GALATIANS

Chapter 1

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— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. Galatians 1:6-7 – That last phrase got me, “to distort the gospel of Christ.” Meaning to change it into something that it isn’t. As scary as that sounds, let’s look at it this way. The Gospel of Christ is so good that in order to make someone walk away from it someone would have to change, distort it, into something it’s not to make it be unattractive. That the only way to get people to not desire it is to make it out into something it’s not. Know the true Gospel we follow is rich and beautiful; something that even the strongest of opposers to the Christian faith can’t deny its value. Make sure that the Gospel you’re sharing with your words, and especially your actions, is the true one. If people are walking away from the Gospel, it’s not because the Gospel isn’t good enough. Let’s make sure the Gospel they are hearing is the true one. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 531

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. Galatians 1:22-24 – Here Paul speaks of the beginnings of his ministry life after Jesus revealed Himself to Paul on the road to Damascus. Not knowing the name of Paul for us today in the church would seem odd, but at this point the believers in Jesus just knew of Paul’s story. That there was a man who was pursuing and persecuting anyone who was a follower of Jesus, but because of a change God made in this man he now is preaching the message of the Gospel instead of trying to stop it. Paul’s story invigorated the churches and caused them to praise the Lord. Let this example be one to encourage a shift away from shame of your story to one of using it for God’s glory. Yes, you’re past may have been a messy one and as a result you are filled with shame. You’re a believer now, and God has rescued from that past, but you refuse to share that part of your story because of the shame attached to it. Please here this, there is no need to be filled with shame over the past that Jesus has saved you from. We all have sin in our story, we all have pasts, but those of us who now follow Jesus have been rescued from all that. What people in our world need to see is not a “perfect” Christian, but a redeemed people. The world needs to see that we too were once held captive by sin…but God. Jesus came into our story and made us whole, and He can do that for them to. Let them know your whole story so they can see that Jesus can save their whole story too. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2390

Chapter 2

I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. Galatians 2:21 – Christ died for no purpose. Wow, to say something like that Paul must have a good reason behind it, and surprise, he does. Paul was sharing that if somehow we could be righteous, to be good enough through our own actions to be with God, then what was the point of Jesus’ death. It would have served no purpose if we could have reached the state of perfection with God through our own deeds. Jesus’ death was not purposeless though. He died because it was impossible for us on our own to “good enough” to be with God. You can never reach God without Jesus. Take a moment today to thank God that He made a way for you to come to Him through Jesus. Without Jesus, we would have no hope, no joy, nothing. Yet now, we have everything in this life because of Jesus. Remember that. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 532

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. Galatians 2:12-13 – Paul here is speaking of Peter and a mistake that Peter was making in how he was handling himself around certain people. Peter, being free from the Jewish law because of the salvation of Jesus, would eat with Gentiles, which was a perfectly acceptable practice. Yet, when certain Jews came around, Peter would separate himself from the Gentiles, refusing to eat with them because according the Jewish law that’s not something you are allowed to do. Rather than resting in the freedom that Jesus gives, Peter was placing himself back under the law due to fear of what the Jewish people may think of him. As a result of this he led many other believers in Jesus to do the same, even Barnabas, Paul’s companion, began to follow Peter’s lead in this sin. As we grow and mature in Christ, and especially when we begin to take leadership roles within the body of Christ, we must acknowledge the truth that we will have people watching our lives and following the example of how we live for Jesus. They will base how they talk by how we talk, and they will begin to live like we live. Which isn’t a sinful thing for them to do, as long as the one they are following, aka you and me, are following the example of Jesus. Let’s then make every effort to match the life of Jesus with how we live. Let’s love like He loves, talk like He would have us talk, and live in a way that follows the example He left for us. So when someone younger in the faith begins to follow our lead, the example they are truly following is Jesus’. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2391

Chapter 3

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. Galatians 3:19 – This passage asks a big question, why have the law? What was the point of the law before Christ’s death and resurrection and now after? The law was placed to open our eyes to sin and the havoc it brings within our life with God. The law shows us that we aren’t able to make it to God on our own because of that sin. The law opens ours eyes to the fact we need a Savior. My encouragement to you is don’t get confused with all the rules you see in the law that Paul is speaking of. One because that promise was not meant for us because we have a new promise through Jesus, but also that law was just here to show the need for Jesus to come. The law never was meant to be a means of making us right, it was just a tool God used to open our eyes to the fact that we needed Him. Just remember following the rules doesn’t make you righteous, only faith in Jesus will do that. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 533

Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Galatians 3:2 – Paul begins this chapter with a pointed question to address a way of belief that was plaguing the Galatian church. Something that was common in the early church, and even in the church of today, was this belief that obedience to the laws of God added to our salvation and was essential if we really wanted to be saved and given all that comes with salvation. Paul askes the people did they receive the Spirit (meaning the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of sins) by doing the works of the law or by having faith in Jesus? The rest of the chapter then Paul uses to show how an obedience to the law cannot, and never has been, our source of salvation. It’s only through the sacrifice of Jesus and our faith in Him that we are given the Spirit and find salvation. Today you may not have woken up believing that in order for you to be saved you must follow all the Jewish law like we see in our chapter, but maybe there has been a bent towards believing you have a part to play in your salvation. That if I don’t do everything right or say everything right then I’ll disappoint God and lose standing with Him. That if I don’t give or go to church or don’t serve or don’t ____, then somehow my relationship with God will change and I may even lose my salvation. Paul teaches here that this beautiful salvation we have isn’t at all based on our actions or deeds but solely given by Jesus through our faith in Him. Find comfort today knowing that the eternal life you desperately need is taken care of completely by the actions of Jesus and is not on you to earn. We are given the Spirit, set free from our sin debt, promised Heaven, and brought close to the Father by faith in Jesus alone. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2392

