Sailor to Servant

By Gary Wood

This book came about from a daily devotional I started in 2011 in an effort to give my children a way to read scripture as they began life on their own. Over the last ten years has grown by the grace of the Lord to reach readers worldwide. I am truly amazed.

However, this journey started well before that. As I was growing up, I had flashes of awareness about the presence of God. But I never really acted on them until I joined the United States Navy. I was stationed aboard the USS Nimitz, during the Iranian Hostage Crisis. We were chosen to launch the rescue attempt. Apparently, the American government sold cruise missiles to Iran when it was under the leadership of the Shah, and we had no defenses against those missiles. Had the Iranians used the missiles, it would have caused much damage and potentially many deaths, I knew that if I died I would be in hell! But God had another idea, that was to recue this dead man in his sins.

With this in mind, I was looking around and saw people that were rich, poor, and everywhere in between, coming from good homes and bad ones. I remember that night being a very clear night, with the stars looking like a planetarium. Creation was yelling at me that evening.

Job 12:7-19 says, "but ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these things does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind."

Romans 1:20 "for ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities - His eternal power and Devine nature. So, they have no excuse for not knowing God."

Well, the creation was letting me know things I apparently didn't know. The Lord through His creation called out to me to start to awaken me from the dead.

I remember saying, "God, if you are real, then I need to know, and if this is what life is all about gathering things, living a life, and then dying, then it this meaningless, and it sucks." This was prayed in April 1980.

Then, on January 16, 1982, as I was making my rounds as the manager of a parking garage in Worcester Massachusetts, I ran right into the presence of God. By now, I was well aware of my sin. I remember saying to God, "I am what they said I am, whatever that is, and you can go ahead and make me into whatever

you want." After that moment, I looked for the Christians that worked for me and told them what happened. They told me, "You met the Lord!! Now, you need to go to a Bible-believing church and grow."

"Okay,' I responded and left. Then I returned and asked them, "What is a Bible- believing church? And how do I find one?"

That led me to Holden Chapel in Holden, Massachusetts, where the Lord started His work in me to serve Him as I served others. This, of course, is a lifelong journey that is full of joy, sorrow, growth, mercy, and grace, just to name a few. Through it all, I have the Lord Jesus in control of everything.

Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10 says, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

I truly hope that the Lord will use this book of devotional messages to bring you to Him and grow your faith as you fulfill the works that He prepared for you in advance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 24, 2022
• ISBN: 9781685709372

Book preview

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Sailor to Servant

Gary Wood

ISBN 978-1-68570-936-5 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-68570-937-2 (digital)

Copyright © 2022 by Gary Wood

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Scriptures marked ESV are taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION (ESV): Scriptures taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION® Copyright© 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission.

