FARCE – QUESTION…?
We interrupt this program to ask a question:
Can anyone tell me if it is possible to set your WordPress account up so that it automatically likes every post you receive notification about, from a given blogger?
So that someone who never reads your posts – has it rigged so that he automatically hits your LIKE button?
If so what a farce. 🥸
REAL AS REAL CAN BE
Acts 21/10 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”
12 Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”14 So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.”
Ok – so you may have ‘stumbled’ upon this Post.
Grab your seat and don’t move – you, who quickly pass on uninterestedly from any thing Biblical.
This passage is about Paul the apostle and his response to a prophet and his Christian companions.
Paul is warned that if he goes up to Jerusalemn – he is in for trouble. He will be ‘handcuffed’ and delivered to the Gentile authorities.
Imagine with me, what Paul could well have said:
Thank you God for warning me about this, through this prophetic utterance, I can now escape by some other route! How faithful you are in giving me a means of warning and therefore deliverance.
I can now testify of how God protects His children, just like you protected me through this warning prophesy. Just like you did Joseph, the stepfather of Jesus on a few occasions. Enabling him to go elsewhere out of danger’s reach.
However his response instead, was to accept the warning as true and to go to Jerusalem anyway, – prepared to suffer.
Why? Because he was convinced that God wanted him to go there.
Acts 20/22 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me.
His was the destiny of a martyr.
From his first supernatural encounter with The Risen Christ on the Damascus road and immediately thereafter – he was informed that he would suffer for Christ.
Acts 9/16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
This causes us to realise a few things. First the encounter He had was so real, so powerful and so ‘out of this world’ that nothing could cause him to forget it or deny it. It was as real as real as could be.
So powerful and real was the tangible Presence of God in this man’s life He needed no other intellectual persuasion as to the fact that Jesus Christ (whom he had before opposed in his head) was indeed the Son of The Living God.
He had just encountered Him on the Damascus road – blindingly! (Acts 9)
The existence of the afterlife, having invaded his world, was so real, he saw no alternative but to obey implicitly, everything He was instructed to do.
Which was exactly what he did, so that he could, in his latter years, make this statement: II Timothy 4/6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
You and I – have to take the word of a man who had this powerful assurance through this powerful experience – that Jesus and His claims MUST be taken seriously. It’s a matter of life and death.
You may not have had as powerful an experience as Paul – yet he pleads with you to obey his words. The words of the gospel he preached.
So here we are – those who may not have had this blinding experience, this tangible indisputable encounter with God – being asked to give our lives to Christ through prayer.
Before we leave this world and have the ‘Damascus road experience’ of heaven itself.
Provided that is – we accept Christ as Saviour according to the message that Paul preached.
FOOLISH 2021
Galatians 3:
v1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so [c]many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain
Paul the Apostle is addressing this Galatian group of believers.
But of course it is ordained of God that, when one of His Specially Chosen Early Apostolic leaders, writes to a particular ‘branch’ of God’s church – it is more than meant for, or sent to – just them.
It is sent to all believers throughout history who follow on, by inheritance, from the early formed church/churches.
The Word of God will never pass away. Anything that the Holy Spirit has placed His indelible fingerprint upon – will remain as His Word forever.
Jesus said:
Matt. 24/
34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
Paul, saddened, grieved and a little perplexed, is addressing a fundamental problem pervading the Galatian church.
This problem can, or has, pervaded the lives of believers ever since, and indeed at one time – knocked me off-course for a couple of years in my Christian life.
Paul is very straight with them, out of love and concern, trying to wake them up to spiritual reality. Wake them up to the completeness of Christ’s Salvation.
“O Foolish Galatians…” – exclamation mark!
“Who has bewitched you…”?
Without even going into the original meaning of the Greek etc. as we can do, when seeking to expound some aspect of God’s New Testament. Let me instead pass on what the dictionary means by the word ‘bewitched’:
to attract or interest someone a lot so that you have the power to influence them:
to put a magicspell on someone or something in order to control him, her, or it
Either definition will do – First – attracted and therefore distracted. Distracted from the real wonderful message, into their own ideas. (Manmade gospel)
Second – (bewitched) – Coming under the control of something, someone, or a spirit not of God.
That was how Paul found these believers. They got away from the wonderful New Testament message of Salvation by Faith – through God’s Amazing Grace – and their whole focus was on themselves and their own performance.
He spends most of the rest of the epistle addressing and correcting this legalistic distraction, in order that the Galatians will become re-focused on Christ.
