Man of Faith

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
MAN OF FAITH
Gal 3:6-9
6 Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." 7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
NIV
It may not be easy for some people, but is sure is for me. How can I not have faith? From the very beginning of my relationship with him, he performed one miracle after another in my life. I cannot understand why some people just refuse to believe God. Maybe it is because they know if they did, their way of life would have to change and they don’t want to change. I know the scripture says men love darkness because the light exposes their sin. But not to believe God seems so absolutely crazy. I cannot image what my life would be like if I did not believe him. I live by faith; I don’t plan much for too far ahead, because I am waiting for him to give me further instructions. At least, that is how I see it, but maybe I am just a lazy person. Maybe I don’t have that drive everyone else has. Maybe I am not capable of setting goals and achieving them. Maybe I am just not a very successful person and I use God as an excuse not to plan for my future, not to store up as much as I can for my old age. It seems many other believers sure do that. If I am the only one, all alone in this idea of trusting God for my daily life, and that of each day in my future, maybe I am out of step with the truth. Not on my life! I know I am right about this. I know there is no other way than to trust God for everything. I know, without any doubt he supplies all my needs. I know it is through him and him alone that I have everything I have. I may not have much money, but I have everything I could ever need. No, I am convinced that the only true way to please God is to have faith in him. God does not help those who help themselves, he helps those who believe in him. The only reason I am blessed as much as I am is because I trust him more than anything in the world. If there is anything I want people to remember about me when I am gone from this earth, I was a man after Gods own heart and that I was a man of faith.

For me, In me, Through Me

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
FOR ME, IN ME, THROUGH ME
Gal 3:1-5
3:1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4 Have you suffered so much for nothing — if it really was for nothing? 5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?
NIV
I am so thankful that God gave me his Spirit. How could I survive without him? It is the Spirit who leads me into all truth and I certainly need all the truth I can get. In a world filled with lies, the truth is such a necessity for successful living. I really cannot trust anything the world has to say. The world belongs to Satan and I belong to God. I have to be very careful in all that I hear from the voices around me. I even have to be careful and watchful for the words expounded from men who declare they speak for God. Because I have the Spirit, I am able to detect those false doctrines, false teachings and false dogmas which have infiltrated the church. I guess I sound like I have all the truth and if people disagree with me they are wrong, but I think that just may be the case in so many ways. It does amaze me when I consider how simple it all really is. I am so thankful all I had to do was to ask God for his Spirit and there he was. Now that I think back I am sure it was the Spirit who did all the miracles I have been the recipient and the witness of. What a ride! What an amazing journey through this life having the Spirit working in my life. How could anything else be anyway close to this kind of living? What could the world ever have to offer that would come even close to this? Why would I even entertain being distracted by all the stuff of the world? Sure, I have many creature comforts, but those are because of the Spirit, because God has blessed me with his Spirit, not because I actually earned any of that stuff. Yet, I do think I forget sometimes. How can that be? How could I forget? How could I get distracted? There are so many voices screaming in my ears, and the Spirit is such a gentleman, speaking so softly, it becomes difficult to remain focused on his still small voice, But that is what I must do, that is what I will do, that is my main purpose in this life, to listen to the voice of God, the voice of his Spirit who is at work in me, for me and through me.

Bewitched

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
BEWITCHED
Gal 3:1-5
3:1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4 Have you suffered so much for nothing — if it really was for nothing? 5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?
NIV
This idea, this thought is continuous and is difficult to break down into one stand alone idea, but I think I might spent a couple of days here anyway. First of all I surely do not want to be considered foolish because I have forgotten that Jesus was crucified for my sin and depart from my life of faith in him and his act upon that cross to a life endeavoring to win favor with God by obeying some rules devised by men. I hope and I am pretty darn sure I will never allow myself to be bewitched by some fine sounding argument from those whose intellectual prowess is superior to mine, which is questionable to begin with. I have such a difficult time with other people who have been deceived into believing being a good Christian has anything to do with faith. In fact, I have a difficult time just dealing with the idea of being a good Christian. I am either a Christian or not. How can I attain any other level of Christian other than Christian? I am a Christian because of my faith in Jesus Christ crucified. Can I have better faith? Can I have a greater amount of faith in what he did? Now, since I do have that faith I must try to live in a manner which pleases my Lord, but I am cannot be a good Christian, I can only be a Christian. My goal is eternal life in the everlasting presence of God. How in the world could I ever imagine attaining that by some human effort? I know I sound like a broken record, but I am thoroughly convinced without any reservations about this faith issue verses some obedience to rules. Enough of that already will you? I simply am firm in the belief of the truth of the scriptures and that is that. Not one single person will bewitch me with their ideas of what I should do in order to be right with God. God has told me all I need to know and it is contained in a record he oversaw for all of mankind to be able to not only find their way back to him but to be able to know all about him and about his love. What I need to know and do is contained within his word. I can read it and hear from him directly, I do not need others to interpret or rather misconstrue what he has said. No bewitching for me.

By Faith and Faith alone

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
BY FAITH
Gal 2:20-21
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
NIV
This is it; this is what I have been saying all along. Of what value is the death of Christ is there is another way for me to gain eternal life? If I could be saved because I was a good person then why would he have had to come at all? It is so completely clear to me. I have no other way. It is essential to my very being. It does not matter how good I can be, or how many rules and regulations I try to obey, I simply cannot do enough of anything to enact eternal life for myself. I certainly do not deceive myself with thoughts of any righteousness within my own being. I have no doubts about that at all, I am not worthy in any way to stand before God. How could I ever? The rub is in these first words about being crucified with Christ and the fact I no longer live, but him living in me. If that is true, and I have no doubts it is, why do I still fail to live up to the standard God has for me? If Christ is living in me I should be able to succeed in being pleasing to God. I should be able to live totally free from failure, from sin. How can this be? How can I continue to fail, to sin in areas of my life if I am dead and it is Christ who lives in me? It is the awareness of sin that Christ in me causes? That could be the situation. Before when I live all by my lonesome, I could care less about how I acted or what I did, or about pleases God. But now that I no longer live alone in this body, but Christ is in me, I am so acutely aware of each and every failure, of each time I commit any kind of sin. I suppose that is why I, like Paul, could never set aside the grace of God. I could never put aside that act of graciousness he did for me. How could I ever do that, because that is all I have? How could I ever think I would be able to meet any of his conditions for righteousness? Nothing I can ever do would be enough. Granted I don’t think I would just keep on doing anything I felt like just to show his grace. True I try to please him. But maybe just accepting Christ by faith and faith alone is the greatest pleasure I bring to God.

