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 40 Days in Galatians
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40 DAYS WITH THE BOOK OF GALATIANS Rev. Conrad Tolosa Introduction An unexpected illness detained the Apostle Paul at Unknown to Paul, however, was a group of Judaizers who followed him around and who, after he had gone from one place to proclaim the gospel of Christ to another, would cause confusion among the new converts by insisting that they follow Jewish laws and customs in order to be truly Christians. Alarmed after learning that the Galatian believers were easily abandoning the message they received from him, Paul wrote them a letter for the purpose of clarifying the truth surrounding his own commissionship as an apostle, his salvation message and its practical applications to a new way of life. It is not difficult for us who read this letter today to discern what the Apostle Paul must have heard and learned concerning those who were misleading the new believers and the method the trouble makers used to unsettle the newly found faith of the Galatians. The Judaizers attacked the credibility of Paul and of his theology. Their strategy was to just get the Galatians to the point of doubt, knowing that doubt ushers in unbelief. Prayer: Dear Lord, as I begin to reflect on Paul’s letter to the Galatians, I pray that you will help me to understand deep things about you and your will for my life. Teach me your word, Lord, and sanctify me that I may be more like your Son, Jesus Christ, my savior. Amen Day 1. Read Chapter One Jesus in John 17:18, addressing his Father and referring to us who believe in him, said, “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” In Acts 1:8, he said to his people just before he ascended into heaven, “... you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in An apostle is someone who is authoritatively sent. In the wider sense of the word, “apostle” means all of us who are sent by God to take the message of reconciliation to all men. If you are a believer, you are an “apostle”, a “sent one.” In the narrower sense, “apostle” means one appointed and sent by Jesus Christ personally. Paul claims to be an apostle in the narrow sense. He tells the truth. His divine appointment is recorded in Acts 9. This morning, consider the fact that you are an apostle, a witness, and an ambassador of Jesus Christ. Be aware also of the presence of the Holy Spirit in you. To whom will you be representing Christ today? What can you testify to be truth concerning Christ and what he has done in your life? Prayer: Lord, thank you for a new day. Thank you that your mercies are new every morning. Help me, dear Lord, to represent you well. May someone see you in my life today. If you present the opportunity for me to speak with someone concerning the truth about you, help me to be gentle in attitude and clear in speech. Amen. Day 2. Grace and Peace. Grace is God’s unmerited favor and more. Grace is God reaching down to man, helping the undeserving and forgiving the sinner. Grace is God saying to man, “You are turning your back on me and you are hiding from me, yet I still love you and I search for you.” Grace is God saying to man, “You are dead in spirit, dead in your trespasses and sins, yet I still love you and I give you eternal life.” Grace is God saying to man, “You are in bondage, but I love you so much that I give my Son to you, that he may rescue you by paying in full the debt you owe which you can never repay.” Peace follows Grace. Romans 5:1-2 tells us that, “... since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” Peace is absence of hostility and more. Peace is Christ in us. His peace is our peace. Peace is absence of inner turmoil and more. Peace is the presence of tranquility when intellect, emotions, and will come together in harmony. Peace is Christ seated on the throne of our hearts. This morning, meditate on the grace and peace of God in you. Read Ephesians 2:8-9 and John 14:27. Today, simply greet someone, “Grace and peace to you.” Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for your grace and your peace. May you continue to grant me not what I deserve but what is in accordance to your grace. May my loved ones experience your peace throughout this day. Amen. Day 3. The Ever Present Evil Age Lets not forget, we live in a fallen world and in an ever present evil age. This does not mean though that nothing good is in or can come out of this world. It means that it needs renewing. Jesus in Matthew 19:28 tells us that the renewal of all things will come when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne. But, until Jesus comes again, he lights up this dark and wicked world by means of his word and his people. He also uses his people as salt of the earth to preserve this earth’s inhabitants from total moral bankruptcy and prevent its different ethnic groups from completely devouring one another. James This morning, consider your worldview. Does it conform to the teaching of Jesus Christ and the Bible? Prayer: Lord, thank you for all the good things that I experience in life. And when I am feeling lonely and sad, help me to count my blessings that I may not end up despairing. Help me to continually feel the joy of your love for me. Amen. Day 4. Thrown Into Confusion. What follows peace? If your answer is “order,” you are right. Peace and order fit together like true love and marriage. 1 Corinthians This morning, meditate on the power you have in the person of the Holy Spirit and order your day, order your priorities, and today, begin putting your relationships in order. Also, memorize Acts 1:8. Prayer: Lord, thank you that I do not have to be confused in any way today because you are the God of peace and order and you are my God. Help me live an orderly life today, Lord, that I may live a life that is pleasing to you. Amen. Day 5. Seeking Approval. Hebrew 11:6 says, “... without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Because we are children of God, we seek the approval of God. It is God whom we seek to please. But oftentimes, we lose sight of God. Losing sight of God, however, does not change the fact that we would still long for approval, for validation, for positive reinforcement. If we do not get these things from God, we will try to get them from man. Children of God cannot try to please both God and man motivationally at the same time. But it is possible that when we try to please God first, as a result, man would be pleased with us also. This morning, think about your calling as a servant of God. Remind yourself that, just like Paul, you cannot be pleasing man and still be a servant of God at the same time. Then, read Matthew 25:14-30. Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for another day of life as your servant. Today, may I serve my loved ones and the people I work with in such a way as to be pleasing in your sight. You are my Lord and Master and I praise you and I long to serve you all the days of my life. Amen. Day 6. Revelation from God. We know God because God chose to reveal himself to us. We know God as Father because his Son, Jesus Christ, revealed him to us (Matthew The Judaizers argued that Paul could not have possibly told the Galatians the truth because his gospel contradicts the Jewish religion. His gospel was unreasonable. The gospel of grace leaves the works of man completely out of God’s plan of redemption. Those who wish to earn their way to heaven cannot and will not accept the message of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, and in Christ alone. This morning, meditate on God’s amazing grace. Then, in your heart and in your spirit worshipfully sing it unto the Lord. “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see. ‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved; how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed.” Prayer: Lord this morning I praise you for your amazing grace that found me and saved me. Help me to extend grace to someone today. Help me to be gracious that I may glorify you. Amen. Day 7. Change in Way of Life. I just recently mentioned to friends that the Christian life is all about “change,” change for the better, of course. 2 Corinthians In Matthew 7:15-16, Jesus warned his disciples then and he warns us today, to... “watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.” There were false prophets during the Old Testament times, there were false prophets during the early years of the church, and there are false prophets today. Their way of life eventually gives them away and what they claim to be truth can be judged accordingly by means of the Bible. This morning, reflect on the changes that have occurred in your life since you first received Jesus as Lord and Savior. Then, read Colossians 3:1-17. Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for my new life in Christ. Thank you that I no longer have to live as I used to before the Holy Spirit came upon me. Lord, help me to be consistent in my walk with you. Today, help me to do everything as unto you. Amen. Day 8. Read Chapter Two We are not to fight all battles, but there are some battles worth fighting for. When we are in conflict, we need to clearly understand certain things, like, who the enemy is and what makes him an enemy. We can be thankful for Paul’s steadfastness in his battle with the legalizers. Holding up the banner of the gospel of grace was indeed vital at the time when church doctrines were at their defining moments. The Judaizers may have sincerely believed that their interpretation of the doctrine of justification was correct, but, they were sincerely wrong. They tried to fuse Christianity with Legalism, but truth will never mix with lies no matter how small the lies may be. There can only be truth and its antithesis, non-truth. Any synthesis will still be a lie. In our world, today, Christianity is mixed with pragmatism, effectively binding revelation with reason. With this regard, we all need to be wise and discerning. Prayer: Lord, help me to understand divine revelations special those directed at me. Help me to live by faith and not by reason alone. I understand that reason does not produce faith but that faith seeks understanding through your word alone. When I give reason for my faith and hope in you, help me to be speaking truth in love. Amen. Day 9. False Brothers Among Us The Judaizers were not Christians. We must remember that whoever preaches another gospel other than the one which proclaims salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, and in Christ alone, do so to the eternal condemnation of their souls. The legalizers were false brothers and enemies of the true gospel, therefore, our enemies. In 1 John 2:18-19, the Apostle John tells us that “... even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.” The anti-Christs were false brothers and our enemies as well. We must be careful, however, that when we do battle, we do not mistake true brothers and sisters in Christ, who do not agree with us on some issues, as enemies and then shoot them down. This morning, consider the fact that there are non-believers in our church who may not agree with us doctrinally. There are believers among us who struggle spiritually and, therefore, appear to be or even sound like non-believers. And, there are Christians who worship with us who simply do not share our vision for our church. They are not the enemy. Prayer: Lord, you make it possible for me to discern who the enemies of the cross of Christ are. Help me to be steadfast in opposing them. And help me, dear Lord, not to treat those among us in church who are not against you (even if they cause me pain) as if they are my enemies. I pray for all who come to our church, Lord, whether we agree or disagree on different issues of life, that we might all grow in grace and in the knowledge of your Word. And Lord, help me to be a friend and show kindness to someone today. Amen. Day 10. Judging by External Appearance In 1 Samuel 16:7 God said to the prophet Samuel, "...The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." We need to allow this verse to minister to us in connection with how we treat people. Remember that our natural tendency is to judge by outside appearance. It is so easy to give in to this tendency, but we must fight it. The Apostle Paul must not have appeared impressive to the Judaizers. Maybe he did not sound authoritative enough. But what they thought about him did not matter to Paul. He knew God sees the heart and that’s all that mattered to him. When our hearts are pure before the Lord, we have no worries. 