Today’s Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1-3

As we learned yesterday, Paul was only able to stay in Thessalonica for three weeks because some of the Jews who were jealous of the attention he was receiving caused trouble for him. They even followed him to Berea and made trouble for him there as well. But many had checked what Paul was saying against the holy scriptures, and they became believers in Jesus. So Paul wrote two letters to the church in Thessalonica, covering similar topics to those who shared in his letter to the church in Galatia — FAITH, HOPE and LOVE.

Paul opened up his first letter praising God and commending the church on their faithful work, their loving deeds and their enduring hope (1 Thessalonians 1:3). In both of his letters to this church, Paul went into detail about their FAITHFUL work in the midst of suffering and persecution. Just as he had experienced opposition to his preaching while in Thessalonica, the believers there were now faced with the same. He encouraged them to continue to live a lifestyle of LOVE expressed in holy living. He also spoke of the HOPE we have as we look forward to the day in which Jesus will return for us. Let’s focus first on the faithful work God calls us to in spite of the difficulties that lay ahead of us, the persecution we experience from others or the suffering we endure for the cause of Christ.

IN SPITE OF THE DIFFICULTIES THAT LAY AHEAD OF US

So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you…As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece – throughout Macedonia and Achaia. And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. – 1 Thessalonians 1:6-8

How can we have joy in spite of the suffering we are experiencing? Paul explained that this joy is from the Holy Spirit living within us. It is not something we have to create on our own or pretend to be; it is a gift from God that brings Him glory when others see our joy in spite of our suffering. Paul had set an example of joyfully praising God in the midst of persecution, and now this church was an example to others who themselves were going through a hard time. In addition to this, their faith was an encouragement to Paul and the other apostles who had invested in their spiritual growth.

So we have been greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith. It gives us new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord. How we thank God for you! Because of you we have great joy as we enter God’s presence. Night and day we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith. – 1 Thess. 3:7-10

IN SPITE OF THE PERSECUTION WE EXPERIENCE FROM OTHERS

For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts…As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or from anyone else. – 1 Thessalonians 2:4,6

How can we endure the persecutions and criticisms of others? Paul makes it very clear that we are to live to please God and not others. Then when other people express their disapproval of us, it falls on deaf ears because we are only listening for the approval of our God. We don’t seek out human praise but only the approval of our Heavenly Father, who calls us to follow Him and who knows our hearts.

IN SPITE OF THE SUFFERING WE ENDURE FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST

We proudly tell God’s other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering. And God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering. In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you. And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. – 2 Thessalonians 1:4-7a

It is not for us to get even or to return suffering back to those who cause us to suffer. We can let go of all of the hurt and bitterness and need for revenge. We can simply have faith in our true and just God, who is the only judge needed. We can also trust that someday our trials will end. At that time and even now while we are hurting, God will provide comfort and rest for His children.

When I received the news that Pastor Ed Heck had died, I read through the weekly blogs he had posted since his cancer diagnosis. His words ministered to my heart. Consider what he wrote on August 15, 2016, just 10 days after finding out he had advanced, aggressive prostate cancer:

“When we ask ‘why’, intentionally or not, we are challenging God’s justice, God’s wisdom, and God’s power. Am I right? I mean, it really doesn’t seem to make any difference whether we are victims or culprits, innocent or guilty; suffering is always seen and felt as being unfair. Whether the cause of our pain is unknown, self-imposed, accidental or deliberate, most of us conclude that we have been singled out to suffer and that God is picking on us! When the flags of doubt are raised — when the ‘why’ is asked — we are really expressing a deep-seated belief that God doesn’t know what He is doing! Here is the key, I think: Suffering, however it is experienced, takes us right to the edge of our faith where contradiction gives us the option of either growing in grace or allowing it to turn into something as toxic as bitterness.” – Rev. Edward H. Heck, https://shardsofgraceblog.wordpress.com

Lord, there are so many people who are going through a difficult time right now. I pray that you would be a source of strength for them today. I pray that the presence of your Spirit will give them a peace and joy that cannot be explained. Please give all of us the faith we need to believe, the hope we need to endure, and the love we need to forgive. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Acts 17

Paul and Silas then traveled through the towns of Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As was Paul’s custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people. He explained the prophecies and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, “This Jesus I’m telling you about is the Messiah.” Some of the Jews who listened were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with many God-fearing Greek men and quite a few prominent women. But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. – Acts 17:1-5

For three weeks, Paul preached straight from the scriptures, taking the time to explain the Old Testament prophecies and how Jesus fulfilled each one of those prophecies. Some who listened were open to the good news about Jesus, and others let jealousy take over. Instead of celebrating both the message and the messenger, these Jews chose to start trouble for Paul and Silas.