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Galatians 1

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

Galatians 2

DAY 6

DAY 7

Galatians 3

DAY 8

DAY 9

DAY 10

DAY 11

DAY 12

Galatians 4

DAY 13

DAY 14

DAY 15

DAY 16

Galatians 5

DAY 17

DAY 18

DAY 19

DAY 20

DAY 21

DAY 22

Galatians 6

DAY 23

DAY 24

DAY 25

DAY 26

DAY 27

DAY 28

DAY 29

Ephesians 1

DAY 30

DAY 31

Ephesians 2

DAY 32

DAY 33

DAY 34

DAY 35

Ephesians 3

DAY 36

DAY 37

DAY 38

DAY 39

Ephesians 4

DAY 40

DAY 41

DAY 42

DAY 43

Ephesians 5

DAY 44

DAY 45

DAY 46

DAY 47

DAY 48

Ephesians 6

DAY 49

DAY 50

DAY 51

DAY 52

Romans 1

DAY 53

DAY 54

DAY 55

DAY 56

DAY 57

DAY 58

Romans 2

DAY 59

DAY 60

DAY 61

Romans 3

DAY 62

DAY 63

DAY 64

Romans 4

DAY 65

DAY 66

DAY 67

DAY 68

Romans 5

DAY 69

DAY 70

DAY 71

Romans 6

DAY 72

DAY 73

DAY 74

Romans 7

DAY 75

DAY 76

Romans 8

DAY 77

DAY 78

DAY 79

DAY 80

DAY 81

DAY 82

DAY 83

DAY 84

DAY 85

DAY 86

DAY 87

DAY 88

Romans 9

DAY 89

DAY 90

DAY 91

DAY 92

Romans 10

DAY 93

DAY 94

DAY 95

Romans 11

DAY 96

DAY 97

DAY 98

Romans 12

DAY 99

DAY 100

DAY 101

Romans 13

DAY 102

DAY 103

Romans 14

DAY 104

DAY 105

DAY 106

DAY 107

DAY 108

Romans 15

DAY 109

DAY 110

DAY 111

DAY 112

DAY 113

Romans 16

DAY 114

DAY 115

Philippians 1

DAY 116

DAY 117

DAY 118

DAY 119

DAY 120

Philippians 2

DAY 121

DAY 122

DAY 123

DAY 124

DAY 125

DAY 126

DAY 127

DAY 128

DAY 129

DAY 130

DAY 131

DAY 132

DAY 133

DAY 134

Philippians 4

DAY 135

DAY 136

DAY 137

DAY 138

DAY 139

DAY 140

Colossians 1

DAY 141

DAY 142

DAY 143

DAY 144

DAY 145

DAY 146

DAY 147

DAY 148

DAY 149

Colossians 2

DAY 150

DAY 151

Colossians 3

DAY 152

DAY 153

DAY 154

DAY 155

DAY 156

DAY 157

Colossians 4

DAY 158

I Thessalonians 1

DAY 159

DAY 160

DAY 161

DAY 162

I Thessalonians 2

DAY 163

DAY 164

DAY 165

DAY 166

I Thessalonians 3

DAY 167

DAY 168

I Thessalonians 4

DAY 169

DAY 170

DAY 171

DAY 172

DAY 173

I Thessalonians 5

DAY 174

DAY 175

DAY 176

DAY 177

DAY 178

2 Thessalonians 1

DAY 179

DAY 180

DAY 181

2 Thessalonians 2

DAY 182

DAY 183

DAY 184

DAY 185

DAY 186

DAY 187

DAY 188

DAY 189

2 Thessalonians 3

DAY 190

DAY 191

DAY 192

1 Timothy 1

DAY 193

DAY 194

DAY 195

DAY 196

DAY 197

1 Timothy 2

DAY 198

DAY 199

DAY 200

DAY 201

DAY 202

1 Timothy 3

DAY 203

1 Timothy 4

DAY 204

DAY 205

DAY 206

DAY 207

1 Timothy 5

DAY 208

DAY 209

1 Timothy 6

DAY 210

DAY 211

DAY 212

DAY 213

2 Timothy 1

DAY 214

DAY 215

DAY 216

DAY 217

2 Timothy 2

DAY 218

DAY 219

DAY 220

DAY 221

DAY 222

DAY 223

DAY 224

DAY 225

2 Timothy 3

DAY 226

DAY 227

DAY 228

DAY 229

2 Timothy 4

DAY 230

DAY 231

About the Author

Thanks to Dave Ficere for editing this work and making it all come together. Cover Design by Rebecca Williams.

This book came about from a daily devotional I started in 2011 in an effort to give my children a way to read scripture as they began life on their own. Over the last ten years it has grown by the grace of the Lord to reach readers worldwide. I am truly amazed.

However, this journey started well before that. As I was growing up, I had flashes of awareness about the presence of God. But I never really acted on them until I joined the United States Navy. I was stationed aboard the USS Nimitz, during the Iranian Hostage Crisis. We were chosen to launch the rescue attempt. Apparently, the American government sold cruise missiles to Iran when it was under the leadership of the Shah, and we had no defenses against those missiles. Had the Iranians used the missiles, it would have caused much damage and potentially many deaths, I knew that if I died I would be in hell! But God had another idea, that was to recue this dead man in his sins.

With this in mind, I was looking around and saw people that were rich, poor, and everywhere in between, coming from good homes and bad ones. I remember that night being a very clear night, with the stars looking like a planetarium. Creation was yelling at me that evening.

