1. Background
2. Examen
Ask God to shine light on the true intentions of your heart. Specifically, ask:
What path am I pursuing (in my life)?
In what ways am I interested in my own reputation, and in what ways am I interested in the Lord’s?
How have I savored time with my Father this week?
3. The Word
Slowly and thoughtfully pray this prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
as I come to your Holy Word today
in all humility I seek you.
Open my heart, mind, and ears.
Let Your Holy Spirit illuminate the Scriptures for me.
Reveal Your heart and Your will through Your Word.
Soften my heart and change me.
Read the passage slowly and carefully. Let your eyes linger on words or phrases that stand out. Don’t rush through the passage.
4. Meditate
Circle or highlight the words that show God’s character and acts.
Spend time praising God using this passage.
What encourages you about Paul’s testimony?
5. Your Testimony
Think through your own testimony. Write down a few key characteristics of your life before Christ, then the things that struck you and caused you to turn, then some major moments since following Christ.
Spend time in praise and thanks to God for the changes he’s wrought in your life.
6. The Gospel
Spend time meditating on what the gospel is.
Spend time in gratefulness for the gospel.
7. Linger
Receive God’s grace and peace… breathe in his grace, breathe out his peace.
Overcoming the World
1 Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers and sisters[ ] with me,
To the churches in Galatia:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
No Other Gospel
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!
10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Paul Called by God
11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. 17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.
18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas[ ] and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.
21 Then I went to Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they praised God because of me.
1:2 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 11; and in 3:15; 4:12, 28, 31; 5:11, 13; 6:1, 18.
1:18 That is, Peter
تبغى تتواصل مع مسيحي؟ تواصل معنا بكل امان الحين.