When they could not find the evangelists at the home of Jason, where they had been staying, they drug Jason and some of the other Jews who had accepted Paul’s message before the city council. They accused them of aiding and abetting one who was committing treason against Caesar, because Paul and Silas referred to Jesus of Nazareth as a king.

That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men. – Acts 17:10-12

The initial response of the people in Berea is a stark contrast to how things played out in Thessalonica. The difference can be found in these verses. When the people searched the scriptures to check the message that Paul was preaching, they were able to confirm the truth of the good news about Jesus. Their willingness to study God’s word to protect themselves against false teaching made all the difference in their reception to the truth about Jesus. They checked what the apostles were saying against the holy scriptures and what they found changed their lives.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO SPEND TIME IN GOD’S WORD SO THAT WE CAN COMPARE THE THEOLOGY PREACHED BY MAN WITH THE WORD INSPIRED BY GOD.

When some Jews from Thessalonica arrived to stir up trouble for Paul, he went on to Athens. Now Athens was known for its love of the newest ideas. Paul spent time reasoning with the Jews in the synagogue and he preached in the public square to anyone who would listen. When they brought Paul before the high council of the city, they asked him lots of questions out of curiosity.

So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.

“He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.

“His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.

“God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.” – Acts 17:22-30

IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO SEEK AFTER GOD, FEELING OUR WAY TOWARD HIM UNTIL WE FIND HIM. FOR IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND EXIST.

God is so faithful to be found when we authentically seek him, for He is never far from any of us. He does not stay in the shadows to be the unknown God, but He sent His Son into the world to be the light we needed to truly know God.

Just like the people of Athens, some hear the truth of God’s word and laugh in contempt, while others eagerly want to hear more about Jesus. While it can be discouraging to listen to the world’s critical voice against Christianity, and while it can be distracting to hear new ideas that run dissonant with the bible, God is calling us to continue seeking the truth so that we can be a beacon of truth and light to those who are feeling their way towards God. Every day becomes about Him and every decision becomes an act of obedience, for in Him we live and move and exist. To God be the glory! Amen.

Today’s Reading: Acts 16

WHAT IF GOD ASKS YOU TO MAKE A SECOND JOURNEY?

Paul took Silas and Timothy with him on his second missionary journey. Their purpose was to go back and visit each city where they had previously preached the word of the Lord in order to see how the new believers were doing. The result was that believers were encouraged and many more found faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul knew before he even began his second tour that he would again face persecution and potentially death. On the first missionary journey, he had been stoned and dragged out of the city. The memories of the pain and rejection he experienced must have been still vivid in his mind. YET HE RETURNED. Out of faithfulness to the God who had saved him from a life of persecuting others, Paul returned to a city that had brought him pain and suffering. The result of his courage and obedience was that the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day (Acts 16:5).

On the Sabbath we went a little way outside of the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. She was baptized along with other members of her household, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed. – Acts 16:13-15

WHAT IF GOD WANTS TO GREATLY AFFECT THE LIFE OF SOMEONE ELSE TODAY THROUGH YOUR OBEDIENCE?

Lydia was one of three people who were forever changed by Paul’s visit to Philippi. Because of this trip, Lydia’s faith in God increased and all the members of her household were baptized. Lydia extended hospitality to the apostles and God provided them with a place to stay while in the city.

The second person greatly affected by Paul’s time in Philippi was a slave girl possessed by a demon. She was a fortune-teller, and her owners made a great deal of money from the abilities the demon living inside of her possessed. Each day she would follow after Paul’s team shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved” (Acts 16:17).

