Galatians 4: Children of the promise

Galatians 4

We must remember the context of the previous parts of Paul's letter to the Galatians. He is writing them, strongly exhorting them, because they have fallen away from the grace of God and have been trusting in their good works and the law. Paul is reminding them of the power of the Holy Spirit that lives in them and of Jesus Christ who has set them free from bondage to the law and from their sin. 

In chapter four, we find that the Galatians are being wooed and flattered by false teachers, and must be being swayed by them. Paul attacks this attempt to tempt the Galatians toward this false teaching. He appears to become frustrated with the Galatians however and even tells them he just doesn't know what to do with them anymore. They have freedom in Christ; they no longer have to live as slaves, yet are zealously living for the law. 

Vs 28-31 NKJV

"28 Now we brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what does the scripture say? 'Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman.' 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free." 

NLT "28 And you, dear brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, just like Isaac. 29 But you are now being persecuted by those who want you to keep the law, just as Ishmael, the child born of human effort, persecuted Isaac, the child born of the power of the Spirit. 30 But what do the scriptures say about that? 'Get rid of the slave and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the free woman's son.' 31 So, dear brothers and sisters, we are children of the free woman."

There is so much rich truth in these verses. First, there is a promise. This promise refers back to the beginning of chapter 4, where Paul reminds the Galatians, and us, who we are in Christ. The Galatians, just like Christians, are children of God, those who believe in His Son Jesus, and are heirs to the inheritance of eternal life with Him. The Galatians, and those of us who are Christians, have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus and have been adopted as sons and daughters into His family. The Galatians, like us,  have His Holy Spirit living inside of us and God is our Father. We cry out to Him and he hears us. Because of all of this, both the Galatians and present day Christians are no longer slaves, but are free. And so verse 28 is Paul's reminder that we are not slave children, but we are children of promise. This teaches us that God is faithful. God gave Abraham a promise that His children would be more numerous  than the stars in the sky...and here thousands of years after Abraham's life, Paul reminds the Galatians of this promise and that they too are heirs of this promise. They are children of Abraham and therefore their very life in Christ is proof of God's faithfulness and they are living testimonies that He has fulfilled this promise to Abraham. And the even more amazing thing is that we are too! Even now, more than 2000 years after Paul wrote this letter to the Galatians, our very lives in Christ are a living testimony to God's faithfulness! 

If only the Galatians had just clung to that promise and walked in the freedom they had been given in a Christ Jesus. But they did not. And sadly, most often, we as Christians, do not either. 

Paul addresses this very same issue with the church in Ephesus, in Ephesians 4:21-24, 

"But you have not so learned in Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." 

For most of my Christian life, I carried around the 'old woman' of my past, like these verses in Ephesians talk about. Instead of walking in the freedom that I had in Christ, living as a child of promise, heir of Abraham and Sarah...I lived a persecuted life of slavery and bondage, simply because God's grace was not enough for me. I just could not let go of all that I thought made who I was. I just could not let go of my past. I would not take my eyes off myself and put them completely on Jesus. I desperately wanted to be free, to live joyfully, and to believe in God's faithfulness. But I would not let go of the past because I feared the future being totally in God's hands...

So, like Hagar, I envied women who had had that peace, joy, and freedom I so desperately wanted but seemed always just out of my reach. I lived as Ishmael and persecuted others. My heart grew bitter and hard, even though I knew Jesus. I was a 20th century Galatian. 

Then, a dear friend sat me down and spoke to me the very things Paul speaks to the Galatians through his letter. 

Vs 12: "Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you..." NKJV

"I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you -free from tho laws." NLT

Paul is reminding the Galatians that they were NEVER under the law. They never lived in the shadow of the law, as he had as a Jew. They were born into the faith simply under God's grace. They were born into the faith free and they have willfully placed themselves under the law. 

Just as this sounds ridiculous to me, it was just a ridiculous to Paul and we can hear that frustration  in his words. 

  In Galatians 4:30, Paul teaches the Galatians the instruction for Abraham was to cast out the slave woman, Hagar, and her slave son, Ishmael. This seems harsh, because Ishmael was in fact Abraham's son. But Ishmael was never intended by God. We was born out of Abraham and Sarah's attempt to make God's perfect plan happen in their own time. So, God being all-knowing, understands far better than Abraham ever could the danger of having Hagar and Ishmael continue to be in Abraham's life and so he says to cast them out. 

We must do the same thing to anything in our life that is not in the will of God. Anything we have done in our own strength. Anything we have made happen in our own will. Anything in our life that is a result of our own fleshly desires. All of it must be cast out. Just as Ephesians 4:teaches us, we must "be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." 

After I finally let the 'old woman' die and put on the 'new woman' really for the first time, my life changed drastically. All that I had desired for so long, I finally had found. The joy, the peace, and the freedom were finally mine. 

This is the promise that we have here in Galatians. Paul is desperate for his beloved brothers and sisters of the church. He sees their wayward way and desperately desires to help them find their way back. 

I am so thankful for my friend, who was a female version of Paul in my life. She brought me back and righted my path again. Today, I will write her and thank her for being wiling to be used by God to teach me His way. Her investment in me has allowed me to live in a new way I never thought was going to be possible for me. I will also share with her how the Lord continue to use the things she taught me to continue the work He started in me

"Dame agua..." (Give me water)

31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy[c] angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ " Matthew 25:31-40

Yesterday afternoon we visited the local hospital with our kids and our four IGNITE interns serving here in Guatemala. It had been three weeks since our last visit and we all were looking forward to seeing the patients again. Our purpose with this visit was to be available to help serve dinner and to be of assistance to the hospital staff.

This hospital is supported and funded solely by volunteers and donations. Doctors and dentists from around the United States and Canada donate their time and resources to come to Antigua and meet the needs of the patients who live in the hospital and also of the community. Throughout the year, many different volunteer groups come and serve the patients and give assistance to the hospital staff. There are many humanitarian groups as well as some ministries in the area that have partnered with the hospital. We almost always see other volunteers in the hospital when we are there. The hospital staff give the volunteers the freedom to choose where they would like to serve. The first time we visited the hospital and were given a tour of the entire facility, we were told that the older women were rarely visited and the older men were visited even less. Most groups come and serve in the children's wing.

