Scripture: Galatians 6:1-2 Brothers and sisters, if a person is caught doing something wrong, you who are spiritual should restore someone like this with a spirit of gentleness. Watch out for yourselves so you won’t be tempted too. Carry each other’s burdens and so you will fulfill the law of Christ. Thought for the Day: You have a responsibility to the faith community. Too often the church portrays
Scripture: Galatians 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. Thought for the Day: I was with some Disciples of Christ pastors yesterday for lunch. We were talking about one of our historic beliefs as a denomination in regard to polity – we are a congregationally governed church. That means, there is not a hierarchy that tells us what we can
Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. Thought for the Day: I remember watching my grandparents spend hours everyday working in their large garden, yet most of the time I spent there was in the middle to late part of summer which meant we were harvesting and
Scripture: Galatians 5:12 I wish that the ones who are upsetting you would castrate themselves! Thought for the Day: Let’s be honest, this is one of those passages that catches your attention. Paul’s words are not very Christian, but there might be more than first meets the eye. In some of the pagan cults of the time which the Galatians would have known, those who were truly devoted
Scripture: Galatians 5:6 Being circumcised or not being circumcised doesn’t matter in Christ Jesus, but faith working through love does matter. Thought for the Day: I came across an article while I was working on a sermon. I liked the title, so I started reading. It wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. In fact, the title was the antithesis of the article. I was expecting
Scripture: Galatians 4:28 Now you, my friends, are children of the promise, like Isaac. Thought for the Day: It is said that a person is known by the promises s/he keeps, not by the promises made. We know God by the promises kept, and so it is easier to trust in new promises made. As those who continue to live in the tension between the old and new
Scripture: Galatians 5:2-6 Look, I, Paul, am telling you that if you have yourselves circumcised, having Christ won’t help you. Again I swear to every man who has himself circumcised that he is required to do the whole Law. You people who are trying to be made righteous by the Law have been estranged from Christ. You have fallen away from grace! We eagerly wait for the hope
Scripture: Galatians 5:1 Christ has set us free for freedom. Therefore, stand firm and don’t submit to the bondage of slavery again. Thought for the Day: The movie, The Free State of Jones, is coming out today. I am intrigued by the movie, and though some say it takes a few liberties with it accuracy, it has spurred me to read about Newton Knight, the poor white Southern
Scripture: John 8:31-32 Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teaching. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Thought for the Day: The Apostle Paul spoke often about freedom or being set free. He not only spoke about it, but it spoke from the perspective of one who knew
Scripture: Galatians 4:21 Tell me—those of you who want to be under the Law—don’t you listen to the Law? Thought for the Day: Paul begins this section with a question about listening. For his audience, the idea of listening and faithful obedience were inseparable. Those from a Jewish background would have known the Shema (Deut. 6:4ff), which begins Hear, O Israel: the Lord The Lord is our God,