By Faith

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
BY FAITH
Gal 2:18-19
18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. 19 For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.
NIV
If I start now allowing myself to adhere to all those rules of some church or denomination or I should say start submitting to them now after for so long preaching against them, then all I do is prove I am nothing but a sinner. If I start thinking by living up to those rules will qualify me for a position in the Kingdom of God, I put myself back thousands of steps. I cannot go backwards. I have taken a stand based on salvation through Jesus Christ and him alone and I will not ever allow anyone to convince me I need to be a good person in order to be saved, or that being a good Christian has anything to add to getting into the Kingdom of God. Not that I want to be a bad person, or go back to the way of life I practiced before I was a Christian, that is for sure. I absolutely died to that way of life. I gave it up completely. I turned my back on it and will never go back to it. I know without and doubt that if I stayed the way I was I would already be physically dead and heaven only knows what would be of my soul, or spirit. I have to think that both the old way of life and the way of life subjected to all the rules and regulations man has devised and imposes on followers of Christ are nothing more than living without God. So many denominations spend so much time defining and defending their particular belief system, or doctrines and dogmas they have lost sight of faith in Christ and simply living for God. I cannot do that. I cannot concentrate my efforts on meaningless dribble. Now do I attempt to live in manner which pleases God? Without question! What pleases my Lord God the most of all? Faith! He knows I cannot be perfect, he does expect me to be holy or set myself apart from the life of sin and without faith in him. What I know is, I was a sinner lost and without hope of eternal life, and now I am found, I am saved from perishing and I have the hope of eternal life in the everlasting presence of my Lord. I am going to spend all of eternity within the new city of Jerusalem, a paradise of God, created by him for me. I am because of Christ and Christ alone. What a grand thing! What an absolutely incredible future awaits me, all because of Jesus. I cannot rebuild, I cannot go back, I cannot live any other way than by faith.

Sinner

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
SINNER
Gal 2:17
17 "If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!
NIV
I can see no other evidence than I am a sinner, especially when I consider the fact I am justified in Christ. How in the world could I ever think I am not a sinner? How could I ever even think I have overcome sin completely? I know people who say they don’t sin anymore and it absolutely blows me away when I hear them say it. I know Christ does not promote sin in my life. I know I have changed a great deal from the horrible person I was before I met Christ. I have overcome a great deal of behaviors which would be considered sin. I have been able to resist many temptations I won’t have even given a thought to engaging in before Christ. Christ has made a huge difference in my life, but I still engage in behaviors which would be considered sin. I still get impatient, I still get selfish, I still am rude or overbearing and the list goes on. But Christ would not have me be like that. He does not promote those behaviors, but I do. And when I look at my justification through Christ I can see he is the only means of my justification. If I seek to justify myself before God, it is so absolutely clear to me, I cannot because I am not a perfect human being, without any sin at all in my life. That is what it would take, a life totally free of any sin at all, including spirit pride. If for one minute I think I have no sin, not only do I call my God a liar, but I am engaging in spiritual pride, which is a sin in itself. When I see myself clearly and without any false beliefs about myself, I see I cannot ever be qualified to stand before my God and tell him I am there because I have justified myself to him by becoming a perfect person, free from all sin. Nope, it is only because of Jesus, and how thankful I am for him, for all I would be able to say to God is, “I am a sinner”.

In line

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
IN LINE
Gal 2:14
14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?
NIV
It surely seems Peter was a little off base on his way of dealing with his relationship with Christ. He was not acting in live with the truth of the Gospel. Now it comes to me, and I must ask myself that very same question. Am I acting in line with the truth of the gospel? Do I act like an unbeliever while preaching to believers on how they should act? No, I think not. So how else could I apply this to me? I am a believer, I do not live like an unbeliever and I do not require them to live like me. What do I do here? What is it I should see? It still comes back to whether or not I am acting in line with the truth of the gospel. How do people, both believers and unbelievers perceive my way of live, my actions, my attitude, my interaction with them? Do they see me as a man of conviction? Do they see me as living out my faith? Do they see me living in line with the truth of the gospel? It is a large responsibility to be all that I can be. I absolutely need the full power of the Holy Spirit at work within me, if I am going to be the salt of the earth, the light of the world and a mirror reflecting the image of God to others. But I think that is what it is to be acting in line with the truth of the gospel. I do not think it is following a bunch of manmade rules and regulations, but following Christ. To be Christ like means far more then rules. If I teach and preach those rules, I surely am going to be like Peter in the sense I would not be acting in line with the truth of the Gospel. In fact I would be teaching something I could not live up to. I can never follow all the rules all the time, I could never be perfect enough to obey every rule, every regulation, and then preach that others should. How bizarre is that? No, I simply have to live according to the truth of the Gospel. I am saved by faith and by faith alone. I have to be who God desires me to be. I have to do what God desires me to do. I have to be that salt, light and mirror. How that looks is up to God. He is the one who works for me, in me and through me. I only need to submit to his authority. Then I will be acting in line with the truth of the gospel.

Hypocrisy

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
HYPOCRISY
Gal 2:12-13
12 Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
NIV
What in the world and I going to do with a dissertation of Paul about Peter? Could this also be applied to me? Do I act differently with believers than I do with unbelievers? Or I guess I should ask if I behave differently with unbelievers than I do with believers? Maybe I should just be asking if I behave differently when I am alone than I do when I am with believers. I think that is the real hypocrisy. I think I have to be the same person no matter where I am and who I am with. If I have certain freedoms in Christ, say to have a glass of wine, I should not refrain if I am with a believer who does not approve of such freedoms. Yet, by indulging in that beverage in the presence of such a believer am I causing him or her to sin? So how does this work out? Should I simply refrain from every freedom I have in Christ for the sake of other believers who, by the standard I know is true, are in fact living under the law? They have determined a certain set of rules and regulations for Christian living which they feel are based on scripture. Yet I cannot help feel they have put themselves back into slavery to a law of men and not God. A law based on being better then the society around them rather than on simply pleasing God. So I am back to this double life of living out my faith in front of both believers and unbelievers with no difference. I must be the one true person I am no matter who I am with. When I ponder on whom I am, I think I can say I am the same in most cases, but I still struggle with not wanting those who need to abide by rules feeling ill against me. Not for my sake, but for theirs. That puts me right back to where I started. But one thing I know for sure I should not have any hypocrisy in me at all.

