Daily Bible Verses

The Joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8v10)

Joy deep in the heart of experience of God. 

Joy not related to, dependent upon, or derived from, any circumstances or conditions of life

Strange quality of awe in this joy, but a reflection of the deep calm water of the spirit out of which it comes. 

It is primarily a discovery of the soul, when God makes known God’s presence, where there are no words, no outward song, only the Divine Movement. 

This is the joy that the world cannot give. 

This is the joy that keeps…

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
² Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ I thank my God every time I remember you. ⁴ In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy ⁵ because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to…

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.
—Philippians 2:5–8

Brian McLaren shows how Jesus as the image of God changes our understandings of who God is: 

The implications of the Philippians 2 passage…

The foundation of Jesus’ social program is what I will call non-idolatry, or the withdrawing of our enthrallment from all kingdoms except the kingdom of God. This supports a much better agenda than feeling the need to attack things directly. Nonattachment (freedom from loyalties to human-made domination systems) is the best way I know of protecting people from religious zealotry or any kind of antagonistic thinking or behavior. While there are certainly things we are against, we must…

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely…

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is…

The 2024 Happiness Report observed data on six areas which are said to create happiness. These six areas related to the average amount of money received by individual citizens, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity and corruption.  From a global and historical perspective we have much to be happy about in the UK in the 21^st Century. 

However, Luke’s version of the Sermon on the Mount (Luke 6.20-20) declared:
Happy are you poor; the Kingdom of God is yours.
Happy are you who are hungry now, you will be filled!
Happy are…

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

‘Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice!’  PHILIPPIANS 4:4
 
Holy Spirit, remind me in every circumstance today, whether difficult or pleasant, to rejoice in the Lord.

Rejoice in the Lord! In Paul’s world and culture, rejoicing would have meant public celebration. The people of Ephesus, Philippi, and Corinth used to organise great festivals and games to celebrate their gods. Surely the followers of the Lord Jesus have far more reason to celebrate exuberantly than crowds…

⁶ In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

‘Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.’  PHILIPPIANS 4:8
 
Holy Spirit, please make me aware when I am feeding my mind with anything unhelpful. I choose to focus on what is noble, right, pure, and lovely.

We have choices about what fills our mind. Our culture often encourages a toxic diet of all that is wrong in the…

rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.

4:11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

4:12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

4:13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

4:14Yet it was good of you to share…

³ Don’t let kindness and truth forsake you.
    Bind them around your neck.
    Write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴ So you will find favour,
    and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
⁵ Trust in Yahweh with all your heart,
    and don’t lean on your own understanding.
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make your paths straight.
⁷ Don’t be…

⁵ Trust in Yahweh with all your heart,
    and don’t lean on your own understanding.
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make your paths straight.

¹ Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but whoever hates correction is stupid.

² Good people obtain favour from the Lord,…

⁸ A person is praised according to their prudence,
and one with a warped mind is despised.

⁹ Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant
than pretend to be somebody and have no food.

¹⁰ The righteous care for the needs of their animals,
but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.

¹¹ Those who work their land will have abundant food,
but those who chase fantasies have no sense.

¹² …

¹⁵ The way of fools seems right to them,
but the wise listen to advice.

¹⁶ Fools show their annoyance at once,
but the prudent overlook an insult.

¹⁷ An honest witness tells the truth,
but a false witness tells lies.

¹⁸ The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

¹⁹ Truthful lips endure for ever,
but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.…

²² The Lord detests lying lips,
but he delights in people who are trustworthy.

²³ The prudent keep their knowledge to themselves,
but a fool’s heart blurts out folly.

²⁴ Diligent hands will rule,
but laziness ends in forced labour.

²⁵ Anxiety weighs down the heart,
but a kind word cheers it up.

²⁶ The righteous choose their friends carefully,
but the way of the…

The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;
    the righteous run to it and are safe.

The tongue has the power of life and death,
    and those who love it will eat its fruit. (Proverbs 18:21)

https://www.thefuelcast.com/library/2025-02-24-words-of-life-r25

He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh;
    he will reward him.

1 Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked,
    nor stand on the path of sinners,
    nor sit in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in Yahweh’s^[…

Blessed are those who do not follow advice which is based on wanting to do others down
Blessed are those who don’t stop attempting to do what is right.
Blessed are those who don’t ridicule what is loving and good.
Blessed are those who delight in who God is, as shown in the bible.
Blessed are those who day and night think about
* the one who brings peace to families (like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob)
* the one who brings peace to those who are abused (like Hebrew slaves in Egypt)
* the one who brings peace to those who are looking for a better life (giving them his…

^1-3Why do those with power seek to use it against people rather than for people?

^4-7From the perspective of our Father in Heaven, the one with real power, it is laughable that people should think that this is what power is for.

Laughable, this is, if it wasn’t so serious.
God rebukes them in his anger, and points them to how power is really exercised, by His Son on a hill top on a cross

^8-9The offer comes out from God:…

Here’s my problem:

O Lord, so many things, people and systems seem to be against me, and more seem to keep cropping up. - how many are my foes! Many are rising against me.
Many of those who know of my faith in you are saying to me “There is no help for you in God”

What do I know of my heavenly Father?

But you, O Lord, are a shield around me
It is what others see of you in me that causes them to respect me - you are my…

I say to God

Answer me when I call to you,
    my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
    have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

God replies:

² How long will you people turn my glory into shame?
    How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?
[some of our distress is brought about by our own delusions about what is good]…

¹ Listen to my words, Lord, ² hear my cry for help,
    my King and my God, for to you I pray.
    ³ In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice and I wait expectantly.

⁴ For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
    ⁵ When we are arrogant…

¹ Lord God - things aren’t going well in my life
and I wonder whether it is, in part, because I have, by my own actions, brought this upon myself
and am feeling your just anger and wrath.

² OK! But I wish to repent, put this in the past and find healing
because I’ve run out of energy and am in pain.

³ I feel out of sorts deep inside myself and I can’t see when this is going to end.

^4…

I know that I am weak:

            ¹ Lord my God, I take refuge in you;
 save and deliver me 
from everything and everyone that ²  can tear me apart

and yet I know that I have a certain moral strength

            ³ …

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your name.
Heavenly Father open my eyes today to see more clearly your character (your name)
and give me grace to give you honour today by displaying child-like trust.

¹LORD God, Our God
How majestic is your name in all the earth (and for all people)
You have given (us all) your splendour (and it is) above the heavens.

(And yet)  ² Out of the mouths of children and infants
    you have…