verseoftheday

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray... Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand... Philippians 4:6-7 nlt Peace here is the word "eirene" (to join, tie together into a whole) - properly, wholeness, i.e. when all essential parts are joined together; peace (God's gift of wholeness). This promised peace is more than not being anxious, but points us to that full and final restoration that we will one day have, but God wants us to have a taste of now. Wholeness, when everything we are works together in the way it was designed...what we were created for... #peace #restore

I am a friend to anyone who fears you - anyone who obeys your commandments. Psalms 119:63 NLT I don't think there were denominations when this psalm was written, but there was God's people, those he chose to represent Him to the world, so maybe this is a very early missional statement that if you know God, we're on the same team regardless of our ethnic background, our religious heritage, & today, our denominational distinctives. So get to church today somewhere if you can...& connect with Gods people :) #sunday #worship #inthistogether

And yet I will show you the most excellent way. Love...does not envy... 1 Corinthians 12:31, 13:4 NIV Let's not pretend this is easy. It's the 10th commandment, and if you look at the other 9 it plays a part when we break the other 9. Love and envy do not coexist. But that's God, who is love. In my world, in my heart, in my mind, the battle is on... The antidote? Be thankful - not just an attitude but an action. Actually count your blessings and the good things and people in your life. Do it. Be content Pray - ask God to replace envy with love, contentment and thankfulness Choose to be happy for the success of others. The more you do this the more genuine it becomes The "most excellent way" isn't always easy... #loveis #choose #thankfulness

Friday! Proverbs!Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy. Proverbs 27:6 NLT It's hard to bring up difficult issues with those we care about & it can take a lot of courage...and has a lot of risk...but I think this is more about being on the receiving end of criticism or concern... Is it coming from a (sincere, real, genuine) friend? Then listen first for the heart...no matter what the criticism or issue this person loves me, cares for me, that's why they're taking the risk While I love compliments, this proverb says it's about the source...better to hear the hard things from someone on your team :) #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #watchoutforNamibia #wounds

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. James 1:5 NLT Wisdom is more than knowledge...wisdom is more than making good choices or smart decisions, it's more than being able to write great assignment or pass exams...it's a life that is guided by the input of truth, the cumulative and growing blessing of good choices and decisions, the maturity to see beyond the moment...to know that even in hard or difficult times, or when tough choices have to be made, God's principles and truth are trustworthy...so ask for wisdom and our generous God will give it...and that wisdom may appear from unexpected sources... #faith #wisdom #generousGod

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:2-4 NLT So let it grow, embrace it...feel your endurance growing as your faith is tested...it's like going for a run or a gym session...but for our faith! And the gym is the testing of our faith...feel the spiritual muscles of faith grow. That's quite a thing. When our endurance is complete (when is that?) that's a good place to get to What's testing your faith now? Unanswered prayer? Doubt? Silence? Fear? So let your endurance grow #faith

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. James 1:2-3 NLT Great joy? Troubles? It's really hard to have a "joy" view of life when it's hard. In some arenas of life tho we do accept this and even look for it...in sports, or go tramping, or something where  we push ourselves...out of our comfort zone... when the going gets tough we find out more about ourselves... about the reserves we have. And win or lose there is a satisfaction, a joy in the effort, in the learning. And James says it's the same with our faith...in the testing comes endurance & in that there is joy... #faith #inthistogether

Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. Isaiah 1:17 NLT After telling the people off for their religious activity that missed completely it's purpose...God reveals His heart in this instruction...this is how I want you to live...this is where My heart is... The marginalised, hurt, lonely, disadvantaged... #truereligion #Godsheart

...And yet I will show you the most excellent way...love is kind. 1 Corinthians 12:31, 13:4 NIV This has to be one of the simplist command in the Bible...yet...for some of us it's just so hard...getting my first response to be kind... My humour is sometimes not kind (sometimes not funny either), my judging of people is not kind, sometimes my words, tone, look...so my work on is to change my habit to be kind first. #loveis