Opposition

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
OPPOSITION
Gal 2:11
11 When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong.
NIV
My greatest fear is confrontation, yet here it is clear to me I may not be able to avoid it. I have been struggling for some time now with having to have a conversation regarding someone being clearly in the wrong. How am I going to proceed is strictly up to the Holy Spirit. The big question is, of course, am I absolutely sure, without any doubt, that this individual is in the wrong. Maybe I should be asking myself if I am seeing clearly. Maybe I should ask myself if I perceive correctly. Am I truly hearing from the Spirit? I know He has gifted me from time to time with discernment and is this one of those times or not? I surely do not what to be out of step with the Spirit of God. If I am hearing correctly I will evidently have to oppose this person to his face. I do not want to do this in a mean sense, or judgmental way at all. I do not want to even come across as though I am right and he is wrong. I desire face this person with love and compassion, with respect and dignity, with grace, but also with truth. As a normal course of my own self, that is not going to be easy. I am not the most loving, compassionate person I have ever met. I am really going to need to Holy Spirit to not only go before me, but to go with me and to follow me, or in order words completely surround me. This is not going to be easy for me. I think I have actually been avoiding it for some time now, and with my soon departure from this area for awhile I may have to wait until I return. But this may be good as I might be able to rightly divide the word in regards to this situation. I will have time to pray and mediate, to listen and contemplate. But I am not going to be able to escape the inevitable. I am going to have to oppose him to his face.

Remember

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
REMEMBER
Gal 2:9-10
They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews. 10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
NIV
How do I remember the poor? Do I remember the poor? It certainly is the Christ-like way of life. Yet I think I have failed here is a great way. There are in some sense things I do to help some people who are less fortunate than I. but I do not think I actually go out of my way to remember the poor. This is sad. When I read a verse like this, I am reminded and I act in some small way to do something. I put something in the bucket at the store, or buy one of those brown bags the stores offer for the poor. Once in awhile we bring a turkey to one of the downtown ministries, but is that enough. What about all the others, can I help them all? Is it enough to be just a part of a larger body who all give a little and that makes up the large remembering the poor? I am not sure. I think I need to do something else. I have to seek out exactly what it is God desires me to do. What exactly I should do to remember the poor. Paul surely did not give all of his own possessions to the poor, but took up donations from one church to help another. He helped spread the gospel in the meantime as well. He supported himself not to be a burden on the church also. So how do I help? Can I bring more? Is supporting my local church remembering the poor in the sense the church provides goods to the poor, and thus I do my part? Not sure that is it either. I have to seek God more about this and my part in this area of my journey with him. I do not know if I am as eager as I should be or that I just feel a sense of the need to be obedient in this area. I do have to be careful that in my giving no one knows about it. I also have to be sure that I am not giving to make myself feel good about it. I should not be reluctant about it as God loves a cheerful giver. I think if God is speaking to me, I need to simply response in love and remember the poor. Yet I also have to think that the most effective way to be helping them is in assisting them to finding a personal relationship with Christ. If they become believers, will not God provide for them as he has for me? Is teaching them to fish not so much better the giving them a fish? Is it such a good thing to make people dependent on others for everything? Is it in their best interest? The gospel is the greatest gift I could ever give to the poor, and then they would be rich. This gets complicated. Prayer is another great gift; I could be remembering them in my prayers and thus fulfilling my part. At this point all I know for sure is I should remember them.

Ministry

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
MINISTRY
Gal 2:6-9
7 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews. 8 For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles. 9 James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me.
NIV
I know it seems rather obvious that is it God who works in my ministry, but I have to ask myself if I, at times, think it is me. The reason I have to ask that of myself is because I see it in others as well. When people spent so much time in the field of gaining an education in ministry I wonder if they believe God is at work or they are. Have I spent too much time in educating myself in the word, in knowledge of his word? Have I endeavored to see it intellectually rather than see it with faith? The more I learn about the word, it may be easier to depend on my own knowledge, my own ability to understand than to simply allow God to work in my ministry. That sounds like it may be the case, but then I am reminded I do not know that much. I am not that smart, or have the capacity of an enormous memory with which to store all that knowledge. I read study and prepare a message, bring it to whoever I do, and a week later I have to read all about it again myself. I have to training in how to prepare sermons, or lessons, or anything else for that matter. I have not attended any classes on ministry of any sort. I do not have a method of proceeding on how to be the most effective in my area of ministry. So when I reflect on myself, which I have to do. When I take stock of my own self, I find I am nothing and God is everything. If it were not for his grace, his divine influence on my heart, I would be without any abilities to serve him in any area of ministry. I have such a limited knowledge of so much; I am absolutely amazed at how much he does through me. I am so thankful for what he does for me, in me and through me, especially for the work he does through me. To be used by him for him is an awesome experience. I only hope I can live up to the task, and I know with the help of the Holy Spirit, I will. But it is not I who live up, but Christ in me.

