verseoftheday

This is what the Lord says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, 'We will not walk in it...'" Jeremiah 6:16 NIV On Sunday we heard a band called The Unexpected Crossroads. Crossroads are places of choice and opportunity and sometimes we know they're coming (like the people Jerry warned) & sometimes they're unexpected... Our lives are full of choices...how we choose to respond to people, situations, even the thoughts that roll around in our heads The people in Jeremiah chose not to listen to God at their crossroads... In the choices we make and the opportunities we face, will we listen? #crossroads #unexpectedcrossroads #choose

When Jesus heard about John, He left there privately in a boat and went to a secluded place... Matthew 14:13 AMP Our world is so full of noise, of pressures, of requests...yet how often do we really switch off? To make space. To; Think Reflect Pray Mourn Meditate Ponder Be grateful Maybe this year we should make some regular time to do what Jesus did... change the environment to be alone. Switch off the phone. Go some place where there'll be no interruptions... Maybe that's why Jesus said in Matt 6:6 to pray in your cupboard... there's no "to-do" list there, no WiFi, no distractions... If Jesus needed solitude from time to time, then we do too :) #solitude #pray #listen #resolution

When Jesus heard about John, He left there privately in a boat and went to a secluded place. But when the crowds heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt (profound) compassion for them and healed their sick. Matthew 14:13-14 AMP Jesus got some tough news. Not only was it John's death, but He knew how His mission on earth was going to end too...& he went to get some space on his own. We need space too. To process, to think, to mourn, to pray. Jesus had to be deliberate to make that space & so do we... turn off the xx, close the door...find some solitude... But. People found him. I'd be annoyed...but Jesus - his compassion for and love for people is bigger than anything! May our love for others be more like Jesus that despite our circumstances we can love & bless... #thisisourGod #fullofcompassion #sunday #worship #lovepeople

...the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked Prompted by her mother, she said "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist" The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in the prison. Matthew 14:6-10 NIV A gruesome story that gives insight into the power of Herod, the political intrigue & the human condition Why couldn't Herod back out if his rash promise? His dinner guests! He wasn't prepared to lose face in front of his dinner guests. Pride. And I can be just like Herod. Pride stops me asking for help, changing my mind-afraid of what my "dinner guests" might think It's our heart that God wants to keep chipping away at...transforming day by day, piece by piece to be less like Herod & more like Jesus #inthistogether

Friday! Proverbs! One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth. Proverbs 13:7 NIV Interesting. Regularly stories appear of people who have died with great wealth after having lived in apparently poor circumstances... and then there's those who look like they have it all but own none of it... But these are extreme examples of people pretending to be something they aren't... We all need people in our lives where we don't pretend. We can be real. We can share our story, our wins, losses, hopes, joys & disappointments... and even our doubts & fears...and know we won't be rejected... but loved. That's who God is. And who He wants us to be in the lives of others... No pretending. That's what God wants from us. No pretending He can hold our stories, our hopes, fears, dreams... because He loves. #dearlyloved #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, and he said to his attendants, This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him. Matthew 14:1-2 NIV We think that "post-truth" is something new - political leaders saying whatever they want as truth - but here's Herod making up "facts" about Jesus - it's not clear if he believes it or not...but certainly seems to be putting it out there as "truth" I'd never do that. Or do I sometimes stretch the story to make me look better? Or hold back something because it makes me look bad? And maybe I sometimes state opinions as facts! How easy it is to be just like Herod (or Trump etc) We're all saddled with a heart that needs to be chipped away at by God...allowing Him to expose our weaknesses and make us less like Herod and more like Jesus... #itsajourney #inthistogether #somethingtochewon

But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. Luke 15:32 NIV Went to the movies this week and saw a film called "Lion" A story of 2 brothers, of being lost, of a search for identity... a story of grace, commitment and love... It just had so many echo's of God's love story...but the most important echo is that none should be lost to the love of our heavenly Father, none should miss finding their identity and purpose...and it's this that has motivated Christians for centuries to be missional... to love our neighbours, to go to hard places, to get out of our comfort zone...so that all who are lost will be found. #lovepeople #grace #lostandfound #Lion #summernotsummermovie

