verseoftheday

That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:29-24 NIV It's that time of year when we get pestered about new year's resolutions, and it is a good opportunity to change some things, but Paul is pointing us to fundamental change, change at the core of who we are. Yes put off the old, but the new is to be "like God"!  I think we're supposed to go "I can't do that", because it's a work of God in us, working with us and through us and the choices we make, the things we choose to think on, to dwell on.  This putting off the old and putting on the new doesn't just happen at

Friday! Proverbs! The one who sends a message by a fool's hand cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.  A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like lame legs that hang limp.  Giving honor to a fool is like binding a stone in a sling.  A proverb in the mouth of a fool is like a stick with thorns, brandished by the hand of a drunkard.  The one who hires a fool or who hires those passing by is like an archer who wounds everyone indiscriminately.  As a dog returns to its vomit, so also a fool repeats his foolishness.  Do you see a person who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. Proverbs 26:6-12 CSB This chapter from v1-12 is all on this theme of the fool and being wise in our own eyes.  These word pictures created it seems are there for us to see and say "not me, I'm not that person or do those things", and then the writer hits us at the end with the person who is "wise in their own eyes" and I realise that is me.  I justify my ch

After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was - the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. Matthew 2:9-10 CSB This wasn't some reading of the stars, or a comet or some other easily explained thing.  Was this light or lights in the sky only visible to these people from another land?  They must've lost sight of it to stop into see King Herod to see if he knew what the go was.  And then it seems that the light appears in a new way.  A light in the sky led them to the light of the world.  And their response? Overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with joy. That's quite a thing! We don't know how long they had been seeking Jesus or how far they'd travelled, but they knew that finding Jesus was the culmination of what feels like their life's work. Everything led to this.  This baby who is the hope of the world.  And they are overwhelmed, o

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.  ... So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. John 1:1,14 NLT It seems that God had never had a body before, had never known what it was like to be human, to have our limitations, our frailties, what it is like to be hungry, dependent, tired, to be known and loved as a person, yet here he was, the Word, the Logos, the Eternal, became human.  And how does John describe God as a person? Full of unfailing love and faithfulness.  Full of unfailing love and faithfulness towards us.  This world is messed up, and the things we face are tough, and at the same time there is goodness and beauty and joy, and our God, who became human, and who is full of unfailing love and faithfulness - this is Christmas. #christmas #wonder #Godentersthestory #loveandfaithfulnessishere

All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord's message through his prophet: "Look!  The virgin will conceive a child!  She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means 'God is with us.'" Matthew 1:20-23 NLT God is with us. With us in the merry part of Christmas, the goodness, with us in the struggles, the grieving too.  God is with us.  I had to read this piece from NT Wright a few times, but he puts it like this:  "This is the really scary thing... not that Jesus might be identified with a remote, lofty, imaginary being, but that God, the real God, the one true God, might actually look like Jesus... a shrewd Palestinian Jewish villager who drank wine with his friends, agonized over the plight of his people, taught in strange stories and pungent aphorisms, and was executed by the occupying forces. To say that Jesus is in some sense God is of course to make a startling statement about Jesus. It is also to make a stupendous claim about God

After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. Luke 2:17-19 CSB The shepherds had an encounter with an angel, and had a glimpse of the armies of heaven, had a message about the Messiah, came to town, checked around to see if there'd been any babies born, found Mary and Joseph, telling their story to everyone along the way.  And everyone was amazed. And Mary was also an ordinary young mum, with a new born baby completely dependent on her, a baby that needed feeding and cleaning and burping and loving.  This extraordinary story is at the same time so ordinary, as Jesus, the Divine, the Creator of all, is also just another baby born in a small town under Roman rule to a young woman a long way from home.  Mary had a lot to ponder.  She also had to summon the energy to feed and clean and burp this baby.  &quo

For you have shattered their oppressive yoke and the rod on their shoulders, the staff of their oppressor... For a child will be born for us,  a son will be given to us, and the government will be on his shoulders.  He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,  Eternal Father,  Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:4-6 CSB It's easy to get caught up in some romantic notion of a cute baby who never cries (cue "away in a manger") and this new family being formed. Yet Isaiah paints a picture of massive, tumultuous change.  Nothing will be the same again after this.  Nothing. He is the hope of the world, the shatterer of yokes that oppress, who said "my yoke is easy." A new kingdom started. And nothing will be the same again. Nothing. And Jesus calls us to be part of this new kingdom, to work with him shattering yokes that hold others down, and to allow his counsel, his peace, to reign in our lives. Yes it's a baby's birth we celebrate, God's wonderful gift of

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;  a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness. Isaiah 9:2 CSB ...On those living in a pitch-dark land, light has dawned. Isaiah 9:2 CEB ...on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:2 BSB For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine. Isaiah 9:2 NLT For those who lived in a land of deep shadows - light! sunbursts of light!  Isaiah 9:2 MSG Light is the gift of Christmas.  Light for those who know what the shadows, darkness, the valley of the shadow of death is.  Light for those who need a pathway. Light for those who need hope.  At that first Christmas, light has dawned, shines, sunbursts of light! And where does it shine? On us. The light has come.  We no longer stuck in the dark! #light #christmas #hope

Friday! Proverbs! Don't answer a fool according to his foolishness or you'll be like him yourself.  Answer a fool according to his foolishness or he'll become wise in his own eyes. Proverbs 26:4-5 CSB Is this proverbs just messing with us? Maybe an analogy for 2022! There's a heart thing going on here though about becoming wise in our own eyes, when I think that I have all the answers, when there's no room for being wrong, for others opinions, viewpoints or experience. When I place me at the centre - that's foolishness.  This proverb indicates that needs correcting. Like a ship that needs a course correction or Google maps rerouting us to the correct destination.  But this proverb warns us that there's a danger in doing that in others lives. So what's the answer? Maybe it's to keep looking at the wisdom of God's word for guidance and correction, to keep asking how does scripture speak to my life, my world today, to allow others views and viewpoin

Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him." King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. Matthew 2:1-3 NLT King Herod was deeply disturbed.  And so was everyone in Jerusalem. I wonder if they were disturbed for the same reason as the news spread that a king had been born? Herod was already a king, had all the power, yet the news of a baby really got to him. Could it be that he'd be the one toppled by a new king of the people he ruled over? And what of the people of Jerusalem? Were they deeply disturbed becuase there was a chance that they would see Herod and the power of Rome overthrown in their lifetime?  Hope was rising, change is coming, freedom, peace, prosperity, could it be that these things would be restored with a new king? 

