Week 8: Holy Adoption!

As we step into Chapter 4, we are greeted with an overarching theme of "family"!  Since we all are a part of family - no matter what type - this is easily relatable.  Paul starts it off in the first few verses when he explains that we have been emancipated (freed from legal, social, or political restrictions).. + adopted as His children!  Isn't it so like the character of God to always go one step further?  Freedom from the law would have been enough but He doesn't stop there.  He goes on to bring us intimately + permanently into His family!

I love the concept of adoption + I fully believe God uses this word knowing how powerfully it would speak to our hearts.  My husband has a niece and a nephew that are adopted + it is so neat to watch how they so specifically fit into the family.  Being around them, you would never guess they are adopted - + the funny thing is, his nephew is hispanic in a white family!  I can think of numerous families with adopted children that I am absolutely shocked to find out they're adopted!

In vs. 5-7 Paul explains that when we are adopted we have access to such a beautiful, intimate conversation with the Heavenly Father.  When we are adopted we are set free to experience that heritage (the MSG version even says our "rightful" heritage!) and become a child of the Lord.

In review of the first 3 chapters of Galatians, this chapter really gives me a sense of peace.  I have felt stretched + challenged up to this point, + now I just feel like soaking in the promise of God.  I hope you each have enjoyed the study so far + thanks for sticking with us still!  -Justine

In vs. 8 Paul talks about being enslaved to gods with no divinity + in vs. 9 asks how anyone could go back to them after knowing - or rather being known by - God.  What in your life is God gently showing you is a god with no divinity?  Through this study, I hope you gain a strong sense that God knows you so intimately + has chosen you!  And embracing this, I hope we can all find freedom from the things of this world.

Week 7

All this talk about Law and the Promise has made me have to really clear out the cobwebs and read over this text numerous times.  Ultimately, this section of scripture offers so much hope to those of us trying to do this life under our own power or control.  For those of us who have at times tried to follow the "rules" to the letter, understand that it is impossible to follow every rule of the law under our own power.  And we were never meant to do that!  We were never meant to live this life on our own or by our good works follow the law.  No, we were meant to have the law point us to the Promise, point us to Jesus.  Only through the work He did at the cross can we find any liberation from the prison sin puts us in.

vs. 22 says, "The Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, beign given trhoguh faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe."

vs. 25 says, " now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law."

The law no longer applies to us.  We no longer have to live in its prison.  We are liberated through our faith in Jesus Christ.  And I don' t know about you, but that is the most wonderful news I could have ever been told.  To know that my eternity does not depend upon my ability to fulfill the law give such great comfort to me every day.

Questions to Consider:
What about you?  Do you still struggle with being in the prison where the law places you?  Or have you been able to experience the liberation of fatih in Christ Jesus?

Week 6: Faith or the law?

Like many of you, my Bible is full of notes in the margins. Sermons, Bible studies, chapel services in college...taking notes helps me understand what I'm reading and helps me remember what I learned. When I found out I was assigned to write the weekly blog post for week 6, it sure was nice to open my Bible and find some notes in the margins!

Paul begins chapter 3 with, "You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?" Those are pretty strong words. I can only imagine the emotions that must have been behind those words. Why was Paul so stirred up? In this portion of Galatians, we see Paul rebuking the mentality of working to keep salvation. Galatians 3:4 says, "Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?"

Talk about taking one step forward and two steps back! Like the Galatians, we need to challenge ourselves to begin with the Spirit--and then we need to remain there! We are redeemed from the curse of the law because our Savior became a curse for us. Paul sums it up in verse 14. "He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit."

Some thoughts to ponder today:

• Am I living foolishly like the Galatians, trying to work to keep my salvation?
• If so, what does that say about Jesus's sacrifice on the cross?
• Is there anyone in my life who needs to hear the freeing message of living by faith?

God, give us Your Spirit and work miracles among us. We receive You by faith!

Sarah Ann

Week Five

Galatians 2:11-21

Good evening, ladies!  I can't believe we are at week five of our study + coming to the end of chapter two.  I had planned to reflect on the different parts of these last few verses, but the more I read it the more I just wanted to settle on this:

17 Have some of you noticed that we are not yet perfect? (No great surprise, right?) And are you ready to make the accusation that since people like me, who go through Christ in order to get things right with God, aren't perfectly virtuous, Christ must therefore be an accessory to sin? The accusation is frivolous.18 If I was "trying to be good," I would be rebuilding the same old barn that I tore down. I would be acting as a charlatan [fraud].

19 What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn't work. So I quit being a "law man" so that I could be God's man.20 Christ's life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.21 I am not going to go back on that. Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God's grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily. [MSG]

Throughout all that we have read so far in Galatians, we know that this life is simply not about us.  This Greater Story being written has Christ as the center, so very graciously allowing us to play a part in God being glorified.  So as we go throughout the rest of this week + then open chapter three, I want us to slightly pause + do some authentic heart-work: 

am I "working my head off to please God"?  If so.. why?  

what is inhibiting my ability to be called "God's man" instead of "law's man"?