Arise, Lord ! Deliver me, my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people. Psalm 3:7-8 NIV What? Why was David wanting his enemies punched in the face? Jaws broken Teeth broken Makes you wonder if it's their words that hurt more than anything Words of condemnation Words of hate Words of rejection Words that strip of dignity, that tear away at our identity...our soul... Words of fear. Fear of failure, rejection...the future... If that's your enemy then praying for a broken jaw works! From the Lord comes deliverance... his words are acceptance forgiveness restoration love #words #deliverance #dearlyloved #childrenofGod #psalms #psalm1

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. John 3:8 NIV Heard nothing but the wind the last few days! Just like seeing the effect of the wind we see the effect of God's transforming Spirit in people And there's something a bit mysterious about the wind, a bit unpredictable, sometimes a bit wild - does some damage, stirs things up... It can bring heat...or gentle cooling The wind moves seeds around and is part of God's design...it can clear away fog and the pollution created by us... God's Spirit is likened to the wind Are there things in our lives that need moving? Blowing away? Stirred up? Do we need the power of God to blow through? Or maybe today you need the gentle encouragement of God's Spirit reminding you that you're a dearly loved child of God... #wind #listen #dearlyloved

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side. Psalm 3:5-6 NIV Peace Even though. David's son was turning the people against him so that he could gain power...David would literally have had enemies everywhere. Even though his world was falling apart, those he loved and trusted were plotting against him, he still slept in peace. Because the Lord sustained him. No matter what we face, what the enemy in your life is...the hurts of the past, broken relationships, disease, pain, loss...fear of the future...whatever goes in that box for you - hand it over to the One who sustains. Ask Him for peace. Rest Restoration Even though... #thisisourGod #sunday #worship #peace

But you, Lord , are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. Psalm 3:3-4 NIV With God, even when on our own, our heads would drop, we might give up, give it away...give in...but He can be our shield. He can lift our head Restore our heart David called out. One version says "with my voice I was crying to the Lord". Maybe we need to find somewhere we can call out to God out loud. Maybe that's why God answered from the mountain cos David was out in the mountains on his own...talking to, crying to, crying out to...God. In one church they had a tradition of everyone praying out loud at once in their own language... Maybe we need to find a place sometimes where we can talk to God out loud...and listen...'cos He'll tell you that you're dearly loved... #psalms #psalm3 #dearlyloved #lifterofmyhead

Friday! Proverbs! Righteousness (being in right standing with God) guards the one whose way is blameless, But wickedness undermines and overthrows the sinner. Proverbs 13:6 AMP A guard is on watch, scanning for danger, looking for threats, & either raises the alarm or engages the enemy...our right standing with God is that guard. Jesus said if you join my team I'm going to be with you - the Holy Spirit will dwell in you. On guard. Quietly prompting us... don't enter that conversation it's just gossip...don't watch that it's not good for you... don't go there it will only lead to trouble... He's scanning the horizon for danger & looking for threats... but... He's not loud - a quiet voice that is easily quenched - so seek Him out, take time to listen, turn down the noise... #guard #redeemed #dearlyloved #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

Lord , how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him" But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. Psalm 3:1-3 NIV David was having family, political, & personal problems. His son was trying to take over the kingdom and kill him! Enemies everywhere. While the circumstances are unlikely to be these! we can have enemies... the disease that's attacking, aging, gossip, ghosts of the past, work or study pressure...and people can be so fickle - "God won't deliver him" was what David's friends said... But he kept looking to God. When all he saw was enemies. When his friends let him down His faith remained. Whatever we face may that be our choice too... #choose #faith #hope

Then Jesus told them, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family" Matthew 13:57 NLT As you mull over these words of Jesus can you hear the hurt in them... Maybe he knew it was a taste of the greater rejection to come, but Jesus was hurt because those closest to him didn't see him for who he was... How often do I miss the real person because I just see the snapchat version... or don't take the time to ask "How are you?"  in a way that says I do care and I am interested... and you can trust me with your story...with your heart... Be an agent of grace in your world... #Jesushumanity #lovepeople #agentofgrace

Then Jesus told them, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family" And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief. Matthew 13:57-58 NLT Jesus own people missed it. They were stuck with the Jesus as a kid & couldn't see who he really was... People grow up, mature... change. In fact that's one of the cornerstones of Christianity is that transformation is possible! So when it happens, embrace it. Enjoy it Encourage it Jesus left as a carpenter and came back a minister. People move out of our lives for lots of reasons (study, travel, work, relationships etc) and we need to be prepared to see them differently...to hear their heart anew...otherwise we might be like Jesus family and miss some real blessing :) And if you're the one coming back and not accepted for who you are today...know that you're in good company :) #wordsofJesus #lovepeople

