Day 17 - Galatians 6:11-18

11 Notice what large letters I use as I write these closing words in my own handwriting.

12 Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. 13 And even those who advocate circumcision don’t keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples.

14 As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. 15 It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. 16 May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.

17 From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus.

18 Dear brothers and sisters, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.


Tori's Comments:
To never boast about ANYTHING other than the cross...to deny yourself so completely... means to credit every good thing that comes of me as God's hand and not my own. And to tell people of it, to testify of the work He's done in my life.

"For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus."



Terrie's Comments:
This is what stood out to me today as I read...
"Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died. "

As we commit our lives to Jesus Christ and nail our sinful desires there with Christ we shift our interests away from this world and we are focused on the things of the Spirit.  As we shift our focus away from the things of this world it is only natural that the world's interest in us also dies.  It is a sacrifice to follow Jesus Christ... but the cost is noting compared to the eternal benefit here on earth and eternally.

"What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. 16 May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God."

As we live by the leading of the Holy Spirit we are transformed into a new creation.  God's peace and mercy rest upon us who live by this principle!  



Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 16 - Galatians 6:1-10

 Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3 If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

4 Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. 5 For we are each responsible for our own conduct.

6 Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them.

7 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.


Terrie's Comments:

There are some great tips in this passage today.  Help everyone.  When you see a brother or sister overcome by sin we are to help them... I think all to often we in the church tend to fall into the pit of judging (even if that isn't what we call it) instead of helping.  If we fall into the judgement pit are we not also considering ourselves too good to help... then we are only fooling ourselves... We are not that important!  

Do good to everyone - ESPECIALLY to those in the family of faith.

Live to please the Spirit so you will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.  

Do not get tired of doing what is good!  You will reap a harvest if you do not give up!


Tori's Comments:

Let everything I do be saturated in love-- be that helping a brother or sister or trying to gently advise them.

Vs.3 though... I love it so much! I have definitely gotten into the frame of mind that somehow my time or my stuff is more important than others when that obviously isn't true. The whole idea of become 'the least' flees from me and I'm blinded by my own arrogance to advance the kingdom of God.

The satisfaction of a job well done is satisfying indeed. It's also something I have to remind myself of when procrastination comes knocking.

And always, always, always, think of doing good to others, never forgetting you are a servant (and also a daughter/son) to the King.


Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 15 - Galatians 5:16-26

16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.


Tori's Comments:

"the two forces are constantly fighting each other" I need to constantly monitor my life and the fruit I'm producing to see whether I am following the Holy Spirit or evil desires.

Verse 24 is such a beautiful picture. Wow. They are good and dead. Praise God.

Following the Spirit's leading in EVERY part of our lives requires surrender. Complete surrender at the foot of the cross to everything you have secretly held sacred.


Terrie's Comments:

"Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives."

Serve one another in love... follow the Spirit's leading... the results of this will be a bountiful harvest of LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, and SELF-CONTROL.  

If we are lacking in the fruits of the Spirit we need to consider if we have actually "nailed our own passions and desires of our sinful nature to the cross".  What have I yet to nail to the Cross so I can be free to follow the Holy Spirit's leading in every area of my life?



Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 14 - Galatians 5:7-15

7 You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? 8 It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom. 9 This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough! 10 I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you.

11 Dear brothers and sisters, if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised—as some say I do—why am I still being persecuted? If I were no longer preaching salvation through the cross of Christ, no one would be offended. 12 I just wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves.

13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.


Terrie's Comments:

We are free from the Law but Paul clearly says we have a choice to use that freedom to satisfy our own sinful nature but instead he is encouraging believers to use that freedom to serve one another in love.  We aren't called to destroy and devour one another.  We are called to be servants, serving each other in the Name of Jesus:-)  We have free will to follow what we are called to do or to do our own thing.  


Tori's Comments:

With the amount of offensiveness and offended people in the world, it's important to be able to know and stand behind the truth so I won't get swept away in the world's burdens.

"use your freedom to serve one another in love" and in doing so be a witness to those around you of the mind-boggling nature of Christ and the church.

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 13 - Galatians 5:1-6

So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.

2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. 4 For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.