This is such a struggle for me, so know that you are not alone!  I pray that God would use this Word as a turning point for you - so that you would be known as God's woman, living free of the rule-keeping, people-pleasing nonsense that the enemy is trying to keep you in.  

I hope you are blessed greatly in the weeks to come!

Justine

Week 4

Galatians 2:1-10


This week we embark on Galatians Chapter 2.  I have sat at my desk here and read, and re-read the first 10 verses of this chapter several times.  My eyes keep being drawn back to two different verses.

vs. 4: "This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves."

Maybe it is just me, but I think many of us can relate to feeling like there are false brothers and sisters that infiltrate our lives.  Those people who profess to be Christian, but are more concerned about the rules, and rule following.  They want to "make us slaves" to the law, to duty, to the man-made rules we ought to follow.  What I love most about freedom in Christ Jesus is that there is nothing more we can do for our salvation.  All the "oughts" can be left at the cross.  We do not need to enslave ourselves to our past, our sin nature, or the rules and laws placed on us by others, no matter how well meaning they may be.


vs. 6: "As for those who seemed to be important - whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance - those men added nothing to my message."


Often times pastors will listen to and read other pastors messages to aid them in their study and encourage them in their walk.  Over the years I have found myself doing the same from time to time.  It is so easy to find yourself critiquing the pastor and placing some above others.  And I would guess that often times it isn't even based on the biblical nature of what they said but on the popularity of what they said.  Paul here warns us not to think too highly of others, to not put them in a place of importance beyond where they belong.  As he says, God doesn't judge the external and they add nothing to our message.  If we are following God's call on our lives, living in the freedom we have in Christ Jesus, then these "important" people hold no bearing on the importance of our lives.

Questions to Ponder:

• What about you?  Are you the type of person who usually "goes with the crowd" or do you "do your own thing?"

• How do you feel when your beliefs are contrary to popular opinion?  On what issue do you need to stand alone?  

Week 3: Paul Called By God

Galatians 1:11-24

This week we're reading about Paul's calling. Paul makes it very clear in this passage that the gospel he preached "is not something that man made up."~verse 11 Rather, Paul received the gospel "by revelation from Jesus Christ."~verse 12 Paul was called by God.

In Paul's previous life, he persecuted God's church and tried to destroy it. He admits he was "extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers."~verse 14 Paul tells how he was converted from this way of life and commissioned by God to preach the gospel of Christ. Paul was called for God's purposes.

Several things stand out to me in this passage, and challenge me to live out my own calling from God. First, Paul describes himself as set apart. "But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles."~verses 15,16a Am I living my life as one who is set apart? Is God pleased to reveal his Son in me? Second, when Paul realized his calling, he "did not consult any man."~verse 16b How sure am I of God's calling in my life? Do I look to others for affirmation or significance, or do I look only to God?

These are some thought-provoking questions. How might we apply this to our lives today? For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to fit in. I want to be accepted. Who doesn't, right? So, what does it mean to be set apart? I believe it involves the realization that I am not living my life for myself. My life serves a purpose greater than merely getting through another day, another week, or another year. I have been called by God to be set apart for Him. When I live as one who is set apart, God is pleased to reveal his Son in me. WOW! Living like that means that I am really living. God uses my words and my actions to reveal Himself to those around me. Every peak and every valley of my life has an eternal purpose. Like Paul, I am called by God for God's purposes.

As Paul brings the first chapter of Galatians to a close, he succinctly describes the fruit of God's calling upon his life. "And they praised God because of me."~verse 24 For God to completely transform Paul's life into one that brings Him praise, is nothing short of miraculous. This realization increases my faith today. God can take the messiest parts of my life and turn them into praises to His name. Now, that is a calling I don't want to miss out on!

-Sarah Ann

Week 2: Time to Dig In

Here we are at the onset of our 2nd week. 


How are you all doing with this format so far?


I trust that this is as much of a joy to each of you as it has been to me (Sarah Beth) this past week.  I have enjoyed getting to know each of the women in my groups and hearing your thoughts, prayer requests, and questions as we read through the entire book of Galatians.




There are so many aspects of this study that excite me.  

1. Hearing thoughts and ideas from women in many different stages of life
2. Being able to connect any time of day and in any location
3. Knowing that women in FOUR different states are involved in the same study
4. Serving with wonderful women- Justine & Sarah Ann

But most of all there is one thing that excites me the most about this study:

Being in the Word on a daily basis!  

All of us - all throughout the week.  

In my life there is only one place I have been able to find any truth that has changed my life, and that is in the Word of God.  I love to read and often read wonderful books that support what the Lord is teaching me in His Word.  But NOTHING I have ever found works on my heart to make life change the way being in scripture does.  Only there do I hear from my Lord in a most personal way.

I have seen in my own life, and the lives of countless women around me, how when the Word of God is the power for change in our lives, women become better wives, mothers, workers, employers.  And THAT is what excites me so much about knowing this wonderful group of nearly 45 women are in the Word on a daily basis.  

So - don't be discouraged if you didn't make it through every chapter last week.  Don't be discouraged if you don't make it to your online chat board each day.  Just keep in the Word.  Keep reading His Truth and join us along the way.

I look forward to seeing how God uses this time to change all of our lives!