1 John 1:9 tells us that, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” This morning read Psalm 139:23-24; 1 John 1:5-10; Matthew 5:8. Prayer: Heavenly Father, I praise you this morning for your omniscience. Because you see everything, I have no reason to even try to hide anything from you. I could lay bare my heart and mind to you, confess my sins, and know that you forgive me. Help me, dear Lord, to keep a short account with you. Search me and show me where I fall short of your glory. Lead me, Lord, to the way everlasting. And if I must judge, help me to make righteous judgments. Give me wisdom and discernment. Amen. Day 11. Peer Pressure. In Romans 12:2, Paul gives us this command: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.” In our former life, before we were rescued from this evil age, the world squeezed us and squeezed us until we fit into its ever-changing mold. We were helpless. But, not anymore. Although we are still in the world, we are not of it any longer. We do not have to go along with its ways. Peter and Barnabas felt the full weight of the flesh’s desire to conform to the ways of and be accepted by important peers. If they, who were pillars of the church, succumbed to this kind of pressure, how much more vulnerable to such assaults on true spirituality are we who are just beginning to fight the good fight of faith? This morning, read Ephesians chapter one. I like the KJV translation of 1:6 which includes the phrase, “he (God the Father) hath made us accepted in the beloved.” This helps me to realize that I have no further need of acceptance. Romans 8:29 informs us that God is working in our lives conforming us to the image of Jesus. Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, I praise you for my salvation in Christ. Thank you that you are working in my life, shaping me and molding me, that I may become more and more like your Son, in whom you are well pleased. Father, as I feel the pressures of the world to conform to its ways today, remind me by your Holy Spirit that you have accepted me in Christ Jesus, my Lord. And, just as Jesus is gentle and lowly of heart, help me to walk humbly before you and may I show gentleness to someone today. Amen. Day 12. Justification by Faith. The Greek word translated justification means “to acquit,” “to vindicate,” or “to pronounce righteous.” Genesis15:6 is a pronouncement: “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” In Romans, the Apostle Paul begins his argumentation by quoting this verse to show that his presentation of justification by faith is in harmony with the Old Testament (Romans 4:3). This same doctrinal teaching is learned here in the book of Galatians: no behavior of man can win him a verdict of “not guilty.” God declares man righteous by virtue of his faith in God’s word, and not by any work or accumulation of works, that man, by his own standard, thinks are good enough to earn him the right to get a righteous man’s reward - admission into heaven. This morning, read Romans chapter four. Recall how, in the past, you used to try to win God’s favor by doing good. The efforts you spent to earn God’s approval made you see yourself righteous in your own eyes, didn’t they? Aren’t you glad your eyes have been opened to the truth? Prayer: Gracious heavenly Father, thank you that although I have sinned against you, and again and again fall short of your glory, yet you pronounce me “not guilty.” Thank you that you have credited my faith in your Son, Jesus Christ, as righteousness, and have given me a righteous man’s reward. You, O God, are my reward. You have given yourself to me. Your Son gave himself for me because he loves me. And now, your Holy Spirit resides in me because, as you are mine, I am yours, as well. Lord, may I be praising you all day today. And also, Lord, may I show that same grace you’ve shown me to someone today. Amen. Day 13. Justification by Faith. Hebrews 11:1 defines Faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (KJV).” Faith provides us with certainty. Our justification is sure because it is by faith in God’s word, and it is by faith alone. I like St. Augustine’s explanation of saving faith and its elements -- content, intellectual assent, and personal trust. James, in his letter, actually teaches these same truths. James teaches that faith, if it is of the kind that justifies, will, no doubt, produce the fruit of saving faith. But faith which has content but goes only so far as intellectual assent , cannot justify anyone because it is not faith at all. It lacks something - the element of personal trust in Jesus Christ. Paul defines the doctrine of justification. James defines the doctrine of faith. Paul teaches that justification is by faith alone. James teaches that the faith that justifies is not alone; it bears good fruit. This morning, read James 2:14-26. Reflect on the fruit your life is bearing. Prayer: Dear God, how grateful I am to you for saving me from my sins and making my life bear the fruit of the Spirit. Thank you that it is possible for me, not only to experience love and joy, but, to be able to give love and joy to others also. Thank you that, having been justified by faith, I have peace with you. Help me to enjoy your peace constantly. And, if it would please you, help me, O Lord, to be a peacemaker today. I praise you for your glory and majesty. I praise you for your justice and peace. All honor belongs to you, O God. May I give honor to your name today. Amen. Day 14. Crucified with Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus, our Savior, was not only forsaken by his people, not only forsaken by his friends, but he was forsaken by his Father. Hanging there on a cross at Calvary, he cried out in a loud voice, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" God is Holy. Holiness cannot mix with sin. When our sin was placed on the body of Jesus, he, in effect, became sin for us. At that moment, Father and Son could not mix. They had to be separated. In going on short missionary trips to the Philippines, I have to endure the loneliness of being separated from my wife. Although she would not admit to it, we both hate being separated. But can the kind of separation we have to experience in order for me to do God’s work away from home, even begin to compare with the kind of separation Jesus and his Father had to endure to accomplish our redemption? I think not. The anguish that our Savior felt at that time is known only to him. This morning consider God’s call on your life. Is he calling you to a foreign mission field on a short or long term basis? Will you be willing to endure the loneliness and hardship associated with being away from the comforts of home, family and friends? Prayer: Lord Jesus, I can never understand the extent and the nature of the sacrifice you made in my behalf. All I can do is be grateful to you. I