verseoftheday

"Remove the stone," Jesus said. Martha, the dead man's sister, told him, "Lord, there is already a stench because he has been dead four days." Jesus said to her, "Didn't I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?" So they removed the stone. John 11:39-41 CSB Martha had a legitimate push back on Jesus here. It's going to stink! Wouldn't it be better, easier, isn't there another way than removing the stone? Jesus if I let you into that part of my heart, well, it's rotten, it stinks, and I'd rather keep it shut away. Martha and the people with her trusted Jesus, and despite their legit objections, they took action.  They removed the stone. Maybe there's a part of me that Jesus wants to move in, but I've got it locked away, I believe it's too ugly, too horrible for Jesus to bring healing, hope, light and grace. Martha and her crew removed the stone. Jesus didn't force them, they chose to. Jesus d

My child,  if your heart is wise,  my own heart will rejoice!  Everything in me will celebrate when you speak what is right. Proverbs 23:15-16 NLT When we look for Jesus in this proverb that was written hundreds of before his arrival, he's right there, he's the one rejoicing, he's the one looking out for us, he's the one who sees truth in action in our lives, he's the one with everything rejoicing inside... Jesus is the one who longs for our success in wisdom.  Truth in Action. He's the one who is Emmanuel, God with us, celebrating. #sunday #worship #thisisourGod #wisdomissomethingtocelebrate

My child,  if your heart is wise,  my own heart will rejoice!  Everything in me will celebrate when you speak what is right. Proverbs 23:15-16 NLT In part 2 of this proverb the writer ramps up the celebration, and the writer shows the interest, the connection with the person being mentored, the person receiving counsel. Change and growth happens in community, with people, and maintaining those connections is critical.  Celebrate the success of others. And note what success looks like in this proverb - it's a heart that is wise. To celebrate another person's heart that is wise requires connection, knowing the person, knowing what's going on for them and how they are.  Keeping connected takes effort and care. It takes love. This proverb encourages us to love one another, and to celebrate one another, not (just) external success, but to celebrate living from a place of wisdom. Living in the upsidedown kingdom. #somethingtochewon #wisdomissomethingtocelebrate #loveoneanother #l

Friday! Proverbs! My child,  if your heart is wise,  my own heart will rejoice! Proverbs 23:15 NLT Who is being written to here?  The word here is "Ben" which can mean grandchild, can mean a broader concept of someone in your influence, an arrow.  So consider this proverb in the light of those you may have taught in some way, and those who have taught you, sent you out into the world.  The word for heart is our old friend "leb", the inner person, who we are at our core.  And then there's being wise. This isn't being clever or knowing things, but choices that are lived out.  When you've taught, shared with, invested in, encouraged someone, and they are living out wise choices in their lives, your heart is allowed to have a small party.  In New Testament terms we might call this "making disciples". Hearts in tune with one another, happy that wisdom is being lived out in the world. #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #wisdomissomethingtocelebrate

"Remove the stone," Jesus said.  Martha, the dead man's sister, told him, "Lord, there is already a stench because he has been dead four days." Jesus said to her, "Didn't I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God" So they removed the stone. John 11:39-41 CSB Ever had Jesus remind you of something? "That's the third time this week that topic has come up..." Jesus reminds Martha of their convo, and invites Martha to act, invites Martha to move.  Jesus invites us to move. He doesn't charge into my heart with dynamite and blast away at what stones are there, he invites me to act.  He invites me to move the stones, the barriers. Jesus reminded Martha of the truth, and in that reminder was a gentle nudge about who Jesus is. Jesus is a family friend, he is human, upset, crying, and he is God. Jesus is who he said he is, and it's his truth we need to keep coming in, his kingdom values that we need to hold, his gra

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. "Remove the stone," Jesus said.  Martha, the dead man's sister, told him, "Lord, there is already a stench because he has been dead four days." John 11:38-39 CSB Lord, do you know what you're doing? Lord, do you know what you're asking? Are you sure? Martha is up front with Jesus about what she thinks of the situation, it's going to be really unpleasant. Seems it's OK to ask Jesus if he is aware of your situation.  This is a bit of a picture of what goes on in my heart. Scripture, teaching, the Spirit prompting, an author, someone in my life is saying move that rock and let Jesus in to that part of me.  Lord, do you know what you're asking?  There's a stench there.  It's ugly there. Jesus quietly says "let's move that stone" and let my Grace, my Life, my Light in. Martha didn't think removing the stone was a good idea,