We've now served in almost all of the wings. In each area, there are certain patients that have touched our hearts and we have begun to build relationships with not only the patients but the staff as well.

When we arrived yesterday, we spoke with the staff and decided we would visit with the 'ancianos' or the elderly men. There about 40 men in this wing of the hospital. The men are rarely visited by the volunteers that come to the hospital. When we arrived at the door, one of the men who is always so welcoming when we arrive, quickly got the attention of the hospital staff to open the doors and allow us to enter. This man's normal routine is to bring at least one or two of us chairs right away so that we can sit down. He also usually offers us a glass of water. When none of us take a drink, he always shrugs his shoulders and drinks it himself. Today was no different. He welcomed us and brought me a chair right away, later on the big mug of water was passed around until he finally drank it all himself.

For the first hour or so we just visited with the men. In their wing of the hospital, there is a square corridor with doors leading to the rooms on one side and a large courtyard with a fountain in the middle on the other side.This is typical Antigua style architecture. Many of these men have some sort of mental incapacitation. Several are blind or partially blind. Most of them cannot walk. Many cannot speak. The more we are there, the more we learn about each one and the more we begin to discover their personalties. And the more we build relationships with them.

We began 'dando la vuelta' or giving wheelchair rides around the corridor and courtyard to various patients. For some of us, these visits are not comfortable or easy. For others, they are almost more comfortable than in other areas of ministry here. And so, each visit we learn a little more about ourselves and are stretched a little more by God in different ways. I watched one of our interns, one who has struggled in this setting, begin giving a man a ride in his wheelchair. Even though I knew this was uncomfortable for the intern, I could see that he recognized this was the Lord giving him an opportunity to serve and to be stretched.

I watched another intern walk immediately to one of the men who he had previously made friends with on a different visit. Our son was quickly joined by a couple of men who he had befriended. Our other two interns also found a few of their friends. Last month when we had visited, many of the patients who have family had been away visiting with them for the holidays. Yesterday, most of the patients had returned and so we met some of the men for the first time. One man of these men was younger than the others and carried a bag and a small rubber ball with him in his wheelchair. Matt had been walking with this man and eventually the man dropped the ball onto the ground and motioned to it with his hand and also began kicking out his feet. Matt caught on and put the ball near the man's feet and the man gave a good kick and hit the ball spot on. And so began the game for the next half hour or so. Matt called me over to cheer on the man. I was amazed at his accuracy. His legs were atrophied and too weak to support him, yet he could repeatedly kick the ball with great accuracy. He began to kick it through the legs of the chair that had been set out earlier by our greeter. So each time the ball made it through the legs, I would say "GOOOOLLL!" in typical Latin American style and he would give me an incredibly wide smile and a fist bump!

It was almost time for the food to arrive and I had been talking with one man. He was able to communicate very well, but very slowly. He was very friendly. After some time talking with him, he asked me in his raspy voice to please get him a glass of water.

"Dame agua, por favor. Dame agua."
As I looked at him over his shoulder, I heard Jesus..."Give him Me..."

"I was thirsty and you gave Me drink;" Mathew 25:30

I realized in that moment God was allowing me to be His very hands and feet...to serve this man and to serve HIM, the King of the universe in that moment. My breath caught in my chest and I paused a moment before going to get him water. As I held the cup to his mouth and gave him water, I prayed for him and talked with him about the Living Water that Jesus offers him. 

After some time visiting with the patients it was time to begin gathering them at the table for dinner. As the food trays were passed out, one man with a super sweet countenance went to the cupboard and began setting out the cups. I walked over and began to help him and as I set them out on the tray, he gently moved them into the correct order. He was very systematic in the placement of the cups. He told me 'gracias' numerous times. He also filled every one of the cups with coffee and passed them out to every patient  there. The hospital staff instructed us who could feed themselves and who would need help and so we began to serve those who needed help. As the food began to get passed out, the group grew lively. They were obviously hungry and thirsty. The arrival of the food brought great excitement to the whole group! As I fed one man, he told me 'gracias' over and over again. He ate every last bite of food that I served him. He was blind. He could not see me or the food he was eating, but his enjoyment and gratitude were obvious.

I watched as the others served in a way that was way out of their comfort zone. But they served with joy, with patience, and with the love of Jesus.

After finishing with dinner, we went to visit the children's wing. We only had a few minutes to spend, but we were able to visit with every child in one room of the wing. We each have special friends in this room and it is always a joy to see them, touch their hands, sing to them, caress their foreheads.

As we walked home, I could not stop thinking about how good our God is. I cannot understand the life these precious people live, but one thing I do. I believe in God, and I believe his Sovereignty, and I believe that none of this is out of his sight. I believe that He is still on the throne. I believe that he will continue to guide us and lead us as we press on to take every opportunity we can to serve Him there and share HIs word ad His love with the patients and the staff.

Galatians 3: Redeemed and Freed by the Seed, not by a deed

Galatians 3

"O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth,fn before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among youfn as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—" Galatians 3:1-5

In the first five verses, Paul gives a pretty harsh rebuke to the Galatians. Harsh, but spot on. Paul continues his teaching from chapter 2 here as he enters into some strong fellowship with the Galatians. They've shrunk back. They've begun sliding downward. They have taken their eyes off of Christ, stopped believing in Him, and instead began trusting in their works. Whatever situation they have gotten themselves into,  Paul finds it so disturbing that he calls them 'fools' twice in these five verses alone. 

We can learn so much from these verses alone about guarding our hearts against the temptation to trust in ourselves or in our works. These verses teach us where our sanctification comes from- the Holy Spirit that lives inside us. We are also reminded to be on guard against the temptation to walk in the flesh, and not in the Spirit, which yields nothing but death and bondage. 

"just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God isevident, for “the just shall live by faith.” Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.” Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it." verses 6-15

When we read verses 6-15 we are reminded of exactly how we receive salvation and what salvation beings us. Paul reminds us of Abraham's belief in God and that for his faith he was credited with righteousness. Abraham was not found righteous by God by his works, but by his faith. We too receive the same blessing as Abraham when we believe in God. God himself preached the gospel to Abraham through his promise of blessing the nations through the seed of Abraham. We too then who have put our faith in Christ receive God's same blessing. 

However those who put their faith in the law to save them only bring upon themselves a curse, and therefore deny themselves the very blessing God wants so desperately to give them. 

