Kathy Howard's Blog: Unshakeable Faith for Life, page 89

Friend or Foe – Monday Minute in the Word

Over the years I’ve felt mostly support as I’ve taught God’s Word, ministered to women, and served in the church. I wrote “mostly” because there have been a few minor occasions when individuals objected to a certain aspect of ministry or a specific action. While none of them were serious, it did give me a sense of what strong opposition by another believer might feel like.

Support or Opposition?

I thought of this recently when I read about the friendship between David and Jonathan during my daily quiet time. As always, Jonathan’s loyalty struck me. But this time through 1 Samuel, what stood out even more was how Jonathan’s support of David sharply contrasted with Saul’s opposition.

19 Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David 2 and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there. 3 I will go out and stand with my father in the field where you are. I’ll speak to him about you and will tell you what I find out.” 4 Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. 5 He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The LORD won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?”

1 Samuel 19:1-5, NIV

Jonathan recognized God was working through David to accomplish His purposes (vs 5). Therefore, Jonathan supported David and refused to side with his father. Saul opposed David because of jealousy. David’s success drew attention and Saul sought his own glory instead of God’s. Jonathan was David’s friend, but his father Saul was David’s foe.

Unity among believers

Jealousy is only one of many reasons believers oppose each other. Tradition, misunderstanding, personality clashes, hurt feelings, and more all work to pit believer against believer. God calls believers to unity (1 Corinthians 12:25). He wants us to strengthen, encourage, and help each other as we carry out the work He has for us.

God uses many wonderful Christian friends to spur me on in ministry and service. In fact there have been a few times that I might have given up on a task had not one of them “intervened” with encouragement. I thank God for every one of them.

I also want to support other believers. I want to be a friend and not a foe as they serve God and minister to His people.

In what ways have other believers supported and encouraged you? Is there someone in your life now that needs your support? How can you do that in practical ways?

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Throw out the bad fruit – “Fruit of the Spirit” lesson 4

This is the fourth in a series of lessons from Galatians 5:16-26 on the Fruit of the Spirit. You may view the entire lesson here or download it in Word or a PDF.

 

If you’ve had any experience with a GPS or use a navigation system for driving directions then you are familiar with the following phrases:

Recalculating

Make a legal u-turn as soon as possible

My anxiety level rises dramatically when I hear that little computerized voice. In layman’s terms, “recalculating” means “You aren’t following my directions!” And the command to make a u-turn means, “You’re going the wrong way! Turn around immediately and go the other way!”

Plant: What does fleshly fruit look like?

Like these GPS warnings to drivers, there are certain things that should raise a red flag in our faith if they are present in our lives. In Galatians, Paul refers to these signs as “acts of the sinful nature.” These attitudes and behaviors are contrary to the Spirit and what He wants to produce in our lives.

Read Galatians 5:19-21 from the New Living Translation below.

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.  Galatians 5:19-21, NLT

Grow: Is our life growing any fruit of the flesh?

Circle any fruit of the sinful nature in the passage above that sometimes pop up in your life.

This list in Galatians is not exhaustive. Paul merely gave the believers in Galatia a sample of the fruit of the flesh. And everyone will struggle with different things. Let’s read two more passages from Paul’s letters to broaden our understanding of “the acts of the sinful nature.”

Read the following passages (maybe in more than one translation) and list any attitudes or behaviors that your sinful nature tends to produce.

Ephesians 4:22-32 and 5:1-7:

Colossians 3:5-10:

The presence of these attitudes and behaviors reveal that sometimes we allow our sinful nature to win a spiritual battle. If you’re like most Christians – including me – your life does produce some fleshly fruit from time to time. We still occasionally choose our own way over God’s and reject the “way out” He promises to provide when we’re tempted (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Cultivate: What can we do to get rid of the bad fruit?

Believer, whether our lives have produced a handful of fleshly fruit or an abundant crop, God’s desire for us is less “acts of the sinful nature” and more “fruit of the Spirit.” In the remainder of this lesson we are going to prepare our lives for the Spirit’s harvest by weeding out the bad fruit and tilling our heart for the Spirit’s work.