He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was amazed and said, "Where does he get this wisdom and the power to do miracles?" Then they scoffed, "He's just the carpenter's son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers... All his sisters live right here among us. Where did he learn all these things? Matthew 13:54-56 NLT We love to put people in boxes. You're from X that means you must be... Your family is rich/poor/famous/ordinary... What you do for a living, where you live...what car you drive... Jesus came from a large family from a poor town in the middle east & despite the wisdom and the miracles people couldn't see past that. Judged on perception. They missed his heart, his love, compassion, truth & wisdom. Lord help me to see people for who they are not the box I want to put them in, let me see their heart and hear their wisdom. #lovepeople

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble... ...Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NLT Having God woven into our lives like a rope isn't just for marriage - it also about the strength of community. The colour and vibrancy that comes when people from different backgrounds & cultures get together with shared values - & when those values are God's heart of love for one another it's a strong braided rope. We all need people & strong relationships that will stand any test. So invest in one another, build one another up, put courage into one another and become that 3 stranded rope. #community #church #lovepeople #sunday #worship

"This bread was hot from the ovens when we left our homes. But now, as you can see, it is dry and moldy. These wineskins were new when we filled them, but now they are old and split open. And our clothing and sandals are worn out from our very long journey." So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the Lord. Joshua 9:12-14 NLT The Israelites had a big decision to make - they asked questions and looked at the evidence...do they take these people at their word - do they trust what they see? What they didn't do was ask God. How often has that been me? Reliant on my own wisdom, what I can see, what others say...and not taken any time to pray...and to listen...to what God has for me #consulttheLord #prayatalltimes #somethingtochewon

Friday! Proverbs! The godly hate lies; the wicked cause shame and disgrace. Proverbs 13:5 NLT The Oxford Dictionary Word of the Year for 2016 is "post-truth". This is when "objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief" This leaves a lot of room for lies...this proverb is clear that this won't work out well in the end... The flip side of hating lies is loving the truth. Jesus said that knowing the truth will set you free! Our source of truth is God's word and that needs to be our foundation and our start point in this world where opinion, emotion & the individuals personal belief is shaping our culture. #readyourBible #resolution #truth #sourceoftruth #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

...Instead you thrill to God's Word, you chew on Scripture day and night. You're a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month, Never dropping a leaf, always in blossom. Psalm 1:2-3 MSG Plum trees have so much fruit at the moment it just has to be shared...one person can't eat it all fast enough... When we're regularly chewing on God's word, getting in tune with Him, the opportunities to share in some way, to give in some way, to bless and encourage others in some way...will appear...even if we're in the middle of difficult or trying circumstances when we look to the needs of others and live out our faith we see and experience the blessing of God. If the goodness & abundance of my plum tree isn't shared...it just rots on the ground and is of little value. So keep chewing on God's word and live it out :) #lovepeople #bethattree #whatreallymatters #resolution #psalms #psalm1

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord , and who meditates on his law day and night.  That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither -  whatever they do prospers. Psalm 1:1-3 NIV I want to be that person - the one like the tree - our plum tree is bearing fruit right now so it's the best thing in the garden - giving shade to those who need it, nourishment and sustenance to anyone who's hungry... so how do we get there? By not walking in step, doing what those who oppose God do, but jumping into His word for ourselves. Replace the influence of the world's thinking with what God has to say...then we'll be giving shade and sustenance to those around us... There's no better time to start than now, and no better place to start from than where you're at......

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,  but whose delight is in the law of the Lord , and who meditates on his law day and night. Psalm 1:1-2 NIV We started watching a TV series last night and within a few minutes it was clear that the values and message of that show were so far from what we believe in that watching it would have been like "sitting in the company of mockers". Sometimes it's the subtle things, the "everyday" that keeps us away from God's values and out of His word, away from what really matters... #psalms #psalm1 #whatreallymatters #resolution

There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua wrote on stones a copy of the law of Moses... Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law - the blessings and the curses - just as it is written in the Book of the Law. There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the foreigners who lived among them. Joshua 8:32, 34-35 NIV While everyone was gathered Josh wrote down all God's law. Wrote it on stones. And then he read it all...to everyone. Sometimes I wonder if I don't take God's word seriously enough...don't invest enough time in it - maybe Joshua had the right idea to write it out - I've never done that before - so this week I'm going to write out Collosians ch1 word for word & see what God has for me... #pickachapter #2017 #resolution

