Tag Archives: Galatians

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Repeat Warnings

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Our Daily Bread

Galatians 1:6-10

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel. —Galatians 1:6

“Caution, the moving walkway is ending. Caution, the moving walkway is ending.” If you’ve ever used an automated walkway at an airport, you’ve heard this kind of announcement repeatedly.

Why do airports repeat this announcement over and over? To ensure safety and to protect them from liability if someone were to be injured.

Repeated announcements can be annoying, but they do have value. As a matter of fact, the apostle Paul thought repeating a warning was so vital that he did it in the text of Galatians. But his statement had value far beyond the danger of tripping at the airport. Paul warned them not to listen to, nor believe, him or an angel from heaven if they preached “any other gospel” than what they had already heard (1:8). In the next verse, Paul said it again. It was a warning worth repeating. The Galatians had begun to believe that their salvation was dependent on good works instead of the true gospel: faith in Christ’s work.

The gospel of Jesus—His death, burial, and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins—is the story that we have the privilege and responsibility to share. When we present the gospel, let’s share that the risen Jesus is the only solution to the problem of sin. —Dave Branon

He is the way, the truth, the life—

That One whose name is Jesus;

There is no other name on earth

That has the power to save us. —Sper

Only one road leads to heaven— Jesus Christ is the way.

Bible in a year: Ecclesiastes 10-12; Galatians 1

Insight

Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia addresses Christians who were being persuaded to return to a lifestyle that sought to earn God’s favor through good deeds and obedience to the law of Moses. Today’s passage is part of the introduction to the letter. In these few verses, Paul introduces the topics that will be covered in the rest of the letter, provides the reason this should be of interest to the reader, and establishes his own authority to address the topic. Paul will be writing about the true gospel of Christ (vv.6-9), and the reader should pay attention to his words because he is the bondservant of Christ (v.10). Anyone who preaches another message is “accursed” (vv.8-9).

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie –At the Right Time

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When the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. —Galatians 4:4

By nature, I tend to be an impatient person. I’m one of those guys who, when the pizza comes, doesn’t wait for it to cool off. I start eating it immediately. Of course, I have burned the entire roof of my mouth that way. But I just can’t wait.

In this day and age when everything moves so fast, we don’t need to wait for much of anything anymore. How did we ever make it without microwave ovens? Yet even these seem slow to me now. At the grocery store, even if it’s necessary for me to leave a few things behind, I will try to get in the ten-items-or-less line. When I’m on the freeway, if one lane starts to move, even if it’s just slightly faster than my lane, I will move to the faster one. I don’t like to wait.

Yet the Lord tells us to be patient for His return. As we look at this world in which we live and the way our culture is changing, we may think, Lord, come on! Return! Look at the way things are going! But God has His own schedule. He won’t be late. He won’t be early. He will be right on time.

When He came the first time, it was according to His perfect plan. Galatians tells us, “But when the right time came, God sent his Son” (Galatians 4:4, NLT). I love that phrase: when the right time came. At the appointed hour, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies and was born in a manger in Bethlehem. And when the time is just right, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, will return.

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Receive Jesus into Your Daily Life

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If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit we have our life in God, let us go forward walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.]—Galatians 5:25

We ask people all the time if they have received Jesus, without ever really thinking about what that means. If we receive Him, then what do we do with Him? We certainly don’t put Him in a little box marked “Sunday morning,” go get Him out on that day, sing a few songs to Him, talk to Him a little, then put Him back in the box until the next Sunday. If we receive Him, then we have Him with us always.

It is not pleasing to God for people to leave Him out of their daily lives, while going through religious formulas to try to get what they need. Don’t just go through the motions. Either have a real relationship with God that is alive and meaningful, or face the fact that you don’t have one at all and do whatever is needed to get one.

Ask yourself these questions, and you will discover where you are spiritually:

Are you growing daily in your knowledge of God and His ways?

Do you look forward to going to church, or is it something you do out of obligation? Are you waiting for it to end so you can finally go to lunch?

Do you feel close to God?

In your life are you manifesting the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness (meekness, humility), and self-control (see Gal. 5:22–23)?

Do you have areas of your life that you have not let God into?

If you are not satisfied with your answers to these questions, throw your life entirely open to God and ask the Holy Spirit to get involved in every aspect of it. If you will do that in honesty and sincerity, He will begin to work in you in a powerful and exciting way.

Trust in Him: Are you just going through the motions, or have you fully committed your life to Christ, trusting Him with everything so that He can do a powerful work in you?

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – The Fruit of the Spirit

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The fruit of the [Holy] Spirit…is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness, (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence).—Galatians 5:22–23

When we are filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit, we see His fruit manifested through us. We have peace and joy and we are good to people. Jesus has commanded us to love one another as He loved us. It is important for the world to see this love manifested. The people of the world are hungry for truth and need to see that God can change people. They need to see God’s love in action in order to make them hungry and thirsty for Him.