Read James 4:1-10.

Jesus’ brother James wrote to Christians caught in a cycle of sin. They had proudly rejected the leadership of the Spirit and chosen their own way. Distance from God, difficult relationships with God’s people, and a harvest of fleshly fruit were the result. But James commanded a remedy. I can hear him saying, “Make a legal u-turn as soon as possible!”

List phrases and words (vs 1-4) that describe their relationship with God and other believers.

Look back through verses 6-10 and list all the verbs you can spot that describe the actions a Christian should take when we’ve chosen our own way over God’s (I spotted 10).

These actions characterize true repentance. Sometimes Christians merely give lip service to repentance. But until we humble ourselves before God, grieve over our sin, and turn away from it we have not experienced real repentance. We must make a u-turn!

Read 1 John 1:9. How does God promise to respond to our repentance?

Today’s lesson has been very personal – and maybe even painful. We all have bad fruit in our lives. But, praise God, He does indeed allow u-turns! Take some time this week to sit quietly with God and work through getting rid of the fleshly fruit. In the meantime, let’s talk more about the process of repentance:

Let’s talk: Was there anything in James 4:6-10 about repentance that surprised you? Maybe an attitude God calls us to adopt or an action you previously have not considered part of repentance.Share and Enjoy:[image error][image error][image error]

Meanwhile we hope – Monday Minute in the Word

Last week I visited the 911 Memorial at Ground Zero in Manhattan. The memorial is a beautiful tribute to the almost 3,000 men and women who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 when terrorists flew planes into the twin towers of the World Trade Center. The towers fell and many died while America and the rest of the world watched.

Visit to the 911 Memorial

Now, ten years later, two massive reflecting pools occupy the spaces where the two towers once stood. Water cascades down the sides of the pools and runs into the seemingly bottomless holes in the centers. The bronze ledges surrounding the pools are engraved with the names of the victims. Each name representing a life lived.

South Reflecting Pool at 911 Memorial

More than 400 swamp white oak trees now grow in the plaza, dotting the landscape with life. But one tree – the “Survivor” tree – stands out from the rest. This Callery pear grew on the original World Trade Center Plaza for three decades. After the attack, workers found the eight foot stump of the damaged tree in the debris. It was taken to a city park and nursed back to health. Now more than 30 feet tall, this tree represents the 911 spirit of survival and resilience.

The Survivor Tree

A strong mix of emotions hit me as I walked the new plaza. Anger, grief, patriotism, and hope each took its turn at the forefront of my feelings. So much loss. So many left to mourn. Countless families torn apart. Yet even as our nation grieved, hope rose. Stories of courage, strength, and faith began to be told and shared. Like the heroes of Flight 93 who gave their lives to save many others.

One World Trade Center

The rebuilding confirms our declarations of hope. When I visited the memorial, One World Trade Center – the new building being erected near the pools – was nearing completion. It will be the tallest building in America and a visual reminder of America’s perseverance and commitment to freedom. We have grieved, but we continue to move forward.

Believers can grieve with hope

Believers have a unique ability to grieve with hope. Paul clearly declared this hope to the Christians in Thessalonica.

13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. 15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15, NLT

Yes, we experience loss and we will mourn those losses. But we do not have to grieve like those without Christ. They grieve without hope of reunion. We know our loss will be restored. When Christ returns, we will be united with those believers who have gone before us. Our loss is temporary. Our hope, eternal.

How does the eternal hope of a believer temper our grief? Who have you lost that you know you will see again when Christ comes?

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The Battle – “Fruit of the Spirit” Lesson 3

This is the third in a series of lessons from Galatians 5:16-26 on the Fruit of the Spirit. You may view the entire lesson here or download it in Word or a PDF.

I fought this particular battle many times. And I’ve watched many other moms fight it too. It happens every day in grocery checkout lines all over the world. The preschooler wants candy. The mom does not want the preschooler to have candy. And so the battle begins.

The preschoolers fight with every weapon in their arsenal – tears, pleadings, promises of good behavior, and even temper tantrums. Moms draw the line to defend healthy teeth and a nutritious diet. Who will win?