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and embraced Mary as his wife. Matthew 1:24 BSB Joseph wanted to do the right thing and it seemed to him that separation from Mary, doing it quietly without making it a big thing was the right thing to do.  After all, Mary is pregnant and the baby is not his. Do you think he had a bit of trouble getting his head around all that? He had an angel meet him in a dream that changed his mind, his heart, and his trajectory in life. What did he do? Wrapped Mary in to his life, committed to being on her team and to walk with her in this. This is a mini-christmas, an act of love and commitment that preceeds or points to what God is doing.  His act of love and commitment that changes everything. Maybe today there's someone who you know who has done that and needs acknowledging or encouragement - mine is a fam that have adopted two extra small people. Maybe today there's someone you know who needs wrapping in, needs to

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,  "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?  For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him." Matthew 2:1-2 CSB Who were these guys? Did they really ride camels? Where had they come from? How long did it take them to get to Jerusalem? But the big question is how did they know? How did they know what the star meant? That the star meant a king had been born and that he was the king of the Jews? I'm reminded of a prophet from our own history, Toiroa, who not only predicted the clothing and transport of Europeans before they arrived here, he also said "The name of their God will be Tama-i-rorokutia (Son- who-was-killed), a good God, however, the people will still be oppressed" Our God has made himself known, and clearly did to these "wise men from the east", He wants to be known, in that knowing is Life, and hope,

So Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child. Luke 2:4-5 BSB According to Google Maps the shortest route from Nazareth to Bethlehem is 145km. 145km! And Mary is expecting a child...in my mind the timeline has always been short, with a quick trip to Bethlehem and next day the baby is born, and that night the shepherds turn up and the following day there's people with presents, Boxing Day sales and we move on to the next thing... But I wonder if this whole journey and time in Bethlehem was a bit longer...this is God entering the story as a person and no one is in a hurry.  This isn't an event that we just experience and then move on from. These were moments in time which are a hinge which change the trajectory of humanity, that welcome in a new era, a new way, moments that really starte

Sunday Psalms; Yet you  are enthroned as the Holy One;  you are  the one Israel praises.  In you  our ancestors put their trust;  they trusted  and you  delivered them.  To you  they cried out and were saved;  in you  they trusted and were not  put to shame. Psalms 22:3-5 NIV After the first two verses of despair, of looking inward, David looks up and back, looks up to our God, and looks back to see where God's story has intertwined with the nation, with his people.  Yet you You are And you To you In you This doesn't erase David's despair in vv1-2, but he is able to turn his heart and mind to our God at the same time.  The things he is crying out about haven't changed, but he is choosing to look up, and to look back, and in doing that knows that he is the beloved of God.  As are you As am I When we are in despair, David gives us this frame to complete for ourselves about God; Yet you _____ You are _____ And you ______ To you ______ In you _____ They trusted and were not

So Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child. Luke 2:4-5 BSB Joseph was from where?  The house and line of David. He was not just a guy that lived in Mary's neighborhood or a random boyfriend, he was part of a bigger story that God was writing, an interweaving of people and places and God's heart for humanity.  We're part of that bigger story too, that interweaving of people and places and God's heart for humanity.  Let's not miss it.  #randomchristmasthoughts #wearepartofGodsBIGstory

Friday! Proverbs! A whip for the horse,  a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools! Proverbs 26:3 BSB I don't know anything about horses or donkeys, but these word pictures are here to tell us something, and we know that Proverbs is really all about the heart, so if we put aside using this proverb as a means of hurting someone else, what does it say about my heart? It's stubborn. Doesn't move in the direction that reflect God's character and heart easily, wants to go it's own way, do what is easy for me.  Sometimes I need a wake up, direction, something to get my attention.  Perhaps looking at the 12 Proverbs in Ch 26 which talk to "the fool" will give a more rounded view of this Proverb. That section ends with this: Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. Proverbs 26:12 BSB This section of Proverbs is about getting me to think about me, whether God's values and heart are really leading

And there were shepherds residing in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night. Just then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  ... And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God... Luke 2:8-9, 13-14 BSB God allows heaven to break through with this massive light and sound show and the only people He chose to reveal Himself in this way to was a group of shepherds. Not the ruling elite (the Romans), not the religious elite (the Jewish leaders), not the powerful, the property owners, the famous, the rich, the educated or the powerful. He chose a group of shepherds out in the boonies.  God relied on this ordinary group of people working the night shift to bear witness to what he said about the saviour of the world arriving. They'd never written a book, made a podcast or delivered a sermon, yet they were the ones, the only ones, that God revealed hi

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole empire. Luke 2:1 BSB Do you wonder about whether Jesus was counted in the census? Was he born in time? Did he count if he was still in utero? The Romans wanted to count everyone because they were all about power and control. And Jesus wants to count everyone because Love.  He wants to include us because he loves us.  He doesn't want to compel or threaten, but invites us in, welcomes us in with open arms. Open arms that we can trust.  Whether Jesus was counted by the Romans or not, he says that you and I count.  We're included.  We're already known.  Already loved. We always were. In all the rushing around at this time of year is there someone who you know who could do with being included, being reminded that they count? Being invited in? Remember: You are already loved. You always were.  #randomchristmasthoughts #alreadyloved

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole empire. This was the first census to take place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to his own town to register. Luke 2:1-3 BSB Everyone went to his own town to register.  Becuase the Romans said so.  For us it can be "becuase Christmas." We can make the "family" a bit of an idol. You must come to this family event, because Christmas. It's OK that we don't reach out and talk, connect, for most of the 365 days of the year, but you MUST be there, because Christmas (or someone's birthday, or whatever). If someone in your world is hesitant, puts up some resistance, how about listening to them, giving them grace, maybe wondering why that event is not a place that they're OK with.  Lots of us find Christmas difficult for different reasons, rather than assuming it's a "wonderful time of the year" be prepared to hear why it m

So Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her Child to be born. And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:4-7 BSB Joseph and Mary went back to his hometown, all his whanau were either living there or staying there.  Yet there was no one who would squeeze them in.  No one to invite them in.  At this time of year there's an unwritten, unspoken, expectation that everyone has a kind, welcoming, accepting family that they are comfortable being around and want to be with.  What if that isn't true for someone in your life? Someone you know? Will I check in with those I know who might be on their own and invite them in? Could it be