The Bible teaches us that we are to be light and salt (see Matthew 5:13–14). The world is in darkness, but Christians filled with the Holy Spirit bring light everywhere they go. The world is tasteless, but Christians bring salt (flavor) to life when they are present.

We have a big job to do as Christians and we should always be sensitive to the Holy Spirit concerning how we treat people. God is in us making His appeal to the world through us; we are His personal representatives (see 2 Corinthians 5:20). In view of that fact, Paul said we should lay hold of the divine favor offered to us. We must work with the Holy Spirit to develop the fruit of the Spirit to a full measure so we can behave in a way that glorifies God and draws people to Him.

The fruit of the Spirit is developed as we go through difficulties in life and continue, with God’s help, to treat people the way He would. Stay strong in the Lord and remember that the world is watching you and they need you to be salt and light.

God’s word for you today: No matter what challenges you might face today, continue to be kind to everyone you encounter.

 

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – One Life to Give

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I die daily [I face death every day and die to self].

—1 Corinthians 15:31

You and I were not born knowing how to love others. In fact, we were born with a selfish, “all about me” attitude. The Bible refers to this as “sin nature.” Adam and Eve sinned against God by doing what He told them not to do and the sin principle they established was forever passed to every person who would ever be born.

God sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins, and to deliver us from them. He came to undo what Adam did. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, He comes to live in our sprit and if we allow that renewed part of us to rule our decisions, we can overcome the selfish, sin nature of our flesh. It won’t go away, but the greater One who lives in us helps us overcome it daily (see Galatians 5:16). That does not mean we never sin, but we can improve and make progress throughout our lives.

I was greatly encouraged one day when I discovered that the apostle Paul wrote, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me approximately twenty years after his conversion (Galatians 2:20, NKJV). Learning to live unselfishly was a journey for him, just as it is for everyone else.

Paul also wrote our verse for today: “I die daily.” In other words, even this well-known apostle struggled with putting others first; he found that doing so was a daily battle and required daily decisions. Each of us must decide how we will live and what we will live for; and there is no better time to do so than right now. You and I have one life to live and one life to give, so the question is: How are you going to spend your life? I firmly believe that if each of us does our part to put the welfare of others first that we can see and be part of a revolution of love—and that kind of revolution has the potential to change the world.

Love God Today: Remember that whatever you do for others, you are doing for God.

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Run Well

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You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? —Galatians 5:7

When runners compete in a race, depending on what kind of race it is, they must stay in their own lane. A runner cannot go into a competitor’s lane and cut that runner off. If this happens, he or she will be disqualified.

The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Galatia, “You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth?” (5:7). Or, paraphrased, “You were running superbly! Who cut in on you, deflecting you from the true course of obedience?” Sometimes in the race of life, people will cut in on us and impair our performance. That means we need to give a lot of thought as to whom we choose to run with.

Paul instructed Timothy to “run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts” (2 Timothy 2:22). As Christians, we should run together, not trip each other in the race. We are not competing against one another.

Our competition is with the world, the flesh, and the Devil—those are our competitors in life’s race. Those are our enemies. So it is not about besting one another; it is about glorifying God and overcoming the Enemy.

Paul also warned against looking back while we are running our race. He said, “Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” (Philippians 3:13–14). You can’t run a good race if you are constantly looking over your shoulder.

So in the race of life, stay in your own lane and don’t look back.

 

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — “Gorgeous Inside”

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Our Daily Bread

Romans 8:1-11

To be spiritually minded is life and peace. —Romans 8:6

It’s a rather nondescript house that sits on a busy thoroughfare. With no distinctive characteristics, this rather plain home is easy to ignore. But as I drove past it the other day, I noticed a “For Sale” sign in the yard. Attached to the sign was a smaller notice that happily announced: “I’m gorgeous inside.” While I’m not in the market for a new house, that sign intrigued me. What could make this otherwise forgettable house gorgeous inside?

It also made me wonder: Could that sign apply to us as followers of Jesus? Think about it. No matter what we look like on the outside, shouldn’t there be within us a beauty that reveals God’s love and work in our lives?

What does the Bible say about inner beauty? We might start with Romans 7:22, which says, “In my inner being I delight in God’s law” (NIV). A few verses later in Romans 8:6, Paul speaks of a Spirit-controlled mind that is characterized by “life and peace.” And in Galatians, we see that letting the Spirit take charge of our inner being will build in us the “fruit of the Spirit” (5:22), a beautiful array of qualities such as love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness.