Vs 11: 'the just shall live by faith.' 

When we live by faith, and in the Spirit, we realize that we begin to automatically walk in obedience to the law simply because we are abiding in Him. When we believe in Christ, we believe in the work of the cross and we believe that the curse that we deserve, Christ took upon himself. In doing so, he redeemed us and we receive the same blessing and righteousness and promise of the Spirit that Abraham received. 

I must remember where my identity is. I am nothing. I have nothing to offer. Anything I can offer is of myself and therefore has not eternal value. It is in Christ where I find redemption from this and freedom from the curse of the law. 

In vs 15 Paul reminds them that he speaks to them in common language- so what he is saying is not confusing to them and so they might be able to understand. 

God promised Abraham that Christ would come through him and would be the Savior to all mankind. Christ demolished the law 430 years after it had been instituted. 

So what are we to do with the law? Do we ignore it? Is it against what Jesus says? Neither.

Before Christ, we were imprisoned under the law by our sin, since the law was impossible to uphold. After Christ, we receive the promise by faith that the law was meant to bring us to the point of recognition of our hopelessness to ever achieve the law...and in that, to the realization that only through Christ can we truly be free. 

We are all sons and daughters who believe in Jesus and have put our faith in Him. There are none excluded from the freedom Christ offers. 

I spent way too long living under the imprisonment of the law, even after coming to Christ. Paul gives us a picture of the depths of God's love for us here in this chapter. We have all found ourselves in the same spot as these Galatians, having backslider into an area we had once found freedom from. We have all found ourselves fools  like these Galatians. Praise God that he has chosen to use the weak and foolish things of this world, like me, to be part of his great plan. 

Today, I will meditate on the work the Lord has done in my life. I will write down a list of things that I am thankful for and the ways the Lord has freed me from and specifically the things I am now free from because of his grace. I will also ask The Lord to continue to open my eyes to the ways I am living by the law and counting to shrink back. 

Galatians 2: Dying to be free

Galatians 2

Right away, we see here the reminder that God's timing is perfect...in the previous chapter we saw Paul's conversion and course of being discipled by Peter and others. He then goes out among the nations sharing the gospel. Fourteen years later, we find him returning to Jerusalem but this time his encounter with Peter is much different. Paul finds that false teachings have made their way into the church at Galatia. The debate about circumcision has surfaced and caused division and deceived some. Even Peter it appears has been deceived. It seems that Peter has strayed from the very gospel that he had one time instructed Paul in. Peter seems to have fallen into the role of a hypocrite, enjoying fellowship with the Gentiles at times, but when in the presence of the Jews, Peter forgets about the Gentiles. 

Peter had sent out Paul to share the gospel with the Gentiles, the uncircumcised. Peter stayed to minister to the Jews, the circumcised. Now we find him fallen under the law and out of the very grace that saved him in the first place. 

Imagine being Paul and finding out that the one who discipled you, the one The Lord himself called the Rock, has fallen back under the law and now his life looks like that of a hypocrite. 

Paul writes with passion in the last half of this chapter about the importance of our faith in Christ, not in man. He reminds us that God is not a respect or of persons and neither should we be. 

Acts 15:8 "So God who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us and am no distinction between us and them, Purifying their hearts by faith."

Those Paul encounters who seem to have it all together often have nothing to offer us, because they talk one way and live another. Paul does not back down, even with Peter.

This division is caused because they have fallen back into believing in the security of works...particularly the work of circumcision. But Paul reminds us here and references that God does not work through circumcision of the flesh, but through circumcision of the heart. 

Paul find the church of Galatia with a major heart issue. He exhorts them to stand firm in the faith into which they were born, the gospel of grace of Jesus Christ. He reminded them that they are justified not by works but by faith in Christ. 

And then Paul share with them what is the key for me- what keeps me grounded in my faith and reminds me to continue to examine my heart before The Lord.

Verses 18-21

"For if I build again those things which I destroyed I make myself transgressor. For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."

Here is the thing that I must remember daily: when I choose flesh and law, I negate what Christ has done for me on the cross. I set aside His grace and choose my own will.  I choose sin over obedience. I must purpose in my heart to choose to ask God to perform heart surgery daily.

God's plan is perfect for me. I know nothing in comparison to His infinite wisdom. Life is full of people who seem to have it all together, both in the world and in the church. The truth is, even those of us in Christ don't have it all together.The more we grow closer to Christ, the more aware we become of our weaknesses in light of His glory.

Our lives should glorify Christ and should demonstrate his redemptive work in us. When the world or even the church look at us they should see Christ living in us and not ourselves at all, as vs 20 says. I don't want to be a hypocrite, as Peter is found to be here in chapter 2.

I am so thankful for the way God has redeemed me and restored my life. I am so thankful for the way he has taught me the truth of the verses and now. I am able to see the times when I revert back to the law and begin to fade away from His way. While I still fall into this temptation at times,  I am so thankful to know the truth and recognize my error more quickly than before. 

Today, my prayer is that my daily life demonstrate the righteousness that comes through the grace God has given me. I pray that my choice be one of death to myself and therefore one of life for Christ.   I know this is a lesson I still need to learn, because the temptation is still great to follow man, to try and please man ...instead of standing firm in Christ and Is grace poured out for me. I will memorize Galatians 2:21 this week to remember to stand firm in God's grace and the consequence of not doing so.

Galatians 1

I've been studying through Galatians with our female interns. We study one chapter a week. We meet and are responsible to bring to our meeting an Inductive Bible study on the verses the Lord used to speak to our hearts and to teach us more about Him. 

One of the most wonderful blessings about the life we live is being able to study God's word with young adults. I love getting out the Word and digging into into, searching for the meat- those special treasures God reveals to us when we seek  to know Him more through HIs word. I love seeking His heart on specific ways He would have me apply His word to my life. 

Here is my IBS from chapter 1. Might you be blessed and encouraged as you read what the Lord has taught me. And might you be encouraged to seek out what special treasure the Lord would have for you in Galatians 1. 