Chapter 4

So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Galatians 4:7 – It’s graduation season and what we are going to be seeing is students going from being a high schooler to being a graduate. This summer though would any of those graduated seniors still refer to themselves as high schoolers? No, because that’s not what they are anymore. If someone is getting married they become a wife or husband. After the wedding would they refer to themselves as single? I sure hope not because that’s not who they are anymore. So is it with you and God. When we step into a relationship with Him we no longer are slaves to sin and the law, but are sons and daughters of His. Begin referring to yourself as what you are. Because of Christ in your life, you’re not some worthless sinner like the enemy leads you to believe. You are a perfected, forgiven, loved by God saint and child in His eyes. Live out the right label. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 534

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? Galatians 4:8-9 – Paul, in his own words within verse 20, is “perplexed” about the Galatian church. Like all people are before following Jesus, the church here was “enslaved to those that by nature are not gods,” meaning they were following and held captive by things not God. For this church, it was Jewish law. Jewish law couldn’t save them and could grant them eternal life, but they were following the law and enslaved by it because they thought it was their means of salvation. Now though, after coming to know the truth of the gospel and that only Jesus can save, this church SHOULD have let go the things they were trusting in before they started following Jesus, but clearly they didn’t. They still held fast to the law and trusted in the law for their salvation. This perplexed Paul, for how could someone turn back to something weak and worthless as things of this world when they have Jesus right in front of them. I don’t know exactly what used to have your heart before you started following Jesus. I also don’t know how the enemy is seeking to deceive you and lure you today away from following Jesus. However that may be happening in your story, keep those two words in mind that Paul uses to describe such things…weak and worthless. They cannot help you, sustain you, nor grant you life. That can only be found in Jesus. If there is going to be a turning in your life, make a turn to a more steadfast following of the only one who is worthy. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2393

Chapter 5

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13 – This freedom we have is from the rules and enslavement of the law. What Paul is speaking against is the very thing that many people begin to think when they hear you are free from the rules which is “now I can do whatever I want!” Paul desires us to see ourselves as free, but not to use that freedom to do things that hurt others and hurts our walk with God. We have a new reason now for living right. Not to keep up some rule book, but because we love God and others. So today, ask yourself why are you choosing to live the way you are? Is it because you feel like you have to in order to keep good with God? Or is it because you love God and want to live a life that’s pleasing to Him and encourages growth with Him and others? Learn from today’s passage you’re free from the love of following the rules to be good with God. You’re already and always will be good with God if you’ve accepted His forgiveness. Now live a life that demonstrates you love God and are grateful for His love. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 535

A little leaven leavens the whole lump. Galatians 5:9 – We who live the day of bread you can buy pre-sliced and bagged at the grocery store may not feel this verse as deeply as those who heard it back in Paul’s day. They understood the work of leaven in bread making and how effective it was. Leaven is the ingredient that when added to a bread mixture causes the bread to rise when cooked. Even just a little leaven worked into the mixture will cause the entire loaf to rise. You can’t just add leaven to one part of the mixture and expect to see just that part effected. For Paul, the leaven he was speaking of to the church was accepting certain Jewish practices as still law in their story for salvation. Paul is directing them that their adding to the requirement to salvation was like adding leaven to a bread mixture. It’s going to affect everything, and in their case, ruin everything. By adding obedience to the law to their means of salvation they were making Christ’s sacrifice invalid and worthless, and their salvation a fraud. It is only by the forgiveness of Jesus and our faith in Him that we can be saved. What then has been your leaven? What have you added in your walk with the Lord that you do because you feel it is making you more righteous before the Lord? Examples could be church attendance, giving to the church, or serving the community. All holy and right things to do, yet when the heart behind why we do them is “earning” our righteousness with God, they have suddenly moved from holy to leaven. Let’s make sure we settle that its by faith alone our salvation is guaranteed and our actions of faithfulness are done out of gratitude for the salvation we have been given, not to somehow add our own efforts in to earning it. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2394

Chapter 6

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 – I find myself loving this verse and being very frustrated with it at the same time (I think that’s alright). See I love the hope that it brings that in time all this we’re going through now will be over and it will be all worth it when the blessing comes. That’s really what we should focus on, but I keep getting frustrated with the fact I have to wait till this season is over to taste that blessing. If your like me in this, take this idea to heart. God knows your frustration. He isn’t oblivious to the season you’re in right now. With everyday you stay in this season it’s shaping you to be ready for the next season. There is purpose in the length of this season right now. Maybe that purpose is to grow you, or maybe it’s actually for someone else. That’s all up to God, just know He sees you and His promises are worth enduring for. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 536

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 – Imagine you are walking into church one day and you see another person also walking into church, but they have their arms loaded with supplies they are carrying in. So many supplies in fact that they are struggling to balance it all as they walk. What would you most likely do? You would run over and seek to assist them in carrying in their supplies. This is the image here we ought to think of when relating this verse to our story. For we are all “carrying supplies” somehow in this life. One may have a calling to some ministry. Another may have a difficulty in their family life. Another may have a sin struggle that they have navigated for years. Those of us then who are seeking to follow after Jesus should seek how we can help carry their load. This may look like volunteering in that particular ministry to help them accomplish everything needed. This may look like holding someone accountable and checking in periodically on how they are doing with their sin struggle. It may be as simple as offering some time to sit and have coffee with someone to listen to all that’s on their heart. As believers in Jesus, we have a Savior who has stepped into our story and bore all our sin and is our ever present help in our times of need. Let’s seek to follow the example of our Savior by seeking out how we can offer a helping hand with the load others are carrying. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2395