Month: August 2024

The Kitchen Table Devotional

Galatians 2 Day 5

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.

Galatians 2:20

We are made right to live right in Jesus by faith.  It’s not about impressing others but rather being influenced by Jesus.  We must die to the need to impress man to live under the influence of Jesus.  God loves us!  We live better when we live forever in the influence of God’s great love for us. 

The Kitchen Table Devotional

Galatians 2 Day 4

“We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; ¹⁶ nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

Galatians 2:15-16

We all want to be good with God and/or man.  We do!  We see people go through all sort of contortions to convince themselves and others that they are or were right.  But we don’t find “right” in impressing man but rather in finding the influence of God in our lives.  It’s not faith in what we have done but rather by faith in what Jesus did that we find ourselves justified and right with God, self, and others.

The Kitchen Table Devotional

Galatians 2 Day 3

But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised ⁸ (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), ⁹ and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas 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.

Galatians 2:7-9

It’s not who we impress but who we know that makes all the difference.  The laws and expectations of man are meant to impress man, but the life of the Holy Spirit empowers us to influence man.  Never trade attention for authority.

The Kitchen Table Devotional

Galatians 2 Day 2

But 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. ⁵ But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.

Galatians 2:4-5

Be careful what you agree to because when we yield to the rules, it affects the revelation.  Rules are about pleasing man; revelation is about pleasing God.  When we bow to the rules of men concerning the gospel we begin to blur the truth of God’s revelation in the gospel.  When we live in the revelation of the Master, we will do more than fulfill the rules of men.  Where it’s about truth there is freedom but when it’s about traditions, it’s frustration.  Only the truth of the gospel can set us free in this life.

Galatians 2 Day 1

Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. ² It was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain.

Galatians 2:1-2

This life is lived in revelation rather than by rules.  The Holy Spirit reveals the word, wisdom, and will of God to us.  By the Holy Spirit, God’s word becomes life and light to the believer.  But even our revelation is to be submitted to the revelation of the gospel.  God will always confirm His word, work, and will in our lives.  Live by the revelation of the Spirit and you won’t have to worry about the rules of men.

The Kitchen Table Devotional

Galatians 1 Day 5

¹⁰ For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

Galatians 1:10

There’s no end to the slavery of trying to please men.  Man’s aspirations and expectations are continually in flux.  Jesus’ aspirations and expectations are clear and consistent, setting us free to live life.  Figure out who God wants you to be and it will leave you room to live your life free from all those other worries.

The Kitchen Table Devotional

Galatians 1 Day 4

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! ⁹ As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!

Galatians 1:8-9

To be accursed is to be without hope.  Don’t let anyone still you hope and always ask what kind of hope they offer.  There is no real hope without Jesus.  That hope is found in the gospel of Christ.  Without hope we’re left with trying to appease and appeal to man, leaving with rules to follow and rituals to keep.  Jesus fulfilled all the rules and released us from all the wrongs to be forever free with Him. 

The Kitchen Table Devotional

Galatians 1 Day 3

⁶ I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; ⁷ which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ

Galatians 1:6-7

When we don’t have things settled on the inside, we won’t have things settled on the outside.  When we’re troubled we are tempted to fall into line behind those on the outside rather than fall into line behind Him who is on the inside.  People don’t give us peace, the Prince does.  Make your peace with Him and you’ll have the peace of His presence all day long.  Don’t just believe in Jesus, believe Jesus.

The Kitchen Table Devotional

Galatians 1 Day 2

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; ⁷ which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

Galatians 1:6-7 Be careful not to walk away from acts and efforts of love to embrace the expectations and efforts of the law.  It’s a trap.  It sounds so smart to the flesh to be judged but never justified by the law.  We trend that way because we know that we don’t deserve what the love of God gives us.  Jesus did it all for you and me and that’s the real good news.

The Kitchen Table Devotional

Galatians 1 Day 1

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴ who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵ to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.

Galatians 1:3-5

God raised Jesus from the dead to save us and Jesus saved us so that we could be raised from the dead.  We are saved from the slavery of our foe and raised from the slavery of our flesh.  No one and no thing can do what God has done through Jesus.  Freedom is never free, don’t give it away or give it up.