Daily Inspirations

  Good morning. OK so we are to be holy and blameless before Him – in love (which is how) He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself. As you are probably aware, there is a debate about free will versus predestination. Some believe that we have no choice in the matter – we are pre-destined to become Christians or to go to the bad place. That completely contradicts the idea of free will. However you can’t dismiss predestination or ignore it; it is in the Bible. This is what someone has called the “tension“ of the Word. It “seems like“ that there are two contradictory concepts. For example “once saved always saved“ versus you can lose your salvation. It seems like they are both in the Bible. So you have to try and explain it away. Those that believe in free will say that God knew that you were going to choose Him, and thus He made sure that you would accept Him. How did He predestine us? It was according to the kind intention of His will (desire is implied i...

  Good morning. He blessed us in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. He not only blessed us in Christ, He also chose us in Him. Isn’t that awesome? God chose us! And it wasn’t because we did something special that He chose us, because He did it even before the foundation of the world. Now He did not choose us so that we could do just any old thing that we wanted. He chose us that we would be holy and blameless before Him. It’s much easier to be “holy and blameless” before men; it is quite a lot more to be holy and blameless before God. Note that it is a “being“, and not a “doing“ that makes us holy and blameless before God. Father thank You that You chose us - not because we did anything to warrant it, but because You loved us.

  Good morning. Today we begin the book of Ephesians. It seems like every part of a sentence has some doctrinal nuance in it. As usual, Paul starts out by proclaiming that he is an apostle of Christ Jesus, and that it is by the will of God. He is writing to the saints at Ephesus who are faithful (not those who are just trying to sneak in the back door of heaven) in Christ Jesus. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. We can’t even imagine us blessing God. My Bible says that the Jewish people used the word “blessed“ to express both God‘s kindness to us and our thanks or praise to Him. Notice that God blessed us with every spiritual blessing -  there aren’t any that He did not bless us with. Now it does say spiritual blessing; it does not say every physical blessing. Our blessing is in the heavenly places in Christ – but we are in Christ, even while we are here on earth. Father th...

  Good morning. Yesterday we talked about these people getting others to become circumcised that they may boast.  May it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Here Paul is boasting about what Jesus did, not what he did. For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. Following or not following the law will get you nowhere; only being completely changed within and without will. And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. The Greek word translated “and” can sometimes be translated as “even” or “namely”. The word “and“ means the joining of two different things. The words “even“ and “namely“ mean something more explicit about the same thing. So Paul is probably not talking about two different things, Christians and Jews, but rather calling Christians the Israel of God. From now on let no one cau...

  Good morning. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. So it’s not just to Christians that we are to do good, but to everyone. Referring back to where we were previously: those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. It was bad enough to preach Christ, the Messiah, crucified on the cross; it was even worse to not circumcise the new believers. But those who are  circumcised do not even keep the law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised so that they may boast in your flesh. Even today, people who do wrong things like to get other people to do the same wrong things. They then go around bragging that they were able to get them to do it. Father help us to not yield to pressure from others to do things that we know are not right.

  Good morning. The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. Of course evangelists use this passage to say, “if you send me money, God will send you more money“. But he’s talking about much more than money. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. If you do things to please your flesh, it will “spoil“. But if you do things for the kingdom of God, you will reap eternal rewards. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. Too many times we are way too quick to give up. We give and give and give (and not just money), and it seems like we never see any results coming back to us. And so we become disheartened and quit giving. It seems like it takes forever to start receiving results from our giving (and ...

  Good morning. If we are exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit, then we should: Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. When people are fulfilling some set of rules and regulations, they tend to think that they are better than everyone else. The only ones that they are fooling are themselves. Everyone else can see through them. Each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. It’s kind of like bettering your own record in some type of exercise. You can boast (to yourself) that you did better than your previous record; you shouldn’t boast that you did better than someone else. For each one will bear his own load (it is a different word than “burdens” used earlier). Christianity is a DIY (with the help of the Holy Spirit) experience. Father help us to continuously do better each day than we did the da...

