verseoftheday

And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over." Mark 5:34 NLT Ch5 is an amazing day or so in Jesus life. Just had the storm. There's a demon possessed man A sick girl who died A sick woman who was healed. There's crowds, boats, walking around Jesus demonstrated his authority over nature, the spiritual, health, and even death. Some people were terrified and wanted him to leave, others crowded around, some bowed before him. Yet in the middle of all the drama, in the middle of the noise and jostling of the crowd, there's a moment when everything slows down, like in a movie when  all fades into the background and there's a focus on these two people. She's terrified, face down, and Jesus words are full of compassion: Daughter. My child. I see you I know you It's OK I love you I see your faith. In all the noise and drama, Jesus is personal. You think he doesn't see you, know you, care ...

The disciples were absolutely terrified. "Who is this man?" they asked each other. "Even the wind and waves obey him!" Mark 4:41 NLT The storm stopped. In an instant. The waves stopped. It's dead calm. In the middle of the night In the middle of the lake I imagine the clouds clear completely and all there is is stars... And Jesus. And the boys thought they were afraid in the storm...now they're terrified! They've seen power at work that they cannot understand or fathom. They have a man in the boat who can control the wind. And the waves Absolute authority and control. What's their question? "Who is this man?" What we've seen doesn't fit with Jesus being a good teacher, chatting about seeds and plants and a new kingdom. There's something more here! And it's scary! Our culture would like to contain Jesus too. Contain him as just a good teacher who talked about loving one another. But there's more to...

I am reminded of your sincere faith... For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God... for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:5-7 ESV What is this spirit that God gives? Power: "Dynamis" the ability to get things done, might, strength Love: "Agape"  the love that puts the other person first Self-control: "sophronismos" self control, self discipline Imagine a perfect melding together of the power to get things done, the self discipline to get on and do, and the love that directs towards others! This spirit Paul says to Timothy is found in fanning into flame your gifting...why wouldn't we want that!?! Maybe because the person who perfectly demonstrated that ended up in pain, humiliation and failure, crucified on a Roman cross. Out of that power, love and self control came resurrection and hope. The Living Hope! As you fan into flame, step into your gifting, may you know a...

For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart These, O God, You will not despise. Psalms 51:16-17 NKJV David, the writer of this song, had been confronted about his own actions, his sin. And in that could see more clearly who God is, and what God was about. Not the external practices. The heart. The inner person. The good things we might do, go to church, read our Bibles, serve, give...all good things...but our God wants our heart! Our inner self Not broken in a vindictive way, but seeing more clearly who God is, and who I am in relation to Him And that no amount of church going, or daily devotional reading or helping others or giving our money or time or anything else, good things that they are, is what our God is after. It's what we treasure most. Hold onto most tight. Our heart We know too, that in this battle for our hearts affection, ...

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-oving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. James 3:17NIV Yes I want that! Where can I find it? That package is not found somewhere, but it's a person. James paints a picture of Jesus for us Read it again :) He is the wisdom that came from heaven and entered the story. Here's the meaning of that first word: pure "hagnos" pure (to the core); pure inside and out; holy because uncontaminated (undefiled from sin), i.e. without spoilation even within (even down to the center of ones being); not mixed with guilt or anything condemnable. I just know that this is not me. At the core there is always something that spoils...but Jesus? This is who He is! And when he touches us, this is what we get...His purity becomes ours. How we are seen by the Father because of what Jesus did And one day all that is spoiled and contaminated at our core will be ...

Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand... ...Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. Mark 3:3, 6 NIV The word translated here "shriveled" is "xeros" It means dry, where the land has shrunk and withered. Land that has shrunk and withered can produce nothing. Useless And what does it need to be restored? Water. Jesus is the living water. Jesus speaks and what is dry and withered and useless, is restored. When we are dry Withered Useless Jesus is the living water, the restorer of broken things And as Jesus soeaks Life into this man, Jesus' people, and his people's enemies, get together to plot his downfall. Literally the whole world is against him. Because he loves. Because he restored When we feel dry, withered, useless, Jesus is the living water, that is available to us only because of the cross. #sunday #worship #thisisourGod #livingwater #restorerofbrokenthings