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8 NIV I want to be prosperous and successful...but am I prepared to meditate on God's Word like that? Am I prepared to do what it says? The Bible is pretty serious about itself...so maybe I should take it a bit more seriously too... This passage says to Memorise it Meditate on it Obey it Then there is success...maybe my view of what success is will change too... #GodsWord #getyourarmouron

Friday!! Proverbs!! Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Proverbs 27:5 NIV What is this about? Is getting told off means at least I'm getting some attention? Maybe that's been your experience...that even negative attention is better than none... Maybe in this is a challenge for us to be more loving...not to hold back or speak negatively...but to encourage others more...to give others the opportunity to thrive, to flourish... What do you think? On the other side of every rebuke we give is there someone who really needs love? #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn't think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God-which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 nlt God's Word is not just ordinary words on a page...somehow they can change us and "work" in us...for that to happen we need to Read it Memorise it Repeat it Meditate on it Apply it... #GodsWord #getinamongstit #getyourarmouron

1 Corinthians 12:31, 13:4 nlt ...But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all... Love is patient... OK let's stop right here. Patience is not something I'm great at, not something that comes naturally and yet it is the very first thing when it comes to love...so step#1 in loving others...be patient. What is patience? Waiting with a happy heart! Not faking it or waiting grudgingly, but choosing to be happy while waiting as an act of love... God is love...and he's definitely patient. May I show love to others by being patient... #loveis

Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. May God's grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 6:23-24 NLT In Nov 2013 we started Ephesians with    Paul telling us we are chosen, & loved...and he ends the letter with a blessing... You are chosen You are dearly loved And may God's peace reside in your heart... May God's grace always be on you. What a great way to be encouraged and warmed no matter what the challenges of today brings for you... #dearlyloved #chosen #ephesiansdoneanddusted

While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.  When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. "Why this waste?" they asked. Matthew 26:6-8 NIV After 3 years with Jesus they still didn't get it...the thinking of the world is turned upside down and the giving of the best we have, the most beautiful...giving that back to Jesus...that's not waste...that's worship...worship of our King who wants only our heart. The world won't get it, our families might not get it, even some in our church won't get it, but keep giving of your best, for the Audience of One #audienceofone

Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. Ephesians 6:19-20 NIV How often do we pray for our pastors, church leaders and our teachers & preachers, worship leaders? No matter who they are they need our prayers...Paul, after all he has done and experienced still asks for prayer that he'll have no fear. Being up front makes you vulnerable, exposed... Fearless in sharing the gospel. Maybe we all need that... I'm gonna find out who is preaching at my church today and pray that they'll be fearless in sharing God's word today. Will you do that too? #sunday #fearless #loveyourchurch

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. Ephesians 6:18 NIV What's the first thing Paul says to do once we've got our armour on? Pray. And when we pray have space to listen to God's Spirit... Pray whatever our circumstances...good or bad... And talk to God about anything! That's cool :) But keep praying for people...don't lose sight of the people in your life and keep praying for them, on their behalf, with them... #getyourarmouron #pray #inthistogether

Friday!! Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy? Proverbs 27:4 NIV Wow. For all the pain and hurt of anger it's not as bad as jealousy! So often the pangs of jealousy start with comparing...comparing what I look like, what I have, what I can do, what I've achieved... with you. Comparison is the thief of Joy. The antidote? Choose to be genuinely happy for others when good things happen to or for them. And choose to be content with who you are. These are disciplines that we need to keep working on, but they're worth it... You & I are accepted, secure & significant in the eyes of our Creator #dearlyloved #choose #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17 NIV Our key piece of protection is salvation :) No matter what I am safe in God's love and His ultimate protection. No matter what I do, or what I've done, or had done to me, God won't love me less. And the only weapon mentioned is the Word. Jesus, God personified  is the Word. God expresses Himself thru his revelation, the Word, & here it is not my sword, but the sword of the Spirit... God is with us in every way... Truth Righteousness Gospel of peace Faith Salvation The Word #with #getyourarmouron

