WHAT MATTERS IN YOUR LIFE TODAY?
"What matters is something far more interior: Faith expressed in Love." Gal. 5:3
DO I LONG FOR CHRIST TO BE FORMED IN OTHERS?
Do you know how I feel right now, and will feel until Christ's life becomes visible in your lives? Like a mother in the pain of childbirth. Gal. 4:19
WHO CUT IN ON YOU?
Gal. 5:7 You were running superbly! Who cut in on you, deflecting you from the true course of obedience?
Gal. 5:16 - "Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit. Then you won't feed the compulsions of selfishness." Really?
DO I JUST HOLD IDEAS IN MY HEAD OR WORK OUT THEIR IMPLICATIONS?
Gal. 5: 25 -26 Since 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.
CAN I SAVE THE CRITICAL COMMENTS FOR MYSELF?
Galatians 6:1 - Save your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out.
DO I WORK FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL?
Gal. 6:9-10 - So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time, we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all,
CAN I SEE THE CENTRAL ISSUE IN ALL OF THIS?
Gal. 6:12 - They want an easy way to look good before others, lacking the courage to live by a faith that shares Christ's suffering and death. Can't you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do—submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life! All who walk by this standard are the true Israel of God—his chosen people.
May what our Master Jesus Christ gives freely be deeply and personally yours, my friends. Oh, yes! Gal. 6:18.
Galatians 5: 25 -26 "Since 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."
ReplyDeleteGalatians 5:6 ~ “What matters is something far more interior: faith expressed in love.”
ReplyDeleteWe got a call Tuesday that Janie only has days to live. She is the mother of my friend, Kandye, who died of breast cancer six years ago. Janie survived losing her husband on the wedding day of her daughter and watching her daughter wither away to disease. Not sure what else she’s faced in this life, but she’s done it all without realizing the Lord as her strength. She is one strong woman by anyone’s standards, but she didn’t understand the Gospel. She bought the lie that good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell. She hadn’t understood the freedom of the Grace Gift…until Tuesday night, when my friend Trisha dropped everything and ran up to the hospital. Because Trisha walks out her faith and isn’t just all talk and doesn’t “hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but works out its implications in every detail of our lives” (Gal 5:25), she wanted to make sure Janie was ready for heaven, and turns out, she wasn’t. She told her about Grace and “faith expressed in love” and I can only imagine the freedom Janie felt to know her chance at heaven wasn’t on her own shoulders for the first time in her life. Janie is one of the newest members of the family of God because Trisha gave action to Paul’s words. And Janie? She is now ready to meet Jesus.
Sorry for all the blogger problems. I think they may be on overload with all the new bloggers but I don't know. Hope it gets fixed. I don't mind if you post 5 times!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for the call Sylvia. I have a new cell and can't quite get it to work yet. Speaking of mechanical problems, I had over 100 text messages from Verizon during the night. Weird.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your patience with blogger.
Annette, just read your comment. Oh my goodness! All I can say is praise to God! What a story of suffering. What a Beautiful Story of finding God in her suffering. I have tears in my eyes knowing your friend has found her way Home.
ReplyDelete2 Corinthians 13:9 - I will think about this story all day, Annette. Celebrating the Triumph of the Truth in Janie's life. Just had to come back and say this verse again:
ReplyDeleteWe don't just put up with our limitations; we celebrate them, and then go on to celebrate every strength, every triumph of the truth in you. We pray hard that it will all come together in your lives.
Praying for your friend that her final moments will come together in a Beautiful Way.
Annette,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the Word we're reading being lived out this very week by your friend Trisha and we can rejoice for Janie as she moves from this life into the presence of the Lord Jesus!
I was convicted earlier this week by Crabb's words about Galatians. I don't have the book here with me at work but I found that he was talking about me and the present struggle that seems to consume my thoughts. Lord, may you be the one who satisfies this longing.
I feel like we're blowing through the New Testament and it has so much to take in! Do you feel that way too? We're going to be covering a lot in just a few weeks.
Enjoy the day!
Galatians 6:14-16
ReplyDeleteFor my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. Can't you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do—submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life! All who walk by this standard are the true Israel of God—his chosen people. Peace and mercy on them!
Nothing but the cross.
Embracing the cross.
Coming to the cross.
Feeling the shadow of the cross.
Washed by the blood of the cross.
Convicted by the cross.
Sheltered by the cross.
Overwhelmed by the cross.
Connected by the cross.
Transformed by the cross.
Saved by the cross.
Redeemed by the cross.
Nothing but the cross.
And silenced by the cross.
ReplyDeleteIt is so holy.
Nothing but the cross.
Thank you for your prayers for Janie. She is struggling to breathe and that is unbelievable scary. They're giving her morphine now. The doctors say it's pulmonary fibrosis? which gets exponentially worse each day. She would be 80 in February. Today is also the anniversary of my mother's death so I'm a little extra sentimental right now.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comfort in 2Cor 13:9-indeed she will be fully restored, an aswered prayer.
We are flying through the New Testament and there is so much life-changing Truth to absorb. I pray it's not just our head or heart exercises, but that we give "legs" to His Words. Love y'all.
I'm saying a prayer for all of you precious women here on A String of Pearls. Although I am not reading with you anymore, I cherish all of your comments.
ReplyDeleteAnnette, thank you for sharing the story about Trisha and your friend's mom! I bet it was a tough day for you today as you remember your mom. I'm sure you had a candle burning all day long! I wish I would have been home so I could have burned one with you.
You all inspire me with your insights!
Love you all,
Angie
Came out to a nearby city to rescue my husband who has broken down in the rent car from the auto shop who has our real car (our real car has been in their shop for 6 months in a row now---I don't remember what color it is, ha). So I'm rescuing Bob but all I can think of Annette is you and your friend Janie. So I called you but now answer and then pulled up the comments and see here the update. Unbelievable. May God's Presence be so real for this new saint as HE welcomes her home. Praying for you this night with a heavy heart knowing it was your mom's day to go home. My Love, Bev. Sent from my Verizon wireless phone.
ReplyDeletethat's beautiful twinkle!
ReplyDeleteP.S. This is a "fly by" the New Testament. I can't even remember reading Galatians and we just finished today. Way fast! May we listen to what God stirs in our hearts as we hear Him! We can't take it all in but we can listen for that thought that so grips our heart. Love your teachable hearts. Off to zoom through Ephesians.
ReplyDelete