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10 NIV Create: this word means to shape, like to shape a stick into an arrow, to pare it. David is asking God to reshape his heart. To reshape it, to create something new, clean, pure. To pare something, to shape something, you often use a sharp tool. And who is David asking? Yahweh Only God can do this work in our hearts. His Spirit His Word His people Our circumstances God can use all these things to shape us, to pare our hearts, to make something new, clean, pure. Will we pray as David did? Lord, do what only you can do. Clean my heart. I know that I'm made right by the cross, but there's still stuff in me that's not great. Shape me, pare away the rubbish. I know it might hurt, but go ahead anyway. Create in me a pure heart Lord. Amen #psalms #psalm51 #sunday #worship #thisisourGod #creatorofcleanhearts

Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Psalm 51:8 NIV This morning I was woken by wailing. Two cats outside my house. Sometimes we can be in a place where everything sounds like wailing Like cats fighting David was in that place. Everything was being filtered through how he was feeling and there was no joy No gladness It felt like God had allowed his bones to be crushed. I can't get up There's nothing good in my life But Who is David talking to? To God To Yahweh It's our God he cries out to It's our God he cries out to to restore To speak life into him again To get him up And we can do the same in our own hearts, and speak into the lives of others To let the Restorer of All Things restore us, may the sounds, the words we hear, not sound like cats wailing, but again be sounds of joy Of gladness #psalms #psalm51 #sunday #worship #thisisourGod #restores #speaklife

The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10 NIV Can we see Jesus in this Proverb? Jesus would often withdraw, pull back from public ministry. He'd be with his team. But his well worn path? That was to be with the Father. He disappeared, off the grid, went AWOL to be alone with God. And pray. It wasn't a last resort, desperate measure, but a regular part of Jesus walk with God. His well worn path. Our God is relational. He wants to meet with us, hear from us in the good and the bad, the joys, the sorrows, and the ordinary, the everyday. Running to, towards, is a choice. Choose to run to God He is safe. A strong tower. Refuge. Not a static place, but a living refuge who delights to meet with you. #sunday #worship #thisisourGod #run #safe #breathe

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy - to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. Jude 1:24-25 NIV These verses start with a personal God who holds us from falling, lights our path, who presents us whole, renewed and delighted in, and ends with this massive picture of the Eternal. The I AM The One worthy of our worship. The One who always was & always will be And He is the One who holds us up, lights the way, walks with us through the valley... #faith #trust #hope #sunday #worship #thisisourGod

Jesus replied, "Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life. John 4:13-14 NLT Let me just drink what you're offering and all my problems will disappear. Let me just drink that and I'll be sorted Eventually in this conversation, Jesus reveals that this is not about some potion, something that fixes...but about a person. Him Jesus I am the answer Unexpected? This whole conversation was unexpected, as this woman was at the well when she thought no one else would be there. What hurt was she carrying? Jesus met her in that, and gently told her that no matter what, He is the real answer The life giving answer. Today, now, in whatever we are carrying, He meets with us, and speaks Life #sunday #worship #thisisourGod #unexpected #nomatterwhat #theanswer

While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. Mark 2:15 NIV Jesus said Follow me back to your house for dinner! It's not often we get a glimpse of the ordinary, the human Jesus, the person. Just like us he needed to eat Just like us he needed fellowship Friends People he could count on. Sometimes leadership can be a difficult and lonely place. It's easy to be critical of our pastors, our leaders. Easy to forget that they're just like us in many ways. Just like Jesus they need fellowship, friends. Encouragement Just like Jesus they need to eat :) Love people in the ordinary, in the everyday #lovepeople #gospelofmark #sunday #worship #thisisourGod

But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth. ACTS 1:8 AMP I so want to get things done with my power and ability. But for things of the kingdom, there's another part of God through who, with who, somehow, things of eternal value will get done. And what's the job? The task? To be Jesus witnesses. Surely that's easy enough that I don't need any help. When I hate (myself or someone else) He calls me to love. When I'm angry, He calls me not to sin He says I'm blessed when I don't feel it, loved when I don't experience it, delighted in when I don't deserve it...so yes maybe I do need some help. To bear witness in my life to the outrageous, crazy, love story that brought Jesus into creation to give his life for us. To bear witness to his resurrection. And how that changes ...