5 But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. 6 For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.


Tori's Comments:

He acknowledges that we will have to make sure we don't get tied up in rules and regulations, which is something Christians struggle with today just like they did long ago.

We must not count on ANYTHING to bring us salvation or righteousness other than Jesus Christ. All glory goes to him and not anything we do.

"What is important is faith expressing itself in love." I didn't realize how vital that connection is, but without the firm belief that Jesus loves you and you are a citizen of heaven and not Earth, you can't give everything you have to people. So if there is a loving problem in your life, check whether you are truly believing God's promises. This verse actually came at a really good time in my life to hear it.


Terrie's Comments:

As we are working through the letters it is getting clearer and clearer as to why the Law is an Enemy of Grace.  I think we try to melt them together so often.  We are saved by grace and then we go onto try to walk it out by our works and obedience to the law.  If we think we are saved by obeying the law then Christ is of no use to us????  There is a thought to ponder a while.  Am I trying to gain favor with God by following the law or traditions?  Our Righteousness is only found by putting our faith in Jesus Christ and relying on His Holy Spirit in us to produce that righteous life.  It is a heart condition.  If our hearts are turned to God and we have the attitude that I am second and God is first in my life then we will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading.  The only thing required is to do what the Holy Spirit prompts us to do and the kicker is that He will give us the power and whatever we need to carry out what he asks us to do!  We only need to be willing.  The reason David was a man after God's own heart was not because he was perfect... HA... He was far from perfect... however David knew who God was and he did not doubt what his power could do.   When he made mistakes, David was quick to change his ways and line up with the will of God again.  

There is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus!!  Just set your heart back in the right direction and God will dust you off, kiss your wounds, and continue to use you as a vessel for His glory!





Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 12 - Galatians 4:24-31

24 These two women serve as an illustration of God’s two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them. 25 And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery to the law. 26 But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman, and she is our mother. 27 As Isaiah said,

“Rejoice, O childless woman,
    you who have never given birth!
Break into a joyful shout,
    you who have never been in labor!
For the desolate woman now has more children
    than the woman who lives with her husband!”
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 by human effort, persecuted Isaac, the child born by 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 not children of the slave woman; we are children of the free woman.


Terrie's Comments:

This is a powerful illustration.  We cannot live by the power of the Spirit and by the Law at the same time.  The law ENSLAVED those to whom it was given.  Why do any of us want to be enslaved by a law that could never save us.  We are saved by Jesus Christ when we put our faith in Him and make Him lord of our lives.  We are then given the Holy Spirit to give us power and comfort and to lead us into all truth.  We are freed from our sinful nature.  


Tori's Comments:

I think one of the most fruitful rewards of reading the entire bible cover to cover is seeing the symbolism and how everything points to Jesus Christ.





Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 11 - Galatians 4:17-23

17 Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay attention only to them. 18 If someone is eager to do good things for you, that’s all right; but let them do it all the time, not just when I’m with you.

19 Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives. 20 I wish I were with you right now so I could change my tone. But at this distance I don’t know how else to help you.

21 Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says? 22 The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife. 23 The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise.


Tori's Comments:

This is something I need to monitor in my own life, evaluating the reasons behind my actions constantly. (vs. 18)

What does it mean to have Christ fully developed in my life?

Word study:  
"Oh, my dear children!" (vs. 19a) The word 'teknion' can also be translated to infants or little children and is used 9 times in the bible


Terrie's Comments:

It is WORD STUDY WEDNESDAY again!

I was intrigued by the word "developed" in verse 19

morphoō means to fashion (figuratively) or form.  From the same Greek word as morphe which means to shape figuratively form.  Morphoo is only in the Bible once and Morphe only appears 3 times.


I get that Paul wanted those whom he felt responsible for to come to full maturity in their faith.  He didn't want them to get sidetracked with religion or by turning back to their old "gods".  He was going to keep pressing on with them until they were shaped and formed into the image of Jesus Christ.  He didn't want them getting confused by people "adding" religious traditions to the pure gospel of Jesus.  

I love the image of the slave wife vs the freeborn son.  It is such vivid imagery of what we have in Jesus Christ and what happens if we are following the law or living by faith.  Human attempt vs God's own fulfillment.  