  Good morning. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. It sure doesn’t act like it’s crucified (seems like we are back to Romans seven again). If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk (different word from yesterday - it means to walk in line with) by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another. People who are legalistic tend to look down on those that are not as legalistic as they are. And if someone seems to be more legalistic than they are, they tend to be envious of those people. Even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of gentleness, each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. If someone who is legalistic sees another person doing something that they believe is wrong, instead of helping that person to do the right thing, they condemn them, usually publicly. The word translated restore is also used to mea...

  Good morning. If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The Spirit won’t lead us to do anything that we should not, but will lead us to do the things that we should - we don’t need the Law to guide us. Now the deeds (plural) of the flesh are evident, which are… and things like these. Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. People that do the things that he listed generally really don’t care about inheriting the kingdom of God – they only care about pleasing their flesh. But the fruit (singular) of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law (if you are operating in the fruit of the Spirit, you won’t be breaking the Law). Those people who do the deeds of the flesh might only do one or two but not all of them. Those who exhibit the fruit of the Spirit will exhibit all that Paul listed, not just one or two. If you feel like one of those listed in t...

  Good morning. And now a verse that we all need to follow diligently: walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. The ones who wanted them to follow the law had all of these rules and regulations that people were to follow in order to live “righteously“ before God. By contrast God has only one - walk by the Spirit. If you do that, you don’t have to worry about “Have I followed every commandment and regulation?“. Simply listen to the directions of the Holy Spirit. He will keep you from doing the wrong things and will help you to do the right ones. The word “walk“ is in the present tense, which in Greek means to do it continuously not just one time. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you (your flesh) wish. This reminds us of the internal conflict of Romans chapter 7 where Paul said, “I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin“. ...

  Good morning. Apparently some people thought, and may even have been saying that, Paul was preaching that converts should be circumcised. If I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross (how could the Messiah be crucified? He was supposed to be the king of kings.) has been abolished (from the same word as severed, which we saw yesterday). I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves (cut themselves off). For you were called to freedom, only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. We are free in regards to the law, but that does not mean that we can do just any old thing that we want. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word “you shall love your neighbor as yourself“. Then you will not have to do every little nitpicky thing in the law, if you simply do what is best for your neighbor. Father help us to use our freedom for Your glory.

  Good morning. In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love (remember first Corinthians chapter 13). You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? Too many times Christians start out well, but then get sidetracked on some issue. This persuasion (to be perfected by the law) did not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. You cannot mix a little “untruth“ with truth. It will eventually pervade your whole belief system. This reminds us of the Jews removing all leaven from their house before Passover. I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you (trying to get them to follow the law) will bear his judgment, whoever he is. Father help the reader and his/her family to get their needs met. Bring healing and deliverance to them all.

  Good morning. It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery (under the law). I say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. Circumcision of course would be the greatest commitment to the law. Every man who receives circumcision is under obligation to keep the whole law. They could not pick and choose which parts of the law they wanted to obey. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace (which is the way we are justified as Christians) . Some use this to say that a Christian can lose his or her salvation. To me it means that grace is a much higher level than operating under the law; and they have fallen to a much lower standard of living. For we through the Spirit, by faith (not works of the Law), are waiting for the hope of righteousness. Father thank You that we live the Christian life by grace through fai...

  Good morning. Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? He is referring back to them observing days and months and seasons and years. It is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bond woman and one by the free woman. The son by the bond woman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai (where the law was given) bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise (that God made to Abraham). He goes on to comment that Scripture says that the son of the bondwoman (born under the law) shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman (born under the promise). Since we were born under the promise, we should not act like someone who was born under the law (while Christians may not act like they are under the law of Moses, they do sometimes act like they are un...