The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the king of Israel!" John 12:12-13 NIV The crowd welcomed Jesus as king! Think ticket tape parade down Queen St in Auckland with bands playing and thousands cheering. Wall to wall TV coverage. Jesus was the hero who was going to bring freedom from the Romans. He was their hope. Honoured. The one that they would follow. The one that they believed in to get them out of their circumstances. They cut palm trees and made a path. A path of honour, fit for a king. They honoured Jesus as king when they thought he  would get them what they wanted. One week later, they were calling for his death. But God's story is bigger. Deeper. More. Often I'm just like the crowd and want my circumstances fixed. And...

Then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, gave this order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah... But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king's orders. They allowed the boys to live, too. Exodus 1:15, 17NLT Why did we get the names of those women who risked it all to save lives? 1. Because they're real people who we'll get to meet one day. And 2. Because their names have meaning Shiphrah = beauty Puah = splendour Beauty and splendour stood against the evil of their day, risked their lives to save those who could not save themselves. Beauty and Splendour went to the cross, stood against evil, gave his life, to save those who could not save themselves. Me. And you. Beauty and Splendour was marked forever. For me. For us. When there was no way, Jesus became the way. #beautyandsplendour #loveinaction #thisisourGod #sunday #worship

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 3:16-17 ESV This is God's manifesto. He enters the story, humbles himself, shrinks himself, to become one of us. He came so that we might have life. An act of salvation. Because He Loves This is not something we can earn, but something we accept, receive. God made a way. He stepped in Stepped down Stepped towards us. Where there was no way He made one. It is amazing grace. Freeing grace In a world of trouble, this is still the manifesto of a God who loves. Loves us His heart is for you and me. No matter what No matter who you are #sunday #worship #thisisourGod #grace #amazinggrace #dearlyloved

And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. Mark 1:21-22 ESV This word "astonished" means to : Stirke with panic To expel with a blow To be struck with amazement Literally takes your breath away! Jesus words took their breath away. They were left with their jaws dropped And He spoke with authority. Delegated power There was no mistaking who Jesus was representing. There was no missing his message He went to church and was immediately rocking their world! I wonder what Jesus would say in my church today... Mark doesn't tell us here what he said, but is clear - Jesus has the authority. He does amaze. Because He is who He says He is. In that we can trust. #sunday #worship #thisisourGod #Jesusatthecentre

And Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men" And immediately they left their nets and followed him. Mark 1:17-18 ESV Was that it? The whole conversation? Mark thinks it's all we need. Jesus says "Follow me" No matter who we are, what our circumstances are, how I'm feeling today, Jesus says to us "Follow me" And these guys did. Immediately. Left their work. Just walked. Ok so Jesus was there in person, but I find I take so long. Often his word is clear, and his life within my life prompts me "follow me", step towards, love someone, and I take so long. It's gonna be inconvenient Costly Scary Difficult Jesus says "Follow me, I'm here, in front, follow me" Then he says "I will make you..." This is transforming language. Follow me and I'll help you change, grow, develop so that you can be my hands and feet, my heart in this world. I'm calling The first t...

The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. Proverbs 17:24 ESV Where is Jesus in this? He is the discerning His face is set towards wisdom. John 5:19 tells us Jesus does what he sees the Father doing. His face is towards the Father. Jesus regularly took time out to pray - to his heavenly father - that's where his face was set. Which leaves me in the place of the fool with my eyes anywhere but... And that's why Jesus came, a representation of God in flesh so we can have a focal point. Not a place to look to, but a person. It's about our orientation. To choose in the small and the big things of life to look less at the "ends of the Earth" and more towards Jesus...small steps... small choices...so that we might be transformed, changed, bit by bit, to be more like Him.... #fixyoureyesonJesus #sunday #worship #thisisourGod

At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Mark 1:9-11 NIV Jesus walked down to the river just like we would. Participated in the ordinary just like us. And then heaven was torn open and broke through and the ordinary and the Divine come together, jammed together. And we're invited in our ordinary bodies to participate, to allow a little of heaven to break in...may that be ours today. If we believe, we are in Christ, children of God, then these words of God accrue to us as well...we might feel unworthy, undeserving, ordinary...but heaven breaks through :) "You are my child. Who I love" #dearlyloved #childrenofGod #sunday #worship #thisisourGod #gospelofmark