Delighting in Scripture and allowing the Spirit to work in our heart will make us look good on the inside—and will pay off in a life that honors God. —Dave Branon

Dear Lord, I pray that through the work of Your

Spirit dwelling within me I will be transformed

into a grand display of the fruit that will attract

others to You and reflect glory back to You.

Righteousness in your heart produces beauty in your character.

Bible in a year: Isaiah 37-38; Colossians 3

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Don’t Quit!

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And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint. —Galatians 6:9

“I’ve been a Christian for twenty-three years,” Cheryl said. “I’m just not getting anywhere. I’m as weak as I was when I first accepted Christ as my Savior. I still fail. I just don’t know if it’s worth it.” Tears streamed down her cheeks as she continued to talk about her failures. “By now I know all the right things to do, but I don’t do them. Sometimes I deliberately do something mean-spirited or unkind. What kind of Christian am I?”

“Probably a growing Christian,” I said.

A startled look appeared on Cheryl’s face. “Growing? Did you hear—?”

“Yes, I heard. But if you weren’t growing, you wouldn’t lament your failures. You’d be satisfied about your spiritual level or tell yourself how good you are.”

“But I’m so discouraged, and I fail God so many times.”

I went on to tell Cheryl she was correct—that she had failed. All of us do at times. None of us is perfect. If we’re not careful, we allow the devil to point to what we haven’t accomplished and where we have been weak. When that happens, it’s easy to feel bad or want to give up.

That’s not the way of the Spirit. No matter how we mess up our lives, God doesn’t give up on us. The Spirit constantly nudges us.

We can allow our thoughts to dwell on what we haven’t done, why we ought to be more spiritual, or how spiritual we ought to be after all these years in our Christian faith. That’s a trick of the devil—to make us think of our defects and shortcomings. If we focus on what we’re not or what we haven’t accomplished, we are allowing the devil to make advances on the battlefield of our minds.

The fact that my troubled friend was upset was a healthy sign, even though she didn’t see it that way. With the Holy Spirit’s help, she can push back the devil. She can regain the territory Satan has stolen from her.

Cheryl seemed to think that holy, victorious living came from one major victory after another. Yes, we do have times when we have great breakthroughs; however, most of our victories come slowly. They come little by little. It’s as if we inch forward. Because we move slowly in our spiritual growth, we are often unaware of how far we have moved. If the devil can make us think that we must have one decisive spiritual victory after another or we’re losers, he has gained an important stronghold.

My advice to Cheryl, and to all Christians who face those dark moments, is to listen to the words of the apostle Paul. He exhorted us not to grow weary, or as another translation says it, “not to lose heart.” He’s saying, “Don’t quit. Keep fighting.”

Life is a struggle, and the devil is determined to defeat and destroy us. We don’t ever reach the place where we never have to fight. But it’s not just our fight. Jesus is not only with us, but He is for us. He’s at our side to strengthen us and to urge us onward.

My friend kept remembering the times she had failed, but I reminded her of the times she had succeeded. “You think the devil is in control, but that’s not true. You have failed, but you have also succeeded. You have stood your ground and you have made progress.”

“Don’t quit. Don’t give up.” That’s the message we need to hear. I think of the words of Isaiah: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you… ; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, nor will the flame kindle upon you” (Isaiah 43:1b–2).

This is God’s promise. He doesn’t promise to take us completely out of troubles or hardships, but He does promise to be with us as we go through them. “Fear not,” He says. That’s the message we need to ponder. We don’t need to fear because God is with us. And when God is with us, what is there to worry about?

God, despite my failures, You are with me, encouraging me not to give up. Please help me to remember that, with Your help, I can win. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

 

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Can You Get Away with Sin?

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Charles Stanley

Galatians 5:19-25

If you planted several apple seeds in your front yard, what would grow? Apples, of course! It is foolish to plant apple seeds but then expect to reap a crop of oranges, isn’t it?

Now, let’s take that little question a step further. If you planted seeds of sin in your life, what would grow? Sadly, the result is just as logical as the consequence of sowing apple seeds.

Why, then, is the answer so obvious when we’re talking about fruit, yet so elusive when we’re dealing with sin in our own life? Many people who freely engage in wrong activities are shocked and dismayed to discover the disastrous results that always follow. Why are they surprised? It is probably because they never actually think of themselves as planting seeds of sin; rather, they see themselves as simply “having a good time.”

This is a trademark maneuver of Satan’s. With temptation, he always offers us one thing but then delivers something completely different. The good we think we are getting turns sour before we can fully enjoy it. That is because the Devil can offer no lasting joy; he serves up only lies and destruction.

Read today’s passage and ask yourself, Am I planting seeds of the flesh or seeds of the Spirit? Do I want to reap the consequences of sin, or do I want a harvest of spiritual fruit?