Sometimes the mom wins. Sometimes the kid wins. The outcome depends on willpower and determination. The kids have an advantage because they don’t care how many people stare and whisper. They value the candy much more than their self-respect. Sometimes the battle-weary mom just wants to get out of the store alive, even if that means giving in. At least she will live to fight another day.

The candy battle in the checkout line is a minor skirmish compared to the spiritual battle going on inside every Christian. Our sinful human nature wants to satisfy our selfish desires. The indwelling Holy Spirit calls us to follow Him. Who will win?

Plant: The two sides in this spiritual battle

Read Galatians 5:16-18. Describe this spiritual battle in your own words.

Let’s identify the sides in this battle. Paul says the Spirit wants one thing and the sinful nature (some translations use flesh) wants another. The Greek word pneuma, translated as “Spirit,” can also be translated as “breath” or “wind.” Like the wind, the Holy Spirit is an unseen but “powerful force with visible effects” (Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary). “Sinful nature” or “flesh” is the Greek word sarx. Although this word primarily referred to the physical body, Christians also used it to describe our fallen, sinful nature. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary describes this usage: “Sarx came to mean all the evil that man is and is capable of apart from the intervention of God’s grace in his life.”

Cultivate: Greater is He that is in us

Read Ephesians 1:18-21. How powerful is the Holy Spirit that lives within you? (Check all that apply.)

___ Incomparably great

___ God’s mighty strength

___ Powerful enough to raise the dead

___More powerful than any earthly authority

Unfortunately, our sinful nature still exists. But praise God, we have a weapon of unlimited power on our side. The same power that raised Christ from the dead lives inside every believer! We have the power to resist our fleshly desires through the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit. “The one who is in you, is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4, NIV).

“The Holy Spirit does not immunize us against temptation – rather, He enables us to withstand temptation. He imparts to us the ability to turn away from all things that are contrary to God’s plan and purpose for our lives.” Charles Stanley, Living in the Power of the Holy Spirit

Read the following verses and record God’s promises to you.

2 Peter 1:3-4 –

1 Corinthians 10:13 -

Grow: Follow the Spirit

We do not have to give in to sin. Our fleshly nature does not have to win. Jesus’ death and resurrection broke Satan’s death grip on us. Satan can appeal to our sinful desires, but his power over us is limited. We have a greater power at work in us.

Look back at Galatians 5:16-19. We have a choice to make. What is it?

We can choose to refuse our sinful nature. The powerful presence of the Holy Spirit supplies us with the power to be obedient to God. We can choose God’s “way out.” The question is: will we succumb to the call of our flesh or will we yield to the Holy Spirit and walk in His power?

Let’s talk: Think about the last time you faced a spiritual battle. What was it? Did you allow your flesh to win or did you walk in the power of the Holy Spirit? If you gave in to sin, can you identify the “way out” God offered?

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Lynn Dove’s “Wounded Trilogy”

Family violence, bullying, gossip, and teen pregnancy doesn’t just happen “out in the world.” Author Lynn Dove knows that Christian families deal with these painful situations too. In fact, the characters in her latest novel for young adults, Love the Wounded, face these issues and more.

Love the Wounded

Love the Wounded is the final book in Lynn’s “Wounded Trilogy” for youth and young adults. The gripping story lines accurately portray the world young Christians must deal with today. These books would make a great gift for the young readers in your life.

Lynn and I became friends through church when my family and I lived in Canada. Our sons are the same age and were good friends! I asked Lynn to join us today to share a bit more about her 3-book series.

Wounded Trilogy

Lynn, would you tell us more about your “Wounded Trilogy”?

Shoot the Wounded, the first book of the Wounded Trilogy, addresses how lies and gossip destroy a person’s spirit and speaks to the heart of relevant themes such as bullying, teen pregnancy and family violence. The story points the characters, and ultimately the reader, to hope in Jesus Christ. STW was a finalist in the 2010 Readers Favorite Book Awards.

