verseoftheday

"The time has come", he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!" Mark 1:15 NIV Repent. If we've ever heard this word it's usually been about turning from something, giving something up But here it's about turning towards. Change your thinking Change your heart direction Change your purpose Towards what? The Kingdom is near. How near? In front of you The Kingdom is not a place or even a state of being, but a person The Kingdom is near Jesus says it's me. I'm right here Close Turn towards Orient your heart towards me What you're looking for, seeking after, hoping for, it's me. "I am the Way, the Truth, the Life" Today he says the same thing. The Kingdom is near. It's me I'm close Turn towards Orient your heart towards me #gospelofmark #thekingdomisnear #itisgoodnews

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. "The time has come" ,he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!" Mark 1:14-15 NIV This thing, the kingdom, that you've been looking for, waiting for, for generations, it's close. It has drawn close to you. It's right here. Wrapped up in this very ordinary looking person. The Kingdom is here A Kingdom has power and authority, yet it's No1 guy so far is now in jail. Already we're seeing that this Kingdom is not what everyone expected or wanted. And then there's that word that jars us today; Repent. But the word Mark uses here means to "change one's mind or purpose". Change your thinking Change your heart direction Your purpose. What's really important What really matters It's as if Jesus is saying to me this morning; "the Kingdom is near, where do you need to change your thi...

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. Mark 1:14 NIV I guess we could say something clever about this; like John we need to get out of the way and let Jesus speak. "Clear the stage and let Jesus speak" - buy the book and the journal But. John actually went to prison. Jesus #1 guy. He had baptised Jesus, had been pointing people towards Jesus, did all the right things. And went to prison. Mark doesn't tell us why. It just was in his understated way. Jesus was preaching about the kingdom, freedom, life. And John was in jail. Even the best of God's people have trouble, hardship, suffering. The good news of the Kingdom is being proclaimed. Jesus is active in the world And at the same time, there is suffering. At the same time. Is that how I would run the world? I don't know. Probably good that's not an option. But I do know that somehow this is part of God's Big Story and I can choose to trust...

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. James 2:18 NIV It's Monday! Back to the gym! When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment, he said Love God (with everything you have) AND love your neighbour - in the same way. Our relationship with God cannot be in some splendid isolation from the place we live and the people we live with. It must have an expression in the world. James says real faith has an expression in the lives of others. Today's gym challenge is to take one more step. One more step in expressing your faith. One more. Ask God for wisdom and opportunity, and courage. And today, this week, take one more step no matter if it seems small or big One more step towards. One more step that expresses love for God One more step to work out our faith in the world #james #james2 #Godsgym #onemorestep

To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness. Proverbs 17:26 ESV Jesus was the righteous man He was noble He was upright And he was struck Struck in the most humiliating and painful ways. Struck in the most debilitating and overwhelming spiritual way. He was noble And he gave up his nobility. Left it behind...and washed people's feet He was upright. But was bent, broken, spat upon. And he was fined. That fine was the penalty for our sin. Yours and mine. Ours. It was a fine that none of us nor all of us could pay. Only Jesus could. He paid my fine. And it cost him everything. One day we'll really understand the totality of that cost. In the meantime, there's thankfulness. #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #sunday #worship #thisisourGod #thankful

To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness. Proverbs 17:26 ESV I was in a cafe yesterday and there was a group of  people gathering there and in moments I pigeon holed them in my mind, labelled them, judged them... I'd imposed a fine. Imposing a fine on them in my mind without even meeting one of them...and realised that this was what I did. This has become my habit. Ouch. It was easy to do. And it was fun. Ouch! "To impose a fine on the righteous is not good" The person behind the counter had the name "Trainee" on their badge. Asking that person what their actual name was, telling them they were doing a great job was not hard. It took 15 seconds. It's the opposite habit. Rather than impose a fine, give a blessing. But to do that I had to look. Look See See people #proverbs #somethingtochewon #habits #seepeople #beanencourager #lovepeople

Friday! Proverbs! To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good, nor to strike the noble for their uprightness. Proverbs 17:26 ESV Almost sounds like Donald Trump - "fine a good man? Not good. Not good" What is going on that this was written? Good people being persecuted because they're good. Wouldn't happen here would it? Except in my head. Where I judge people as being to perfect so I don't feel so bad. Where I focus on a good persons imperfections so mine don't look so big. Rather than celebrate their strengths I look for their weaknesses. I hear the misstep, the missed note. I focus on the stumble  I whine I complain I strike the good person. I fine the righteous. To make me look better to me, to feel better about me. Ouch! And in that I miss the goodness, the image bearer of God, the beauty, the heart. And it takes work to unwind those thoughts, those habits, to celebrate others wins, to look for the good, encourage strength in others...