Focus

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
FOCUS
Gal 2:6
6 As for those who seemed to be important — whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance — those men added nothing to my message.
NIV
I am always amazed as to how some men think so highly of themselves because of all the letters behind their names. They seem puffed up either because of the height of their education or for some the enormity of their wealth. Importance comes in many forms of which most of them have little to no meaning at all. I sure hope I do not come across to anyone as thinking I am important because of any the talents or knowledge I may process because of the blessing from God. The only real importance I have is being a child of God. As far as those others who for whatever reason think themselves important because of some earthly gain, it does not make any difference to me either. I see them, I recognize their egos and pride, and I feel a certain amount of pity for them. I can honestly say I am not jealous of their fame and fortune. I know who I am and where I belong in the Kingdom of God. I have my own calling, my own vision from God, my own revelation from the Lord as to how and what I am to be doing. Others may well be serving him or perhaps their own interests while appearing to serve him, I cannot judge them as all I see is their external appearance, although I do think God has gifted me with discernment and in many cases I have discerned some of them to be more self serving then God serving. This is the one thing I hope and pray I am not. All I really want to do is serve my Lord in doing whatever he desires of me to do with little to no regard for the approval of men in my endeavors but the approval of my Lord. Do I want to have a good reputation? Of course I think that is important as I am supposed to be the light, the salt, and a mirror reflecting God to others. I do need to be concerned as to how I am perceived by others, not wanting them to think of me as being puffed up or arrogant about myself. Of course what do I have to be puffed up about? Nothing, I only hold a photography degree, surely nothing from any bible school. I have no license, no ordination, and no official paid ministry. I hold no position or anything which would be cause for me to ever think I was someone special, except being a child of my God, and being a co-heir with Christ. That is all I am and will ever be, yet I will continue to do his will in regards to teaching and preaching whenever he gives me the opportunity. It is his word and his alone I want to share with others for their edification, instruction, and training in righteousness. I do desire to assist my fellow believers in their journey with the Lord. That is my calling, and that is what I should focus on.

Extra, read all about it! A Sad Commentary

A SAD COMMENTARY

It has been brought to my attention, via my memory, of years past and how the society of America was during those years. I am going back to when I was but a young lad during the nineteen fifties in a rather average small sized town of the Midwest. As I recall life during those years it was relatively simply and uncomplicated, at least for a ten year old. My parents did not have to worry about child abduction so I pretty much roamed the neighborhood at my pleasure. There was no gay rights demonstrations they had to be concerned about my getting beat up over, not that I was gay, but because I wasn’t. My father did not have to be concerned about my finding some pornography on the internet by mistake, because there was no internet, in fact there wasn’t even a rating system for movies they had to be watchful of before I went to the cinema on Saturday afternoon. Hollywood simply did not even allow curse words, much less the language of today. The television surely had not evolved into much more then variety shows and westerns. Howdy Doody and the Mickey Mouse show were big. I think I remember getting my hands on a girly magazine once, but even then they did not reveal very much. All in all life was fairly civilized, crime was unusual, the government was sort of normal, most folks voted once and then on Election Day when the poles were open. If I were to put a numeric value on the moral standard of society in those days, 1 being the worse and 10 being the best, I would score the culture at 6 maybe even 7. Now having said that, in relationship to the culture, the church in its effort to live to a standard above the moral value of the culture, had its set of rules and regulations which it imposed upon its members. They always had to be of a higher moral lifestyle then the ungodly culture around them. So if in scoring the culture a 6 or 7 the church would have had to receive an 8 or 9. I do not think I could ever score them at a 10 for Christ and Christ alone would be worthy of such a rating. Now in examining the society of the modern times in which I now reside, I am inclined to view such a culture with a much lower moral value than that of my youth. Without reviewing the horrific activities or values of today’s society which most everyone already is aware of, I would have to rate the numeric value of it morality at 2 and I might just be a bit generous at that. Now the curse of this lies in the church always wanting to be living to a higher standard than the culture it is surrounded by. So, with the cultural receiving its rating at 2 the church can shout from the rooftops for its rating of 5 or maybe 6. A standard way higher and far more moral than the sinful state of mankind today, but wait just a minute, this 5 or 6 is the same or maybe even slightly lower than the general society of my youth. This is a sad commentary of the Christian lifestyle we so cherish. Should not the believers of today strive for a numeric value of 9 or maybe even 10, to be Christ-like? Have we settled for just being better than those awful sinners? I leave that question to each who read this.

Freedom

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
FREEDOM
Gal 2:3-5
3 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 4[This matter arose] because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.
NIV
Not like this is anything that remained in the past. There are still brothers who are infiltrating the ranks trying to make a slave of me. People who continue to insist I succumb to their set of rules and regulations for clean living will always be around. Is it wrong for me to think like this? Should I give in to what most people think is the right way to approach the faith? I just can’t get past the idea people have established these rules in an effort to set themselves apart from the society they live in, to be different then the ungodly, so to speak. When I first got saved, I was told no smoking, no drinking, no dancing, no movies, no roller rinks, and oh right, no mixed bathing. Slavery at its best was at work. Sure some of those rules have changed over the years, but that is the point, God does not change. No, I am quite content with my freedom in Christ, and I believe so is God. Nothing I do or don’t do can change the fact that I am saved through faith. I know, I need to live to please my Lord, and there are things I am not supposed to do, those things which are sin, which are against my Lord. What am I to do? If I tell my brothers I have the freedom to do something and it causes them to think ill of me, I have caused them to sin. If the freedom I have causes them to sin, am I wrong, or do they have the problem? Should I hide it from them in order not to create that situation? Yet, by my silence am I appearing as though I agree with their rules and thus giving credence to them? I am not sure all the people I know really believe in those rules either, except the older ones who were raised in the faith and still cling to the traditional thinking of those who came before. Maybe they is an evolution in the thinking of how faith is lived out. But that is not good either because God does not change, and living out faith remains living out faith, but not by outward signs like circumcision of the flesh, but rather by inward circumcision of my heart. Yet I still am in a quandary about speaking up or remaining silent. I have an obligation to live to the truth, to speak the truth, and hope and pray the truth produces the desired results.