Out of compassion for the slave girl, Paul cast out the demon. Actually, that’s not what happened. Paul, human like we are, became so exasperated after listening to her shout for days that he turned to the girl and said, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her (16:18). She was now free from the demon that had tortured her for so long. This young girl, a slave with little to no worth in the eyes of the community she lived in, was forever changed.

Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the market place…A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. – Acts 16:19-24

During the good times and the bad, Paul praised God. Because he was willing to suffer for the sake of others, another person’s life was greatly changed:

Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”

The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God. – Acts 16:25-34

WHAT IF GOD WANTS TO GREATLY AFFECT THE LIFE OF SOMEONE ELSE TODAY THROUGH YOUR OBEDIENCE?

What is God telling you to do? If you do what He asks us to do, someone’s life may be forever changed, or the change might be found in you. So, what if God asks you to make a second journey – to do something again, even if you still bear the scars from the last time? Will you respond in obedience? Someone’s forever may be depending on it.

Today’s Reading: Galatians 6:11-18; Psalm 31

NOTICE WHAT LARGE LETTERS I USE AS I WRITE THESE CLOSING WORDS IN MY OWN HANDWRITING.
Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. And even those who advocate circumcision don’t keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples. – Galatians 6:11-13

Paul wraps up his letter to the Galatians with the same topic he started with — the issue of circumcision. He wants the new Gentile believers to understand the motive behind those who insist that circumcision is a requirement of salvation. It is easy to get caught up in the popularity doled out by man and begin taking credit for the spiritual decisions of others.

Paul warns us not to become too proud or boastful about our walk or the fruit of our ministry. If we do, we will begin seeing our conduct, our job well done, as a result of our own strength and ability instead of a gift of the Spirit. We will start taking credit for how the Spirit is helping us to live a godly life, and for the impact our words and actions are having on the spiritual growth of others. We will quickly become drenched in self-righteousness instead of beautifully clothed in God’s righteousness.

As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God. – Galatians 6:14-16

MY INTEREST IN THIS WORLD HAS BEEN CRUCIFIED, AND THE WORLD’S INTEREST IN ME HAS ALSO DIED.

Can you relate to this statement made by Paul? Are you over this world with its false promises, judgmental critiques and intolerance of Christianity? Have you noticed that the world is no longer interested in hearing what you think if your worldview does not match the newest philosophies of today’s culture? It’s okay because the only thing that truly counts is the transformation that the Spirit of God is doing in our hearts and minds. We no longer belong to this world; we belong to Jesus!

From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus. – Galatians 6:17

DON’T TROUBLE ME WITH THE OPINIONS OF THIS WORLD FOR I BELONG TO JESUS!

Dear brothers and sisters, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. – Galatians 6:18

Remember how we started out the book of Galatians? We are saved by grace through faith and not by works. It is not our observance of religious laws or our faithful attendance at church that matters — it is the transformation that God does in our lives through His Spirit. When we truly empty ourselves of all of our own desires and allow Him to fill us with His, we become a new creation. Then we receive God’s peace and His mercy; then we are a new person of God and no longer a slave to our sinful nature or driven by the assessment of those around us. When our eyes are fixed on Jesus, our life begins to positively impact the lives of those around us.

WHAT IF TODAY GOD WANTS TO GREATLY AFFECT THE LIFE OF SOMEONE ELSE THROUGH YOUR LIFE?

Father God, help us to keep our eyes focused on you. May the opinions of the world no longer matter to us. Forgive us for our moments of pride and our love of popularity, and help us to only see the work you are calling us to do for your glory. May our loyalty remain to you and may we live each moment for you. Amen.

How great is the goodness
you have stored up for those who fear you.
You lavish it on those who come to you for protection,
blessing them before the watching world.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence,
safe from those who conspire against them.
You shelter them in your presence,
far from accusing tongues.
Praise the Lord,
for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love.
He kept me safe when my city was under attack.
In panic I cried out,
“I am cut off from the Lord!”
But you heard my cry for mercy
and answered my call for help.
Love the Lord, all you godly ones!
For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him,
but he harshly punishes the arrogant.
So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord! – Psalm 31:19-24

Today’s Reading: Galatians 6:1-10

Paul ends his letter to the church at Galatia by once again encouraging us to pursue holy living instead of giving into our sinful nature. This last chapter is full of great advice from Paul. Let’s spend the next 2 days diving into each piece and asking ourselves some hard questions.