Sunday Psalms; My God,  my God,  why  have You forsaken me?  Why are You so far from saving me,  so far from my words of groaning?  I cry out by day,  O my God,  but You do not answer, and by night,  but I have no rest. Psalms 22:1-2 BSB David, the psalmist, the song writer, is not afraid to write about how it is for him. How is it for you? Ever felt like this? These songs give us permission to express what's on our hearts and minds.  And they let us know that when we are in despair, that we're not alone. They also let us know, that even when we're in the middle of this, it's not the end, this is song 22 of 150, despair may be loud right now, but it's not the last word, it's not all there is.  #sunday #psalms #whenGodissilent #despairisnothelastword

And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ. Ephesians 1:9-10 BSB Today's reminder: There's a Big Story here that we are part of.  Sometimes in all the stuff of life, the pressure, the "have to's", the wins, the losses, the hurts, the potholes in the road, the glimpses of beauty and goodness, there is more to this story.  Somewhere, in the fullness of time, everything is going to be OK in Jesus.  Everything is going to make sense with Jesus.  There'll be no more glimpses.  This is the hope we hold on to. #ephesians #hope

Friday! Proverbs! Like a fluttering sparrow or darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest. Proverbs 26:2 BSB Sometimes it's like I'm paralyzed in fear, frozen, stuck, because of what I think others are thinking.  Ever been like that? This proverb is a flavour of that where someone actually is thinking and saying something about you but it has no substance.  And the picture here is of a bird that never lands, so those words have no where to land, and there is nothing to fear, nothing to stop us moving, choosing, doing, getting on, pushing on. Perhaps sparrows are not the best birds to choose 'cos in our context they do land, but they are not something that strikes fear into the heart of anyone. They're gone when you take the smallest move towards them.  Most of the time others thoughts and opinions of you carry as much weight as a sparrow.  Does that set us free? I think that's the idea of this proverb.  #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.  These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, or worship idols as some of them did... 1 Corinthians 10:5-7 NLT Paul just described how all their ancestors when in the wilderness had the same environment, the same inputs, the same leadership, yet most of them died there because their hearts were not really after God at all.  Something different was going on outside than what was going on inside. It's not about our family, upbringing, what church we go to or how often.  It's a heart thing.  Where, to whom, are our hearts oriented? What is our trajectory?  The good thing is we get to set that trajectory every day, we get to choose the orientation of our heart every day, and to live it out in the small everyday things that we do...how we greet one another, see one another, reach out and encourage one another...how we love one another. #corin

So I run with purpose in every step.  I am not just shadowboxing.  I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:26-27 NLT An athlete trains through repeating, through good practices, repeating, taking the advice of a coach, repeating... Paul talks about our hearts and our minds, but here the focus is on our body. What we do. We're not unconnected, but we are an embodied soul, and what we do with our bodies matters.  This from Sam Alberry in "What God has to say about our bodies"; "Becoming human at Christmas was not meant to be reversible. It was permanent. There is now a human body sitting at the right hand of God the Father at the very center of heaven. Bodies matter. Jesus couldn't become a real human person without one." Our bodies matter. They're not something we have but are what we are.  And what we do with them matters.  #co

Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize?  So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 NLT Paul in this chapter has responded to personal criticism, shared about the lens he wants to be seen through, and now shares some personal insights into his life; That he shares the same drive and the same disciplines as a top athlete.  Why? Because he has a goal he is working towards. And what is that goal that? He shares it further on at the end of the next chapter (although some Bible versions start ch12 with this), a goal that Paul repeats in Ephesians 5:1, and it's this: And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. 1 Corinthians 10:34 NLT Being like Jesus. Doing what Jesus did. That seems to be what Paul trains as hard as an athlete to do.  He's not saying any of this to guilt trip us or tell us what we have to

Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings. 1 Corinthians 9:22-23 NLT In this chapter of his letter Paul seems to be pushing back against some very personal criticism.  And he's very clear here that the lens he wants to be seen through is that he's all about the gospel of Jesus and making Him known.  I wonder what the lens is that I want to be seen through? Yes we have work and businesses and farms and study and families and Christmas and ministry and well...life... In all of this though, what is the lens that I would want to be seen through? Comparing ourselves to Paul (or anyone else) is not helpful, but having an idea about our mission is. Some days for me it's as simple as loving the people in my path today. Others it's a bit more strategic.  Paul was facing criticism and this was the lens he asked to be seen through. When I am criticised what lens would I li

Sunday Psalms: For the king  relies on the Lord;  through the faithful love of the Most High  he is not shaken. Psalms 21:7 CSB This song is one of victory through reliance on God, but the king in this song lives forever, it's like the whole song is pointing somewhere else. In the middle of the Psalm is this verse: "For the king  relies on the Lord;  through the faithful love of the Most High  he is not shaken." It's the faithful love of the Most High that holds us. Love. Love that we can rest in, find hope in,  find security in. Love that doesn't depend on us, our performance, our feelings, our thoughts. Love that is bigger than the king (the powers and rulers in our culture, the things that try and shape us). We don't have to be shaken, we get to stand firm, because we are loved. #psalms #psalm21 #beloved #dearlyloved

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding. Ephesians 1:7-8 CSB Today's reminder: We are known,  seen, chosen, adopted,  loved, and redeemed & forgiven. Whatever was owed that held us has been paid.  And it's tied in with forgiveness.  Have you ever had something hanging over you that has felt like the weight of the world?  A debt? Maybe weighting for an exam result?  A medical test result? And then we get the news that we've passed or we're all good, and the weight has gone. This is grace, that the things that I believed about me that I wasn't enough for God, wasn't good enough, have been washed away.  Redeemed and forgiven. What does that mean for you? How can you let yourself live in that truth today? #todaysreminder #redeemed #forgiven

Friday! Proverbs! Like snow in summer and rain at harvest, honor is inappropriate for a fool. Proverbs 26:1 CSB The Bible is full of metaphors and there's a couple of great ones here. Word pictures that tell us something is wrong here.  Snow in summer - what is going on? Rain at harvest - that could be a terrible outcome for your crops.  And Proverbs often compares the fool with the wise.  There is an interesting word here and it's translated "honor".  The word is "kabowd" and it means glorious.  Abundance, riches, honor, splendor, reverence, glory. And when we put those together, it points in one direction and that's to God. So it seems that this proverb is about two categories, us and God, and when we take the glory and honour that belongs to God, it's like snow in summer, it just doesn't fit, or it's potentially disastrous, like rain at harvest.  Honoring people is good, but not when that honor belongs to our God.  #proverbs #wisdom #somet