Not In Vain

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
NOT IN VAIN
Gal 2:1-2
2 I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain.
NIV
As I did deal with the revelation yesterday, I think I should take a peek at this being before those who seemed to be leaders part which includes this running my race in vain. I suppose it might be a good thing to double check my calling with those who seem to be leaders. It does not make a whole lot of sense to be out there completely on my own, not ever involved and in concert with the rest of the body. I know this and thoroughly agree with this concept. I have checked with those who seem to be leaders and I do serve within the confines of their leadership to a point. Although I may have some differences in a few of the issues, or beliefs of the present denomination I am associated with, I do not take the liberty to preach or teach those revelations I have received because I believe that would be divisive in that portion of the body. I am not sure how that works, in that we are supposed to be one body. How can people have so different of a view of the truth than I do? I have explained my revelation, my beliefs to those who seem to be leaders of the church and they do not have a problem with me teaching and preaching so I guess I am alright. I am not running my race in vain, but I am doing the right thing, saying the right thing, at least while I am in their midst. As long as God has me where I am at this point I can continue to share the truths of his word as I am doing. I may hold back on one issue about the gifts of the Spirit and how they operate to the fullest, yet I am not sure the truth would be received by those who have lived for so long in the traditional thinking they have. And does that affect the basics of the Gospel? I think not! Does that change the facts of salvation, the saving grace of Christ? I think not! Does that change a person’s position in Christ? Not at all! Are both I and they saved? Absolutely! Am I having any spiritual influence in their lives? I just might be. Am I helping them more forward in their journey with God? I hope so. So as long as I have checked with those who seem to be leaders and there are good with what I do, and more importantly God is pleased with what I do, I am running my race, and it is not in vain.

Revelation

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
REVELATION
Gal 2:1-2
2:1 Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. 2 I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles.
NIV
How can I ever image sharing anything with anyone about my Lord Jesus Christ without a revelation from God? It would seem easy enough to have an intelligent conversation about religious concepts and even about the bible and it’s relevancy in a person’s life without having any revelation at all. Bible knowledge can be learned as evident in so many people who are employed by churches in some pastoral capacity, yet they have no revelation from God. There are so many Bible schools dedicated to selling degrees in pastoral ministries, some spend many dollars advertizing on the internet, facebook and such hoping to lure someone into spending enough in order to obtain some sort of degree which shows their ability to be employed in some ministry, yet without a revelation their works are useless. Surely there are many people who do obtain these degrees and do have a revelation as well, but I believe so many simply apply human efforts in Godly matters. I do not need any of these symbols and acknowledgments of men; I only need a revelation from God. It I have no revelation, I have nothing. Knowledge is good, but wisdom derived from a revelation is best. I dare not speak unless I know I have the Spirit working through a revelation in me. I must always be in such a spiritual condition I hear him speaking to my heart, my mind, my spirit. If I get distracted by my humanity, I miss out on so much. I have absolutely no talent, no abilities within my own human condition. I could not do much of anything within my own self. I am so dependent on being the recipient of his revelation. The revelation of Jesus Christ, the good news, the gospel as according to God.

Reputation

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
REPUTATION
Gal 1:21-24
21 Later I went to Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." 24 And they praised God because of me.
NIV
I certainly do not have to meet someone for them to know about me, that is for sure. What I have to ask myself, is what my reputation is? What do people think about me? Do they praise God because of me? That surely is a major question. Now it is true I do not think I ever actually persecuted the church, although I was certainly very verbal about my hatred of organized religion. But now I need to deal with what do I verbalize at this time and how is it received. I do wonder how other believers think of me. Do they praise God because of my reputation of being someone who preaches the faith? Maybe some of my closer believers who know me on a somewhat personal nature might. But what about those believers who do not know so closely? Am I living my life large enough and bold enough for God, living it out loud enough, that believers elsewhere know about me? I think I am trying to, but am I? Does writing my first book qualify for living large? Does posting my devotions on my blog qualify? Are people I have never met reading about me, and if so, are they praising God because of me? I am not sure how much more I am able to get done for God. I do not have a call to travel the world preaching Christ, at least physically. I am called to preach Christ wherever I am, that is for sure. Yet, I believe these words do speak to me regarding my reputation other than where I preach. I do believe my reputation is a reflection of who I actually am on the inside, and thus I need to be very aware of who I am. Now, having said that I also believe I should not be the largest figure within me, but rather Christ should and I must be that mirror who reflects him to others. That should be my reputation.

No Lie

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
NO LIE
Gal 1:20
20 I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.
NIV
Now what is wrong with telling just a little white lie? Worse yet, what is wrong with telling a big lie, if it keeps from hurting someone really badly? I am sure it is not a good thing in the sight of God to live a lie, to act and behave in public differently than who I am inside. Living a lie just does not match up with being a Christian, but what about those little white lies or bigger ones that keep peace and harmony and do not hurt others. Is the truth absolutely right all of the time? I don’t mean “the truth”, I know that is always the truth and the only truth, but the truth in conversation about things? Is it always right to tell someone something which can cause pain in their life? If the word is good for correcting, rebuking, teaching, and training in righteousness, I think than it has to be the truth spoken on all occasions, at least between believers. The issue is I have to make sure it is the word which I speak and not me being judgmental. I also have to be open to having the truth spoken to me without becoming defensive, especially if it is the truth. It is hard to hear words about how I am doing something I should not be, or I am acting in a manner I should not, maybe I would rather that person just lie and tell me how great I am. Not! As hard as it is to accept, and sometimes I do get defensive even though I know better, it is the best thing for me. And thus I believe I have that responsibility toward my fellow believer. I need to make sure what I say is the truth. I think the key here is in the talking between the two believers, surely not in the talking about a believer, even if it is the truth, and no lie. That would still be gossip. The no lie has to be in the way I live and in the conversation with another believer one on one and only than about each other, between each other, in confidence. I also think that if I had a reputation of someone who tells little white lies, than when I share the gospel, how would the unbeliever know if I were telling the truth of just spinning another tale? Simply put, no lie.

Visit

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
VISIT
Gal 1:18-20
18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles — only James, the Lord's brother.
NIV
Now what can I do with this? It would seem on the surface to simply be an explanation of Paul’s visit with Peter and James. But then I would also think it might have something to speak to me about surely not keeping to myself as a Christ follower. And when I talk about not keeping to myself I do not mean seeing other believers on Sunday morning and exchanging the traditional, “Hi, how you doing” phrase, because nobody really tells me anyway. It is always just, “Fine”. I cannot imagine everybody is fine, and I am the only one with issues in my life. But, then that is usually my response to the same “Hi, how are you”? No, I think the visit was more than that. I think I am supposed to actually get involved in the lives of other people, to actually visit with each other. I know I can’t do that with the thousands of people I know who are believers, or at least the hundreds I have an acquaintance with. If I were I would not even have time to work, eat or sleep. And that is assuming they would care to visit with me. But there are a few who I believe I do visit with. There are a few who I am involved in their lives and they are in mine. This is what I believe the Spirit is speaking about to me. I cannot be a walled city, fortified and keep the gates closed, and on guard against any visitors. I cannot hide behind a false façade either. I have to be open to visits and to visit whenever the Spirit leads. It does require time, both to visit and to be visited. This is in the true sense koninia, fellowship with one another. Not talking about the weather or sports, family or politics for that matter, but sharing life with one another.