WHAT IF GOD WANTS TO GREATLY AFFECT THE LIFE OF SOMEONE ELSE TODAY THROUGH YOUR LIFE?

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. – Galatians 6:1-3

Humbly and gently – let’s not miss these very important adjectives. The heart of Paul’s message is that we should not be so concerned about ourselves that we do not care about our fallen brother or sister enough to lovingly help them back onto the right path. We know that God’s plan for them is to live to please the Spirit and not their own sinful nature, and living in the center of God’s plan will bring them more joy than the world ever could. Perhaps our loving and kind words can help them see that they are missing God’s perfect plan for their life.

But first, Paul warns that we are to be sure we ourselves are on the right path, living to please the Spirit and not ourselves. Jesus taught us the same thing. We cannot point out the speck of dust in someone else’s eye if we have a plank protruding from our own, right?

WHAT IF GOD IS CALLING US TO DO SOME COURSE CORRECTION OF OUR OWN?

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” – Matthew 7:1-5

Jesus clearly commanded us to not judge others. In Galatians, Paul is not giving us the right to be judgmental, but neither is he encouraging us to mind our own business. Our intent in having an honest conversation with someone needs to come from a place of humility and concern, using the fruit of the Spirit (kindness and gentleness) to help someone find their way back into a relationship with Christ. But first, we need to ask the Spirit to reveal any needed changes in our own life.

Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct. – Galatians 6:4-5

We are saved by grace, it is a gift from God that we have not earned. No amount of performance or good deeds can earn my eternal reward. But I must cooperate with this gift of grace through obedience and submission. I must live to please the Spirit who is daily guiding my attitudes and actions. I cannot live as if God owes me regardless of the way I live my life.

Don’t be misled – you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone – especially to those in the family of faith. – Galatians 6:7-10

Paul reminded the Galatians that God is not only loving and the source of this incredible grace, He is also a just God. If we as Christians continue to satisfy our sinful nature instead of responding to the Spirit God has given us, we will harvest what we sow – death and decay. God cannot be mocked by someone who says, “I prayed the prayer, my eternity is secure so I have the freedom to do what feels good to me right now instead of what I know God wants me to do.” That is not the servant’s heart God wants us to respond with. He wants us to listen to the urging of His Spirit living within us and harvest a blessing instead of a curse. He wants us to live for others because we live for Him, not to live for ourselves or to please our own sinful nature.

Lord, we ask you to continue to do a work of transformation in our hearts and lives. May we daily respond to the urgings of the Holy Spirit, and may we glorify you in all that we say and do. God, reveal to us any areas of our life that need to change, and use us to encourage others towards the Spirit-filled life you are calling all of us to, humbly and gently helping them get back onto the right path. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Psalm 117, Galatians 5:16-26

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…

FAITHFULNESS

The word faithfulness appears 68 times in the Bible and consistently refers to how God is unswerving, steadfast and trustworthy. So if God is the definition of FAITHFULNESS, how then can we be faithful?

A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” – Isaiah 40:6-8

In Texas, I had plants growing in my backyard with these big, beautiful leaves. I watered them “faithfully” but I was losing the battle against the sun, which browned the edges and caused them to quickly lose their beauty. One day, the plants started producing beautiful tropical flowers — flowers that would be beautiful for a day and then would start wilting.

We are like grass and our faithfulness is like the flowers; the potential for beauty is there but it cannot sustain itself. Without nourishment, it will wither and fall. No matter how hard I try on my own strength to be faithful, it will not be sustained. It will wilt and the petals will drop. It is the faithfulness of God that endures forever.

But here is the good news: Although we cannot truly sustain faithfulness, the Spirit living within us can produce faithfulness. Therefore, if our lives can be described as faithful, it is not to our glory but to the glory of the One whose fruit is faithfulness.

