verseoftheday

Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world. 1 Peter 5:9 CSB Peter was writing before the internet and there were no blogs or Instagram, or messenger chats, but even with all of that, we still get caught believing the lie that in our suffering we are the only one.  That we're alone in this. Pete reminds his first century readers (& us) that's not true. And he has the simplest of strategies to stand firm, to push back against the father of lies: To be firm in the faith. Firm in Jesus, the Living Hope of Ch 1, the community of living stones we are, and are becoming. Firm in the faith of a personal God who sees you, knows you. Loves you. Firm in the faith of a Saviour who left heaven and stooped down, who suffered, who chose us. Who said you're worth it. Right now, as you are, I love you, and I want to draw you closer. Firm in the faith that finds itself in loving God and loving...

Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 1 Peter 5:8 CSB A lion drags it's prey down, and drags it away. Our adversary is the father of lies, the anti-truth, loves darkness, not light. We are children of the light. We walk in the light. We keep reading, storing up, holding onto, believing the truth.  In Ch 1 Peter tells us about Jesus, our Living Hope, in Ch 2 that He is the Living Stone and we're like him, and then about how we should live in this world, that there will be suffering, undeserved suffering, that we can expect suffering, and, that our God is mighty, that He is for us, that He's personal and cares about you. As our God cares about you, loves you,  you're worth loving, you're important,  and needed. So be alert to the lies that come at us in social media, our culture, and pop into our minds. The anti-truths. Be alert as they will drag you down, and drag you away. #monda...

Humble yourselves, therefore,  under the mighty hand of God,  so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him,  because he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:6-7 CSB Being humble is a theme of this chapter. Peter talks about being humble in our horizontal relationships with one another, and here reminds us to be humble in our relationship with God.  He is mighty. Change is coming.  When we look at our world and the sum of heartache, suffering, destruction, hatred, we hold on to the hope that It won't always be this way, trusting that God is God. And we can bring our hearts aches, our fears, our losses to Him, bring them to Jesus, because He is God, He can hold those things, speak into them.  So pour it out to Him. Cry out, speak, write, sing, draw...however you express your heart, pour it out. And. He is personal, and cares.  About you. He cares about you. No matter how the world sees you or values you; He cares about you. No matter ...

Dear friends, don't be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you. 1 Peter 4:12 CSB Suffering. It's something we don't want, but it's also part of the landscape of this world, part of the story of of our lives. And here Peter tells us not to be surprised. Peter may well have been talking here about something specific that was heading the way of those he was writing to, and suffering for being a Christian. Things are going to happen that are going to hurt. To stop something being a surprise we anticipate it, prepare for it. As the church we can be a safe place to share our hurt, to hear and be heard.  And if that's not the culture of your church then be that person who is a safe place. How do we do that? When someone is hurting ask this question: "How can I pray for you?" "How can I pray for you right now?" #donotbesurprised #bearoneanother #inthistogether

Friday! Proverbs! It's worthless, it's worthless! the buyer says, but after he is on his way, he gloats. Proverbs 20:14 CSB Is this just business? Good business? Something that we value, taking advantage of an opportunity? Or is it really a commentary on the human heart? There's two people here, the buyer, and the seller. The buyer has power over the seller. It's the power of knowledge about the true worth of whatever the item is at the centre of this. And the buyer appears to have financial power, & the power of words. The words have made the deal happen...and then the heart is revealed. A heart that is not so different to mine. While I might not be as blatant, I don't often think about the power that I do have and how it's used.  Jesus had power. But he chose to lead with humility and with love, to lift us up, to rescue, to redeem. Sometimes it's really hard to see where we do have power, whether it's our influence, words, authority, financial, phy...

