Jeremiah 29:4-7 -This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile

This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."

What a challenging passage. Verse 4 says that God took the Israelites into Babylonian captivity. Then He challenges them to get involved with Babylon. This is in sharp contrast to the separationist views that many evangelicals have today.

The apostle John said it this way: "Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world". Do we really believe that? Can we see that God's purpose is for us to transform our neighborhood by getting involved? We miss many opportunities around us by trying to create alternative cultures. The gospel was meant to thrive in Babylonian environments.

Today's commentary by: Dave Whitehead, Senior Pastor, GraceNYC.org

What do you think? Discussion at: http://facebook.com/DailyBibleVerse

Galatians 1:13-16 - God, who set me apart from birth, called me by His grace

For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man,

As Paul is recounting his past as a Christian bounty hunter he turns everything on its head by verse 15. He talks of the God who set him apart from his birth! How can this be? Paul is looking at his history now from a new lens: the power of the cross. The shame of his past now becomes the qualifier for his future.

The gospel gives us a new perspective on our yesterdays, which creates the roadmap for our tomorrows.

Today's commentary by: Dave Whitehead, Senior Pastor, GraceNYC.org

What do you think? Discussion at: http://facebook.com/DailyBibleVerse