Paul, the Freedom Fighter

Galatians 2:2-9

Some take-aways from this reading:

We are all responsible to do only what God gives us to do, not to compare with others or try to do what they are doing.

I take this in several ways.  One is minding my own business about things.  Not all information, events, instances concern me.  Also I need to use my potential and my talents the best way that I can, not to compare myself with others or imitate what they do.   That was hard for me when I was teaching because I would see another teacher use a technique, then I would try to incorporate that same technique in my classroom and it didn't work well.

Our worth and value are found in Christ, and in nothing else---not in our ethnic background, our talent, who we know, our level of education, our gender, or anything else, but Christ alone.

Interesting that this came up in today's reading.   Something that we know.  That many of us practice.  But so many others do not. And look at what is happening in our country.

When we receive Jesus and the Holy Spirit comes to fill our hearts, we get a new "want to." We want to do the right thing; we want to study God's Word and talk with Him in prayer, and we want to help other people.  Just think about it for a moment.  When we read and study the Bible, we are not doing it for God; we are doing it for ourselves so we can grow spiritually and gain knowledge of God's will.  When we pray, we don't do that for God; we do it for ourselves and others and for the simple pleasure of spending time with Him.  Prayer is a privilege, not an obligation.

Interesting perspective of studying God's Word and prayer. I still consider it a two-way street --  I see it as a a conversation with God. Especially prayer.  But I also need to read God's Word to grow spiritually which is why I am reading Joyce's book.

Philippians 4:13 promises that Jesus will always give us the strength to do anything He asks us to do.  But if we do something because we feel that God will be angry with us if we don't; then our motivation is entirely wrong.

One of my favorite verses!  But doing something not because we feel His strength to help us through it, but because we fear His wrath if we don't do it...is wrong.