Galatians 4

Galatians 4 is where my Messianic friends have always made sense (they still do). Torah (The Law) is not a throw-away. My Christian friends are quick to proclaim that the Law is not our righteousness neither is it any longer The Way of Salvation. The Torah-law is thought to be the gate to righteousness (really to religion, Jesus, the Word made flesh, is our righteousness) for many. Torah comes from the love of God but there is no salvation, only condemnation in the Law.

When Adam sinned, humanity was suddenly plunged into the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Our own personal sin keeps us captive to death in this darkness. The Almighty gave us the Torah-Law as our map to navigate home, but the Law could never be the light that is our life (John 1:1-4). It lays our the life that is required of God’s children IF those children have never sinned. We have a problem. All of us have sinned, and even if we are very careful to follow the Law to the letter from now on, we still have the problem of the sin we committed before our choice to follow the Law. We owe a death, blood, to pay for our entrance to eternal life. But if we die for our sin, we give up any chance of life. The good news is that Y’shua-Jesus can pay the price to get us out of the darkness of death and give us the light of eternal life. The blood of bulls and goats, called for in the Law, can not save us, but animal blood could postpone the final penalty of eternal death until Jesus came (spoiler alert… He already came) and gave his own blood for my sin! HALLELUJAH!

Just because I like the art in my little prayer journal better then in my study journal, I included today’s page (September 16, 2020) Scattered through my Bible are little drawings of dandelion seeds. The dot-journal I currently use has a dandelion fluff image on the cover. Dandelion fluff is symbolic of “on the wings of the wind” (Ps 18:10 & 104:3) for me as I picture my prayers going to the throne of Grace. Praying for my city during these days of fire and heavy, toxic smoke.

Debs in Everett, Washington, published on November 28, 2020

Galatians 3:15-22

¹⁵ Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it. ¹⁶ Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ. ¹⁷ What I am saying is this: the Law (Torah), which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.

New American Standard Update

The promise to Abraham and his SEED (the Son of God, Y’shua-Jesus) is found in Genesis 12:2-3. And I (YHVH-God) will make you (Abraham and his SEED) (1) a great nation, (2) HE will bless (meaning they are his favorite) you (Abraham and his SEED), (3) HE will make your name great (Abraham and Jesus his SEED; (3) you shall be a blessing; (4) I will bless those who bless you, (5) the one who curses you I will curse. (6) And in you (Abraham and Jesus his SEED) all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

¹⁹ Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. ²⁰ Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. ²¹ 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 law. ²² But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ (The SEED) might be given to those who believe.
Galatians 3:15-22 NASU

New American Standard Update

Blue Pill: Be really, really, REALLY, good at following the rules. (Spoiler… the rules only condemn, but go ahead & try anyway)

We are sinners. Sin is NOT the way of righteousness, it is the way of condemnation. The debt of condemnation is death.

Red Pill: Jesus paid your debt in full so that you are free to live his life! (Spoiler… the Holy Spirit comes into you so that it is Jesus living His life through you. You still do not need to be good enough) “there is therefore no condemnation in Christ.”

Debs in Everett, Washington (posted) November 9, 2020

Galatians 3 1-14

It’s all about justification.

¹⁰ For as 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.” ¹¹ Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” ¹² However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM.” ¹³ 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”– ¹⁴ 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.
Galatians 3:10-14 NASU

New American Standard Update

Justified We like to say “Just as if I never sinned.” But Justification is so much more then that. Justification is the Holy Spirit bringing out who you really are, a new man (woman) in Christ! It is the Holy Spirit who causes us to be in a right relationship with Christ, conforming us to right relationship with our Lord. It is not a re-do, it is being washed in the blood of Salvation (Y’shua, the Hebrew name of Jesus means Salvation) All the filth of sin has been washed away. You are clean and only need your feet occasionally washed (repent and confess your sin one to another)

Debs in Everett, Washington (posted) November 5, 2020

Galatians 2:11-21

I love my church. You have probably said that, me too. What do you mean when you say that? Do you mean that you love your denomination, your friends, the preaching? What does it mean?

In Galatians 2:11-21 we are asked to consider what we love about church through the example of Peter when he visited a mixed race church.

What makes us righteous? Why Grace? And the question that brought me to Galatians, suggested by Messianic sisters, are we saved to keep Torah in righteousness in order to be rightious? Is Paul only speaking of the oral law or is he speaking of the first five books of my precious Bible?

All I know right now is rightious comes by faith in the son of God, not by mutilation of my flesh. When it comes to Torah, righteousness still comes by faith, not ritual.

Stay tuned and prayerful, God (and Galatians) isn’t finished yet!

Debs… who loves that wherever two or more of my sisters and brothers are gathered in the name of Y’shua-Jesus, He is in our midst! October 29, 2020 (Matthew 18:20)

Galatians 2:1-7

Is God taking you out of your comfort zone? Paul had been safe in a bubble of anonymity for 14 years. Learning to hear the Holy Spirit be his teacher, worshipping in a fellowship that did not know that he was the criminal who once persecuted The Fellowship. But God was calling him back to Jerusalem, back to a danger zone. Would he experience well deserved rejection? Even human wrath for his crimes? Galatians 2:1-10 holds the answer.