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 10 - Galatians 4:8-16

8 Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist. 9 So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world? 10 You are trying to earn favor with God by observing certain days or months or seasons or years. 11 I fear for you. Perhaps all my hard work with you was for nothing. 12 Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles—free from those laws.

You did not mistreat me when I first preached to you. 13 Surely you remember that I was sick when I first brought you the Good News. 14 But even though my condition tempted you to reject me, you did not despise me or turn me away. No, you took me in and cared for me as though I were an angel from God or even Christ Jesus himself. 15 Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then? I am sure you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me if it had been possible. 16 Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?


Terrie's Comments:

I am a Gentile... Most people I know fall into that category... so why do we as Gentile's struggle with letting go of a law that was given to the Jews?  Paul was writing begging them to become like Gentiles... who were free from the law to begin with!  Why do we struggle with the freedom from the law that Paul writes about?  We can't please God by following the law unless we follow the whole law.  Living by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ is way easier.  As humans we tend to justify ourselves by what we "do"... with faith everything is already "done" there is nothing left to "do" we just simply need to have faith that "it is done" and rest there.


Tori's Comments:

Okay, it's now word study day, but I wanted to understand the use of "know" here because it struck me as odd. It is meant as an absolute sort of knowing, and is the same as used in John 10:14 when Jesus said "I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me". 

To me, this again confirms that we are a part of God's flock. And that means we are free from the laws, instead given the Spirit to live by. 

"my condition"?

Verse 15 is an amazing testament to their generosity, and also a rather funny way of doing so. 




Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 9 - Galatians 4:1-7

Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had. 2 They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set. 3 And that’s the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world.

4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child.  And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.


Tori's Comments:

So, first of all, I really love the meme Terrie has chosen below. Just wanted to give her a thumbs over over the internet. :)

"buy freedom" What a price he paid, too.

I am God's child! Adopted by Him-- chosen by Him! What a beautiful truth I'll never fully comprehend. A promise of love that I too often forget. But it's right here in scripture, ready for me to come back to.


Terrie's Comments:
I love that Paul is so desperately wanting us to "get" the freedom that Jesus came to give us that he is "putting it another way".  That is the heart of a true teacher... having patience to explain something many ways so that everyone will get the lesson that is being taught :-) 

We are no longer slaves to the law... we are FREE with the Spirit of Jesus Christ in us!!  How glorious it is!








Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 8 - Galatians 3:19-29

Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people. 20 Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham.

21 Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. 22 But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.

23 Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed.

24 Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. 25 And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian.

26 For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.


Terrie's Comments:
-The law was given along side the Promise to show people their sins
-The law was only designed to last until Jesus came
-The law kept us in protective custody until Jesus and the way of faith was revealed 
-And once Jesus came and we could be made right through faith in Jesus Christ we no longer need the law as our guardian.
-We are all children of God through our faith in Christ Jesus
-Once we put our faith in Jesus Christ we are children of Abraham and heirs to God's promise!


Tori's Comments:

I like analogies! Thanks, Paul. 

I have "put on" Christ. Interesting, interesting. Verse 28 though, is so beautiful and should be more of a motto for us than it is. We see each other as nothing more than brothers and sisters in Christ, putting little emphasis on our outward appearance.

And we are heirs! How cool is that! You can't have trouble with self confidence after God tells you you're his heirs!




Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 7- Galatians 3:10-18

10 But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.” 11 So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” 12 This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.”

13 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.

15 Dear brothers and sisters, here’s an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or amend an irrevocable agreement, so it is in this case. 16 God gave the promises to Abraham and his child. And notice that the Scripture doesn’t say “to his children,” as if it meant many descendants. Rather, it says “to his child”—and that, of course, means Christ. 17 This is what I am trying to say: The agreement God made with Abraham could not be canceled 430 years later when God gave the law to Moses. God would be breaking his promise. 18 For if the inheritance could be received by keeping the law, then it would not be the result of accepting God’s promise. But God graciously gave it to Abraham as a promise.


Tori's Comments:

It is amazing how much the Lord requires of us... to believe! That's it! That's all! Doesn't that blow your mind?!

And believe it's done. That's all. Whoa.


