Watching Daily At Wisdom's Gates

 Philippians 2:4 ESV Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  If we went with our gut feelings we would be selfish. The Apostle Paul calls us to a better way. Instead of being self seeking, we're to be 'otherish'. Moses tells us to love others as we love ourselves. Jesus goes even further. He tells us to love others as he has loved us, even unto death. We're to die to self and love for God's glory and the blessing of others. Paul isn't saying we can't consider ourselves. He's just saying that we should consider others first. This verse, as pastor John Piper says, is an antidote to marital breakdown. If we're more Christlikely concerned for others we wouldn't be so entitled. Thankfully there is mercy for us in Jesus.  'Lord our God, please have mercy upon us when we don't consider others before ourselves. In the name of Jesus we ask this, amen'.

 Colossians 3:2 ESV Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  We have some unhelpful sayings in English that say the opposite of this verse. 'Seeing is believing', people often say. The Bible teaches that believing is seeing, that faith gives us spiritual insight. We sometimes say 'out of sight and out of mind'. That's an animalistic, inhumane, unspiritual attitude. The Apostle Paul commands the opposite, to set our minds on heavenly things. The world might say that the Apostle Paul was 'too heavenly minded to have any earthy use'. He would reply that heavenliness includes love, joy and peace. The world needs a whole lot more of such things. It's easy to be distracted by earthly things like money, sex and power. If we have such things in the right context, they're like fire in a fireplace. Everything in moderation though: too much of such things is like a wildfire. 'Heavenly Father, please help us to fix our minds...

 Psalm 34:18 ESV The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. When we're brokenhearted we probably feel isolated and lonely. Yet the Psalmist assures us that the Lord is near to the brokenhearted. That's true whether we feel it or not. God knows what it is to be brokenhearted. Jesus cried out asking his Father why he forsook him to the cross. God did that for our sakes. We might feel that being crushed in spirit is the end of the story. Yet the Psalmist encourages us that the Lord saves the crushed in spirit. He can restore us to wholeness. As Jesus said, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God. We need to acknowledge our spiritual poverty outside of Christ to come to him for spiritual riches. If we think we don't need him we're lost. 'Dear Lord, may we feel you close in tough times. Please save us we pray for your name's sake, amen'. 

 Romans 8:18 ESV For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  People often use suffering as an excuse to disbelieve God. Yet if there is no God, suffering is meaningless. Thankfully, God can and does bring good out of suffering. The Bible teaches that suffering can be temporary. This life is plagued by suffering. Yet we can enjoy a glorious eternity free from suffering. When we're going through it, suffering can feel unbearable. Yet in eternity, it will pale into insignificance. We must trust in Christ's suffering for us to be delivered from the eternal suffering we deserve. We suffer in all kinds of ways as humanity. As Christians we can add persecution to the mix. Yet Jesus blessed the persecuted because great is our glorious reward in heaven. 'Glorious God, we're glad that suffering isn't the end of the story. Please help us to overcome and to reach glory. In Jesus' name we pray,...

 Amos 5:24 ESV But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Justice and righteousness don't come naturally. They're supernatural. They come from above. God is the Source of justice and righteousness. We need his help to become just. By default we're unfair towards one another. We need Jesus's righteousness to be credited to our bankrupt spiritual accounts. We're like a dry and weary land that needs irrigation to refresh it. Gods justice and righteousness never run out. If we profess faith in God, he doesn't just want us to sing songs to him. He wants us to be holy, as he is holy. By his Holy Spirit's empowerment we can do this. 'Righteous Father, please help us to be just and holy in our dealings with one another. We ask this in the name of Christ, amen'.

 Matthew 6:33 ESV  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. As Jesus said elsewhere, seek and you will find. As people sometimes say, if we look for trouble, it will often find us. Thankfully, Jesus puts a positive spin on things here. Jesus is encouraging us to get our priorities right. We're to seek first God's Kingdom. This means changing our minds about what really matters in life. We're naturally unrighteous. We need God to make us righteous. We're to seek first his righteousness, credited to our bankrupt spiritual accounts. When we receive Christ's righteousness, we get to enter his Kingdom. Not only so, but God provides our other needs as well. As our days, so shall our strength be. 'God Almighty, please help us to get our priorities right and provide for our needs. We ask in Christ's name, amen'.

 Psalm 103:13 ESV  As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. We might assume that being fearsome and compassionate are contradictory. Yet it is because God is compassionate that we should fear to displease our heavenly Father. Like a child is afraid to upset their dad, so we should be scared of grieving the Holy Spirit of God. Note that the fear of the Lord isn't a blind terror that runs away. It's a child wanting to honour his Father God. We often fail, but God is unfailingly compassionate. The Lord is compassionate. He feels for us in our weaknesses. Jesus knows what it is like to be tempted, yet he's without sin. God knows that without him we are like shepherdless sheep. Thankfully, he is the Good Shepherd who seeks out lost sheep. He's laid down his life for us. 'Compassionate Lord, we're so grateful for your compassion towards us in Christ crucified. May we fear you as we ought. In Jesus' name we p...

 Proverbs 5:9 ESV lest you give your honour to others and your years to the merciless I find this verse about sexual immorality personally convicting. My wife married me in part because she thought I had potential. Sadly, I have, thus far, largely squandered that potential. Yesterday I remembered a testimony that I hope I can emulate. It was a man who worked in a bar and became a Christian. Initially he witnessed of his new faith to everyone in the bar, but then realised it wasn't the best place to work as a Christian. For us to profess faith in Jesus and to squander our time in sexual immorality is to give our honour to others. The people we commit sexual immorality with don't care that we are giving our honour away. They don't care that we're dishonouring our Lord. So much time can be wasted chasing a temporary high that we fritter away time that should be devoted to the glory of God and the furtherance of his Kingdom. Instead, we are to redeem the time. As pastor Joh...

 1 John 1:9 ESV If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  We need to admit we're sinners if we're to be forgiven by God. Of course, that isn't the whole story. Most people would admit they're not perfect. If we are to be forgiven, we need to want to be forgiven. It's not enough to simply confess that we're sinners. We have to ask for forgiveness. Thankfully, God is faithful. He doesn't condemn us if our confession isn't perfect. He doesn't lose patience if we have to continue repenting even after our initial confession. God is just as well as forgiving. He punished Christ in our place. He doesn't just sweep our sins under the carpet as it were. 'O Lord, please wash away our sins in the blood of Jesus. For we ask in his name and for your glory, amen'.