Heal the Wounded, the sequel to STW, is the second book of the Wounded Trilogy. HTW delves even deeper into the real world of teenagers trying to live out their faith in the midst of upset and struggle. Heal the Wounded, continues to follow the characters, Jake, Leigh, Mike (Jake’s best friend), and Tim (Ronnie’s brother) each of them dealing with the aftermath of their friend’s death in the first book. Jake is especially dealing with a variety of disappointments that cause him to question why God allows bad things to happen to good people. Cassidy, a young cancer patient with unquenchable spirit and faith, impacts Jake, Leigh, Mike and Tim in a way that allows them all to experience God’s grace and the power of His healing in each one of their lives.

Love the Wounded is the final and dramatic conclusion to the Wounded Trilogy. Released May 30, 2012, the book has already received a five star review from Readers Favorite.

Do you tend to base your characters on real people?

I have three children and because two of them are teenagers and I write novels for teenagers, I have been very purposeful not basing my characters on any one of them. It would mortify them! Instead I try to draw on my experience with working with teenagers in general as a high school teacher and as a youth leader, so I kind of create characters that have a smattering of many individuals I know personally all rolled up into one cohesive characterization. My kids still say that they see themselves in the characters. I suppose that’s to be expected, but I pray that when they recognize themselves they see the character as positively portrayed and not the otherwise.

Enter to Win

Lynn, how can readers join you in celebrating the release of Love the Wounded?

Anyone who purchases Shoot the Wounded, Heal the Wounded and/or Love the Wounded on Amazon.com or Amazon.ca (or on the website) by June 27th will receive several FREE e-gifts as well as being entered to win other great print books !! Click on my “landing page” to get more information and enter to win all the prizes!

For more information about Lynn and her writing, check out the following:

Readers may connect with Lynn on Twitter, Facebook,  on her blogs: “Journey Thoughts”, “Word Salt” and on her website: www.shootthewounded.orgShare and Enjoy:[image error][image error][image error]

Powerless and Purposeless

I climbed behind the wheel and pushed the starter button. But instead of hearing the engine roar to life like usual, all I heard was “clack, clack, clack, clack, clack.” Thinking it was a fluke, I tried again. And again. And again. But every time, the only response was “clack, clack, clack, clack, clack.” No power, no go.

Even a battery jump from a stranger I waved down in the parking lot wouldn’t get my car started. I learned later that the battery wasn’t “merely dead, she was really most sincerely dead.” (In case you’re wondering, those are lyrics from the “Munchkin Land Song.” They just came into my head.) I called AAA and had a tow truck haul it to the dealership because the battery was still in warranty from the manufacturer.

Without a power source, my car was nothing but a pretty chunk of painted metal. It looked good, but it couldn’t get me from point A to point B. If a car can’t fulfill its purpose, it might as well be thrown out or sold for scrap metal.

God’s purpose for us as Christians is to bring glory to Him through producing “fruit.” But like the car, we must have a power source. We can’t do it ourselves.

5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. John 15:5-8, NLT

When Christians stay intimately connected to Christ in an obedient relationship of love, our lives will produce Christ-like character and positive results for the Kingdom of God. We will point people to Christ and bring glory to God. But without a vital connection to Christ our lives will lack power and purpose.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I forget that I really can’t do anything by myself. I try to do things myself, in my own power, in my own way, but the only result is “clack, clack, clack.” I want to cling to Christ and rely on His power. I want my life to bear fruit that brings glory to God.

What do you do to stay purposefully connected to Christ? How do you actively “remain” or “abide” in Him?

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What is Fruit? – “Fruit of the Spirit” Lesson 2

This is the second in a series of lessons from Galatians 5:16-26 on the Fruit of the Spirit. You may view the entire lesson here or download it in Word or a PDF.

When my kids were little they loved watching the Veggie Tales movies. Their favorite Veggie Tale characters were Bob and Larry – a tomato and cucumber, respectively. If you are also a Veggie Tales fan, you might want to sit down because I am about to shake things up. Larry and Bob aren’t vegetables! To be botanically correct, tomatoes and cucumbers are fruits! In fact, pumpkins and zucchini are fruit too.

The confusion over fruits and vegetables stems from the differences between scientific classification and how we use them in cooking. We tend to see “fruits” as sweet and “vegetables” as savory. In case you’re interested, here’s a definition I found at wisegeek.com.