Overview: the Galatians started out in their Christianity with a strong faith, but he we find that they have veered away from that same faith. The Galatians have now out their faith in their own works and this has Paul outraged. Here in his letter to them, he attacks their gospel of works and defends the gospel of faith. Paul lays it out straight to the Galatians: blessing from God comes from faith, not the law. The law declares me guilty and imprisons them; faith sets men free to enjoy liberty in Christ. Liberty, though, is not a license. Freedom in Christ means freedom to produce the fruits of righteousness through a Spirit-led lifestyle. 

Galatians 1

Overview: the Galatians started out in their Christianity with a strong faith, but he we find that they have veered away from that same faith. The Galatians have now out their faith in their own works and this has Paul outraged. Here in his letter to them, he attacks their gospel of works and defends the gospel of faith. Paul lays it out straight to the Galatians: blessing from God comes from faith, not the law. The law declares me guilty and imprisons them; faith sets men free to enjoy liberty in Christ. Liberty, though, is not a license. Freedom in Christ means freedom to produce the fruits of righteousness through a Spirit-led lifestyle. 

Chapter 1

Vs 1-2: "Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), and all the brethren who are with me, to the churches go Galatia:

Right away Paul gives his God-given credentials- he is an apostle appointed not by men or raised up through men- so by nothing he could have done himself- but through Jesus Christ himself, who was raised from the dead and through God himself, who raised Jesus from the dead.  There's power in the calling on Paul's life. He knows it, never denies it, nor takes credit for it. 

Vs 3: “Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Paul greets the church of Galatia with his greeting of grace and peace from God the Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. Then in vs 4 he again testifies to God's power reminding the church that Christ died for the sins of the world - their own sins...

why did Christ do this? 

That he might deliver us from this present evil age. That is Christ's will for each of us. That we might be delivered from the evil that imprisons us. 

The glory for this always goes to God!

Paul lays all of this out to set the stage for what he really wants to address with the church of Galatia. 

Vs 6: "I marvel at you who are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel." 

Paul goes on exhorting the Galatians not to be persuaded any anyone who preaches a gospel different than the one they were born into. He also teaches them that those who twist the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ will be accursed. He warns them against following such false teachers. Two times Paul warns the Galatians of the consequence of teaching or following this false gospel. (Eternally condemned).

Then in vs 10 Paul gets to the heart of the issue plaguing the Galatians- 

"For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still please men, I would not be a bond servant of Christ." 

The age old question...Whom shall we serve?

Joshua 24:15 "and if it seems evil to you to serve The Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served...But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." 

What is our motive when we serve? When we serve, who are we seeking to please in our hearts? Men or the Lord? 

Paul states his credentials to the Galatians, reminding them that he was a Jew of all Jews, high up in the ladder of success in the Jewish world. He was well educated in the law of his forefathers. He knew it all, yet through all that he had been taught- he never met Jesus. In all the time Paul spent studying God's very own word, he never found the truth. Why? 

Because he was only searching for what he needed to do to maintain the law. As a faithful Jew, Paul believed that his salvation was based on his ability to keep the law. Paul had never understood that salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone. As a Jew, Paul zealously persecuted the Christian church.   

Paul spent most of his life up until this point serving the gods of his forefathers. But as vs 15 says, "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles..."

Paul comes to the Galatians not as a Jew, but as a believer in Jesus Christ who has been released from the imprisonment of the law. When he first met the Galatians, he shared the truth that had changed his life with them and they too, found freedom in Christ. 

Paul needed no other confirmation after he found freedom in Christ...he walked in the truth that God himself had revealed to him. Paul did not seek the approval of other men as he began his relationship with Jesus. Paul did not seek power of position. he simply sought Jesus. his goal was to know Christ more. When Paul finally began his public ministry, he was known as the one who had once so zealously persecuted the church...and was now defending the faith. Because of his former life and because of his radical transformation...God was glorified in his life. 

We serve a gracious, loving , and merciful God who takes our past, our sin, our rebellion and turns it into something beautiful when we surrender us hearts to him. When our purpose is to know him more and bring glory to His name, he can and will restore all our brokenness. We need nothing other than to know Him and His word. We must continually examine our hearts, go before the Lord in repentance, and ask the Holy Spirit to teach us and fill us by His Spirit and with His Spirit. 

We must guard our hearts against the temptation to serve man, but make our focus in everything we do and say to serve the Lord. As happened with the Galatians, false teachers and teachings will arise, so we must always test what we hear and even our own hearts with the Word of God. We must be on guard and be on our knees so that we might be able to to and approve the will of God as 2 Timothy 3:17 exhorts us. 

When I am diligent in going before The Lord and examining my heart, He is always faithful to show me where I am not serving him wholeheartedly. When I am serving the desire of my flesh, I am serving other gods, not God, my Father. When the attitude of my heart is to please one of my leaders, and not so much service out of love for Jesus, I am serving men, not God. When I serve my husband or my children out of necessity or obligation and not because I simply love Jesus or love them...I am choosing evil and not the Lord. All of these things put me right back into the prison the Lord has graciously rescued me from. I cannot experience the awesome freedom I have in Christ to produce fruits of righteousness if I enslave myself again and again by succumbing to the temptation Paul speaks of in Galatians chapter 1 of living by the law. 

Today I will choose to serve Jesus, not man, not my flesh...simply Jesus. Each time I am tempted to serve men, I will remember Galatians 1:10: "for do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bond servant of Christ."   

Today my prayer will be that I might be found to a bond servant of Jesus Christ. That everything I do and say today might bring glory to Him. 

Lead Me To The Cross

What a crazy week. I wrote about the spiritual oppression going on this week, the sickness that spread trough the campus, and the pagan festival was celebrated here this week. We've had a youth mission team here this week, lead by a great friend of ours. The sickness took us out of ministry for two days with them, yet the Lord did do much in what little time we were able to be out sharing Him with Antigua!

Months ago, we had discussed with our friend the possibility of doing an outreach on Saturday, December 7, knowing that there was a specific pagan festival celebrated here in Antigua on that day every year. As our friend worked on what that outreach looked like with his team, we prepared prayerfully here. Saturday afternoon we gathered together - our friend's team and all students and staff here on campus - to pray and talk about what the afternoon would look like. The mission team had prepared a powerful drama set to the song Lead Me to the Cross in Spanish. The drama portrays a woman who becomes weighed down and entangled as sin upon sin holds her captive and keeps her in chains- until Jesus comes and takes those chains off of her and one by one puts them on himself, falling to the weight of them. As Jesus falls to the ground, weighed down by the sin he has taken upon himself, the enemy lurks in and begins beating him. After they nail him to the cross, he breathes his last breath, the chains of sin still hang around his neck. But then He rises in victory and sin nor death can him down. He begins to remove the chains one by one and then takes them all off and throws them to the ground. He raises his hands in victory and embraces the woman who he set free from the chains. He took her place and she is fully aware of that, yet there he stands, arms open with love. She found herself at the foot of the cross and there she found love, freedom, peace, mercy, and grace. It is an extremely powerful and moving skit.

