verseoftheday

Sunday Psalms; Psalms 22:14, 17-18, 24, 26 NLT [14] My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me. ... [17] I can count all my bones.  My enemies stare at me and gloat. [18] They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing. ... [24] For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy. He has not turned his back on them, but has listened to their cries for help. ... [26] The poor will eat and be satisfied.  All who seek the Lord will praise him.  Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy. Psalms 22:14, 17-18, 24, 26 NLT If we're looking for intense psalms 22 must be near the top of the list. It contains a number of descriptions of suffering... bones out of joint... heart melted like wax, descriptions of enemies, emotions, abandonment. There's a picture of a person having his last piece of clothing gambled for, which happened to Jesus hundreds of years after this was writte...

Mark 10:26-27 NLT The disciples were astounded.  "Then who in the world can be saved?" they asked.  Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible.  But not with God. Everything is possible with God." Mark 10:26-27 NLT This story in Mark's account seems to be about a person who wanted to confirm his "self salvation" project, that if he kept all the rules, did everything right, he'd be OK. But what he didn't reckon on was Jesus knowing his heart, and what had captured this person. And he couldn't give it up. The disciples seem to have realised that they too had things that captured their hearts, and wondered out loud how anyone can be saved, how anyone can be made right with God... So Jesus tells them that it's God making the way that makes the impossible possible.  We are saved because Jesus stepped towards us.  Grace. Impossible Grace. Because we are Beloved. Crazy, but true. #gospelofMark #GoodNews  #invit...

Friday! Proverbs! [8] The wise in heart accept commands,  but a chattering fool comes to ruin. Proverbs 10:8 NIV "The wise in heart" - what a beautiful description of a person - perhaps this is something to aspire to, and the way at least in part to be "wise in heart" is to be willing to listen to and accept instruction. Direction. To change. And what does this Proverb compare a person "wise in heart" with? Someone who won't listen. Someone who blathers on. My problem is that somedays that's me! Just blah blah, not listening, and not heeding the wisdom of God's Word and what He  invites me towards. Somedays I struggle with the simplest instructions; Love is patient. Love is kind. I'd rather be anything but those things, but this invitation towards being wise on heart draws me back to following God's instruction and loving. Love is patient. Love is kind. Patient and kind toward others.  Patient and kind towards all that is unhealed or un...

As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked,  "Good Teacher,  what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Mark 10:17 NLT Jesus had just started on his journey to Jerusalem when his trip was interrupted- how do we go with interruptions? When people have questions? If Love is patient, love is kind, how do I love others in the interruption? This man interrupts Jesus journey with his Big Question.  And in this, he is our model - bring your Big Questions to Jesus. Our Big Question can lead us to look at what Jesus did and said to seek answers, clarity, help. Our Big Question can lead us to prayer, to seek out the Holy Spirit's quiet voice. Our Big Question can lead us to question those in our world who may be able to point us towards Jesus. What's your Big Question today? Follow the redemptive strands of scripture and seek Jesus in the Question...(remembering that we are already Beloved). #gospelofMark #GoodNews  #in...

Romans 7:4, 6 NLT [4] So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point:  You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ.  And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead.  As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God.  ... [6]...Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit. Romans 7:4, 6 NLT These ways of doing things that the religious leaders had been imposing on people as being the way to be right with God, to be holy, Paul is telling the church in Rome, they're gone.  The last 2 chapters Paul has repeated again and again that we're made right with God through faith in Jesus, through His work, not ours. So don't go back to this rules based life. There's new life now that is Spirit led. We get to live out the law in the place we find ourselves not to get right with God, but in gratitude and to honour Him. What opens up in this Spirit led life...

Romans 6:22-23 NLT [22] But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God.  Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.  [23] For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:22-23 NLT But now. Now free. Free from the slavery to sin, from it's mastery, it's hold, free to line up under God, free to choose the way of the kingdom, free to accept and live in this gift of Life. This gift is big enough to hold us in our doubts, our lapses, our not-so-great choices at times.  It's about trajectory, direction, stepping towards the freedom we have in Jesus, and when we can't quite believe it, living like we do...and we get to do that because it's not us who made the way, not our perfect choices and actions, but Jesus. We rely on The Gift that came from His choice, His actions. The weight is lifted. And we get to step out in the freedom that Jesus gives... #lett...

Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them. Mark 10:16 NLT Jesus said to his team to receive the Kingdom like a child, and then he took the children in his arms, gathered them in, held them close, placed his hands on their heads in blessing and protection, and blessed them. His team were doing something different with the Kingdom, in relation to the Kingdom, wanting to exercise some kind of adult control, manage it, and Jesus rebuked them, come like a child, be wrapped in, and blessed. Loved. Accepted. Welcomed. Today, be welcomed in. Be Accepted  Be Loved. Sink into Jesus embrace and let the Kingdom wash over you (even if it's just for a moment) Accept His Love like a child... #gospelofMark #GoodNews  #invitation  #weareBeloved