Terrie's Comments:

Faith was God's original plan for us.  The law came because of the human race choosing to live according to their sinful nature instead of by faith in God.  We are to believe in Jesus Christ by Faith so that we who were sinners could be made right with God and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit!  This is awesome.


Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 6 - Galatians 3:1-9

Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. 2 Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. 3 How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? 4 Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?

5 I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.

6 In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” 7 The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God.

8 What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in his sight because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.


Terrie's Comments:

NOTHING we can ever do will ever save us!  We are given the free gift of eternal life, the gifts of the Holy Spirit and everything else that God provides through our FAITH in Jesus Christ.  When we try to follow the law or any man made traditions to achieve perfection in life we are disregarding our faith and the righteousness that has been given to us already by God through our faith in Jesus Christ.  

We are just simply called to BELIEVE!  We are given the Holy Spirit to guide us, teach us, empower us, work wonders and signs and miracles through us.  We are just called to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives.


Tori's Comments:

And really, what does it come down to but that we forget just what God did for us. (vs. 3) It is such an amazing freedom that the world tries to drown out and force our focus elsewhere.

Also: BELIEVE!!! :)


Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 5 - Galatians 2:11-21

Today is December 1st.  As we enter into the month when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, I thought it would be appropriate to add an image to each blog post to keep our focus on Jesus this year.  

But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. 12 When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. 13 As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

14 When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?

15 “You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles. 16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”

17 But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! 18 Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. 19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.


Tori's Comments:

"afraid of criticism" This actually has a comforting effect on me, that I'm not the only one to struggle with this. But if we stand on the truth and for the truth, we have nothing to fear. 

Interesting that trying to live by all the laws' requirements actually hindered living for God.

Verse 19-21 is sort of like a mantra for the Christian faith. 

"treat the grace of God as meaningless" I am often tempted to fall back into old ways or prioritize my life over God, despite Christ being the one who lives in me.


Terrie's Comments:

Fear of man will keep us from doing the will of God in our lives.  This is a struggle every Christian will have until we fully understand who we are in Jesus Christ and learn to live in abandonment for His will in our lives.

"if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die."  

I find it interesting that Paul had to stop living by the law and it's requirements to actually live for God.  We can get wrapped up easily in "doing" what we think that God requires of us or what other people expect of us in the church... bottom line we are to live in freedom.  Dying to ourselves and living by the guidance of the Holy Spirit in us.  

We live by Grace - unmerited favour - through Faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.  




Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 4 - Galatians 2:1-10

 Then fourteen years later I went back to Jerusalem again, this time with Barnabas; and Titus came along, too. 2 I went there because God revealed to me that I should go. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be leaders of the church and shared with them the message I had been preaching to the Gentiles. I wanted to make sure that we were in agreement, for fear that all my efforts had been wasted and I was running the race for nothing. 3 And they supported me and did not even demand that my companion Titus be circumcised, though he was a Gentile.

4 Even that question came up only because of some so-called believers there—false ones, really—who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations. 5 But we refused to give in to them for a single moment. We wanted to preserve the truth of the gospel message for you.

6 And the leaders of the church had nothing to add to what I was preaching. (By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites.) 7 Instead, they saw that God had given me the responsibility of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter the responsibility of preaching to the Jews. 8 For the same God who worked through Peter as the apostle to the Jews also worked through me as the apostle to the Gentiles.

9 In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers. They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews. 10 Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do.


Terrie's Comments:

It is important to have mentors in the faith so we remain steadfast in the right direction.  It is also important to know the truth for ourselves and to trust the witness of the Holy Spirit in us so that we remain on the right path that God has for our lives.  It is important because we need to be able to discern what comes from God and what does not.  Many things may seem scriptural in our world at first glance but when we examine them according to the scripture and the inward witness of the Holy Spirit they don't line up.  If we are not careful to examine things for ourselves we can become enslaved by the belief structures of others that don't quite line up completely with what the Bible actually says. 

It is important to not put any person in the place of God... God's word should trump what anyone else says.  We are all human and we all know how communication is flawed because of it's very nature.  What we hear may not be what the person said or what they meant to say or what the intended to say or what they intended for you to hear..... the possibilities are endless. 

