The Daily Devo by Vince Miller

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. — Galatians 2:11 CALL OUT: Call out today to Joey Johnson from Woodbury, MN, who is leading a group using our easy-to-use resource 30 Men Who Lived With Conviction. Antioch is an essential city during Paul's time. Today, this is Antakiya, located in Turkey. However, during the Roman Empire, Antioch was the third largest city in the empire, with about half a million people. It was the capital city of Syria and was known as the "Rome of the East,” furnished with theaters, aqueducts, public baths, a great basilica, and a famous colonnaded main street adorned with marble pavement and vaulted stone roofs. Antioch was also ground zero for Paul and his apostolic ministry to the Gentiles. It played a crucial role in Paul's ministry for several reasons. First, it served as a base for his missionary journeys, launching him into diverse regions with the gospel message. Second, its cosmopolitan nature made it an ideal location for financially supporting the advancement of the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles. Third, the Antioch church's early acceptance of Gentile believers affirmed Paul's mission as the apostle to the Gentiles. Fourth, the church is also willing to wrestle with theological issues, leading to the Jerusalem Council's decision affirming salvation by grace through faith. Fifth, Paul's collaborative efforts with Antioch's leaders, such as Barnabas and Silas, strengthened his ministry and provided mutual support. Overall, the Antioch church served as a pivotal "northern hub" for the Gospel to the Roman Empire. Knowing this context, Peter visits Antioch, and we will explore the confrontation here in the coming verses. For now, I would like you to take note of the moment here. Peter, the man identified as a "pillar" of the Jerusalem Church, meets with Paul, the Antioch Church's pillar. The setup here sounds like a weigh-in between two prize fighters coming face-to-face with each other. But remember, these two men don't hate each other; they are brothers challenging one another for the purpose and preservation of the Gospel. When believers love one another, love the Gospel truth, and love Jesus, they know how to do this. They know how to get in each other's faces. They know when to do it, how to do it, and why they do it. Paul does it here because he knows that if it is left unaddressed, it will harm the Gospel. Clearly, it did because Paul had to deal with the issue again by writing this letter. Which leads us to a critical application. If you know a believer doing something wrong and needs to be corrected, why aren't you doing or saying something about it? If you don't, the issue could get so out of hand that it might become irreconcilable. #GospelPreservation #BrotherlyConfrontation #ChurchLeadership #AccountabilityMatters #PaulandPeter ASK THIS: Reflect on a time when you witnessed a fellow believer engaging in behavior contrary to the Gospel. Did you address it, and if not, what held you back? How can you approach similar situations differently in the future? Consider the importance of accountability in your Christian community. How can you cultivate an environment where loving confrontation is embraced for the sake of preserving the truth of the Gospel? DO THIS: Who do you need to confront? PRAY THIS: Lord, grant me the courage and wisdom to lovingly confront my brothers and sisters in Christ when their actions stray from Your truth, knowing that by doing so, we can uphold the integrity of the Gospel and strengthen our bonds as a community. Help me to always prioritize the preservation of Your Word above personal comfort or convenience. Amen. PLAY THIS: God Help Me.

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. Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. — Galatians 2:9-10 CALL OUT: Call out today to Jim from Dayton, IA, a friend of Steve Pinkley, the Director at Hidden Acres Camp. I was pumped to hear you shared your testimony, and you mentioned "All In" numerous times. The three men mentioned are the inner circle of Jesus. Paul calls them those "who seemed to be pillars," which sounds a little derogatory even though Paul never contested it. We have to assume there was a slight veneration of these men, given the time they spent with Jesus and how others perceived them. Paul was sensitive to this type of public veneration. In Galatians 5, he states: If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. — Galatians 5:25-26 Paul understood that veneration of any kind, real or perceived, could lead believers to spiritual missteps. Elevating a leader has the potential to instigate arrogance and jealousy, which can persuade a spiritual leader to get out of step with the Spirit and have an unintended effect on followers. But this meeting was not about the decision of a triad of venerated individuals deciding for Paul and Barnabas. Paul does not want this meeting to be perceived that way. Instead, this meeting was a debate about the true nature of the Gospel as declared by Jesus, which, in my opinion, the triad (including Peter) was representing wrongly, and Paul and Barnabas represented rightly. Again, perceptions are powerful. What we think about ourselves and what others think about us have the power to direct or misdirect. Spiritual leaders are responsible for stewarding this by doing two things well—remaining in step with the Spirit and directing all glory to God. Remember, when others stand you on a pillar, say to yourself: It ain't about me. It's all about He. #SpiritualLeadership #HumilityInLeadership #GalatiansInsights #InnerCircleFaith #GloryToGod ASK THIS: How can we ensure that our admiration for spiritual leaders remains grounded in humility and does not lead to idolization or division within the community? In what ways can we actively redirect any praise or recognition we receive towards God, acknowledging that all glory ultimately belongs to Him? DO THIS: Say this one time today: It ain't about me. It's all about He. PRAY THIS: Father, help me to walk in humility, recognizing that any leadership role I may have is a gift from You and an opportunity to serve others. May Your Spirit guide me to always direct glory back to You, keeping my focus on Your will and Your kingdom. Amen. PLAY THIS: I Speak Jesus.

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 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), — Galatians 2:7-8 CALL OUT: Call out today to Brian Lydick from Belpre, Ohio. Thank you for sharing your testimony and God's divine intervention in your wife's life. Paul's point here is very positive. It is that they, Paul and Peter, are two men preaching the same Gospel called to two different spheres of influence by one Spirit as agreed upon in the meeting at Jerusalem. Paul is advocating for unity in the Gospel by the Spirit. Not a unity that ignores heresy or apostasy. A unity of effort that is true to the Gospel message that invites the one Spirit to reach many different people. This accentuates the point that, as believers, we need to try to work out our faith together. God gave us life. We are redeemed by Jesus. The Holy Spirit sustains us all. He gave us one message and one Gospel. Therefore, we have an obligation to work out his life together with others, even if it's hard. In light of everything our Trinitarian God has done for us, we, too, should reflect his unity, even though we have differing spheres of influence. This means I should celebrate and support what God is doing in other believers, churches, and ministries that align with God's message, God's Son, and God's Spirit. So, if this is you today, here is my prayer for you: God, you have so many God-fearing, Gospel-centered, Spirit-led ministries in this world today. Each is doing your work for your glory. Today, I ask for your blessing on all of them. Today, as we are led by your Spirit, I ask that you do a mighty work in us together. Amen. #UnityInTheSpirit #EmbracingDiversity #OneGospelManyCallings #CelebratingGodsWork #SpiritLedMinistries ASK THIS: How can we actively support and celebrate the work of other believers, churches, and ministries that align with the Gospel message, even if their spheres of influence differ from ours? In what practical ways can we demonstrate unity amidst diversity within the body of Christ, ensuring that our efforts reflect the message of God's love and redemption to the world? DO THIS: Pray for unity in the Gospel. PRAY THIS: Father, thank You for the diverse ways Your Spirit moves among believers, uniting us in purpose despite our different callings. Help me to actively support and celebrate Your work in others, reflecting Your unity and love to the world. Amen. PLAY THIS: Together.

To them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 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. — Galatians 2:5-6 CALL OUT: Call out today to 8 Men Baptized in Big Sandy, MN. I am excited about your big step to proclaim your new life in Christ. In conflict, we have choices, don't we? There is that moment of pause where we have the option to confront or dismiss. For example, I can recount many moments in "discussions" with my wife when I have a split second to decide whether I confront a particular issue or let it go. The issue is discerning which battle to fight and how vigorously I want to fight it. Have you been here? Maybe you're in the middle of a moment just like this today. This is the same decision Paul had to make regarding this issue. He had to make a choice. Was he going to dismiss the issue and build stronger alliances and allegiances with the influential leaders in the Jerusalem church and the originating apostles? Or was the matter at hand worth confronting and critical to stand against? In this case, Paul weighed the options. He weighed the threat's level, the message's value, and the importance of spiritual freedom for believers and decided that it was worth the fight and even his reputation. Therefore, he went all in. But Paul never perceived the vigor with which he would oppose the false teachers as a move to win an argument for himself. He knew what he believed and understood the Gospel message was justified by Christ and received by faith and not other addition to this Gospel. Yet he was going to fight vigorously for the faith and freedom of others because he understood that one wrong theological move would precipitate another until, one day, the Gospel was no longer the Gospel at all. In life, we will often face similar dilemmas: Ethical Dilemmas: Do we confront an ethical issue or overlook it? Conflict Dilemmas: Do we address the deeper issues or let them go? Injustice Dilemmas: Do we speak up to protect the rights of another, or do we take a pass? Authority Dilemmas: Do we challenge the actions of authorities whose policies and procedures conflict with our own? It's tough to know what to do sometimes, but if you have assessed the threat,the value of the message, prioritized freedom, and are willing to risk your reputation, then it's much easier to know when it's time to take a stand. #ConflictResolution #StandFirm #CourageousChoices #FaithfulDecisions #EthicalDilemmas ASK THIS: Reflecting on your own experiences, recall a time when you had to decide whether to confront a difficult situation or let it go. How did you approach that decision, and what were the outcomes? Consider a current conflict or ethical dilemma you're facing. How can the principles discussed in this devotional guide your decision-making process? What steps can you take to ensure that your response aligns with your values and priorities? DO THIS: Assess, value, prioritize, and risk it. PRAY THIS: God, grant me the wisdom to discern when to stand firm in confronting conflicts and when to extend grace in letting them go, all while prioritizing the values of truth, justice, and love in my actions. Amen. PLAY THIS: I Will Trust You.

