Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
… and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven,
Summary: God is the master of communication. He leaves nothing to chance. Paul makes an astounding statement about God’s ability to communicate and leaves it to us to ponder how he does it.
Continue reading “Colossians 1:23f – The Eternal Billboard”— to the Israel of God.
Summary: In today’s passage, Paul drops a clue to his views on the true nature of Israel.
Continue reading “Galatians 6:16b – God’s Children”One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.
Summary: The writer of Hebrews reminds us that faith is “assurance about what we do not see.” Sometimes we need to be reminded of what it is that we don’t see. Paul is here to help us!
Continue reading “Galatians 4:24c – The Unseen Connection”… born of a woman
Summary: God is amazing for an infinite number of reasons, but one of the most amazing was choosing to be born of a woman.
Continue reading “Galatians 4:4c – Created”For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.
Summary: This is awkward! I just realized that I had skipped over Galatians 3:18. Don’t ask me why because you’ll just get a long list of excuses. So here we are for the first time I can remember, tackling a passage out of order.
Continue reading “Galatians 3:18 – Promises, Eggs, & Chickens”For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
Summary: Following the Law is like following God and doing everything he does just like he does it.
Continue reading “Galatians 3:10 – His Name is Jesus”“For through the law I died to the law …”
Summary: The complexities of Paul’s logic can be difficult to follow. Here, we explore the meanings of life and death and how they relate to the laws of the old covenant.
Continue reading “Galatians 2:19a – Walking Away”Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.
Summary: The issue of circumcision plagued the early church for years. It was like yelling, “I believe in life after death!” in a room full of Pharisees and Sadducees.
Continue reading “Galatians 2:3 – Covenant Conundrum”I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.
Summary: God’s plan for his new church did not include leaving detailed instructions for people to follow. Instead, God chose people who would listen and obey.
Continue reading “Galatians 1:17 – God is Amazing!”… For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism,
Summary: Paul’s words in this passage give us pause for thought. If you could take a “before” and “after” picture of yourself before and after meeting Jesus, what would be different?
Continue reading “Galatians 1:13a – Knowing Jesus”