Watching Daily At Wisdom's Gates

  Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, John 13:3 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.13.3.ESV This is an amazing verse. A Man who was about to be executed as a common criminal had been given all things into His hands by Father God. He clearly wasn't just any old man. Jesus knew He had come from God and was going back to God. He is the eternal Son of Father God. What He goes on to do is astounding. If Father God had put all things into my hands, I might zap my enemies! Jesus on the other hand goes on in the very next verses to wash His followers' feet, a most humble and slavish act! The One who is worthy of our slavish devotion, is slavishly devoted to us. It would seem blasphemous if it wasn't true, the Son of God washed His followers' feet. No wonder Simon Peter initially protested! When Jesus insisted that He had to do this, Simon wanted a bath! Jesus said however that they we

  or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 1 Corinthians 13:5 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.13.5.ESV Paul continues his description of love. Jesus personifies it. Jesus isn't rude, although He wasn't afraid to be direct with people. Jesus doesn't insist on His own way, although as God's Son He always gets it ultimately. If we insisted on our own way, we'd be selfish. Jesus's way however took Him to the cross for us. Jesus wasn't irritable, although He did get righteously angry at things that offended Him as God. The book of Numbers is the flip side of the coin of not being resentful. If love doesn't keep a record of wrongs, love does keep a record of rights. The book of Numbers is the opposite of resentment. Instead of keeping a record of wrongs, it keeps a record of how faithfully God led His people through the wilderness to the promised land. And God in His love will lead us on pilgrimage to the new creat

  When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. John 11:33 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.11.33.ESV Film depictions of Jesus tend to have Him with long, blond, flowing, L'Oréal washed locks, blue eyes, a white toga like some kind of corrupt Roman Caesar, and floating around with a permanent half smile, seemingly unmoved and unmovable by all the suffering around Him. How far from the truth! The Bible says He wasn't anything special to look at, certainly not the Charlton Heston of His day! Far from being indifferent to suffering, today's verse reveals how much it upset Jesus. His close friend had died, and when He saw the mournful fallout from His death, Jesus was deeply moved. Death is, despite its commonness, still an unwelcome intrusion into God's world. Before we rush ahead to the miracle of resurrection, we have to recognise how much Jesus feels the bereavement of death. H

  for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 1 Corinthians 11:19 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.11.19.ESV This is a surprising verse for 1 Corinthians, a book whose main reason of writing was to challenge divisiveness. In this verse, Paul seems to acknowledge the inevitability of division. This is in harmony with Jesus's teaching about the likes of wheat and chaff, and sheep and goats. Of course, the true Church of Christ with a capital T is, and should be, united in worship of Him. However, local churches are often populated by a motley crew of genuine believers and professing Christians who aren't necessarily the genuine article. This was seen most clearly at the communion table in the Corinthian church. It seems the Corinthian church met in the villa of one of their wealthier members. What was happening was that the rich members had places at the top table and were over eating and drinking at communion. Mean

  Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 1 Corinthians 10:32 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.10.32.ESV Our ultimate motivation should be to not offend the Lord our God. Contrary to popular opinion however, there are many areas where He allows us to exercise our free will. Often, it's not simply what we do, but how we do it, that has the potential to cause offence. Would a Jew be offended if we refused to eat kosher food? Possibly. So maybe it's best to eat with thankfulness. Muslims and Hindus would be offended if we ate pork or beef respectively, so for their sakes we wouldn't eat such things Would irreligious people be offended if we didn't get a covid vaccine? Then, seeing as there no Biblical reason not to be vaccinated, we should be. Of course, we might offend antivaxxers then, but we can't please everyone! Would our fellow church members be offended if we decided not to attend church meetings in case we catch some virus? If we h

  For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 1 Corinthians 9:9 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.9.9.ESV Yhe Mosaic law was written in an agricultural context, which can seem alien if we're in an urban context. Paul here shows though how we can apply seemingly agrarian laws to an urban, or even universal setting. For the record, God is concerned about animal welfare. Although God is concerned for animal welfare, as a surface reading of this law would attest, He's more concerned about the welfare of us humans, made in His likeness. So we can take a principle about caring for oxen, and apply it to ourselves. If Christ worked for us, is it too much for Him to ask of our worship? We can apply this verse to the principle of giving to the work of the gospel. Those who labour to make the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ known are worthy of renumeration by those who get ministered to. I

  yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. 1 Corinthians 8:6 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.8.6.ESV There's plenty of gods and idols in this world. The difference between us and atheists is the One True God. We know that all other gods and idols are the inventions of demons. Father God is the Creator of all things. Everything exists for Him, whether everything acknowledges that or not. One day we will all meet our Maker. Jesus is Lord, through whom God created all things. Without Him nothing was made that has been made. With Him all things were made. God hasn't just created us, He also sustains us by the word of His mouth. When He decrees, we will breathe our last breath and go to meet Him for judgment. We need to make our peace with Him before it's too late. 'Only wise God, may we worship You and You alone. May we live for You as

  They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?" John 6:42 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.6.42.ESV By questioning Jesus's parentage, the Jews seem to have been suggesting His birth was illegitimate. After all, who ever heard of a virgin mother? They liked to think they had Jesus sussed. Jesus however, claimed to have come from heaven. If that is the case, He's the eternal Son of God. He was begotten but not created. It's easier to try and put Jesus into a box than to acknowledge Him as He truly is: God's Son. If Jesus is God incarnate, we can't pick and choose whether to obey Him. We have to obey Him wholeheartedly. Sadly, many people are unwilling to come to terms with the implications of Jesus's Divinity. Most would rather put Him in a box than to worship Him as He deserves. May we not abandon our only hope of eternal life! Sovereign God, may

  Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 1 Corinthians 6:2 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.6.2.ESV This is an amazing verse. Auntie Betty from church might end up judging Gary the loan shark. Uncle Albert the deacon could judge Jessica the fraudster. If us saints are going to judge the world, God forbid that we should go to law against one another. Of course, if someone's professing Christian partner is unfaithful, then that couple will need to separate. An abusive partner certainly doesn't have to be stuck with. Jesus leaves no room for divorce, except for abusive unfaithfulness (although He would recommend separation over a secular law case). Sometimes if someone clearly isn't living as a Christian, then even if they claim to be, they need to be kicked our of the church. Then they can be taken to court for their crimes. If however the issue is simply that two Chri

  After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! 1 Samuel 24:14 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1sa.24.14.ESV Nowadays, we might say that David had low self esteem, or perhaps overly poetic false humility. The Bible isn't too bothered about such things however. What really matters is that we have high God esteem. David recognised Saul as the anointed king of Israel. At the same time, he himself had been anointed king of Israel. He didn't snatch at an opportunity to grap the throne however, he respected his envious, murderous incumbent. Apart from being a good true story about how David spared Saul's life, there's a spiritual analogy here too. Satan, the prince of the powers of the air, the god of this age, persecuted Jesus to death on a cross, like a dog or a worm rather than a man. Ultimately however, Jesus is the Prince of Peace, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Satan, like Saul at the time of this verse,

  For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 1 Corinthians 4:15 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.4.15.ESV The Corinthian church was succumbing to celebrity Christian culture. If they were around today, they'd all have their favorite podcasters and YouTubers. They were becoming factional. Paul wasn't impressed. So what that they had many guides nudging them in many directions! The Corinthian church needed a father-figure like Paul to set them right. By initially leading them to faith in Christ, Paul was a father figure to the Corinthian church. He wasn't a hit and run evangelist. Instead, He invested in these people with love and affection. It's not enough to have lots of guides. After all, they're likely to contradict each other and confuse us. It's good however to have father-figures in the faith who can set us right. 'Mighty Father in heaven, may we loo

If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:15 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.3.15.ESV Many commentators apply this verse to 'full time' gospel workers. God however expects all His people to work for Him full time, whether they're making tents or preaching to a church. Paul talks about 'anyone', not just 'career Christians'. We are all to build our lives upon the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ. We do that by living according to His word. We are to meditate upon it, so that we know how we are to live. If we build according to our own strength or wisdom, we'll be shown up for relying upon ourselves rather than upon the Lord.  If we're just seeking to make a name for ourselves rather than to magnify our Saviour, we'll only get saved by the skin of our teeth. We want to have something to show for our faith when we come to the conclusion of time. We need

  The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. John 1:9 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.1.9.ESV This verse is on my Christmas cards for my neighbours this year. I'm sure none of them begrudge my faith in Christ, but they just seem to see it as something not for them. John declares that Jesus isn't just a personal lifestyle choice however. According to John, Jesus gives light to everyone, whether we believe in Him or not. He is the Word of God through whom all things were made, including physical light. As Paul put it, 'in Him we live, and move, and have our beings'. Jesus has always been the light of the world. He shone brightly however during His first advent. Even at the darkness of the cross, He defeated satan's power over us. Because Jesus defeated death on the third day, we can live in the light of His life. If we refuse to do so, we're going to get blinded by the majesty of His second advent, when He will come to judge

  God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:9 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.1.9.ESV If you have professed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but are doubting your salvation, this verse should help. We might often, like the disciples, want Him to increase our faith. What really matters however is not the amount of faith we have, but the boundless faithfulness of God. If our salvation depended upon our own faithfulness, we might be saved on a Sunday and lost on a Monday! Thankfully our salvation doesn't depend upon us, but upon our faithful God. We just need to trust in Him with the faith that is a gift from Him, which we can always ask for. How do we get to enjoy fellowship with our Master and Maker? Through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. We need a perfect Substitute who can cover all our mistakes by His sacrifice on our behalf. Jesus gave Himself for us so that we can know God as our Loving Heavenly Fath

  I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath; Lamentations 3:1 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/lam.3.1.ESV Who is the man in this verse? Is it Jeremiah, widely attributed with the authorship of Lamentations? Or maybe his scribe Baruch? Jesus on the road to Emmaus pointed to the fact that all of Scripture ultimately points to Him. Who knew lamentation like Him? Who else has borne the full force of God's wrath? In the immediate context, Judah, the remnant of God's people, had been exiled to Babylon. Jerusalem was in ruins. The situation was lamentable. Whatever our situation, Jesus bore far worse for us. He went through hell so that we don't have to. If we trust in Him, lament won't be our destiny, but rejoicing. 'Almighty Lord, thank You for Christ who went through the most lamentable affliction imaginable for us. May we trust Him, and so look forward to eternal rejoicing. In His name we pray, amen'