"Who among you doesn't ...go after the lost one until he finds it? When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!'" Luke 15:4-6 CSB There's joy in the finding of the lost one.  Not condemnation, not anger, not disappointment or blame . There was no shame in being lost. Our neighbours lost a small child one day. We went door to door, searched the streets, the park, looking for the lost. And when the child was found there was nothing but joy.  The one who is dearly loved was lost, and now found. This is the personal, powerful love of the great heart of God towards each one of us. Towards you. Towards me. Jesus scoops us up and carries us home, and calls others in to celebrate his joy in finding you. Rest in that today  #dearlyloved #childoftheKing #found

All the tax collectors and sinners were approaching to listen to him.  And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining,  "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." So he told them this parable...(about the lost sheep) Luke 15:1-3 CSB Who is Jesus audience here? Tax collectors. Sinners Pharisees Scribes  And at least some of the disciples as this account is in Matthew and Luke. Tax collectors had their own category as they worked for the colonial power, and were notorious for lining their own pockets at the expense of their own people. Sinners. Not sure if these people realised this or if Luke bundled everyone else into this group who wasn't a tax collector or a Pharisee. And then there's the Pharisees, the teachers of the law, and their secretaries. These people were not sinners it seems.  And what was their problem with Jesus? He was talking to people and having lunch with them. Jesus wasn't following their rules.  Just like he isn't interested in followi...

So he told them this parable: What man among you...does not leave the ninety-nine...and go after the lost one until he finds it? When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders... Luke 15:3-5 CSB Not only does he go looking, he does not give up, give in, get tired. He keeps looking until he finds the lost one. The lost one is important. It might get dark, the shepherd might be a long way from home, it might get dangerous, risky, messy. But the love of the Good Shepherd does not stop. The lost one is important. And then there's the beautiful picture of being scooped up and held close, being carried back to safety, to community. Being restored. Can you feel the joy of the Good Shepherd that has found the one who has been lost? If you are lost, Jesus is that Good Shepherd who seeks the lost. It's personal with him, & he knows when we're missing. He also calls us to follow him, to follow his example & know who is missing, and be prepared to go into the wilder...

So he told them this parable: What man among you, who has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open field and go after the lost one until he finds it? Luke 15:3-4 CSB Last night we got back to church for the first time in 14 weeks - so good to meet with people and to sing together - and one of the songs we sang was Reckless Love, a song of God moving toward us, seeking the lost. Jesus knows who is missing. He knows who the lost one is.  The lost one is important to him. And he goes looking. Sometimes we might be hiding from God, sometimes we've spotted something shiny and pursued that and found ourselves a long way from God, or maybe circumstances or the actions of others have led us away from God's love. But He knows when we're missing. And He wants us back with Him. You're important to God. So valued that the search for you took Jesus to the cross. You're worth is unmeasurable. #dearlyloved #childrenofGod #Heknowswhenwearemi...

If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God's words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides, so that  God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever.  Amen. 1 Peter 4:11 CSB So that. So that God is seen, known. Our words and our actions are to make God seen and known. To make Him bigger. Peter keeps nudging us to look up, to look for and at the bigger story.  When we go for a walk at night we can look at the streetlights, or we can look up at the stars. Peter not only wants us to see the creator of the stars, but that our words and actions would speak of Him, just as the stars do.  #sunday #worship #thisisourGod #lookupchild #loveGod #lovepeople

Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others,  as good stewards of the varied (many coloured) grace of God. If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God's words; if anyone serves,  let it be from the strength God provides... 1 Peter 4:10-11 CSB I'm happy to serve.  When it suits me. When I can fit it in. When it's something I'm good at, when I've got time for my stuff first, and if I'm not too tired... But serving isn't like that. A servant doesn't get a choice, a say. A servant doesn't get to set the priority, but the one who is being served does.  No wonder then that Peter reminds us that in God's Kingdom we need His strength to serve. Because I'll soon run out of mine.  And often God seems to want us to serve in ways or places we might not have chosen for ourselves.  And in that place we'll need His strength. This verse has at the centre being stewards of God's (many coloured) grace.  A good steward looks after...

Friday! Proverbs! Do not love sleep,  or you will become poor; Open your eyes,  and you will be satisfied with food. Proverbs 20:13 NASB This proverb has been used as a weapon to get people working, but I'm not sure that's what it's about. How can enjoying sleep make me poor?  When I wake up there is food, but I'm not satisfied with it.  Because I went to sleep wanting something different. I'm loving sleep because I'm dreaming of a different life, a better life, and when I wake up, what is in front of me is second to that dream. No wonder I feel poor. And in this Instagram world we're only a click away from that dream, & the advertising industry are creators of dissatisfaction. This proverb says to open our eyes to what we do have.  What is in front of us. What are the blessings in front of me today that I routinely just gloss over, don't even see... #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #itsaheartthing

Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied (many coloured) grace of God. If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God's words... 1 Peter 4:9-11 CSB I can say a lot of words in a day. Many of them out loud.  But I'm not sure that I've really considered that I might be speaking God's words. John's gospel starts with Jesus as the Word, Paul calls us to be imitators of God, Jesus  commissioned us to go and make disciples. Words are important. My words are important. And Peter here tells me if I speak, let it be as one who speaks God's words.  When I replay the tape of my words this week I'm not sure how many of them are close to what God would say. God's words are healing, peace making, heart changing, life giving. May my words today reflect something of the many coloured grace of God. #grace #manycolouredgrace #speaklife

Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God's words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides...  1 Peter 4:9-11 CSB God's grace is varied.  This word translated varied literally means "many coloured".  God's grace has many colours.  Love that! God's creation has many colours and hues, He puts colours together in spectacular ways, and His grace is like that. Many coloured. And this many coloured grace finds its expression in 2 things: What we say.  God's words are healing, peace making, heart changing, life giving. What we do. God's actions are stooping down, stepping towards, seeking, healing, binding up, serving, sacrificing, peace making, life giving. May today, you and I, know God's many coloured grace in our lives, and live it out in what we say, and what we do. #grace #manycolouredgrace #speaklife #loveinaction

Above all, maintain constant love for one another... Be hospitable to one another... Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 1 Peter 4:8-10 CSB Even though the church is scattered, persecuted, Peter is urging his readers (& me) to look outward. Love one another Be hospitable Serve one another with the gifts, the "charisma", the gift of grace, that you have.  Love. Look outward. Be hospitable. Look outward. Serve. Look outward. I think Peter knows my heart tendency to want to look inward, to be selfish, and he is gently and kindly encouraging me to keep looking outward. To use the gift of grace given by our God of grace.  And, if we don't know what our gift, our charisma is, you'll figure it out by looking outward. Living and serving in community, in communion with one another. Pete's action list; - Be careful of our thinking - Pray - Love others - Be hospitable - Serve #itsaheartthing #loveGod ...

The end of all things is near;  therefore,  be alert and sober-minded for prayer. Above all, maintain constant love for one another,  since love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another  without complaining. 1 Peter 4:7-9 CSB But wait there's more in Peter's live-like-the-end-is-near instructions. He says to be hospitable to one another.  Easy. I have coffee with people, catch up with  people, sometimes have them over. But the word for hospitable is "philoxenos", to be  hospitable, loving strangers. Peter is saying don't just be hospitable to people you know and care about, we're not at Level 4 now! How broad is my dinner table? Is it only filled with people I know, people I care for? How much room have I made for those in need who cross my path? Why does Peter have to remind his readers to do this without complaining? Maybe his readers were like me, quick to say how busy I am, how we should catch up "some time", how I don't know ...

The end of all things is near;  therefore,  be alert and sober-minded for prayer. Above all, maintain constant love for one another,  since love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:7-8 CSB Peter urges us to live like the end of all things is near.  This week I got an email from Pastor & author Tim Keller saying that he had cancer and to pray as he received treatment that he could still read and write and work. The end of all things is near and Peter urges us to do 3 things: Be careful of our thinking. To Pray. To Love Others. Be careful of what we let stay in our minds, where we dwell, what we listen to, what we believe. Be careful of our thinking. Look up to the Creator, get to know Him, talk with Him. Pray. Look out to others. Love in action, & in words, let your love see past the outside, and to the heart. Love like the end of all things is near. Love like Jesus. #sunday #yourthinkingmatters #loveGod #lovepeople #lovelikeJesus

A little while,  and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them,  they will not be found.  But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace  and prosperity. Psalms 37:10-11 NIV There is a change coming. A fundamental reordering of the world. Somedays, I wish that was today.  When I see one person's hatred of another, when society's systems favour one group over another, when the effect of sin lingers in a life, when I want nothing more than to see someone healed of their hurts... There is hope. There will be a reordering of the world. There will be peace. Jesus is returning as both the Lion and the Lamb, and all will be made new, the broken unbroken, the hurt unhurt. And for now, we get glimpses, glimpses of how it could be, how it should be, and we work for that, and in that Kingdom. The now and the not yet. #onedayallwillbemadenew #Jesusisourlivinghope #glimpses

