verseoftheday

No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God...not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people. Romans 2:29 NLT As 2016 draws to a close maybe it's been a stellar year, maybe it's been a tough one...or a bit of both...but Paul reminds us here about what's really important...our hearts. The lead news story today is the awarding of NY honours - with a shot putter at the top of the list! But it's not the praise of people we're to look for even tho that might come, but God. And that comes from a heart oriented towards Him, simply living out in our own way - loving Him, & loving people, wherever we are, in whatever capacity we can... #Romans #keepingitreal

When outsiders who have never heard of God's  law follow it more or less by instinct, they confirm its truth by their obedience. They show that God's law is not something alien, imposed on us from without, but woven into the very fabric of our creation. There is something deep within them that echoes God's yes and no, right and wrong... Romans 2:15 MSG Love the way the Message puts this...that our sense that there is a right and wrong, truth and error, good and evil, is woven into the fabric of creation... all people have something within, that echo of God And it's woven in... not added later as some kind of crutch or explanation - but who God is is part of who we are... Because we know there is right & wrong, it points us to the Creator... & encourages us to find out what He intended. A lifetimes journey of discovery. #Romans #keepingitreal #somethingtochewon

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or consider Him worth knowing [as their Creator], God gave them over... Romans 1:28 AMP "Morality, it could be argued, represents the way that people would like the world to work, whereas economics represents how it actually does work" Freakonomics. When governments and those in authority lose their moral stand, the only thing left is economics. And we're so much more than economic units of production. Just as in Paul's day big chunks of our world no longer bother to acknowledge God or consider Him worth knowing...and yet at a micro level...in my heart...how often do I do the same thing? What does God know about my situation? How is His truth ? If we ignore God He'll let us run our own way...but if we keep choosing to acknowledge Him & consider Him worth knowing, He'll walk with us... #Romans #keepingitreal #Godisworthknowing #truth

They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator - who is forever praised. Amen. Romans 1:25 NIV John Calvin in 1530 wrote "...man's nature...is a perpetual factory of idols..." or as Tim Keller said when our heart takes the good things (love, career, business, things we own or want to own, even family) & make them the ultimate thing. The thing we think will give us significance, security, fulfillment if we could just attain them... It's so easily done...if only I had That - I'd be happy / content / safe / valuable... Paul says don't swap the living God for the things He's made or we've made. In Him we ARE significant, loved, & secure & it's Him we should choose to worship... #dearlyloved #childrenofGod #jesusatthecentre #loveGod #Romans #keepingitreal #encourageoneanother

...I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. Romans 1:11-12 NLT Paul had some goodness to share and he was as keen as a bean to get to Rome and share what God had on his heart. Paul was a writer, but he was hanging out to meet. To look people in the eye. To see how they really are. And he really wanted to hear how their faith journey was going. How are you? Good. How are you? Good. Paul was interested in what's really going on - how's your heart. Let's talk a little about how God is working with you and how he's working on me. Let's keep it real. Let's meet. And check in. Let's get beneath the surface...and let's us encourage one another... #Romans #keepingitreal #encourageoneanother

Friday! Proverbs! Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense. Proverbs 12:11 NIV Work your land - use your skills, talents & resources & you'll probably be OK...but when we "bet the farm" on that one deal, the deal that all the advice says won't work, or we take our paycheck to the casino, or believe that the lotto numbers are ours - this week! - that's chasing fantasies. It may even be subtler than that...i want to be the mayor, CEO, PM, All Blk captan or ? when I'm not prepared to put in the effort, study, practice, sacrifice or what it takes to get there... Yes shoot for the stars, aim high, but Solomon here says use some wisdom as well... #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #keepingitreal

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? James 4:1 NIV Whether it's Brexit, over sport, money, land, water...or the more mundane, close to home...what causes fights and quarrels?  What makes me angry at you? James nails it. Usually it's because of something I want, jealousy, coveting, wanting...something that's going on in my heart...the battle of the heart is where all is won and lost... Only when we align, and keep realigning our hearts with God, will we win the battle in our own hearts... #james #keepingitreal #faithandworks #inthistogether

And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:18 NLT Peace. Whether it's countries, factions, ideologies, individuals, or within our hearts...we all want peace. How can we ever hope to solve the world's problems if we can't have peace in our own hearts...peace that comes from knowing we were created on purpose, that we have value, that we are forgiven, made right with God thru faith in Jesus, and...are dearly loved. And that while this beautiful yet disaster filled world is what it is, one day, all will be made new. Then we will know true peace. But for now, wherever we are, we can be peacemakers...in big or small ways, if we choose to plant seeds of peace... #james #keepingitreal #faithandworks

