Tag Archives: Galatians 2:17-3:9

September 16, 2015 Bible Study — It Is No Longer I Who Lives

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

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Proverbs 23:15-16

    When children exhibit wisdom in their words and their action it gives their parents joy (at least, it does so if their parents are not complete fools). The best way to honor your parents is by acting wisely.

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Psalm 60

    The psalmist reminds us that whenever times get difficult God raises a banner to which those who fear Him may rally. When we face attack for our beliefs, God will raise a banner to rally His supporters. If we gather at that point, we will find others willing to battle at our sides and God will be there as well, fighting for us against our foes. Are we willing to gather at God’s banner? Even though it means declaring ourselves to His enemies? I pray that your are, and that God will give me the strength to do so as well.

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Galatians 2:17-3:9

    We cannot make ourselves right with God by following the rules. This does not mean that the rules are meaningless. It instead means that we should live by God’s grace, or as Paul states it, “It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me.” We live by trusting Christ, and living as the Scripture and the Holy Spirit indicate to us that He would live. The biggest problem with living according to a set of rules is that we can always find loopholes in the rules. There are no loopholes to be found in living according to what the Holy Spirit tells us is right. Perhaps the most important thing for us to recognize is that we cannot win our salvation by our own effort. No matter how good we are, we have still done some things wrong. Let us not live our lives so that people will see us as good, let us live our lives so that people will see Christ as good.

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Isaiah 22-24

    The people of Jerusalem took all of the basic precautions. They stockpiled weapons, they inspected and repaired the city walls, they made sure they had stores of water and food. However, they did not do the most important thing. They did not call on God and listen to His instructions. He told them to repent in sorrow for their sins. Instead, they continued to celebrate and party. Let us turn to God in mourning for what we have done wrong.

September 16, 2014 Bible Study — It Is No Longer I Who Live, But Christ Who Lives In Me

For today, One Year Bible Online links here. Yesterday I added a “Ministry Links” tab to my blog. On it I am going to link to the websites of various Christian Ministries which I support to one degree or another. Yesterday I mentioned the congregation I attend and of which I am a member. Today I would like to mention a ministry which does wonderful work in Honduras and elsewhere: MAMA Project

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Proverbs 23:15-16

    Let us rejoice when others demonstrate wisdom, when they speak up in favor of doing what is right. Let us seek the approval only of those who do likewise.

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Psalm 60:1-12

    When we reject God He will reject us. He will allow our defenses to be overrun and our enemies to triumph over us. However, even as He does this, He has raised a banner for those who fear Him, a rallying point in the battle. In the midst of the battle going on around us will we stand by the banner of God, in the face of attack and ridicule will we let everyone know which side we fight for? Or will we seek to flee the battlefield unnoticed? I have read enough accounts of battle and war to know that those who fail to rally to their commander’s side are doomed. All may seem lost, but I will rally to God’s banner because I know that, in the end, He will be victorious.

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Galatians 2:17-3:9

    We cannot attain righteousness by following rules and laws. No matter how carefully crafted, the law cannot address the correct action for every situation. It is only by accepting God’s grace and allowing His Spirit to guide us that we can live a righteous life. We need to die to the law, so that we can live in Christ. We do not, and will not, receive the Holy Spirit because we do the right thing and follow the law (no matter what set of rules we make our law). It is only by dying to the law, by no longer trying to follow a set of static rules, that we can receive God’s Spirit. When we accept the Holy Spirit and allow Christ to live in us, and through us, only then will we do the right thing. Let us die to our selves and allow Christ to live in and through us.

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Isaiah 22-24:23

    Even in the day of trouble, all too many people will still depend on the things which have already failed them. They will build up their defenses and bring out their weapons, but they will not turn to God and ask for His help. I look at the society around me, God is calling us to weep and mourn in remorse for our sins. Instead, our society feasts and parties, “Let’s eat and drink for tomorrow we die.” The scary part is that I have seen people echo that exact line without once realizing that it was stated in condemnation. God is calling on us to repent of our sins and turn to Him. Instead, even as things get worse, people are living as if there is no tomorrow. There is still time, if we turn to God today, He will turn aside the judgement that is coming, but time is running out.

September 16, 2013 Bible Study — Let’s Feast and Drink, For Tomorrow We Die?

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

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Isaiah 22-24:23

     Isaiah prophesied the fall of Jerusalem. He predicted that the people would make all kinds of preparations to protect the city. Except the one that mattered, calling out to God for deliverance. God called on the people to weep and mourn in repentance for their sins. Instead they danced and partied saying, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die.” It is funny how many people today quote that line as the thing to do, when in this passage those who say it are being condemned.

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     This prophecy so strikes me as applying today. God is calling on people to express remorse for their wrongdoing and repent, but rather than do that people are doubling down on their sins and celebrating. How often have I heard people say “Let us eat or drink for tomorrow we die” as a philosophy of life? Yet, this passage tells us that this attitude is sin, one which God will not forget. The passage is directed at those who see trouble on the horizon and do everything in their power to meet it, except turning to God. Are we calling on those around us to call out to God for deliverance? Are we calling out to God for deliverance?

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Galatians 2:17-3:9

     Every time I read this passage, I get confused about what Paul is trying to say here until I get to this verse:

I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God…(NIV)

I should not try to live for my own pleasure and enjoyment, rather I should put to death my own desires and live to fulfill God’s will. I can never succeed in following a set of rules, the law, closely enough to stand in God’s presence on my own merits. There is more to it than that. I will get more pleasure and fulfillment from doing what God desires than I can by seeking to satisfy my own earthly desires.