love you, Lord. Thank you for having endured so much to rescue me from this wicked world and evil age. I understand that I am not my own because you bought me with a price. I cost you your life. I love you, Lord. Help me to be willing to follow you. Help me to be able to say, “where you go, I will follow,” and mean it. Until then, today, I pray for those who have left their homeland to serve you in foreign missions. Sustain them, O God and bless their work. I pray, also, for us who remain at home. May we find our own mission field right in our own neighborhood and place of work. Bless the proclamation of the gospel of your grace throughout the world today. Amen. Day 15. Read Chapter Three Christianity is not a mindless religion. Although we agree that reason cannot produce faith, the Christian faith is not devoid of reason. The Christian faith is beyond reason. In Isaiah 55:8-9, the Lord says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. God’s revelation binds human reason, but, it does not mean that we cannot rely on reason at any time. On the contrary, there are times when God wants us to use reason. In the same book of Isaiah, the Lord says in 1:18 "Come now, let us reason together,"..."Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” Christ is coming again. That’s for sure. But, according to the Bible, no one knows when. Absolutely, no one. We, therefore, are not to speculate as to the day of our Lord’s coming again and live as though nothing we do here on earth matters anymore. When we observe an increase in wickedness and violence in the world, we are not to automatically think, “end times,” as some do, but use Bible reasoning. We live in a wicked world and in an ever present evil age, that’s all. We are not to give up trying to accomplish the good works God has prepared beforehand for us to do and to enjoy our life with Christ here on earth just because the crime rate has gone up. We are to participate in creating a world civilization that glorifies God all the time. Prayer: Lord, help me to be wise in how I number my days. Help me to understand how I may contribute to the advancement of your kingdom, day by day. Help me to face today’s challenges with courage and faith in your promises and not to shy away from life’s responsibilities. Thank you for the power to overcome that is available for me every morning. Amen. Day 16. Bewitched The Apostle Paul was clearly upset with the Galatians and he did not hide it. Paul accused the Galatians of not thinking, of not using their minds. What had been clear to them they now began to deny - - the receiving of God’s Spirit and of power was by faith. They should have known that, not just according to Paul’s message, but according to their own personal experiences. It was not due to the fact that they were trying to gain entrance to heaven by observing the Law that God worked miracles among them. They simply believed Paul’s message. How could they now be so gullible as to believe another salvation message? In Colossians 2:8, the Apostle Paul gives us this warning: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. The fusion of Christian doctrines and other religious beliefs continues and uncritical Christians continue to practice whatever synthetic “guidelines” for Christian living brew out of such a mixture. This kind of syncretism had been prevalent among a great majority of Christian circles from Christianity’s early years through today. This perennial problem, which causes spiritual retardation, must be dealt with by every generation. Prayer: Lord, you make it possible for me to discern deceptive philosophies which try to mix-in undetectedly with your holy Word. Help me to recognize lies when I see, hear or read them. Strengthen me, O God, that I may find the energy to get up early every morning that I may keep our appointment to fellowship together. Help me to understand your Word as I read it and meditate on it. Guide me, protect me, and lead me today. Amen. Day 17. Righteousness, our ticket to heaven. In Matthew 5:20, Jesus warns his disciples that, “... unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” It is clear, only the righteous will enter the kingdom of God. Jesus knew that no one can be more self-righteous than the Pharisees. But listen to what Isaiah 64:6 says about this subject, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” What the Apostle Paul says again to the Galatians at this point is what God progressively reveals in the Holy Bible, from Genesis to Revelation: the righteous shall live by faith. No one makes it to heaven clothed with his own righteousness but only with the righteousness of Christ. This morning, read Hebrews 11. Prayer: Heavenly Father, I praise you this morning for your great plan of salvation. Because I have placed my faith in Jesus Christ, I know I am going to heaven. Help me not to forget that my own righteous deeds do not mean anything to you, that I may not do things out of guilt or out of a desire to be accepted by men or by you. Help me, Lord to live by faith and not by sight. Help me to lean not on my own understanding but on your many precious promises. Amen. Day 18. God’s covenant with his people. The Westminster Confession of Faith appears to teach a two-separate-covenant view; the covenant of works and the covenant of grace. Some authors distinguish the covenant of creation from the covenant of redemption. Others like to refer to the Noahic covenant as the covenant of preservation, the Abrahamic as the covenant of promise, the Mosaic as the covenant of Law, the Davidic as the covenant of the kingdom and finally the New Covenant as the covenant of consummation. There is much truth in all of this. But, the thing to remember is that there is one God and one people of God and one covenant that binds them together. T. M. Moore summarizes it in his God’s Covenant workbook this way: God has been pleased to enter into a relationship with men, called His Covenant, in which He is working to create a people for Himself, through the saving work of Jesus Christ, unto the praise of the glory of His grace. This Covenant provides the unifying framework for understanding the whole counsel of God in Scripture. And, while God’s Covenant only gradually unfolded throughout the course of His giving us His Word, and while it took different forms at different times, yet it remains one single, unified Covenantal arrangement, administered by grace through faith, and wholly effective unto those whom God is calling