam

Consider it... whenever you... because you know that... James 1:2-3 NIV James is asking us to think about our situation, our circumstances, in new ways. To take a step back To consider, to think. Sometimes that's really hard because what's in front of us is so big or difficult or seemingly immovable. Sometimes we need a bit of help with that from someone we trust to help us re-frame our circumstances...(or maybe we can help someone else do that) "Because you know that..." Always re-frame in light of the Truth.  I re-frame my circumstances in light of who God is, what He says, what Jesus did, what Grace means, what Love is... #james #james1 #faith #reframe #Godsgym

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:2-3 NIV This is God's gym. When we choose to exercise our bodies, our minds, things happen. We push on and we (eventually) get fitter, stronger, more resilient Our faith is tested. And James says that's a good thing. Because the testing of our faith produces perserverance. In this trial, what do I believe? What do I hold as true about God? How can I love God and love people IN this? I want my faith to be stronger I want a faith that perserveres The testing is not about our strength, our resolve, or even our ability to do or fix anything. It's a test of our faith. #james #james1 #faith #Godsgym

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, James 1:2 NIV Isn't James annoying? Trials Joy Who puts those things together willingly? The word "trials" means "test" or "temptation" depending on the context. On the weekend I watched the All Blacks play a Test match. They willingly put all their training and resources and energy into that match. To test themselves. To willingly be put to the test. And there's a joy in that (there's a different joy in winning) Work, business, family, study, recreation...have you ever heard anyone practice their music, or learn to paint or...there's a joy in the testing, in seeing our skills improve...even in sitting an exam. So maybe James here rather than setting some holy goal for us is really just reflecting the way God has made us. That in the testing of ourselves there is real joy, this is the place of growth and goodness, and it's something to em

Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends. Proverbs 17:9 ESV Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.  You are my friends... John 15:13-14 ESV Not only did Jesus absorb our sin, take the penalty, that love for us is a demonstration of what friends really are. He took the most radical of steps so that we wouldn't be separated from him. Friends. That's what Jesus called his team. A motley crew. Ordinary people. But they were the ones God had put in his life. Friends. Jesus ups the stakes from Proverbs to a whole new level, to give things up for our friends, the people in our lives...to live sacrificially for... because that's what He did for us... #grateful #sunday #worship #thisisourGod

Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends. Proverbs 17:9 ESV There is One who covers over all our offenses. And that "covering" is more than overlooking, more than not taking offense, or just not repeating. Jesus absorbed it. Absorbed it all. Somehow into His body on the cross my sin and yours was taken on, taken into...Him An act of Love. Friends. So that there need be no separation, no barriers between us and God. We're there, but not there. The price is paid, our sin absorbed...but sometimes we don't let it go... #proverbs #wisdom #jesusatthecentre

Friday! Proverbs! Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends. Proverbs 17:9 ESV The second part of this proverb informs the first... the implication is that this is an unnecessary repitition,  perhaps an opening of old wounds, simply gossip, or perhaps betraying a confidence...these are the things that can separate friends. The lesson? Be careful with your words. They're important and they can damage friendships. And then there's the first part... where I could take offence, I could let this damage our friendship, or I could choose to cover it over. To absorb it. As an act of love. (There's times when covering an offense is not an act of love at all - but that's for another day) Sometimes my friendship, our relationship, is more important than my rights. There's something to chew on this Friday! #proverbs #wisdom #choose

Indeed, in the path of Your judgments, O Lord, We have waited expectantly for You; Your name, even Your memory, is the desire and deep longing of our souls. Isaiah 26:8 AMP Eternity is in our hearts, having glimpses of who God is are part of who we are... We are made for relationship with the Eternal, and it's found in the restless nature of our souls. Our world, people, are searching for Him When things don't feel "right" it's because they aren't. Yet. One day all will be made new, all that's been broken will be unbroken, we, and our world will be redeemed. The price has already been paid, and that restoration has begun (& we are part of it!) And one day, those deepest longings of our souls will be fully met. And we will know. #hope #hopeunswervingly #onedayallwillbemadenew