... and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually - regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20 AMP Regardless of circumstance and on every occasion I am with you. Sometimes we just need that reminder that no matter what's going on, how we're feeling, what pressure or concerns we might have, these last words of Jesus from the end of Matthew we can hang on to - hey you, I'm with you - no matter what :) #with #wordsofJesus #sunday #worship #thisisourGod

Those in the ambush also came out of the city against them, so that they were caught in the middle, with Israelites on both sides. Israel cut them down, leaving them neither survivors nor fugitives. Joshua 8:22 NIV The battle for the city of Ai reminds us how serious God is about dealing with His enemies...and just how grateful I am that we now live under grace. Paul talks of putting to death the old life - flee from...don't get caught up in... It takes a determined effort to hunt these things down and remove them from our lives - not to gain salvation or make us right with God, but because He has called us to live a holy life. As 2017 kicks off its a good time to hunt down that habit, that thing that keeps me from God, that action, that way of thinking, those words I use...whatever it is and leave neither survivor nor fugitive, no hint of it should remain. #somethingtochewon #2017 #resolution

Friday! Proverbs! The soul (appetite) of the lazy person craves and gets nothing [for lethargy overcomes ambition], But the soul (appetite) of the diligent [who works willingly] is rich and abundantly supplied. Proverbs 13:4 AMP For lethargy overcomes ambition! Isn't that the way it is sometimes...this proverb says that there is a richness and a blessing that comes from working hard - an internal reward from putting in a good days work... But let's think about this a bit more... I want to be grace filled but not pray... I want to know God's word better but won't commit to study it... sometimes lethargy overcomes ambition... As we jump into 2017 may we be diligent in what really matters... #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #2017 #resolution

Noah did everything just as God commanded him. Genesis 6:22 NIV During Noah's lifetime there were 3 features of society; - rapid population growth - technological advancement - moral decline The same could be said for our world today... and Noah's response was to keep doing what God asked... to invest his life in what must've seemed like a pointless exercise at times... building a boat miles from the sea... when there had never been rain... He calls us to represent Him in the world, to be agents of grace, restoration & hope, to be God's love in a damaged world... will we keep doing as He commanded even when it's messy, tough... costly...? #lessonsfromNoah #2017 #resolution

Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights... Genesis 7:4 NIV Never before in the human history had it rained. Not in Noah's 500 years, nor in the generations before Noah. God was bringing something new. And it took one person to remain completely faithful to God's call on his life. He spent 75 years building a boat to save the world from something beyond its experience. All God asked was that Noah followed His instructions...and that's all he asks of us...will we do that in 2017? Love God Love people If we are faithful maybe God had something completely new in 2017... #lessonsfromNoah #2017 #resolution

Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. Genesis 6:9 NIV One person who walked faithfully with God. That's all it took to change God's mind from total annihilation to making a way of redemption. One person Waking with God For 500 years! Ok so we're not going to get 500, but this year, 2017, will we simply resolve to walk daily with God? To reach out our hand to His and walk with Him... Could that be our resolution this year? #lessonsfromNoah #2017 #resolution

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth... The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, "I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created...for I regret that I have made them" But Noah found favour in the eyes of the Lord . Genesis 6:5-8 NIV But Noah. If sometimes it seems you're the only one doing what's right - Noah actually was! The whole world was on a track of selfishness and moral decay...except for one person. Maybe you're the only one in your workplace, class, home or family...God sees that... sees the one who stayed the course...and He made a way for that one person. If you feel alone in your faith, then you're in the same boat as Noah, one of the great heroes of the faith, so hang in there, stay the course...keep the faith #lessonsfromNoah #newyearnewbeginnings

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35 NIV 'Tis the season for NY resolutions...things we want to change, resolve to do better at... Jesus gave us the ultimate resolution. He said there's a new season in life coming, one where I'm not going to be around, but I want you to resolve to represent me like this: Love as I love. And you're going to see what that really means any day now as I'm going to give it all up for you. I love you. You're so worth it to me. I'm leaving, but for this new season, this should be your resolution : Love One Another This Love might take you to hard places...require humility, sacrifice, giving...but it's so worth it :) #wordsofJesus #kingdomvalues #oneanothers #lovepeople #2017 #eleventhcommandment #resolution