verseoftheday

Jesus replied,  "Your mistake is that you don't know the Scriptures, and you don't know the power of God. For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven. But now, as to whether there will be a resurrection of the dead. - haven't you ever read about this in the Scriptures?  Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' So he is the God of the living, not the dead." Matthew 22:29-32 NLT Jesus is telling his listeners that when it comes to the Kingdom, heaven, resurrection life, you're asking the wrong questions. Your questions are all about you and what bothers you today, about the rules, how things "should" be. Jesus says that resurrection life is already happening for the people in their whakapapa, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, kingdom life in some way is already a reality.  So, stop worrying

This saying is trustworthy: "If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble work." 1 Timothy 3:1 CSB The word here "overseer" is "episkope" which means to look on or over intently. Oversight that goes on to provide care and attention. Somehow we've turned this into Pastor, Bishop, and created jobs and job descriptions that don't seem to have anything to do with Paul's letter to Timothy.  What he does tell us is that those who take responsibility for others in the church, those who oversee, who care, it's good work.  Important work. And it's probably something we all do at different times and with different people.  Paul then goes on to give some qualities that are important for overseers, but in a community of people following Jesus, we need someone "overseeing" us, someone who sees, knows, cares, loves us, and we can do the same for someone else. See them, know them, love them, care for them. This is good and noble w

Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables: "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to summon those invited to the banquet, but they didn't want to come." Matthew 22:1-3 CSB Jesus has been talking with the religious elite, who at the time, while under Roman rule, were also the politically powerful.  They didn't like Jesus, didn't believe he was who he said he was, and Jesus continues with these stories to encourage them to think, to change their minds. There was room for them to change. Here Jesus is offering an invitation; Come to the wedding banquet, I want you here, you're invited. "But they didn't want to come". The king invites you to the celebration he is having for his son's wedding and you don't want to go. It's clear that this is a snub, a rejection of the King and all he stands for.  Yet the King keeps inviting. v4 "Again, he sent out other servants and said, 

Early in the morning as Jesus was returning to the city, he was hungry.  Matthew 21:18 CEB If you ever wonder whether Jesus felt things the way we do, he did. If you ever wonder if the Jesus who was the agent of creation, who was the catalyst and creator of this planet and all that is in it knows what it's like to be human, he does, because somehow he is both those things: The creator. And. Wandering around as a creature, a person, a person who got hungry just like us.  When we wonder whether our God "gets" us, understands anything of our hurts, our joys, our sorrows, our wins, he knows what being human is.  Because he is.  Does Jesus know what friendship, love, rejection, loss, abuse, hunger, satisfied, sorrow, joy are like? Yes he does. He's not like us, and just like us at the same time. And that's why we can trust him. #hewashungry

Sunday Psalms: Who is like the Lord our God - the one enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the trash heap in order to seat them with nobles- with the nobles of his people. Psalms 113:5-8 CSB There's a phrase earlier in this Psalm that was part of a popular hymn sung in church; "From the rising of the sun to its setting, let the name of the Lord be praised." But I never recall the reason for that praise being because God entered into the suffering of this world, I never heard that our God is about justice, about making things right, about seeing and working to help those without power, without resources, and to follow Him in that work. Yet God's heart for people cannot be missed in this song.  His heart for the hurt, the dispossessed, those who are in the "trash heap" of our world.  If that is where you find yourself today, trash, without voice, then this song is a r

At three things the earth trembles, at four it can't bear up: at a servant when he becomes king  and fools when they are full of food; at a detested woman when she gets married and a female servant when she replaces her mistress.   Proverbs 30:21-23 CEB Yesterday a friend reaponded with these thoughts on this part of the words of Agur, son of Jakeh: "Got me thinking of all the characters of the bible that fit into these 4 categories: 1. Jesus, David, Joseph, Moses 2. King Saul, Solomon, Pharo, Hamen, Judas, Noah 3. Mary, Ruth, Tamar, The women Jesus speaks to by the well  4. Hagar What a cryptic way to draw all those threads together... so Jewish! Love it." It's difficult to put ourselves in the shoes of a reader or hearer of these proverbs 3000 years ago, consider what they knew of God, his covenants, his action in their world, what the culture and language they were embedded in, their life and experience.  It's fascinating when we see the hidden layers in God

Friday! Proverbs! At three things the earth trembles, at four it can't bear up: at a servant when he becomes king  and fools when they are full of food; at a detested woman when she gets married and a female servant when she replaces her mistress.   Proverbs 30:21-23 CEB There are some strange things in this chapter of Proverbs...and there seems no real connection between these things...although...the first and the fourth are similar, bookends of something. I wonder if this is to get us thinking about what we take as normal (those with power over others, kings and servants) get tipped up, that the world as we know it, the way things are, gets shaken. Is the writer suggesting that the "way things are" is not how they are meant to be? Do I just accept injustice in my world because that's just how things are? Is there a pointer forward to Jesus who did tip things upside down, who's kingdom isn't about the norms and power structures that have developed in our worl

Therefore,  I want the men in every place to pray,  lifting up holy hands without anger or argument.  1 Timothy 2:8 CSB Whenever there's a "therefore" we need to check what it's there for. Paul is writing to Timothy to stay in Ephesus to stand against false teachers. Paul shared his own testimony, reminded Timothy it's going to be a battle, gives some thoughts on prayer, reminds him of who Jesus is, and then that he is called to teach "gentiles", people who are not Jewish, who haven't had what we call the Old Testament. In these churches in Ephesus there's some things Paul is asking Timothy to address. Seems that the men aren't praying, or when they do theyre making a point about something or they are angry about something. Paul has just talked about praying for others, wanting everyone in the Kingdom, and it seems that some in the church are more about their own agenda. So when we get together do I come with my agenda, or am I there to lift

For,  There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity - the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.  This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.  1 Timothy 2:5-6 NLT He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. Freedom. Everyone. Purchased. The price has been paid, once and for all, we don't have to try and be good enough, do enough, strive to make some kind of payment, our freedom has already been purchased. Jesus was enough. #letters #lettertoTimothy  #freedomishere

For,  There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity - the man Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5 NLT Some massive reminders from Paul here in his letter to Timothy: One God. The need to reconcile people and God. The only person who could do that is Jesus.  Biblehub says this about the word "mediator" here: mesites (from mesos, "in the middle") - properly, an arbitrator ("mediator"), guaranteeing the performance of all the terms stipulated in a covenant (agreement). This takes us back to the covenants God made, and all the way back to Genesis, to the last day in the song of creation, where God saw that everything was good, that we, people, were good. Our God is all about restoring what is broken. Covenants. Places. People. And here Paul reminds us that it's in Jesus, it is Jesus, who makes the way, who is the way. #letters #lettertoTimothy  #onedayallwillbemadenew 

Come close to God, and God will come close to you. James 4:8 NLT James is writing to his "dear brothers and sisters", and while in Ch4 he gives them a bit of a serve about them arguing with one another, seeking their own "kingdom", doing all the selfish things I seem to do, he pops these little invitations in there along the way.  It's like he is saying "beautiful, wonderful people who I love and cherish, some of this arguing is really over small stuff, and while you're doing it you're missing something so much more important. Come close to God, draw near to Him, practice that, listen for His voice in the day-to-day, seek His face in the eyes of those you see today, sit in the Big Story of God's Love and allow that Story to shape who you are today. Draw near. Take the step. And as you do He will be nearer.  It might take putting something down, putting something away, being OK in the quiet, inviting, resting, sharing your heart, waiting, singing

Sunday Psalms: Praise the Lord!  How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands.  Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed. They themselves will be wealthy, and their good deeds will last forever. ... The wicked will see this and be infuriated.  They will grind their teeth in anger;  they will slink away, their hopes thwarted. Psalms 112:1-3,10 NLT I've read the first part of this song as some kind of promise that if you just do what's right EVERYTHING will work out.  But we all know that is not true.  Know matter how good we are, how much we study God's word, how closely we align ourselves with His truth, awful things can, and do, happen. Businesses fail, relationships fail, health fails, people make hurtful choices. We get tired, worn out, worn down. And at the end of this song the writer gives some context: When good people thrive and flourish, when God's people are going OK, there

