verseoftheday

He said to them,  "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be called a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves!" Matthew 21:13 NLT Jesus got really upset about what was going on in church. He turfed people out, flipped tables, and then delivers this charge at those who   were there... it seems that Jesus is upset because people have lost sight of the purpose of the temple, the reason for coming, and turned it into a transaction. If you do X then you'll be acceptable to God. What's X for you, for me? What's the X that my church has? The thing is Jesus was right there, the God they were seeking was right there, and they missed him because they had turned it all into religion. Let's not miss Jesus today. #wordsofJesus  #redletterBible  #Jesusisnotatransaction #itsaheartthing #grace #youarealreadyBeloved

Friday! Proverbs! Never slander a worker to the employer, or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it. Proverbs 30:10 NLT Seems like a shift in Agur's proverbs, and while this is good advice, what's not said here? There's a putting down, a maligning, a deliberate getting someone with less power, and putting them in a difficult place with a person with power over them. Who does that? What's going on in my heart when it's OK to get someone bullied? Our words, my words, have the power to speak life or death, blessing or cursing... "Jesus remind me today that my words have power, that they make a difference in the lives of others, may my words speak life today Amen" #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon  #speaklife

As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. "Go into the village over there," he said.  "As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he will immediately let you take them." This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said, "Tell the people of Jerusalem, 'Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey - riding on a donkey's colt.'" Matthew 21:1-5 NLT Matthew is quoting from Isaiah 62 and Zechariah 9. That tells us there's a way bigger story at play here, a fulfillment of something spoken of centuries before. He's telling his team "Don't miss the signs" And at the same time Jesus is asking his disciples to keep taking these small steps of faith, go and ask ab

Jesus stopped in his tracks and called to them.  "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.  "Lord, we want to see," they replied. Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they were able to see, and they followed him. Matthew 20:32-34 CEB Some days it would be great if Jesus was in the neighbourhood and would just reach out and touch the broken parts of us and we would be healed.  There was already a crowd of people with Jesus, perhaps some wanting something, some curious, some threatened by him. And Jesus sees these 2 who cannot see, who are unseen, and loves them.  Jesus sees despite the crowd, despite what others miss, and he loves these 2 blind people.  Whether we get the healing we long for in this moment or not, we are seen, and we are loved. Jesus heart is for us, and that's a miracle in itself. These 2 ex-blind people respond simply-by choosing to follow Jesus.  #follow

May my accusers be clothed with disgrace; may their humiliation cover them like a cloak. But I will give repeated thanks to the Lord, praising him to everyone. For he stands beside the needy, ready to save them from those who condemn them. Psalms 109:29-31 NLT David identifies that the shame doesn't belong to him, but to his accusers.  This is a tricky thing for us to do, and the means to put shame where it belongs is found in the last verse here: God is standing with him.  When we realise that our God is with us, we are in fact His people, that we are Beloved, shame doesn't stick to us in the same way. He stands beside you. Can you picture that today? #psalms #psalm109 #shamemeltsaway #Hestandsbesideyou #youareBeloved