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.  "Remove the stone," Jesus said. John 11:38 CSB In the next couple of verses we're going to see Jesus' power at work to raise Lazarus from the dead, yet here he wants a hand to move a rock? We know he washes feet like a servant so he's not asking for this to be done because it's menial work or beneath him in some way. It would seem it's because Jesus wants people involved.  He wants us involved. There's a barrier between the dead man and the source of Life.  Maybe there's rocks between people you know and Jesus. Rocks that need shifting.  Rocks of injustice, prejudice. Maybe they're rocks of their own making that quietly and gently need a nudge. Maybe they're rocks that I've put there, labels & judgements. Jesus wants us involved in removing the barriers between himself and people who need to see him, to remove the barriers that preven

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.  John 11:38 CSB John doesn't tell us what's going on in Jesus. There's the obvious circumstances of a grieving family and the death of his friend, but there seems to be a hint here of something else going on with Jesus.  And isn't that the way when we see someone upset in some way we think we know what it's about, what's going on for them.  "Jesus, deeply moved again". How did John know this? Was there more crying? It seems like we're invited to be with Jesus for a while while he is working through this.  These words also give us permission to work through our stuff out loud, with others, in community (not with everyone, we all need safe people). And these words also remind us that Jesus had strong emotions, strong responses to events, to things going on in the world, in our lives, in the lives of others, and it's OK that we do too. It's who

Jesus wept.  So the Jews said,  "See how he loved him!" But some of them said, "Couldn't he who opened the blind man's eyes also have kept this man from dying?" John 11:35-37 CSB Jesus exposed.  In all his humanity weeping at the grave of his friend.  Even though in his divinity he is going to act, he knows the pain of loss and separation that death brings. He knows.  And he wasn't covering it up or hiding it, but allowing the tears to flow at the injustice of death, and the pain and loss that we carry in this world. And still people were divided over Jesus.  Still they wanted a messaiah who fitted their mold, their ideas.  And they missed Jesus who weeps. They missed Jesus who knows. It's almost like this piece of time is a microcosm of the time that we live in, the time between Redemption, and Restoration, Jesus is going to make everything right, but in that moment,  the pain and reality of life are sitting with him. And he cries. Jesus is returnin

Apply yourself to discipline and listen to words of knowledge. Don't withhold discipline from a youth;  if you punish him with a rod, he will not die. Punish him with a rod, and you will rescue his life from Sheol. Proverbs 23:12-14 CSB This is the third part of this proverb that starts with us applying God's word in our lives, living it out, then not living in fear of a young person's response to boundaries, and finally the reassurance that when we apply God's word, live it out, that we may well save someones life.  Paul in 2 Tim 3:14-15, and in 1 Cor 13:4-7 gives us some more clues. However you read this proverb, it's not a weapon to get what I want. The motivation for discipline is not to make my life easier, but to save the other person.  The way I read a proverb may well betray my own heart, a heart that I want God's discipline and words of knowledge to shape to be more like Jesus. Proverbs gives us something to chew on. #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

Friday! Proverbs! Apply yourself to discipline and listen to words of knowledge. Don't withhold discipline from a youth; if you punish him with a rod, he will not die. Proverbs 23:12-13 CSB V13 is our target today & this proverb has been used to justify all kinds of outrageous behaviour. Jesus in Matt 18:6 gives a dire warning to people who harm children. V12 talks to us about being disciplined or corrected, and it's the same word in v13.  The same word.  This is not written directly at parents - the nuclear family we take as 'normal' today is a relatively recent way of living in community.  It seems to be directed at the adults in the community, firstly where are we as adults getting our wisdom, instruction and correction from? And then what happens when we apply that in the life of a child? Sometimes they don't like it, just as I don't always like God gently nudging me about my actions, attitudes and thoughts.  A child sometimes responds with a big emotion

For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity - the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. 1 Timothy 2:5-6 NLT Paul wants Tim to be crystal clear about who Jesus is. He is the link, the only path to reconcile God and people.  He also wants Tim to be clear about how that happened, by Jesus choice and action.  And that this saving work of Jesus is for everyone.  Paul has asked us to pray for everyone (v1), and wants everyone to be saved (v4), and now adds that it's Jesus who has made the way for everyone. Our God is Big.  There's days when I don't know that His grace could extend to me.  But it does.  And it's all through Jesus and his work on the cross.  #everyoneincludesme #jesusatthecentre #Godsgraceisenough

