verseoftheday

I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; Psalm 18:1-2 NIV When do you need a fortress? Well, you don't need it in peace. You need it in trouble. Who is the enemy? So often my enemy is the thoughts that I allow to stay in my mind. Maybe today as those thoughts arrive and circulate, those things that are not true, not from God, I'll choose to say like David; The Lord is my rock The Lord is my fortress The Lord is my deliverer That I will stand secure in the battle, in the fortress that is my God.  Are you facing a battle? What, or who is your fortress? Where are you looking for protection? David chose our God. Choose Him today Choose to say like David; The Lord is my rock The Lord is my fortress That I will stand secure in the battle, in the fortress that is my God. #perspective #psalms #psalm18 #safe

I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; Psalm 18:1-2 NIV A rock is a high place, a place of safety, a place of perspective. Why do we need a place of safety? Because we're in a battle. Why do we need a different perspective? Sometimes we're so buried in activity, in doing, in life, in the battle, that we lose sight of the bigger picture. We lose sight of God's Big Story Creation Redemption Restoration He says take a breather, come up to this high place, this rock that is Me, and regain perspective. Remember who I AM That I AM with you Take another look at the battle from up here - it's already won! That's where your hope rests. The battle is on. We're in it But it's already won. #perspective #psalms #psalm18 #hope

I love you, Lord, my strength. Psalm 18:1NIV David has been rescued. God has been at work in his life, and the first thing he says is not about his situation, it's not about success, it's not even thankfulness...it's simply worship I love you Lord And then very simply how God has impacted his life; My strength. If this was your Psalm today, what would that word be? What word would you write? My strength My hope My desire My destination My direction What is it you need most from Him today? Are most grateful for today? My courage My armour My deliverer My help Simply tell Him today: I love you Lord My __________ #psalms #psalm18 #simple

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Psalm 100:1-3 NIV This is a call to worship. We're not great shouters here in NZ, but there's a call to worship out loud. Don't hold back There's a choosing here. Choose gladness Choose joyful songs Sometimes even if we don't feel full of joy, our circumstances are not great, we can still choose joy filled songs of praise. And then there's the "why". When we believe God. When we acknowledge Him as creator When we know we are His His people We belong Accepted Nothing can snatch us from His hand Safe Known by Him Important Loved Then we can find our voice :) #praiseloud #sunday #worship #thisisourGod #dearlyloved

Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince. Proverbs 17:7 ESV Who are the "princes" of our world? The politicians, the Chief Executives, the super rich...and so often we hear "false speech", lies, obscuring, cover-ups ...Solomon could've been talking about today's world. A fool in the Bible is often someone not tracking with God, and a prince here implies someone sitting on a throne of their own self importance and pride...and that's always someone else. Never me. There's days when this proverb could've been written about me. Speaking from my pride and self importance, not tracking with God at all... Solomon is writing to me. Fortunately there's the Cross. Where another's sacrifice covers my foolishness, and  grace overwhelms my pride #overwhelmedbygrace #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

Friday! Proverbs! Fine speech is not becoming to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince. Proverbs 17:7 ESV Words. Our words are important. I wonder what Solomon would make of our modern world? Fake news. Where everyone's opinion about anything is tweeted or blogged or posted or commented on... I think his advice would be the same: your words need to match your life Fine speech, eloquent words, have little value if the person speaking them is a fool. The root of the word for "fool" here includes stupid, but also vile, wicked. The reality being pointed out here is the disjoint of the nice or good or right things people say, and the way that they actually live. So... I need to work at getting my life, my choices, actions, day-to-day activities, to line up with what I say (& what I believe)! #ouch #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

"Come, you who are blessed by the Lord", he said. "Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels." Genesis 24:31 NIV Echoes Genesis 24 is full of echoes. A servant is sent from a far away land. He's sent on a mission To find a bride And here is an invitation. Come in. I've prepared a place for you Jesus had a clear goal God went ahead He prayed for success (He prayed a lot!) He acknowledged the problems! Had a good plan And is celebrating success. Death has been conquered, and the restoration has begun, and He has invited us to be part of it. Why are you standing out there? I've prepared the house for you Just come in and join me! Echoes of God's Big Story! And one day we will see fully what we get glimpses of today, and all that is broken will be renewed :) #genesis #genesis24 #echoes #hegoesbeforeme #pray #celebrate #hope #onedayallwillbemadenew

Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord , saying, "Praise be to the Lord...As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey..." Genesis 24:26-27 NIV The unnamed servant's mission was ultimately successful. Nice. Along the way, he celebrated success. And he celebrated with prayer and with praise. We've had: 1 Be clear about your goal 2 Know that God goes ahead of you 3 Pray for success 4 Acknowledge the problems 5  Make a good plan. And 6. Celebrate success. Celebrate the wins along the way. Even in the toughest of journey's, the darkest of nights, when the valley seems to have no end, there are things to celebrate along the way...we just need to be looking for them :) #genesis #genesis24 #hegoesbeforeme #pray #celebrate

May it be that when I say to a young woman, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too' - let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac... Genesis 24:14 NIV We've had: 1 Be clear about your goal 2 Know that God goes ahead of you 3 Pray for success 4 Acknowledge the problems And here... Make a plan. This was no small thing that was in the plan. A camel drinks 150 litres of water - he could have had 10 for his 800km journey, that's 1,500 litres of water to draw up out of a well ...by hand! The unnamed servant had a plan. This plan was part of his prayer - so not only did he make a plan, but he prayed his plan. Committed it to God. Plans are good and useful, sometimes they have difficult things in them that we want to accomplish. So pray them. Jesus had a plan. And he kept praying. And when it got really tough, he prayed more. #genesis #genesis24 #hegoesbeforeme #pra...

I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me... Psalm 86:12-13 NIV "with all my heart" I don't know about you but sometimes I'm with David, and sometimes...well...all my heart is not in it. David gives some pointers tho; "I will" There's a choosing here. Despite my feelings, despite my circumstances, I will glorify Your name. And then there's the reason for us to ponder - "For great is your love toward me" Think about that for a minute. God's love towards me is great! We are the object of his love. Great love. Meditating on that leads me to praise God with all my heart... King of endless worth, no one could express how much you deserve. Though I'm weak and poor, all I have is Yours, every single breath! I'm coming back to the heart of worship... #psalms #psalm86 #sunday #worship #thisisourGod #heartofworship #Jesusatthecentre

I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me... Psalm 86:12-13 NIV David is clear here about who is at the centre of worship. Sometimes I lose sight of that. Because I'm "going to church". That's just religion. My friends are there I feel better going Sometimes it's good to go Isn't it easy to lose sight of the object of our worship? Creator Redeemer Restorer Humble Hurt Broken for my sin Lover of my soul The bread of life The hope of the world Write your own list this morning of Who God Is. Personified in the Jesus Humiliated on the cross Bore our sins Lived the life I couldn't live Died the death I couldn't die Separated Fractured And Restored. Ressurected And scarred So don't just "go to church", come to worship :) I'll bring you more than a song for a song in itself is not what you have required you search much deeper with...

I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me... Psalm 86:12-13 NIV There was a pastor in the UK who was concerned that the church had lost its heart for worship, what they were really there for, so for a year he turned off the sound system and shut the band down, and the church worshipped with just their voices. David writes "I will praise...with all my heart" When that happens, when we truly are praising with all our heart, cut free from the expectations of others, released from the burdens we carry, we get a glimpse of heaven. And in those moments (which may not be in church) the Spirit can heal and bring transforming change. Choose to worship with all your heart. When the music fades And all is stripped away And I simply come Longing just to bring Something that's of worth That will bless Youur heart I'm coming back to the heart of worship... #psalms #psalm86 #heartofworshi...