But food does not bring us closer to God: We are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. ... Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to stumble. 1 Corinthians 8:8-9, 13 BSB The idols had no power in Paul's life and so the food was just that. Food. Eating it or not eating it is OK. When I was young there was controversy around music. It seemed to be about style. I think Paul would say it's just music. Looking back at some of the lyrics that's where the problem was in the values that some of the songs were bringing into our lives.  I think that today Paul would be all over social media, teaching, preaching, interacting with people.  But he'd also say "I don't want what I'm doing to be a stumbling block for someone else. I'll give up my freedom first rather than be the person that gets bet

So about eating food sacrificed to idols:  We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many so-called gods and Lords), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist. 1 Corinthians 8:4-6 BSB Last Sunday morning I ended up at a shopping centre and in the massive carpark there, struggled to find a park.  The idols of our world are there, just a little more subtle than in the ancient world that Paul was writing to.  Paul does remind us of what, or more importantly, who we place our faith and hope in, and who we worship.  He wants us to keep the main thing, the main thing.  Clearly in his day the food, the power of the idols, was a thing that he was writing about. I wonder what he would write to us about? To me about? To you a

Now I know  that the Lord  saves His anointed;  He answers him  from His holy heaven with the saving power of His right hand.  Some trust in chariots and others in horses,  but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Psalms 20:6-7 BSB Some days it seems that the only thing that will help is God reaching down from heaven and moving things around in our lives.  Making things right in this world.  Fixing what is broken. A few Psalms earlier and David writes "how long Lord?" We have the benefit that David didn't have of knowing that God did enter in, that He did more than reach down from heaven, He turned up, joined in, arrived. And there were glimpses of power, multitudes fed, water turned to wine, blind could see again, people who couldn't walk could, forgiveness walked the earth.  And Jesus also sweat blood, gave up his own plans, and suffered.  In the midst of that first Easter there was no obvious victory.  Just faith.  Trust in the name of the Lord. In the upsided

May the Lord  answer you  in a day of trouble;  may the name  of Jacob's God  protect you.  May he send  you help  from the sanctuary  and sustain  you from Zion. Psalms 20:1-3 CSB  David's song here is written on behalf of others; "answer you" "protect you" "sustain you". Don't know if David didn't think he needed those things in his own life but this seems to be a shift from earlier psalms where David is putting his own case to God.  Here it's all about others.  His song is about wanting good for others, for people who need help, protection, sanctuary.  Things shift when we consider what's going on for others, take up their case, become that place of sanctuary for them, protect those who need it, help those who are in trouble.  It starts tho with seeing.  With asking. With checking in. With following up.  And it starts with just one person. One person who I can ask how they are this week. One person who I can check in with. One pe

Sunday Psalms; May he give you  what your heart desires and fulfill  your whole purpose.  Let us shout for joy  at your victory  and lift the banner  in the name of our God. May the Lord  fulfill  all your requests. Psalms 20:4-5 CSB While this Psalm is a battle song and talks about days of trouble and victory and all that, there is this beautiful piece here where David recognises our hearts desires, he recognises that we're wired in certain ways, that there's things in us that we're kind of made for.  And that's good.  If those things in your heart align with God's character, his heart for creation, the world, people, you, then follow them, allow, or even better, give the seeds of those things the space and place to flourish.  I met with a pastor this week who said (despite sharing about the weight of the work and his own health issues) "I wouldn't want to be doing anything else".  This is the place where his heart desires and purpose intersects with

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:4 NLT Not sure how this works, but before, God wants you.  From before.  Verse 3 tells us we are chosen and loved.  From before.  And this verse says we are adopted. Wrapped in. Accepted.  In a world where acceptance is so often conditional, incomplete, non-existent, God says that He has accepted us already.  From before.  Because he wants to.  You being wrapped in to His family makes God smile.  I picked up a little one this week, wrapped her in for a moment, told her she was dearly loved...I smiled...and then she cried...because I wasn't really known to her. Maybe there'll be the opportunity to become more known, but that little one is loved anyway.  Maybe that picture is a blurry or incomplete one of God's joy in loving us.  In loving you.  Today's reminder is that you are dearly loved. #today

Friday! Proverbs! Whoever has no rule over his own spirit  Is like a city broken down,  without walls. Proverbs 25:28 NKJV Do you get the ancient picture of a city that is easily over run, where no one and nothing is safe.  A broken city.  And that is the picture the writer paints of us when we have no self control, when our desires are allowed to be in charge of everything, when our emotions are so big that they determine our actions and choices... When good things become the thing.  A broken down city without walls is not how it's supposed to be, not how we're supposed to be...seems to me that learning self control, managing our emotions, reigning in our desires, these are not once-and-done, but seem to need constant attention, maintenance, just like a city wall... #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #Godsgym

Who can discern his own errors?  Cleanse me from my hidden faults.  Keep Your servant also from willful sins;  may they not rule over me. Psalms 19:12-13 BSB Ah so now we see why David was so strong on God's words, law, testimony, precepts, commandments and judgements, because it can be a tricky thing to discern our own errors.  I can always find a way to justify what I've done. God's words help me to see where my self justification needs adjusting.  The other day I said some things in a way that wasn't kind and I justified it with my long day at work. Love is patient, love is kind, and I hadn't been. God's words made the change (& led to the apology). God's words work on those hidden things, and the most hidden of all, my thoughts.  David really does have the human condition sussed...how does a wilful sin rule over us?  We think we can control it all, open the door to sins and choices and believe we can shut it anytime. Sometimes we can, and we think we

They are more precious than gold,  than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey,  than honey from the comb.  By them indeed Your servant is warned;  in keeping them is great reward. Psalms 19:10-11 BSB What is it that is more precious than gold and sweeter than honey? God's words.  Law Testimony Precepts Commandments Judgements When I think of these things gold and honey are not the first things that come to mind! Just maybe I'm looking at them wrong...and the big advantage I have, we have, is that Jesus arrived and said that he is the fulfillment of these things.  Jesus who is light, life, love, the sacrificial servant, the healer, the way, the advocate, the one who fed the hungry, set people free...and how did he summarise all these things? Love God Love people God's words are gold.  They are the sweetness of honey found after searching...may we let David's song remind us of that because they are the words of our God who loves us, loves you, who has chosen you, ad