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. – Proverbs 3:3

GENTLENESS

Oh that the Holy Spirit would use my heart as a tapestry! And as long as the Spirit is producing the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness, it would be great if He could soften up this heart of mine and tame this tongue so that GENTLENESS would be the fruit of my walk with Christ. For when I respond with a gentle answer, wrath is turned away, while a harsh response stirs up anger (Prov. 15:1).

Oh, the power of a gentle response — so powerful that it can break a bone (Prov. 25:15)! Gentleness is not weakness, as the world wants to convince us. Remember when God responded gently?

The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” – 1 Kings 19:11-13

Jesus described himself as gentle, and he was also described by others as gentle.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. – Matthew 11:28-30

Say to Daughter Zion, “See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” – Matthew 21:5 and Zechariah 9:9

So if God is found in a gentle whisper and Jesus is gentle and humble in heart, it is no surprise that the fruit of the Spirit living within us is gentleness — that God’s plan for our life is to produce gentleness.

Let your gentleness be evident to all. – Philippians 4:5

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. – Colossians 3:12

Thank you, God, for these truths this morning. You are good and you are kind; you are a faithful God and a gentle God of grace, mercy and compassion. Lord, fill me with your Spirit and make me into the child of God you want me to be. I love you. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Galatians 5:19-26

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, LET US FOLLOW THE SPIRIT’S LEADING in every part of our lives. – Galatians 5:22-25

We talk a lot about outcomes at the Pregnancy Resource Center — end results or consequences of our actions or services. We know who we are and what we have been called by God to do, but we also know what the result of our ministry could or should look like. We take measurements and ask this question: Are we accomplishing what God is calling us to do?

In Galatians, we learn that the fruit of the Spirit is the outcome of the Spirit dwelling within us. This fruit (singular) has nine different characteristics, the first of which is LOVE. God is not speaking here of “eros” love (longings or desires, as between a man and a woman) or “philos” love (the love of a friend for a friend). The fruit of the Spirit is characterized by “agape” love, which is divine (of, from or like God).

1 Corinthians 13 is a great description of agape love – love that seems impossible on our own strength. Agape love is patient, kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, self-seeking, or easily angered. It keeps no record of wrongs, not delighting in evil but rejoicing in the truth; always protecting, always trusting, always hoping, always persevering. And here’s the big one – love never fails. I don’t know about you, but I can’t fool myself into believing that I can reproduce that kind of love. Only God is capable of agape.

Agape is not a feeling but a response regardless of the feeling, fueled by the needs of others and not by my own desires. When I completely surrender to the Spirit, he will express agape love through me, for agape love demands to be shown and lived out. So, as I draw close to God and spend time in His presence, He fills me with the Holy Spirit and the result of this indwelling is fruit. My roots grow deeper and wider, and the result of that growth is increased fruit; the result is JOY.

In his letter, James encouraged us to consider it pure joy whenever we face trials of many kinds (1:2). This is the kind of joy he was referring to — not a false joy we have to create on our own or a happy face we need to paint on to fool people, but joy that is fruit from the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives. Then, not only will we experience joy in the midst of trials, we will also experience PEACE.

The fruit of the Spirit that helps us persevere and not give into our circumstances is PATIENCE — to focus on the hope that is before us so that we can endure the moment we are living in today. We live in expectation or hope of what we will receive; we have confidence that persevering through difficult times is worth it. Hope is not a focus on what might happen but what must happen. Patience based on hope helps us to bear difficult circumstances because we are inspired by an expectation of what is to come. This kind of hope is inspired by our Lord Jesus; this kind of patience is a gift from the Spirit.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and goodness. A great example of KINDNESS is when we look at the grace of God that Paul spoke about in his letter to the Galatians. That we are called children of God, that we are forgiven for our sins, and that we have been “grafted in” and given life through a relationship with the God who created us — these are all signs that we serve a kind God. And if we, by grace, have been shown kindness by God, and if we are truly grafted into the one true Vine, kindness should be a natural outflow of the Spirit living within us.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. – Colossians 3:12-13

Not only is God kind, He is good — all the time! We serve a good God. In the midst of the most difficult of circumstances, it is helpful to be reminded that God is loving, that He is kind, and that He is good. One of my favorite references to the GOODNESS of God can be found in a conversation with Moses:

Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”
And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” – Exodus 33:18-20

The glory of God is defined by God as goodness, mercy and compassion. So as God desires to be glorified through our lives, He places His Spirit in us to produce the kind of fruit that brings God glory — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. And He adds to that list: grace, compassion, humility, forgiveness, mercy and deeds prompted by faith. All of this is by His power and for His glory!