out unto Himself. This morning, read Genesis 2:8-9, 15-17; 9:8-11; 17:1-8; 24:1-8; Psalm 89:3-4; Matthew 26:26-28. Prayer: Lord, I praise you this morning for your faithfulness. Thank you for your unchanging word. I treasure your promises in my heart. Help me to be faithful to you today. Amen. Day 19. The purpose of the Law. The Apostle Paul could not have made himself any clearer than the way he did in 3:24-25, “...the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.” A sober-minded person can never come to the conclusion that he or she can keep the law and be declared “not guilty” according to the standard of God. But some do manufacture their own standard and thus appear righteous before their own eyes. The Hebrew word for Law is torah. In its broad sense, the law includes not only guidelines to holy living but the writings of Moses concerning Creation, God’s mighty deeds, the constitution of the nation of Israel, and interpretation of history. Its basic meaning, however, is practical teaching or instruction. It shows us how to live a holy and blessed life. But, it also shows us that we fail, over and over again, in trying to keep it. It convinces us that we need God’s grace. John 1:17 says, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” This morning, read Exodus 20:1-26. Prayer: Lord, I praise you for your holy law. Thank you that I can reflect on your law and understand a measure of your holiness. You command me to be holy, for you are holy. Help me, Lord. It is only by your grace that I can do this. Thank you that your grace is sufficient for me, that when my sin abounds, your grace much more abounds. And thank you that you are faithful to forgive me of my sins when I confess them to you. Help me to be holy today, dear Lord. Amen. Day 20. Clothed with Christ. The NIV Bible Dictionary enumerates four basic essentials in the act of justification: 1. Remission of punishment, in which the justified believer is declared to be free of the demands of the law since they have been satisfied in Christ (Rom 4:5) and is no longer exposed to the penalty of the law (6:7). 2. Restoration to favor, in which the justified believer is declared to be personally righteous in Christ. Mere acquittal or remission would leave the sinner in the position of a discharged criminal. Justification implies that God's treatment of the sinner is as if that one had never sinned. The sinner is now regarded as being personally righteous in Christ (Gal 3:6). There is not only acquittal but also approval, not only pardon, but also promotion. 3. Imputed righteousness of God, which is granted the justified believer through Christ's presence. Salvation in Christ imparts the quality and character of Christ's righteousness to the believer (Rom 3:22-26; Phil 3:9). Christ is made the Justifier through whom a new life is inaugurated in the believer (1 Cor 1:30). 4. New legal standing before God in which, instead of being under the condemnation of sin, the justified believer stands before God in Christ. Christ takes the place of the sinner, the place of curse (Gal 3:15), being made sin (2 Cor 5:21) and being judged for sin; the believer now stands in Christ's righteousness (Rom 3:25) and is viewed as a son (Gal 4:5). This morning, look up Rom 3:22-26; Phil 3:9; 1 Cor 1:30.; 2 Cor 5:21. Prayer: Dear God, thank you for imparting the righteousness of Christ to me and declaring me not guilty of sin. Even as Christ’s righteousness has been imputed to me, may this righteousness be now infused in me. Help me, Lord, to live righteously. Help me to keep your commandments and delight in your law. May the decisions that I make today be righteous ones. Amen. Day 21. All one in Christ Jesus. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 says, “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. One very important thing that we need to always keep in mind concerning our being one in Christ is our diversity. There are three persons in one God. There is unity in diversity. Unity does not mean uniformity. Unity of mind does not mean speaking the party line. A Filipino song artist once posed this question, “Are we being evangelized, or are we being Americanized?” His sad observation was that too many American missionaries were trying to change the “Filipino” to suit their own cultural preferences. In making disciples for Jesus Christ, the disciple maker must not lose sight of God’s objective in the believer’s life: to conform him to the image of his Son. If the disciple maker is not careful, he will fall into the devilish pattern of molding the convert into his own image, so that all the disciple does is eventually agree with him. This morning, meditate on Romans 8:28-30. Prayer: Lord, thank you that you are restoring the image of God that has been distorted in me. Thank you that I can look forward to being more and more like Jesus as I continue to walk closer and closer with him. Help me to continue to renew my mind today that I may become more like you and therefore delight in doing your work. I praise you, O God. Amen. Day 22. Read Chapter 4 Galatians 4 is about Slavery and Freedom. Law and Grace. And Love. All this is part of a plan God created before the beginning of time. All of creation is a part of God’s great plan of glorifying himself. First through his work of creation, then through his work of redemption and renewal. Christ is the fulfillment of that plan. Your life is a part of that plan. This plan causes us to see ourselves as part of a bigger picture, and also as individuals whom Christ has redeemed out of love. Surely, to know God is to love God. Prayer: Lord, I love you. I praise you for your loving character. I praise you for your creation and thank you for your plan of redemption. I thank you that you love me so much that you redeemed me and have given me a role in your plan. Help me to know my role and to fulfill it out of my love for you. Day 23. Redeemed Galatians 4:4,5 reads “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.” Redeem whom? Redeem whom from what? To redeem also means to pay a ransom or to buy back. The Law is a great slave-master. It had us in chains and imprisoned. But Christ freed us from the law by paying the required ransom that we may be released from prison. Now we are free from being under law in so far as our salvation is concerned. We are now under grace. Our righteousness does not come from obeying the law (our former master), but through Christ (our new master) whose righteousness is placed on