The Law of the Lord  is perfect,  reviving the soul;  the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy,  making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right,  bringing joy to the heart; the commandments of the Lord  are radiant,  giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord  is pure,  enduring forever;  the judgments of the Lord  are true,  being altogether righteous. Psalms 19:7-9 BSB In this song it seems like David is giving us flavours. Flavours of God. And these different flavours minister to us in different ways; - reviving - making wise - bringing joy - giving light We need all the flavours, but at times we need one more than others... What do you need today? May you find that today in what our God says about himself, and about what He says about you, His dearly loved child. #psalms #songs #psalm19 #flavours #dearlyloved #childrenofGod

In the heavens  he has pitched a tent  for the sun.  It is like  a bridegroom coming from his home;  it rejoices  like an athlete running a course.  It rises from one end of the heavens and circles to their other end; nothing is hidden from its heat. Psalms 19:4-6 CSB David's looking at the sun and trying to capture something...nothing is hidden from its heat is the impact of the sun on our world. But what's this picture of a bridegroom heading to his wedding about? Or the runner? Competing in something that has been trained for, prepared for? Our "western", scientific view of the world says that our world is inanimate, has no 'life', no 'spirit', yet David is indicating there's something else going on here, that there's some kind of joy in creation, anticipation, like a groom heading to see his bride.  There's the pleasure of a runner who has trained and prepared and is feeling the results of that as they run, doing what they have trained

Sunday Psalms; The heavens declare  the glory of God,  and the expanse proclaims  the work of his hands. Day after day  they pour out speech; night after night  they communicate knowledge. There is no speech;  there are no words;  their voice is not heard. Their message has gone out to the whole earth, and their words to the ends of the world. Psalms 19:1-4 CSB Is it the bigness of God's creation that gets you? Or that the creation speaks in some way? Or is it that the message has gone out everywhere? Or that there is communication without words? Or something else? What gets you today? Is there something here for us too as we're part of that creation story, that we too speak without speaking...how can you and I communicate God's message without speaking? #psalms #psalm19 #speakwithoutspeaking

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. Ephesians 1:4 NLT Before everything, somehow, You were known,  in God's imagination He saw you in all you were meant to be,  before everything, He knew you, and loved you, before everything, He knew you, and loved you, and chose you.  If you're feeling unaccepted, unacceptable, unknown, or unloved, it's not the whole story...we all feel that sometimes, but at the same time, we are known, chosen, and dearly loved.  Let your soul rest in that today. #todaysreminder #jesusatthecentre #youarebeloved #truthtorestin

Friday! Proverbs! It is not good to eat much honey,  Nor is it glorious to seek one's own glory. Proverbs 25:27 AMP Honey is good.  Too much honey is not good.  Being recognised for good work, honoured for your achievements, thanked, encouraged, praised, these are all good things too.  But  If that's all you hear, that's not good.  It can change something in us that goes from doing, making, creating, building, writing, growing teaching, even praising God, because it's good, right, uplifting, positive, encouraging, providing for you, for others, into looking for more thanks, praise, adulation. More glory. So keep doing what's right, what's good, even if no one sees it, even if they see it, and even if they benefit from it and never thank you or recognise you.  Do good things because it's good.  #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

Now about food sacrificed to idols:  "We know that we all have knowledge." Knowledge puffs up,  but love builds up. 1 Corinthians 8:1 CSB Paul's letter continues to address all kinds of issues and questions that have been put to him (would be quite good to have the questions, but all we have is Paul's answers). There's been lots of arguing over meat that's been used in some ritual way, and can you then eat it or not. Is it tainted in some way.  And Paul gives us this gem: knowledge is good, but it can tend to "puff" us up. Think a balloon, a puffer fish, but also arrogance, pride, being right, wanting to show what I know, and that's more than you.  But.  But love. But love builds up. No matter what, let's start here, start with love that builds up.  Paul expands on this in that famous passage in Chapter 13, but if I start from this stance, that no matter what I know, love is the start place, and building one another up is the outcome of love,

Don't you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 CSB Paul is writing to the Corinthians giving them a massive telling off about some of the things that they were doing, and he ends this part of his letter with these words, that remind us we're not a collection of parts, body + soul + spirit but are integrated, whole, one.  And our personhood is where heaven and earth meet, where God dwells. Amazing. And then there's that little phrase "you are not your own, for you were bought with a price". What does that mean for us, for you today? Maybe it's a weak analogy, but let's try it; Lynne bought a tree yesterday, it's bought with a price, but as the owner she only wants that tree to thrive and flourish and be all it was meant to be. She'll plant it, tend it, water it, maybe prune it...and cherish i

And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11 CSB Paul has just written to his people about some ugly situations that people in the church have been involved in, and seems to want them to wake up to some of their choices and how they were seeing things.  And then he gives this beautiful reminder of change. He reminds us to look at ourselves, some of our own choices and attitudes, and to see what we've put behind us, and the redeeming work if Jesus in our lives.  In your life.  Truth that you can rest in. Washed. Washed by the Spirit of God.  Let your Monday start there... #corinthians #washedbyGodsSpirit

A righteous person giving in to the wicked is like a contaminated spring or a polluted fountain. Proverbs 25:26 CEB Can we see Jesus in this proverb? He is the righteous person. Holy.  And he did give in to the wicked.  Not to gain anything. Not to save himself. Not from a place of weakness or vulnerability. He was contaminated. Contaminated by death.  The water of life was polluted by evil.  For us.  Becuase Jesus loves us. Loves you. And somehow Jesus is still the water of Life.  Contaminated, yet not. A picture of the now and the not yet, we've been redeemed and being redeemed, saved and working out that salvation in this messy, difficult, joyful, wonderful thing we call life.  #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #speaklife

Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God... Philippians 4:6-7 amp This was the first verseoftheday on Nov 12, 2012 so this is an annual re-visit (also an annual reminder that it's OK to unsubscribe from verseoftheday any time).  I need at least an annual reminder of the antidote to worry & anxiety. Prayer. God wants to hear from us... and he wants to hear from us no matter what is going on. The suggestion though is to start with thanksgiving. Despite my circumstances, in my current circumstances, what can I be thankful for? Remember this: He wants to know what's going on in our hearts, our greatest joys, our biggest challenges, our lurking fears, our deepest hurts...so talk to Him. And He whispers to us... "I love you" #dearlyloved #childrenofGod