There is simply no comparison between the two options. As a matter of fact, you might say it is the difference between apples and oranges.

 

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – The Whole Gospel

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I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. —Galatians 1:6–7

I remember visiting a city and seeing a man standing on a corner with a sign that said, “The wages of sin are death.” He was literally yelling at people, “God hates you! God will judge you!”

But he was wrong. He was misrepresenting God. So I walked up to him and said, “Excuse me. Can I ask you a question?”

“WHAT?”

I said, “You know, on your sign it says ‘the wages of sin are death.’ That’s true. That’s what the Bible says. But do you know what the rest of that verse says?”

“WHAT?”

The rest of the verse says, ‘But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ Why don’t you put that on the back of your sign so you can say, ‘The wages of sin are death, . . . but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’?”

Then he told me I was going to hell. It was wrong for him to present God in that inaccurate way. But it is also wrong to share the gospel and not tell people about the consequences of rejecting Christ.

The whole gospel is that we were sinners separated from God, with no hope of ever being right with Him. But God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die in our place and atone for our sins and absorb the wrath of God. And He rose again from the dead. When we put our faith in Him, we pass from death to life and know that when we die, we will go to heaven. But if we don’t believe in Jesus, we will face God at the Great White Throne Judgment and will spend eternity separated from Him in hell.

People need the whole gospel.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Obstacles to Righteousness

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Charles Stanley

Galatians 5:16-17

Just because something is natural or “only human” does not mean it’s right or beneficial for us. In fact, we actually hinder the things of God in our life when we set our mind on things of the flesh—which can include sinful attitudes, ideas, and habits or even common worldly aspirations like money, sex, prominence, and power. The reason is that the natural man does not receive the things of God (1 Cor. 2:14).

Notice that there is nothing wrong with eating, but the Scriptures categorize gluttony as sinful (Prov. 23:20-21). Nor is there anything immoral about sexual intimacy when it is practiced within the God-given parameters of marriage. As long as our desires and appetites are subdued and brought under subjection to the Holy Spirit, our fellowship with God can continue harmoniously. But when yearnings are unrestrained, our closeness and communication with the Lord are obstructed.

In order to give the Holy Spirit control of our life, we must be persuaded that we cannot live righteously in our own strength. Most of us realize that it’s a struggle to live in a God-pleasing manner; to do so requires that we surrender our entire being to Him—mind, will, emotions, and conscience. Ask God to reveal areas of weakness, and then give Him each frailty as it comes to light. This needs to be done not just one time, but daily. Every morning when you wake up, it’s wise to pray, “Father, today I’m totally Yours. I can’t live the Christian life on my own, but I pray that You will live through me.”

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – In Due Time

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Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. —Galatians 6:7–8

When we hear the statement “You will reap what you sow,” that typically brings something frightening to mind. It is usually quoted in an aggressive fashion as if to say, “You’d better stop doing that because the Bible says you will reap what you sow.” And that is true.

But let’s understand it in context: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (Galatians 6:7–8). Yes, if you sow to the flesh, if you disobey God, then you will reap the consequences. But if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap everlasting life.

The decisions we make on earth are binding in eternity. It is here we decide where we will spend all eternity.

Revelation 22:11 tells us, “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.” Obviously God is not encouraging wicked people to do wicked things. This is more of a warning.

I like the way Charles Swindoll paraphrased it in his commentary entitled Insights on Revelation: “You wrongdoers, go ahead and keep doing wrong. Just see what happens. . . . As for you righteous and holy saints, keep practicing righteousness, keep being holy—and you’ll get your reward in due time.”

What you are today will determine what you will be tomorrow and for eternity. So, if you are a godly person, then keep doing what you are doing. It’s going to turn out beautifully for you in the end.

 

Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie – Words for the Weary

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And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. —Galatians 6:9

Sometimes I get tired in the Lord’s work, but I never get tired of the Lord’s work. When you are tired, take a break. Rest. Recharge. Even Jesus took time off periodically. The point is that we must never get tired of doing the Lord’s work. It is a great privilege to be called to do it.

There are sacrifices we make as followers of Jesus Christ. There are things we lose. There are persecutions we face. There are hardships we endure. In the Beatitudes, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10–12).

Notice the word “blessed” is used twice to emphasize the generous blessing of God on the persecuted. Another way to translate it would be “double-blessed are the persecuted” or “happy, happy are the persecuted.”

We are to be faithful in what we do. Galatians 6:9 says, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Don’t be weary in reading your Bible and seeking to live by what it teaches. Don’t be weary in praying for your family, friends, and country. Don’t be weary in sharing your faith with others. Don’t be weary in serving the Lord with the gifts that God has given you. Don’t be weary in that. For in due season, you will reap if you don’t give up.

God keeps careful records, and He promises to reward us for our faithfulness.