'Jake Walls'

Here's my latest, from 'Watching Daily at Wisdom's Gates':
          
          For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
          
          Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)
          
          Jesus isn't just a baby born in Bethlehem. He's the King of kings and Lord of lords. We all need counsel: He is a Wonderful Counsellor.
          
          Jesus isn't just someone to advise us. He's Almighty God. At His arrest, He could have called down twelve legions of angels to prevent His torture and execution.
          
          Christ is the Everlasting Father of those who trust in Him. We don't have to be spiritual orphans. We don't have to be the prey of the evil one.
          
          Christ is the Prince of Peace. He came to bring peace on earth to those on whom His favour rests. If we reject Him, we have no peace with God.
          
          'Father God, please help us to trust the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation. In His name we pray, amen'.

Here's my latest writing:
          
          But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
          
          Micah 5:2 (ESV)
          
          Jesus isn't just a cute baby, born in the little town of Bethlehem two thousand years ago. His coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. In fact, as He told the religious leaders of His day, 'before Abraham was born, I am'.
          
          'I am' is God's name for Himself: Yahweh, or the LORD. He is the self existent One. He was, and He is, and He is to come. 
          
          The Lord Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He's the everlasting God. He's the eternal Son of God.
          
          The Roman governor Pilate crucified Jesus as the supposedly treasonous King of the Jews. Yet Jesus is also the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He's ruler not just in Israel, but over all.
          
          'Heavenly Father, we praise You for sending Your Son for our salvation and to rule our hearts. Please help us to be obedient to Him. For the honour of Your name, amen'

Here's the latest of my writings:
          
          “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.
          
          Jeremiah 23:5 (NIV)
          
          In Jeremiah's days, this verse seemed farfetched. David's kingly line had seemingly been destroyed. The final kings of Judah had their children murdered before their eyes. King Zechariah then had his eyes gouged out.
          
          Thankfully, David's line wasn't completely obliterated. Mary was descended from David via his son Nathan, another of Bathsheba's sons. Joseph, Jesus's stepfather and legal guardian, was descended from the kingly line of Solomon. Coniah whose children were murdered by Babylonians, seems to have adopted a child who continued the kingly line.
          
          So Jesus was born of the virgin Mary. He isn't just some fairy tale. He's the flesh and blood Son of David.
          
          Jesus is the King of the Jews. Not only so, but He's also the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He reigns wisely and does what is just and right in the land.
          
          'Lord our God, we praise You for Your righteous Branch, the Son of David, in whom we enjoy justice and wisdom. May we live for His glory, in His name we pray, amen'

Here's my latest:
          
          “The day will come, says the LORD, when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good things I have promised them.
          
          Jeremiah 33:14 (NLT)
          
          God has done so much good for Israel. What people have had a land promised and restored to them, not even just twice, but altogether three times? Even the modern state of Israel is a miracle, made up primarily of a bunch of refugees who swiftly turned their wilderness of a land into a prosperous, fruitful Western nation.
          
          To be honest, I don't think this verse is primarily about ethnicity or politics. The Bible is a spiritual book, and needs to be interpreted with the help of the Holy Spirit of God. I take this verse to be primarily about the Jewish Messiah and Saviour of the world, the Son of God.
          
          The Lord Jesus Christ is the One in whom all the promises of God are yes and amen. Even Gentiles like myself can be grafted into spiritual Israel and enjoy all the blessings promised to God's people. The ultimate good thing is eternal life, through faith in Christ crucified on our behalf.
          
          I take it that this verse has primarily already been fulfilled at Christ's first advent. Eternal life starts now, it's not just 'pie in the sky when we die'. We get the blessings of peace with God and joy in His salvation in the here and now.
          
          'Heavenly Father, we praise You for fulfilling all Your promises to us in Christ, in whose name we pray, amen'.

And the latest of my writings...
          
          A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
          
          Isaiah 40:3 (NIV)
          
          At the time of writing, people are preparing for Christmas. John the Baptist was the herald for the advent of Christ's earthly ministry. He was the one who called in the wilderness for people to prepare their hearts for the Lord.
          
          Jesus wasn't some political messiah to kick out the occupying Romans of Judea and Galilee. He is God incarnate. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through Him.
          
          John the Baptist called people to repent and be baptised. Jesus called people to repent and to be baptised, not just in water, but in the Holy Spirit. This isn't some 'second blessing'. We receive the Holy Spirit the moment we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
          
          This would be a good verse to point out to those who deny Christ's divinity. He is the fulfilment of this verse. He is the Lord made flesh. He is our God.
          