This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 CSB What is good? Praying for everyone. Praying for those in authority. Because it pleases God.  What does? Us praying.  What does pleasing God look like? It looks like us praying for people.  Paul uses the phrase "God our savior", the word here is soter, from which we get soteriology (the study of salvation through Jesus). The root word is 'sozo', to save, and soter carries to save, to deliver, to preserve.  God is our saviour, our deliverer, our life preserver, and what we can do is pray.  It's God who does the saving. It's like Paul is telling Tim (& us) that he doesn't have to carry the weight of saving people. That's God's job. He's the saviour, deliverer, preserver.  Tim's job (& ours) is to pray. Pray for people. I'm not sure I do this nearly enough. #peopletoprayfor #beingthesaviourisGods

Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 1 Timothy 2:2 NLT Paul doesn't tell Tim to pray this way for those in authority who he agrees with, or those in authority who treat him well, but to pray for them.  That's all.  Paul was one of those people in authority, so he knows that no one is beyond God's transforming grace.  And when I pray for someone it causes them to become more human, more whole, not just the view the media has given me, not just the view I have of them.  The word translated 'dignified' is 'semnotes' which is; "properly, gravity ("gravitas"), referring to what has real weight (dignity); hence, veneration for what is worthy of respect" Paul wants us to live lives focussed on what's important, what is weighty, not to get sidetracked. And his way of helping us to do that is to pray, pray for those in authority. #peopletoprayfor #ups

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people... 1 Timothy 2:1 NIV This letter to Tim hasn't been written out of the blue, but is part of Paul and Timothy's relationship.  And Paul starts here with reminding Tim we have a Big God, who wants us to share His Big Vision for the world by praying for all people. So often my prayers are focused on me, my stuff, what's going on in my orbit, and Paul gently encourages us to lift our heads and see the world.  Not to be overwhelmed by the enormity of the world's problems, or to think they're all ours to solve, but to grasp a glimpse of God's heart for people. Where does your mind go when you think about people around the world? Tonga. Chicago. Dhaka. Wuhan. Echuca. London. Places in the news, places where you know people, places where there's people God loves and wants us to love.  We have a Big God who doesn't want us to lose sight of the world He loves.

Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. 1 Timothy 1:18-19 NIV Three things to consider here: Life can be a battle sometimes. It's tough, and we have to fight. Fight our enemy, the Liar, fight the pressures of this world, the lies we've been taught, sometimes the desires of our own hearts, and sometimes we're in a battle with our bodies that fail or just get old.  Life can be a battle. There are and can be shipwrecks along the way. Interesting that Paul uses this picture becuase he survived more than one, which just reminds us that yes shipwrecks happen, even a shipwreck of faith, but they don't have to be fatal, they aren't necessarily the end. And third he calls Tim to hold on to the truth spoken over him in the past. Hold on to

Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge. Proverbs 23:12 NIV Looking for Jesus in this proverb shows someone who consistently sought time alone with the Father, and who's life consistently lived out his mission, consistently lived out the law, in fact was the embodiment of the law.  Read the proverb again and Jesus kind of subsumes it into himself, as he is the instructor, he is words of knowledge. Yet he took time out to be alone with the Father, he still needed that divine interaction and communication, which is where this proverb points us. There may be lots of reasons why being alone with God can be difficult or scary, and it can go against the clamour and noise of our culture, and Jesus had to work hard to make it happen sometimes too, but just maybe taking a small step in that direction is possible for all of us in 2022.  #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #Godsgym

Friday! Proverbs! Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge. Proverbs 23:12 NIV The word here for heart is "leb", the mind, the inner person, the heart.  This proverb is calling us to apply ourselves, our heart, mind, thinking, the core of who we are.  This is not easy work. When it comes to God's word it's not like an instruction manual with a set of tasks, God wants to get into our core, and meet us there.  And mostly, that's not a place I even want to go myself, this world seems to want us to scoot along on the surface and meet its expectations, fit it's mold, not think too hard about what it's doing to our inner self. This little proverb asks us to listen carefully, and to apply what we hear. This is going to take discernment of what or who we're listening to, what or who are we giving the most weight to, whose instruction are we applying to our hearts.  If the answer is that God's word should be the voice we give the

Now to the King eternal, immortal,  invisible,  the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.  Amen. 1 Timothy 1:17 CSB This is Paul's conclusion to his introduction in this letter. He has shared some things that he did that he is not proud of, and introduces us to the patience and mercy and grace of God, and ends with more attributes of God he wants to emphasise - just how Big God is. And  His stance towards God - that now in Paul's life he no longer wants the glory and the honour, but that all belongs to God.  It can be an easy thing to say: "all glory and honour goes to God", but Paul has acknowledged who he has been and the patience and mercy of God in his life, and now wants anything that we see to point to the God who is behind it all, the God who loves us, and just wants us to love Him. #thisisourGod