Most of us come to God because of a crisis. That means we have some kind of baggage. We often receive a well deserved rest while we heal from the pain we may have caused or received. This time of our life is sometimes known as a mountain top experience, and it is lovely! Heaven is our true place of rest. The mountain top is more of a place of refreshing and healing so that we can come back down to the valley to minister to God and bless others. For Paul it took 14 years. We might have a month or years. The mountain top is not our home. Drink in the rest if you are there but know it will end on this earth. What you take with you into the valley is a relationship with your beloved, God Almighty.

Debs in Everett, WA October 26, 2020

Galatians 1:4-10

Salvation No maintenance required. The turning point in my understanding of the Letter to the Galatians is that The Almighty does not require me to do religious maintenance. There is relational maintenance that will enhance my walk with God and with my brothers and sisters in Christ, but no religious maintenance. I found that shocking! If I do not tithe, I will still go to heaven. My church building my fall into disrepair, or worse, my pastor and his family may be poorly clothed (and there will be no rewards for me in heaven, but there will still be heaven.)

We were saved by grace, we continue in grace. From an earthly perspective grace guarantees that we serve the Almighty, not men. Being called to serve God means something, but it does not mean that I have a job to complete in order to earn or be worthy to be welcomed to heaven. It is that simple and that complicated… but even in this, God gives grace! Seek Him! Ask Him what you can do or be to please Him. Because grace brings joy.

Debs in Everett, Washington, October 23, 2020

Two Word-Studies

Galatians 1:1-3

This letter is from Paul, an apostle, I was not sent by any group of people or by any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father who raised Jesus from the dead.

Galatians 1:1 NLT

apostle: an ambassador (official representative) G649 APOSTOLOS (ap-os’-tol-os) An apostle is NOT an official or office of the church but of the kingdom of Almighty God. Believers are servants of a living, supernatural KING whose Word is alive. Because the Word of God (YHVH) is alive, the word of HIS apostle, as the KING’s representative, (of the LORD, Y’shua-Jesus) lives. Therefore the position of apostle is not re-assigned. The Word is honored over the apostle. As people and fellow citizens of the kingdom all are equal (Galatians 1:2)

grace : in the old testament the word is loving-kindness G5485 CHARIS (khar-ar’-ece) The root of CHARIS is translated to mean “rejoice”. CHARIS is that which causes joy, gratitude. It is the free expression of YHVH’s lovingkindness.

• Galatians 1:6 …called by grace of Christ (NAS)
• Galatians 1:15 (Paul) was called by grace
• Galatians 2:9 others recognized the grace given to Paul
• Galatians 2:21 I do not nullify the grace of God…
• Galatians 5:4 to seek justification by the Law (Torah) is to fall from grace
• Galatians 6:18 The grace of LORD Jesus be with your spirit.
• The final word to this church in Central Turkey is the encouragement to continue to live in the GRACE of YHVH (Acts 13:43) and
• The LORD testifying of the Word of HIS grace (Acts 14:3)

Debs in Everett, Washington, October 15, 2020 (blessed my socks off!)

I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God who called you to HIMSELF through grace, following a different WAY that pretends to be good news.

Galatians 1:6

Before Galatians

It is probably about time! Galatians is a book I avoid.

Conservative believers tell me that Galatians teaches me that most of the Bible is a throw-away, interesting but irrelevant. Messianic believers insist that the Law spoken of in Galatians is not Torah but oral law. People I respect have such different views, and who knows what error I pick up because my perception is not so good.

40+ years after my salvation is long enough (hey, I tackled Ezekiel last summer!) Time to take Galations by the horns. (Starting in Acts)

Bless me Ab’ba! Show me your glorious truth haShem Y’shua! 

May I suggest… Start your study off right

• Read Acts 13-and-14 Don’t forget to pray that the Spirit open the eyes of your heart!!
• Highlight the places mentioned, note what you can learn about each of them. I use a brown colored pencil to highlight places, a green pencil to highlight sequence and time, and any people (good-blue and evil-orange) that you find interesting. The difficult part for me is not getting too many details since I am only looking for background information on The Churches of Galatia.

Debs in Everett, Washington. October 12, 2020

Vote Your Conscience

Speaker David Barton

I’ve only recently discovered Mr Barton. This is my kind of guy! A cowboy philosopher. For your enjoyment!

I am loving Galatians! Just two chapters before I start putting up the study (I really have not fallen off the face of the earth… yet.

Debs in Everett, WA, September 29, 2020

Autumn Study: Galatians

Taking a study break from The Psalms (I’m way past 18) to study the book of Galatians. I love this video overview.

Debs in Everett, Washington. August 23, 2020

Praying for those in the path of Hurricanes Laura and Marco.