Job 12:7-19 says, but ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these things does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.

Romans 1:20 for ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities—His eternal power and Devine nature. So, they have no excuse for not knowing God.

Well, the creation was letting me know things I apparently didn't know. The Lord through His creation called out to me to start to awaken me from the dead.

I remember saying, God, if you are real, then I need to know, and if this is what life is all about gathering things, living a life, and then dying, then it this meaningless, and it sucks. This was prayed in April 1980.

Then, on January 16, 1982, as I was making my rounds as the manager of a parking garage in Worcester Massachusetts, I ran right into the presence of God. By now, I was well aware of my sin. I remember saying to God, "I am what they said I am, whatever that is, and you can go ahead and make me into whatever

you want. After that moment, I looked for the Christians that worked for me and told them what happened. They told me, You met the Lord!! Now, you need to go to a Bible-believing church and grow."

Okay,' I responded and left. Then I returned and asked them, What is a Bible—believing church? And how do I find one?"

That led me to Holden Chapel in Holden, Massachusetts, where the Lord started His work in me to serve Him as I served others. This, of course, is a lifelong journey that is full of joy, sorrow, growth, mercy, and grace, just to name a few. Through it all, I have the Lord Jesus in control of everything.

Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10 says, For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

I truly hope that the Lord will use this book of devotional messages to bring you to Him and grow your faith as you fulfill the works that He prepared for you in advance.

Gary Wood

(Winterville, North Carolina)

August 2, 2021

Galatians 1

Greeting

¹ Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— ² and all the brothers who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴ who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵ to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

No Other gospel

⁶ I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— ⁷ not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. ⁹ As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

¹⁰ For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Paul Called by God

¹¹ For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. ¹² For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹³ For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. ¹⁴ And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. ¹⁵ But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, ¹⁶ was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; ¹⁷ nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

¹⁸ Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. ¹⁹ But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. ²⁰ (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) ²¹ Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. ²² And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. ²³ They only were hearing it said, He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy. ²⁴ And they glorified God because of me.

DAY 1

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

Today we begin our look into the book of Galatians.

I have been walking with the Lord now for 37 years, and the topic of what is the gospel (Galatians 1:4-9) has been a question that repeatedly gets all muddled up. Why? Because we have an adversary, the devil, who seeks to keep us on the path that leads to hell. He does not want any human being to understand the good news of salvation in Christ.

John 3:17-18 says Jesus came into the world not to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved. You see, our natural state is one of condemnation. If we die in our sins (without Jesus' free gift of salvation), we end up in hell for all eternity.

That is a chilling thought.

But the good news of the gospel is that Jesus Christ came being born of a virgin. He, being God, had no sin. He lived a perfect life, making his sacrifice on the cross acceptable to satisfy the wages of sin, which is death (Romans 6:23). Jesus tasted death for all of us, and make no mistake, His was a bodily death. But like the lamb that was used in the temple sacrifices, Jesus became our sacrifice. So, it is a matter of faith to receive that gift of salvation that Jesus purchased with his blood for all mankind.

We cannot earn salvation in any way, shape, or form. Salvation comes by putting our faith and trust in the finished work at the cross where Jesus said it is finished! Then three days later, Jesus Christ overcame death and rose bodily from the grave. You see Jesus willingly later down his life and then took it back up again. So, let's simplify this.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

So, here is the bottom line. Are you trusting in yourself? Or are trusting in Jesus? If you are a believer, have you started trusting in your works?

Remember that what we do is what has been planned in advance by God to bring Him glory. Not to bring us salvation. So, what is the working out of our salvation? In part, it is making sure that we keep the gospel straight.

A lot of people think they can work their way to heaven. That teaching is in direct opposition to this chapter. Those who believe this are deceived. Don't you be!

Key Verse: Galatians 1:4

DAY 2

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

I want to stay on this topic of the gospel for a bit longer because it is important to understand.

In recent weeks there have come reports from the Christian world of influential people who have renounced their faith in Christ. One of those who recently renounced his faith is a songwriter for Hillsong, a very popular Christian group.

