verseoftheday

When Jesus heard this, he told them, "Healthy people don"t need a doctor - sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners." Mark 2:17 NLT I so want to believe that I can be good enough, do enough, get it right, that I can save myself. If I just do X a bit better, and cut out Y... Jesus says here that if you think you can do this on your own, satisfy a Holy God, then I can't really help you. Once we see that we need Grace, that we're all broken, fallen people, that we all have "stuff", then we can see God's Grace as the wonderful gift that it is, and step into it. Yes I want to be better, do better, not to earn that Grace, but because of it. I cannot earn a gift (& cannot unearn it) #grace #inthistogether #gospelofmark #wordsofJesus "Church isn't A museum for good people But a hospital For the broken"

...four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn't bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus... Mark 2:3-4 NLT Great account of inventiveness and determination to get their friend to see Jesus. Love this. Do you wonder about the back story? Are these the same 4 people who bring this man food? Take him to the toilet every day. Clean him up. Does he live with one of them? Are they family? Are there whole families or groups of people in the background who have supported and cared for this man? A group of children who grew up seeing their parents love in action? Probably. Healing Help Hope These things are found in community. These 4 guys are the heroes here. The upfront people. One day it will be interesting to see who the background heroes are. #loveinaction #community #inthistogether #walkingeachotherhome #gospelofmark

While he was preaching God's word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. Mark 2:3 NLT Today, I am that person lying on the mat, and someone I can't see is holding one corner and carrying me. The sun is behind them, and all I can't make out who it is, and without saying a word, they are carrying me... This week an envelope arrived with tickets to a church conference. Generously & anonymously paid for. In the context of this story I saw this as someone walking alongside me, carrying, sharing the load, but God has prompted me to see this differently. He has said that I am the one in need, and this is someone carrying me. Taking me towards Jesus. Healing, help and hope are found in community, as we walk towards, and at times are carried, towards, Jesus. #loveinaction #community #towards #inthistogether #walkingeachotherhome #gospelofmark

Everyone rushed to the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul's traveling companions from Macedonia. Acts of the Apostles 19:29 NLT Paul was from Tarsus. His traveling companions were from Macedonia. They were caught up in this riot together, & must've been journeying together for a while to be called traveling companions. Last night we watched a movie which is a story about unlikely traveling companions who changed as they got to know one another. Grew to love one another. Carry one another. On this journey of our life, we all need traveling companions. They may be with us for a season (like Paul's friends) or people we commit to for life. They may be unlikely companions, from different backgrounds and places, & we may have to grow to love them. There's going to be "riots", trouble, difficulty, and we need to learn to bear one another's burdens when the going gets tough. To love. To love one another. #unlikel...

For you, God, have heard my vows; you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name. Psalm 61:5 NIV We don't know from this Psalm what committments David made to God, but God gave him something back. Community. People. People to journey with. Healing comes in community Strength is restored in community Our weaknesses are exposed (& used) in community Our hearts are humbled and encouraged in community. We are challenged and confronted about our sin in community. Hope is kindled, & faith is strengthened when we journey together. It's a taster of what is to come. A glimpse of how it will be. A glimpse of the place where love is free. #inthistogether #jumpin #psalms #psalm61 #walkingeachotherhome

But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] will gain new strength... Isaiah 40:31 AMP "Those who wait" appears to be plural...so we aren't to do this waiting, expecting, looking for, hoping thing on our own. It's so much easier to be hopeful with someone else, to share our burdens, our hurts, our sorrows. When we're waiting on God it's better to do that in community - that's what we're designed for :) When we're together, waiting, we get to share our stories, to see a bit of Jesus in one another, to learn to give a little more, to forgive a little more, to love a little more. Don't waste your waiting. Don't wait alone. #wait #strength #inthistogether #walkingeachotherhome

"The heart of the wise teaches his mouth and to his lips adds learning" Proverbs 16:23 transliteration How many times have I said something unnecessary, how much trouble have I caused, how many people I've hurt...because of the words I've said? This Proverb is clear on 2 things: 1. I can change the words I say. My mouth can be taught and my lips can get learning. I can change. 2. It's my heart and it's orientation that is the key. The heart of the wise. The source of wisdom? The fear of, the knowledge of, the heart of, God. Faith in Jesus turns me in the right direction, and choosing to walk with Him keeps me heading in that way... Love God. As we're walking together heart surgery happens as we live it out Love people #inthistogether #loveGod #lovepeople #walkingeachotherhome