We must look to Christ in prayer for everything to do with the spiritual life.
The following is a spiritual seeing:
25 For David says concerning Him:
‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face,
For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad;
Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope.
This was the spoken spiritual reality of someone staying on course by faith – seeing the invisible God – (see also e.g. Heb. 11/27) so as to walk pleasing to Him, without wrongly, losing sight of Him completely and then trying to live like Him. It doesn’t work. The Galatians were trying it and failing.
Paul put them right.
Are your eyes on God in prayer? Will you respond (by the hearing of this encouragement) – in faith? (see verse 2).
ELUSIVE CERTAINTY 2021
To be absolutely certain about anything in this life, is difficult, to say the least.
I’ve been taking an interest in the political news of the USA. I am not an American, and I am generally not interested in politics per se, but I am interested in truth.
There is contention over the results of the Presidential election. And the perceived evidence of fraud in the minds of thousands of Americans is plainly manifest.
As far as I can determine – the mainstream media either ignore or play down all the conclusions the many Republican followers are convinced of.
That there is fraudulent balloting as in computers set to favour one candidate over the other, is hard to prove. Especially if the forensic examination of the machines is not permitted or ordered by the governing powers that be.
So until there is certain proof of all the claims that are being made regarding fraudulence – we are left with uncertainty.
Even though the many ways fraudulence can take place (as itemised by affidavit testimony etc.) is proclaimed until investigation and proper and thorough examination takes place – we have in the meantime – uncertainty.
Life is full of uncertainty.
John the Baptist is an example of a follower of Christ, who when faced with his imminent demise at the hands of a foolish king – entered into uncertainty. (Matthew 11/2-4)
Our human make-up, our human condition, is fickle. Strong today, weak tomorrow. Beset with uncertainty and doubt.
But there is a difference in human beings who live in similar ‘bodies of death’ as Paul the Apostle describes them. (Romans 7/24).
He for one, had a certainty of faith to his dying day, as described below:
2 Timothy 4:6-8
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
The difference between human beings, when faced with the uncertainty we are all subject to – is our response to it – How we face or deal with uncertainty.
The human mind can change – and does change every moment of the day.
Many when offered the Christian gospel message – will listen for a short time and then change their minds and get on with what is at hand – entering back into uncertainty and holding to it, as a reason for making no response to Christ’s claims. The bible calls this unbelief.
The Christian believer, when similarly beset with uncertainty of whatever kind – knows deep within what is taking place.
It is what the scripture describes as ‘the trial of our faith’.
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
When doubt enters the changeable mind – it is time to:
1 Thessalonians 5:
21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
We hold fast to what we are convinced is truth. God has proven it to be so through the word of truth (the Bible) and through the spiritual experience we have had in encountering Christ. This is the truth we have been convinced of in our past experience, and biblically, will not change.
John the Baptist was sent a specific word from Jesus, telling him how to respond to his doubts:
Luke 7/22
Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Uncertainty can precede believing a lie, or believing the truth.
For example what do you believe – was the election fraudulent – or was it honourably executed?
My topic is not the election – my topic is truth and certainty/uncertainty.
How many things are you uncertain about? How many things are you sure about? Maybe we should make a two column list?
One thing is for sure – there is truth and there are lies.
Here is how to find the truth – it may take some time!
Matthew 7/ KJV:
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
THE new AGREEMENT
God has drawn up an agreement. He would like you to sign it. But He wants you to sign it willingly. He will not force you to sign it – even though it is the greatest agreement you could ever sign.
He had an old agreement that He improved on. If this old agreement could have given you the ability to be a good person, then no doubt He would not have sought to draw-up another.
But the New Agreement has made the old obsolete, by virtue of it’s greater revelation.
The new agreement is based on better promises that God has made.
In the Old Agreement, God laid out clearly what was expected of you, had you agreed to adhere to it and sign up for it.
The problem was, it told you what was required on your part to fulfil your side of the covenant (another name for the agreement), but the old covenant failed to enable you to do what was required. It told you what not to do – but not how – not to do it.
It told you what was required to fulfil your side of the agreement – but no one who has ever signed up to the old agreement has ever kept their side of the covenant.
Regardless of how much those who signed up tried, it was impossible to fulfil every jot and title of what was required of them, in keeping their side of the ‘bargain’.
God found it incredulous that they were unable to keep His requirements in this old agreement. Incredulous because He had never experienced the nature your first forefather and mother chose to have.
