DAILY DEVOTION, Sept\. 24, 2021

His own iniquities entrap the wicked man,And he is caught in the cords of his sin (Proverbs 5:22).

A fish does fine in the water. That is his natural environment. Take him out of the water, and he soon dies. Birds fly through the air. That is their natural environment. Put him in the water, and soon he will drown. What is the environment for a Christian? We fly high when we are obedient to our Lord Jesus. Sin to the Christian is like air to the fish. Solomon says that sin has the power to entrap us, to bind us up in ropes. When we tinker with sin, we may soon find ourselves trapped.

If you want to live a free and meaningful life, follow Jesus. He cannot bless us when we are playing with sin. We need to recognize the danger to the soul that sin represents. We have learned early in life that fire can be a dangerous thing. It can burn out of control and destroy thousands of acres of timber. When we know we are living lives of disobedience, the thing to do is to quickly confess to God, accept His forgiveness, and ask Him to set you free from sins entrapment. Don’t ignore that which has the power to destroy you.

Heavenly Father, help me to recognize when I have stepped too deeply into sin. Please set me free as I turn to You with repentance. Thank You for Your loving patience. I want to follow Jesus faithfully. In His name, Amen. 

DAILY DEVOTION, Sept. 23, 2021

And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16).

Paul prays for peace and mercy on those who walk according to this rule. What does he mean? He refers to the Gospel he expounded on in the first five chapters of Galatians. He refers to Jesus, Son of God, Savior of the world, our resurrected redeemer. He has been urging the Galatians (and us) to hold fast to the one true Gospel as their rule of faith and practice. Any deviation from this rule will lead us astray. There is only one Gospel, and those who want to tinker with it are accursed (Chapter 1). This is serious business.

Then comes another cryptic statement. What is “the Israel of God?” Paul understands that “Isreal” has two meanings: the physical nation, and those Jews and gentiles who belong to Jesus. It is the latter he has in mind. We who believe in Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, are the Israel of God. Jesus has broken down the division between Jew and Gentile. In Christ, there is no Jew and Gentile, male or female, etc. The Israel of God is simply the church of Jesus Christ consisting of every tribe, nation, people group, etc. —- all who have placed their trust in Jesus.

Gracious Father, thank You for Jesus our Savior and Lord. Thank you that all who believe in Him and one family. Human racial and ethnic distinctions vanish. Help me to live in the light of that truth. In His name, Amen. 

DAILY DEVOTION, Sept 22, 2021

But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. ¹⁵ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation (Galatians 6:14-15).

Christians must never boast about their accomplishments. The only thing we have to boast about is the cross of Jesus, which brings salvation and new life to us. When Jesus appeared to Paul on the Damascus Road, his life was forever changed. He describes the change as a crucifixion. He is now dead to his old way of life.

He refers back to the Jewish Law. It no longer matters regarding salvation. The Old Covenant rituals like circumcision make no difference. What matters is becoming a new creation – – – a new person – – – once Jesus enters the picture. Faith in Jesus brings a new birth, a new way of life. We cannot say, “I am a Christian because I was baptized and partake of the Lord’s Supper and am a church member.” Those are all good, but rituals do not save us unless our lives reflect a new birth or a new creation.  If you feel pride in yourself and your Christian achievements, you are on the wrong path. The pride we feel is in Jesus, our Savior. Without Him, we can do nothing worthwhile.

Father, Paul’s words make me think. Am I a new creation? Am I living a new way of life? Father, deliver me from trusting in my achievements or rituals to save me. Change my heart, oh God, I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

DAILY DEVOTION, Sept. 21, 2021

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith Galatians 6:9-10).

Do you ever get tired of trying to do the right thing? No one seems to appreciate what you do. Sometimes doing the right thing doesn’t seem to work out. Then you notice people who are living selfishly, and they seem to prosper. You may be thinking, “Why am I trying so hard to please God. I am weary of trying to live a consistent Christian life.” Paul encourages us to hang in there. Our good deeds will reap a reward in time. We may want immediate results which we do not see. So, do not give up on doing what is right. God notices, and the time will come when you will reap divine benefits. Do not lose heart.

Therefore, keep doing good to all kinds of people, especially to fellow believers. Paul is simply amplifying what he said in yesterday’s verse: you reap what you sow. The immediate “benefit” to Paul as he preached the Gospel was lots of heartaches. He was stoned, whipped, imprisoned, rejected by many, but he kept on. His life’s work has influenced millions of people all over the world to trust in Jesus, but it didn’t happen immediately. So, keep up the good work!

Our Father, we confess that there are days when we are weary of doing good. Help us to take the long view and remember that faithfulness to you will always reap benefits. Thank You for Your many promises. In Jesus’ name, Amen.