Therefore , my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Philippians 2:12-13 NIV My dear friends - the ESV translates this "my beloved" - so not only does Paul love them, but they're  dearly loved by God. How good is that? Knowing that you are the object of God's love, but dearly loved by people here and now...how nice to hear that...and from that comes the courage and strength to live as Paul is calling these people to live. So...how will the people in your life, in my life, know that they're beloved, unless we tell them. Give them courage. Strength. Who needs to hear that from you today? Lord, reveal to me today who you want me to encourage, strengthen and love today. Thanks. Amen. #dearlyloved #speaklife #inthistogether #walkingeachotherhome

The highway of the upright avoids evil; those who guard their ways preserve their lives. Proverbs 16:17 NIV Jesus came face to face with evil, he was tempted, he faced up to the malignant, the corrupt, the negative, the religious, yet he refused to be swayed, did not budge from his path... his highway ran through evil, yet he refused to take it on board, refused to let it change him... He did guard his ways, but not to preserve his own life, but to preserve ours! To save us. As Tim Keller says "Jesus lived the life we should have lived, and died the death in our place we should have died. On the cross Jesus was treated as we deserved, so that when we believe in him, we're treated as he deserves... Our life is preserved because of the only truly upright one... #thisisourGod #sunday #worship #inthistogether #forgiven #accepted #belong #dearlyloved

The highway of the upright avoids evil; those who guard their ways preserve their lives. Proverbs 16:17 NIV A highway does not shift (easily anyway!). Sometimes when we're on the highway we just can't avoid going past the negative, the bad, the malignant... The conversation has started, the movie has begun, the business is in motion, the deal is being done...maybe just one drink... When we lived in PNG occasionally there would be attempts made to stop your vehicle when traveling on the highway...and sometimes the locals in the vehicle would say "don't stop, drive on, don't stop" Sometimes we just have to recognise the danger & drive on, drive through the roadblock...leave the conversation, turn the movie off, halt the deal, exit, leave, walk away... we might lose face, status, maybe even friends... but we'll preserve our life! #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #inthistogether #walkingeachotherhome

Friday! Proverbs! The highway of the upright avoids evil; those who guard their ways preserve their lives. Proverbs 16:17 NIV This word "evil" here carries a range of meanings...bad, malignant, giving pain, displeasing... And the "highway" is a course or a path or a highway... Sometimes there are lots of ways for us to choose. Lots of words we could use, responses to situations, and we get a choice, to  avoid evil, the negative, the bad, the malignant... Solomon tells us here to take the path that avoids that stuff, don't dwell on it, don't repeat it, don't pass it on, go around, keep away. Guard your life. We all have different things that drag us down, hold us back, tempt, are negative... malignant. Guard your life from them. Like any journey on the highway if life we can go alone or with someone - sometimes we need to ask for help to Guard our life, to steer away, to choose the good and avoid the "evil" #proverbs #wisdom #someth...

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Philippians 2:1-2 NIV Our Pastor is in prison. And he asks for everyone to  pray to get him out, come and visit, bring a food parcel... No. He asks if we have gotten any goodness at all from being a Christian, then his joy will be complete if we are of one mind. One love. One spirit. United in thought and spirit. There's only one thing that can unite people like that...the Gospel. The Gospel that brings us all to the foot of the cross. The cross where we're all in need of grace. Where we're all the same, where we can have one mind, one heart. One love. United. #inthistogether

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ... stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel... Philippians 1:27-28 NIV "Whatever happens..." Pressure, stress, illness, death, hurt, disappointment. It's going to happen. And there's going to be joy, abundance, health, victory, rest, beauty, restoration, creativity...goodness. That's going to happen too. And in between, there could well be a bit of drudgery, everyday, ordinary, unspectacular, not instagram worthy moments, days, weeks... Whatever happens, live in a manner worthy of the Gospel. The Good News. That Jesus died, and was raised to life, to deal once for all for my sin, and make a way, to be the way, back to God. To adoption To acceptance To forgiveness To love Nothing I could do, nothing I can do, but believe and accept the Grace that flows towards me...that Good News! So whatever happens, live in a way that is worthy of...

