Watching Daily At Wisdom's Gates

 2 Corinthians 6:15 ESV  What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? This verse tends to be applied to relationships. Christians shouldn't marry unbelievers. We need to be compatible spiritually, as well as in other ways. Some people apply this verse to business too. A believer and an unbeliever will have different priorities for work. An unbeliever will probably be focused on making as much money as possible for themselves; whereas a believer should be altruistic and charitable. Yes, we're to love everyone, but that doesn't mean to say that we have to entrust ourselves to everyone. Having said that, the Apostle Paul would say elsewhere that if we're already unequally yoked in marriage with an unbeliever, we shouldn't separate from them. If we promise ourselves for life, we should stick that promise as far as we're able. Paul is getting us to have an eternal perspective. If we're going to spend eternity apar...

 Romans 12:17 ESV  Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honourable in the sight of all.  Our gut reaction when someone does evil to us is to do evil back- with interest! If someone pushes us, our reflex may be to knock them over. The Apostle Paul commands us not to do such a thing. Doesn't Paul contradict the prophet Moses who famously said 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth'? No, because the context was different. Moses was saying the punishment must fit the crime; Paul was saying not to go all vigilante. Moses instituted God's law, which decrees death for murderers for example in an exacting penalty system. The Apostle Paul and the early church were under the jurisdiction of the secular Roman Empire. As such, they were to defer to that authority. Paul gives a positive alternative to vengeance. He calls for us to be honourable. The Lord Jesus Christ could have taken revenge on those who wronged him, but he honourably endured the shame of t...

 1 Samuel 14:10 ESV But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for the Lord has given them into our hand. And this shall be the sign to us.”  Jonathan was a man of faith. There's no mention in this passage of an audible word from the Lord to give a sign. It seems that Jonathan simply had a Holy Spirit inspired conviction as to the way ahead. I have tended to struggle in life with discernment. Should I take this job or that one? Should I live here or there? Amusingly, someone wrote a book on discernment called 'just do something' which basically says that as long as it isn't explicitly sinful, we can go ahead and do things even without a thunderous voice from the heavens rubber stamping our decisions. God has given us free will and initiative to exercise. The Philistines oppressors indeed said 'come up here' and God did indeed give them into the hands of Jonathan and his armour bearer. May we similarly have the courage of our convictions. May God give ...

 Romans 11:5 ESV So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.  This verse reminds me of when Jesus's followers asked if only a few are going to be saved. He didn't answer directly. Instead, he told us to make every effort to enter onto the narrow way of life. These Scriptures suggest that God's people in every generation are only a remnant, a relatively few. Over the ages we add up to an innumerable host. We should expect to be in the minority however. When the Bible says that 'all Israel will be saved', it's not referring to an ethnic, religious, or political entity. 'Israel' refers to the spiritual people of God. In Elijah's day for example there was a 7,000 strong remnant who didn't bow the knee to Baal but worshipped the Lord God of Israel alone. 'Many are called, but few are chosen'. We're chosen by grace, not because we're deserving. God choosing us is an undeserved gift. 'Lord our God, may we trust in...

 Romans 10:2 ESV For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.  Let zeal marry knowledge! Zeal without knowledge is incomplete. Knowledge completes zeal. It's not enough to be sincere. We could be sincerely wrong. Religious people sincerely trust in their own self-righteousness, but their confidence is misplaced. Passionate attempts at keeping God's Law, or five pillars, or whatever else aren't enough. Only Christ perfectly keeps God's Law. We must trust in him. Let us know Christ as our Lord and Saviour. Then let us passionately serve him. May we zealously live for him all of our days. 'O Lord God Almighty, may we serve you, not just in a spirited manner, but according to your Truth. For we ask in his name, Truth personified, the Lord Jesus Christ, amen'.

 1 Samuel 12:15 ESV But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you and your king.  Rebellion is so trendy that it no longer seems rebellious. People say 'not my king' about Charles III in the UK, and there is a 'no kings' movement in America against executive overreach. Here, in this verse, as Israel clamoured for a king, the prophet Samuel warned them. The Lord is King. We should acknowledge him as such. Yet if we idolise politicians, we still should obey the Lord.  If we rebel against the Lord, and our leaders with us, then we cannot expect a favourable outcome. God commands us to love him and one another. We are to look for him for blessing, not the powers that be. Politicians fleece the flock. The Lord is our Shepherd. We lack nothing of all we need spiritually. 'Sovereign God, forbid that we would rebel against you. Don't let your hand be against us as we deserve, ...

 Romans 9:6 ESV But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel,  It feels like Jesus has failed as the Jewish Messiah seeing as most of them have rejected him. He himself however blessed the persecuted and pronounced woe on those about whom everyone spoke well. True prophets get persecuted; false prophets get celebrated. Jesus is a true Prophet who got martyred for calling his people to repent and to trust in him, not just as their Prophet, but as their King. He didn't fail though: not only did he defeat death, but countless millions trust in him for salvation. True Israel isn't just an ethnic group, but a spiritual entity. To be a true Israelite, we have to trust in the Jewish Messiah and Saviour of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. Even Gentiles like me can be grafted into spiritual Israel. 'Israel' is the nickname given to Jacob, the father of the Jewish people, for wrestling with the Lord. We're not...

 2 Thessalonians 3:3 ESV  But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 'Many a man proclaims his unfailing love, but a faithful man, who can find?' Thankfully Jesus is a faithful Man (and God too of course). Whatever we're going through, God won't abandon us. How do we know God is faithful? Because Jesus died for us. He literally loves us to death, and has defeated death on our behalf. The Apostle Paul promised the persecuted Thessalonian church that the Lord would assuredly establish them. Even if in this life we feel pretty tenuous, there's an eternity to come. God will establish us forever.  The Lord will guard us against the evil one. He won't let us get consumed. He's fighting our corner. 'Lord, please prove your faithfulness in our lives. May you establish us and guard us against the evil one. For your glory we ask this, amen'.

 Revelation 22:15 ESV Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. I feel like in the context of this verse, 'outside' is one of the scariest words in all the Bible. To be outside of God's grace is to be lost for eternity. The world celebrates outsiders though.  The world would say 'it's just a horoscope'; the Bible would say it's sorcery. The world would say it's harmless flirtation; the Bible would say it's sexual immorality. The world would emphasise the hatefulness of the hated; the Bible says hatred is like murder (in our hearts). The world would say 's/he/they're the next big thing; the Bible would say we're not to be idolaters. The world would say it's just being 'economical with the truth'. The Bible would say that habitual liars are outside of God's grace. God have mercy upon us! Don't just forgive us, but transform us ...