Paul respected his elders in the faith but wasn't ready to put them in the place of God.  He readily and eagerly accepted what they said when it lined up with God's word to him.  Because Paul had a right perspective on the authority of God vs People in his life, he was able to not be sidetracked by people who contradicted the word of God.   

Tori and I have decided to have WORD STUDY WEDNESDAYS!!!  HURRAY.  What this means is that we will be choosing word or words to look up in the original Greek or Hebrew so we can understand better the original intent of the passage :-)  We hope that this will be of benefit to all of you :-) 

The word enslave in verse 4 comes from the Greek word katadouloo.  It means to enslave utterly: - bring into bondage.  The word katadouloo only appears 2 times in the Bible.


Tori's Comments:

"God revealed to me that I should go" I guess that's what he did during all of those years... digging deep into God and seeking Him.

We have to be careful not to add chains to ourselves, and not to choose traditions over Christ. Or anything over Christ, really. 

They accepted them as co-workers? How cool that they were so supportive and encouraging. Of course, they would've seen Paul and Barnabas as family members.

The word Revealed in verse 2 was translated from the Hebrew word Apokalupsis it means disclosure, appearing, coming, lighten, manifestation, be revealed, revelation.  The word Apokalupsis appears 18 times in the Bible.


Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 3 - Galatians 1:18-24

18 Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I declare before God that what I am writing to you is not a lie.

21 After that visit I went north into the provinces of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And still the churches in Christ that are in Judea didn’t know me personally. 23 All they knew was that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!” 24 And they praised God because of me.


Tori's Comments:

3 years.... he spent 3 years on his own without meeting any believers? Wow. I wonder what the Roman officials or Pharisees or whoever he worked with thought.

They praised God BECAUSE of me. Boom. Testimony power.


Terrie's Comments:

I think Paul's testimony is a perfect example of how God works contrary to human understanding and ways.  We tend to not send people out to do any kind of work without much training and testing to be sure that we think that they are equipped.  Paul however got his training through Jesus Christ and the witness of the Holy Spirit only.  He was radically changed and the word spread quickly and efficiently that his testimony was true.  His actions and words proved that he was radically changed by God's grace!


Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 2 - Galatians 1:11-17

11 Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. 12 I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.

13 You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it. 14 I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors.

15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles.

When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being. 17 Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus.


Terrie's Comments:

When the gospel message is finally revealed to you by Jesus Christ himself you no longer need others to tell you about Jesus and his Grace and Mercy because it will be in you.  We have the Holy Spirit who himself teaches us and leads us into truth.

Sometimes we just need to stop reading books, listening to what teachers and preachers have to say for a while and just go away to be alone with Jesus so He can feed into our lives first hand. 

 We definitely need to hear what God has revealed to others and to build each other up but we also need to get alone with Him sometimes so we know what His voice sounds like and can be taught directly by Jesus as well.  


Tori's Comments:

Paul is a fantastic example of the power of our testimonies. When we begin to follow God, there is a complete change and we are entirely new beings, made to glorify God. That was a definitely obvious change in Paul's life.


Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Galloping through Galatians in 17 days! Day 1 - Galatians 1:1-10

This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead.

2 All the brothers and sisters here join me in sending this letter to the churches of Galatia.

3 May God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 4 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. 5 All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.

6 I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.

8 Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. 9 I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed.

10 Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.


Tori's Comments:

Verse 10 is really the one that convicts me... we serve Christ alone, and that's enough!

Terrie's Comments:

Wow there is so much in this passage.  Paul begins by reaffirming what the true gospel entails.  Then gets right to the heart of why he is writing this letter.... to call them back to the true gospel message because they have been led astray by those preaching a twisted gospel message.  

In the last part of today's passage Paul makes it clear that if we are Christ's servants we will not please people.  Fear of man needs to go at all cost so we can preach the pure gospel message.  Fear of man will corrupt the gospel message that we have been sent to preach!


BTW - Welcome to our Galloping Through Galatians Challenge!  We invite you to join us as we work our way through Paul's letter to the Galatians over the next 17 days.  CLICK HERE to find your FREE copy of our PDF file which is made to be folded and tucked into your Bible while you are going through this challenge with us :-) 

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!