  One of the young men answered, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valour, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him." 1 Samuel 16:18 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1sa.16.18.ESV There was a man talking about his son who'd got into Oxford University, had a lovely girlfriend, and was looking forward to settling down for a prosperous life. 'The icing on the cake is that he's a Christian'. This sounds a bit like the young man's description of David. As the preacher said in reply to the man however, being a Christian isn't the icing on the cake- it is the cake. Of course, it's great to be musical etc. Most important however is that the Lord is with us. It's good to be a brave warrior who speaks well and looks good. If the Lord isn't with that person however, it's all in vain. God might be omnipresent, but He's only with those who se

Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. Proverbs 24:11 Many Christians in Nazi Germany turned a blind eye to the Holocaust because they reasoned that Christians are to obey the powers that be and not rebel against them. But there is another Biblical truth that if we are ordered to go against God’s laws, we are to ignore and oppose the powers that be, and thankfully many Christians did. In our day there is a holocaust of unborn babies. I saw a video of a Vietnamese man who buried aborted babies. Then he and his wife started offering counselling to pregnant mothers who would otherwise abort their babies. He also started an orphanage where parents who rejected their children can claim them back years later. I don’t even think this good Samaritan is a Christian. It made me wonder what about us as Christians in this country? What are we doing to save unborn lives? I heard recently about an initiative for Christians to adopt chil

  Whoever plans to do evil will be called a schemer. The devising of folly is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind. Proverbs 24:8-9 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/pro.24.8-9.ESV It's bad enough that we're all naturally evil. But to actively plan to do evil, rather than to just stumble into it, is even worse. Solomon calls someone who plans to do evil a schemer. If we were to think up something stupid to do, even if it's something as seemingly innocent as a prank, Solomon suggests it may well be sin. There's a fine line between a prank and folly. After all, pranks are usually an attempt to make a fool of someone which we shouldn't be doing. Solomon describes the scoffer as an abomination to mankind. Nowadays we might describe the scoffer as a troll, especially if they rear their ugly heads online. But sadly there's plenty of arrogant mockery offline as well. If mockers are an abomination to mankind, how much more are they abhorrent to God! There

  Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth. Proverbs 24:7 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/pro.24.7.ESV The gate of the city was the place in ancient times where the elders would gather to discuss the issues of the day. But it wasn't just a talking shop. It was also the centre of commerce, where imports and exports would come in and go out. It was a bustling trading post as well. Wisdom is too high for a fool however. The gate of the ancient city was no place for him. He had nothing to add to the conversation now. The equivalent nowadays would be in legislatures or chambers of commerce, where the great and the good thrash out the issues of the day. To get to the top of your game, to be the kind of person who gets invited to state banquets, you can't be a fool. You have to have a measure of wisdom about you. You can't leave common sense at the door when you go out to do your daily business. I remember especially as a youth, even in church sma

  A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might, for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory. Proverbs 24:5-6 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/pro.24.5-6.ESV We don't often equate wisdom with strength. We think of the stereotypically nerdy or wise kid at school with the glasses and the weediness (yes, that was me!). Solomon does equate wisdom with strength however, because strength isn't so much measured in how much you can lift as in the strength of our characters. If we go along the stereotypical lines again, the school bully may have had brute strength. But the nerd can outwit him with his brains. The school bully will probably end up working at McDonald's, whilst the nerd becomes the founder and CEO of a tech start up! In a war, it's not necessarily the one with the biggest guns that wins- ask the Vietnamese! Brains trump brawn any day. It's possible for an underdog to win a fight

  "I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments." And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the Lord all night. 1 Samuel 15:11 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1sa.15.11.ESV Later in this chapter we're told that God doesn't have regrets. So how do we reconcile that to this verse? There's a difference between what God permits and what He decrees. God permitted Israel to have a human king when they clamoured for one. But His decree was that He Himself ought to have been their King. Israel had king Saul because they had rejected God as King. Typically of human kings, Saul failed to obey God's commandments. At least his successor David was a man after God's own heart, even if he himself wasn't perfect either. We need to be careful to obey the Lord, we can't just do what seems right in our own eyes. Understandably, Samuel felt conflicted about Saul's failures and rejection by God

  So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.10.17.ESV How do people come to faith? It starts with Christ. He is the initiator and founder of our hope of salvation. It's not even just Christ's death that achieves our salvation. It's His word that we are saved that seals the deal. We can't be saved though unless we hear how we can receive faith. Most people in the Roman Empire in Jesus's day will have been illiterate. Thankfully, salvation doesn't come by reading the word necessarily, because then people who can't read couldn't be saved. Instead we need to at least hear the word to receive saving faith. Faith is a gift of God. It's not something we have to rustle up from within ourselves. We can ask Him for faith however if we don't have it already. 'Dear Lord, please instil Your faith within our hearts. May we hear Your word and gladly receive it, for Your glory

  The proud one shall stumble and fall, with none to raise him up, and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it will devour all that is around him. Jeremiah 50:32 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jer.50.32.ESV The world sees pride as one of the greatest virtues. Parents are proud of their children. Pride is seen to be a cause of celebration. The Bible sees pride as one of the worst sins. Pride is what got satan kicked out of heaven. Pride is the kind of thing that will get this world destroyed before God judges and recreates the universe. Instead of saying we're proud of children, we should say we're pleased with them. That's what we mean anyway. It doesn't have the sinful connotations of pride. Pride is the main thing that made God destroy the Babylonian Empire, which is now rubble and museum pieces to this day. The proud spirit of Babylon however is alive and well in the world today. We are to be the change we want to see in the world. 'O Lord, humble us we

  And the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled. 1 Samuel 11:6 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1sa.11.6.ESV We often think of anger as a bad thing. The Bible teaches that it isn't necessarily so. Even Jesus Himself got angry sometimes. Losing our tempers is wrong. Being angered by injustice on the other hand is the right response to it. Anger can drive us to do the right thing, or to seek to right wrongs. Saul's anger was greatly kindled within him when the Holy Spirit came upon him. This wasn't just a blind rage, this was a righteous wrath. God's people were being threatened. If we're not angry when our fellow believers in Christ are mistreated, there's something wrong with us. We should be stirred to intercede in prayer at the very least for Christians in need. There's often other practical things we can do to help as well. 'Righteous God, may we share Your anger at things that are not right

  By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. Proverbs 24:3-4 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/pro.24.3-4.ESV Building, decorating and furnishing a house are no mean feats. But I don't think Solomon is just on about bricks and mortar here. We sometimes talk about trying to build a name for ourselves, and I think there's a sense in which Solomon is communicating along those lines. After all, someone could have a beautifully built, decorated and furnished house, but be devoid of spiritual wisdom. Conversely, someone could live in a shack and yet be spiritually wise. Having said that, a simpleton can't build a house. A sluggard isn't going to beautifully design the interior of his home. But the wise do. The best preachers don't just order their sermons well, they order their possessions within their home well as well. Messy men make messy preachers. Going back to the a

  Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/luk.14.27.ESV It seems quite trendy in Christian circles to talk about discipleship nowadays. Sacrifice on the other hand seems out of favour. The two go hand in hand however. We can't be disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ without self sacrifice. Our love for other people and things must appear like hatred in comparison with our sacrificial love of Him. We need to be prepared to die for Him. Carrying our crosses has been belittled nowadays. 'We all have our crosses to bear', we flippantly say. But we need to die to our sinful passions every day. We are blessed when we're persecuted for righteousnesses' sake, for great is our reward in heaven. A disciple is an apprentice who follows their Master and Teacher wherever He leads. Jesus leads us to the cross. Only past that point do we gain the crown of eternal life. 'Father in heaven, thank

  I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. Romans 6:19 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.6.19.ESV Paul used an illustration to help him illustrate what he was trying to explain. We're all slaves, he said, it just depends what we're slaves to. We're either slaves to sin or to righteousness. By nature, we're slaves to sin. We cannot help but devote ourselves to impurity and lawlessness. That's what we naturally do. When we're set free by Christ however, we die to sin with Him. Just as He died on the cross, so we die to sin, and rise again to newness of life. In our new life we are to devote ourselves to righteousness. Having been set free, we're not free to sin. We're dead to that old way of life. Instead, we're free to be good

  but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.5.8.ESV Every now and again, we hear stories of heroism as people save strangers in danger of their lives. We always admire them for their courage and compassion. They're just a pale reflection of God's love however. God loved us while we were still sinners, rebels against His majesty. It's like someone sacrificing themself for an enemy: almost unheard of in this world, but for the grace of God. Christ died for bad people like us. If God showed such love to us, the least we can do is to receive such love. We need to accept Christ's sacrifice on our behalf. Then we are to live lives of gratitude for Him. If Christ so loved us, we should love others, even if they're enemies. We should be prepared to die for others, for the sake of Christ. We are to love everyone, and sacrificial death is the ultimate expression of love. 'God

  that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Romans 8:21 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.8.21.ESV Eco warriors have little hope of anything other than ecological disaster. Thankfully, as Christians, we have a surer hope. This doesn't mean to say we can be ecologically irresponsible though, we are to be good stewards of creation. We look forward to the day that entropy ends and the universe metamorphasises into a glorious new creation. Not everyone gets to enjoy the coming cosmos. Only those adopted into God's family get to enjoy eternity with Him in a new reality. So how do we get adopted into God's family. Ultimately, we need God to choose us as His children. If we're not part of His family, we can cry out to Him to adopt us. We're naturally children of the devil, God's great adversary. He has made peace with us by the blood of His Son. So by faith in Him, we can

  Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them, for their hearts devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble. Proverbs 24:1-2 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/pro.24.1-2.ESV When we see the riches that evil men often accumulate, we might be tempted to be envious of them. If that's the case, we need to consider their means of getting rich. And we need to question whether the ultimate cost of that lifestyle is worth it. After all, evil men might have the trappings of wealth and even popularity. But they're only thinking of how they can get away with violence. That's not something we want to get involved in. Instead, we should desire to be with people who are going to encourage us to live well, and to build us up. Evil people are only going to put us down. We shouldn't subject ourselves to that. Evildoers are always talking about what trouble they've been up to, and what they want to be up to next. We want to have a positive impact on the world. We do

  And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, Romans 4:5 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.4.5.ESV When we trust in Jesus, we don't need to work to earn our forgiveness, because it's all been achieved for us by the blood of Christ. All we need to do is to believe in Him. Religious people slave away to try and earn God's favour. Christians have received God's favour by His Son, so we can relax. Righteousness isn't something we have to conjour up from within. All our righteousness is like autumn leaves. Righteousness needs to be something we receive from the Lord Jesus Christ. By nature, we are ungodly. 'False and full of sin' we are, God is all righteousness. We need Christ's perfect righteousness to be credited to our bankrupt spiritual accounts. All we contribute to our righteousness is the faith to believe that God can give us in in the Lord Jesus. God gives graciously to

  And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just. Romans 3:8 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.3.8.ESV Many people see religious people as holier than thou, for that's what religious people seek to be. When people hear the good news for unholy people however, they often misunderstand it. They think that if God forgives people, those people can do whatever they like. So people who misunderstand the gospel think that we have a license to do evil, seeing as God will do us good regardless. Paul condemns this thinking in the strongest possible terms. It's a misrepresentation of the gospel. For Paul, the idea that Christians can do what we like without concern for the consequences is slander. Having been saved from sin, of course we're not saved to sin. If someone's saved from a burning building, they don't return to it. People who think that Christians are licentious will be condemned. To be co

  "He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail. 1 Samuel 2:9 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1sa.2.9.ESV The world assumes that might is right. To the world, the governing principle is survival of the fittest. When we understand spiritual realities however, we realise that these ideas aren't necessarily true. Hannah had been barren, whereas her fellow wife of her husband had several children. It seemed like she was forsaken of God. When He finally gave her a son, she broke out into a doxology of praise. Hannah realised that God would look after His faithful people. Life might not be easy, but when we know God, He cares for us. That was her testimony. Hannah had a glimpse of hell when she declared that the wicked would be cut off in darkness. Hell is a place of utter darkness. By faith in God, we can avoid such a place. 'O Lord, please help us to be faithful to You. May we realise that

  Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. Romans 1:32 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.1.32.ESV Pride used to be a sin, the one that got satan kicked out of heaven. Now its a cause for celebration. We might be uncomfortable saying that pride deserves death, but all sin is a crime against God, punishable by hell.  Not only are many people proud for example, but they also approve of proud people. Occasionally, people who sin know in their consciences that they're doing wrong. Often however, people are brazen in their sinfulness. Before we start to get all self righteous at the sins of others, what about ourselves? We who condemn pride, are we proud? We who extol humility, are we actually humble? If Romans 1 is about irreligious people, Romans 2 is about how religious people are no better. Thankfully, Romans 3 is about the fact there is hope for us all. W

  Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?" Luke 7:49 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/luk.7.49.ESV Those who heard Jesus forgive an immoral woman realised how revolutionary such a thing was. Who has the authority to forgive sins but God alone? Of course, we know Jesus is God's Son, with the authority to forgive us our sins. Religious people don't like the idea that they need forgiveness. They like to think they can pull themselves up by their bootstraps to be acceptable to God. In reality, we can only be forgiven by the blood of Jesus. Having been forgiven, we are to forgive. The one who shows mercy will be shown mercy. We are to be Christlike in our forgiving attitude. Religious people, because they are blind to their need of forgiveness, don't appreciate it when they see it. Those of us who know all too well our sinful hearts appreciate it when we see it. And we gladly receive it for ourselve

  Where are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, 'The king of Babylon will not come against you and against this land'? Jeremiah 37:19 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jer.37.19.ESV Jeremiah had been arrested and his life was on the line. His accusers saw him as traitorous and unpatriotic. His reply would be that he was simply telling the truth. Clearly, if your message is that your nation will be overriden by enemies, you're not going to be as popular as if you promise that revival is round the corner. In Jeremiah's case however, he was just being honest. He had to be true to the divine message. Jeremiah's response was the question the alternative. There had been plenty of false prophets declaring that the king of Babylon wouldn't turn up. Now he was knocking at the gates of Jerusalem! Presumably, those false prophets were keeping a low profile. Truthful Jeremiah on the other hand became the fall guy. He was a convenient scapegoat, a canary in the m

  Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: He shall have none to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat by day and the frost by night. Jeremiah 36:30 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jer.36.30.ESV What was the crime for which Jehoiakim would be violently cut off with no descendants to speak of? Utter contempt for the word of God. There are many Jehoiakims in the world today, who despise the Bible. Jeremiah's scribe Baruch had to write out his prophesy of impending doom for God's people. As he read it out to the king though, the king would simply rip up portions of the scroll and throw them on his fire. So Baruch had to write it out all over again. There's no wonder that Baruch, who appears to be from a princely family, was tempted to despair. God's response to him was to question his longing for greatness, and to promise him he would survive the impending judgment upon his people. Why would we want to be g

  If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar." Acts 25:11 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/act.25.11.ESV This was a bold and brave move of Paul's. To the Roman world, Caesar was Lord. Paul taught that Jesus is Lord, a seemingly rebellious, treasonous assertion. When we consider that tradition states that Paul was burnt like a human candle in Caesar Nero's gardens, it brings home to us how courageous he was to be willing to go to probable death. Paul was prepared to do whatever it would take to shine as brightly for Jesus as possible, and Rome was at the heart of the civilised world. Would we be prepared to die for the One who died for us? Paul knew he didn't deserve capital punishment. He knew Jewish accusations against him were groundless. He had integrity and a clear conscience not just towards

  So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. Luke 3:18 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/luk.3.18.ESV To the casual observer, John the Baptist didn't seem to preach good news, calling his hearers a brood of vipers, warning of axes at the roots of trees, and unquenchable flames! People seemed to appreciate his straight talking however, and wanted to know what they should do in response to his warnings. He was forthcoming with practical advice. It's not enough to pray a 'sinner's prayer'. We need to produce fruit in keeping with repentance. If we don't bear the fruit of the Spirit, God's going to cut us down! We are either fruitful for God, or else we are useless chaff, that's good for nothing except fire. Even though John called his hearers snakes though, he still had hope for them. Jesus said we're to be a wise as snakes and as innocent as doves, and by His work in our hearts we can be so. There's hope for fruitless s

  And you shall be my people, and I will be your God." Jer. 30:22 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jer.30.22.ESV God's people aren't a political entity. The Kingdom of heaven cuts across political divides. God's people are a spiritual company. So the people of God aren't necessarily Israeli citizens today, or citizens of nominally Christian countries. We are both Jews and Gentiles united in faith in the Messiah, the Saviour of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. This isn't just some intellectual assent either. This verse has echoes of the Song of Songs where the beloved says that her Lover is hers and she is His. Through faith in Christ we become His spiritual bride, looking forward to the eternal wedding celebration of heaven. God isn't just our Lord, He can be the Lover of our souls as well. If we are to be God's people, there are certain expectations. We are to trust in Him yes, but also act as His representatives and ambassadors on earth. We are t

  And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.' Acts 22:16 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/act.22.16.ESV When Paul was dunked in water, did he literally wash his sins away? Of course not! Water baptism can't wash away sins any more than taking a bath, even if it was in the River Jordan! Water baptism is simply an outward sign of the inward work of the Holy Spirit of God, in whom we are baptised when we trust in God to wash away our sins, because of Christ's sacrifice on our behalf. Baptism in the Holy Spirit isn't something for super 1st class Christians. Baptism in the Holy Spirit is something that happens to every believer the moment we believe. Paul didn't need a second blessing having received Christ Jesus as Lord. He was fully equipped for the work God had for him. So it is with all who trust in the Lord. Paul's baptism will have been a public, revolutionary act. He'd been persecuting Christians to dea

  for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Acts 20:27 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/act.20.27.ESV It seems that Paul had a similar attitude to preaching to my university pastor, who believed the Bible was given to be preached through in a lifetime, which he managed in his ministry. Paul probably only had a few years in Ephesus, but he still packed in a comprehensive overview of God's word. God's word hasn't been given us to be cherrypicked by false teachers. The faithful preacher of Holy Scriptures will seek to cover them faithfully, not just picking their favorite passages. Understandably, some portions of Scripture are easier and more palatable, but it's all good stuff. None of it should be neglected. Apparently the Danish philosopher Soren Kirkegard likened the Bible to a fish. We tend to eat the fishy 'meat' of God's word and leave out the more difficult 'bones'. But even they can metaphorically form part of a st

  And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hananiah, "Listen, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie. Jeremiah 28:15 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jer.28.15.ESV Hananiah was a typical false prophet, the kind who proclaim 'peace, peace' when there is no peace. Jeremiah was the opposite, refusing to sugar-coat God's message. Jeremiah had prophesied the seventy year Jewish captivity in Babylon. Hananiah was like the World War One leaders who promised the boys would be home by Christmas! He assured God's people that their exile would only be a couple of years, not the seventy years that Jeremiah promised. History proved God's man to be genuine however. I'm reminded of church leaders who promise that revival is just round the corner. How long have people been promising a turning back to God in the West, and to no avail? The word of God makes no such empty 'declarations'. Jeremiah would tell his exiled

  And he said to them, "Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet." And in three days they could not solve the riddle. Judges 14:14 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jdg.14.14.ESV On the face of it, Samson was referring to an incident he'd been part of. He'd killed a lion and bees had made a hive in its carcass. I think he was unwittingly prophesying about Christ as well though. Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who was killed as a result of our sins. That wasn't the end of the story though. Out of Christ has come sweet salvation for all who trust in Him. The Philistines worked out Samson's riddle by interrogating his Philistine wife. They then incurred his wrath, and he helped to strike a blow for Israel against the Philistines. The spiritual meaning will have been lost on them however. Isn't that often the case? People could intellectually understand the gospel, but it has no sweetness to them. They fail to

  But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." Acts 15:1 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/act.15.1.ESV Circumcision might not be a big deal in the church nowadays (thankfully), but other imposters have crept in instead. Most people accept that circumcision isn't necessary for salvation, but sometimes, other things have taken its place. One of the biggest lies is that we need to be baptised in water to be saved. Water baptism is an outward sign of an inward act of the Holy Spirit, who God baptises us in, in other words causes us to be born again by Him. A Spirit filled believer who isn't baptised in water might be disobedient, but they're not damned if they don't get dunked! Often, wolves in sheep's clothing insist membership of their churches and a cut of their members' salaries. They're not motivated by Scripture but by greed. Church members

  "When one of this people, or a prophet or a priest asks you, 'What is the burden of the Lord?' you shall say to them, 'You are the burden, and I will cast you off, declares the Lord.' Jeremiah 23:33 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jer.23.33.ESV People might not often talk about having a 'burden' from the Lord nowadays. Maybe they would phrase it something like 'the Lord has laid on my heart'. The sense is similar though. Jeremiah, speaking for God, showed how angry God gets at people who claim to be divine authorities who speak off the top of their heads rather than from the word of God. The word of God is the sword of the Spirit. Every word of the Lord is flawless. It is sufficient for us. Sadly, for many people, God's word isn't enough. They want more. But anything extra to Holy Scriptures is an unnecessary spiritual burden. Jesus's burden is easy and His yoke is light. God finds people who trust in themselves rather than Him bu

All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." Mark 7:23 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/mrk.7.23.ESV Religion is preoccupied with externals. It would tell us to mind what we eat, because some foods are 'clean' and others 'unclean'. This is true of old religions like Judaism and Islam, but could also be applied to people who are vegan because they think that meat is 'sinful' and we have to abstain to save the world. There's nothing wrong with being vegan just as a lifestyle choice, but if it becomes a religion and dominates our identity, it's become an idol. Jesus made clear that all this emphasis on externals is a distraction from deeper spiritual realities. Holiness isn't just about what we eat. If holiness was about what we eat, it would be a relatively simple matter. As it is though, holiness is about the heart. Out of our hearts come unclean thoughts. Our thoughts give birth to words and actions. So if we're thi

Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass. Joshua 21:45 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jos.21.45.ESV What a powerful verse! Our words are all too often cheap, our promises are broken with alarming regularity. Joshua though could confidently assert that every single one of God's promises to the house of Israel were fulfilled. God's word never fails. What He says comes to pass. We can have confidence in Him that if His promises are not yet fulfilled, they assuredly will be. If God was faithful to old covenant Israel, He will be faithful to the new covenant church. He took Israel from slavery to the promised land. He will take His church from slavery to sin to His promised new creation. What God starts, He completes. The promised Messiah of the Jews has come, Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, of all who trust in His promises to be fulfilled. In Christ, all the promises of God are 'yes' and &

  Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." Acts 2:36 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/act.2.36.ESV Interestingly, Peter didn't necessarily press for a 'decision for Christ' from his hearers. This verse is the conclusion of his recorded message on the day of Pentecost. It was his hearers who asked him what they should do, to which he replied they must repent. So what was it that drove Peter's hearers to realise their need for repentance? It was his retelling of all that Christ the Lord had done. He declared Christ as Lord whether his hearers were to accept it or not. That realisation that Christ is categorically the Lord to whom we must all give account drove Peter's hearers to repentance. Never mind 'Is Christ your Lord'? Christ is indeed Lord, will we willingly acknowledge that fact now, or be forced to in eternity? To know that we are responsible for the exec

  "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will punish all those who are circumcised merely in the flesh— Jeremiah 9:25 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jer.9.25.ESV Circumcision doesn't make the circumcised any better than anyone else. Similarly, baptism doesn't make the baptised any better than anyone else. God isn't so much interested in our flesh as in our spirits. It's no good to have circumcised flesh, when God wants us to have circumcised hearts! Does this make God like the Merchant of Venice, demanding a pound of flesh? No, He wants our hearts and souls, not our physical bodies as such. We need to cut away from our hearts any attachment to anything other than God. By all means we can love our families and friends, but we aren't to idolise them. God demands to be our number one.   Even water baptism isn't enough. It's just a picture of what God needs to do in our souls and spirits, to baptise us in the Holy Spirit. We need to b

  Why then has this people turned away in perpetual backsliding? They hold fast to deceit; they refuse to return. Jeremiah 8:5 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jer.8.5.ESV The temptation with this verse is to apply it to whatever countries we are from, especially if we're from the West. Most Western countries are traditionally known as Christian countries, although of course Christians are part of another Kingdom to the kingdoms of this earth. Is that a good application though? Jeremiah was referring to the professed people of God. He wasn't primarily addressing a political entity but a spiritual community. At least, they were professedly spiritual. So a better application of this verse would be to apply it to ourselves as professing Christians. Do our lives match up with our professions? If not, we need to recover and return to the Lord. Sadly, like Jeremiah's people, many professing Christians perpetually backslide. Do our lives betray the fact that our professions of

  But my brothers who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; yet I wholly followed the Lord my God. Joshua 14:8 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jos.14.8.ESV I fear that as it was in the days of Caleb and Joshua, so it is in these days in the Western church. Just as Caleb and Joshua were exceptionally strong and courageous, so the vast majority of us in the Western Church seem weak and cowardly. And yet these are days of grace! If God grants us forty more years in the wilderness of this world before Christ returns, how are we going to spend it? Moaning and grumbling? Or trusting God to bring us into the promised new creation? Sadly, for much of Caleb and Joshua's lives, most of God's people were weak and cowardly. If that is still the case, let us resolve to be exceptional. God has promised glory to those who trust in Him. Caleb, towards the end of his life, could say that he had wholly followed the Lord his God. May it be that at the end of our lives we can say

  and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, Matthew 20:27 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.20.27.ESV There's nothing wrong with wanting to be first, with wanting to excel in what we do. Leadership is a gift of God. But how are we to lead? We aren't to lead like worldly leaders, who lord it over their people. Worldly leaders expect to be served. Godly leaders lead by example, and serve their flocks. There's no kings in God's Kingdom other than Jesus, the King of kings. We are all ministers, or servants, in the household of God. We might be adopted into God's family, but even sons and daughters have to contribute to the running of the family home. Being a child of God doesn't mean to say we can laze around. We need to serve our Lord. Even He didn't come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. 'O Lord our God, may we serve You as we ought, and lead by example within Your Kingdom. Thank You that Christ h