Friday! Proverbs! A righteous person giving in to the wicked is like a contaminated spring or a polluted fountain. Proverbs 25:26 CEB Let's just sit with that image of a source of water, of life, being contaminated... this proverb is warning us that we can stop that from happening, which sounds like a good thing.  The other part of this picture is that it's me that becomes like a contaminated spring...ouch! Maybe that contamination will clear up in time, but who knows how long that takes.  And it happens when we give in to the wicked.  I wonder what that means? Is it about world events, our country, the place we live? Is it about employers?  Criminals? Racists? Systems that are unjust? Is it when we watch movies or engage in conversations that are full of contaminants? Is it how I treat the planet? How I treat my neighbour? Is it seeing injustice and doing nothing? Is it seeing the hurt, lost, lonely, and just wishing them well? What does "giving in to the wicked" mea

It is of little importance to me that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I don't even judge myself. 1 Corinthians 4:3CSB Tim Keller wrote a little book based around this passage called "the art of self-forgetfulness". When it comes to our identity we don't have to be concerned about the judgement of others or even ourselves, there is no condemnation for those who are in Jesus, the self-condemnation is not needed, we can, in freedom, get on with life without the weight of what others think (or what we think others think) of us. When it comes to our identity, the courtroom is closed.  We don't think less of ourselves, just think of ourselves less.  The gospel of Jesus allows you to become all you were designed to be, the freedom to step into becoming that person, simply following Jesus, loving God, loving people... Is that easy? Maybe some days.  And other days not. So let's keep taking small steps in the right direction, together... #cori

In this kind of situation, what is expected of a manager is that they prove to be faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:2 CEB Faithful. That's it  Faithful. Faithful to being a servant of Jesus. Faithful manager of the mysteries of God. Sounds straight forward, but our world and relationships and the impact of others in our lives can make this not only difficult to grasp, but difficult to do.  Like any manager we can only look after what we've been entrusted with, and the small piece of the mysteries of God that I do grasp, those I can be faithful to.  Here's a few: The creation story tells me who is eternal, what we were created for, and that the relationship with ourselves, others, God, creation, were all impacted in the "fall".  Jesus' story tells me that God loves.  Outrageous love expressed in Grace.  Jesus loves God, and loves people, and simply wants me to follow him in those two things.  The Big Story is one of restoration and my hope rests in that. One day all wi

A person should think of us in this way:  as servants of Christ  and managers  of the mysteries  of God. 1 Corinthians 4:1 CSB "Hi,  My name is Paul" "Hi Paul, What do you do?" "Well, a couple of things, I'm a servant of Jesus, and a manager of the mysteries of God *smiles* What do you do?" I have no idea how someone manages the mysteries of God.  And even how to be a servant of the one who came to serve? I guess it means that his work is to do the things that Jesus would have him do.  There used to be a big thing about WWJD? "what would Jesus do?" Some one tweaked that to ask "what would Jesus do if he was you, born in your time, with your experiences?" What does being a servant of Jesus look like for you?  In your world? With your limits? With your gifts and skills and talents and desires? With your responsibilities? With the things that weigh on you? With the things that bring you joy? Maybe being a servant of Jesus is a heart th

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God... So let no one boast in human leaders, for everything is yours - whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come - everything is yours, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. 1 Corinthians 3:19, 31-23 CSB Paul is writing to the church who are all about following these high profile people, relying on their wisdom, putting these leaders in place of God to answer their big questions...but Paul restores the freedom that we have to follow Jesus, to know that our life is safely held in his. Our culture seems to be getting lost in this personality driven view of the world, just like the Corinthians.  And Paul says to take a step back, all the big questions of life are answered in Jesus.  Jesus who arrived in the poor and despised part of town, born to a single mum, worked in a trade...came from heaven, yet became small enough to wander around here on earth...who preached th

Sunday Psalms We're up to Psalm 18 For the choir director: A Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord. He sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. He sang: As you read this song, read the whole thing in context of what happened. This is like an outpouring of everything in David's heart as he is grateful that his life has been saved...he gives honour to God, paints a picture of Him thundering out of heaven, and isn't shy about singing about his own part in it...this is a celebration of a win. There's no attempt to make it "nice", David just seems to write everything that's going on for him. And that's freeing. Our God is OK with hearing all of our expression, grief, anger, joy, victory, all the feels...we get to share them all with our God who loves us, whether it's a moment of loss or victory write it, pray it, speak what's in and on your heart... #psalms #psalm18 #freedom

Like cold water  to a weary soul  is good news  from a distant land. Proverbs 25:25 NIV Can we see Jesus in this proverb? He is the good news from a distant land. He is the cold water for our weary souls. The "like" is gone.  One day all the Biblical metaphors will be gone, we will no longer be trying to get our minds and spirit around water of life, cornerstones, mustard seeds. We will no longer be wondering what the light overcoming darkness looks like, what justice means. We will no longer feel unaccepted, unworthy, unholy, unenough.  The good news won't be coming from some distant land but will be standing right with us, and we will no longer need water for a weary soul, because our souls will no longer be weary... May we get a glimpse of that today in the eyes of a friend, the smells of spring, a moment of goodness... #proverbs #wisdom #onedayallwillbemadenew #jesusatthecentre #thykingdomcome

Friday! Proverbs! Like cold water  to a weary soul  is good news  from a distant land. Proverbs 25:25 NIV Do you find the connection here between our body and soul and emotions interesting? The word "soul" here is "nephesh", a soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion.  When what is at the core of us is weary, cold water gives life.  Stopping and choosing to drink some water, stopping and simply enjoying the effect of water in our body, letting the life of water bring life again to our weary soul.  If nothing else, choose to enjoy some water today.  What is the writer comparing this goodness to? Good news from a distant land. In our age of technology we no longer have to wait for word to travel, but we do still have to wait.  Wait and hope.  Who are you waiting and hoping for? Concerned about? Wanting to hear good news about? This is what we do when there's people who we care about, people who we care about who are distant. Sepa

Don't you know that you are God's temple and God's Spirit lives in you? If someone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person, because God's temple is holy, which is what you are. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 CEB In the midst of Paul's lecture about who people were following, and that it's all about Jesus, Paul drops this beautiful gem; This reminder posed as a question that finds its way down the centuries to us: "Don't you know that you are God's temple and God's Spirit lives in you?" The picture of the temple is full of rich imagery of where heaven and earth meet, where God dwelt, made himself known, and now, this is who you and I are. We are the place where heaven and earth intersect, where God Himself dwells! And then there's a warning to those who may or have caused you harm.  Why the warning? Because to our God you are so precious and valued. Holy. Valued and valuable.  #corinthians #wearewhereheavensndearthmeet #valuedandv