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. Psalms 34:18-20 ESV This Psalm, this song, is at a whole new level now. Who's bones were not broken? This takes us forward hundreds of years to Jesus crucifiction. Jesus bones were not broken (routinely a crucified persons legs were broken) Many were his afflictions. Even though he was the only truly righteous one He was crushed in spirit His heart was broken Sorrow and Love Flow mingled down For me. In the heart damage In the crushedness Love delivered Him But He was still crushed His heart broken And He still bears the scars He knows He knows Love and Sorrow And in those scars is the promise, the hope, that one day, all that is broken will be unbroken All that is crushed will be uncrushed God is near #psalms #psalm34 #thisisourGod ...

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Psalms 34:18 ESV When David wrote this he hadn't been saved, when his heart was broken, when his spirit felt crushed. Do you know what that's  like? Maybe you've said similar words. "My spirit is crushed" Or maybe there's someone you know who's there. David had not been saved as in plucked out of the situation he was in...this is a statement of hope And of trust I trust you Lord, that somehow, sometime I'm going to know I've been saved. You are near. And that's what I need. I need to know that. His nearness is found in the living Word. The touch of others Community Worship Beauty Goodness The small voice of His Spirit within. In loving others. When my spirit is crushed, my heat is broken, I stop looking at the Word. I stop reading Jesus words I pull back from others I don't sing I don't look I don't listen And I def don't serve ...

If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed", but does nothing... ...faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:16-17 NIV Words are important. They can bring healing and life. But In this case they are the barrier. They're a barrier that has kept someone at arm's length. Sometimes I say those words out loud, and sometimes just in my head. "Someone else can do that" "Isn't that their job" "That could get disruptive" "Inconvenient" *shrugs shoulders* I have new neighbors. "I'll go meet them when I have more time. Probably doesn't suit them now" My nice words in my head created a barrier. What does James nudge us to? Action Deeds Step towards. Faith in action steps towards. Love does not put up barriers. Love steps towards. Is there someone on your heart you need to step towards? #james #james2 #Godsgym #steptowards #faithinaction

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:17 NIV In the same way as what? The earlier verses tell the story of someone who clearly needs help (food & clothing in this case - something easy to help with, something his readers could help with) and we just say some nice words. Or we are happy to let someone else say those nice words on our behalf & keep our distance. Stay where it's comfortable. James says my faith needs to be worked out, find expression, action, work, deeds, in my world, in my relationship with others, in the lives of people. It might be food and clothing, but it might be something completely different. But it will be something. And without that action, work, deed, that helps someone else, our faith is dead. Lifeless. Flat. Empty Boring I don't want a lifeless faith. #james #james2 #action #whatdoesthatlooklikeforyou #pumplifeintoyourfaith #Godsgym #lovepeople

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted... Psalms 34:18 ESV The Lord. Yahweh. Is near. To those whose inner self, who's heart Is being broken into pieces. The word here is "shabar" and it's not a noun that would describe a state something is in (eg the bowl is broken) but a verb - to break, break in pieces. Our heart is not a static thing that is "broken" and then "fixed". It's a living thing. It's us. Who we are. Who I am. And we are being broken. Into pieces By the world Our own sin The sin of others The lies of the enemy Sometimes by God - we even sing about it sometimes ("break my heart for what breaks yours") And it can be broken for others. But no matter what is causing the breaking of your heart and mine today, Yahweh, Jehovah, our God, is near. He is close. #sunday #worship #thisisourGod #brokenheart #heisclose #with

Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. Psalm 34:11-14 NIV Part of this Psalm was turned into a kids song, and it's so easy to read it as just applying to children...but when reflecting on this it was me who has the harsh words, me who gossips,  me who put others down... Our words are important. David says to get control over my words. And then to turn from evil. That seems to be about the evil in my heart. The antidote isn't to use good words, but to do good. And to seek peace. Peace isn't just going to happen by accident or luck. Seek it out. Pursue it. Chase after it. It's elusive. And what's causing you not to have peace may well be different to me. In those things (doing good, seeking peace) my words will change, because my heart is changing.....

Friday! Already! A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him. Proverbs 17:25 NIV Ouch. Sometimes the Bible is just brutally honest... Three things here that may give a smidgen of hope: The Bible is honest about us. Our failures. And how that affects others. Big chunks of Proverbs are all about replacing foolishness with wisdom. This moving from foolishness toward wisdom is our path, and it is a picture of our redemption. As we step towards, God is at work. And thirdly, it reminds us that there is One in whom there was no foolishness, in who there is no root of bitterness. One who is our redemption. He is our hope. Our living hope. Maybe you only see a smidgen of that hope today. That's enough. It's not about how strong our faith is. It's about in who we have our faith :) #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #faith #faithinthedark #trust