In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Ephesians 6:16 NIV What we believe is critical when attacks, trouble, doubts come our way, and they will... Faith here is like a shield so that those things that would bring us down bounce off. "Flaming arrows" are scary but they can be put out. What we believe about God, who He is, is important. Shields in those days were locked together to protect the whole group and allow them to advance. Faith is often stronger in community...so if u move town or country getting into a faith community is critical. Get locked in #inthistogether #loveyourchurch #faith #getyourarmouron

If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:3 NIV Giving is good. Disciplining ourselves is good too...but it's our heart that God is interested in...without our heart being oriented by love, it's just religion...just noise...we don't give to gain points with God, we don't practice spiritual disciplines to make ourselves more holy...because all of that work was accomplished by Jesus on our behalf. So give because you want to, because your heart hurts for those who's needs are greater, get up early and pray because you want to...because you want communion with God... #notreligion #loveGod #lovepeople #inthistogether

Acts 2:37-38 niv When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, Brothers, what shall we do?  Peter replied, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ... Every one of you...Peter had unpacked who Jesus was, what his death was all about, & when the people heard that the question was - what do we do? Repent. Change direction. Step towards God in faith not away from Him And be baptized. Every one of you. If you've never been baptized then why not now? If you have been baptised, think back to that event and the significance of it... #baptism #somethingtochewon

Ephesians 6:14-15 Stand firm then...with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Why do we need our shoes on? 'Cos we need to be ready to go...go out... and this readiness comes from knowing the gospel, the gospel that about peace and for peace, both in the world...and in your soul... So be ready...to go...across the room, across town or across the world :) #getyourarmouron #faith

Matthew 25.37-40.niv ...Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you... sick or in prison and go to visit you?  The King will reply... whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me... The overlooked,  abandoned, disadvantaged and marginalised can be found in our own families, our town, or around the world...but everything we do for them, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant is an expression of grace in and to this world, and an act of worship to our God Whether you give some money, time, use your vocation, skills, we can all be agents of grace #lovepeople #agentofgrace

Friday!! Proverbs 27.3.niv Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but a fool's provocation is heavier than both. What weighs you down? The writer here must have someone in his life who keeps going on, keeps nudging him about something... a failure, a mistake, the way he looks or dresses...maybe it's someone who is always sarcastic, makes those cutting remarks...and it's weighing him down to the point where it would be easier to be carry sand and stone... Don't be that person in someone else's life... #buildeachotherup #lovepeople #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

Ephesians 6.14.niv Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place... How do we get this righteousness in place? Only through faith in Jesus and what He did for us...not what we have done or will do, not by being "good", but by the saving grace of Jesus. So strap that on. And if you've never done that, just talk to God about it. Accept the righteousness that comes with faith in Jesus as your saviour...nothing that we do can add or take away from the righteousness we have in Jesus :) #getyourarmouron #faith #Jesus #jesusatthecentre #nootherway

Ephesians 6.14.niv Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist... When the pressure comes on us, we often waver about what we believe...what we think is true...so the first piece of armour is to know the Truth. Buckle God's word to your body! What we believe is true shouldn't change with our circumstances or our feelings...so knowing God's word for ourselves is critical So read it, study it, listen to it, memorize it...buckle it on... #getyourarmouron #inthistogether

Ephesians 6.11.niv Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. So that...this armour of God is not to look good, but it's so that we can take our stand...there's going to be a time or times when we need to stand and we're going to need some armour. The devil's schemes seems to imply cunning and sneaky means to get to us...not some in your face and obvious thing...when someone is scheming against us they are working away at strategies and ideas to find our weaknesses...so we need our armour on... #getyourarmouron #inthistogether