  Good morning. So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? That sometimes does happen. We don’t like it when someone tells us that we have been doing something wrong. Referring back to those that wanted the Galatians to go back under bondage to the law: they eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out (which Paul never did to the Galatians) so that you will seek them. Sometimes the best way to get someone to want to do some thing is to tell them they can’t have it. They seem to want it even more. But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable manner, and not only when I am present with you. My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you. (John, in his letters, would commonly called the people to whom he was writing, my little children.) I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. Paul was not just concerned about getting people saved and putting another notch on h...

  Good morning. Paul then says, you observe days and months and seasons and years. That means they were turning to all of the Jewish beliefs under the law. I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain. You know that it was because of a bodily illness (the word does not just mean sickness; it can also mean infirmity, frailty, or suffering) that I preached the gospel to you the first time; and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself. I bear you witness that if possible, you have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. There are a lot of people who believe that this was Paul’s “thorn in the flesh“, and that it was an eye disease that was his problem. I do not agree with them. Remember that Paul at one time had been stoned and left for dead. He rose up, and the next day he went to Derbe, which is in the Galatian region. It was a miracle enough that he was raised f...

  Good morning. What is the result of us being adopted as sons? Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!“ Those were the same words that Jesus used in the garden. The same Spirit that created the universe is residing in our hearts! Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. But before this - when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods. This probably refers to the fact that many Galatians worshipped idols and other gods. Then they were converted to Christianity. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things (there is that word elemental again), to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? This is why we need to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Even though physically we are removed from the situations to which we were enslave...

  Good morning. But when the fullness of the time came - God always has a time for everything, even though we think things should happen right now. A lot of things had to happen and be in place for Jesus to come. God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, so that He might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. It says that Jesus was born of a woman. There are false beliefs that say that Jesus was strictly God and not man. It also says that he was born under the law. Jesus said He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. Both of these were necessary for Him to redeem us and that we might receive the adoption as sons. In the Roman world, adopting someone was a very big deal. They would even adopt adults, not just children. The adopted child would become heir just like natural born children. Next time we will see what the result was when God did this. Father thank You for choosing us to become Your children. Help us...

  Good morning. Remember that we are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus: for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise. Can you imagine that? A lot of people just want to sneak in the back door of heaven, much less be heirs of Abraham. As long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. How does that relate to us? While we were children, we were held in bondage under the elemental of things of the world. Originally the word translated elemental meant things like the ABC’s. Then it came to mean fundamental principles or basic elements of various kinds - here, the world. The Jews were also in bondage to the law. But God had a plan which we will see next time. Father thank You for Your abundant grace and mercy. Minister th...

  Good morning. Continuing where we left off: Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Again the promise is by faith, not by works. But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith (not by works). Tutors guide students into knowledge about the subject for which they are tutoring. The law was to guide the Jewish people into faith in the Christ. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. However, after 1000 + years of being under the law, it was almost impossible for the Jewish people to put down the law and simply believe in Jesus as the fulfillment of the law. It is hard enough for us to change our beliefs about something that we have believed for just a short time. They were being asked to change what they had beli...

  Good morning. If the law couldn’t make us righteous, and no one other than Jesus was able to obey it, then you might ask why was the Law given? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator (unlike with the promise mentioned later), until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. People had no idea of how they were supposed to act. They needed some guidelines. Since they did not have the Holy Spirit living within them, they needed a physical set of rules that they could see and follow. As we’ve said before in different words, the law could not help people to obey the law. Now a mediator is not for one party only, whereas God is only one. Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on the law. When two parties have a disagreement and cannot rectify the situation, sometimes a person or...

 Good morning. Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. It does not say, and to seeds, as referring to many, but rather to one, and to your seed, that is, Christ. What I am saying is this: the law, which came 430 years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. As a side note: the book of Exodus says that the children of Israel left Egypt 430 years to the day after they entered Egypt. They entered Egypt a number of years after God first promised Abraham. Some years after that first mention of the promise to Abraham, God promised Isaac; and then more years later promised Jacob. In other words it was more than 430 years after God first promised Abraham that the children of Israel left Egypt. Sometimes God has a funny way of counting. Was the 430 years after Jacob went to Egypt, or was it 430 years after Joseph went? In a sense, when Joseph entered, it was as if Jacob entered. For if the inheritance is based on law, ...