Simply put, a fruit is the ovary of a plant, which means that it may contain seeds, while a vegetable is a plant part, which does not contain seeds.

It really doesn’t matter if we consider a tomato to be a fruit or a vegetable. But we do need a good understanding of the “fruit of the Spirit.” Over the next few weeks we will plant God’s truth about spiritual fruit in our hearts, cultivate our lives to receive it, and take action to help it grow! Today we’ll take a closer look at what the “fruit of the Spirit” is and what it is not.

Read our focal passage, Galatians 5:16-26.

The word “fruit” used in Galatians 5:22 is the Greek word “karpos.” According to Mounces Complete Expository Dictionary, “karpos” refers to the natural product of something that is alive. Literally, it’s used of the product of trees, vines, and crops. But it’s also used metaphorically to refer to the natural product of a spiritual being. Paul uses it to contrast what our sinful natures naturally produces with what the Holy Spirit naturally produces.

Plant: Prerequisite to Growing Spiritual Fruit

The obvious prerequisite to producing the “fruit of the Spirit” is the presence of the Spirit. Let’s see what the Bible says about the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and His work in us.

Read Romans 8:9-11. Mark the following statements as True or False:

___ You can be a Christian without having the Holy Spirit.

___ If you do not have the Spirit you do not belong to Christ.

___ If you belong to Christ then you have His Spirit.

Read Ephesians 1:13-14. Check all the statements that apply.

___ We receive the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ.

___ The Holy Spirit “marks” us as belonging to God.

___ The Spirit is our “guarantee” that we will receive all God’s promises.

When we place our faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord, God guarantees our salvation by placing His Spirit within us. Every Christian is indwelled by the Holy Spirit. (If you don’t have a saving relationship with Jesus or aren’t sure, read “How to Have a Relationship with Jesus.”)

Cultivate: Two Key Facts about the Fruit of the Spirit

Let’s get a better understanding of the Fruit of the Spirit by exploring two key facts.

Fact #1: “Fruit” is the natural by-product of the Spirit in a Christian’s life.

Read 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 from the New Living Translation below:

7 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

The Spirit has work to do in the life of a believer. According to 2 Corinthians 3:18, what is the work of the Spirit in our lives?

From the moment of salvation until the end of our lives on this earth, the Spirit of God works in believers to transform our nature and character into that of Christ’s. God’s goal for all His children is for us to be like Jesus (Romans 8:29). Therefore, the Holy Spirit is constantly working to rid our lives of the “acts of the sinful nature” (Gal 5:19) and conform us into the image of Christ. “Fruit of the Spirit” is evidence that our character is becoming like Christ’s.

Fact #2: “Fruit of the Spirit” is not the same as “spiritual gifts.”

We’ve learned that “fruit of the Spirit” is the development of Christ’s character in the life of a believer. Now let’s take a look at what this “fruit” is not.

Read 1 Cor 12:4-11. List the differences between “spiritual gifts” and “spiritual fruit.”

Although the Spirit is the source of both, His “gifts” and “fruit” are not the same. There are a multitude of different kinds of gifts but an individual only receives what the Holy Spirit determines to give. However the “fruit” of the Spirit should be common to all Christians. The word “karpos” is singular signifying that “fruit” is a unified whole. As we grow in Christ-likeness we will produce all the characteristics of His nature.

Grow: A Challenge to Know the Fruit

I want my life to increasingly produce the “Fruit of the Spirit.” How about you? As a solid reminder of what our lives should look like, will you join me in memorizing Galatians 5:22-23? Let’s do it?

Let’s talk. Will you take the Scripture memory challenge? How has today’s lesson helped you understand the “Fruit of the Spirit?” What stood out to you the most in what we discussed?Share and Enjoy:[image error][image error][image error]

6 Steps for Standing Firm on God’s Truth When Everything Around You is Shaking

A powerful storm came through the Houston area last week. Its lightening and powerful wind resulted in several residential fires, downed power lines, and fallen trees. Thousands – including us – were without electricity. A tree came through the roof of our youth pastor’s home. He, his wife, and infant daughter will be in temporary living for 4 to 5 months.