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 — Galatians 2:4 CALL OUT: Call out today to Derrick Bressel and the team from Fresno, CA. Thanks for your friendship and partnership in the Gospel. If you think woke theology in the church is a new problem, well, you're wrong. Paul is writing this letter because false teachers in his day were sneaking in their own version of woke theology. I love the metaphor Paul uses here. He describes these false teachers as "spies" who have "slipped in" and "secretly" operate by dropping in misinformation for "enslaving" Gospel-believing people. This metaphor is so potent because it highlights the problem and the purpose of woke theology. The problem with woke theology is that it sounds like the truth, yet it only contains shreds of truth. Yet it has just enough shreds of the truth that it's pretty presentable and persuasive. It seems reasonable, even though it's not. The purpose of woke theology is to entrap and enslave. It has an ulterior motive with an oppressive end. If surrendered to, it becomes clear that its purpose is submission to ideas that submit people to behaviors and oppressive people with a selfish agenda in mind. The easiest way to detect a spy who has slipped in and secretly plans to enslave is to know the true Gospel. It's to know the Gospel message of Christ that leads to freedom. You must understand it so well that even a hint of untruth mixed with the Gospel truth will alert your heart, mind, and soul. But to know it this well, you need to read, experience, and live it so that when it comes time to detect it, you will know how to respond. And this is why starting our days here together is essential. Each time we do, we are renewing and retraining our minds to the only truth—the Gospel truth. #GuardTheGospel #WokeTheologyAlert #FreedomInChrist #DetectDeception #RenewYourMind ASK THIS: How can we actively guard ourselves against the infiltration of false teachings, like woke theology, while remaining open-hearted and loving towards others? In what ways can we deepen our understanding of the true Gospel message in order to better discern between truth and deception in today's cultural and theological landscape? DO THIS: Know the Gospel better. PRAY THIS: Father, grant me wisdom and discernment to recognize and resist the subtle traps of false teachings, so that I may stand firm in the truth of Your Gospel and experience the freedom You offer. Help me to continually renew my mind in Your Word, strengthening my resolve to follow You faithfully each day. Amen. PLAY THIS: Surely.

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. But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. — Galatians 2:2-3 CALL OUT: Shout out today to Luke McKinnon and the team from David C. Cook. Thanks for your friendship and partnership in the gospel with this new series. I am excited to tell people about it. We have all had moments in life when we have questioned ourselves. These moments force us into self-examination, where we look back or forward at the decisions we have made or will have to make. Sometimes, we can get stuck here in indecision because of uncertainty, which is usually determined by the potential severity of the decision. This is what Paul is doing here. The man we know as a strong, confident, and determined representative of Jesus exposes a moment of vulnerability. He tells us in his own way that he wanted to make sure that over the last 14 years, his call to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles was not an effort that was out of line with the will of God. So, he consulted two people: First, he consulted God. He presented his concerns to God, and then, by divine revelation, God nudged him to speak to those who were "pillars of leadership" in the church community. This meant a trip to Jerusalem, a city with people who were not very welcoming to Paul since he was considered a Jewish sell-out. Second, he consulted other "influential" Christian leaders. This would have been people like Peter—disciples who walked with Jesus during his life and ministry. Sometimes, men fail to take the steps Paul did here and get themselves into a real mess. Men are socially conditioned to believe that being masculine or strong is to be independent and self-reliant. Therefore, in these moments of self-examination, men rarely play their cards. They hold their hand close, bluffing and talking a big game. Sometimes, it works, and if it does, they will do it again and again, reinforcing the independent and self-reliant bluff upon which they have built their masculinity. We see here Paul doesn't do this. He plays his cards. He puts his message and efforts to the test. He exposes his concerns. He trusts God's prompting. He even puts his life at risk by returning to Jerusalem. All to ensure that he is doing and saying the right thing as a representative of the message of God. These are the strong spiritual men and leaders we need today. Strong men are willing to submit their hearts, desires, and intentions to God and push themselves to test every decision and action to ensure it's mission-centered. So today, build true masculine strength. If you are uncertain of the action you need to take, stop being so self-reliant. Rely on God through prayer and Scripture and then consult another wise Christian man. Play your cards before them, get Godly counsel, and make a wiser decision that will pay dividends in the future. Because Paul took these steps, they became strong evidence for his case to the Galatian churches about the absolute certainty of his Gospel. These steps of vulnerability became his Gospel strength. #GospelValidation #SpiritualIntegrity #ConsultingGod #MasculineStrength #DivineGuidance ASK THIS: How can you emulate Paul's willingness to seek confirmation and validation for your own decisions and actions in life? Reflecting on your recent decisions, in what areas of your life do you tend to rely more on self-reliance rather than seeking divine guidance and wise counsel from others? DO THIS: Seek God and counsel. PRAY THIS: Lord, grant me the courage to seek validation and confirmation in my decisions, just as Paul did, and guide me to rely on Your wisdom and the counsel of fellow believers. Help me to embrace vulnerability as a pathway to strength and to trust in Your perfect plan for my life. Amen. PLAY THIS: Altogether Good.

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. — Galatians 2:1 CALL OUT: Shout out today to Dave Mergens from Alexandria, MN. Thanks for your friendship, brother; I love you. So, in this chapter, Paul presents his case like a well-prepared religious lawyer. His move is to establish his defense, timing, and, first, his witnesses—Barnabas, Titus, and himself. So, who are these men? Barnabas, a Jew, was a well-known founding member of the early church on Pentecost. He provided the initial financing and encouragement for the expansion of the church (Acts 4:36-37). Titus, on the other hand, is a Greek. He is a new Gentile believer, which Paul presents as Exhibit A (Galatians 2:3). Then there is Paul himself, a Jew of the highest order, educated by the greatest teachers of his time and legally trained for theological debate. We might be tempted to read over verse one like it's inconsequential information, but it's not. Paul is about to present the testimonies of three giants: an inaugural investor, a Gentile turned believer, and a theological-trained opponent. Their trifold presentation will be ironclad, turning the tide against any addition to the message of the Gospel and restoring the purity of its grace and freedom. You can read the account of this in Acts 15, which is called the Jerusalem Council. The Gospel message is powerful. It has the unique ability to unite people from different classes and cultures. However, it doesn't do this by blending current cultures or classes. It is not a human work. It's a supernatural work that happens in a believer's soul by faith in the life, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus. And there is no other message like this. It is a message that, when believed, will affect and free the human soul. And when it does, it unites people for a sole mission who will sacrifice anything for the goodness of its news. So here's my question for you today. Is the Gospel affecting you? Is it affecting your soul to the point that daily, it's impacting how you think, feel, act, and speak? So much so that it's worth defending and making a long trip with three buds to defend its honor so that others will know Jesus and the true Gospel message? #DefendingTheGospel #UnityInFaith #GospelFreedom #TestimoniesOfGiants #FaithfulFriendship ASK THIS: How can we emulate the dedication and unity displayed by Barnabas, Titus, and Paul in defending the Gospel in our own lives and communities today? Reflecting on your own journey of faith, how has the Gospel message impacted your thoughts, actions, and relationships? How can you further allow its transformative power to influence your daily life? DO THIS: Do something that manifests the Gospel's work in you today. PRAY THIS: Father, thank You for the powerful message of the Gospel that unites us across cultures and generations. Help me to be steadfast in defending its truth and living out its transformative power in my daily life. Amen. PLAY THIS: My Defender.

Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God because of me. — Galatians 1:21-24 CALL OUT: Shout out today to Alan Rasmussen from Adell, WI. Thanks for signing up for our leadership training in Florida, and we hope this will be a blessing to you, your men, and your church. There are three ways Paul describes his conversion here: Unknown. Radical. Glorifying. Everyone's conversion experience is a little different. For some of us, it was more like Paul's, an unknown and radical confrontation by Jesus on the road to persecute his people. But for others, our conversion was a little more known and less radical. Either way, the end goal is always the same—the glorification of God in a believer. For those of you with a conversion experience more like Paul, you need to know you will have a lot of hard work to do. Paul was such an ardent persecutor of Christians that he was going to have to work longer and harder than others to find acceptance in the believing community. These years would add a decade of rethinking, relearning, and rebuilding trust with many in the believing community. As you will see in the next verse (Galatians 2:1), it would take between 3 and 14 years before believers trusted him, and before he could speak to the leadership in Jerusalem again. That's a long road of rebuilding. It is easy to miss this in Paul's story. While he was forgiven and justified immediately by the grace of God, there were still natural consequences of his past actions, whom he had forever injured, imprisoned, flogged, and even killed by his authority. Some people want to dismiss these natural consequences. We hope that the faith community will forgive and extend grace the same way God does, but this is not always the case. People wounded by the consequences of our sins don't always forgive and trust as quickly as we want, which is a justifiable concern. But given time and faithful obedience, those we have hurt and harmed will know our unknown testimony and witness our radical transformation, and God is glorified through us. This glory results in great rejoicing. It's the radical transformation of a soul opposed to Jesus who now proclaims him. So, if you live in the shadows of a long, scarred past, hold fast to the unwavering grace of God. Persist in rebuilding trust with your community of faith. For in your perseverance, like the perseverance of Jesus, God's glory radiates ever brighter within you and testifies to his unending grace. #ConversionJourney #GraceUponGrace #RadicalTransformation #ForgivenessAndFaith #GlorifyGod ASK THIS: Reflecting on Paul's journey from persecutor to preacher, how does his story challenge your understanding of God's grace and forgiveness in your own life? Considering the time it took for Paul to rebuild trust within the believing community, what steps can you take to actively cultivate trust and reconciliation in relationships where you may have caused harm or hurt in the past? DO THIS: Do the hard work of enduring in the grace that Jesus endured for you. PRAY THIS: Father, thank you for your boundless grace that transforms even the most hardened hearts into vessels of your love and redemption. Grant me the strength and patience to faithfully walk the path of reconciliation and trust-building in the wake of my past mistakes, all for the glory of your name. Amen. PLAY THIS: Call It Grace.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) — Galatians 1:18-20 CALL OUT: Shout out today to Phil Clarke from Tinley Park, IL. Thanks for sending our devotionals to your 20 men every day. I hope they start some great discussions for you! Let me clarify what Paul is doing in these verses. He is stating by a solemn oath that the message of the Gospel stands alone. It was and always is substantiated by Jesus Christ. Therefore, his testimony about Jesus Christ and the Gospel is not built on another man, including Peter, James, or even himself. You see, by the time Paul wrote this letter, Peter was being revered as one of the primary leaders in the Church. Peter was a Jew by birth, followed Jesus during his entire ministry, and was a part of Jesus's inner circle. After Jesus's return to heaven, he became one of the leaders in the church in Jerusalem and one of the lead spokespersons for the faith. However, as we will see in Galatians 2, this veneration eventually went to his head. Many of these Judaizers were a derivative of a drift that stemmed from small compromises that Peter had made. We will see that it was a drift fueled by Jewish pressures, long-standing customs, and his popularity that eventually altered the Gospel message. In light of this, Paul was going to challenge him. So, let's recall a possible timeline here so you can see the point Paul is trying to make. And remember, much of this is difficult to date accurately: Jesus ministry. (30-33 A.D.) Disciples called, including Peter. (30 A.D.) Jesus crucified. (April 3, 33 A.D.) Jesus raised. (April 5, 33 A.D.) Peter reinstated. (33 A.D.) Jesus Ascension. (33 A.D.) Paul on Damascus Road. (4-6 years later) Paul in Arabia. (3 years) Paul and Peter meet for the first time. (7-9 years after the Ascension) So again, Paul is clarifying that the Gospel he received was not from man or even Peter (Galatians 1:1). He is not preaching to win a popularity contest with Peter and gain followers for himself (Galatians 1:10). He is the direct recipient of the Gospel by revelation through Jesus (Galatians 1:12). Then he spent 7-9 years away from Jerusalem, Peter, and all the other disciples discovering the Gospel and honing his call. Then came the day that Paul finally met Peter. They spent 15 days together in Jerusalem, no doubt discussing Jesus, his life, and ministry. And I am sure Paul shared his revelation as well. I wish we had video footage of these 15 days. Here's the application. Every believer is going to go through stages of faith development. Stages that take us from believing in a person who conveys the Gospel to believing in the person who originated the Gospel. And it's easy to tell these people apart. The former are people who talk about popular teachers like Matt Chandler, Andy Stanley, or Steven Furtick's latest series. They are overly attached to a teacher, like Peter or Paul, rather than being attached to The Teacher. And this is not always necessarily bad. It's just a stage of our faith development, one where some get stuck and never mature past. And this is what Paul is very concerned about here. He wants the Galatians to find life from the Gospel message as preached by The Teacher rather than a teacher. And through chapter one, Paul declares how he matures through these stages himself. Stage One | Encountering His Truth(Galatians 1:1-5) Stage Two | Believing His Message(Galatians 1:6-12) Stage Three | Relearning His Way(Galatians 1:13-17) Stage Four | Owning His Call(Galatians 1:18-24) Each of these stages is necessary. Each molds and shapes us. Each takes time, sometimes years. And many never get to the final stage. They never own the call because they have never entirely discovered the Gospel message for themselves: encountering, believing, and relearning Jesus to the point they own the unique call he has for them. If you feel stuck in your spiritual development today. This could be the issue. And if that is you, let me pray for you today. Father, there is a believer on the other side of this devotional who feels stuck. They need liberation that only you can provide. Help them see where they are stuck. Stuck in disbelief, dependence, or deeds of sin. Provide a path for them to mature in their faith. Reveal any untruth holding them back, and then immediately reveal the truth to them by your Holy Spirit. Amen. If you need additional prayer, let us know right here: https://beresolute.org/prayer-wall/ #GospelTruth #FaithDevelopment #SpiritualGrowth #OwnYourCall #BreakthroughPrayer ASK THIS: How can we ensure that our faith journey progresses beyond simply following popular teachers or figures to deeply encountering and owning the message of Christ ourselves? Reflecting on Paul's journey from encountering truth to owning his call, what steps can we take today to move further along our own spiritual growth path and truly embrace the unique call that Christ has for each of us? DO THIS: Do what is needed today to mature in your faith. PRAY THIS: Lord, guide me in my spiritual journey, helping me to move beyond dependency on others to truly owning the message of Christ in my life. Empower me to grow in faith, embracing the unique call You have for me, as I seek to encounter, believe, and live out Your truth each day. Amen. PLAY THIS: Grow.

But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, 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; 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. — Galatians 1:15-17 CALL OUT: Shout out today to Chris DeBoer from Peachtree City, GA. Thanks for your partnership with the ministry here. There are a couple of items here worth our attention. First, Paul views his validity as a communicator of the Gospel as substantiated 1) by God's decision and 2) by God's grace. This means Paul's view of his calling as a communicator was something detached from the usual career path. It was not substantiated by the typical process—heritage, training, education, or endorsement. In other words, his resume was awful, making him the most undesirable candidate ever. Yet God had different plans for him Second, after his conversion, Paul went away for a while. He retreated to Arabia for a few years. There are a lot of opinions about where Paul resided during this time. Still, some speculate he went to Mount Sinai in Arabia, given his reference in Galatians 4:25, which would be an interesting place to retreat given the material and references to Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar and their two children Isaac and Ishmael. The bottom line is that he spent three years away after his conversion in Damascus, rediscovering the message of the Gospel through the lens of Jesus. Here's the application today. Some of you are new believers whose disordered lives have been reordered by Jesus. With this comes all kinds of excitement, but it will also take some time for you to relearn some things. Your life story was like a book with the pages all out of order, making no sense. Meeting Jesus is like someone coming along and rearranging the pages so the story flows coherently. But now, you're still adjusting to this new narrative and figuring out how to live it out. And so you need to give it time. Here, Paul needed at least three years to relearn completely. To reread the ancient Scripture. To understand Jesus as the Messiah. To discover the faith of Abraham. To rediscover the purpose of the law. To see everything through the lens of Jesus and his life, teachings, death, and resurrection from the dead. So give it time. Three years is a good time frame. There are also some of you who are believers who have received Salvation but have failed to see your story the way God sees your story. You live imprisoned to regret, not in the freedom of God's grace. You replay the tapes of your sin rather than seeing God's glory in your story. Paul's testimony here should encourage you. After these three years, Paul realized that his old story made God's grace and plan for him greater. And he was compelled to teach it and preach it. And those of you who have received salvation and dwell on sin and have not seen the greater story of grace and glory through you—you are missing out. You need to mature beyond a natural state and see the supernatural reality of what God is doing in and through you. This means you need to get out there, preach, and teach it. And suppose you don't know how to do this. In that case, you need to find a mature believer to come alongside you and guide you into understanding through the Scriptures, like these here, how your salvation is a rebirth of you that should lead to a new manifestation of who you are and how you live. Let me pray: God, I pray that the people reading today will see their life through your grace. I pray this will guide them into a new understanding of who you are and who they are. It will also launch them into a new season of teaching and leadership that transcends all earthly measures and metrics. Use the believer receiving this prayer to influence their family, workplace, church, and world in new ways because of your powerful grace. Amen. #DivineCalling #GraceRevealed #JourneyOfFaith #RediscoverTheGospel #LivingInGrace ASK THIS: How can Paul's experience of spending time in solitude and reflection after his conversion inspire us to prioritize moments of retreat and quiet contemplation in our own lives? In what ways can we shift our perspective from dwelling on past regrets to embracing the greater story of grace and redemption that God is writing in our lives? DO THIS: Live in the new story of your grace. PRAY THIS: Lord, guide me to see my life through the lens of your grace, empowering me to embrace the journey of rediscovery and transformation, so I may boldly share your love and truth with others. Amen. PLAY THIS: Call It Grace.