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel... Philippians 1:27-28 NIV Striving together as one: how come the Christian community can't seem to do that? Sometimes we complain & bicker about the trivial & leave no energy for striving together. Rather than encourage, we tend to pick holes... You & me though, we don't have to be like that. We can choose to stand together, to strive together, "whatever happens". Paul's in jail for his faith. Can't see my pastor going to jail anytime soon...but... Tragedy Financial setbacks Loss, hurt, grief, depression, illness, injury...these things & more all affect my community & I want to strive together. Let's follow Paul's call here :) #oneheart #onelove #inthistogether

As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. Psalm 84:6 NIV The valley of Baka, the valley of tears, of weeping. The only way is through, but in the process of moving through they make it a place of springs. Springs are about water, about life, about flourishing.  A place where those travelling through, & others coming behind can find goodness. Look for the most likely areas for water...and dig. Dig. In the valley of tears we need to dig. And in that the psalmist is encouraging us that we'll find some goodness for us, and for other travelers. What are the likely places to dig? His Spirit. Pray His Word. Read His people. Share When we're in the valley of hurt, of loss, of grief, it can become a place of life. #psalms #psalm84 #valleyoftears #with #through #inthistogether #life

As they pass through the Valley of Baka... Psalm 84:6 NIV When we're in the valley, the valley of tears, we just want out. God fix this thing. Sort my problem. Restore my health, relationship, financial situation... get me that job... Get me out of this Valley. The Valley of Baka. The Valley of Tears. But the way here is "through". Through. And in his most famous Psalm David wrote this: Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me...even the valley of the shadow of death...we're not alone. Not alone in the Valley. Our God is with us Jesus knows all about the Valley of Tears, and will walk with us ... #tears #valleyoftears #through #inthistogether #psalms #psalm84 #with

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best... Philippians 1:9-10 NIV Yes I want to know what's best. Yes I want knowledge. Yes I want insight. The path to get that is Love. Agape. Literally the love God prefers. The love that brought Jesus from heaven. The love that took Him to the cross. The love that held Him there. The love that withstood separation from the Father The love that took all my sin. That love. Giving, sacrificial, costly, other oriented. May that love abound in you and me, overflow... more and more. Loving like that leads to insight, to knowledge, to knowing what's best... Paul is praying that over the church. This morning I'm praying that for you. Is there someone who you can pray this prayer for? #prayer #inthistogether #love #lovelikeJesus

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. Psalm 84:5 NIV Blessed are those who rely on their own strength? Blessed are those who have it all together? Blessed are those who never need anyone? Blessed are those who find strength in you (& the you is found in the previous verses - Yahweh) It's OK to acknowledge our weakness, our failure, our hurts... Our hearts are set on pilgrimage - literally the highway. The road The journey Our hearts are set on the journey. Where we are is not the destination, not the endpoint... Our strength is in God, and our mind is set on the journey - in that we find blessing :) #theroad #inthistogether #blessing #strength #lifeisajourney #psalms #psalm84

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:4-6 NIV Joy. Joy in hardship. Joy despite circumstances. What is Paul's source of joy? Knowing that there are others striving for the sake of the gospel, others who have kept the faith despite opposition. Paul was in a tough place, but his joy came from knowing that hadn't dented the faith of the people in his life. So keep the faith with those who are in a tough season. And out of this, there's growth. Knowing that God is at work in the lives of people gave Paul joy in the midst of his trial. God has things to teach us in the storm... #faith #joy #sunday #worship #thisisourGod

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus... Philippians 1:1 NIV Paul & Tim. This life works better when you live it with others :) These two were serving God together, and that's a pretty good model for us too... Join a team, put your hand up to serve, find a mentor... ask. Or maybe you can take someone with you, replicate the good...identify someone's gifting and encourage them in that, help to remove the barriers to to their growth, their  success...give them a platform, a springboard... #somethingtochewon #inthistogether