The idea was to perform the drama in several different areas around Antigua with the gospel being shared at each location and staff and students being available to talk with those who had questions after the gospel presentation.

What I will share about the festival that is held on that day every year is this- it is a ritual that has deceived a people who have believed in idols and false gods, and worshipped many things apart from the One True God for far too long. The ritual is called 'the burning of the devil' and the people believe that is they clean our their homes, then burn a devil (like a papier-mâché form of a devil) along with the trash they cleaned out of their homes, they will purify themselves and their homes from the sins of the past year and the cleanse themselves from evil. They believe this act saves them from the evil of the devil and purifies them for the coming of Mary. They believe she is holy as Christ is holy. Each town also erects a statue of the devil with the purpose of a publicly burning the statue as well.

The sad truth to this is that in trying to rid themselves of the devil and the evil he brings in this way, they are only glorifying him and giving him a foothold in this country. At the same time as this public burning takes place, people in the crowd wear devil horn headbands, are dressed up as devils, and many are drunk or on drugs. It is really one big party. And also a sad reminder of the fallen, deceived world we live in whose only hope is Jesus Christ.

After praying on Saturday, we made our way into the center of Antigua and stopped right under the arch. That is where the team first performed the drama  and the gospel was shared. The drama was very powerful as was the clear gospel presentation. Afterwards, we spread out and began passing out tracts and talking with those who seemed interested in having a conversation. I began talking with two separate couples who I had seen many times before. They sell hand made jewelry. The first couple completely stonewalled any conversation, telling the second couple all I was talking about was 'another religion.' I began explaining how very different than religion Jesus was. The second couple was engaged and interested, but the conversation quickly turned away from Christ to other things. I thanked them for their time but moved on.

As I walked back towards the group, I noticed a guy off by himself, working with metal and wire, forming some jewelry piece. I sat down on the edge of the curb, as he was already sitting back against a wall, right under the arch. I gave him a tract we commonly hand out inviting the receiver to the great wedding feast of Christ. He engaged in conversation and for the next half an hour or maybe more, Matt and I began to share the gospel and much more with our new friend, Emerson. After some time, we needed to move on. We invited Emerson to church and encouraged him to come so that we could continue our conversation. We were so burdened as we walked away, yet hopeful for the intensity with he had asked his questions and his desire to know the answers. He described himself as a world traveler, content to have no family, no home, nothing other than his work and enough to survive.

Our next stop was on the corner of Arch street. We began setting up and were quickly approached by one of the many tourist police officers whose job it is to help keep Antigua's tourists safe. We were informed that without a permit we could not make any type public performance. The officer then leaned over and lowered his voice and told us to go away where he couldn't see us and do our thing. He literally gave us a free pass to do whatever we wanted as long as he didn't see it. Praise God for His favor with local authority!

So we moved into Central Park and performed the skit right there in the center by the fountain! There was quite the crowd. The sense of oppression was much thicker here. Immediately after beginning the music and the drama, a man on a loudspeaker began talking and all but drowned out the music. God was still glorified though and afterwards the Lord put on our daughter Isabelle's heart to go and talk with a young woman in the crowd. We found out her name was also Isabel - hardly a coincidence...and so totally God. I sensed immediately some sort of oppression in her life, chains of some sort weighing her down and begin to ask some pointed, personal questions. She opened up immediately and began to weep as she shared her story with me. I asked her if I could pray for her and right there she confessed that she knew the Lord but had walked so far away from Him. I told her that it was not by chance that she was right there at that exact time. She was only to be in Antigua for a few hours and then on her way elsewhere. She thought that we did that kind of drama and presentation every day and I explained that we did not but that the Lord had laid it on our hearts to be there that specific day and maybe at that exact spot just for her. She prayed with me and I believed her heart was changed and she turned back to the Lord.

We then moved down towards the large indoor market. Matt and I have been burdened for the market place for some time now. About a month ago, we stood in the open air part of the market, the real Guatemalan section where we do not go without a Guatemalan.It was early on a Saturday morning, and the Lord gave us a vision of being there and ministering to the hundreds of Mayans that make their living selling fruits and vegetables. Everywhere you look there are mounds of vibrantly colored fruits and vegetables and behind every mound or produce, sits the Mayan woman, barefoot, hair pulled back off her face, her wipil (typical Guatemala ladies blouse) tucked neatly into her skirt, sitting on her cardboard mat or vegetable leaves covering the ground. The Lord allowed us both to see the great need of the people who sell their wares there, the people who shop there, the children who work or run around, in and out of the stalls. That burden has stayed with us and we had been asking the Lord to show us if we were to take this team and their drama to the market.

We only made it to the very outer, first part of the market on this Saturday, but it was right where we were supposed to be. We've been in and out of this particular spot probably a hundred times since living here. As soon as the music started a large crowd formed. The oppression was thicker there than any other place we'd been that day. As the drama started, I looked over and saw no less than 20 paper maché devils hanging just a hundred feet or so from us. The crowd became rather large as the drama continued. Afterwards several people came to know the Lord! What great joy to see the response from those whose lives have now been eternally changed! The team pulled out the balloons and quickly began making balloon swords and animals as a line of children formed even quicker! One of the most precious sites was when about 7 little boys, with their balloon swords in hand, began chasing after our staff intern RA  as he fended them off with an empty water jug that was used as a drum during the songs that were sung before the drama. Pure joy and delight came from their mouths and was evident on all their faces!

We eventually had to stop, despite the line of children still waiting as the sun was going down and the market is no place to be after dark. We made our way down to the bright yellow La Merced church on Arch street which was to be the last place the drama would be performed.

At this point, Matt and I and the kids headed back to the center, long with Karol and her boys. Partly because we wanted to have the children back before the festival began and also because Ethan was feeling very ill.

After the team arrived back at the center and we had eaten dinner, we debriefed the day with the team and our students. They experienced a sweet, intimate time with a small crowd at the last spot where they performed the drama. They also witnessed the ending of the celebration. Their hearts were deeply saddened at what they saw at the festival. But they were also filled with joy and hope and all were encouraged as we shared stories of the day.

The Lord is so good. He is at work here in Antigua. The city is so lost and so in need of Jesus, their Savior. We have been given such a privilege to serve Him here. The need is great as is the responsibility. We know that God is in control and the work of changing a person's heart, the work of bringing this city to His feet, is all His. But the responsibility is great because we see so much more than what most see who are just passing through. We feel the burden and recognize the Lord's call upon our lives. He has called us here- the harvest is plenty. We are so thankful to be here fro such a time as this.

It is with great joy that I can report to you that Emerson, the jewelry maker from under the Arch, came to church tonight! We invited him to stay for dinner and he did. Our students engaged him and one member of the team and one of our students shared their testimonies with him. He was impacted. Please keep praying for him! Also, Antonio, one of the men who gave his life to the Lord at the market, came to church and also brought a friend. Matt and I as well a student from the Bible college spoke with him at length after he accepted the Lord. Matt told him if he came to church, Matt would give him a Bible because he said he did not own one. So, as soon as he came in, I went to get his Bible and gave it to him and also got one for his friend.

We praise the Lord for what He is doing in Antigua. We know we are here by His grace alone and we are so thankful. Please continue to pray for the city of Antigua, the Guatemalan people, and the Lord's work here.

If the Lord had not been on our side...

" 'If the Lord had not been on our side,'
Let Israel now say-
'If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,
When men rose up against us,
Then they would have swallowed us alive,
When their wrath was kindled against us;
Then the waters would have overwhelmed us,
The stream would have gone over our soul.'

Blessed be the Lord,
Who has not given us over to their teeth.
Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers;
The snare is broken, and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth." Psalm 124:1-8

"Those who trust in the Lord
are like Mount Zion,
Which cannot be moved,
but abides forever." Psalm 125:1

If it had not been the Lord who was on our side...

This week would have been so much more devastating...

You see, this week most of the PFM campus was stricken with a horrible stomach virus. The virus knocked out most of the visiting mission team, most of the staff onsite, half of our interns, and most of the Bible college students. It kept every who got it in the bathroom with bouts of vomiting or in bed with horrible stomach cramps, chills, fever, body aches, and headaches.

However,

'If it had not been the Lord who was on our side...'

You see, even though this sickness that spread through the campus was rough, inconvenient, and forced us to cancel ministry opportunities we had planned with the team...but we also recognize that this illness is part of a spiritual battle that rages all around us that we cannot see, but can most certainly feel, especially at times like this when it seems aimed right at this center.

Tuesday we had one of the most amazing opportunities to serve what one might consider some of the least of these, but whom surely are some of the most highly esteemed in the Lord's eyes. Here in Antigua, there is a hospital called Hermano Pedro (Brother Peter) that is home for 240 some patients, most of whom are physically disabled in some way; many who have some form of mental incapacity; ALL need the love of Jesus in a real and tangible way.

A little over a month ago, we found out about this hospital and even met some of the young boys who live there while sharing the gospel and passing out Bibles in Antigua one afternoon. We met a group who serve in another ministry near Antigua who were visiting with some of the patients and were on a walk with them. We shared the gospel with each of the young boy patients and gave each one of them a Bible. We exchanged information with the assistant director of that ministry that day and later contacted him through email but never heard anything back from him. A few weeks ago, we visited the hospital to find out more information about how we might be able to serve the patients that live there. We were then given information for the person in charge of volunteers and told to contact her. I contacted her a few days later and set up an appointment for a tour of the hospital and time to be able to ask questions and discuss what opportunities existed for us to serve there.

The next day, Matt and I and our kids, along with all six interns went to visit the hospital and take the tour. What took place that day was a true work of the Lord. On many levels, being there was very difficult for some in our group. On many levels, being there was so encouraging and so overwhelming.  But overall, the time spent there that day was proof of God opening the door for more time to be spent there.

After the tour that day, I set up two more times for us to come and serve with Pastor D's team. The plan was that we would come and help serve dinner one day and then lunch the other day. We could also bring bubbles, a guitar, and balloons to make balloon animals if we desired.

Our interns were so impacted by that visit that they asked and pleaded that we go back on Friday, which was to be there only day off of the week. We were blown away at the intensity of their request to go back. We decided that we would wait upon the Lord and not rush into something out of emotion or our desire but wait to see what He had planned for us and future ministry there.

It did not work out for us to go that Friday and we could all see that the Lord's hand was upon that.

But almost all of us were eagerly anticipating going again on Tuesday. We briefed the team about the hospital, the patients, and about expectations for the afternoon before leaving. We bathed the whole outing in prayer and entered the hospital. Once there, there was an unmistakeable energy flowing through us. We did not really now what to expect as this was the first ministry opportunity we had had here. But when we met up with our contact, she informed us that there was a hospital wide activity for all the patients and we were welcome to participate in it if we liked. We could play the guitar, sing, do balloon animals and anything else we had planned as well. So, we joined in to help with the activity. Our first task was to help bring patients from their rooms to the area of the activity. Some took off to help bring the adult men while others took off to bring the children. Some stayed to entertain the patients who were already arriving. I went with some of the students to the children's wing.

This is by far the most visited wing in the hospital. It is no wonder why. It is heartbreaking to see children who for the most part have been abandoned and left in this hospital. So many of the volunteers who come and serve in the hospital spend most of their time with the children. But equally as heartbreaking are the other areas of the hospital where the adult men, adult women, and young adults live. These patients get the least amount of visitors, but they are desperate for attention. The hospital is run completely by donations from charitable organizations, humanitarian groups, and religious organizations. There is a paid staff of nurses for each wing, maintenance and cleaning staff, as well as administrative staff. But all doctors are strictly volunteers- and throughout the year there are different doctors who come and donate all of their time, medicine, and equipment to perform surgeries on the patients. It is truly remarkable. The hospital is a Catholic hospital. Hermano Pedro is believed to be a saint and highly worshipped in Antigua. One of the main churches here has his body embalmed in a tomb and people come from all over to pay homage to him and to pray to him. Because of the Catholic influence, we feel the Lord opening the door to bring the light of Christ into the hospital. We can do nothing else for them except share Jesus with them.