For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 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. — Galatians 1:13-14 CALL OUT: Shout out today to Bruce Bald from New Richmond, WI. Thanks for your partnership with the ministry here. And you should know I know the guy who owns the race track in your town, Brad Both. I have raced that clay track a few times, and they have the best fireworks show in the area. There are many of you reading this today who know exactly what Paul is getting after here. He was a man marked by his past passions and pursuits. Paul even notes that his pursuits were so passionate they led to personal advancement at the persecution of others. And we read here that Paul greatly regretted this. But here (and throughout the letter), you will see that Paul will leverage these past regrets. This is a strategic move. He will use his past life and its passions and pursuits to illustrate the end that is in store for anyone who buys into the legalism being taught by these Judaizers. This is a good reminder for believers who are weighed down by guilt and shame. It's a reminder that in due time, events and issues formerly a stronghold and a part of your old story can be redeemed by God and used for his glory and greatness. Your former regrets can become powerful testimonies used to warn others of the wrongs we have done and former ways we used to walk. So if you are weighed down by shame and regret, let me encourage you today: seek forgiveness, discover grace, work through the shame, and then lay hold of the victory claimed in Jesus over those past sins, regrets, and shame and use them as a force against the enemy to warn others who are about to walk the same path that you once did. So, let me address a segment of the people reading today. Some of you have cycled on the mistakes of the past for too long. You waded around in shame and regret, believing that doing so is a form of ongoing penance. But it's not penance; it's an attempt to draw attention to yourself by self-degradation. You have to stop doing that. Choosing to cycle on shame to draw attention to yourself so that in your sorrow, others will feel sorry for you is a false display of humility. It's a manifestation of arrogance, and it does not promote healing. It's time for you to grab a hold of the victory already claimed for you in Jesus Christ. Jesus bore your shame on the Cross so you could live shamelessly. He rose from the dead to give you victory, so live in victory. Once you know this and understand this, it is easier to look back at our past not only with shame but in celebration through the lens of the Cross on which Christ redeemed us from who we were to who he made us to be, which is precisely what Paul is referencing here. Jesus, I want to pray for every believer today who lives in perpetual cycles of guilt, shame, and regret. Help them to see their life through the Cross and Resurrection. First, help them to see how your life on the Cross bore their shame. Second, enable them to believe that your resurrection from the dead gives them hope, healing, and new life. May they live in new and resurrected life today and see the old as gone and the new as come. Amen. #RedeemedByGrace #FromRegretToVictory #BreakFreeFromShame #NewLifeInChrist #EmbraceForgiveness ASK THIS: Reflect on a past mistake or regret that you've struggled to let go of. How might embracing God's forgiveness and grace help you move forward from that experience? Consider someone in your life who is currently weighed down by guilt or shame. How can you encourage them to see their past through the lens of Christ's redemption and offer them hope for a new beginning? DO THIS: See your life through the Cross and Resurrection. PRAY THIS: Lord, I confess the burdens of my past mistakes and regrets, but I trust in Your promise of redemption and victory through Christ's sacrifice. Help me to live in the freedom of Your grace and to share Your transformative love with others. Amen. PLAY THIS: Ain't No Grave.

For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. — Galatians 1:11-12 CALL OUT: Shout out today to David Andrews from Stratham, NH. Thanks for purchasing video access on our website. I hope our videos and bible study resources bless you and your men. Speakers frequently use quippy statements like Paul does here to drive home a point they want others to remember. Paul's point here is that just because he preached the Gospel doesn't mean the Gospel belongs to him. He was only a messenger of a message that was communicated and revealed by someone else. This is precisely what some listeners and communicators of the Gospel forget sometimes. The Gospel message does not belong to us even though it is for us. The ancient Greek word for "Gospel" is "εὐαγγέλιον" (euangelion). In Greek, this is a compound word. The first part of this word is "εὐ" (eu), which means "good." The second part of this word is "ἀγγέλιον" (angelion), which means "news." So, "εὐαγγέλιον" translates literally to "good news." In the context of ancient Greece, this word was often used to refer to any significant news or proclamation made to a King. For example, "good news" would be brought to a King after announcing a victory in battle or the event of a significant event in a kingdom. Gospel messages carried the connotation of joyful events that brought hope, comfort, or relief. Within the New Testament, the Greek term "Gospel" was appropriated to describe the message of salvation through Jesus Christ our King. It is particularly associated with the four books known as the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, which record the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, presenting him as the fulfillment of the message of Salvation for all mankind. Note this: Jesus is the culmination of the "Gospel" in all aspects. He communicated it entirely. He lived it with perfection. He sacrificed his life by dying for it. He rose from the dead, sealing it. Jesus's life and message are the Gospel. So, the word "Gospel" conveys the idea of joyful and life-changing news—one that does not belong to us but is for us. And in turn, we are tasked with communicating the Gospel to others. And that is what Paul is doing in this text. He is clarifying his role with Jesus's message. He is reminding the churches that what he has spoken might appear to be from him, but it's not from him. It is the truth about God's great testament to all mankind revealed through the men of renown and culminating in the Prophet, Priest, and King — Jesus Christ. So, share the Good News today. And remember, you need to tell God's good news God's way because it is his good news for others not just for you. #GospelTruth #DivineRevelation #GoodNewsForAll #ShareTheGospel #GodsMessage ASK THIS: How can we ensure that when we share the Gospel, we're faithfully communicating God's message and not merely our own interpretation or perspective? In what ways can we reflect Jesus's example in both communicating and living out the Gospel message in our daily lives? DO THIS: Share the Gospel today. PRAY THIS: Father, guide my words and actions as I share the Good News with others, reminding me always that it is Your message, not mine, to proclaim. Help me emulate Jesus's example of sacrificial love and unwavering commitment to spreading the Gospel in all that I do. Amen. PLAY THIS: Tell Somebody.

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. — Galatians 1:10 CALL OUT: Shout out today to Chris Keeper from Minnesota, who is hosting me as his keynote speaker this coming weekend at the Big Sandy Men's Retreat. I am fired up and ready to go. This text drives to the root issue with the churches in Galatia. From how Paul states this, it is clear that some were questioning Paul's message by questioning his motives as the messenger. So Paul barks back at these accusations about his motivations. But what's ironic about Paul's defense is that the matter at hand is misaligned motives. But it's not Paul's motives that should be in question. It's the motives of the religious legalists who are manipulating the message to serve their means. When it comes to your relationship with God, your motives are everything. They are the silent force behind what you do and why you do it. But afully surrendered believer has a keen awareness of this. They know that nothing is hidden from God (Hebrews 4:13). They understand that God judges their actions and their motives (1 Samuel 16:7). They know that God sees everything and that, eventually, they will have to give an account of their motives to him (Hebrews 4:13). This means believers should be some of the most honest, open, and transparent (H.O.T.) people alive. We should never have anything to hide from God or others. Every unrighteous motive should be exposed and sharpened against the truth of the Gospel. When surrendered to Christ, we become slaves of Christ to live no more for our motivation but for his. And this is Paul's point. He is only the messenger of a message that is not his; therefore, he is motivated by his motive and not his own. So if you are hiding something today and your motives are impure or you are working to please man, confess and repent and get those misaligned motives properly aligned. #HeartCheck #AlignWithGod #SurrenderedLife #TransparentFaith #MotivesMatter ASK THIS: How can you cultivate a deeper awareness of your motives in your daily actions and decisions? Are there areas of your life where you struggle with aligning your motives with God's will, and what steps can you take to surrender those areas to Christ? DO THIS: Get your motives aligned. PRAY THIS: Lord, help me to examine my motives honestly and surrender them to you, knowing that true servanthood comes from aligning my heart with yours. Grant me the strength to live transparently before you and others, reflecting your truth and grace in all I do. Amen. PLAY THIS: Stay Strong.

