The family church experience
Thankful Address.1 Thessalonians 1:1-2. Dear Saints, Today we begin a new series of devotionals in 1 Thessalonians. With the possible exception of Galatians, this is Paul’s earliest letter, written to the church in the Macedonian city of Thessalonica. He wrote the letter in AD 51 from Corinth. This was during his Second Missionary Journey. Greetings…
Fitting Conclusion. Galatians 6:17-18. Dear People Belonging to God, Today we conclude our devotions in Galatians. The conclusion is interesting because Paul uses a concept that he has not used anywhere else in his known writings. Scars (v. 17). Paul begs to be left alone because he bears on his “body the marks of Jesus.”…
Pinpointing what Really Matters. Galatians 6:14-16. Dear Kingdom of Priests, These three verses summarise what Paul has been saying in this whole letter. All along he has been telling the Christians that they should focus on faith in Christ and not pay attention to the allure of ritual and the law. Cross (v. 14a). The cross…
Doing Good consistently. Galatians 6:9-10. Dear Pilgrims and Sojourners, We saw in the previous passage that attitude is what matters when we do things for others. To conclude this discussion on sowing and reaping, we look at the appeal to be persistent in doing good. Resilience (v. 9a). Doing good can be draining, especially when the…
Sowing and Reaping. Galatians 6:6-8. Dear Heirs with Christ of the Kingdom of God, Today’s passage is intertwined with the next (vv. 9-10) and they basically have a common thread, but we will deal with them separately. The idea of sowing and reaping has been misrepresented and abused but it is a concept rooted in the…
Bearing One – Another’s Burdens. Galatians 6:2-5. Dear People Belonging to God, In our previous passage, we started on the issue of helping those who struggle. At times people face trials that are not necessarily an outcome of sin. They may arise from sickness, bereavement, persecution, and many other causes. Sharing Burdens (v. 2). Someone…
Helping those who Struggle. Galatians 6:1. Dear Beloved Family, One wishes that all believers would remain true to God and never yield to the allure of sin. However, things are different on the ground. Too often we fall into sin and cause others to also stumble and sin. How should we handle a brother or…
Putting the Sinful Nature to Death. Galatians 5:24-26. Dear Apple of God’s Eye, We bring the discussion about the law on the one side and faith on the other with Paul’s reiteration of his earlier statement (2:20). This time though, Paul wants it to be the personal position of every believer. Crucifixion (v. 24). Coming to…
The Fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23. Dear Royal Priesthood, The conclusion of the previous passage was that those who practice the works of sinful nature will not inherit the kingdom of God. The opposite of all that is what happens when we allow the Spirit to take charge. He produces in us the fruit…
The Works of the Sinful Nature. Galatians 5:19-21. Dear Aliens and Strangers in this World, We have seen that sinful nature and the Spirit are in opposition. One desires what is contrary to the other and vice versa. In the same way, practicing the works of sinful nature cannot be inadvertent. Such works are plain…