verseoftheday

Friday! Proverbs! The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out. Proverbs 17:14 ESV The water got let out of the fish tank this week...and you know what? You can't put it back in. Whether its a tank, a dam, a  glass or a tap that comes to mind, once its out...water is difficult to get back. Proverbs is telling us that there's often an opportunity at the beginning of an argument, a quarrel, a fight, where it can be stopped. And its not by the other person, but by me. Quit Abandon Walk away My response in a conflict situation is to spark up in the same way. The writer here is telling me to abandon the fight before it starts. Before something is said that can't be unsaid. What does that leave me with then? Listening Listening for the other persons heart, listening for the truth they have for me or about me, listening for God's voice. To quit before the quarrel takes humility. And we have a good role model for tha...

Friday! Proverbs! When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Proverbs 16:7 ESV How good is this?!? That if we really live as God intended, if we love like Jesus, then as it will make such an impression on the people around us, to turn our enemies...those who are against us... and they will at least give us a grudging respect... But wait there's more. 1 Peter 2v11-12 has the same idea but goes a step further. Pete calls us to live such good lives, that even when accused of wrong doing, this will somehow lead people to God. How we respond in the face of those who might be against us is important. It may be the only gospel that some people see. May we choose today to live in a way that pleases Yahweh #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon #lovepeople #loveevenwhenitshard #choose

Matthew 5:43-45 ESV You have heard that it was said,   You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven Love your enemies Pray for those who give you a hard time...how hard is that!? ...so that...so that we might reflect God's character, so that we represent Him, so that He might be made known...it's not about us, but who we represent! #beattitudes #wordsofJesus #lovepeople #lovepeopleevenwhenitshard

Psalms 25:16-17 NLT Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress. My problems go from bad to worse... Sometimes Christians put on a mask, that everything is always rosy, good, cheery & lovely The reality is that some of us at some time (maybe now) feel just like David did... Like God has turned away Alone. In deep distress...heartbroken, hurt, concerned, in pain... When bad stuff piles up on more bad stuff... David lets it out, expresses how it really is to God, is honest & real, & this gives us the freedom to do the same. Sure not with everyone, but with God and people we can trust...and as David did, try writing how it is down the writing can be very helpful And be that trustworthy person who can listen #lovepeopleevenwhenitshard

Matthew 5:44-47 ESV But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  so that...For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?...And if you greet only your brothers... It's so easy to love people we like, people who are like us, think like us, live like us...but Jesus words challenge us to live and act beyond our comfort zone...Heard a story last night of a christian from Israel being greeted in a church in the us, until he said he was from Israel but was not Jewish but Palestinian, and the greeting turned to disdain... #whereistheloveinthat #wordsofJesus #lovepeople #lovepeopleevenwhenitshard #beattitudes

Matthew 5:44-45 ESV But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. So that. Why love our enemies? Why pray for those who give us a hard time for being a christian? So that we might become more like our heavenly father. So that we might understand a bit more of what God feels like when he loves us yet we reject him So that we will choose to love even when it's hard...even when it's costly... #beattitudes #lovepeople #lovepeopleevenwhenitshard #wordsofJesus #sothat

Matthew 5:44 ESV ...But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you... I was encouraged last night to do that, pray for my enemies...actually pray for someone who is against you, who has a grudge, who is grating...will they change? Or will I change? #tryit #James1v22 #beattitudes #wordsofJesus #lovepeopleevenwhenitshard

Matthew 5:43-45 ESV You have heard that it was said,   You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. Love my enemies. Pray for my persecutors. Kind of easy to say if all is going well and you aren't being hated or bullied or attacked...the key words are "so that" - Jesus doesn't ask us to do this as a punishment or sacrificial or religious thing...it's about us becoming more like the character of God. He loved his enemies. Prayed for his persecutors. Died for them. For us. For me. And this is how we become like him. #beattitudes #wordsofJesus #lovepeople #lovepeopleevenwhenitshard #sothat

Matthew 5:38-39 ESV You have heard that it was said,   An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.  But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. What!?! But I want things to be made right! I want justice, on my terms...now! Interesting that this is not about a cause, not about where someone else is hurt, but it's personal. When someone hurts me, offends me (a slap on the face isn't actually going to cause any real physical damage is it) it's time to live the servant life, to extend grace, to live as Jesus lived... #whosaiditwaseasy #beattitudes #wordsofJesus #lovepeople #lovepeopleevenwhenitshard