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. 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. — Galatians 1:8-9 CALL OUT: Shout out today to Shaun Bonnell from Grand Rapids, MI. Thanks for hosting me for Men's Corner this week what a great event with so many great men. This is one of the harshest statements in the entire New Testament. Paul is intensifying his argument, which is focused entirely on the importance of the Gospel message. First, he clarifies that anyone who adds to or subtracts from the message of God will be condemned to the fires of hell because it's God's message, not ours. Second, he clarifies that any messenger who does this, that is, Paul or even an angel (for example, a fallen angel like Satan), is also not exempt from the fires of hell. This statement sounds harsh, but it's 100% appropriate. Let me explain. A genuinely loving person will warn others that things they hear or do will lead to lasting harm. This may require assertive language. Some people will avoid this, fearing it might come across as unloving. But it's not unloving. Sometimes, it's the most loving thing we can say and do. Many believers let people they love, like their children, parents, and friends, continue down a path of destruction for two reasons. Either they are not sure about the message of the Gospel, so they don't know how to communicate it. Or they find themselves overly concerned with being interpreted as unloving, pushing a person away, thus saying nothing. And my response to this is two-fold. First, if you don't know how to communicate the Gospel message meaningfully, given a specific situation, figure out how to do it. The Gospel is God's way to everlasting life and applies to everyone, every time, and in every situation. Second, if you are overly worried about saying something unloving, just broaden your perspective. Consider what is more unloving—saying something that stings now or saying nothing and letting a person you love spend eternity in the fires of hell. This is the genius of this harsh but appropriate text. Paul intimately knows the Gospel and precisely how to present it to legalists because he was a legalist. Paul is also willing to speak a harsh word because the ultimate end is infinitely harsher. So today, I would like to urge you. If someone in your life is making eternally harmful decisions, first get to know the Gospel message and second communicate it before it's too late. #GuardTheGospel #SpeakTruthInLove #EternalWarning #PaulineWisdom #ShareTheGoodNews ASK THIS: How can we ensure that we fully understand and effectively communicate the Gospel message to those we care about who may be veering off course? Reflect on a time when you had to confront a loved one about a harmful decision. What lessons did you learn about balancing truth and love in that situation, and how can you apply those lessons going forward? DO THIS: Know it. Communicate it. It's loving. PRAY THIS: Father, grant me the wisdom and courage to boldly share your Gospel message with love and clarity, even in difficult situations, so that I may help lead others to the path of eternal life. Strengthen my resolve to guard the truth and speak it in love, following the example set by Paul in his firm yet compassionate warning. Amen. PLAY THIS: God Really Loves Us.

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 CALL OUT: Shout out today to Jay Fehr from Melbourne, FL. Thanks for your support and partnership in the Gospel. The other day, I was outside and heard a young father yelling a warning call to his three young children who had strayed into a busy street. The call of this father sent a chill up my spine. It was startling and appropriate. This father's only concern was the safety of his children. And it's with a call that this that Paul begins this letter. "What are you doing?!" screams Paul, seeing that the churches in this region have strayed into a dangerous street. This brings attention to a vital point in the spiritual journey. Sometimes, we need someone to grab us by the facemask, look us right in the eye, and exclaim, "What are you doing?!" Being on either end of these moments is challenging. But they are necessary sometimes, which means if you are a believer, you must learn how to give and receive it. Right here, Paul is giving it to the Galatians. But don't forget he also received it. Jesus Christ himself got right in his grill on that Damascus Road, dropped him to the ground, and blinded him because he opposed the Gospel. And here, over a decade later, he is doing the same, mainly because he has been there—dragged away by a similar apostasy. Another word for apostasy is the word Paul uses here, "desertion." It is the act of deserting a belief that one previously held. But as we will see all the way through the letter, their apostasy was a "desertion of addition." In other words, they had deserted the Gospel by adding something to the Gospel. Here's the equation: Gospel +/- Anything = Apostasy. Apostasy happens every day. It's happening in churches, colleges, and companies at alarming speeds. They add and subtract to the Gospel to "enhance" it or "adjust" it to make it more relevant. Many are dragged away by this and never return to the purity of the Gospel alone. In fact, I bet you know someone who has been dragged away by apostasy. Someone who has deserted the Gospel by addition or subtraction, which is tragic because the Gospel is God's story, and it needs no help from us. None! Given our current times, we need to test everything we hear. We need to sharpen our senses when it comes to the Gospel. We need to listen to teachings with more care. We must ensure that the Gospel we believe in is the untarnished Story of God. This means we need to know the genuine Gospel so well we can recognize even the smallest alterations or deviations, which prevents us from being swayed into dangerous situations and equips us to warn others against doing the same. #GuardTheGospel #StayTrueToTheGospel #AvoidApostasy #KnowTheGenuine #SpreadTheWarning ASK THIS: Reflect on a time when you felt tempted to add or subtract from the Gospel to make it more appealing or relevant. How did you handle this temptation, and what did you learn from the experience? In what ways can you deepen your understanding of the authentic Gospel so that you are better equipped to recognize and resist false teachings or distortions? How can you encourage others to do the same? DO THIS: Know the genuine Gospel well. PRAY THIS: Father, help me to cling steadfastly to the purity of your Gospel, guarding against any temptation to alter or dilute its truth. Grant me discernment and wisdom to recognize and reject any distortions, and empower me to boldly proclaim the unadulterated message of salvation to others. Amen. PLAY THIS: The Gospel.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. — Galatians 1:3-5 CALL OUT: Shout out today to Robert Fiscalini from Willis, TX. Thanks for your financial support and partnership in the Gospel. This introductory clause here is so important. First, it is with the word "grace" that Paul is going to begin the letter and the same term he uses to close the letter (Galatians 6:18). Second, grace is the whole reason he is writing in the first place. Here is how we define grace. Grace is God's loving kindness and favor we don't earn or deserve. It's freely given to us because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. Through Jesus, God offers us forgiveness, salvation, and a restored relationship with him, even though we fall short and make mistakes. It's a gift demonstrating God's unending love for us and his desire to be close to us. Once we start digging into this letter, you will see why he intentionally uses the term "grace." It's because they had drifted from God's grace primarily because they were listening to some teachers who weren't teaching the doctrine of "grace" but of "works." So today, I want to break both terms down for you and how they relate directly to our salvation and the core message of this book. First | The Doctrine of Grace The doctrine of grace teaches that salvation, or being made right with God, is a gift freely given by God. It's not something we can earn through our good deeds or efforts. Instead, it's entirely based on God's love and mercy toward us. This grace is made possible through Jesus Christ, who lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again, conquering death. When we believe in Jesus and accept Him as our Savior, we receive the gift of grace, which includes forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, and the promise of eternal life. Second | The Doctrine of Works On the other hand, the doctrine of works emphasizes the idea that our actions and good deeds play a role in earning salvation or favor with God. This perspective suggests that following religious laws, performing rituals, or doing good works can somehow merit God's acceptance and approval. However, according to Christian belief, no amount of human effort or good deeds can make us righteous in God's eyes. The Bible teaches that all people fall short of God's perfect standard (Romans 3:23) and that our righteousness is like filthy rags compared to God's holiness (Isaiah 64:6). With this understanding in place, let's come back to our text. Paul is saying that God's grace by means of Jesus's life, death, and resurrection is our deliverance. His grace is our only deliverance. Those of you listening today who have been in situations where you knew nothing you could do to save yourself understand what it means to trust in the grace of another person and God alone. If you have been caught in adultery by a spouse, knowing it was wrong and desiring to reconcile, you understand that your spouse's grace and God's grace in them is all you have. And many of you have been in situations just like this. Where there was no work you could do. Grace was your only hope. It's you who understand grace. And this is what Paul is about to remind these Galatian churches about — incredible grace. God's grace. And it's not made possible by something you can do. I want to recognize that some of you need some grace right now—grace from a person and God. And today, I am going to pray for you. "Father, the believer on the other end of this devotional today needs grace. They realize their sinful deeds have gotten them to where they are today and that they can do no good deed to make right the wrongs. They realize their only hope is your grace in this ungracious and unforgiving world. They need your deliverance. Deliver them now as promised by the only man who did any good work, your sinless and perfect son, Jesus. Redeem their life, remove their sin, and restore their relationship with you, made possible by Jesus's life, death, and resurrection, in which they place all their faith and belief right now. Amen." If you prayed this prayer, let me know at vince+grace@beresolute.org #GraceInGalatians, #SalvationByGrace, #FaithNotWorks, #GodsUnendingLove, #RedemptionThroughJesus ASK THIS: How does understanding the difference between grace and works impact your perception of your relationship with God and your approach to living out your faith? In what areas of your life do you find it challenging to fully rely on God's grace rather than trying to earn His favor through your own efforts? DO THIS: Accept the only grace you need. It comes from God. PRAY THIS: Father, I humbly come before you, acknowledging my need for your grace and redemption in every aspect of my life. Thank you for the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, and help me to live each day in the fullness of your grace and love. Amen. PLAY THIS: This Is Amazing Grace.

[Paul, an apostle] ...and all the brothers who are with me, to the churches of Galatia. — Galatians 1:2 JOURNAL: https://bit.ly/devogalatians CALL OUT: Shout out today to Jeffrey Brewer from Festus, MO. Thanks for your financial support and partnership in the Gospel. I love Paul's opening declaration: "All the brothers who are with me." I love it because it draws attention to the unique spiritual relationship believers have with each other, even in and through challenging moments of our lives. You know, if we were honest with one another, we would probably all admit that we have felt lonely at some point in the past week. There was at least one moment where you encountered a relational challenge or lonely moment that drew your attention to your need for relational connection. The best part of being a believer is not only a restored relationship with God but the fact that we are now part of a spiritual family that is made for connection to one another. Let me illustrate. I talk to believers all over the country and the world. Most of the time, it's a believing man looking for direction or guidance. And I can talk with him and immediately feel a deep spiritual connection. It's often so immediately strong that if someone were to overhear it, they would assume that we have been friends for years. This is the nature of spiritual relationships.Believers are brothers and sisters because we are children of a Heavenly Father. This is the status assigned to us by God and made possible through Jesus. It is established by the nature of spiritual rebirth, not by physical birth. Therefore, by the nature of our relationship with the Father, we have an instant family with brothers and sisters who share in both the challenges of our sin and the power of God's grace. But here's the deal. We have to pursue these relationships. We have to put ourselves in the community of faith and in the family of God. I hear complaints all the time about church and pastors and all the issues and challenges that go with it. I think Paul would even complain about the problems in the church. In fact, this little letter was one addressing a bunch of problems in the church. But Paul also understood that these challenges did not exclude him from the brotherhood. Instead, it was the reason he leaned into it and addressed it. He knew relationships in Christ with the family of Christ were the evidence for the faith and the wonderful reason to pursue it. So, if you are not pursuing relationships in the body of Christ, change that today. Reach out to a believing brother and share your spiritual need for ongoing relationships, get plugged into a church, or even lead a group and create the brotherhood that you know you need. Take a risk, and be courageous because God did not design us to do his life and this family alone. #SpiritualConnection #ChristianCommunity #BrotherhoodInFaith #BelongingInChrist #BuildingSpiritualFamily ASK THIS: How can you actively pursue deeper relationships within the body of Christ this week, whether through reaching out to a believer, getting involved in a church community, or initiating a small group? Reflect on a time when you felt the power of a spiritual connection with another believer. How can you cultivate and nurture more of these meaningful relationships in your life? DO THIS: Take one step toward building brotherhood. PRAY THIS: Father, thank you for the gift of spiritual family and the deep connections we share as brothers and sisters in Christ. Help me to actively seek and nurture these relationships, drawing strength and encouragement from the community you've placed me in. Amen. PLAY THIS: Brother.

Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead — Galatians 1:1 JOURNAL: https://bit.ly/devogalatians CALL OUT: Shout out today to Rayes Gonzales from Las Vegas, NV. Thanks for your support and partnership in the Gospel. We would be remiss not to read the first verse very slowly because hidden in it are clues to the problems Paul would address in Galatia and the secret to Paul's emotional fortitude that gave him the courage and strength to address it. Have you ever been attacked for something untrue, knowing that you needed to correct it, yet knew it would take a lot of personal strength to do it? Well, that's what's happening with Paul. In verse one, we see how Paul handled this and learn how we can handle it, too. As we mentioned yesterday, Paul wrote this letter to combat a form of legalism being taught by Jews who had converted to Christianity. These false teachers were called "Judaizers." They taught that Gentile believers needed to hold to Jewish customs to be considered true followers of Christ. They were attempting to blend Jewish customs with the Gospel. In the process, these false teachers attacked Paul's teachings by attacking his legitimacy as an apostle and teacher. This is a typical counterattack when a false teaching is broke and under attack by the truth. The false teacher turns from proving their position to pounding a person and their credibility, diverting attention from the truth. In this situation, Judaizers attack Paul and his legitimacy as an apostle. Simply put, the Judaizers perpetuated the false propaganda that Paul was an illegitimate apostle, so people should ignore his teaching. And it was true that Paul was not one of the original twelve apostles. But this is not concerning to Paul because being one of the original twelve is irrelevant when it comes to the truth of the Gospel. In fact, the Gospel truth has nothing to do with our resume. It has everything to do with Christ's resume. But rather, what gave Paul strength in this moment was the resume of Jesus Christ and his resurrection from the dead, which led to his testimony spoken to him by Jesus on the Damascus Road, calling him to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. Note this here: the certainty of Paul's testimony and task anchored in the resume and title of Jesus were the anchors for his rebuttal to these false teachers and their attacks. Another way to say this would be that Paul is not about to stand for a personal attack on his legitimacy as an apostle and let their false propaganda convince him or anyone else that his life and Gospel are not 100% legitimate. For believers who right now are under attack, what Paul declares in verse one is a potent reminder for you. First, remember your testimony and be anchored to the truth of what Jesus did and is doing in you, and don't let anyone convince you that what Jesus Christ did in you was illegitimate. Second, remember your task because with every testimony comes a task, and be faithful to follow through on this to the very end of your days. #Galatians#PaulineTruth #AnchoredInChrist #GospelResilience #TestimonyStrength #LegitimacyInChrist ASK THIS: How can we emulate Paul's unwavering confidence in the truth of Christ's resurrection and its relevance to our own lives when faced with attacks on our faith or character? In what ways can we ensure that our testimony of Christ's work in our lives remains steadfast despite challenges or doubts raised by others? DO THIS: Remember and strengthen your testimony and task. PRAY THIS: Lord, anchor me firmly in the truth of Your resurrection and the legitimacy of Your work in my life, empowering me to withstand attacks on my faith and testimony. Grant me the strength and resolve to remain faithful to Your calling, trusting in Your grace and guidance every step of the way. Amen. PLAY THIS: Anchor.

Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead — Galatians 1:1 GALATIANS SCRIPTURE JOURNAL HERE: https://bit.ly/devogalatians CALL OUT: Shout out today to David Fredricksonfrom Lake City, MN. Thanks for sending me an email and letting me know you are praying for me regularly. I appreciate this and love you brother. As we embark on a brand new book of the Bible — Galatians, I want to step back for a moment and give you two insights so that you will see the backdrop and the message of this book. Insight One | Galatians Was Written To A Collection of Churches First, you should know that this book was not written for a single church but a grouping of churches in the region we know as first-century Galatia (modern-day Turkey). It was meant to be a shared letter, much like a great book or, even better, a popular magazine addressing the prevalent issues in the church of the time. One church would read it and then pass it on to the next and the next. Insight Two | Galatians Was Written To Combat False Teaching Second, the reason Paul wrote this book was to address a growing issue in churches that was circulating in this region. The issue was a form of legalism being taught by Jews who had converted to Christianity. These people have been called "Judaizers." A Judaizer was someone in the early church who believed that Gentile believers needed to adhere to Jewish customs and laws, such as circumcision and dietary regulations, in order to be considered true followers of Christ. They attempted to blend elements of Judaism with Christianity, imposing these additional requirements on Gentile converts. As you will see in this letter, Paul strongly opposed this belief and used this letter to counter this false teaching. He instead points out that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone, apart from adherence to the Jewish Law, and along the way, points out the real purpose of the Law. Here's The Backdrop & The Message Here is a way to think about the backdrop for this letter. Imagine that this new trainer or teacher shows up at your business or school one day. They start throwing around all these "new" ideas presented as a failsafe solution for bringing people and cultures together. They throw out all these strange acrostics and acronyms, presenting what appears to be a reasonable new way to think about assimilation, inclusion, and equity. The problem is that the ideas are not as freeing as they thought. The training is exhausting, and the teaching is burdensome. Rather than giving promised freedom, their measures and metrics steal it. They become a burden. This is precisely what has happened in the region of Galatia at the time. Some popular Jewish teachers were perpetuating legalistic teaching that blended religious practices of the past with the present revelation of the Gospel. The problem is that this teaching constrained their freedom, which was the whole purpose of the Gospel. And this is the central message of Galatians – Freedom! (Watch a William Wallace clip in Braveheart for inspiration today.) Except the freedom Paul wants these people to know is a different type of freedom. Freedom from the bondage of sin. Freedom from the demands of the law. Freedom to live in the fullness of God's grace. So, to counter all the false teachings, Paul passionately asserts that salvation is not attained through human effort or adherence to legalistic rituals but is solely found by faith in Jesus Christ alone. The sufficiency of Jesus's sacrifice on the Cross secures our justification and redemption apart from the works of the law. So, if you are in desperate need of freedom today and you are experiencing bondage to sin and slavery to the systems of this world, Paul is going to tell you that you can find freedom. Real spiritual freedom. Not freedom to do whatever you want, but freedom in Christ. And this little book contains the message that will guide you there. So get ready to rediscover salvation and the freedom that only Jesus provides, which will lead you to grace and the joy you truly desire. #Galatians #GalatiansDevo #FreedomInChrist #FaithAlone #GraceOverLaw #TrueFreedom ASK THIS: How can we discern between true freedom in Christ and the bondage of legalism in our daily lives and interactions with others? In what ways can we actively embrace the sufficiency of Jesus's sacrifice and live out the freedom it offers, especially when faced with pressures to conform to religious rituals or cultural norms? DO THIS: Find freedom in Jesus. PRAY THIS: Lord, help me discern and embrace the true freedom found in Christ alone, freeing me from the burdens of legalism and leading me into the fullness of Your grace. Guide me to live confidently in the sufficiency of Jesus's sacrifice, walking in the liberty and joy that only He provides. Amen. PLAY THIS: Freedom.

GALATIANS SCRIPTURE JOURNAL HERE: https://bit.ly/devogalatians And one of the sons of Jehoiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I chased him from me. Remember them, O my God, because they have desecrated the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites. Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work; and I provided for the wood offering at appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good. — Nehemiah 13:28-31 CALL OUT: Today's shout-out goes to Salvatore Augerifrom Lutz, FL. Thanks for your partnership in the Gospel. Don't forget Galatians begins on Monday, so get the Galatians Scripture Journal from the website. At the close of the book, Nehemiah mentions one last concerning detail. His concern is the purity of the high priestly line. According to the Law, a high priest could not marry a foreign woman (Leviticus 21:14). The high priesthood was an inherited role, so the grandson of a high priest could become the acting high priest. Eliashib was a high priest when Nehemiah first came to Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:1). Jehoiada was a high priest after his father (Nehemiah 12:10–11). Still, it is unclear if he had become a high priest by the writing of chapter 13. But the issue here is his son had married a daughter of Sanballat the Horonite, who had been a long-standing enemy of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 2:10). Nehemiah sees this issue and addresses it not only by calling it out but by expelling this son from the community and preserving the purity of the priestly line. This reveals something worthy of noting about spiritual leadership. Spiritual leaders in the Temple (Old Testament) and the Church (New Testament) have a determined set of qualifications. Sometimes, people don't like this. Therefore, they adjust the qualifications to their liking, making exceptions. But we don't get to make these exceptions; we only get to accept them as they are. The Temple and the Church are God's institutions, not ours. God is the one who is worshipped, and he determines the structures, processes, and qualifications of his spiritual leaders. Therefore, some are naturally disqualified from leading in the church. And guess what? We need to be okay with this. God has set these qualifiers in place. But remember, just because a person is disqualified from leading in the church does not mean they cannot aptly lead in other environments like their business, family, and the rest of life. Remember, Nehemiah was disqualified from Temple service as well. His lineage excluded him. He was not from Aaron's line. Therefore, he was unable to hold the role of High Priest. Yet still, he led and left an indelible mark on the people of God in his time. And the mark he left has been read by generations of believers in the book we just completed. So get out there and leave your spiritual mark on the world. But do it the way God wants and in the way that brings honor to his name. #NehemiahsLeadership, #SpiritualQualifications, #PurityinLeadership, #GodsInstitutions, #LeaveYourMark ASK THIS: How can we maintain the integrity of leadership roles in our own communities and organizations, ensuring they align with the standards set by God? Reflecting on Nehemiah's actions, what adjustments might we need to make in our own lives to honor God's qualifications for leadership, both in spiritual and secular contexts? DO THIS: Get out there and spiritually lead. PRAY THIS: Lord, guide me to uphold the standards of spiritual leadership with integrity, just as Nehemiah did, and help me to honor Your qualifications for service in all areas of my life. Grant me wisdom and discernment to follow Your will faithfully, leaving a lasting impact that brings glory to Your name. Amen. PLAY THIS: Let My Life Be Worship.

GALATIANS SCRIPTURE JOURNAL HERE: https://bit.ly/devogalatians As soon as it began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stationed some of my servants at the gates, that no load might be brought in on the Sabbath day. Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice. But I warned them and said to them, “Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath. Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love. — Nehemiah 13:19-22 CALL OUT: Big call out today to Ryan Jacobsonfrom Clyde, NC. Thanks for your partnership in the Gospel. Don't forget Galatians begins on Monday, so get the Galatians Scripture Journal from the website. I love this moment. Nehemiah rocks. Yesterday, we talked about how the people were not making good on their commitment to keeping the Sabbath. One of the issues was that Persian vendors were bringing goods to sell in Jerusalem on the Sabbath, which was too tempting for the people. Thus, they were breaking the Sabbath and being disobedient to God, which got them into this mess with Babylon, Assyria, and Persia. So, Nehemiah reminds them about this. But he also takes preventative measures to keep the people of God from being tempted again. First, he locks the gate the evening before the Sabbath to keep vendors from tempting the people. Second, he publicly warned the vendors to stay away for a couple of weeks, which was also a warning for his people. If believers supplemented their spiritual commitments with these two actions, they might be more committed to the process of spiritual change. For example, if you aim to lose a few pounds, then keeping certain foods out of the house and publicly declaring this to others who live with you, telling you you don't want certain foods in the house, will help. Or if you desire to stop cursing, then not being exposed to people who curse and declaring to others that you need their help by permitting them to call you out will help. What Nehemiah does here is pretty simple, yet it's precisely what these people need to stay on track with God. So how about you? What do you need to keep out of your house and confess to others to strengthen your commitment to God? #SabbathCommitment #NehemiahLessons #SpiritualDiscipline #GuardingTheGates #FaithfulToGod'sWord ASK THIS: How can you implement Nehemiah's approach of "locking the gates" and publicly declaring your commitment to avoid temptation in your own life to strengthen your walk with God? Are there specific areas in your life where you need to take preventative measures, just as Nehemiah did, to ensure you remain faithful to God's commands? What steps can you take today to make those changes? DO THIS: Keep it out and publicly confess it. PRAY THIS: God, help me follow Nehemiah's example by taking proactive steps to guard my heart and commitment to You, locking out temptations and publicly declaring my dedication to Your path. Strengthen me to live a life that honors You and keeps me on track with Your will. Amen. PLAY THIS: I Surrender.

GALATIANS SCRIPTURE JOURNAL HERE: https://bit.ly/devogalatians In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them on the day when they sold food. Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem itself! Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath. — Nehemiah 13:15-18 CALL OUT: Big call out today to Gordo Christiansen from Vernon, VT. Thanks for your partnership in the Gospel. GALATIANS SCRIPTURE JOURNAL HERE: https://bit.ly/devogalatians Nehemiah shows up to discover that not only have the people neglected the tithe for the Levites (read yesterday's devotional), but the people of Jerusalem have already disregarded their Sabbath commitments. Remember, in Nehemiah 10:31, the people committed to reinstating the Sabbath. The agreement was not to purchase goods from foreigners on the Sabbath. This was with the understanding that Sundays were standard days for trading in the present Persian culture. The issue was that Persian traders kept showing up in Jerusalem on Sabbath days, and the people were tempted to buy because it was easy. This is precisely how temptation works in every believer's life. We make new or renewed commitments to God, and then these things progressively happen: Cultural patterns continue. We encounter a "weak" moment. Old desires are resurrected. The temptation to act is made accessible. We justify the action. We act in disobedience. We are right back in the same boat as before. For Nehemiah, the insanity and results are apparent. But for the people, it appears it isn't. This is why Nehemiah plays the tape forward for the people at the end of this text. He wants them to play the tapes forward so they will see the results of their compromised commitments. Today, here is what I want you to do. Identify a commitment or goal you have made. It could be a spiritual, physical, or financial goal. Then, for a few minutes, play the tape forward. Play the tape forward in two ways: First, what it would look like if you kept this commitment and followed through on this goal. Second, what it would look like if you did not keep this commitment and failed to accomplish the goal. Imagine both ends in your mind. Be imaginative and descriptive. And then, like Nehemiah does with the people here, settle on the vision and ending you want. Take some time to do this today because tomorrow, we are going to see how Nehemiah is going to make accomplishing spiritual goals even easier for the people. #SabbathCommitment, #NehemiahWisdom, #TemptationStruggles, #SpiritualGoals, #GuardingTheFaith, #ResistingTemptation, #ChooseWisely ASK THIS: What specific commitment or goal have you made recently in your life, and how can you guard it against external pressures and temptations, similar to Nehemiah's challenge with the Sabbath? As you play the tape forward in your mind, envisioning the consequences of both keeping and breaking your commitment or goal, which outcome aligns more with your desired vision for your life, and what steps can you take to reinforce your commitment towards that vision? DO THIS: Play the tape forward in your commitments. PRAY THIS: Lord, I humbly ask for the strength and wisdom to guard my commitments and goals as Nehemiah did, resisting the temptations that may lead me astray. Help me envision the path of obedience and grant me the determination to follow it, knowing it leads to Your blessings and fulfillment in my life. Amen. PLAY THIS: Abide.Check out other all Vince Miller's videos and audios for small groups at: https://beresolute.org/ Get Vince's most widely read resources The Daily Devotional at: https://beresolute.org/mdd Check out more ALL IN products like the one Vince is wearing at: https://beresolute.org/product-category/all-in-hats/ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Connect with Vince socially: FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/millervince INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/vinceleemiller LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincemiller TWITTER: https://twitter.com/vinceleemiller

