verseoftheday

For the  one who wants to love life and to see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit, and let him turn away   from evil and do what is good. Let him seek peace and pursue it, because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous  and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against  those who do what is evil. 1 Peter 3:10-12 CSB This life of love and humility that is the family business we are inheriting, the walking in the light, Peter gives  another view to his readers who would've known this song he is quoting from - Psalm 34. This Psalm tells us that what we say is important (it comes from the heart) What we look at is important (shows our heart orientation) What we do and what we seek is important (it shows our love for God and for people) Peter gives another view, to make sure we get it.  Get what's important. This life of love and humility that we are called to, living before the face of...

Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic,  love one another,  and be compassionate and humble, not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult  but,  on the contrary,  giving a blessing,  since you were called for this,  so that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:8-9 CSB Welcome to the family business!  This is how we get a taste of our inheritance, a taste of what we've already received, and what's coming.  Blessing. "Eulogeo" "eu" means well, good "logos" word, reason To speak reason which confers benefit. To bless. To speak words that bless when insulted. To speak words that bless when we have been sinned against, when we see or experience evil actions. This is the family business that we're inheriting, which is just as well, because this is a super human requirement.  I simply can't do that on my own. But this is what Peter calls us to aim for as we live out loving one another. This is what humility looks like.  ...

Friday! Proverbs! Differing weights and differing measures - the Lord detests them both. Proverbs 20:10 NIV This proverb is set in the world of commerce. Where produce is weighed or measured, and the person doing the weighing and measuring is in a position of power. Are they using the same weight or measure when buying and selling. This person has the ability to use their position of trust and expertise to take advantage. I have to trust my mechanic, plumber, lawyer...etc...all of us somewhere, sometime, are in that position of having power or authority over another person. How do we use that? Our God is interested in our hearts. And he's seriously unhappy with anyone who's heart leads to taking advantage of another person.  How we live in this world matters, how we see people, how we treat one another matters, because it's the outworking of our heart. #loveGod #lovepeople #befair #itsaheartthing #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

Finally,  all of you  be like-minded  and sympathetic,  love one another,  and be compassionate and humble... 1 Peter 3:8 CSB Here's some over riding instruction for all of us. Given all that Peter has written so far this is the heart attitude that we are to cultivate and hold. He's speaking to us, together, to be like-minded and sympathetic. We can't be like-minded on our own.  We can't be sympathetic on our own.  This requires us to have others in our lives, to have a heart towards others.  Love  Compassion Humility. This verse that I can skim over and say "that's nice" is now becoming an impossible standard.  I run out of compassion, lose sight of humility, don't want to be like minded, and loving others is just too hard.  And I need Jesus.  To quietly say I'm here, keep going, keep walking with me, and you'll discover reservoirs of compassion, reserves of love that I'll top up.  You're not alone  I've walked this ...

Likewise, wives... Likewise, husbands... 1 Peter 3:1, 7 ESV In this letter we're reminded that we've been born again into the living hope that is Jesus. Called to holiness - even when facing trials - holiness that is ours only thru Jesus blood, and as a result calls us to love one another. Really love. In Ch 2 we are called to lead with humility and grow into this people who are the dwelling place of God, living stones with Jesus as the foundation.  That we are called out of the dark and are now children of the Light. And to live in the freedom that gives,  as well as the humility that comes from knowing the source of that freedom, the price Jesus paid.  And we're called to follow Jesus example, suffering in the world, and for the world. Called to follow Jesus example in relationship to the world we live in, and now here in Ch 3, in relationship with one another.  Likewise. This is not a tick the box activity but choosing to follow Jesus in every part of our lives, t...

For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd  and Overseer  of your souls. 1 Peter 2:25 ESV Rest. A lot of people seem to have (re)discovered the value of rest as we've been in restrictions in response to the threat of Covid 19. We need someone or something to rest in.  Pete reminds us that there is a Shepherd.  Someone who not only can lead us to still waters, but is that water that we need. He reminds us that there is an Overseer of our souls.  Someone bigger. Someone bigger who sees the landscape from a different perspective, who not only is for us, is good, and holy, and true. Someone bigger who is looking out for our soul. Someone bigger who we can find rest in, no matter what our circumstances, what we face, our very soul is seen, known, and loved. Rest in the Good Shepherd, our souls Overseer.  #someonebigger #overseerofyoursoul #safe #seen #known #dearlyloved

For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd  and Overseer  of your souls. 1 Peter 2:25 ESV Sheep wandering off, unaware of danger, unaware that they're wandering away from food, water, shelter, safety. My wandering off is more in my mind, my thinking, that I can save myself, that I don't need God or you, that I can make sense of everything without reference to God...and I drift off, lose sight of the Big Story, lose sight of who He is, what Jesus did, where my hope lies...and I quietly stop praying... connecting, asking, waiting on God. Like a sheep wandering off. I buy into the story my culture pushes, buy into the lies that pop into my mind, look through the lens of my circumstances, and wander off. Reread the letter from the beginning to here, and be reintroduced to the Good Shepherd, the Overseer of your soul, and rest in Him today. See today through his eyes, confront the lies with his truth. Take him at his word today. Simply follow Jesus toda...