Friday! Proverbs! Ears that hear and eyes that see - the Lord has made them both. Proverbs 20:12 NIV Thanks for stating the obvious.  Why is this even in my Bible? What about my other senses? Aren't they important? Is it because God uses words to communicate and we need these senses to read or hear God's word? Is it because our eyes and ears are complex systems that cannot be reduced? Is it because we all have these things to show that we are all the same regardless of what shape or colour they might be? Is it about the hearing and the seeing - what inputs we have into our hearts and minds and these are gifts from God? Or is it to remind me that I am the creature, and God is the Creator, and while I bear His image,  just how much bigger and different God is from me.  That He is God, and I am not. Maybe this proverb is simply here to make us think. #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

Refrain from anger and give up your rage; do not be agitated - it can only bring harm. For evildoers will be destroyed,  but those  who put their hope  in the Lord will inherit the land. Psalms 37:8-9 CSB I think the Psalmist knows what it is to feel angry. To feel that breaking something, hurting someone (or yourself) is going to help. The word "agitated" here means to burn or be kindled with anger. To keep the feeling going. To add a bit more fuel to the fire, to stoke it along. He doesn't say do nothing, or give up on justice, but not to let anger have it's way, as that path will hurt you. He does say to step back.  Trust God. It won't always be this way. Change your perspective.  Here's another way to view this... Trust God. Put your hope in the Lord  Where is my hope now?  It's in me. My anger says that I have to be able to fix "this", to fix everything. And I keep stoking that along. My hope is in me.  But I can shift that hope, shift it to...

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;  do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Psalms 37:7 NIV The Psalmist sees people prospering for doing what is wrong, who are winning thru hurting others, taking advantage, stealing. I don't know what it's like to be pulled over in my car, to be followed in a store, to be treated with suspicion just because of the colour of my skin. Wicked schemes. The Psalmist's advice is not to wait,  not to wait patiently,  but to wait patiently before the Lord. Yahweh  When we have Him front and centre, waiting before Him, we'll share our heart with Him, and search out His heart for us.  We'll be changed.  We may still protest, change job, move, write, speak out, serve, advocate for ourselves or others, but we may well have a different perspective.  "Wait patiently before the Lord" is easy to write, difficult to do. #loveGod #waitbeforeHim #donotfret #lovepeople

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,  and your justice as the noonday. Psalm 37:5-6 ESV These are tough words to sing when we are not seeing justice. When nothing seems to change. When God seems silent. When He does not appear to be in action at all.  When people are oppressed because of the colour of their skin, exploited & used because they are vulnerable, when whole communities are discarded in refugee camps, when whole countries suffer from poverty, when disease sweeps the planet, when someone we care about doesn't seem to be getting better, gets cancer...loses a child, can't have a child...the list of hurts and causes of pain is never ending. Why won't you act Lord? When we look at the cross, when we share in the bread and wine, we know that it's not because God doesn't love us. An the Psalmist says: Trust in Him  Trust in Him anyway And commit your way, choices, actions, thoughts a...

Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Psalms 37:5-6 NLT This song is not about passing that exam, success in business, that promotion, good health, but who we are. My innocence wouldn't light up a room let alone the planet. This song points us to the only innocent one.  The one whose cause was covered in darkness at noon. The one whose innocence was snuffed out on the cross. So that  So that my innocence does radiate. I get what Jesus had, through faith in Him. My cause becomes just.  Because my cause shifts from being about me, to being about the King, His Kingdom, and His love for by humanity.  #psalms #psalm37 #thenowandthenotyet #radiatelikethedawn

Do not fret because of evildoers,  Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.  For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord,  and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Psalms 37:1-3 NKJV We can feed on conspiracy theories,  we can live in fear,  we be envious of others. I don't know what was going in David's world at the time he wrote this, but it could have been about 2020. There were people doing evil things and not only getting away with it, but prospering. And his advice would be the same: Trust in God  Dwell with Him Feed on Him When we do that consistently it moves our perspective to our Eternal God, to our Just God, to our Saving God, to the Big Story of His love for people. And it moves my perspective to my heart, and how our Holy God made a way to deal with my sin. It moves us to Jesus at the centre of the story, the centre of history. God in person. Dwell with Him. Trust in Him...

