Galatians Chapter 1 - July 17, 2008

1:4 - I love to hear people talk about end times and how people are getting more and more evil...it seems clear to me that we are always in the end times. The disciples and the apostles were in the end times, we are in the end times (The end of your life could happen at any moment and that is "en times" - the bible says that nobody knows when the end is really going to come, so don't put too much stock in the human theories)...they were experiencing an evil age, just as we are. Every age in a sin filled world is evil. The present "evil age" is always in the now, just as Jesus' sacrifice is always in the present and always overcoming the evil of the world...conquering death. We have the choice to tap into the death of this evil age or the life of the conquering Christ. I don't know about you, but I want to overcome!

1:9 - Are we as a church preaching and living in step with the Gospel of Jesus Christ or are we going against it? This s a question we need to take very seriously in our lives and in our church. There is only one gospel - period. There is no, "I'll take this part of Jesus, but not this part." Where do we/I fall when it comes to truly loving my enemies - loving at any cost - living a God-centered, not me-centered life? There is only one way...one gospel.

1:10 - Paul is so right...if you are living to please man, as in yourself or mankind, the way of Jesus is not for you. Who would choose to truly live as a Christian if they were living for themselves...that doesn't really work. Who in their right mind chooses Christianity if they want to be considered pc or cool or worldly wise or whatever...nobody! You can only serve one master...if you want to please human beings - Jesus is not for you. If you want to serve God - step on board and get ready for a wild ride.

1:24 - They do not glorify God because of Paul's incredible intellect or faith...thy glorify God because they have seen the miraculous life change in Paul. From Christian killer to Christian maker. People glorify God when they see Him at work in our lives...when they see changes that could not have possibly been from within ourselves. Go live out the resurrection of your life through Jesus Christ!