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal. Isaiah 26:3-4 NIV We put our trust in lots of things...that there'll be electricity when I flick the switch, that the land will always be here, that in a way, it's eternal, certainly within my experience. But we also know that even the land on which we live can't be fully trusted to be here forever. Isaiah reminds us it's Yahweh who is the the real Rock. The eternal Who always was And always will be It's in Him our trust must rest. The always was always will be, creator, personal, loving God, who knows you, loves you, it's in Him we trust, and in Him we find peace. #dearlyloved #childofGod

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3 NIV Isn't this what we all want? Perfect peace. This verse tells us that doesn't come from our external circumstances, what's going on, what we are facing. So, we can have peace in that. How? With a steadfast mind. The battle is in our mind, in our thinking! In the thoughts we choose to harbour and in the thoughts that we choose to jettison. To discard. To kick out. A steadfast mind does that. A mind that has determined it's orientation and direction. And there's two simple components in this verse. 1. Trust. A steadfast mind is one that trusts. 2. In what or who you trust. This verse tells us. It starts and ends with You. Yahweh. Our God. Trust in Him He is for you With you Made a way for you Loves Loves you. So today, choose to steadfastly trust in Him, and may you know His peace #dearlyloved #childofGod #steadfast

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. James 1:1 NIV What an intro! There's no missing his audience - he's writing to Christians scattered all over the place...a bit like today where family's often scatter  around the world, friends end up living, well, anywhere these days. I wonder what James would've made of our tech today? My guess on that intro, he would've loved it. He could've easily shared what was on his heart. And look at his qualifications: A servant. We might comfortably use "Christian" or even "follower of Jesus", but "servant"!? James is not afraid to put his credentials out there...and that one word tells us a lot about James. A servant does the will of the master. It's what he does, but it's also who he is. He's identified with, and his life is entwined with, his master. As is ours. #somethingtochewon

I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies. Psalm 18:3 NIV Today; Consider the One who is "worthy of praise". Sometimes we water God down, reduce Him to something or someone more manageable, more malleable, someone who does what we want, when we want it done. Someone who will help me get X. Whatever X is, is where our hearts have rested, placed our faith in...but we can't stop there, because whatever X is for you cannot hold the weight of our faith... only the Living God can, so push on, push through the tangled web of loves that makes up our hearts and seek the One who is "worthy of praise". There is only One He is alive He is on the move He is worthy And He loves Seek Him today. #sunday #worship #thisisourGod #worthy #worthyofpraise

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2 NIV This song continues and in the middle of this verse is; "In whom I take refuge" There's the "in whom" part - put your trust in the Living God, revealed in His Word, and in The Word - Jesus It's the action here that's important today... "...I take refuge" This is not a sitting around, sitting back thing but a choosing, an action, a step. Today I'm going to choose to take refuge in God I'm going to choose to stand on the Rock of his salvation I'm going to go to the fortress of His love for me And there I will look for my deliverer. There are lots of things I could look to today, but I'm going to choose my place of refuge in the God who saves. #psalms #psalm18 #refuge #choose

Friday! Proverbs! A bribe is seen as a charm by the one who gives it; they think success will come at every turn. Proverbs 17:8 NIV Jesus was offered a bribe, a shortcut to rule the world. But He was the only sinless one, the only one who has been fully able to resist the lies that would take us down. The only one who could fully stand up to the Liar. But if we immerse ourselves in God's truth, in His word (like Jesus did) then the lies and the bribes start to unravel...and the Liar's success will diminish and one day be removed from our world altogether. For now though, he thinks he's a winner. But we know how the story will end! For now, don't take the short cut way of offering a bribe. It will always end in ruin. God doesn't seem terribly concerned with our success in the world's terms, but His concern is with our character... #somethingtochewon #proverbs #wisdom

I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; Psalm 18:1-2 NIV David was a King. He had power, wealth, authority, yet...even he needed a deliverer. So often we think that we can deliver ourselves, save ourselves. We have tremendous resources of intelligence, tenacity, compassion...we can solve what seem insurmountable problems, achieve what seems to be impossible But When we are faced with a holy God Eternity Creation Sin We know that we need a deliverer. The Bible is full of stories of deliverance coming through one person... And we have that one person. A saviour Who not just made a way, but became the way. And why? Because He Loves You And me What a crazy story! God with us For us Adopting us...all we need to do is Believe! #psalms #psalm18 #perspective #safe #deliverer #believe #faith #hope #love