If you listen to the words of some of their songs, the lyrics don't line up with scripture. For example, So Will I (100 Billion X). The song says that God had no point of reference when He created everything. That's not true. He was the point of reference. Also, the song says that if the rocks cry out to worship, so will I. That is not biblical. Jesus said that if the people did not cry out during His entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, then the rocks would.

That is why we don't blindly follow people. Instead, we must, must, must look for ourselves into scripture to make sure that whatever anyone says lines up with scripture.

When we understand how offensive the true gospel is to human nature, we better understand why someone would want to pervert it.

Here are three prominent ways the gospel offends us.

The gospel offends our pride. It tells us we need a savior, and that we cannot save ourselves. It gives no credit to us at all for our salvation; it is all the work of Jesus on our behalf.

The gospel offends our wisdom. It saves us by something many consider foolish—God becoming man and dying a humiliating, disgraceful death on our behalf.

Third, the gospel offends our knowledge. It tells us to believe something that goes against scientific knowledge and personal experience. To believe that a dead man, Jesus Christ, rose from the dead in a glorious new body that would never die again.

Key Verse: Galatians 1:7

DAY 3

Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? I John 2:22

Paul deviates from his normal greeting pattern, jumping right into the issue at hand, beginning in verse 6 of Galatians 1. The topic is believers being led astray, something even the Apostle Paul dealt with in the early days of the church. In our day, we have seen many people who have denounced their faith because of many reasons. It can really shake us, as well, and make us wonder if we too have been lied to. This is a great tactic of Satan to bring confusion, and that is why we need to be in scripture.

When Jesus was in the desert being tempted by Satan, what the tactic the devil used? He tried to make Jesus doubt who He is and bring confusion to the reason Jesus came. Satan wanted Jesus to avoid the plan of salvation for which he came to secure by his death, burial, and resurrection.

1 John 2:18-26 fits in nicely here, because it deals with those who deny that Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One. Read this passage, because it will help you better understand what Paul is talking about in Galatians 1.

Key Verse: Galatians 1:6

DAY 4

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? Romans 6:16

We are looking at Galatians 1:10 which reads:

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Verse 10 gives us a clue as to what was being taught by the false teachers in Galatia. Things such as persuading people, as in the sense of a salesman trying to sell you something you don't need. Secondly, pleasing people. Paul says the false gospel that was being spread in Galatia was not a gospel at all. It was based on pleasing the people and tickling their ears, so to speak.

Beware of people pleasers. A line from the 1983 song God Pleaser by Petra comes to mind.

Don't want to be a man pleaser—I want to be a God pleaser, I just want to do the things that please the Father's heart.

That must be our heart. If we are genuinely this way, then the love, compassion, and grace of the Lord will show through without compromising the truth.

One last point. The word servant in the phrase servant of Christ is not the best translation. The word actually means slave. In older English translations, you will find it translated that way. Romans 6:15-23 sheds more light on this passage from Galatians and the topic of obeying Christ and not being a slave to sin.

15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!

16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,

18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Key Verse: Galatians 1:10

DAY 5

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, The righteous shall live by faith. Romans 1:16-17

Paul's standing as an apostle has been challenged by the false teachers. In the last part of chapter 1, beginning in verse 11, Paul tells us how he received the Gospel.

In verse 12, Paul taught and received. These words (Teach and Receive"), or forms of them, are used multiple times. Sometimes we confuse these terms.

So, let's get some clarity on these words.

Teach: is to help somebody learn something like a skill or behavior. Receive: to take a thing offered or sent.

In this case, Paul received the Gospel as it was sent to him from the Lord. He received it first, then was endowed with the Holy Spirit to teach and preach the gospel first to the Jews then to the Gentiles. (Note: Gentiles are non-Jews).

So, Paul was taught this, and he received the Gospel. The same is true for us. We can have the head knowledge, but if our hearts are not transformed, we only fool ourselves. This heart transformation is called being born again; we are made new creations. The old is no longer, and behold all things become new.

So here is the question.