          'Lord our God, may we prepare for Your return. May we repent and live holy lives for Your glory and honour, amen'

Here's my latest:
          
          For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
          
          Matthew 6:21 (NIV)
          
          What we treasure is what we put our heart and soul into. Most of us work, but that tends to be for money. What we would do for free reveals our hearts.
          
          Jesus calls us not to store up treasures for ourselves on earth, where things decay or get stolen. He tells us to store up treasures in heaven. How do we do that?
          
          We store up treasures in heaven by investing in the kingdom of God. If God is our treasure, our heart is with Him, enthroned in heaven. The Apostle Paul tells us that when we trust in Jesus, we get enthroned with Him in glory.
          
          There's no point treasuring worldly things, because they're passing away. Instead, we should treasure God, because He is everlasting and will never let us down. Instead, He will reward us with eternal life.
          
          'Heavenly Father, may we treasure You above all, for You are truly worthy of all of our adoration. For Your everlasting glory we pray, amen'

Here's my latest:
          
          The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
          
          John 1:5 (NIV)
          
          As Martin Luther King Jr. famously said, darkness can't drive out darkness, only light can do that. Violence isn't the solution to violence. Peace is.
          
          This verse is about more even that peace and violence. There are more shades of light and dark than that. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Light of the world.
          
          In Christ's light do we see light. Satan tried to destroy God's Son. He was crucified, but you can't keep a good man down, and He rose again victorious over death on the third day.
          
          If we belong to Jesus, we are the light of the world. We reflect the light of Christ to the world. The darkness cannot overcome us. Even if we're martyred, we still get to enjoy eternal life with our Saviour and Lord.
          
          'Heavenly Father, please help us to come into the light and to forsake the darkness. For the honour of Your name, amen'

Especially important post today:
          
          Then your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overwhelming scourge passes through, you will be beaten down by it.
          
          Isaiah 28:18 ESV
          
          As in the days of Isaiah, so it is nowadays. Politicians in the UK today are seriously considering legalising assisted suicide. Our society is already killing countless children in the womb, now it is debating whether to kill off people who are declared to be at death's door.
          
          Many people who are declared to be close to death by doctors prove them wrong. It's not up to doctors when we die, that's God's prerogative. The assumption is that life is meaningless and we're just worm food at the end of the day, so it doesn't matter when we die.
          
          People who have a flagrant disregard for life will come in for a rude awakening when their lives come to an end, but it will be too late to repent by then. Life is sacred. It's up to God when we go to meet Him.
          
          Most people assume they'll die and hopefully make it to sit on a cloud strumming a harp for eternity, or whatever they imagine heaven to be. Yet if they have no interest in God in this life, why would they assume they would want to worship Him for eternity? If people don't want to praise the Lord, they belong in hell.
          
          'Lord our God, please forgive us for our apathy and disdain for life. May You transform us by Your Spirit to worship You as You deserve. In the name of Jesus, amen'

Happy Thanksgiving to those celebrating!
          
          Here's my latest writing...
          
          Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
          
          1 Chronicles 16:34 (NIV)
          
          Some parts of the world celebrate a festival called 'Thanksgiving'. Sadly, the UK isn't so thankful. Yet everything good is a gift of God who is worthy of our thankfulness.
          
          The Lord is the everlasting, unchanging one. He's not like us, thankfully. His love endures forever.
          
          Our loves tend to be rather temporary. Even the marriage covenant is only 'til death us do part'. God's love is eternal.
          
          The goodness of God is a scary truth, because we are bad, and He can't tolerate badness. Thankfully, Christ died out of love for us, so that we might be saved from our badness. Now we can enjoy God's goodness without fear of banishment.
          
          'Dear Lord, we thank You from the bottom of our hearts, for You are good, and Your love endures forever. In the name of Jesus, amen'

Here's my latest writing:
          
          And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.
          
          2 Corinthians 5:18 (NLT)
          
          That we can be reconciled to God is a great gift from Him. We deserve His condemnation but can be welcomed into a relationship with Him through the Lord Jesus Christ. We can know God as our loving heavenly Father.
          
          We couldn't reconcile ourselves to God. Only by the blood of Jesus can we be brought back into a right standing with Him. By His sacrifice on our behalf we can be at peace with God.
          
          We're not to rest on our laurels having been reconciled to God. God has given us the task of reconciling people to Him. Humanly speaking He's asking the impossible of us.
          
          If God anoints our lips with the Holy Spirit, we can encourage people to be reconciled to God. By His Spirit, God can reconcile people to Himself through our feeble efforts. Nothing is impossible for Him.
          
          'God of peace, we're so grateful for reconciling us to Yourself through the Lord Jesus Christ. Please help us to reconcile others to You, in His name we pray, amen'