The staff of the hospital truly have a heart and a calling for what they do. Our tour guide and liaison stopped in every wing to talk with the patients, call them by name, or to just give them a few minutes of her time and affection. The nurses are business like, but once you begin to be around them and talk with them you see their hearts are really loving to the patients. Most of them have worked their for over 10 years.

So, once in the children's wing, we began to transport patients from the wing to the activity area. Once we had transported all who were able to go, I went back to gather up those who remained with the patients. One of our interns begged me to let her stay with her new friend. One of the team members also wanted to stay for awhile longer. I asked the nurse if we were allowed to remain with the children who were still in their beds and she gave us permission. So I stayed with those who asked to stay. I walked around and visited with the few who were awake. Most were napping. One little boy who had captured my heart the first time we were there was crying as he was being fed his bottle. He is around 5, but has the body of a three year old. He does not speak or walk, but has good strength in his upper body and arms. He was born out of his mother being raped when she was just a teenager. She tried to care for him for a time, but his medical needs were too demanding for her to maintain and she ultimately turned him over to the care of the hospital. I walked over to his bed and began rubbing his feet and legs while the nurse fed him. I began a conversation with the nurse to find out more about him. After she had fed him and lifted up the bar on his bed, I stayed at his side. He pulled himself up to a sitting position and reached for me and grabbed my hand into his and held on. I had to catch my breath as I was not expecting that he would do this. One of our interns had already asked me specifically about seeing this little boy that day, and since he was now calm and very alert I asked the nurse if I go bring a friend back to visit with the little boy. She said yes, but caught me off guard by saying to me, "Now you know he cannot hold him." I assured her that my friend just wanted to visit with the little boy and that he understood that he could not hold him.

I went to get our intern and walked back with him and took him to the little boy. As we arrived at his bed, the little boy greeted our intern the same way he had greeted me. I had to catch my breath again. I began talking with the nurse again as she was now feeding the child behind the bed of the little boy. She reminded me that my friend could not hold the little boy. She said that the children loved to be held, but that they cry for so long afterwards that it makes it so difficult on them (the children). I asked her if they ever get held. She paused before she answered and said that it is not because they do not want to hold them, but more because there are so many of the children and so little of the nurses. There just are not enough of them to go around. She said the little boy in particular would cry all night long if he was held. She paused again. Not long after that comment, she looked at me and asked, 'Does your friend want to hold the boy?' I said, 'Really?' She said 'Yes.' I asked our intern and he could only nod his head yes. Having heard the whole conversation I am sure that he was just as surprised as I was to hear her give him permission to hold the child.

The nurse unlatched the crib rail and allowed our intern to pick up the child. For the next hour or so, he walked and held the child. I watched the two of them from time to time and what I saw would melt any mother's heart. To see the child lean his head upon the shoulder of this young man, curl up against his chest, and lean into him was nothing short of a God-blessing. I watched the nursing staff as well. I watched them take in the scene and listened to their comments. I saw their surprise at how patient and loving and caring this young man was with this little child. I watched them as they watched our intern try various times to set the child in his crib, only for the child to being crying again. So our student would pick up the child again, comfort him and begin walking around the room with him again. Finally, the child was comfortable enough to sit down in his crib and our intern began to play a game with him. Three short taps of his finger and wait...do it again...three short taps of his finger and wait. over time the chid began to repeat the three short taps with his own finger. Our intern called me over to watch. Like all kids do when their loved ones want them to 'perform' this child was no different and seemed to get 'stage fright' when I came over to watch. I tried to coax him to mimic our intern. And he finally did. I encouraged him, snuggled him, and then watched and giggled as he did it again. The faint traces of a smile skimmed across his otherwise solemn face. His eyes made direct contact with mine every time I praised him. I watched the nurses as we rejoiced with this precious little child.

By this time other children were beginning to wake up. I walked over to the crib of one of the older girls in the children's wing. At first she was completely unresponsive to my attempts to communicate with her. Until one of the nurses brought her a toy. The child held up the toy towards the top of her crib rail. I asked her if she was going to share her toy with me and to her surprise she dropped it into my hands! I gave it back to her and a game began between her and I. The game quickly turned into the all too familiar game of drop-it, pick it up that all parents of toddlers are familiar with. I spent the next half hour playing pick up with this precious girl. One of the best half hours I have ever spent.

Why do I spend so much time on these stories? Because God is so good! In  the midst of a brief period of suffering experienced by those currently on the campus here, our perspective is not inward. Our desire is to get better for the purpose of getting out into Antigua with the good news of Jesus Christ with the perspective of rejoicing in these light and momentary troubles for the sake of knowing Christ more! One day spent in bed is difficult for me being a person who doesn't stop going for much. But after visiting the precious people that live in the local hospital here, I will not complain and I will not focus on the time lost, because my idea of time means nothing to the great God I serve. The fact that our second trip to the hospital was cancelled due to the illness that plagued us is no surprise for our God. He is in control and he is sovereign. He is on the throne.

If it had not been the Lord who was on our side...

We might not understand why the sickness plagued us but if it had not been the Lord on our side...who knows what other worse thing could have swept through the center.

If it had not been the Lord who was on our side...
We would not have had the hope of Tuesday and all the ways the Lord blessed us through those precious people to carry us through the illness of Wednesday and Thursday.

Blessed be the Lord who is our help. He has made heaven and earth. We who trust in him are like Mount Zion...we cannot be moved...

So, to end this post...

Please keep on praying for us here at the PFM center in Antigua. Pray for the mission team that is here. We are hoping to do an outreach in the center of Antigua and different areas around the city tomorrow afternoon. Our hope is to bring the light of Jesus Christ into this city who is currently in the midst of a pagan celebration this week. Please pray for the light of Christ to go forth boldly tomorrow and the message of His life saving gospel to break down idols, strongholds, and demonic forces that currently enslave and hold so many captive.

Pray that those of us living here will press on through the spiritual attacks, raise our shields to the fiery darts that come at us, and let nothing move us as we continue on in firm in the Word of God bringing His good news to the lost of Antigua.