Do you have head knowledge?

Or have you received the Gospel?

The answer to the question is critical.

Key Verse: Galatians 1:12

Galatians 2

Paul Accepted by the Apostles

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. ² I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. ³ But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. ⁴ Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— ⁵ to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. ⁶ And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. ⁷ On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised ⁸ (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), ⁹ and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. ¹⁰ Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

Paul Opposes Peter

¹¹ But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. ¹² For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. ¹³ And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. ¹⁴ But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?

Justified by Faith

¹⁵ We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; ¹⁶ yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

¹⁷ But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! ¹⁸ For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. ¹⁹ For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. ²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ²¹ I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

DAY 6

And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. Acts 15:12

Today we start Galatians, Chapter Two.

Paul continues his defense of the Gospel he preached, reaffirming that the Galatians have been led astray from the true Gospel. Paul here even testifies that the apostles Peter, James, and John agree that the Gospel Paul is teaching is the true Gospel.

So, what does that mean to us today?

Well, we are bombarded with variations of the Gospel. Take, for instance, how Love is defined. There is a teaching that God loves us. While that statement is true, however, most people run around in life and believe that since God loves us, that means God is okay with us to the point of us just staying the way we are, and all will be fine.

Well, the truth is God loves us, and Jesus showed the full extent of His love by taking the punishment for our sin and dying on the cross. He then rose again from the dead and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He is sitting because the sacrifice for our salvation is done, finished, and completed! But what MUST we do? Receive that free gift! The evidence of receiving that in faith in the fact that what He (Jesus) did that day, is sufficient.

That results in a changed heart, working from the inside out. It happens through repentance (turning away from sin), confession (agreeing that what God calls sin is sin), receiving forgiveness, then living in the freedom bought by the blood Jesus poured out on Calvary. It is living by the power of the Holy Spirit, who is now living inside you.

That is the greatest news ever!!!

What else do we get?

Well, if that is not enough in and of itself, we also get better promises, such as:

Entrance to the throne room of God himself! We can make our request known to Him who is alive, can change things, has eyes that truly see, has hands that truly move, and has a mouth that truly speaks.

He is able to do more than we ask or think. We can know His will, and we can pray according to that will in concert with the creator of all things. I could go on and on. I think you are getting the picture.

Study more about these promises. Then rejoice and be glad, then live in them.

Key Verse: Galatians 2:9

DAY 7

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. Galatians 2:11-12

Today we are in Galatians 2, verse 11, through the end of the chapter.

Here we see one of the most famous confrontations in scripture. The whole point is answering the question, do we have to keep the law of Moses to be saved?

We find a lot of points.

Leaders can lead others towards the truth or away from it, by their actions and words. Here it is by Peter's actions.

The purity of the Gospel is important.

Public sin, in this case, Peter's actions, lead to a public rebuke. Yes, in front of all who are affected by what was done. Not for shame, but for correction.

Being a Christian leader is not a place one should seek out. It should be given by the Lord. That is why it is so important that when churches seek out leaders that they do so prayerfully and look at their doctrine. Not their physical stature, or the power of their voice. Paul had none of these. However, he was endowed with the Holy Spirit to bring the Gospel to the known world.

Verses 20 and 21 say it all.

20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.

So, pray for your Christian leaders, and hold them accountable in Christian love and truth.

Key Verse: Galatians 2:20-21

Galatians 3

By Faith, or by Works of the Law?

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. ² Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? ³ Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? ⁴ Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? ⁵ Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— ⁶ just as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness?

⁷ Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. ⁸ And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, In you shall all the nations be blessed. ⁹ So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

¹⁰ For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them. ¹¹ Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for The righteous shall live by faith. ¹² But the law is not of faith, rather The one who does them shall live by them. ¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree— ¹⁴ so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

The Law and the Promise

¹⁵ To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. ¹⁶ Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, And to offsprings, referring to many, but referring to one, And to your offspring, who is Christ. ¹⁷ This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

¹⁹ Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. ²⁰ Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.

²¹ Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. ²² But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

²³ Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. ²⁴ So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵ But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, ²⁶ for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. ²⁷ For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

DAY 8

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask