“Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?  Did you suffer so many things in vain – if indeed it was in vain?  (Galatians 3:3-4)

How is it that we can begin as we ought and then take over the work that the Lord alone can accomplish.  Take heed and be warned, this happens time and again, but it ought not be so with you.  Live in the truth that we all are saved by grace apart from works of the law.  The Lord has accomplished our salvation and He alone knows all that needs to be done as we journey with Him in faith.

Lord, take pride away from me that I may humbly live into this life to which You have called me.  You have given me the power to become a child of the Heavenly Father, but it is by Your power and not mine.  It is Your direction and not mine.  It is Your ability and not mine.  Perfect me, Lord, in this path to which You have called me that I may become what You have always intended and live as You have created me to live.

Lord Jesus, You know all that is needed.  There is nothing I am doing, have done, or will do that You have not seen before.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way You know I need to be led.  Keep me from the foolish temptations that come that I may humbly and truthfully live in the faith You have given me.  Through all things, may it be You who guides me day by day in the way of faith.  Amen.

You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?  This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?  (Galatians 3:1-2)

The world is constantly bewitching those who ought to know better.  We are not saved by practicing the law and yet legalism abounds.  We are not free to do as we please and yet Jesus is replaced with justice as the reason for our existence.  Do not be bewitched by those who do not know the Lord.  Jesus has saved us and we are called to life in faith and by grace in the salvation He alone has prepared.

Lord, there are so many temptations and I have fallen into many traps.  Yes, by Your grace I am freed, but help me to have wisdom that I would not constantly fall into the traps of the wicked one.  Guide me in Your goodness that I would now and always abide in the hope I have because of all that You have done.  You have given me Your Spirit.  Help me to walk in the truth of Your Spirit.

Lord Jesus, You have breathed Your Spirit upon those who believe.  Give eyes to see and ears to hear that I would not be tugged about by the false winds of this age.  Lead me in Your goodness to see through the schemes of the wicked one and hold fast to the truth You have delivered once for all.  Guide me in Your goodness to live into the life which You are creating in me for the Father’s good will and pleasure.  Amen.

“I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”  (Galatians 2:21)

We do not and cannot obey the law, which is why Christ died for us.  Yet, we are freed to now live in the law.  This is a very easy thing to say, but a very difficult thing to fully comprehend.  When we understand that Christ is making of us something new and that the salvation He gives is the means by which this is done, we then begin to see that Christ’s grace is an essential part of who we are becoming.

Lord, it is so easy to say these words, but they are difficult to grasp.  Yet this is the very thing You have told us and Paul is telling us again that this is the way of salvation.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of everlasting life that I may not fall away and do nothing, but live into the life to which You have called me through grace.  Your law is good and even though I do not do what You command, it is still good.

Lord Jesus, we need what You alone can accomplish.  We all need Your grace and the Father’s mercy.  Yet it is not only this we need, for we need to be led into the life which You are preparing for us to live eternally.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I would now and always abide in You and You in me and live into this life to which I have been called through faith and by grace.  Amen.

“For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God.  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 2:19-20).

Here we have the reality of how this life is to be lived.  We die to our self and Christ lives in us.  He who is able to keep the law keeps it for us.  Live then into the life to which you have been called through Christ that He who is in you may guide and direct you all the days of your life.  Do not worry so much about how, but be humble and willing and He who is in you will bring all things together according to the Father’s will.

Lord, You know all that is needed that I might live into the freedom You have given.  Guide me away from either lawlessness, or legalism that I might live in You and You in me.  Let me not fall prey to all the things that go on in this world, but live for You in the freedom You have purchased by Your own blood shed on the cross.  Lead me into the love You have poured out once for all.

Lord Jesus, what You have done is more than I can comprehend.  How all this works together I do not need to know, nor can I figure it all out.  Guide me into You, knowing You are in me that I may live the life You have given me.  Help me to be bold in faith, stalwart in grace, and free in life according to Your guidance.  Through all things remind me constantly that You are the One who has saved me and not the other way round.  Amen. 

“But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor” (Galatians 2:17-18).

Christ came to set us free from sin, but also to justify us.  Now if it were simply a matter of being left off the hook, Jesus would not have needed to die for our sins.  But it is more than a free pass. Christ has given us the opportunity to live in the law as He means for it to be lived.  Live then as one free, but also as one who loves the law of the Lord, for it is good as God is always good.

