Forgiven Therefore Free: Closing

October 22, 2020 As I am writing these closing words for the devotional, I hope all the words that came before illustrated the great love Christ has for you. I pray you have been encouraged to live in the freedom you have because of Christ. And I know the Holy Spirit will continue to work …

Forgiven Therefore Free: God Makes Things Grow

October 21, 2020 I’m not very good at waiting.  When I purchase a gift for someone, I want to give it to them instantly.  Amazon Prime is my kind of thing.  Shipping that takes more than two days seems unnecessarily long to me.  When a package does arrive, I am quick to the mailbox and …

Forgiven Therefore Free: Bearing Burdens

October 20, 2020 “Your brother does not cease to be your brother when he slips or because he offends you.  Instead that’s when he most needs you to show him your love.”  -Luther, Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians. Living by the Spirit means we bear the burdens of our neighbors, the people …

Forgiven Therefore Free: Walking in the Spirit

October 19, 2020 We know we are not justified by our works.  We want to serve our neighbor.  We don’t produce the fruit; it is the fruit of the Spirit.  We do not want to gratify the desires of the flesh.  How does this work?  Some of these things seem to be at odds with …

Forgiven Therefore Free: Confidence in the Lord

October 15, 2020 Galatians 5:7-15 Paul did not have confidence in the Galatians nor in the people around Galatia.  He had confidence in Christ. Paul reminds the Galatians that they were running well.  They were obeying the truth.  They had confidence in Christ.  He encouraged them not with who they are but with who Christ …

Forgiven Therefore Free: Stand Firm

October 14th, 2020 Galatians 5:1-6 90’s country music is a treasure chest of hidden gems.  I was born in ‘85, in the midwest, and spent a large amount of time on my grandparents dairy farm, so when I hear people talking about standing for something, a song begins playing: “You’ve got to Stand for something”, …

Forgiven Therefore Free: Children of Freedom

October 14th, 2020 Galatians 4:21-31 When Sarah can’t see the work of God what does she do?  She does it on her own.  She gives her husband the slave girl to sleep with, to bear a child with. What was she thinking?  She was thinking God had promised her and her husband a child, and …

Forgiven Therefore Free: Child Live Free

Paul is concerned about these people he is writing to.  In this letter, he is worried about where the gospel has gone.  He asks them “What then has become of the blessedness you felt?”  He reminds them they would have gone as far as to gouge their eyes out for him. He is worried about …

Forgiven Therefore Free: Galatians 4:12-5:15

Read Galatians 4:12-5:15 The fruit of the Spirit: Love Joy Peace Patience Kindness Goodness Faithfulness Gentleness Self-Control against such things there is no law And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires Galatians 5:22-24. Over and over again Paul makes it clear that the good stuff we do …

A Bunch of Gomer’s

October 8, 2020 Read Hosea 1:1-3:5 Gomer is a woman who finds herself in slavery more than once. God calls on Hosea to marrry this woman who is less than reputable. He marries her, they have children and Gomer leaves him to go back to a life of slavery. It is what she knows. When …