God had never experienced human nature up to the time of the New Agreement, and therefore couldn’t grasp why human nature could not keep the old agreement.
This was the only thing God had no experience of, as it (sinful human nature) was totally and completely contrary to His nature.
This nature was destructive and potently disastrous for all of God’s creation.
So to understand your nature and it’s corrupt state – He came to earth, took upon Himself your human nature, and although His human body was incorruptible – He allowed it to become corrupted as in loaded with sin in death – so you would not be punished forever, and giving you His divine nature to partake of, you are now able through Him to keep your side of the new agreement.
Will you sign today?
TENDENCIES
I recently found myself agreeing with a Christian Radio host when he said that some believers in Christ tend towards the emotional and some towards the cerebral.
How true – and usually we look next, for some label to differentiate the two.
* The obvious one that comes to mind are the labels Pentecostal or charismatic and evangelical/theological or liberal.
Much as I like the one label for all (Christian), – in reality we are all influenced by these labels*, in forming a ‘picture’ of what different Christian folks are like and what they believe or major on.
This labelling of course is in flux – as everyone searches for a name to crystallise what they believe in, or stand for. So new ones emerge through time.
Spiritual experiences – as in experiencing the Holy Spirit – is not synonymous with emotionalism.
Deep theological thought is not synonymous with no experience of The Holy Spirit.
Someone has put it this way – (speaking metaphorically) too much emphasis on the power of God and we blow up. Too much emphasis on The Word of God and we dry up – but the Spirit and the Word and we grow up.
Paul the apostle had great intellectual ability, but he was first to admit how limited and insufficient this was when it came to spiritual matters.
Philippians 3:
4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so:
I Corinthians 2/11
…Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
Galatians 1/
12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Spiritual discernment is not emotionalism. Nevertheless when God moves in power you can be sure your emotions will give great response.
As we refrain from leaning on our own understanding and ask God for His enabling Holy Spirit – let’s not limit what He can do, by knowledge uninspired by God Himself.
Don’t allow or use theological knowledge to limit or direct God to fit into our understanding about what He must and must not do.
Conversely when God meets with us in a powerful way – don’t drift into trying to reproduce such a wonderful experience by soulish imitation.
The narrow way leads to life.
Lord help us.
Cult message
There you were – just travelling on, minding your own business.
And someone came into your life with a message.
Ever happened to you? Was it a good – real – genuinely worthwhile message? Offering good news or bad?
As a child along with others in my street – we heard a message offering all kinds of fun and games – baseball stands out – it wasn’t part of our culture, so had the novelty factor.
Next thing I’m given parental permission to visit this large house to partake in these fun and games.
I can’t remember exactly, but I was around the eight-year-old mark.
Fast forward in cutting the story short. And I’m being indoctrinated with some kind of bible stuff? I’m nodding in agreement, because I’m too young to know better either way.
Then I’m changing into white robes and being ducked below the water. A frightening experience, especially as the water stuck in my ears and I couldn’t hear properly afterwards. Frightening for a child of eight.
I was told it was all “ok” with my mum and dad.
Of course it wasn’t, they hadn’t even been informed.
Recreational games with other kids was all they ‘signed up’ for.
The gentleman who had recruited myself and other kids for this fiasco was sending back head counts to his homeland, of how successful his ministry had been.
Of course I never went back, and I can’t actually remember if my parents took any further action.
Back in the day – things were ‘let go of’ more readily.
Today of course, there would be an outcry, and as they say ‘heads would roll’.
I eventually received ex-communication notice from this group of charlatans. Praise God!
Notice I have not mentioned their name, as in their religious label.
Did this experience do any lasting harm? Naw!
But what a glorious contrast when I had a 100% real, conversion experience, when falling to my knees Jesus the Christ revealed Himself to me, as I wept my way into his spiritual kingdom, at my bedside in the house I was reared in.
Colossians 1/13
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
God Himself did the work. I am so thankful that He came looking for me. And I fell under His revelation and conviction.
That was 50 years ago today.
RICH OR POOR
Mankind is struggling – to say the least or to put it mildly.
Those who are set on a course of money-making find solace if each deal is going well, or many are purchasing their product.
They are happy with the success that brings a monetary reward.
The Bible says (amongst many) – two things worth mentioning:
Psalm 62
If riches increase,
Do not set your heart on them.
I Timothy 6/
17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share…
Notice the heart is set on riches, and therefore they are trusting in riches – this gives solace and a sense of ‘all is well’ drawn from their success, measured by monetary increase.