Oh Lord, you are so good. You are a kind and merciful God and I am humbled in your presence. Thank you for your grace; thank you for your mercy and compassion towards us. Father, I give you permission to make me worthy of your calling. I cannot be consistently good and kind on my own. By your power, bring to fruition the desire of my heart to be kind and to live a good life. Fill me with your Spirit so that every good thing coming out of my life is a result of the work of the Spirit, my time in your presence and my faith in you. May the name of the Lord Jesus be glorified in me, and me in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Galatians 1:1-24, 5:1-18; Acts 15

I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. – Galatians 1:6-7

Paul wrote this letter to the believers in Galatia when he heard that the message of salvation was being added to. Jewish believers were including Jewish religious traditions into their gospel message. Instead of preaching a message of salvation by grace through faith, they were telling the Gentiles that they must be circumcised in order to be made right with God (Acts 15:1-2).

Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. – Galatians 1:8-9

Paul’s words were very strong as he boldly protected the message of salvation. He did not worry what people would think; he did not tiptoe around the truth in order not to hurt anyone’s feelings. Paul stood boldly in the gap between what the people wanted to hear versus what they needed to hear, and he proclaimed the truth as revealed to him by the Spirit of God. He did not worry about winning the approval of people, but of God (Galatians 1:10).

Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.

But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. – Galatians 5:2-6

THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO TO EARN OUR SALVATION OR QUALIFY FOR ETERNITY.

We are saved by grace through faith, and the result of that faith looks like love. Our faith expresses itself through our actions as we live out the righteousness that is being produced within us by the Spirit. We have taken off the old and are being daily changed by the new work the Spirit is doing in our lives.

Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian. For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. – Galatians 3:24-26

SO I SAY, LET THE HOLY SPIRIT GUIDE YOUR LIVES. THEN YOU WON’T BE DOING WHAT YOUR SINFUL NATURE CRAVES.

The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. – Galatians 5:16-18

Paul’s words made an impact on the leadership of the whole church in Jerusalem. They wrote a letter and assigned Judas and Silas to travel with Paul and Barnabas in order to confirm that circumcision would not be required of the Gentiles. But this freedom from the Jewish law did not mean they were free to live according to the desires of their sinful nature, which they explained in the closing of their letter.

“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements: You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell.” – Acts 15:28-29

WE ARE FORGIVEN OF OUR SINS THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS, SAVED BY FAITH IN JESUS AND CALLED TO A LIFE OF HOLINESS.

Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. – Galatians 1:4

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” – Galatians 5:13-14

WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE IN FREEDOM AND TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS, BUT WE SHOULD NOT USE OUR FREEDOM TO SATISFY OUR SINFUL NATURE, AND IT IS NOT LOVE TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO REMAIN IN THEIR SIN.

It is the righteous who are saved through faith in God, not those who chose to cling to their unrighteousness. We also cannot be made right with God by self-righteousness or following a set of rules by which to earn salvation. It is only through the gift of God’s righteousness that we can truly experience life.

So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” – Galatians 3:11

Lord, we thank you for the wisdom found in scripture and for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We ask for your Spirit to help us clearly distinguish the difference between freedom from legalism and freedom from sin. May we never use love as an excuse to celebrate sin in the lives of others, but instead use love as the lens through which we help others find freedom from the desires of their sinful nature. May your righteousness continue to do a work in our hearts and lives today. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Galatians 4

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. – Galatians 4:4-7

GOD SENT HIS SON TO BUY OUR FREEDOM.

If we are no longer slaves, then why do we so often let our own sinful nature control our actions and our words? God sent His Son so that we could be free from sin and He gave us His Spirit to live in our hearts. This freedom that comes from a Spirit-filled life should look like love and not harsh words or bitter attitudes. The presence of the Holy Spirit should be evidenced by the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and SELF-CONTROL.