At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him. Mark 1:12-13NIV Matthew & Luke give a lot more detail around what happened, but Mark doesn't. He does mention some odd details... The Spirit sent him He was in the wilderness With the wild animals Under testing And there were angels. Jesus, the creator of the universe is sent - this is Jesus (as God) humility. Jesus (the man) is in boot camp. Where the subjects are: loneliness hunger thirst temptation fear Jesus the person, in a body just like ours, experienced the things we do Just like us He knows And the angels? Matthew tells us they didn't show up to the end. When we are afraid, lonely, tempted, tested or hungry, we have a saviour who knows. Knows what it's like to be you. (And in the end, we too will see the angels) #gospelofmark #jesusknows #onedayallwillbemadenew

And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Mark 1:11 NIV Quite cool to have a voice from heaven...wonder what it sounded like? What language did God use? And why did He think it necessary to say anything? Was it a commissioning? Was God concerned that Jesus wouldn't front up? He'd just stay being a carpenter? I think that Jesus is more like us than we think sometimes. That in his humanity getting a word from his father in public was an encouraging thing, that perhaps even then Jesus was looking ahead to Calvary, and needed reminding. Just like us. You're my son. You belong I love you. You're loved With you I'm well pleased - strange phrasing for us - you're doing good, I'm proud of you. And that's just what he says to us. To you. Right now I'm proud of you You belong I love you And we can speak these same words into the lives of others.... #speaklife #justdoit #gospelofmar...

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled" without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? James 2:15-16 ESV "And one of you says to them..." James is writing to Christians. Who are together at the time. So they're in church. Together. And they meet someone, in church, and know enough about them that they don't have proper clothing. And know enough that they aren't eating well And "one of you says". Is this the leader who says this? Like a representative attitude for all. No I think this is about anyone, any one of you, because we are the church, and we all, each of us, represent Jesus. We can't hide behind our church position or a leaders position, this is about any one of us... Me. Maybe I've never said these exact words. Maybe I've said "I'll pray for you" and never done it Or "that...

Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, "Goodbye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well"  - but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. James 2:15-17 NLT Ouch Monday morning & back to the gym! He gets under my skin a bit does James. He starts off with "suppose you see..." I've trained myself not to see. Not to hear. Not to be open to the troubles of others Not to step towards. I'm too busy, too important, my agenda, my needs are more important... Suppose you see... Maybe it's the person in my house, my street, my church, my workplace, my class, or somewhere else that I need to "see", and step towards. What does God need to work on in me, change in me, to allow me to see that person who God has for me to minister to. For me to see. Or will I mi...

The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. Proverbs 17:24 ESV Where is Jesus in this? He is the discerning His face is set towards wisdom. John 5:19 tells us Jesus does what he sees the Father doing. His face is towards the Father. Jesus regularly took time out to pray - to his heavenly father - that's where his face was set. Which leaves me in the place of the fool with my eyes anywhere but... And that's why Jesus came, a representation of God in flesh so we can have a focal point. Not a place to look to, but a person. It's about our orientation. To choose in the small and the big things of life to look less at the "ends of the Earth" and more towards Jesus...small steps... small choices...so that we might be transformed, changed, bit by bit, to be more like Him.... #fixyoureyesonJesus #sunday #worship #thisisourGod

The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. Proverbs 17:24 ESV Are my eyes "on the ends of  the earth"? What does that even mean? I don't know. But my guess is one or more of these: 1. The fool is only looking for something that may or may not happen in the future. When I _____then I'll be ____ 2. The fool is living in a la la land that is divorced from the reality of every day life 3. The fool is neglecting to live in the present, neglecting those in front of them now. 4. The eyes of the fool are not set towards wisdom, but anywhere else. Our worship Our allegiance Our hope Is in anything but Jesus. It's in the created, not the creator. Where is my face set today? Despite the pressure, the noise, the clamour of this world, and the pull of my  own heart, on who will I choose to fix my eyes today? #fixyoureyesonJesus #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

Friday! Proverbs! The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. Proverbs 17:24 ESV Recently I realised that wisdom is not something we can just acquire, or "get" when I want some. It's not like information. Or knowledge. And this Proverb catches a bit of that...it's a direction, an orientation. Set your face in that direction. If you want to be discerning. Interesting question: Do you want to be discerning? I don't think anyone says "no" to that. We may not want to be discerning about the same things...but discerning? That's a "yes" from me. So I set my face towards wisdom. What is that direction? Proverbs also teaches that the knowing God is the beginning of wisdom Jesus said if you know me, you know the Father. So my direction is set On a person There's an every day choosing in this. The pressure, noise, clamour of this world, the pull of our own hearts and minds c...