I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field. So I confronted the officials and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their stations. Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute to their brothers. Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service. — Nehemiah 13:10-14 CALL OUT: Big call out today to all the men signing up for the training event in Florida. I am pumped about this event. What is happening here is that Nehemiah discovers that the Levites were not receiving their allowances for temple service so they could attend to the Temple. So, to break this down for you, there were two major groups of people who served in the temple: Priests and Levites. Priests performed sacrifices and rituals, served as mediators between God and his people, and taught the Law of Moses. Levites were the support system for the priests performing Temple duties; they were involved in worship and other administrative tasks. The primary difference was ancestral. Priests were from the lineage of Aaron. Levites were from the lineage of Levi. In this situation, the Levites were not being cared for financially by the people, so they had to go back to civil work, which took them away from their religious work. Thus, the temple service was being neglected, and priests were bearing the load because the people of God were not giving sacrificially as directed. Here's the lesson: Sometimes, what appears to be practical and frugal is not always right and righteous. Here's what I mean. God always wants us to give him our best. Sometimes, giving him our very best pushes the limits of our reasonable ability. We don't always like this because we trust our reasonable ability more than we trust God. But when we push our reasonable limits to live in obedience, we put ourselves sacrificially in the hands of a great and trustworthy God. It is here, in this moment, that we experience faith. This is what Nehemiah wants from the people. He wants them to give God their best, stretching their limits just enough so that they will live by faith, trusting that in giving God their best in the administration of the Temple to the Levites that, God will provide for them. Most believers miss out on this because they give God what is practical and reasonable. So maybe for you, it's time to be unreasonable. Be more unreasonable today with your time, talents, and treasures. Don't be stupid, but be more unreasonable because our understanding of unreasonable is usually just being faithful to a trustworthy and generous God. #SacrificialGiving, #FaithOverFrugality, #TrustInGod, #BeyondReason, #ServiceToGod, #LivingByFaith, #GenerousHeart, #TempleDuty, #NehemiahChallenge, #UnreasonableFaith ASK THIS: Reflect on a time when you chose practicality over faithfulness in your giving (time, talent, or treasure). How did it affect your relationship with God and your ability to serve Him fully? Considering Nehemiah's example of confronting neglect and ensuring the Levites were provided for, how can you push beyond what is "reasonable" in your own life to serve God's kingdom sacrificially? What specific steps can you take to start this journey of faith-driven generosity? DO THIS: Live in faith even if it is unreasonable to you. PRAY THIS: Lord, help me to trust You beyond my own understanding of what is reasonable, guiding me to give sacrificially and serve Your kingdom with all that I am. Strengthen my faith so I may live boldly for You, knowing You are always faithful to provide. Amen. PLAY THIS: Living Sacrifice.

Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to Tobiah, prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber. Then I gave orders, and they cleansed the chambers, and I brought back there the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense. — Nehemiah 13:4-9 CALL OUT: Big shout out today to Marcus Pitre from Glenpool, OK. Thanks for being a member of the website, and I pray our videos and lessons help you in your spiritual growth. These verses tell us about a religious leader who is compromised. Eliashib, not just a priest but the high priest who directed the chambers of God, had a grandson who was married into Tobiah's family and influence. Remember, Tobiah was one of the three enemy forces while building the wall. So why does Eliashib do this, given the recommitment they publicly made? There are two reasons. First | Absence of Committed Leadership It's hard to see in this text, but Nehemiah had returned to the Persian capital city of Suza. In his absence, even though he had put stop gaps in place, things began to fall apart. We do not know how long he was away. Still, he discovered that in his absence, even the highest spiritual leader was unfaithful to his commitments, primarily because Eliashib was not a committed spiritual leader. Second | Small Relational Compromises When you are entangled in the wrong relationships, you will eventually make compromising decisions. This is precisely why separation from these relationships is vital in some instances. Relational entanglements are tempting for us all. Eventually, there will be a point where you no longer have an influence on them but become influenced by them. So here is the lesson. The character and leadership of a believer are always revealed by the choices they make when left to themselves. After Nehemiah's departure, Eliashib reveals he is not a capable leader and is easily influenced by social politics and relational influence. Eliashib is a failure. He is a leader without character and commitment who will make compromises. Even worse, he is the spiritual leader of the people of Israel. For some of you reading today, this might be a wake-up call. If so, remember, who you are when no one is looking is who you are. Therefore, if there is a difference between who you are in public and who you are in private, then close that gap today. Stop making compromises and lead with commitment. One private choice at a time: go public with an uncompromised commitment and lead with greater integrity because we need more great spiritual leaders today. #Leadership, #Integrity, #FaithJourney, #Compromise, #CharacterMatters, #SpiritualLeadership, #Accountability, #Commitment, #Relationships, #Nehemiah13 ASK THIS: Reflect on a situation in your life where you were tempted to compromise your principles due to social or relational pressure. What steps can you take to ensure you maintain your integrity and commitment in such circumstances? Consider your role as a leader, whether in your family, workplace, or community. How can you actively lead with unwavering commitment and integrity, especially when no one is watching? What changes can you make in your leadership approach to set a positive example for others? DO THIS: Integrate the private and public commitment you have with God. PRAY THIS: Lord, help me to remain steadfast in my commitment to walk in integrity, both in public and in private. Guide me to make choices that honor You and inspire others to follow the path of unwavering faith and leadership. Amen. PLAY THIS: Honesty.

GET THE GALATIANS JOURNAL: https://bit.ly/devogalatians On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing. As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent. — Nehemiah 13:1-3 CALL OUT: To all the men jumping in to lead other men with the 30 Men Who Lived With Conviction book. There were a lot of you. I am super excited you want to lead. Also, we are in chapter 13 of Nehemiah, which means we are almost done. Which means we are starting a new book of the Bible soon. Next is Galatians, a New Testament book. Go to the link today and get your Galatians Scripture Journal now so you can take notes and follow along. What has happened here is that after opening the Scripture again, the people discovered they had made some wrong assumptions about worship procedures. They stumbled on a text from Deuteronomy 23:3–6, which stated that certain foreigners were not supposed to be participating in the worship of God. This troubled them, so they made the necessary change. There are times when we read Scripture that this will happen to us. We are going to read something in the text, and it's going to bother us. Often, we are bothered by it because we are doing it or someone we know is doing it. And it's right at this moment we get to make a crucial choice. We can either choose to act on it or decide to dismiss it. What the followers of this time did, at least at this moment, was choose to act on it. They adjusted their life to Scripture, not the Scripture to their life. This is always what obedient followers do. Scripture is the divine plumb line of God. Scripture provides us with the unwavering standard of truth and righteousness. Just as a construction plumb line ensures that a building is upright and aligned with the earth's gravitational pull, Scripture helps us align our lives with God's will and purpose. Therefore, when we read Scripture and stumble into a plumb line, we don't adjust the plumb line. We get in line with it, understanding it's the standard. This means believers should always make one humble assumption when they read Scripture—we are wrong, and it is right. And sometimes, this can be challenging. This is because making a change to an unplumbed life sometimes means we have to tear down the walls and rebuild everything on a new foundation that is leveled correctly so we can replumb the framework of our entire lives. And this is why many non-believers and believers don't like Scripture. Scripture demands we get in line and make the change, not the other way around. Always remember: Adjust your life to Scripture, not Scripture to your life and liking. #ScriptureTruth, #BiblicalObedience, #AligningWithGod, #SpiritualGrowth, #DivineGuidance, #HumbleFaith, #LifetoScripture, #ObedientBelievers, #FaithfulLiving, #WordofGod ASK THIS: How can you identify areas in your life where you might be "dismissing" Scripture rather than aligning your life with it, and what steps can you take to make the necessary changes? Reflect on a specific instance in your life where Scripture challenged your beliefs or actions. How did you respond, and what lessons did you learn from that experience that can guide your future obedience to God's Word? DO THIS: Assume you are wrong and Scripture is right. PRAY THIS: Father, I humbly ask for the wisdom and strength always to align my life with Your unchanging Word, even when it challenges me. Help me to embrace obedience and make the necessary changes in my life, knowing that Your Word is the divine plumb line of truth and righteousness. Amen. PLAY THIS: Jesus Does.