Friday! Proverbs! Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children. Proverbs 17:6 NIV Let me rephrase - the kids think their parents are great, the kids want to be associated, to be known as part of the family...proud to have those parents... I was at a funeral this week and the children expressed great pride in their Dad. Strong, consistent, proud. This is a great proverb for parents because it's all about the long term view. A measure of success is when your children are raising Godly children. A measure of success is that the way you live before God your children (eventually) see is being good, right, admirable. And if you don't have children of your own it's those who are in your orbit, who you walk with, journey with, encourage and are encouraged by... In this world of instant, of now, of immediate or it's of no value, Proverbs encourages us to lift our view to the far horizon... #proverbs #wisdom #somethingto...

She said to her mistress, "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy." 2 Kings 5:3 NIV Faith full Brave Compassionate Hope filled Despite being a slave living in enemy territory, she was filled with hope. God would work. She must've seen that happen before, where God had been at work, or heard first hand of what God had done. Hope changes the way we see the world, our circumstances, and the people in our lives. What was her hope in? In God. In Him she placed her faith, her hope, and that let her live compassionately and bravely. One day we'll get to meet her - for now let's choose to live like her :) Our hope is in another servant. Who came with a message of hope Who came with a heart of compassion And faith in his heavenly father. Who not only risked it all, but lost, so that we might win #faith #hope #love #liveliketheunnamedservant

Now Naaman was...was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded...He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy. ... She said to her mistress, If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy. 2 Kings 5:1, 3 NIV Trouble visits everyone and anyone. You can be the most powerful person on the planet...and still get sick. But our focus is on our faith-full, brave young woman, who despite her situation retained her compassion. Jeremiah 29 encourages the people even though they're in exile to do good for the city. This young person is showing the way by caring enough to potentially put her own safety at risk to save another. Her heart of compassion led her to speak hope into a situation. A small thing to do, but an  example of faith Bravery And compassion May her example encourage us today... #lovepeople #faith #brave #compassion

She said to her mistress, "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy." 2 Kings 5:3 NIV We don't know what the relationship was like between this slave girl and her mistress, but the power of life or death was certainly in her boss's hands. Brave. It's quite a thing to see someone who is brave. People who face illness, pain, hurt, addiction. People who face the lies imprinted on them in childhood, the bullying, the noise and enticements of the enemy (the great liar) This slave is an example. Despite her captivity Despite being deprived of her family, her freedom, she was brave. Yesterday it was her faith. Maybe that's the source of her bravery. One day we'll get to meet her and hear her story, but for today, may her example, her faith, make us a little more brave today whatever is ahead... #choose #faith #hope #brave

Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman's wife. She said to her mistress, "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy." 2 Kings 5:3 NIV This is another unnamed servant. She was a young girl, stolen by an army unit from her people, from her family, and trafficked to become a slave, living in enemy territory. I wonder how long she was there to learn the language to have this conversation. I wonder if there were other slaves from her people who she connected with before this conversation. If she found community in the enemy camp. Even so, how hard it must have been for a young girl to have kept her faith while living with the enemy. She did. She found goodness there, and she found purpose there. God can be at work in us and through us no matter what our circumstances. Choose to trust Him. In the dark When the journey is tough When the way ...

Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished. Proverbs 17:5 NIV Mocks. Poor. Gloats. Disaster. Those words jump out. Perhaps they reflect your experience. Jesus was mocked. Humiliated. Jeered at Scoffed Spat on Stripped Beaten Scourged He became poor. He no house, no car, no money...in the end not even any clothes... He was gloated over. Despised Rejected Given a crown made of thorns His life ended in disaster nailed to a Roman cross. He knows what those words mean because he lived them. So that we have a saviour who understands. So that we have a hope The cross That place where disaster became victory Where death was mocked Where shame was gloated over Where hope was born The hope of the world Worthy of our worship #onedayallwillbemadenew #sunday #worship #thisisourGod

Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished. Proverbs 17:5 NIV This proverb makes me sit up and think about my attitude towards others, but it also reveals a couple of things about God... He loves people regardless of their circumstances. He knows how I live and what's coming out of my mouth...that there's consequences to what I have to say, the way I treat people made in His image. This week someone we care about shared about being bullied. I wanted to "fix" it. But we're going to try and help them walk thru this. In a way, the bully is showing contempt for this person's friends and family. God hates sin And loves us I've got to trust him that He will sort it all. I'm grateful that He made a way for me, a mocker and a gloater, and that one day, all will be made new... #proverbs #wisdom #lovepeople #lovelikeJesus #onedayallwillbemadenew

Friday! Proverbs! Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished. Proverbs 17:5 NIV I don't think Solomon could watch those "fail" videos on YouTube... maybe people in his court laughed over the misfortune of others, or maybe in his heart he thought about "them", those people from "there" who if only "they" made better choices, worked harder, did the things he did, "they" wouldn't have these problems come upon them... Mocking Gloating Those are strong words. I'm not like that. Am I? How do I see "them"? From "there"? Do I know their story? What choices would I have made if I lived their life? If I'd been born "there"? What would I have done to survive? What I do know is that God calls us, calls me, to see people like He does. To see them To hear, to hold, to love. #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #lovepeople...

The servant asked him, "What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?" Genesis 24:5 NIV Lesson#4 Acknowledge the problems. So often in our church or ministry or our personal life we are not great at acknowledging, naming, giving clarity to the problems, the difficulties, the barriers... There was an 800km camel ride required, finding the right person, convincing her to come 800km back...to marry a stranger! It's easy to overlook the barriers. To be naive about them. Whether it's church, ministry, work, study, flatting, family...our inner world, our thinking, emotions, our heart...life really. On this mission, our unnamed servant acknowledged the barriers, and that might help us to do that too... #genesis #genesis24 #pray #hegoesbeforeme #barriers #somethingtochewon

Then he prayed, "Lord , God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham." Genesis 24:12 NIV The unnamed servant was on a mission... and prayed. A lot. He prayed for success. Lesson #3 is that's an OK thing to pray for - success for your mission! Prayer for success shows who I'm relying on. Is my measure of how much I want to achieve my goal, my mission, how much time I spend talking with God about it? I've been at a complete loss - no idea how to move forward, and all I've had is prayer. Somehow God has worked things out, and progress has been made But looking back, my prayer could've been more integral from the beginning, that may have shaped the mission, my actions, my heart. Pray for success, but don't wait for the wheels to fall off! #genesis #genesis24 #pray #hegoesbeforeme

The Lord, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me...he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there. Genesis 24:7 NIV Abe had a unique relationship with God, but note here what he says to the unnamed servant... God who I know, who I trust, who I have seen work in my life in the past, is now going ahead of you. He's with you. In this case in the form of an angel. To help you complete the mission. Lesson#2 God goes ahead of us. We don't always see that or acknowledge that, let alone understand how He works, but sometimes we look back and see God's hand, and know that He must've been going ahead of us. I don't think I thank Him enough for that... #genesis #genesis24 #Hegoesbeforeme #bethankful

I want you to swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac. Genesis 24:3-4 NIV Abraham was sending this person on a mission. An interesting mission for sure, and not one that fits in with our modern world. But Abraham knew what was important to God, knew God's heart, that he didn't want his people influenced by, seduced by, the values of the world around him. We only get to know God's heart by keeping in his word. The interesting thing here is the clarity of his goal. When we set out to make a change in our life, do something for God even, our goals are often vague. "Read my Bible more" is too vague. Setting clear goals is something Abe did. If you struggle doing that then work those goals with someone else to make them clear & achievable, and line up with Go...