Once I Was But Now I Am

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
ONCE I WAS BUT NOW I AM
Gal 1:13-17
13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.
NIV
Now I surely I did not have a former life in Judaism, but I absolutely had a former life before I came to know Jesus. I can recall that former life and it was one of intensely being against God. I opening opposed even the idea of God. I hated organized religion and verbalized by opposition whenever I had the opportunity. One of me sayings was “I am not going to pay to pray”; after all, they only wanted my money. I was advancing in my hatred beyond many people my own age and I was extremely zealous for the traditions of sin. But when God, who set me apart and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so I might preach him among my friends, I did not consult any man either, nor did I go up to any authority, but I began sharing my faith, living out my new life in Christ. Now that is want I call personalizing the word. It makes so much sense to me, I was like that and now I am changed. God has done an incredible miracle in me, being me one hundred and eighty degrees from the direction I was traveling. I am convinced if it were not for his intervention in my life, I would have been died years ago. I am not talking about his restoration of my life after my heart attack ten years ago, but my death from a life being destroyed by the sin within it forty years ago. If God had not called me out of that darkness into his glorious light I would not be here today, of that I am sure. How can I not be grateful? How can I not be open about my faith? How can I get my mouth shut up when I am with unbelievers? How can I silence myself when I have been given so much? How can I not be the light and the salt and the mirror who reflects God to those around me? It seems unconscionable to be anything else other then the light, the salt and a mirror, after all that is what God has called me to be. I do not have a calling by man, but by God. I am not licensed by man, but by God. I am not ordained by man, but by God. One I was but now I am.

Truth or Tradition

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
TRUTH OR TRADITION
Gal 1:11-12
11 I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
NIV
It never ceases to amaze me how many spiritual matters are made up by man. How so many denominations have their set of rules and regulations added to the gospel for qualifications to be a member of their churches is beyond me. Oh I know every earthy organization has rules and regulations that have to be complied with in order to join. But I just don’t think it should be that way with the church. The gospel is the gospel and that is that. I just cannot get into those rules and regulations. I always thought that Jesus had set me free and once I have been set free I am free indeed. I should not place myself back into bondage to the law or any form of it. Sure, Jesus has given me the way to live, and I surely believe I should live a life that is pleasing to him. But I just cannot get into those rules. Am I a bad person because of that? Or is it that I just do not want to submit to the authority of the leadership of the church? Am I a rebel? Am I an outsider of the norm? Do I not get it? I have to say to myself, “Rich, I think you are right on”! I have read the bible, I have the Holy Spirit, I have received the good news right from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. Sure Doc lead me to Christ, but then I read and read until I understood the truth as revealed to me from the Holy Spirit. I cannot believe for one minute those rules and regulations which people add to the gospel have any basis in truth, if that were the case then why so many different denominations with so many different rules, regulations, bylaws, doctrines, and dogmas? I truly believe it is because they are made up by man and not by God. I have no illusions about myself. I know I still displease my God, I know I still deal with sin in my life, I know I have a long ways to go, to grow. It is a lifelong process of learning to lean on Jesus and being the person he desires me to be. But I also know I have freedom in him, I am not bond to those manmade rules, or those manmade regulations and restrictions they believe if followed qualify me as a holy person. I am completely confident in my relationship with my Lord and I am and always have been willing to submit to him, but not to men. Sometimes I wonder if I am all alone, or if I am really wrong in my thinking, but those times pass and I remember who I am in Christ. I am going to live by the truth not by tradition.

God Pleaser

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
GOD PLEASER

Gal 1:10
10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
NIV
The rub, do I can if people think I am a wonderful, smart, loving, kind, compassionate, good Christian? I do care if I am the salt of the Earth. I do care if I am the light of the World. I do care if I am a mirror who reflects God to people. But that is pleasing to God and may not be to people. If I preach the gospel, if I speak up about my faith, if I tell people what the Bible says about something, I do find many people are not pleased by want I say. Mostly the unbelievers are the ones who give me grief regarding the Word of God. Sometimes they become a little upset and get snippy with me. How do I share the gospel, share my faith, share the love and grace of God and not get them upset? I am not sure that is my concern. If I get this right, I need to keep doing it, so I please my Lord, rather than capitulate to an unbeliever for the sake of pleasing them. That old saying about you can know a Christians by the footprints on his face is not a good saying at all. I cannot allow people to push me into pleasing them for the sake of being a nice guy, or having them tell me that I am not a very good Christian because I cause arguments in conversations with them, or I get preachy, and that isn’t good. I really do think the concept that men love darkness and the word exposes their own sin to themselves and they don’t like it and refuse to receive it, and try to make me out the bad guy because I talk about it. No, I have to please my Lord and I have to speak up whenever the opportunity is there no matter the fallout. I am a servant of Christ, not a servant of people. I do not want to be known as a people pleaser, I want to be known as a God pleaser.

