Today’s Scripture: Galatians 5:6, NIV- “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”
Life is humbling. As humans, one of the hardest parts after accepting Jesus Christ as our savior is to wait to live in the Spirit as Paul wrote in Galatians 5:5 “But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us.” (NLT)
We can wait an entire lifetime if we fail to humble ourselves and let go of our flesh to receive the Helper Jesus promised to us. We do not have on our own, the ability to live righteously.
Ok, I cannot speak for you, but I can confess that I need Jesus to help me walk in the Spirit of God’s love. It is shocking to me how quickly I can fall away from grace when I take my eyes and heart away from the Spirit.
Paul warned us in Galatians 5:4 “For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.” (NLT) This scripture refers to the Laws of Moses but also applies to the laws of nature.
In Galatians 5:1 Paul told us “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.” (NLT) To stay free, I must turn to Jesus and ask for the Holy Spirit to free me from the laws of my nature.
I can only live in love if I stop and turn to live in the Spirit. I need the power and grace of Jesus to pull this off. Just like Paul, my confidence is only through the Lord. In Galatians 5:10 Paul stated “I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty.” (NIV)
We must not look at those who throw us into confusion but turn to the Lord constantly. As Galatians 5:13 reminds us “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” (NIV) We are free to turn to Christ Jesus and the Spirit of God instead of our flesh.
Galatians 5:14 tells us “For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (NLT) We must choose the love of God that we only find in the Spirit of God.
The advent of social media has made it so easy for us, ok me, to fail to love my neighbors who profess other beliefs. Galatians 5:16 is the bottom line for me as Paul instructed us “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” (NKJV)
We all experience Galatians 5:17 “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.” (NIV)
When we do whatever, we want, it can get ugly fast. Just as in the days of Paul we can easily see what people are choosing by their fruits. I recommend you take a moment to read Galatians 5:19-23, and you can see where people come from.
I am thankful that Jesus left for us the Helper. I am confessing to Jesus and you that I need the Spirit to express my faith in love. Will You ask Jesus to help you?
Today’s Prayer: Christ Jesus, thank You for leaving us with the Helper. I am asking for help to express my faith in love. I confess I cannot live in the Spirit without Your help. I am asking to walk and live in Your Spirit so I may show Your love to all neighbors. In Your name I am praying. Amen.
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