verseoftheday

They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand. Mark 6:42-44NIV "That guy Luke gave me some bread and I gave some away and it just didn't get any smaller! It was amazing!" "My kids never eat the bread I bake, but they loved this! It's a miracle." No, gotta love Mark. Everyone ate and was satisfied. End of story. And what's with the 12 baskets? Do they represent the 12 tribes? From 10,000 people it doesn't seem like a lot...maybe it was just one basket each, and Jesus giving a taste of the Kingdom to come, where everyone is OK and there's leftovers... The disciples day started tired and hungry looking for a day off in the peace and quiet, and finished with a basket of food & particpating in a miracle with 10,000 people...best day ever! If we're willing to follow Jesus and His heart of compassion, who knows w...

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. James 3:17 NASB The last word in this verse is "anupokritos" The meaning is: not a phony ("put on"), describing sincere behavior free from hidden agendas (selfish motives)  literally, "without hypocrisy" (unfeigned). All of us have know people who are phony, who have selfish hidden agendas. Who are hypocrites. And there's times, there's days, when those words describe me to... James says wisdom from heaven has none of that, and as we drink in that wisdom, soak our minds and hearts in heavens wisdom, there is less and less room for those things. As we keep looking towards and following Jesus, the One who was truly not phony, had no hidden agenda, had no hypocrisy, there was no mask His mission was to seek and save us His heart was love And he lived it out in the everyday, and in the big things....

Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles Lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.  Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,  and whoever wants to be first must be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:25-28 NIV Power Recognition Jesus gives his team a lesson in the way the world is. The boss rules. But then he turns it all upside down...you want to be great? Then be a servant. Don't worry about recognition. Let someone else take the credit in God's Kingdom. And if you want an example  - I'm it. Not only to serve, but to give everything. When we live like that, the need for recognition starts to fade as we realise there's another set of values that are more important. #followersofJesus #upsidedownkingdom #serve #lovepeople

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Matthew 19:21-22 NIV What's it gonna be? Treasure on earth? Or treasure in heaven? Seems pretty easy. Jesus asks. Sure. No probs. But would I? I want both. Treasure now AND later... I don't think Jesus is being mean here but wants to get to our hearts - for us to see what we hold dear...what our treasure is... Would I give away my pride to talk about Jesus to my neighbour? Give away my money? Give away my time? Skills? Resources? And get nothing back? Just follow Jesus? I have decided To follow Jesus No turning back I don't know about you, but there's some of that guy in me...that wants to hang on to this treasure, that wants to save myself. But Jesus quietly, gently, simply, says "Come, follow me..." ...

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." Matthew 19:20-22 NIV Jesus didn't say give it to me. He didn't say give it to the church But to give to the poor... This word for poor is the absolutely destitute. Those with nothing. I often find it's easier to give when I'm going to get something back...at church I get a pastor, a warm building, a great band...I give my time to help someone - I've probably got someone I can call for a hand if I need one...even my sponsored child, I get a letter thanking me... Jesus heart here is for those who have nothing. Can give nothing back Have no hope This young man was told to give his treasure for those who could never repay, had nothing to give back... Do I give like that? To the least? #lovepeople #followJesus

"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" Jesus answered..."then come, follow me" Matthew 19:20, 22NIV Here's a good guy. He's come to Jesus with genuine questions. He's done all kinds of good things...goes to church every Sunday, looks after his elderly parents, gives his tithe...but still knows there's something missing...he asks Jesus a dangerous question, a question that could change the direction of his life... Jesus, what's missing? I'm doing everything right but it seems that I'm not sure I've done enough to please God,  what do you say? What do I lack? Jesus told him to give up his treasure. Give away the thing he treasured most. And follow Him. Will I ask that question? #livedangerously #whatdoilack #followJesus

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. Luke 18:22-23 NIV Join me. Come with me on the journey. Put me first. This is the "one thing". It's commandments #1 & #2 that were not yesterday's list. #1 Put God first #2 Have no idols This guy had missed the most important thing. #loveGod He'd allowed a good thing (the things he owned, his money, wealth, the power, prestige, options, that brought with it) to become THE thing. His significance & his security was in something other than Jesus. And he couldn't give it up. "Follow me" is not a harsh command but a gentle request to walk with Him, to learn from Him, to figure things out together on the journey... #loveGod #wordsofJesus #followJesus

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me", he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. Matthew 9:9 NIV Was there more to this story? Or was it as simple as that? Follow me. Jesus is simple, straight forward...no obscure stories...just...follow me. Sometimes we make Christianity so complicated...but really it's just "follow me" Simply follow Jesus today. What does that look like for you and me today? In my choices...my interactions with people... #choose #followJesus #wordsofJesus #keepitsimple

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus...  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5, 8 NIV Jesus became obedient to death...didn't have to...but chose to. And not just any death. Humiliated in a public execution that was used by the world superpower of his day to show its dominance and terrorise people. He allowed all of that. And this is how he calls us to be too... #takeupyourcross #followJesus #thereisgonnabeacost

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. Matthew 9:9 NIV We follow people on FB, instagram, twitter...we read people's blogs, articles, books...watch their tv shows or Youtube channels... When we say we follow Jesus...is it just the same? Matthew was called and he got up and followed...something fundamental changed. Jesus was not just one voice of many, not just an influence in his life, but much more. This year, will you and I really follow Jesus wherever He calls? Will His voice be not just one amongst many, but The voice we follow? #hello2016 #newyearnewdirections #followJesus #sunday #worship