Struck down by a virus might shake their confidence.
A strange virus comes along – and things are not working out as lucratively for many reasons. Now that person or persons is suddenly programmed to be not doing so well.
We all live for various things that seem to make life and living worthwhile.
A lot of these things are good and wholesome and many are not.
I pulled riches out of the hat as only one example of what brings satisfaction to many.
We learn from scripture that it is not riches that can cause problems – it is the love of them.
I Timothy 6/
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Riches are uncertain in an uncertain world, and cannot provide ultimate contentment all the way to the grave, where they end.
However –
…godliness with contentment is great gain.
So putting these points together we have – those who trust in money, set their hearts and minds on it above other things, and all their affection (love) is reserved for all things monetary.
Now it’s all very well to point out these ‘financial trespasses’ but if you do not know where your next meal is coming from, or you are about to be evicted from your home because of financial difficulties – suddenly money becomes a preoccupation.
It does not pre-occupy your heart and mind because you have plenty of it – but rather because you have next to none. Survival therefore becomes your priority, and no doubt that of your family.
So for entirely different reasons the heart is set on finance.
Don’t set your heart on riches or finance is justifiably an exhortation to those who are greedy and who will not lift a finger to help the less fortunate.
But what of those who have very little money?
Well, difficult, in such circumstances, as it may seem – setting our minds and hearts on The Living God in the Person of The Lord Jesus Christ – is an anchor for the soul.
So that regardless of what befalls us – we open the door to God’s deliverance as we trust in Him.
For the rich or poor – the call of God is the same –
Proverbs 3/
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
Psalm 37
25 I have been young, and now am old;
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
Nor his descendants begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lends;
And his descendants are blessed.
God will not forsake those who trust in Him – even though it takes a lot to stay focussed during lean times.
But we are told that keeping our soul healthy before God through faith in Jesus the Saviour, will give God the opportunity to work in His own mysterious way, to prosper us according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus.
3 John 1-3
To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth:
2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.
Phil. 4/
19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
What being a genuine Christian – looks like:
John 4
21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Rather than a preamble to set this scripture in context – I want to get to the point straight away:
For all who enquire after the things of God. Seeking some starting point to understand what it is to worship God, or understand God, or grasp what it is to be a Christian believer, what it ‘looks’ like is communicated clearly in this verse.
Worshipping God is not confined to a given vicinity or building. The need for a religious label is not a pre-requisite for acceptance.
It is a 24/7 experience for all those who believe in and accept Jesus Christ as Lord.
He promises to be with us always – ‘us’ being the persons who give their lives over to Him.
This is a spiritual experience involving the heart, soul and spirit of a human being.
It is an encounter spiritually with The Christ of God.
Bob Dylan lyric…
Many try to stop me, shake me up in my mind
Say, “Prove to me that He is Lord, show me a sign”
What kind of sign they need when it all come from within…
Reflecting on Mr. Dylan’s lyric we understand that true spirituality is again, to do with the innermost being.
So turning your life over to Christ is not some pie-in-the-sky bye and bye experience – but it happens when we reach out for Jesus at the right hand of God the Father in heaven, right now. Right now because:
For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
It’s a ‘now’ for all those who will believe.
Notice in the verse, first quoted, that the inner reality where we experience the Presence of God is to do with the human spirit.
the true worshipers will worship the Father IN SPIRIT…
But for this to happen we must first expose ourselves to the truth in The Bible.
…AND TRUTH;
for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
These two realities are inseparable in our endeavours to know the Only Living and True God and His Son Jesus Christ.
The truth supplied by the revelation of Jesus Christ will make you free.
As in all blog posts to do with Christian truth, we have space for only touching on subjects. The true seekers must:
Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
Ask not – am I a baptist, a methodist, an anglican, a pentecostal, etc.-
Ask: ‘am I a worshipper in SPIRIT AND TRUTH?’
As I ask you the same question?
SORTED?
Is it possible for two people to say the exact same thing, using the exact same words – and yet mean something different?
It is.
“I believe in God”, says person A. “I believe in god”. says person B.
First question: ‘What god would that be?’
And if it is not the same god – then although they are saying the same thing, they are making two completely different statements.
One way to sort this – is to know the name of the god they believe in.
But if I tell you I believe in God, and your god is not my God, then when you click the ‘like button’ on reading my remark, you do so probably with your own god in mind.
And if the God I refer to, is not your god – you have hit the ‘like button’ by mistake.