us the moment we believed. This morning read Romans 3:21-26. Then, consider the fact that you have been bought by a loving God. Does your obedience come from a sense of obligation and rule-following, or does it come from a love for the one who bought you? Prayer: Lord, thank you for redeeming me from slavery to the law of sin and death. Thank you, that I am now under your gracious care. Help me to appreciate your work in my life more and more. And may that appreciation turn into a love for you that produces a life increasingly pleasing to you. Amen. Day 24. Known By God Galatians 4:9 reads, “But now that you know God--or rather are known by God…” What does it mean to be “known by God?” To be known by God means that even before you were born, God already have you in his heart. And he has a plan for those he knows. Consider this call of Jeremiah as recorded in Jeremiah 1:4-5: “The word of the Lord came to me saying: ‘Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’” An insight into God’s plan for those he knows is found in Romans 8:29-30 which reads, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” This morning read Jeremiah 1:5-9. Then, consider the fact that if you know God it’s because God knew you first. That means God has had a plan for your life even before the creation of time. Be encouraged that God has a great plan for your life, and don’t get stuck on the disheartening events of life. God, the Master of the universe, has a plan for you! A great plan! Prayer: God, life sometimes crashes around me and I lose sight of you. Help me to understand and appreciate the great plan that has been in effect for my life even before I was born. Help my faith in you, the King of the universe, to increase as I live out your plan for my life. Amen. Day 25. Enslaved All Over Again Galatians 4:9 reads, “But now that you know God--or rather are known by God--how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?” If we are now no longer imprisoned by the slave-master called “Law,” and are now under “Grace,” why do we put more restrictions on ourselves? That’s called Legalism. Legalism destroys the right motivation for obedience. Legalism tries to earn God’s favor through obedience. Since we already have God’s favor through our faith in Jesus Christ who has now placed us under grace, why enslave ourselves to our former slave master, the Law? This morning read Ephesians 1:3-14. Then, consider this: Have you ever asked God for something in exchange for a change in your behavior? (ex. God, if you get me out of this traffic ticket, I’ll never speed again). Do you live you life like that? (ex. If I go to church every Sunday, God will surely reward me). Motive is very important. Check yours out. Prayer: Lord, you are my God, and I love you. Help me to obey out of love to you and not obey to “earn” your favor. I pray that today my motives will be pure. I pray that I will seek to glorify you today. Amen. Day 26. Because of an Illness Galatians 4:13-14 says, “As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.” Illness or suffering, though very difficult, can be a blessing. Here Paul was sick and had to stay in Galatia longer. Through one person’s sickness came much good. God was of course growing Paul’s own faith through suffering. But this also allowed Paul to minister to the Galatians longer. AND God gave the Galatians an opportunity to minister to Paul. This morning read Romans 5:1-5; 2 Corinthians 1:3-7; James 1:2-4. Then consider this: Do you accept suffering as a blessing? Do you seek to personally grow because of it? Do you seek opportunities to minister during times of suffering? And do you seek the God given opportunities to minister to someone in suffering? Matt 25:40 tells us that Jesus said this relative to our ministry to others: “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Prayer: Lord, I thank you for my suffering. Help me to use it to grow closer to you, and to minister to others. Please allow me to be sensitive to those around me in suffering, that I may effectively minister unto them. Amen. Day 27. Christ Formed in You Galatians 4:19 reads, “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you...” What does it mean to have Christ formed in you? Rom 8:29 answers this with, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son.” What was Christ like? Listen to Christ’s own words in Matthew 11:29, “… I am gentle and humble in heart.” And in John 13:14-1, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. The people who are closest to us are those who know us best; our character, our personality. If they know Jesus, they may be able to tell us how Christ-like we are. This morning read 2 Peter 1:3-9. Then, consider this: Are you a servant? In the home, do you serve your family? At church, do you serve others or expect others to do the work? Matt 23:11-12: “The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Prayer: Lord, I thank you that you came to serve and to give your life a ransom for many. Help me to be a servant in my home, work, church and wherever I may be. Amen. Day 28. The Result of a Promise Galatians 4:28 reads, “Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.” What promise? The passage makes reference to two sides of God’s covenant with His people. First, it refers to the Mosaic covenant, the covenant of law, wherein God promises to bless those who will obey the laws that he had written on tablets of stone and handed to Moses at Mt. Sinai. This covenant makes us realize how incapable we are of obeying the law and thus obtaining God’s blessing through our own effort. The other covenant referred to is a covenant of grace. This promise was fulfilled in Christ. John 1:17 tells us that, “…the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. God has made many promises. God keeps his promises. We should live like we have faith in God’s promises. We should know God’s promises. This morning read Genesis 15:1-6; 17:1-8. Consider this: How can we have faith in God’s promises if we do not know what they are? How much do you seek to know God’s promises and His Word? Prayer: Lord, I thank you for your Word which tells us of your promises. I praise you for your faithfulness to your words. Help me to know your promises that I may put my faith in them. Day 29. Read Chapter 5 Galatians 5:1 reads, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourself be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” If we are to live a victorious Christian life, we need to learn