PS: It is not possible to take any pictures inside the hospital. So please forgive us for not having any. Thanks for your understanding.

November 2013 Prayer Letter

Please join us this month as we thank God for His sovereign plans for our lives. We are living a life we never would have dreamed possible. Daily we watch Him work out things that are so far beyond what we ever could have imagined, dreamed, or hoped for. We are so thankful for His work in our lives. We are thankful for all of you  who faithfully partner with our family through prayer and through giving. We also thank all of you who partner with Potter's Field Ministries! Your partnership is truly allowing lives to be transformed  and we can testify as witnesses to that here in Antigua, Guatemala!

In the presence of the faultless

One important part of IGNITE intern training phase is learning the Inductive Bible Study method. One class that Matt and I oversee is one where the interns are able to put into practice and actually apply what they learned about how to study the Bible inductively. It is one of my favorite parts of their training because it where they share what the Lord is teaching them through His word. The purpose is to simply to learn something new and add wisdom to their belts. The point is more that they learn a way to study God's Holy Word in a way that allows them to utilize the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of them to discover the treasure that God's word is in their lives.

Learning to study the Bible in a way that allows me to observe, interpret and apply has completely change the effect God's Word has in my life. I now make it a part of my own personal devotions to study the Word this way and then use that study time find practical ways to apply it to my daily life. 

Some time ago, we committed to keeping this a part of the interns lives while they were on the field. We have continued this with the current interns serving here in Guatemala. We meet with the interns weekly to share what God is teaching them and we also meet as a team each day Monday through Friday and each of our team members takes a turn sharing in an inductive way.

This morning the Lord allowed for me to share and I've posted it below with the prayer that the Lord might speak to you from His word as He has done with me.

Jude 1:24-25 "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever more. Amen."

The more I walk with the Lord and the longer I am in ministry I see three things happening...

1. I am more aware than ever before of my complete inadequacy to do anything the Lord calls me to do...and more often than not, the very thing he lays out before me in the place he has called me to be is so much more beyond than what I am capable of that the only explanation for any success at all is because the Lord is in it

       2. I  recognize the intense spiritual battle that rages on around us and feel the darts the 
           enemy throws, the oppression, the attacks, the demonic powers fighting hard to 
           knock me out of the race...and I must choose daily to purpose in my heart to press 
           on through it all and to not be moved by anything...

      3. Above all God is in control! 

These verses in Jude teach me that even when I am totally inadequate for what the Lord calls me to do, it is He who will will equip me and ultimately present me faultless before himself with exceeding joy, the verse says. 

For most of my life I have lived in the dark shadows of condemnation. Most of my life was spent trying to please people in authority over me. There are specific times in my those in authority over me or those I trusted took advantage of my willingness to please them and exploited it. This in turn made me feel shameful, unworthy, and unloved. I coped by stuffing all the pain, hurt, and shame deep down in a dark corner of my heart. As I grew older, all of that shame, pain, hurt, and unexplained emotion turned to bitterness and anger. The coping mechanism I had adopted really had not helped me at all. It had only served to temporarily put off dealing with the root of the bitterness that had grown in my heart and had begun to defile it. 

"Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled." Hebrews 12:15

It was only about a year and a half ago that I learned the truth of this verse and applied it to my life. The Lord used this verse to show me the sin that I had hidden deep in my heart for far too many years. He also showed me that my own sin had not only left its effect on my life but also on all those around me. And finally the Lord taught me that I must always be alert and ask him to give me eyes to see what truly exists in my heart that I might not fall back into sin.

So back to the verse in Jude: I know and believe that it is because of God's mercy and grace that I might be found faultless before him, but only by his grace. I am no longer under condemnation, but I live daily in His presence. 

Because I live in His presence, I know that even when I am inadequate and even when the battle rages all around me and I am tempted to walk in my flesh and not in His Spirit,  He is with me. The first part of Jude 24 says 'now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling...' 

The Lord in His grace has chosen to use me in His perfect plan in ways I could never have imagined. He continues to place me in places where the responsibility is great. I will never understand his choice, knowing me and my wicked heart. 

But I know that He is Sovereign. I also know that He will keep me standing firm in Him when I remain in Him, am filled with His Spirit, and when I choose to love. (Vs 20-21 Jude)
I also believe the promise The Lord gives us in 1 Corinthians 10:13: 

"no temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."

We always have a choice not to sin. The enemy will try everything he can to tempt us to sin. His purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. But we know that Jesus' purpose is to bring abundant life to those who love Him. We can only experience that abundant life when we live life abiding in Him. For every opportunity we encounter to sin, God gives us the opportunity to choose to abide in him and not sin. He keeps us from stumbling. He provides a way out. 

So when I feel weak, when I feel the weight of responsibility on my shoulders, when I feel the sting of the flaming darts the enemy is throwing at me and at those around me;  in those moments I must choose God's way out. I must not choose not my flesh which leads to sin, but instead choose the way that leads to li...abundant life...and remember that in Him I stand firm and will not stumble.

These verses encouraged me this morning as I pondered the power of Christ in me...

Daniel 1:8 "but Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself... " 

Psalm 121:3 "he will not allow your foot to be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber"

1 Samuel 2:9 "he will guard the feet of his saints"

And then finally in Jude 25 the Lord teaches me that in all of this, He is in control. He is our Savior. He alone is wise. Glory and majesty are Hs alone. He is in control - dominion and power are Hs alone, in this present age and forever. 

I do not need to worry...and over time, I am learning to trust the Lord with every bit of my life. I used to worry about and plan and prepare for the 'what if's' of life. I am letting go of that sin and trusting that God is God and I am not. Wisdom, power and glory are His alone. Everything I know I cannot do, He can and will accomplish. Everything I do not understand, He does. Even the little things...

Just the other day I felt overwhelmed and I specifically prayed that the Lord would hide me under His wings that day. In my daily reading I read the following. He cares for us. He chooses us knowing fully well that we are not capable. He knows the battle raging around us and even if we feel overwhelmed by it, he does not because all power and dominion are His. He has the victory...and so do we! He is in control!

Psalm 91:1-16

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler[a]
And from the perilous pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
8 Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
10 No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
11 For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
12 In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

14 “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”

Praise God today for His wisdom, power and dominion, glory, and majesty!