Galatians 2:18 (NIV) says "If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker."
In the "Believer's Bible Commentary" it explains this by stating:
"Peter had abandoned the whole legal system for faith in Christ. He had repudiated any difference between Jew and Gentile when it came to finding favor with God. Now, by refusing to eat with Gentiles, he is building up again what he once destroyed. In so doing, he proves himself to be a transgressor. Either he was wrong in leaving the law for Christ, or he is wrong now in leaving Christ for the law!"
When I was saved God tore down so many walls, removed so many barriers between Him and I and through the years I have built them back up - I am speaking to a struggle with porn, cursing, selfishness and many others that aren't quite so evident. Peter was delivered from the law through Christ. Gods law is this "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law" (Gal.5:22-23).
In your walk, what has God tore down that you are now building back up or have already built back up?
I pray in the name of Jesus it will be tore down again, whether brick by brick or all at once thrown into the dust.
So that I might.....?
I thought I would pass along one thing I read this morning that got me thinking. Galatians 1:12 Paul says "But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in my so that I might ..............".
Making this statement personal, how do you fill in the blank?
John 3:16
After reading John 3:16 this morning I read the commentary below it:
"The entire gospel comes to a focus in this verse. God's love is not static or self-centered; it reaches out and draws others in."
Does yours?
"The entire gospel comes to a focus in this verse. God's love is not static or self-centered; it reaches out and draws others in."
Does yours?
Meek...Like a friggin War Horse!!!
Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth (Matt. 5:5).
"The meek are those who submit themselves to God. Praus, the Greek word translated "meek" is a very interesting word. The ancient Greeks used this word to describe their war horses, among other things. The horse was perfectly trained, ready for battle, and would go into battle and trample enemies underfoot. It would participate in the war with the rider; this was called a meek horse. The words meek and praus are not identical; the translators did the best they could, but the Greek word carries a different range of meaning from ours.
"I'll tell you why the Greeks called their horses praus, or meek. When the horse got to the level of training where it would obey the master (the rider) no matter what was going on, it could be trusted in the heat of battle not to do something stupid or foolish. Once the rider knew that he could trust the animal, and it would obey him no matter what, he called it a meek horse even though it might be a powerful, thoroughbred stallion, capable of killing enemies in the battle.
"This horse has tremendous power, capacity, and ability, but it has given up its own way and is allowing itself to be guided and ordered by the master. That is what the word praus means; it means submission to the master. It doesn't mean submission to just anybody. A meek person in the biblical sense of the word is not someone who allows just anybody to tell them what to do. It is not someone who allows everyone to trample over the top of them and just goes with the flow. It is all of our gifts and abilities, everything that God has put into us, under His control and submitted to Him so that even in the worst crisis imaginable, we're not going to take the bit in our teeth and bolt on our own way. We will continue to go His way under intense pressure, persecution, danger, or need. This is what it means to be meek."
It goes on to say:
"Meekness has to do with faith in Jesus Christ, with submitting to Jesus Christ, with obedience to Jesus Christ. Faith and obedience cannot really be separated. When James says that faith without works is dead, he's not talking about self-works, but of God-ordained works. In other words, if we say that we have faith in God, but we are not doing God's works, the work that God has called us and empowered us to do, then we are just playing games (James 2:14-26). We won't be able to stand in a real battle; we'll be dominated by our fears; our fears will get the better of us. Satan will be able to hem us in, and we will live our lives in a cage of fear that we, ourselves, helped him build."
Taken from God's Plan for Spiritual Battle: Victory over Sin, the World, and the Devil by Russel M. Stendal
Love For All...Hate
Jude 22 says "Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear - hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh."
What does this mean? It sounds like a contradiction...it is not. It sounds like we should separate ourselves from those who don't walk the path or have fallen off...we shouldn't. So what does this mean? How can we be merciful to those who doubt? Isn't doubt a form of corruption? How can we snatch others from the fire if we aren't involved with those who might be headed that way? How do you show mercy if you are only around those "perfect", "holy" individuals? Hate the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. Hate it! Homosexuality is a sin. Adultery is a sin. Sex before marriage, lust, gluttony, these are all sins. Greed, idoltary! These all corrupt the flesh. Gossip...yep. Where do you fall?
Ephesians 6:12 states "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." This reminds of the saying "hate the sin and not the sinner".
Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While were were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Please add comments for discussion...
TO BE CONTINUED...
What does this mean? It sounds like a contradiction...it is not. It sounds like we should separate ourselves from those who don't walk the path or have fallen off...we shouldn't. So what does this mean? How can we be merciful to those who doubt? Isn't doubt a form of corruption? How can we snatch others from the fire if we aren't involved with those who might be headed that way? How do you show mercy if you are only around those "perfect", "holy" individuals? Hate the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. Hate it! Homosexuality is a sin. Adultery is a sin. Sex before marriage, lust, gluttony, these are all sins. Greed, idoltary! These all corrupt the flesh. Gossip...yep. Where do you fall?
Ephesians 6:12 states "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." This reminds of the saying "hate the sin and not the sinner".
Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While were were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Please add comments for discussion...
TO BE CONTINUED...
What are you working toward?
Reading this morning I came across Luke 18:29-30:
"I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life."
The thought came to me "What am I working towards?" This thought came to me because my focus has been on me. I want to build my savings so I can do certain things, I want to work my schedule so I have time to exercise and practice my sport, I want a beautiful wife by me so I can act on my lusts. I have put aside those things that mean something to the kingdom because I will need to give up a pursuit of mine and make time for them. Right now I am focused on me and my needs. I think about moving, will I be happier? Maybe I just need to go on a big trip and then I will be happier? These are all my thoughts. None for the kingdom and what I can do for it. You ever experience this? You ever feel or felt to be in the same boat as I am? What did you do? Did you recognize it and get out? Have you stayed in it and wondered why the pursuit of your happiness seems endless? Or shallow? What are you working toward? Eternity? Or.....?
"I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life."
The thought came to me "What am I working towards?" This thought came to me because my focus has been on me. I want to build my savings so I can do certain things, I want to work my schedule so I have time to exercise and practice my sport, I want a beautiful wife by me so I can act on my lusts. I have put aside those things that mean something to the kingdom because I will need to give up a pursuit of mine and make time for them. Right now I am focused on me and my needs. I think about moving, will I be happier? Maybe I just need to go on a big trip and then I will be happier? These are all my thoughts. None for the kingdom and what I can do for it. You ever experience this? You ever feel or felt to be in the same boat as I am? What did you do? Did you recognize it and get out? Have you stayed in it and wondered why the pursuit of your happiness seems endless? Or shallow? What are you working toward? Eternity? Or.....?
Beautiful Feet!
This scripture has been stuck in my mind:
Romans 10:15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
This scripture is quoted from Isaiah 52:7 which says:
Romans 10:15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
This scripture is quoted from Isaiah 52:7 which says:
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
After reading these two scriptures in my study bible I looked to see if there might be any commentary on it. Sure enough there is and here is what it said:
"God says that the feet of those who bring good news are 'beautiful'. It is a wonderful privilege to be able to share God's Good News with others, his news of redemption, salvation, and peace. To whom do you need to give the Good news?"
The word privilege stood out....
The question "To whom do you need to give the good news?", also stood out...
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