Galatians 5

Galatians 5

- MSG v11-12 As for the rumor that I continue to preach the ways of circumcision (as I did in those pre-Damascus Road days), that is absurd. Why would I still be persecuted, then? If I were preaching that old message, no one would be offended if I mentioned the Cross now and then—it would be so watered-down it wouldn't matter one way or the other. Why don't these agitators, obsessive as they are about circumcision, go all the way and castrate themselves!

HAHAHAHAHA God has a great sense of humour!!!
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- AMP v19 Now the doings (practices) of the flesh are clear (obvious): they are immorality, impurity, indecency,

20Idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger (ill temper), selfishness, divisions (dissensions), party spirit (factions, sects with peculiar opinions, heresies),

21Envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

- MSG v19-21It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.


I like the way the MSG puts it. It's so descriptive that I can identify with it.
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- AMP v22 But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,

23Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].

- MSG v22-23 But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.


Patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
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- MSG v25-26Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.

the Righteous was crushed for the wicked.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.

-Isa 53:5,11 (NIV)

Scourged For Your Wholeness

Today's Daily Devotional is titled: Scourged For Your Wholeness


Do Jesus need to go through the scourging to remove our sins? Actually not. In fact, if Jesus was crucified on the Cross, our sins will still be washed. But God chooses that Jesus be scourged for our Wholeness. What magnitude of Love and Passion.

This shows what God see as important in our life. Forgiveness of sins is important, but our physical and mental wholeness are important as well. Truly today, by His stripe (singular), we are healed (past tense).

Galatians 4

Galatians 4 (The Message)

- v1-3 Let me show you the implications of this. As long as the heir is a minor, he has no advantage over the slave. Though legally he owns the entire inheritance, he is subject to tutors and administrators until whatever date the father has set for emancipation. That is the way it is with us: When we were minors, we were just like slaves ordered around by simple instructions (the tutors and administrators of this world), with no say in the conduct of our own lives.

- v4-7 But when the time arrived that was set by God the Father, God sent his Son, born among us of a woman, born under the conditions of the law so that he might redeem those of us who have been kidnapped by the law. Thus we have been set free to experience our rightful heritage. You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, "Papa! Father!" Doesn't that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you're also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance.

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Minor-heir vs Child-heir

In His Face...

2 Corinthians 4:6
God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

What do you say?

John 19:30
30So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

Don’t worry about what you see or feel, or the presence of contradicting reports. These are lying symptoms and though they may seem very real, they are temporal and not the truth. God’s Word is the truth and it will remain because it is eternal. And when you believe that only what God’s Word says about your situation is the truth, all the lying symptoms will eventually line up with His Word.

God the Son says, “It is finished!”

God the Father says, “It is done!”

What do you say?

Galatians 3

Galatians 3:1-27
Trust in Christ, Not the Law

- v2-4 Let me put this question to you: How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God's Message to you? Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren't smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it? Did you go through this whole painful learning process for nothing? It is not yet a total loss, but it certainly will be if you keep this up!

- v11 The obvious impossibility of carrying out such a moral program should make it plain that no one can sustain a relationship with God that way. The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him. Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you. Habakkuk had it right: "The person who believes God, is set right by God—and that's the real life."

Gal 2:20 (ESV)

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2

Galatians 2:1-21 (The Message)
What is Central?

-v19-21 What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn't work. So I quit being a "law man" so that I could be God's man. Christ's life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that.

Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God's grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.

Galatians 1

Galatians 1:11

-v11 NKJV - But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.

-v11 MSG - Know this—I am most emphatic here, friends—this great Message I delivered to you is not mere human optimism.

At your level of expectation

there is no particular level your faith must reach before God gives you what you are asking for. Your faith does not initiate God’s giving. God has already given to you all things that pertain to life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3) His blessings are pressing on you already! And at whatever level of faith you are at, God will respond.

Extracted from "The One Thing" 2th September 2007

I'm Graven On His Hands

"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraven you on the palms of My hand; your walls are ever before Me." - Isaiah 49:15,16

Couples tattoo each other's names on themselves as a sign of love for each other... Jesus? He went the extreme, His hands were pierced for us, His life - given up for our sins. The nail holes on Jesus's Hands are eternal reminder of His love for us.