Unaware this storm was carving a path across the city, I left home to speak at a church an hour away. The sky got darker and darker as I drove. I expected a funnel to drop out of the clouds any moment. Lightening struck a transformer on an electrical pole on the side of the road just as I passed by sending sparks shooting into the middle of the road. Broken limbs blew across my path. I considered turning back but the sky ahead looked better than what was behind me so I prayerfully continued on.

Thankfully I made it to my destination safely. Ironically, I was going to kick-off a study of “Unshakeable Faith” and planned to talk about how to stand firm on God’s truth when everything around you is shaky! My drive made for a great analogy!

Storms of life

Are you experiencing any storms in your life right now? If you aren’t right now, you will. Scripture is clear that trouble and trials will be a part of our life (John 16:33, James 1:2).

What do we do when storms hit? What do we do when we can’t see God actively working in our circumstances?

In Psalm 71, the psalmist cries out to God for help. His troubles were piling up and he couldn’t see God at work. If you have time, read the entire psalm. It’s only 24 verses. Here, I’d like to share six things the psalmist did to stand firm on God’s truth when everything around him was shaking.

6 steps for unshakeable faith

Ask – Express your need to God and ask for Him to intervene. “Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked” (Psalm 71:4).
Remember – Reflect on the ways God has worked in your life and helped you in the past. “For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth. From birth I have relied on you” (Psalm 71:5-6a).
Praise – Glorify God for who He is! It will foster trust in your great God. “My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long” (Psalm 71:8).
Appeal – Base your request for help on God’s character and faithfulness. “Rescue me and deliver me in your righteousness” (Psalm 71:2).
Place – Put your hope and trust in God to work in your circumstances. “But as for me, I will always have hope” (Psalm 71:14a).
Anticipate – Watch for God to work! Anticipate His deliverance! “You will increase my honor and comfort me once again” (Psalm 71:21).

Like the psalmist, even in the midst of his trouble we can stand firm on God and His truth. We may not see Him working, but we can take refuge in our Rock and Fortress (Psalm 71:3).

What storm rages around you today? Cry out to God for help. Praise Him and anticipate His deliverance!

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The Proper Climate – “Fruit of the Spirit” Lesson 1

Fruit of the Spirit: Plant, Cultivate, & Grow                Lesson 1

This is the first in a series of lessons from Galatians 5:16-26 on the Fruit of the Spirit. You may view the entire lesson here or download it in Word or a PDF.

 

“Stop, you’re killing me!”

Which of the following scenes produced the statement above?

A teenage boy won’t stop tickling his little sister.
A middle-aged woman just scored 75 points against her Scrabble partner.
A masked man is beating a defenseless elderly woman.

Does it matter? Absolutely! In the first two cases, the statement is meant to be teasing and playful. But the last scenario is life and death! We must know the context of the statement to know if we should laugh or call 911.

Likewise, before we can understand and apply Galatians 5:16-26, we must know its context. Too often, we misunderstand and misuse God’s Word because we attempt to interpret a verse or passage apart from the whole.

Where do we begin? Context of Galatians

The way God chooses to apply the truths found in His Word can vary with the individual and their circumstance. However the meaning of a biblical passage never changes. It will always mean what God originally intended for it to mean. Before we can make application to our lives we must have a good grasp of the original meaning by considering the larger context. (For more information on biblical context read “Context is King” at DoNotDepart.com.)

Galatians is a letter written to a specific people at a specific point in history for a specific purpose. Therefore, we need to know who, when, and why to understand the meaning.

Read Galatians 1:1-9 and gives as many facts as possible about the following:

            Author of this letter -

            Recipients of this letter -

            Purpose of this letter –

Many of you are probably familiar with Paul’s background and dramatic conversion. If not, you can get a good overview by reading the personal account of his story in Acts 22:1-21. A couple of pertinent facts about Paul is 1) he was raised a zealous Jew thoroughly trained in the law and 2) when Christ saved him God called him to take the Gospel to the Gentiles.

