Watching Daily At Wisdom's Gates

 James 5:13 ESV  Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.  When we suffer, we're tempted to either bury our heads in the sand, to moan, or both! James calls us to a better way. He encourages us to pray. Instead of moaning at God about our suffering, it's more constructive to ask him to help us to overcome. The cross of Christ shows that suffering isn't the end of the story. Beyond the cross there's a crown for those who overcome. Life isn't exclusively suffering. There are joyful times too. In those cases, James calls us to sing praise to God from whom all blessings flow. He deserves our hallelujahs. Ingratitude is ugly. Thankfulness becomes us. We have every reason to sing praise to God for our salvation. 'Dear Father God, please help us to endure suffering, and to praise you when we're feeling good. In Jesus' name, amen'.

 Esther 4:14 NIV For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther and Mordecai lives in evil days. I think that's why God isn't named in the book of Esther, because the book would have been destroyed if he was. Nevertheless, his hand is writ large upon Esther's pages. Mordecai had an implicit faith in God to deliver his people. He was realistic enough however to know that if Esther didn't speak up, her family, herself included, would be destroyed. He could see how strategic her role as the Queen of Persia was. Esther was challenged to use her influence for good. We all have a measure of influence. We're all to use it for good. Jesus is the ultimate Deliverer, not just of the Jewish people, but of all who trust in him. He gave his life so we don't have to perish. He rose...

 Genesis 1:1 ESV  In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  Note that there was a beginning. It's not that the universe has always been. Before the beginning, there was God. God is Father, the Word/Son, and the Holy Spirit. He created the universe. It didn't begin with a big bang but with a word. This verse also rules out polytheism. There's only one God who created the universe. He is the God of the Bible. The Bible teaches about three heavens. The third heaven is where God dwells; the second heaven is the universe; and the first heaven is the earth's atmosphere. God created them all and the earth. 'God, we praise you, for you have made all things well. Please cause us to be recreated into your likeness. In Jesus' name we ask, amen'.

 Romans 5:1 ESV   Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  We deserve to be rejected by God. Our sins demand punishment. Thankfully, Christ took our blame upon the cross. To unlock Jesus's justification, we need the key of faith. Thankfully, faith is a gift of God. We can ask God for faith if we don't have it. Why believe? So that we can receive peace with God. We no longer need to be his enemies. We can have clear consciences. Through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we can have confidence that all is well between us and God. It's through Christ, not our own efforts, mercifully! 'God, please give us the peace we need. We ask in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen'.

 John 10:11 ESV  I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  I'm not sure your average shepherd would go so far as to lay down his life for his sheep. A job's a job; but a life's a life! Yet Jesus laid down his life for us. Note that Jesus lay down his life for the sheep. He didn't lay his life down for the goats. It's not like he failed because the goats reject him. This isn't a flattering verse. Sheep are silly, smelly and stupid animals. Even shepherds get that smell rubbing off on them; yet Jesus isn't ashamed to associate with us. That the Lord is our Shepherd is an amazing truth. That he would be willing to 'get his hands dirty' and ultimately to die for us is wonderful. May we praise his holy name! 'Good Shepherd, we're so thankful for your love for us, undeserving though we are. May we love you in return as you deserve. For your honour we pray, amen'.

 Proverbs 31:30 ESV Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Charm is a facade. Someone could be charming to your face and a horrible person on the inside. We shouldn't let people flatter us with their charm. Beauty is God given, but it's fleeting. In a hundred years, it will have rotted away. Solomon gives us a better reason to 'fall in love'. It seems hypocritical for the prolific Solomon to say, but even he recognised that a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. He knew that when the rubber hits the road, fear of the Lord is what matters. A woman who fears the Lord has her priorities right. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The love of God is the heart of wisdom. We're to fear God like a child fears to displease their loving father. 'Loving heavenly Father, please help us to fear you as we ought. Help us get our priorities right. We love you, in Jesus' name, amen'.

 1 Peter 5:7 ESV  casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.  I love how realistic the Bible is. It doesn't just say 'don't worry'. It says to cast our inevitable anxieties on the Lord. Anxieties are like birds. We can't stop them from flying overhead. We can however stop them from nesting in our hair, to echo a C.H. Spurgeon quote! I love the second half of this verse. God cares for us. He's not some distant, uncaring force way out there in the universe. How do we know that God cares for us? Because Christ died for our sins. We can be forgiven and know peace with God through him. 'Lord God, please help us to know and feel your care and the peace you give us. May we leave our worries with you as soon as they rearrange their ugly heads. In Christ's name we ask this, amen'.

 Proverbs 31:25-26 ESV Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. Proverbs 31 famously describes the epitome of a godly wife. Note that she isn't some weak person. She's strong and dignified. The Proverbs 31 woman isn't worried about the future. In fact, she laughs at the time to come. She knows who holds the future. Wisdom defines the words of the Proverbs 31 woman. She's not just some shallow person who only makes small talk. Before we might think these verses don't apply to us, there is a way we can apply it even if we're men. The church is the bride of Christ. So if we belong to Jesus, we should be like the Proverbs 31 woman, whether we're men or women. Kindness should define us and our speech. 'Dear Father in heaven, please help us to emulate the Proverbs 31 woman, and so to be Christlike. In his name we ask this, amen'.

 Hebrews 8:12 ESV  For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” Humanly speaking, it's impossible for omniscient God to forget our sins. Yet nothing is impossible for God. All things are possible with him.  God is love personified. Mercy comes naturally to him. Even though he's holy and doesn't tolerate evil, he's able to forgive us. Christ was crucified to bear God's wrath at our iniquities. If we trust in him, we will receive mercy. By his wounds, we can be healed from our spiritual terminal sickness. We might always, in this life, remember our regretful, sinful pasts. The Bible however describes this life as being like a dream in the light of eternity. Maybe we will have a vague recollection of the hurt of this life, but the pain of it will be removed. 'Loving heavenly Father, please have mercy upon us. We're grateful for your willingness to forget our sins. Please help us not to be consumed by regret. We ask in...