For Christ also suffered once for sins,  the righteous  for the unrighteous,  that he might bring us to God... 1 Peter 3:18 ESV Jesus knows what it is to suffer.  He left heaven on a mission and the people he came to save (literally) spit in his face. He knows the loss of relationship, as he stepped out of fellowship with God. He loved people, and they forgot him, disowned him, went to sleep when he needed them, didn't "get" him, rejected him. Jesus was stripped, humiliated, abused, and murdered.  His mission ended in failure He knows what it is to suffer.  And he knows what suffering unjustly is.  He is the righteous one. Who suffered for me, the unrighteous one. And on Easter Friday, his followers, his team, those closest to him, saw no reason in it all. And yet there was a purpose in Jesus suffering; "That he might bring us to God" Jesus suffering, his unjust suffering, had purpose, purpose that was seen after the resurrection.  Peter, one who ...

Friday! Proverbs :) Even a child makes himself known by his acts,  by whether his conduct is pure and upright. Proverbs 20:11 ESV Even a child.  What's going on in the heart finds its way into the way that we live, the way that we treat people.  As an adult though I can hide that heart stuff more, but it comes out somewhere. Sometime. The actions of the police officer kneeling on George Floyd for 9 minutes expressed his heart. I have no idea if his actions were driven by fear, anger, hatred, or some  personal power thing that led him to think his actions were OK.  But it came from his heart.  A heart that is the same as mine.  A heart that every day needs to be washed again in Grace.  May my actions today reflect more and more of God's heart. A heart that stands against injustice.  A heart that sees the oppressed. And makes a way. #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #lovelikeJesus

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 1 Peter 3:15-16 NIV When we lead with gentleness and respect we never need to apologise, never need to rerun the tape of that last conversation and wonder where it went wrong, wonder why I said what I did, how that tone crept in. When we lead with gentleness and respect those who might come against us have no ammunition.  It's humility in action. In a convo last night the "best flatmate ever" was mentioned, someone who doesn't just do their share but does the others share as well if that's what is in front of them, without any fuss or wanting any recognition.  We don't get to hear what others say about us when we're not in the room, but...

But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.  Do not fear their threats ; do not be frightened.  But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. 1 Peter 3:13-15 NIV I've used the last sentence out of context often. But the context is important. This letter is written to the church scattered. And they're being persecuted. And he's talking about not just doing good, but suffering for it. Suffering that's quite different to being asked a difficult question by the person in the seat next to you on a plane (do you remember when we flew places?) This seems like if I lose my job or my business for doing what is right, if I get arrested for doing good, if people smear my name, "cancel" me because I've done what's right, give up my "rights", money, resources, time.  Get asked by my friends  "why are you wasting your time wi...

But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.  Do not fear their threats ; do not be frightened.  But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. 1 Peter 3:13-15 NIV I've used the last sentence out of context often. But the context is important. This letter is written to the church scattered. And they're being persecuted. And he's talking about not just doing good, but suffering for it. Suffering that's quite different to being asked a difficult question by the person in the seat next to you on a plane (do you remember when we flew places?) This seems like if I lose my job or my business for doing what is right, if I get arrested for doing good, if people smear my name, "cancel" me because I've done what's right, give up my "rights", money, resources, time.  Get asked by my friends  "why are you wasting your time wi...

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?  But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.  "Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened." But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. 1 Peter 3:13-15 NIV Sometimes doing good is misinterpreted, sometimes doing good gets in the way of someone else doing evil, sometimes doing good costs.  Peter's solution is not fear, but to focus on Jesus. To focus on Jesus as Lord, creator, sustainer, redeemer, and coming King. Jesus as Lord, who has already won the battle against death. Jesus as Lord who has absorbed all my sin. Jesus as Lord over all of creation, yet who's love for us compelled him to enter into his creation, and to suffer for us.  Jesus as Lord who is with us.  With us in the joy, in the struggle, in the wins, and in the fails. Jesus as Lord, who is with.  Keep Him at the centre of our heart, our thoughts, feelings, and actions. #donotbeafraid #with #monday #Godsgym