After all, what is Apollos? What is Paul?  They are servants who helped you to believe. Each one had a role given to them by the Lord:  I planted, Apollos watered,  but God made it grow. Because of this, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but the only one who is anything is God who makes it grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together, but each one will receive their own reward for their own labor.  We are God's coworkers, and you are God's field, God's building. 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 CEB Paul seems to still be dealing with people following strong personalities and placing more weight on them than they deserve. It's easy to do right?  Buy all their books, listen to their podcasts.  What ___ says must always be right.  It's easy because they're here in front of us, tangible. But Paul is saying be careful. It's God who does the real work in our spirit and soul. And then at the end of this passage there's this beau

I am praying to you because  I know you will answer,  O God.  Bend down  and listen as I pray.  Show me  your unfailing love  in wonderful ways.  By your mighty power you rescue those who seek refuge from their enemies.  Guard me as you would guard your own eyes. Hide me in the shadow of your wings. Psalms 17:6-8 NLT What comes to mind for you in this song? A person in need of rescue? A person who knows God's character and God's love and at the same time is under massive pressure? Or maybe it's the detail; "guard me like you'd guard your own eyes" Our eyes are soft, easily damaged, unrepairable, and important to us... Maybe it's David's boldness in asking God to bend down, like a small child beckoning for a big person to get down on their level. Maybe it's our need of rescue. To want to know the peace of being permanently covered by God, the shadow of his wings, the protection from the world, the choices of others.  Yet at the same time, the fact t

Declare me innocent,  for you see those  who do right.  You have tested  my thoughts  and examined  my heart in the night. You have scrutinized me and found nothing wrong.  I am determined  not to sin  in what I say.  I have followed  your commands,  which keep me  from following cruel and evil people.  My steps  have stayed  on your path;  I have not wavered  from following you. Psalms 17:2-5 NLT Quite a download from David here as he reflects on these areas of his life. It may be that these are or have been areas of weakness and he's highlighting where he has changed, or perhaps these are areas he feels tempted? Maybe there's an invitation here for us to consider those areas of weakness or areas of temptation and do some self reflection on how we're going.  I don't think that "I have not wavered from following you" is a statement of perfection, but of direction.  We all have areas of temptation. Where we know the choices are not good.  Like David, if we can

Sunday Psalms Lord,  hear a just cause;  pay attention to my cry; listen to my prayer - from lips free of deceit.  Let my vindication  come from you,  for you see  what is right. Psalms 17:1-2 CSB Justice.  This song of David's starts with his cry to God for justice.  That things would be made right.  This is a cry from someone who doesn't have the power to make things right on their own.  He feels unheard "pay attention to my cry". When we look for justice so often we can feel unheard. He's considered if he is in the wrong, and is clear that he's not. He's been wronged, and holds hope that our God sees the truth and will act.  When we've been wronged, hurt, used, abused, we want justice, and so often our systems, families, communities won't "hear a just cause" or "pay attention to a cry".  Let's not be those people. Let's choose to listen, choose to pay attention, and to "see what is right".  #psalms #psalm16

But as it is written,  "What no eye  has seen,  no ear  has heard,  and no human heart  has conceived - God has prepared  these things  for those  who love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9 CSB Paul has quoted here from Isaiah, but from 2 places - Isaiah 52:15 & 64:4 - not really sure what this means but it seems that it's OK to bring pieces of scripture that synergise to bring out new meaning in the context of his day and culture... Maybe we need to hear this today, that our God is preparing things, things beyond our knowledge, beyond our imagination, beyond our senses, for us.  Today (at my place) we're grieving the loss of a beautiful person who is now starting to see what no eye has seen, to hear what has never been heard, to experience Life in a whole new way.  There is more. So much more.  Beyond the bounds of our senses and minds our God is More.  Not sure why the Corinthians needed to know that, but maybe today when our world wants to remove all mystery, the mystery and t

Friday! Proverbs! Better to live  on the edge of a roof than to share a house with a contentious woman. Proverbs 25:24 CEB This is one of those proverbs that is weaponised against women.  This is a proverb of Solomon and maybe there's some regret at his choice to have wives against God's express command.  However if it's a picture of our hearts desire to have peace, then living in peace with less, is pictured here.  If this picture is about a couple, what responsibility does the husband have to resolve the problem? Why is she so contentious? Is the choice of roles here meant to be instructive? Or is it just a reflection of cultural norms? Perhaps a wife would have no choice to move up onto the corner of the roof if the husband was the contentious one... At a deep level we want to live in peace with people, not contention, but there are times when that's reality. Maybe this Proverb is saying that our commitments to one another matter, and while the issue is being resolve

I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, since you were not yet ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready, because you are still worldly. For since there is envy and strife among you, are you not worldly and behaving like mere humans? For whenever someone says, "I belong to Paul", and another, "I belong to Apollos", are you not acting like mere humans? 1 Corinthians 3:2-4 CSB Paul is quite humerous here, and gives quite the telling off.  He's just told the church that as Christians we have the mind of Christ, God's Spirit indwelling, yet they're still acting like spiritual babies. What's the evidence? Envy Strife Arguing over which pastor is more important. What colour the church foyer should be. The people Paul was writing to were focussing on the wrong things. I wonder what Paul would write to us about today? Paul doesn't want us caught up in this stuff because he (& our God) has so much more for us.  Often it takes someone a little b

1 Cor 2:10-12 V10;  Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, since the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. OK so this first verse tells us something of God's Spirit. He searches. And He searches everywhere. God is searchable by His Spirit. A bit mind bending? V11; For who knows a person's thoughts except his spirit within him? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.  Ah OK so we get a bit of understanding of how God's Spirit works by considering our own!  We know our own thoughts (& no one else does "I know what you're thinking" is not true, just a guess). We know our own thoughts but our "spirit" can still be a bit mysterious even to us don't you think? V12; Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God. 1 Corinthians 2:10-12 CSB We have this somewhat mysterious spirit who