O God, have mercy on me,  for people are hounding me.  My foes attack me all day long. I am constantly hounded by those who slander me,  and many are boldly attacking me. But when I am afraid,  I will put my trust in you.  I praise God for what he has promised.  I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?  What can mere mortals do to me? Psalms 56:1-4 NLT But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. This is an active act, a choosing in the face of our fear. The writer of this song expects us to be afraid. It's normal. The things that happen in this life can be and are fearful. Waiting on those test results, we are afraid of what might happen next.  But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. And in that last sentence the psalmist invites us to challenge some of our fears: if I'm afraid of what I think people might be thinking about me, then just maybe my fear is misplaced, not needed.  Expect to be afraid.  Choose to trust our God in that fear. Don't be afraid to

Friday! Proverbs! There are three things that amaze me - no, four things that I don't understand: how an eagle glides through the sky,  how a snake slithers on a rock,  how a ship navigates the ocean,  how a man loves a woman. Proverbs 30:18-19 NLT Our writer Agur, son of Jakeh is doing well to have only 4 things he doesn't understand! Interesting that his thoughts move from amazement to not understanding. Interesting how he starts with the created world, then something people have created, and ends up with relationships. Interesting how he isn't attempting to solve all that he doesn't get or understand. Perhaps this part of Proverbs is here to invite us to look on the world with wonder, with an open mind, an open heart, to enjoy the things  in front of us, the people in front of us, even of we don't "get" them, that we don't have to understand everything, that we can leave room for mystery. We can leave room for the unknown. What is this proverb invit

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people.  Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.  1 Timothy 2:1-4 NLT This letter to Timothy has already stated there's a thing going on with false teachers, and now there's other groups of people Paul wants Timothy to be interested in: Everyone. Those in charge, in authority in the community. Why? Because our God wants everyone to know him, everyone to be shaped by relationship with Him, to have God's Truth interact in their lives.  Even those with power. Even those not like us. Even those with different religious or ethnic backgrounds. God's idea of community is bigger. So Paul asks Timothy to pray for "them".  Who are our "them"? "Ask God

This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it:  "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" - and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. All honor and glory to God forever and ever!  He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies;  he alone is God.  Amen.  1 Timothy 1:15-17 NLT This is the second part of Paul's testimony, his turning towards God. But God. But God made a way. But God loves us and wants communion with us. But God loves. It's the goodness and grace of God that is the key to our redemption, things we don't have to strive for, be good enough for, but are things we get to accept and rest in. And so the honour and glory doesn't rest with us, but with Him. We just get to rest.  #letters #lettertoTimothy  #changeispossible  #

In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, he was hungry, and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" And immediately the fig tree withered up. Matthew 21:18-19 NLT Sometimes Jesus said and did things that seem strange, unconnected, mysterious. Why would he condemn a fig tree just because he was hungry? There was usually a message for his team. He had just been in Jerusalem, just been at the temple, a place that should have been life giving, and he discovered that it had become the opposite.  And Jesus was heading back there. It seems that he was using the fig tree to show his followers that things had changed. The place you went for nourishment was no more. The Living Water, the Bread of Life, was right here. There's no need for a temple to meet with God if He is right here, walking around with you. Even if his disciples hadn't really

The works of the LORD are magnificent; they are treasured by all who desire them.   ... God proclaimed his powerful deeds to his people and gave them what had belonged to other nations. God's handiwork is honesty and justice; all God's rules are trustworthy ... Fear of the LORD is where wisdom begins; sure knowledge is for all who keep God's laws. God's praise lasts forever! Psalms 111:2, 6, 7, 10 CEB 111 is our emergency number and this maybe a useful Psalm when we're facing an emergency, when our circumstances threaten to overwhelm our ability to manage them, when the world's problems seem too big, this song might help to us: In our emergency what does God saying to me? In what or who am I placing my faith? Where am I going for wisdom? This song reminds us that our God's work is justice, that he will restore what has been taken, he will set things right. And we can trust Him with that (maybe not how I want it, when I want it, but we can trust Him with the