But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:16 NLT In the last part of this verse Paul lets us know that his story is important for one reason; that others will see God's mercy at work, see God's patience, His love in action, and know that they are not beyond God's grace.  And that echoes down the centuries to us.  I am not beyond God's grace.  And just as Paul's story mattered, so does yours, so does mine. God's mercy, patience and grace is found in our stories, in who we are, and each story, each person, is precious.  Including you. #dearlyloved #comeasyouare #loveinaction

But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:16 NLT There's days when we all feel the same as Paul, that we are, I am, the worst of sinners. It's not a competition, but when we look back on an action (or inaction), a choice, a thought that we've dwelt on, that thought is there: how could God love me? "But God". "But God had mercy on me" Mercy is love in action. So let's rewrite it; But God loved me in action. Even though he knows me, he is patient, and he loves me in action, the action that bought Jesus into the Story, that made a way of reconciliation, that gave the Spirit to indwell. Even though he knows me, he loves me in action. No matter what is ahead of you today, or what 2022 might hold, this is truth we can rest in. #dearlyloved #comeasyouare #loveinaction

This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance:  "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" - and I am the worst of them. 1 Timothy 1:15 CSB Paul is keeping it real here, he's not looking anywhere else but in the mirror, and knows that without Jesus love in action, he too would be lost.  Jesus came for us.  Even though we were not perfect, not sorted, he came for us anyway.  Jesus came on mission.  Jesus mission was and is to save. To save us.  Paul's emotions say that he is the worst. Because that's how he feels.  "I'm the worst". And he holds onto the Truth that Jesus came for sinners, for him.  No matter how we feel about ourselves in any moment, Jesus love in action says that you and I are the reason for Jesus mission. We are the ones Jesus came for.  You are.  I feel like I'm the worst, and Jesus loves me.  Tim Keller put it this way: "The gospel says you are more sinful and flawed than you ever dared believe, but m

Don't move an ancient boundary marker, and don't encroach on the fields of the fatherless, for their Redeemer is strong, and he will champion their cause against you. Proverbs 23:10-11 CSB Jesus is the Redeemer.  He is strong, yet he gave up his power and became small, humble, as a servant.  He did champion our cause, just not how it was expected. He defeated death not by overpowering it, but by entering in, for us.  He is championing our cause in ways we don't always get.  This ancient proverb written hundreds of years before Jesus, points us to him, our kinsman redeemer. He is our hope and our future, our restorer, the lifter of our heads, the one who spoke the world into being, yet will wipe our tears.  Yes this world is full of boundary movers and field encroachers, but their days are numbered, their power will wane and fade into nothing when we see Jesus face to face.  #theBigStory #thereisaRedeemer #onedayallwillbemadenew #hopeiscomingforyou #sunday #worship #thisisou

Don't move an ancient boundary marker, and don't encroach on the fields of the fatherless, for their Redeemer is strong, and he will champion their cause against you. Proverbs 23:10-11 CSB The powerless, the fatherless, those who are vulnerable, those on the margins, those who no one will believe if what belongs to them is taken, if they are used, abused, marginalised or ripped off, they have a Redeemer.  This is such a rich word that is a kinsman who will step in and help, buy back, make right, redeem, and provide for.  And this Redeemer is strong.  A strong person who takes up the cause of another, fights for them, for what has been taken, a person who sees the injustice and steps towards the person who has been harmed.  Hope is coming for you. This proverb reminds us that there is a Redeemer who will fight for us, yet we still live in this world where that hasn't happened, or at best, hasn't happened fully. And there's days when we wish He would just make things

Friday!  Proverbs! Don't move an ancient boundary marker, and don't encroach on the fields of the fatherless... Proverbs 23:10 CSB What a great proverb to kick off 2022 with because while it uses ancient examples, when you scratch the surface a little it's all about current issues: the use of power, and injustice. In the corner of my section almost buried in the garden is a wooden survey peg that marks the boundary. In a culture where large open areas of land were marked by natural features (unmovable) or man-made things like a cairn of stones that marked a boundary. When there's no one around, how easy to move the stones and increase my land.  How easy to start to use the field of the fatherless, the person with less power.  This is a call to all of us to use integrity and value those in our world with less power than we have, to treat them with respect, honesty, and honour.  All of us can recall times when our boundaries have been violated, someone with power has used

