verseoftheday

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7 NIV David must've seen snow. No sunglasses that I'm aware of in his day, nothing is whiter than snow right? Yes there is. God is at work. Who is doing the cleaning? It's not me trying to scrub away the effect of my sin or the sin of others in me, or the pollution from the "world". David is asking God to cleanse To wash The result? Whiter than snow Next level A cleansing that is deeper & beyond anything we could achieve. Jesus gave sight to a blind man by cleaning the mud off, and sight to his disciples by washing their feet. That deep clean that comes with forgiveness of our sin happens when we believe, put our faith in Jesus. And it continues in new ways when Jesus washes the mud from our eyes, and. when we choose to wash the feet of others #psalms #psalm51 #thisislove #clean #letthelightin #speaklife

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7 NIV In Exodus 12 the people are told to use a hyssop plant to paint the blood of the lamb on the door posts so that that death would pass over that house. In John 19, the very last thing that happens before Jesus dies, he is offered a drink on the end of a hyssop plant. God's judgement passed over, and passed onto Jesus. So that we, you and I, can be clean. Hyssop is a herb with cleansing and medicinal properties. On it's own it might be useful to clean us in some way. But what we really need is the clean that comes through forgiveness. Judgement passes over us and onto Jesus, by Him, His scars, we are made clean. #psalms #psalm51 #thisislove #clean

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault... Jude 1:24 NIV Without fault. I know that's not true, because I have them. Plenty of them So either this is all about some time in the future when I will be without fault. Or Jesus has absorbed all my faults and I am introduced as if they never existed... Maybe it's both. But either way it's what Jesus did that allows me to stand "without fault". It's only when he presents me that it's OK. Nothing else, no one else, can make me fault less. Nothing else, not my performance, my "goodness", or anything I can do is enough No one else can take my stuff on themselves and make me fault less The only place that happens is at the cross. And the only one who can hold us from falling, and stand with us, present us as faultless, is the only faultless one, who made himself "fault" for us. #dearlyloved #childofGod #scar...

Jesus asked her "Who are you looking for?" She thought he was the gardener. "...tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him." "Mary!" Jesus said. John 20:15-16 NLT Sunday. Jesus wasn't where she thought he would be Jesus didn't look like what she expected She didn't expect to hear anything from Jesus, but he simply called her by name. After taking on death itself, Jesus knows her name. He doesn't launch into a talk about what's gone on, where he'd been, what He'd done, He just says her name. He is risen And he knows your name Nothing Jesus did, and nothing that was done to him in this last week happened by accident. It happened because he knows your name. He laid down his life because He knows your name. Jesus actions say "I love you" Friday says that there is still death, and evil Saturday says we can feel lost and hopeless But Sunday says there is hope! That all that is broken will ...

Then Jesus began to tell them that (he) must suffer many terrible things and be rejected... He would be killed... Mark 8:31 NLT Friday. What Jesus said was going to happen...happened. Russ Ramsey writes; "After a severe beating, Jesus is nailed to a cross where he remains for six hours until dead. Never before or since has more been lost and gained at the same time. The world gained the atoning sacrifice of Christ. But for those present, either the significance of the moment is lost on them or their hearts break as the One they thought to be the Savior of the world dies at the hands of Rome. They can't stop it, and they don't realize it's for them. They hoped in him, and though he'd told them he would suffer many things... how could they have possibly known this was what he meant?" #feelinglost Jesus was on Friday, still, the full representation of God. Not just humble, but humiliated. For us all And for me personally. No matter what No matter...

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross! Philippians 2:8 NIV Humility Level 3 Death on a cross. Not only was this a painful and slow way to die, it was humiliating and public - a form of terrorism - a close modern equivalent is the murder of people by drug cartels in Mexico - with bodies left outside schools and public places...sending a message of who's in control here. The Author of Life submitted to the worst of deaths...the Creator submitting to his creation. Humility Level 3. Go back to verse 5, just to make this worse (if that seems possible) and WE are called to have the same mindset in OUR relationships with others! Love others to Level 3. I think that's called a stretch goal as I scratch away at Level 1. It's easy to say "love like Jesus", but this is what it means. Level 3. #thisislove #dearlyloved

Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. Proverbs 14:31 NIV What happens when we plug Jesus into this proverb? The only place we can be is that we're the poor. We're in need. There are no levels, no differences between people, we're all in the same position, all in need. And Jesus, doing the will of the Father, honouring Him, is kind to us. So kind that he loves us. And that Love that took him to the cross. #sunday #worship #thisisourGod #thisisLove #inthistogether #dearlyloved

"If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven..." Matthew 19:20-22 NIV God gave up his most precious possession...gave His son, the treasure of heaven, gave him for the poor...the absolutely destitute, those who have nothing, no ability to repay... Us. The least. Jesus became destitute so that we no longer needed to be He became poor so that we could become treasure. Rejected. Despised. Forsaken. So that we could be redeemed. Atoned for. Restored. Brought from outside the gate...into the city Moved from the orphanage to the palace...into the family of the King! Has there ever been a love like this? #childrenofGod #adopted #chosen #belong #redeemed #dearlyloved #thisisLove

Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Philippians 3:1 NIV Further to what? Further to Ch2 which is all about Jesus being central to everything & that we should have his same humility and love...further to that there's always something to rejoice in! And just because we've heard it all before, we need constant reminding of the core of our faith... who Jesus is, what he did, and why... because we forget, & we get caught up in other stuff, meanings of words, where is the moral line supposed to be etc etc - good things to wrestle with but don't lose sight of Jesus #jesusatthecentre #sunday #worship #thisislove #grace #dearlyloved

Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:12-13 NIV The law that gives freedom is the law of love that Jesus not only taught, & lived, but is. Where love is the highest virtue. Forgiveness Another chance Let him who is without sin... That law where mercy triumphs The mercy of God sending Jesus to atone for me The mercy of Jesus willingly taking my punishment The mercy of his Spirit to keep working in and working on my failures... Since mercy triumphs in God's economy then how should it look in mine? Judgement is so much easier... #mercy #mercytrumpsjudgement #thisislove #thisisourGod

Romans 5.6-8.niv ...though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Have you ever given up a lot to help someone? Maybe invested in a relationship, helped someone with a project or assignment...given money...out of love & for no other reward...if  you're a parent then you certainly have...& as a result you really want that person to succeed...you're on their side... But God. Demonstrates his love for us by Jesus investing everything,  giving it all up for us He's on our side. God For Us. #thisislove #nogreaterlove #youaredearlyloved #onyourteam

Isaiah 53:3 ESV He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief... This weekend we have thought a lot about loss, sorrow...about sacrifice & being prepared to give your life so that others might be free... Well acquainted with grief. A man of sorrows. Gave his life, that I might be free Man of Sorrows what a name For the Son of God who came Ruined sinners to reclaim... Bearing shame and scoffing rude, In my place condemned He stood; Sealed my pardon with His blood Hallelujah what a Saviour #thisislove