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ.  In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. Oh,  how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:12-14 NLT We all have a past. We've all done things, thought things, that now are not paths that we would choose.  For Paul it was 2 things: ignorance and unbelief. It could be the actions and influences of others, the relentless messages and promptings of our culture, the people around us, our own desires, some combination of these things.  Change is possible. Change is possible. For Paul faith and love from Jesus changed him. And that faith, that love, changes us too.  Changes our heart towards God, towards others, towards ourselves.  That inner critic gets to sit down

Friday! Proverbs! (This passage is a wild ride...) Some people curse their father and do not thank their mother. They are pure in their own eyes, but they are filthy and unwashed. They look proudly around, casting disdainful glances. They have teeth like swords and fangs like knives. They devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity. The leech has two suckers that cry out, "More, more!"  There are three things that are never satisfied - no, four that never say, "Enough!": the grave,  the barren womb,  the thirsty desert,  the blazing fire. The eye that mocks a father and despises a mother's instructions will be plucked out by ravens of the valley and eaten by vultures. Proverbs 30:11-17 NLT Wow! I've heard parts of this proverb weaponised by parents towards children - proverbs is not a weapon but an invitation to consider the human heart - this is about a person who has disregarded the wisdom of God, of community, of generations past &

When I left for Macedonia, I asked you to stay behind in Ephesus so that you could instruct certain individuals not to spread wrong teaching. They shouldn't pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. Their teaching only causes useless guessing games instead of faithfulness to God's way of doing things. The goal of instruction is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.  1 Timothy 1:3-5 CEB Back in the day (the 1980's?) there was a well known motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar, & one of his quotes was: "The main thing is to keep  the main thing the main thing" And that's what Paul is asking Timothy to work with people in the church in Ephesus to do. They're getting lost in arguments and ideas that have caused them to lose sight of the main thing; Love. To strengthen our faith, to challenge or develop our thinking, & work on the heart from which love finds its expression in the world.  That's the main thing. To love. If

I am writing to Timothy, my true son in the faith. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace.  1 Timothy 1:2 NLT Paul sets a bit of an example here of nurturing others, supporting others in their faith journey.  He's not doing that up front, to thousands, hundreds, or even a dozen people. Just one at a time. Small is OK. One person is OK. The second example of Paul's for us is how he sees Timothy - as a person he wants God the Father, and Jesus, to give grace, mercy, and peace.  Grace  Mercy  Peace  This word for peace is "eirene", which means whole, wholeness, peace of mind, quietness. Aren't these the things we need? To be able to quiet our minds as the clamour of this world strives to fill every nook and cranny of our mind. This is Paul's blessing to Timothy, maybe you need this today too: May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace,  mercy,  and peace.  Is there someone who needs to hear this from you tod

This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, appointed by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus, who gives us hope. 1 Timothy 1:1 NLT In what, where, or who, if your hope? We put hope in all kinds of things every day. Hope my delivery arrives, hope this medicine will help, hope my friend /boss /classmate /flatmate /colleague /client /____ will be kind to me.  We have hopes for our week, weekend, future. We put our hope in things, in people. Lots of hopes.  Paul starts this letter saying Jesus gives him hope.  In a world that seems to come at us from all angles we need our hope to be in someone bigger, our hope rests in and is found in a Bigger Story. Hope is here in the person Jesus.  In the saviour Jesus. In the healer Jesus. In the one who names us Beloved. Let our day start resting in him. #letters #lettertoTimothy #hope #hopeishere

The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, "Praise God for the Son of David." But the leaders were indignant. They asked Jesus,  "Do you hear what these children are saying?" "Yes," Jesus replied.  "Haven't you ever read the Scriptures?  For they say,  'You have taught children and infants to give you praise.'" Matthew 21:14-16 NLT Jesus returned the temple from what it had become into a place of healing, of hope, of transformation, a place of singing. And those who had exercised power and control didn't like it. They saw the miracles yet couldn't see them.  Jesus continued to remind them of who he is by quoting Psalm 8v2 about children giving praise to God. They saw Jesus yet couldn't see him. The children did though. These little children who were not yet shaped