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. Philippians 4:23 NIV The end of the letter, Paul's last words to the church at Philippi... Paul was all about Jesus, and that's where he ends his letter. Paul was all about grace. And that's here too. And he was all about connecting the grace of Jesus to people. Others It's almost like a one sentence summary, both of the letter, and of his life. Jesus Grace People Amen. So be it. What do my letters (OK so not many of those are written now, so how many of) my communications have that focus, give that message... People are important. You're important Your voice is important. Jesus is who He said He is. The Way Truth Life Grace. Our only real option, our only access, is by Grace . Undeserved Love came down And made a way, became the way. What a great way to end this book: may it be our prayer, our expression today too... Jesus Grace People Amen. #sunday #worship #thisisourGod

Greet all God's people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me send greetings. All God's people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar's household. Philippians 4:21-22 NIV Paul's closing notes to the church are just standard closings to a letter...or are they? They hint at a few things... 1. Be friendly and kind Nothing new in this but sometimes we just aren't, especially to other churches 2. Paul is clearly working with men and women equally. For all the disparaging things you read about Paul supposedly not treating women equally don't seem to true here. 3. God's people, Christians, were in Caesar's house! Amazing! How did that happen? Ordinary people living out their faith in the world that they lived and worked in. So don't give up on people, even if they're in places of power or influence...they still need to know the gospel of Jesus. And you or I might be the connection... #speaklife #...

Friday! Proverbs! An evildoer listens closely to wicked lips; And a liar pays attention to a destructive and malicious tongue. Proverbs 17:4 AMP Sounds nasty. Until I realise that I'm a liar at times, and while I try not to be an evil doer, that's me too. So what then am I listening to? Sometimes it's the voice of the culture telling me what I should or shouldn't be, and sometimes it's my self-talk. The words that rumble around inside me...that sometimes are simply not true. They can be destructive, and malicious. And so I have to go back to what our God says: Ps 18 He delights in me. Rom 8 free from condemnation John 15 chosen Eph 5 dearly loved child of God There's a long list! What am I listening to? We get to choose, maybe not what we "hear" but what we listen to, what we dwell on, and definitely what we hold to be true. In this I'm going to trust what God has to say today. #chosen #dearlyloved #childrenofGod #redeemed #p...

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.  He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.  They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support.  He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. Psalm 18:16-19 NIV In all this talk of enemies, feeling overwhelmed, disaster and trouble, there are these five words Because He Delighted In Me This is the "why" of God. We are the object of His love. Hard to figure that out, hard to acknowledge or accept sometimes...but there it is. He, Yahweh, delights in us. Someone who you delight in is someone you connect with, brings joy and goodness into your life, someone who makes you smile :) And that, should make you and me smile today :) #dearlyloved #childofGod #psalms #psalm18 #smile

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; Psalm 18:16-19 NIV You can almost feel the relief... he brought me out - I've been stuck with this problem/ issue/ person/ thinking and it's like the doors have been opened and he steps out into fresh air From constraint, locked in, held back, where  there are no options, where the  air is stale, there is no light...to a spacious place... From bound, to free. It's not clear what God did. It's not clear that his circumstances changed. But his view of them did. His eyes were saw the far horizon of God's story, and he knew that no matter what, God was with him... #with #breathe #heismysupport #thefarhorizon #psalms #psalm18

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. Psalm 18:16-18 NIV The enemy. Not sure what or who your enemy is today, but David's was big. Powerful. Foes Too strong for me Confronting Bringing disaster No wonder he felt overwhelmed. Too strong for me. That's quite an admission, one that I don't like to make. Surely I'm awesome enough, powerful enough, can do anything if I just focus or meditate or will it to be, imagine it, and defeat anything... David here says "I can't do this on my own, my enemy is too much for me" "But the Lord was my support" He found the answer was who was with him. Yahweh. The creator. The one who reaches down David says lean into Him, walk with Him in the valley. #heismyrescuer #heismysupport #with #thewayoutisth...

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.  He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. Psalm 18:16-19 NIV This is David's song, his heart expression, his poem to God, and it tells us some things about God... "He reached down." Our God reaches down for us. He's not alloof and distant but reaches down. "He took hold of me" He's personal, holds us, hangs on when we can't "He drew me out of deep waters." David must've felt like he was in over his head, no longer able to swim, at the end of his resources, and saw God at work in his life. Maybe today this is you, or someone you know, or maybe this is a piece of poetry to tuck away for another day...you can pray your story or someone else's into this Psalm, this song Our God reaches down,  he's personal, & He rescues. #dearlyloved #childofGod #heismyrescuer