Not Condemned

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
NOT CONDEMNED
Gal 1:7-9
8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!
NIV
Alright now, this is enough of this. I know I dealt with this issue yesterday why did I not include this conclusion of the thought then? I guess I was not supposed to in order that I could concentrate on the severity of preaching something else other then Jesus Christ crucified. How dangerous it is if I get it wrong. But I have not, of that I am sure. For I preach nothing else than Jesus. It is but faith I was saved and it is by faith everyone else can be saved. True my behavior, my actions do change and I have a responsibility to aline my thoughts and actions with the commands of God. Yes I am supposed to live in a manner that pleases my Lord. Yes I am supposed to be different than I was before accepting Christ as my Lord and Savior. This I have absolutely no argument with. I am supposed to be filled with the Holy Spirit as well. But none of this has anything to do with the gospel, with salvation, with being saved, born again, and co-heirs with Christ. If I were to preach anything else than salvation thru faith in Jesus Christ I would be in such a danger I could not bear. To be eternally condemned because I added something to Jesus is so harsh I cannot understand how anyone would ever preach that, I would not. To be eternally condemned because of telling others they have to accept Jesus and something is fair and just. Yet I am still perplexed, well not actually but I am concerned if I say this to those I know who do, am I putting myself in a position of improperness? Would they accept my words or simply argue their case? If they are already sharing a different gospel they are already not in the understanding of the truth and thus may not even be able to see it. How can people actually think like that? But here I am again, thinking about them when I surely must be careful and make sure I do not make the same mistake and always be so very aware of the gospel I preach is the one true gospel of Jesus Christ. I will not be swayed by any other in my faith, and my thinking. I know what I know is the true gospel of Christ both from the word and from my experience.

Danger

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
DANGER
Gal 1:6-7
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.
NIV
I know I am in no danger of all at any time of every getting into the position these people of Galatia were. I have never and will never turn to a different gospel and that is an absolute. I must admit I do have the opportunity because I firmly believe some of my fellow believers are being confused by denominations which pervert the gospel of Christ. Whenever the gospel is ‘Jesus plus’ it is perverted, no matter what the plus is. If it is Jesus plus baptism it is perverted. If it is Jesus plus works it is perverted. If it is Jesus plus the Spirit it is perverted. I am so completely clear about this I have no problem at all with knowing my salvation depends solely because of Jesus and nothing else. How could I ever get confused about that? I know men want to add things; denominations add things, works in a sense. Some add their own set of rules and regulations which if not followed lead to sin, which of course, leads someone away from salvation. There just is not anything that can be added to Jesus. Do I dare say that to them? Do I dare proclaim those I know may be confused about the truth of the Gospel and are being deceived by others who preach a different gospel? God, are you asking this of me or is this coming from my own feelings? How can I be the only one who sees this perversion? It is so easily changed, so subtle that others cannot see it? Why are there so many differences among what people believe? Why must people add things to Jesus? Does that give them power of others? What difference can I make against such a large group who are more educated and in positions of authority? How can I presume to be right? I can, because I know the gospel is Jesus Christ crucified. I know it is for anyone who believes, I know it is because of faith and nothing else. What is confusing about that? However, I must know if I am called to expose those who are in danger.

Forever and Ever

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
FOREVER AND EVER
Gal 1:3-5
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
NIV
I will take all the grace and peace he wants to hand out in my direction. Now knowing grace is his divine influence on my heart in most cases I wonder if in this case if it is not meant in the sense of an act of graciousness. That is God has done an act of graciousness toward me, in the person of Jesus Christ. It was him and only him who could possibly rescue me from the present age of evil and for my sin. I surely cannot do either. I need all, every last amount available, of his graciousness, but I also need every just as much of his divine influence on my heart in keeping me from being sucked back into the present age of evil in which I live. So either way I see this, I need his grace. And with it I am surely glad and grateful I can have his peace. I can have the prosperity within my spirit which again only comes from him. When I am able to have life and have it more abundantly within my inner being and in that sense my spirit is growing and thriving within the presence of my God, yet could it also be that I am no longer at war with him, but have signed a peace treaty and now I am at peace with God? That is a true statement but I am convinced in this application it is the first. This is something which comes from him to me, his grace and his peace, his act of graciousness and his prospering my spirit all being accomplished the giving of Jesus Christ for my sin and his act of rescuing me from an evil age. How can I ever repay him? I cannot, it is his will to have done it for me because he loves me. That is just too awesome to comprehend. If I could pay him back, with what would I be able to? Nothing, not even my wonderful obedient behavior, what a joke! Even though I still fail him, even though I still am disobedient in some areas of my life, he still bestows his grace and peace toward me in all of his power without reservation or expectation of repayment simply because he is God. Of that I am extremely grateful and I will give him the Glory forever and ever all the days of my life, both here and there.

Sent by God

DEVOTION
GALATIONS
Sent by God
Gal 1:1-2
1:1 Paul, an apostle — sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers with me,
NIV
I wonder how many people feel sent from God. Do I? I think it is a question I should pose to myself. And if sent to where, to whom, and for what? The ‘for what’ seems simple enough, and that of course would be to encourage others with the word of God. To share the word with others, to preach the Gospel, to teach the truth of God whenever possible in order others may enjoy not only eternal life, but all the blessings of God in their lives. And if that is a given, then I think the ‘whom’ would make sense to me also. They would be the people God brings me into contact with. Now the where is the big question which has to be coupled with if sent? If I am sent which I do have a sense I am, then to where am I sent? Have I been sent to the local body of believers I now am associated with? Is this truly the place God would have me be? There are times when I feel an outsider, times I feel as those the relationships are shallow and without true fellowship. Times when I feel the church is so imperfect and not going in the right direction. If I am sent there should I be feeling these things? I don’t know, God speak to my heart! Why would I be in a place that I feel is not real, at least does not seem real? Why do I sense this? Are all churches, all local bodies like this? Is God pleased with how his church is doing? Are those who are in leadership really following God, or are they just occupying a job, getting a paycheck, like the rest of us? If I am sent by God to the place I am now, then am I doing all he is asking of me? Am I proclaiming the truth? Am I teaching and preaching the truth about how God desires his church to be? Dare I think what I am thinking? Could I be? I must pray about this more and know without a shadow of a doubt. The one thing I do know is no man has sent me here, but God has. No man has told me who I should speak with, God has. No man has told for what reason I am here, but God has! What am I waiting for!