Lord,  you alone  are my inheritance,  my cup of blessing.  You guard  all that is mine.  The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!  I will  bless the Lord who guides me;  even at night my heart instructs me.  I know the Lord is always with me.  I will not be shaken,  for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.  My body rests in safety. Psalms 16:5-9 NLT After all the lament and sorrow and heartache of most of the first Psalms, here is David resting in the good, seeing the good.  Sometimes in life everything seems horrible, stained, tainted, and there's nothing good. David chooses to focus on who God is, the goodness and blessing from knowing Him, that his future is secure, and even if it's only for this moment, he is safe.  Some days we need to do the same thing.  Choose to step back and grasp again the goodness of who God is and hold on to that.  Hold on again to the truth that nothing, nothing can separate us from

I will  bless the Lord  who counsels me  - even at night when my thoughts trouble me.  I always  let the Lord  guide me.  Because he is  at my right hand,  I will not be shaken. Psalms 16:7-8 CSB Do you get the intention of this part of David's song? I will I always And what is David's direction? To bless God and to let Him be the guide.  Especially at night when our thoughts sometimes go around and around (this has clearly been happening to people for a long time). David's solution? Blessing God, gratitude, looking up at the bigger story, reminding himself that God is with him, and that in that truth, he's going to be OK. Looking to God's counsel. So when our thoughts are running around in circles, what does God have to say about us, and to us? My fave go-to is Ephesians 1:4-14. That passage reminds me that I am: Seen Known Adopted Redeemed Have an inheritance Am dearly loved Today, we can be confident just like David, that our God is with us, and we don't need

Sunday Psalms. Protect me,  God,  for I take refuge in you.  I said to the Lord,  "You are my Lord;  I have nothing good besides you." ... Lord,  you are my portion  and my cup of blessing; you hold my future. Psalms 16:1-2, 5 CSB We're up to Psalm 16 and there's been lots of lament, but this song has a shift in it. It starts with David vulnerable in some way, needing refuge, needing protection. And in that place he acknowledges God, and in v5 there's this gratitude and future view. Can we even when we feel vulnerable grip on to our God's goodness towards us, and that our future is secure? It's been a journey for David to get here and that's OK. We're in his 16th song and he still feels vulnerable, in need of refuge (maybe that need never really goes away? Maybe that's why holding on to the truth that our God really does hold our future is important). The word here for "future" means "lot", as in what a person would gamble.

That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,  "No eye has seen,  no ear has heard,  and no mind has imagined  what God  has prepared  for those  who love him." 1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT Paul is explaining why the people who were running the world at the time were OK having Jesus put to death - because they didn't get it that there's more.  God is more. The future is more. More than we can grasp or imagine. Paul talks of the mystery of God, yet somehow we want God to be small enough to understand, to predict, to manage how we want or expect God to be.  But Paul reminds this church, and us, that He is More.  I wonder if Paul would ask us with all our wonderful technology if we're looking to that for answers to questions it cannot answer, that the "more" we need is found in the mystery of God and it's OK to not get it all, it's OK that He is beyond our grasp and understanding.  And. We have Jesus. Jesus is God confined and limited like us, yet still

Friday! Proverbs! As surely  as a north wind  brings rain,  so a gossiping tongue causes anger! Proverbs 25:23 NLT One thing follows another. Wherever the author of this proverb lived when the wind blew from the north it brought rain.  Maybe not straight away, but you know it's coming.  And it's the same with gossip.  There's always a consequence.  Interesting that this word translated "gossip" here is "cether" in Hebrew, a covering, a hiding place, secrecy.  Words spoken in gossip always have some element of covering, secrecy.  Just like the north wind brings rain there are consequences to gossip, to secrets, things being covered over.  Consequences to others, and in our own hearts.  Our God is Light.  Just like the north wind brings rain, when the God who is Light governs my words, my conversations, there are consequences...just better ones... #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #itsaheartthing

It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 BSB There must have been quite a lot of trying to look good going on in the church in Corinth. A lot of follow the rules, do these things to be a good christian. Paul's just telling them to stop it.  Becuase it's all about Jesus.  We are in Jesus. Not sure how that picture works but it speaks of security. Righteous Holy  Redeemed None of that is from me, but found in me from Jesus.  We get to stop striving to achieve acceptance by God, and get to live in all the messy humanness of this life already accepted.  Because of Jesus.  Already accepted.  Becuase of Jesus. #corinthians #findrestinthis

Who may  worship  in your sanctuary,  Lord?  Who may  enter your presence  on your holy hill?  Those who  lend money  without charging interest,  and who  cannot be bribed  to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever. Psalms 15:1, 5 NLT It's interesting that these two concepts, lending money and lying about someone are connected together in this song. What connects them? When I lie about the innocent, I do it to gain something. Gain some advantage. Think groups of people.  Labels. We love to put labels on groups - it makes it easy to gain something.  When I lend money & charge interest I do it to gain something.  Underneath this are ideas. The idea that if you have money you deserve a return on it.  Who says? What if our society didn't charge interest?  Practiced Jubilee? Maybe that's too big a thing to change.  But what if you and I took God at His word and not buy into all the ideas of our culture? This song is about our hearts and the ideas that sh

Those who... speaking the truth from sincere hearts.  Those who... refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. Those who... keep their promises even when it hurts.  Those who... lend money without charging interest,  and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Psalms 15:2-5 NLT The thing that stands out for me is the intentionality that David writes about in this song.  Being intentional about what we say "speaking the truth from a sincere heart". Being intentional about what we don't say "refusing to gossip" or "speak evil". Being intentional a out what we don't do "bribed to lie about the innocent", "harm their neighbour". And being intentional about what we do; "lend" freely, and "keep their promises even when it hurts". Does this song form a picture not just of living intentionally, but a picture of Jesus, the one who spoke the truth from a heart of love, truth, justi

Sunday Psalms Who may worship  in your sanctuary,  Lord?  Who may enter  your presence  on your holy hill?  Those who  lead blameless lives  and do what is right, speaking the truth  from sincere hearts. Those who  refuse to gossip  or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends.  Those who  despise flagrant sinners,  and honor the faithful followers of the Lord, and keep their promises even when it hurts. Those who  lend money without charging interest,  and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent.  Such people  will stand firm  forever. Psalms 15:1-5 NLT This song of David's starts with the big question of who is good enough for God. All the rules about the priests and ritual cleansing. And he comes up with quite a list: Starts with our hearts. And he's interested in how our values are lived out, how we treat those closest to us, those who stand against God, and finally how we treat those we transact with and how we treat the innocent.  As you read this song, w