  I will go to the great and will speak to them, for they know the way of the Lord, the justice of their God." But they all alike had broken the yoke; they had burst the bonds. Jeremiah 5:5 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jer.5.5.ESV It appears in this chapter that Jeremiah had a go at some open air street preaching. He didn't have a great reception amongst the masses. So he decided to take his message and seek an audience with bigwigs. Jeremiah assumed the powers that be would have more sense than the poor, more knowledge of the way of the Lord. They might have had some intellectual awareness, but there was no relationship with God there. Jeremiah was sadly disappointed. God is a God of justice. He expects us, if we  profess to be His, to be people of justice. We should look out for the likes of children in care, single mothers, and immigrants. Does God find us doing such things? Jesus's yoke is easy, and His burden is light. Many people however, in a selfish quest f

  At that time Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, "Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon." Joshua 10:12 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jos.10.12.ESV This is a remarkable passage. If we have faith in our all powerful God, it shouldn't surprise us that He made the sun stand still. The Institutor of natural laws like the passage of the sun is perfectly capable of pressing pause on the passage of our star through the universe! What is even more amazing than God pressing pause on the movement of celestial bodies is that He listened to Joshua. Joshua was busy fighting the evil Canaanites, who were devoted to destruction. He cried out to God to extend the day so that he could have the victory. Cool story, but what's the application for us? We're in a spiritual battle too, against satan and company for the souls of men, women and children. The war

  I say to the Lord, You are my God; give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord! Psalm 140:6 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.140.6.ESV How reassuring to have the Lord as our God! We know Him to be merciful and gracious to sinners like us. So we can plead with confidence that He will hear and respond. How David needed God's mercy! He had Uriah killed to steal his wife- a double whammy of murder and adultery. Though he was deserving of death, God had mercy upon him. As long as we have breath in our lungs, we're not beyond God's mercy. As long as our hearts are beating, there's hope for us yet. Our salvation isn't dependent upon us but upon our merciful God. It doesn't matter who we are or what we've done. If we come to God in sincerity, seeking to turn from our sins to His mercy, He will hear our cries. We long for Him in His righteous wrath to remember mercy. 'Lord our God, thank You for Your merciful nature. May we never take it for gr

  Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? Psalm 139:7 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.139.7.ESV The answer to the question is nowhere! To a lover of the Lord, the truth of God's omnipresence is a comfort. To someone at enmity with God however, God's omnipresence should be a cause for concern. There's no point stuffing skeletons in the closet, because God is there. There's no point trying to do things in our own strength, because it's really God who empowers us to do whatever we can. We should always be conscious of God's presence, whatever we do. Even the grave and hell aren't free of God's presence. God's wrath burns with ferocity in the flames of hell. We want to be where God's love for us quenches the flames of His wrath at our sinfulness. God knows us through and through. Yet it doesn't put Him off us! He still wants to deliver us from our sins. Will we let Him? 'God Almighty, we acknowle

  The Lord said to Joshua, "Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? Joshua 7:10 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jos.7.10.ESV I love how matter of fact the Lord is with Joshua, who seems to have overreacted to the situation the children of Israel were in. To be fair to Joshua, they had everything invested in conquering the promised land, and had come across their first defeat. If God was with them, why were they failing? I suspect most of us in Western churches can empathise with Joshua. We feel like we're losing in the great commission we've been given to make disciples. Maybe there's a lesson to be learned from this chapter. The reason the children of Israel were failing is because one of them had greedily taken what should have been devoted to destruction. A little yeast works its way through the whole batch. We need to expel immoral people from amongst us. Joshua could have been tempted to assume that he needed every man he could get to conquer the land. God

  "He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog's neck; he who presents a grain offering, like one who offers pig's blood; he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol. These have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations; Isaiah 66:3 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/isa.66.3.ESV The old testament drips with the blood of animal sacrifices. So this verse might seem like a surprise. It's an echo of the new testament, which tells us that the blood of animals can't wash away our sins. Animal sacrifice was only a precursor to the sacrifice of the Son of God on our behalf. Now that He has sacrificed Himself, there's no need for any more animal sacrifices. If we think we can do whatever sins we want however, we'd be fooling ourselves. A thread throughout the Bible is that to obey is better than sacrifice. If we perfectly obeyed, there'd b

  "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. Isaiah 65:17 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/isa.65.17.ESV People sometimes speculate as to whether we will remember this earthly pilgrimage when we enter the celestial city. This verse suggests not. When Jesus returns and wraps up history, this life will be like a dream when we awake. Eco warrior doommongers have little hope of a future for this world. In a way they're right. Our hope isn't for this lost and dying world, but for a new and glorious world to come. The Lord Jesus Christ is the firstfruits of the new creation by rising again in defeat of death. Those of us who trust in Him can look forward to taking our places in His new creation. It's all because of His grace. Jesus died so that we don't have to perish with this old and dying world. He rose again so that we can join Him in the world to come. Do we trust Him? 'O Lord, please

  O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. Psalm 130:7 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.130.7.ESV What do we hope in? That our team wins? That we win the lottery? The only hope who will never fail us is the Lord God of Israel. The Jewish Messiah Jesus is the Saviour of the world. Noone who hopes in Jesus will ever be disappointed. As surely as He defeated death, we can have hope that we will too, to live with Him forevermore. His love for us is as sure as the fact He died on the cross for us. We deserve death and hell for our rebellion against God. Because of His love for us however, there is hope of redemption in Him. We can be bought back from slavery to sin. Jesus can set us free from sin. We don't have to slavishly sin anymore. When we do stumble, we just need to return to Christ to restore us. 'Gracious Redeemer, we hope in You for our redemption. Because of Jesus's sacrificial love, we trust