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. – Galatians 5:13-15

DON’T USE YOUR FREEDOM TO SATISFY YOUR SINFUL NATURE.

This is where Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia sounds so much like James’ letter to the Christians scattered across the region. When do I need self-control? Pretty much every time I open my mouth. Here’s the tricky part: Self-control is really not about SELF-control but about allowing the SPIRIT to be in control. If I put myself in charge of controlling the words I say and the tone with which I say them, I cannot sustain holiness. But when I give in to the urging of God’s Spirit and allow “self-control” to simply be a fruit of His presence in my life, my tongue is put under HIS control.

This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can’t tame a tongue—it’s never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! My friends, this can’t go on. A spring doesn’t gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? Apple trees don’t bear strawberries, do they? Raspberry bushes don’t bear apples, do they? You’re not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you? – James 3:7-12 (The Message)

LET THE HOLY SPIRIT GUIDE YOUR WORDS AND YOUR ACTIONS.

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under the obligation to the law of Moses.

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. There is no law against these things! – Galatians 5:16-23

Abba Father, thank you for your gift of the Spirit living within me. I am so thankful that it is not up to me to produce holiness but to simply submit to your Spirit and let your fruit be evident in my life. Because I belong to Christ Jesus, the passions and desires of my sinful nature have been nailed to his cross and crucified there. It is my desire to live by the Spirit’s leading in every area of my life – never conceited or jealous of others, never provoking or injuring someone with my words (Gal. 5:24-26). I want my walk with you to be characterized by getting along with others, loving others because I love you. Fill me anew this morning with your Spirit and may you be glorified in my life today. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Galatians 3

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die. – Galatians 2:20-21

I DO NOT WANT TO TREAT THE GRACE OF GOD AS MEANINGLESS.

Christ died on a cross so that I could experience salvation. I did not earn it. I do not deserve it. I can never be good enough on my own. This salvation is a gift from God — a gift by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. This gift is available because of God’s unmerited favor on us — His grace. To begin working hard to earn my salvation is pointless and it ignores God’s grace, treating it as if it has no meaning.

Grace – what a wonderful blessing in our lives! But, just because I could never be good enough on my own to deserve God’s grace does not mean I now have an excuse to sin. Another gift from God is the Holy Spirit. He gave us the gift of His Spirit in order that our faith could be evidenced by our actions. With the power of the Spirit living within us, we are able to follow the urgings of the Holy Spirit and not the urgings of our old sinful nature.

Don’t be misled — you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. – Galatians 6:7-9

Imagine if a farmer planted soybeans in a field but months later went out expecting to harvest wheat. That would be crazy. The farmer will get what he planted. What he planted will grow as long as he continues to connect it to a source of water and protect it from bugs.

Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. – Galatians 1:4

I DON’T HAVE TO CREATE A RIGHTEOUSNESS OF MY OWN.

God gave us His Son, who willingly died for us, in order that we could be rescued from evil — in order that we could overcome our sinful nature. He promised to give us the gift of HIS righteousness, a gift that is ours when we live by the Spirit. That’s wonderful! We don’t have to create a righteousness of our own, just as we cannot earn our salvation by our good works. Instead, this unmerited grace gives us two gifts — His righteousness and the Spirit living within us.

But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us…What is important is faith expressing itself in love. – Galatians 5:5-6

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. – Galatians 5:13-15

LET US FOLLOW THE SPIRIT’S LEADING IN EVERY PART OF OUR LIVES.

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. – Galatians 5:16-17a

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, LET US FOLLOW THE SPIRIT’S LEADING in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another. – Galatians 5:24-26

Heavenly Father, thank you so much for your grace – for loving us enough to send your Son to die for our sins. Thank you for the gift of the Spirit and for the gift of your righteousness. Holy Spirit, guide my life and give me desires that are the opposite of what my sinful nature desires. Produce in me the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I nail the passions and desires of my old self, my sinful nature, to your cross and crucify them there. I long to follow the Spirit’s lead in every area of my life. Amen.