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favouritism and is always sincere. James 3:17 NLT If ever there was a passage to judge my behaviour against, this is it...an others oriented life that is genuine and the application of God's wisdom in everyday life. Lord, help me to be that person, today and everyday, to grow in your wisdom and to live and love like Jesus did. Amen #james #keepingitreal

But if you harbour bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. James 3:14 NIV James knows we're all giving safe harbour to something...but we like to deny it (or talk about it!) Search your heart for that envy, that wanting what someone else has, that ambition that is focussed only on me...and let it go with the tide. We can't always stop these thoughts but we don't have to give them a safe harbour to flourish in When those thoughts we given safe harbour to appear - send them out on the tide... #nosafeharbour #james #keepingitreal

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbour bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts... James 3:13-14 NIV When you give a ship harbour your giving it an opportunity to replenish itself, to strengthen itself, even nurture it...what is it that you're giving harbour to in your heart? Maybe it's selfish ambition or envy as James describes...maybe it's self doubt, fear, or hanging on to the hurts of the past...what is it that you & I are giving safe harbour to that really needs kicking out beyond the horizon? #nosafehrbourforbitternessenvyandselfishambition #james #keepingitreal

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. James 3:13 NIV James is all about living out our faith...in the big decisions if life...and in the everyday choices... when we choose to show kindness, forgiveness, compassion, respect... when we choose not to keep a record of wrongs... In this iworld where humility appears to be  in such short supply, James emplores us to keep it real, to tread the path of wisdom that Jesus marks out for us... #james #keepingitreal #wisdom #humility

This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can't tame a tongue - its never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! My friends, this can't go on. A spring doesnt gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? ...You're not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you? James 3:7-12 MSG It's a battle to keep our words in check whether it's cursing, judging, criticising, putting others down, gossip...a battle we must fight every day...so that our words are that clear cool water #james #keepingitreal #watchyourwords #speaklife

A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything - or destroy it! It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it... James 3:3-6 MSG We all have this power to speak life to others or not...every day we get to choose the words we use...and don't use #james #keepingitreal #speaklife

... Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. James 3:1-2 NLT We all make mistakes. None of us get it right all the time But...if we've got areas in our lives where we need more self control then perhaps we should start with our words...(& for me it's not just what I say but how I say how...tongue and tone!) Not that this is in an excuse for saying things we shouldn't but James is a realist and knows that none of us are perfect. As parents teaching self control with words was one of the most challenging yet worthwhile things to both teach and learn... Can I be perfect? No. Better? Yes! And what we learn controlling our words may well translate to other areas of our lives #james #keepingitreal

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. James 2:26 NIV Abraham and Rahab. Only in the Bible would you find people as diverse as these 2 on the same page...both examples of faith in action. It's not about who we are, how big or important we see the things we do for God are, but that we are doing something...that our faith is finding an expression in action. In deeds. In something. Does your faith feel dead? Then maybe action is needed first...and as we do, as we look outside ourselves, as we work out our faith in the world, in the lives of others, in giving of ourselves, time, energy, resources, skills, talents, then our faith will come alive! #james #keepingitreal #faithandworks #inthistogether

In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? James 2:25 NIV Just when you think you've got God sorted and can understand Him, there are these quirky things that just make you think..."in the same way..." here Paul says Rahab's faith is the same as Abraham's. Abe - a pillar of faith, first missionary & father of nations, & Rahab, who sold her body to pay the rent. God loves us, no matter who we are, or what we've done. He loves to see us step out in faith no matter what our circumstances... #james #keepingitreal #faithandworks

Don't you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: "Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith". He was even called the friend of God.  So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. James 2:21-24 NLT God may call you to do something, go somewhere, that makes no sense to the world. Rather than "bigger, more, me" we choose "simple, contentment, others" Faith is important. But faith needs an expression...what we do... #james #keepingitreal #faithandworks #friendofGod

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  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 2:17-18 NIV Our faith, what we believe about who God is, what Jesus did, creation, the fall, redemption and restoration...what we believe must impact how we see the world, how we view other people, and how we live... If God's highest value is love, then so should mine be...and love is a verb...it's actions and "deeds"...our love for others is our faith in action, no matter the size or impact of those actions...no matter whether we think they are significant or not... #james #keepingitreal #lovepeople

Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed", but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:15-17 NIV This letter is written to the church...so globally and locally our church should be doing something to practically meet the needs of the people in and around it, so encourage your church to do that, be part of the solution...but that doesn't let us off the hook as individuals...we need to be part of the solution to the problems people face today. Don't wait until you have more to give or share or help with... #lovetheoneinfrontofyou