Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
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”I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it;
Summary: Where we get our information matters. If we learn from people who teach opinions instead of fact, we live under the burden of their ignorance. When we see the light of Truth, everything changes.
Continue reading “Galatians 1:12a – When Everything Changes”“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
Summary: At God’s command, Moses used the carrot and stick approach on the Israelites when they entered the land of Canaan. God uses something similar in this command to honor our parents.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:2-3 – Carrot and Stick”Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
Summary: In this passage, Paul makes us put on our thinking caps as we try to figure out what he means.
Continue reading “Ephesians 6:1 – Caveat”Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
Summary: Looking back in time we find a real-life example of what Paul is talking about in this passage. Thinking about Paul’s words in the light of the Old Testament helps us understand what he was trying to say.
Continue reading “Ephesians 4:14 – Taking Control”