Peace, Love, Grace

DEVOTION
EPHESIANS
Peace, Love, Grace
Eph 6:23-24
23 Peace to the brothers, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
NIV
Peace, Love and Grace seem to be what most people need, it sure is what I need. Not that I don’t have them, but is I did not I would be in a horrific condition. To be without peace would tear my insides upside down. If I did not have this peace, think I would be a nervous wreck, a bundle of nerves, anxious about everything, worried and in turmoil over so many things. And if I did not have love, I would be an empty shell of a man. First I am so very aware of the love God has for me. What would I do if he did not love me? I would be a dead man walking without hope and without any future. I do not know how I could live like that, although I do remember those days which I did. Those were days filled with fear about death. I also would be so empty if there were not people in my life who love me. I used to think I did not need anyone, which I was an island and an island doesn’t cry. But I could not find real happiness or joy in living my life all alone, hemmed up inside, with that wall around me keeping everyone out so they could not hurt me. But I am glad Jesus was able to break down that wall, and I do love and am loved. It does add so much to my life, I am so thankful to God for allowing me to experience this kind of love. Grace now is something I believe I cannot survive without. I so desperately need his divine influence on my heart. If I were left to my own influence I would no doubt be a worthless excuse of a person. I know my own heart is not pure and holy, it is wicked, but I am so grateful for his divine influence upon my heart, directing me and guiding my heart in the paths of righteousness. Without him, without his grace, I would be pitiful, and lost beyond finding. What would I do without his peace and his love and his grace? I dare not even imagine, the thought, the vision out does any horror film ever made. How can I ever repay him? I can’t! How can I show him how grateful I am? I can’t. All I can do it thank him, for he has given freely all his peace, love and grace to me without reservation. Thank you Father!

Keeping in Touch

DEVOTION
EPHESIANS
KEEPING IN TOUCH
Eph 6:21-22
21 Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing. 22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.
NIV
I suppose I do not keep in touch with as many of my fellow believers as I should. I have to ask myself just exactly why I think that is. Am I do busy with my own life to be bothered by the life of others? Do I just not care about them? I don’t think those Christmas or New Year letters are much in the way of keeping in touch all they contain in a list of events in the senders life, without even a query about the receivers life, yet that is what Paul is doing here. Still I think the whole letter to the Ephesians was all about Paul’s interest in them and their lives in Christ. I think I should be keeping in touch with others along those lines. I wonder if just doing this devotion and sharing it on my blog is keeping in touch. Does that replace physical contact? I can’t be in contact with so many of the people I know and care about. Is facebook enough? Is my blog enough? I am not sure that is how the spirit of this idea is accomplished. But in a certain sense of the word I suppose it is. People are able to know what is going on in my life, maybe not all the physical things, but surely in my spirit, my real being. And I am expressing my care for those who read my devotions in the sense of maybe my times with the Lord and the thoughts he guides me in, might in some way encourage and enhance their lives in Christ. But is that keeping in touch? I hope it is. Do I excuse myself from actually being and spending time with them? Maybe they are just as busy with their living life as I am and in this social climate of today we people are just that way. Maybe we all are just so involved with our own efforts of getting by and trying to live a life pleasing to God that all we can do is make an occasional connection with each other. I do often think about so many of the people I know and think a short prayer for them when they come to my mind, but that is not part of the keeping in touch I see here. I am not sure if anything will ever change about that either. So many are separated from me by so many miles this is the only of keeping in touch. Thos close in physical proximity, I do see and spend time with, at least the closest one. So I think I have to be content with what is at this point. I hope that is enough, I do what to encourage my friends. I do want to keep in touch.

Chains

DEVOTION
EPHESIANS
CHAINS
Eph 6:19-20
9 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
NIV
Yesterday it was about my mouth and today about my chains. Sure Paul actually had chains and I do not, but that does not release me from being a prisoner of Christ. Oh not in that sense I cannot leave, or that he holds me against my will. But how could I leave? I am a bond servant, I willing am in chains to him, at least metaphorically speaking. I am not sure if I am as good of an ambassador as I should be. I wonder if I represent him to the world as I am supposed to. I know when I behave improperly in any way I miss the mark. Oh sure I may not do anything horrible, but I also may not be as pure as I should be when the world is watching. When I express myself, do I do it as Christ would? I know when I get a little vehement about my faith, or the word, I may not be the ambassador I should be. When I loss am patience and express it, I am not being a good ambassador. If I am in those chains I should be so close to Christ that it should be more natural for me to be like him than like me. Sometimes I just have a difficult time remembering my chains, my ties to Christ, and my old self pops right up and raises his ugly head. How can this be? Why? He was suppose to be dead. No, I am in those chains and I am his ambassador and I am going to continue the course, stand my ground, and win the battle against those schemes of the devil. He wants me to think I am not right, and I refuse to allow that. Jesus keeps me safe. I am still in the process of learning, and growing each and every day of my life until he decides to take me home. So I am his ambassador, faults and all, and I am in chains for his name sake. I will remain so all the days of my life.

Fearlessly

DEVOTION
EPHESIANS
FEARLESSLY
Eph 6:19-20
19 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
NIV
Several thoughts roam around in my brain regarding what is said here, I must deal with one then tomorrow I will deal with the other. But for now I have to feel as though I am in the same position here in regards to opening my mouth. I have done so, and have been labeled a ‘know it all’, or ‘a preacher’, or asked, why I always get preachy when I talk about God’s word. Some people don’t even what to be with me because they don’t want to hear what I have to say. Does it make them feel uncomfortable? Or are they just not interested, or refuse to believe the word of God as true. I have been told I should not bring up God in conversations because it only causes arguments. Sometimes I think maybe I should be silent, not speak up, even in church when I attend a Sunday School class taught by a friend. Sometimes I say to myself, I should just shut up, but then I cannot, I have to say what I believe to be the truth of God’s word. And it is what I believe I have been spoken to by the Holy Spirit. I must confess I do not ascribe to the thoughts and interpretations of so called scholars and theologians. I subscribe to the word of God. I say what I am instructed to say in the scriptures. Maybe I make more enemies than friends doing that, I don’t know. Am I opinionated? Absolutely! Am I a black and white thinker? Without question, it is either right or wrong, no middle ground. I must not be afraid; I must be fearless in declaring the truth of God’s word. I know the Spirit not only gave words to Paul, but he is willing to give words to anyone who is fearless about speaking them. The problem, as I see it in my life, is I don’t think I have asked others to pray for me regarding my declaring God’s word fearlessly, as I should. This I must do.