And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt. 1 Samuel 18:1-4 NIV There are more echoes here... Jesus tells us to love our neighbour as ourselves. Jon loved like that. Would I, do I, really give up anything significant for others? Do I just squeeze in a bit of service, squeeze out a bit of goodness towards others. Jon gave his robe. And even his sword, bow and belt. These must've been significant and valuable items. The sword  or bow of the son of the King may we'll have been a one-off hand made special. Replaceable, but Irreplaceable This covenant is a one way obligation. David gives nothing. He just accepts the gift. That's grace. The one that sticks in my mind is his tunic. Why's that there? It's not valuable. It's personal. Jesus love is personal. Towards us You and me. #dearlyloved ...

And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as he loved himself. Jonathan sealed the pact by taking off his robe and giving it to David, together with his tunic, sword, bow, and belt. 1 Samuel 18:3-4NLT It's before dawn on Waitangi Day. The treaty A pact A covenant This example in Samuel reminds me that behind the treaty it was people. People who looked one another in the eye and made commitments. This pact, this treaty, we don't have the words of it to argue over or unpick, but we do have the heart. The intent. This one is based on love. The son of the King makes it, steps into it willingly. And gives up the symbols of his power, his authority, and his identity. And seems to get nothing back. Love. The Son of the King stepped into a treaty with me. Gave up his power, his honour, his identity. Was stripped of his clothing. Gave himself This is love. Amazing Grace Reckless love A treaty based on love. Today look for the people and the...

...if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? James 2:14 NIV This is one of those gnarly sentences that can trip us up... Are my deeds good enough? Have I done enough? I don't do as much as...well almost anyone... By faith you're saved. It's grace You can't earn it. (And you can't unearn it either) I think in the context of Jimmy's book here, he's saying if I believe that Jesus is who he said he is, and that he died for my sin, that his love for me was so great,  then I'd want to reflect that in the way I live. And if not, well maybe I just don't believe. It's not about what we do, how visible or important that seems, but our heart. If I'm stuck in hospital unable to do anything for anyone...I can still thank the nurse, the cleaner... What's that quote from Mother Teresa? "...we can all do small things with great love." Sometimes we're just hanging on, but even in those days, i...

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? James 2:14 NIV Monday morning and back to the gym! It's easy to get caught up in the example in the next verses and miss these 2 questions. Questions that Jim is wanting us to ponder for ourselves....this is a practical teaching of Jesus description of the great commandments Love God - faith Love people - deeds Our faith, our vertical relationship with God, finds it's expression, it's outworking in the world, in the lives of others. In our horizontal relationships. That's how Jesus lived. There is no one answer, but we should take this question seriously, and revisit it... I have faith. But. We all have something on the other side of our "But" Here's some of mine: But I'm not qualified But there's better people who can do that But I'm tired But is that really helping But I'm busy But what would people thi...

At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Mark 1:9-11 NIV Jesus walked down to the river just like we would. Participated in the ordinary just like us. And then heaven was torn open and broke through and the ordinary and the Divine come together, jammed together. And we're invited in our ordinary bodies to participate, to allow a little of heaven to break in...may that be ours today. If we believe, we are in Christ, children of God, then these words of God accrue to us as well...we might feel unworthy, undeserving, ordinary...but heaven breaks through :) "You are my child. Who I love" #dearlyloved #childrenofGod #sunday #worship #thisisourGod #gospelofmark

One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. Mark 1:9 NLT Hang on What about the wise men, the shepherds, Mary & Joe...he's just skipped all of Jesus early life. Doesn't that make you interested in who Mark is? Did he not know any of that other info? Or is he just not worried about dropping parts of Jesus story that don't seem so important? The Bible is God's word, but still written by people, and reflects something of their character too. Could he have written this any more succinctly? Just another day in the life of John the Baptist. Telling people Jesus is coming, standing in the river baptising them. AndJesus turned up in the queue And John baptised him. But John's whole life had been preaching and teaching and prepping people for this very moment. How would John be feeling to see Jesus walking into the river? Mark has an account to write and he's doing it his way...we all bring our own background, ...

Friday! Proverbs! A wicked man receives a bribe from the [hidden] pocket to pervert the ways of justice. Proverbs 17:23 AMP Match fixing Contracts that go to those paying Political corruption We don't have to look far to see the truth in this Proverb being worked out in the world. But it doesn't apply to me. I don't take bribes. But I do listen to the hidden pockets of my mind. I justify my own thinking, my own attitudes and choices. God calls me to love my neighbour. Well. I'm busy. My _______ is important. I'm called to be patient. But the voice in the hidden pocket says they don't deserve my patience. I'm important. My time is important. I'm called to be kind. But the voice in the hidden pocket says "they aren't kind" I keep lists. I create my own justice. Because the voice in the hidden pocket bribes me with my own selfishness. Ouch The payoff is what's easier and more pleasant for me. I can actively ask God'...