Sunday Psalms: What the LORD says to my master:  "Sit right beside me  until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet!" Psalms 110:1 CEB This is a song of David's and it seems quite strange. It's full of difficult to understand images and  starts with God, Yahweh, talking to David's master - if David was the king here there was no one above him, so seems a bit odd. Maybe David is referring to some inner voice, his desires, the things that drive him? For all the stangeness of this psalm to my ears, it does seem to be about justice.  Yahweh is saying wait with me and I will sort it. The justice you haven't gotten, it will happen, it might not be what you expect or when you want it, but sit with me, stay close, and justice will prevail. Will we trust our God with that? #psalms #psalm110 #justice #faith #stayclosetoourGod

He said to them,  "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be called a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves!" Matthew 21:13 NLT Jesus got really upset about what was going on in church. He turfed people out, flipped tables, and then delivers this charge at those who   were there... it seems that Jesus is upset because people have lost sight of the purpose of the temple, the reason for coming, and turned it into a transaction. If you do X then you'll be acceptable to God. What's X for you, for me? What's the X that my church has? The thing is Jesus was right there, the God they were seeking was right there, and they missed him because they had turned it all into religion. Let's not miss Jesus today. #wordsofJesus  #redletterBible  #Jesusisnotatransaction #itsaheartthing #grace #youarealreadyBeloved

Friday! Proverbs! Never slander a worker to the employer, or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it. Proverbs 30:10 NLT Seems like a shift in Agur's proverbs, and while this is good advice, what's not said here? There's a putting down, a maligning, a deliberate getting someone with less power, and putting them in a difficult place with a person with power over them. Who does that? What's going on in my heart when it's OK to get someone bullied? Our words, my words, have the power to speak life or death, blessing or cursing... "Jesus remind me today that my words have power, that they make a difference in the lives of others, may my words speak life today Amen" #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon  #speaklife

As Jesus and the disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the town of Bethphage on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. "Go into the village over there," he said.  "As soon as you enter it, you will see a donkey tied there, with its colt beside it. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone asks what you are doing, just say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he will immediately let you take them." This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said, "Tell the people of Jerusalem, 'Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey - riding on a donkey's colt.'" Matthew 21:1-5 NLT Matthew is quoting from Isaiah 62 and Zechariah 9. That tells us there's a way bigger story at play here, a fulfillment of something spoken of centuries before. He's telling his team "Don't miss the signs" And at the same time Jesus is asking his disciples to keep taking these small steps of faith, go and ask ab

Jesus stopped in his tracks and called to them.  "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.  "Lord, we want to see," they replied. Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they were able to see, and they followed him. Matthew 20:32-34 CEB Some days it would be great if Jesus was in the neighbourhood and would just reach out and touch the broken parts of us and we would be healed.  There was already a crowd of people with Jesus, perhaps some wanting something, some curious, some threatened by him. And Jesus sees these 2 who cannot see, who are unseen, and loves them.  Jesus sees despite the crowd, despite what others miss, and he loves these 2 blind people.  Whether we get the healing we long for in this moment or not, we are seen, and we are loved. Jesus heart is for us, and that's a miracle in itself. These 2 ex-blind people respond simply-by choosing to follow Jesus.  #follow

May my accusers be clothed with disgrace; may their humiliation cover them like a cloak. But I will give repeated thanks to the Lord, praising him to everyone. For he stands beside the needy, ready to save them from those who condemn them. Psalms 109:29-31 NLT David identifies that the shame doesn't belong to him, but to his accusers.  This is a tricky thing for us to do, and the means to put shame where it belongs is found in the last verse here: God is standing with him.  When we realise that our God is with us, we are in fact His people, that we are Beloved, shame doesn't stick to us in the same way. He stands beside you. Can you picture that today? #psalms #psalm109 #shamemeltsaway #Hestandsbesideyou #youareBeloved