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Psalm 60:1-12

     When a people turn from God, He will strike them. He will break their defenses and turn them over to their enemies and to trouble. However, He will raise a banner as a rallying point for those who fear Him. There He will muster His forces and defend those who come to Him. From that rallying point, those who fear the Lord will sally forth. With God’s help they will be victorious over all opposition.

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     The key point in this psalm is that, in times of trouble, those who fear the Lord must look for where He is raising His banner and rush to that point in order to serve Him. From there God will send them forth to victory.

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Proverbs 23:15-16

     Do we make it our goal to mentor those around us to be wise and to say the right thing? Do we find joy when they show wisdom?

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September 16, 2012 Bible Study

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

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Isaiah 22-24:23

     This passage really says a lot to me about today, but I do not know where to start talking about the message I see. The first bit I see is Isaiah writing about how in times of trouble, the leaders of the people slipped away and left the people leaderless. The remaining people made no effort to step up and lead the people to deal with their tribulation, they, also, attempted to slip away and leave the problems behind. Isaiah tells us that those who tried to slip away from the troubles failed to do so.
     Second, Isaiah writes about how in times of trouble, the people relied on human agency. They turned to the weapons and supplies they had stored up. They did this instead of what they should have done, which was turn to God and call on Him for help. Isaiah is not saying that we should not make plans for times of trouble or store up resources for times of hardship. He is saying that we should rely on God rather than believing that the plans and stores we have laid up will carry us through. In times of trouble, first we should cry out to God for help, then implement our plans to deal with the trouble. We should be willing to help others with the supplies we have laid aside, trusting God to supply our needs when our preparations fall short.
     The final bit that is part of one coherent message (I see how it all ties together, but cannot quite verbalize that link) is about those who instead of seeking to help those in need choose to spend their resources on their own pleasure in a fatalistic understanding that soon it will all be over. I know so many people who spend their resources on their own pleasure in the belief that there is no long term accountability for their actions.
     The next piece of this passage that speaks to me this morning is a prophecy against Tyre. Tyre was the center of a trading empire. Ships from Tyre sailed throughout the Mediterranean and beyond trading goods far and wide and bringing the wealth back to Tyre. The people of Tyre relied on their wealth and their importance to the wealth of others for their safety. Isaiah tells them that their wealth will not protect them from the coming judgement, neither will their importance to the wealth of others. So far in Isaiah, he has told us that God’s judgement will come against both the military powers and the economic powers of the earth. Neither military power, nor economic power will protect a people from God’s judgement on their sin. The U.S. is both an economic and a military power, but neither will protect its people from God’s judgement for their sins. Only by turning to God and following His commands can we obtain protection from His judgement. I must stop spending my resources on my pleasure and instead spend them to help those in greater need than myself.

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Galatians 2:17-3:9

     There is a lot to be gotten from this passage and I find it difficult to put what Paul is saying here into my own words. I hope that anyone who is following my devotions reads this passage for themselves. One message that I get from this passage is a reminder of something God taught me years ago. I was struggling with sin. I felt called to be involved in God’s work, but felt like I would be being a hypocrite to do so before I overcame the sin in my life. The realization came to me that while I might not be able to stop doing the things I knew I should not be doing, that did not meant that I could not do the things I knew I should be doing. I followed that leading and soon discovered that I was no longer doing the things I should not be doing that I was powerless on my own to stop. I believe that is a significant part of Paul’s message to the Galatians here. Follow God, believe in Christ. Understand that only through the saving blood of Christ can our sins be overcome. We are all sinners and none of us have any claim of being better than any others. We will not overcome the sin in our lives through strength of character. We will only overcome the sin in our lives through the intervention of the Holy Spirit. Do not worry about following the Law, but instead trust in our faith in Jesus. Do those things that the Spirit calls you to do and do not worry about trying to overcome those sins that plague you. The Spirit will provide you deliverance from those sins in God’s time and then you will know that you have nothing to boast of in overcoming those sins. I did not overcome those sins I spoke of earlier, the Holy Spirit removed them from me when I gave up my struggle against them and did what the Spirit was calling me to. I turned those sins over to God and admitted that I was powerless to stop committing them. I have other sins in my life that I am powerless to stop committing. I am asking God to take them from me.

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Psalm 60:1-12

     The psalmist writes that the people have been struck by God’s judgement and are reeling from the effects. But God has provided us with a rallying point. If we rely on Him and turn to Him for victory, we will be strengthened and find security. When we seek to overcome through human intervention we will fail. Only by seeking God’s help and joining the battle on His side will we find victory. The question is not; “Is God on our side?” The question is; “Are we on God’s side?” In all too many conflicts the answer to the second question is “No” for everyone involved in the conflict.

Barony Wars, fencers engage

Proverbs 23:15-16

     This proverb speaks of the joy a parent will have when their child follows the path of wisdom. But this should also apply to any of us when those we have been placed in positions to mentor demonstrate wisdom. We should always be pleased when those whom we have provided guidance to show that they have learned wisdom, even when we are not the source of that wisdom. Of course, it also means that we should strive to demonstrate through our words and actions to those who have been our parents and teachers that we have acquired wisdom.