Outcome: Misunderstanding.
Outcome: We are not in agreement.
Good I’m glad we got that sorted out…
HEARING
Sometimes when we make a point to someone, passing on something we think they aught to think about or do, we hear the response: “I hear you…I hear you!”
Sometimes there is a reluctance, exposed in their tone of voice – but at the same time they know what you shared is applicable.
Revealing a certain kind of hearing. Let’s just call it reluctant hearing.
Spiritual hearing, can start in a similar way – reluctantly. But deep down we know it is applicable.
Hearing begins in the natural – our natural faculties hear words in a message, a communication.
And we respond accordingly.
Our response is individual. Sometimes others agree and we respond corporately to what is communicated.
Everyone wanted to agree that the Health workers in the front line for us all – should be shown and assured of our deep appreciation for their valiant efforts.
So – many responded and stood at their doors and applauded, hoping the echo would resound throughout the community and be received as encouragement by these dedicated servants.
But if some stay indoors and don’t applaud, is this because they didn’t hear or don’t agree?
Or did they hear the call alright – but had a reason not to respond?
Unavailability – would be a possible reason for not taking part in the applause, i.e. engagement elsewhere, in some important activity.
Otherwise human reasoning – annulled their hearing. Because the hearing of the call to corporate applauding – demanded response.
They heard and didn’t hear, at the same time. Because they did not respond.
So it is with the gospel message, or any message of truth that calls for a right response.
In the corporate applauding situation, it’s easy to conclude that those who heard are non-appreciators.
We conclude they didn’t hear by virtue of their lack of response to this small act of appreciation, because they didn’t join in.
This is an illustration of how to hear and yet not hear.
So hearing and understanding can be two different things, in this instance.
Usually understanding provokes your will to do something, this affirms that you heard and understood. Understanding usually calls for response of some kind.
Where am I going with all this?
Well not to disappoint your expectation of the spiritual point.🙂
Jesus said:
When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
What way are we meant to hear and respond to spiritual truths?
If there is no response – does that reveal that we have heard and yet not heard? Heard – according to this verse and not properly understood?
If you don’t like the idea of being a person that doesn’t ‘get it’, one who doesn’t properly understand – you can examine it further until you do.
In the verse above – those referred to, didn’t hear and understand – I submit to you – because they did not act upon what they heard, even if the response was to simply explore the thoughts and words of the gospel further.
Jesus said:
John 8:
43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.
So hearing/understanding/believing/responding with action/ are inextricably linked.
True spiritual hearing is followed by understanding and by a choice of the will to believe.
Jesus said:
7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
You and I – MUST be born again – according to The Lord Jesus Christ.
MUST is pretty emphatic.
Do we understand what this means? Then we shall take the necessary ACTIONS to prove we understand in the truest sense.
You ran well…
Galatians 5:7-9 (NKJV)
7 You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
Paul the apostle is addressing the believers in Galatia.
‘You ran well’ he reminds them.
Followers of Christ have a personal relationship with Him – through prayer.
And all Christians at some point in their experience will fail to ‘run well’.
Shortcomings will ‘take over’, to hinder the race they are called to run.
The conscientious, must quickly return to their advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ the righteous. (I John 2/1)
The whole epistle to the Galatians should be greatly appreciated by all believers. As it warns us of the dangers of falling into legalism and dead religion.
In a nutshell the problem is that the believer ends up with their eyes totally on themselves and no longer on The Lord Jesus.
I’ve been there, and can smell – a mile away – the grave clothes of legalism resulting in morbid introspection, a sense of constant failure, and the curse of the law. (Gal. 3/10-13)
In my early Christian walk, I too went through a period of bewitchment (Gal. 3/1). But Jesus set me free again!
Paul talks here of ‘persuasion’.
They, the Galatians, were persuaded and drawn-away from the true gospel. They had a form of godliness, but where not experiencing the presence of The Holy Spirit as they should.
That’s why, Paul asks them this question in a later chapter:
This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
God wants us to simply believe and act on our belief, in humility and adoration of the King of kings.
Always returning to communion with the lover of our souls.
I suppose we all run our race, at a different pace than fellow Christians.
At times we all become spiritually lethargic and need a fresh spiritual impetus.
We must never forget and always act upon God’s offered acceptance and forgiveness in The Saviour.
He is exactly what He says He is. And His mercy endures forever.
To arrest an advertising slogan – (God is) and does exactly what it says on the tin.
Be encouraged to take Him at His word and act upon it!
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