The recipients of Paul’s letter – the churches in Galatia – were comprised of mostly Gentile Christians who had been saved out of paganism. They had received Christ and the Holy Spirit by faith and had never observed the Jewish Law.

Purpose of Galatians

Understanding why Paul wrote to the Galatians will help us understand the “Fruit of the Spirit” and how it’s produced in our lives. Paul was concerned about false teaching in the churches, a “different gospel” which he refers to in Galatians 1:6.

Jewish Christians, who still held to the Law of Moses, had infiltrated these Gentile believers and falsely taught that they must observe the Jewish law to be Christians. These “Judaizers” were concerned that faith without the discipline of the law would lead to immorality, but their teaching had only minimized God’s grace and created a warped form of “Christianity.”

Paul, recognizing the danger, wrote to remind the Galatians of the truth of the Gospel message and to protect them from this false teaching. The letter emphasizes God’s grace while upholding God’s call to righteousness by living a life following the Spirit.

Read Galatians 5:1-12. Based on the passage and what we learned above list all the negative consequences of trying to live by the law.

Read Galatians 5:13-15. In addition to the Judaizers’ legalism, what other problem within these Gentile churches did Paul address?

Apparently the Galatians were using their “freedom” as an excuse to follow their sinful desires and they were hurting their fellow believers in the process. Paul longed for the Galatians to experience the freedom and unity only found in Christ while living a holy life that pleased God. That is also our goal! But freedom cannot be found in observing the Law. And indulging our sinful nature will never produce the righteous life God desires. What is the answer?

Read Galatians 5:16-26, our focal passage for this study. How can we find both freedom and righteous in Christ? (Check one)

___  Live however we want as long as it doesn’t hurt someone else.

___ Follow the law as closely as possible.

___ Live life submitted to the Holy Spirit, following His leading.

Today we laid the foundation for our study. Next week we will dig into the meaning of “fruit of the Spirit.” In the meantime, let’s talk:

So far in your Christian life do you feel you have been influenced more by the “law,” your own nature, or by the Spirit? (We may not have the influence of the Mosaic Law, but the “do’s” and “don’t's” or religion are still prominent.)

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God and the Titanic – Monday Minute in the Word

The Titanic left Southampton, England on April 10, 1912. Four days later, at 11:40pm, this “unsinkable” ship struck an iceberg and ripped a hole in the hull, flooding five of her watertight compartments. In less than three hours, the ship broke apart and sunk beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. More than 1,500 of the 2,223 passengers and crew lost their lives.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Recently, I visited the Titanic exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The exhibit includes hundreds of items brought up from the wreckage, including a piece of the hull that visitors are allowed to touch. The exhibit also tells the story of the fateful ship and many of her passengers. They ranged from wealthy socialites privileged to travel in luxury to poor immigrants who barely scraped enough money together for a spot in the bowels of the ship.

Photo from history.com

While I toured the exhibit, I couldn’t stop thinking about what those people faced that dreadful night. Can you imagine the terror that both rich and poor felt when they realized the ship would sink? How many had the comfort of God’s presence? Maybe many turned to Him for the first time in those last desperate moments. Yes, Christians and non-Christians alike went down with the ship, but those who belonged to God had a distinct advantage.

But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.

O Israel, the one who formed you says,

“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.

I have called you by name; you are mine.

2 When you go through deep waters,

I will be with you.

When you go through rivers of difficulty,

you will not drown.

When you walk through the fire of oppression,

you will not be burned up;

the flames will not consume you. Isaiah 43:1-2, NLT

The Christians on the Titanic did not face the tragedy alone. Whether they shivered in lifeboats or succumbed to hypothermia in the freezing water, God was with Him. As they passed through the “deep waters,” He held them. God rescued some of His people from death that night. Others He rescued through death and brought them into His eternal presence.

Has a Titanic recently sailed into your life? Do you feel the waters rising? Know this: if you belong to God, He is with you. Whether He chooses to rescue you from your circumstance or through it, He will rescue you.

What circumstance of life threatens to consume you today? Do you feel God’s presence?Share and Enjoy:[image error][image error][image error]