to live by faith, faith in the Word of God. God says that we can never earn his approval by trying to keep the law. We break God’s holy law in more ways than we can imagine. Christ, in his Sermon on the Mount, warns us about the deceitfulness of self-righteousness (Matthew 5:17-20). Christ says that he came to save sinners. He did not come for those who think of themselves as righteous because they believe they keep the law and some religious traditions enough to merit the approval of God (Matthew 9:13). In chapters 3 and 4, Paul was brilliant in arguing for his message of God’s plan of salvation by grace through faith in his promise to bring his people to himself. This is not mere orthodoxy. The life of faith is not a life characterized by rules and regulations. Rather, it is a life that demonstrates the freedom from so many rules and regulations. Orderly and holy living, for example, comes naturally to those who trust, and therefore, obey God. Those who know and trust God know how to conduct themselves in private and in public. Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for saving me from a life of self-righteousness and giving me eternal life through faith in the words of Jesus Christ, your only begotten Son, who loved me and gave himself for me. My natural tendency is to seek approval through merit; help me to understand the workings of your grace that I may not fall into the temptation of seeking your favor by obeying your commandments. Rather, help me to see that by putting my trust in your word, I begin to delight in your holy law which reflects your moral character. I delight in you, O God. Amen. Day 30. Fallen from Grace Galatians 5:4 reads, “You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace.” John 1:17 declares, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” A false doctrine within Christendom teaches that the purpose of the granting of divine grace is to empower the sinful man that he may be able to keep the law, thus, merit the merit of Christ. Hence, to fall from grace means to break the law which sinful man, because of grace, should be able to perfectly keep. This, of course, is a distortion of what grace truly means. This is enslaving the believer all over again. Let’s meditate on God’s grace again: Grace is God’s unmerited favor and more. Grace is God reaching down to man, helping the undeserving and forgiving the sinner. Grace is God saying to man, “You are turning your back on me and you are hiding from me, yet I still love you and I search for you.” Grace is God saying to man, “You are dead in spirit, dead in your trespasses and sins, yet I still love you and I give you eternal life.” Grace is God saying to man, “You are in bondage, but I love you so much that I give my Son to you, that he may rescue you by paying in full the debt you owe which you can never repay.” Prayer: Lord, I praise you, this morning, for the grace that brought Jesus down to man. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for leaving the splendor of heaven to dwell in this cursed world for a season that you might rescue me from my sinful life’s misery and despair. Thank you that because of your grace, I can look forward to a day that has the promise of peace and joy in spite of the storms that I may have to go through. Thank you that at the end of this day’s journey, I know you will be there waiting for me. Amen. Day 31. Faith Expressed Through Love Galatians 5:6 reads, “For in Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” It is very important for us to remember that although we are justified by faith alone, the faith that justifies is never alone. Saving faith bears fruit - the fruit of good works that when seen, causes people to give praise to our heavenly Father (Matthew 5:13-16). The presence of saving faith causes the believer to obey the commandments of Christ, not to merit his favor, but out of love for him (John 14:15). In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul mentions three things that remain - faith, hope and love. We cannot really have one without the other two. They go together like true love, marriage and the vow, “till death do us part.” In Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus summed up the ten commandments this way: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.“ We cannot claim to be loving God if we are not loving our neighbor, can we? For the love of God is expressed through the love of neighbor. In practical terms, there is really just one great commandment: Go love. Prayer: Dear God, I praise you for your love unbounded that led you to give your beloved Son to us. Lord Jesus, thank you for emptying yourself of the glory of deity and taking the form of a man, then of a servant, then finally, of a sacrificial lamb, so that you may offer yourself to God as a ransom for my wretched soul. I can never understand this kind of love, but I am amazed and am truly grateful to you, my Lord and my God. Amen. Day 32. A Little Yeast Galatians 5:9 says, “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” The Greek word zyme in Bible times is sourdough, which with added juices served as a fermenting agent to leaven new dough. It is used in a number of figurative and symbolic senses in the New Testament. Christ, in Matthew 13:33, tells a parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.” Zyme does its work quietly. It can hardly be noticed while it effectively and thoroughly accomplishes its purpose. In Matthew 16:6 and Luke 12:1-2, Jesus warns: “Be careful. Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.” Here he refers to the subversive character of the hypocritical lifestyle of these false teachers that is highly infectious. In this morning’s verse and in 1 Corinthians 5:6, a warning is issued to us against the negative influence in church communities that comes from false teachers or undisciplined brothers and sisters. We are to get rid of such zyme. But we need to be careful that we do not get rid of the baby with the bath water. We should get rid of the unhealthy influence, but endeavor to keep the brother or sister, if at all possible. The use of zyme in the New Testament draws attention to the way in which an influence works, infiltrating the whole until everything is affected -- for good or for evil. Prayer: Lord, I praise you this morning for your awesome power that is felt through the roaring thunder but at other times can hardly be felt at all. I know that you continue to change me so that I can be more