I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me... But I received mercy...  ...and the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:12-14 CSB Paul expands on his greeting of grace mercy and peace with his own personal experience, from his particular circumstances, and from that is a grateful heart.  His circumstances, culture, the world in which he lived is different to mine, different to yours. But just like Paul we can choose to see where we have received God's mercy, where his grace has overflowed in our lives, and to be grateful.  It may have been a word, a smile, a txt, a hug, a moment where someone connected with us in a difficult time, God speaking from his word, from the Spirit within, a moment of understanding that we are dearly loved children of the Living God.  I think those are glimpses of heaven. In the meantime by writing how grateful he is, Paul encourages us to write our gratitude journal this year,

As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach false doctrine or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God's plan, which operates by faith. 1 Timothy 1:3-4 CSB Many years ago I went to a special church meeting with a famous speaker who laid out the revelation he had from God with charts and Bible verses and the coming complete collapse of the world financial system which he predicted with certainty.  It's easy to get caught up in these things and the people Paul is writing to hear are no different. Because our hearts are the same. We're easily distracted by noise and controversies as being the most important thing.  God's plan operates by Faith.  Faith allows me to see beauty and goodness in creation, in people, even in the midst of difficulty and the drama of life. Faith allows me to live with confidence in a God who is bigger than whatever the cur

To Timothy, my true son in the faith.  Grace,  mercy,  and peace  from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 1 Timothy 1:2 CSB Peace. The word for peace here is "eirene": one, peace, quietness, rest. This was a common farewell, an invocation of peace of mind. It means "to join, tie together into a whole) - properly, wholeness, i.e. when all essential parts are joined together; peace". This peace is about when we're all joined up, all the disjointed parts of us are one again.  Paul is not offering this from himself but from God the Father and from Jesus. This peace can be ours only because of the first 2 things here, God's grace & mercy towards us.  Peace. When our minds are at rest.  We get glimpses of this peace, not sure where it happens for you, maybe it's a beach at sunset, holding a sleeping baby, being in God's creation, savouring coffee, completing a task, creating something, running a marathon, exercising your gifts and abilities... a

To Timothy, my true son in the faith.  Grace,  mercy,  and peace  from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 1 Timothy 1:2 CSB The second thing that Paul has for us is "mercy". The Greek word here is "eleos" and means mercy, pity, compassion.  As you and I step into a new year it's a wonderful thing to know that we are the object of "eleos" from our Heavenly Father, and from Jesus.  To have mercy and compassion for someone we have to at least hear about them, their circumstances, what has happened to them, what injury, hurt, loss, injustice has hit them. Hearing about those things makes us compassionate, seeing it raises our compassion and mercy another level, and if we know the person, that really swings us into action.  Mercy makes us want to help, to comfort, to right what is wrong, to make that person whole again. Ephesians 1:4 says that God knew us from before time, Psalm 139 describes how well we are known.  As humans we are limited, but God

To Timothy, my true son in the faith.  Grace,  mercy,  and peace  from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 1 Timothy 1:2 CSB It's a new year and there's NY honours lists published of high achievers being honoured, there's the diet industry cranking up telling us about how much better we can be, and the noise around NY resolution and you've got to change X, improve your life here... In this letter to Tim, (perhaps put your own name in here), Paul encourages us to start with 3 different things, & the first one is: Grace. Grace is swimming in the ocean of God's "for us". We can't contain or manage or own Grace that is so big, so much. Grace is God's love in action that we get to rest in.  Grace is being with those people who love you as you are, accept you fully, and not only let you be you, want you to be you.  That's like a sprinkling of grace, and God's grace for us is like the ocean, so massive, we can't use it up, experience

Don't speak to a fool,  for he will despise the insight of your words. Proverbs 23:9 CSB As we kick off 2022 let's not let the media, social media, the voices of the culture shape who we are or what we focus on, who we should become, but let God's word do that. This proverb has wisdom in it. Wisdom that is helpful for us as limited people to keep our boundaries.  Yet when we look for Jesus in it, he kind of blew it up! When we look for Jeuss here, he says "even though". Even though I'll be despised. Even though I'll be despised I'm coming after those people.  Even though I'll be rejected. Even though the cross. This proverb says "don't speak", yet Jesus is the Word, the Word that spoke creation into existence. Even though it makes sense not to speak to those who will reject you, Jesus love for us was bigger.  His love is more. Even though it makes sense to walk away from creation, he doesn't. He walks towards.  Towards us.  In all