  Good morning. For is many as are of the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them. That’s pretty harsh. It’s all or nothing; and of course only Jesus did it all. Therefore, if salvation could be earned, only Jesus would’ve been able to earn it. Paul continues his contrast with James. Now that no one is justified by the law before God is evident; for the righteous man shall live by faith (not by works of the law). However the law is not of faith; on the contrary, he who practices them shall live by them. Then the good news: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us - for it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree - in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Instead of us being cursed because we did not obey the law, Jesus b...

  Good morning. Now some verses in which it seems like Paul is disagreeing with what James says about the same verses in his letter. Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. The Jews are physical sons of Abraham by ancestry. We are spiritual sons of Abraham through faith. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith (not works), preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “all the nations will be blessed in you”. For centuries, the Jews, when they read that, thought that it meant the Gentiles would be converted to Judaism. So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham the believer. How would you like to be called “the believer“? We will continue this next time. Father continue working out things for the reader and his/her family. Make this a beautiful day for them.

  Good morning. You foolish Galatians - wow 😮 Paul, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you; did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? He is referring back to the controversy about obtaining justification through works instead of faith. Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? That is so typical of human nature. First we think that we have to do something to obtain our salvation, and then we think we have to do something to perfect our salvation. So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by works of the law, or by hearing with faith? Again, we feel like we have to do something to earn everything, whether it’s salvation, healing, or anything else. Next time we will continue with where the book of James and Paul apparently disagree. Father thank You that ...

  Good morning. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. Then one of our favorite verses which we used to sing, though with words from the King James. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Dead people don’t sin. If we truly act like we are crucified with Christ, then we won’t be sinning. As human beings, we just simply cannot let go of the reins. But this verse says that we have to - that we live our lives by faith in Jesus. He loved us so much that He gave Himself up for us. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died needlessly. If we could do it on our own by observing the Ten Commandments and the Law of Moses, then we would not have needed for Christ to die for our sins. Father thank You that Christ loved us so much that He gave Hi...

  Good morning. Beginning where we left off last time: This leads me to wonder if James wrote his letter before this occurrence. If so, it could explain some of the apparent discrepancies in some of James’ statements in the letter. He mentions “works“ several times in his letter. He also says that works are necessary for justification, while Paul says it is by grace through faith that we are justified. Perhaps he wrote it before he came to the full realization of how to obtain justification. It was true that works were required for justification before the coming of Jesus. Remember that Peter had pretended to not be associating with the Gentiles. The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy (remember that this came about because of the coming of some people from James). Paul then confronted Peter: if you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? Knowing that a man is not justified by works of the law but th...

  Good morning. Paul finishes his discussion about his trip to Jerusalem by saying: Recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Peter and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. But when Peter came to Antioch (that was Paul’s base of operations), I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned. This re-iterates Paul’s assertion that James, John, and Peter’s reputation meant nothing to him. For prior to the coming of certain men from James (notice where they are from), he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision (who believed that circumcision was necessary for salvation). Paul wasn’t afraid of Peter, James, and John‘s opinion, but Peter was afraid of James’ opinion. We will continue with this next time. Father thank You that it is Your will that matters th...

  Good morning. Paul and Barnabas are in Jerusalem submitting the gospel Paul preached among the Gentiles: It was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. The false brethren wanted the Gentile converts to be circumcised and to follow the law of Moses. This would have brought them under bondage. People who are in bondage many times want everybody else to be under bondage like them and even worse. But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality) - those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me. Paul was a “nobody“ in comparison to James and the others. It would be normal under those circumstances for someone to fold - but that’s definitely not Paul. If he had not stood up for us, Genti...