and more like your Son, Jesus, though I hardly feel it or even notice it. I know it is so because you said it is so in your Word. Help me to continue to run my race the way I started it, and that is, by faith in you. I trust that you will continue to use me as I make myself available for your holy work in other people’s lives, just like yeast. Amen. Day 33. Spiritual Conflict Galatians 5:15-17 reads, “If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out, or you will be destroyed by each other. So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other so that you do not do what you want.” Our sinful nature desires supremacy. It likes to think that it knows everything and can do anything it wants no matter the cost. The sinful nature is one of our three great enemies, the other two are this wicked world that we live in and the devil. We get in conflict because we wish to be number one, all the time, while everyone else wants the same thing. Only by yielding to the power of the Holy Spirit can we overcome the desires of our sinful nature, the constant squeeze being applied upon us by the world system, and the continuous incapacitating darts thrown at us by the devil. Prayer: I praise you, O God, for your omnipotent power and might. All glory and honor belong to you, O Lord. Holy is your name. Lord Jesus, I thank you this morning because I know that although the battles are raging, yet the outcome of the war has been determined there at Calvary almost 2,000 years ago when you died, were buried, and rose from the dead. Help me to understand that the battles I fight are not mine but yours. Help me to learn how to yield my life to the Holy Spirit in me and claim the victory that is already mine by faith. Amen. Day 34. Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5:22-23 reads, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Paul is saying that in connection with observance of the law, what we need to do is to concentrate on knowing, being and doing these things which are the fruit of the Spirit. When we do this, we can be sure that we will not break any of God’s laws. We should, therefore, focus our attention on Jesus Christ, who is all this fruit wrapped into one. Jesus kept the law perfectly. Jesus in us, in the person of the Holy Spirit, is able to keep the law all the time. Prayer: Lord, your law is holy and I delight in meditating on it day and night. I thank you for your Word which sanctifies me and guides me as I make decisions that affect not only my own life but the lives of others. I praise you for the fruit of the Spirit which can be produced in my own life. Help me to continue to yield myself to you. Amen. Day 35. Read Chapter 6 Galatians 6:1 reads, “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.” We all sin but we all do not get caught. When we are caught in sin, we are forced to confront that sin and publicly be held accountable by the people with whom we move about. At least two things can happen in such a case: 1) We can be judged and shunned by our group, or 2) We can be restored by those who are spiritual, as this verse commands. Restoration takes place when confession is made, forgiveness is sought, humility exercised, the need for restitution (if applicable) is acknowledged and spiritual believers submitting themselves to God act in accordance to relevant scriptural principles. Restoration is a big responsibility, not an easy thing to do but can be done in a way glorifying to God because God has revealed a way in which it can be done. Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for the shed blood of Christ which washes all my sins away. Heavenly Father, help me to be humble when confronted by my sin. Help me to be willing to forsake the sin of which the Holy Spirit convicts me. Lord, I realize that I am not to do my dirty laundry publicly but give me the courage to confess my sin to that someone whom I have wronged. And, Lord, help me not to be so quick to judge others when they are caught in sin. Instead, help me to pray for them and support the spiritual believers who may be involved in the restoration process. Amen. Day 36. Burdens and Loads Galatians 6:2-5 instructs us to “Carry each other’s burdens” and for each of us to “Carry our own load.” This tells me that each of us has received from the Lord a two-fold cross to bear when He said in Matthew 16:24, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” The cross which Christ carried to Calvary speaks of both the sins that were nailed on that cross (our sins that He bore in His own body), and the mission that God assigned Him to do. Each of us must bear each others sins in a way because we get hurt by those sins. The sins of our loved ones cause us pain and we are to bear them even as Jesus bore our own sins and quietly endured the pain. And then, each of us has the responsibility to mature in our Christian walk that we may become assets to our corporate life rather than liabilities. Prayer: Lord, I praise you, this morning, for you are the Almighty God. Thank you for the strength you give me that I may be more enduring and more determined to grow in the knowledge of you and your will for my life. And, that I may be more patient and forgiving toward others without being prideful of my own personal growth in Christ. Amen. Day 37. Sharing Good Things Galatians 6:6 reads, “Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructors.” It is important for us to remember that those who are able to give good instructions in the word are able to do so because they were once willing to deny themselves of good things, pay the dues and put in the time. Giving toward the needs of our pastor’s family and Sunday school teachers brings us joy and provides encourage to those who teach us. When we demonstrate concern for their well-being these servants are encouraged to continue to seek more and more wisdom from God’s word that they may become more effective in serving you and the rest of God’s people. Prayer: Dear God, I praise you this morning for your faithfulness to your servants. Help me to be sensitive to the needs of the leaders of my church and make me a cheerful giver as you enable me to give. Lord, strengthen those who continue to seek to instruct Your people even at times when they are called to be content in times of need. May they have a quiet spirit in whatever circumstance they may find themselves. Amen. Day 38. Sow Good, Reap Good Galatians 6:7 says: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” |