Lord, the games that go on seem to always play against You.  Help me to live into the balance You call for us to live in.  Let me not try to figure ways around Your law, but humbly submit to Your will, knowing every opportunity has been granted that I may live into the life of promise You give through grace.  Let me take seriously this call You give that I may walk in Your provision.

Lord Jesus, You have set us free from the recompense of sin, but not from the law.  Help me, Lord, to not be captured by the ways of this world that play games with You and the way You have established.  Lead me in the way You know I need to go that I may be guided by You alone in the way You know I need to go.  Teach me the balanced life which holds all these things together in the Father’s will.  Amen.

“We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; 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 may have our habits and traditions, but that does not mean they are necessary for others.  We may even hold to one set of traditions amongst some but not others. But take care lest we fall into the trap of making tradition a law or a law a tradition.  Be led by the truth God has revealed in Christ that You may walk in the salvation He gives to those who believe.  Be led by the Lord alone.

Lord, You know all that is needed and you have placed me where You have placed me.  Grant me wisdom that I may be guided by You in and through all things.  Help me to see where it is something You command me to do versus what others are saying that I ought to do.  Let me not be caught up in the continuous wrangling that goes on, yet faithful to the call You have given to me.

Lord Jesus, we all need the salvation You have accomplished.  Guide me, Lord, in the way of salvation that I may walk humbly in Your footsteps and not hinder nor be hindered by others.  Lead me to be bold in faith, yet not demanding of others.  In and through all things, guide me to be whom You are making me to be and lift me up through Your grace to walk the narrow path of faith.  Amen.

“But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?” (Galatians 2:14)

Notice that there is no criticism for living one way or the other, only that Peter was trying to make one group conform to the other.  In the history of the church many have lost the understanding of the freedom we have in Christ and condemn others who do not live to their standards.  Have we not already learned that the faith is about being saved and not just about living up to standards?

Lord, Your law is good, but we fail to live up to it.  Guide me, O Lord, that I would not judge others as I have often been judged.  Guide me away from the old tricks the devil uses to see the truth of the freedom I have and respect the practice of the freedom others have.  Let me be consistent in how I live, but not demand that others conform to my way of living or thinking.

Lord Jesus, I need to be saved.  Save me.  Save me from the constant temptation to either seek to mold others in my image, or to hate because others are judging me.  Grant me the liberty You give by grace and the freedom that come in living in, through, and for You alone.  Through all the things that come my way may I live into the life You have given me through grace.  Amen.

“The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy” (Galatians 2:13).

Humans are carried away by the movement of crowds.  This is where the absolute sovereignty of God is important to understand.  It will be God’s way.  We cannot vote morality or change what God has spoken.  Somehow though, we have this tendency to make legitimate through crowd appeal that which is antithetical to the will of the Father.  Be led by the Lord and not by any crowd.

Lord, You know my heart and those places where I am influenced by others and not led by You.  How easy it is to be led astray.  Build strength of character such that I do not fall prey to the wiles of the wicked one nor succumb to my pride.  Keep me on the straight and narrow path of salvation that I may live into the likeness of Christ and exemplify the new man who no longer is the old Adam.

Lord Jesus, without You all of this is impossible, but with You it is already promised.  Lead me this day to be a person of integrity who is the same at all times.  You know where I need to be corrected and You know where I need to hold fast.  Guide me, Lord, that I may be led by You and the will of the Father.  Keep me from being led astray by the fickle whims of this age.  Amen.

“But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.  For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision” (Galatians 2:11-12).

Whom do you fear?  Do you not know that all of your deeds are seen by God, whereas we see little of what really is happening in others.  God is truth and the truth shall be revealed.  Yes, in this age people play games.  We are to forgo those games and live humble lives that are truthful and not pretentious.  Come then and live in the truth and abandon those ways which are unacceptable to God.

Lord, reveal in me those places where I do play games and do not live as I ought.  Help me to live into the life to which You have called me that I may be guided by Your grace and mercy.  Let me not be caught playing games I ought not play, but instead, live the life to which You have called me.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of grace and truth that I may be a witness of Your grace to others.

Lord Jesus, You know the truth for You are the truth.  Lead me this day under Your guidance that I would be honest in all I say and do.  Help me, O Lord, that I may not play the human games, but instead be one of integrity in attitude and demeanor.  Guide me that what I do in private is also what I do in public, and all for the glory of the Father.  Amen.

“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.  They only asked us to remember the poor – the very thing I also was eager to do” (Galatians 2:9-10).

The church has always had those who were above and those who were out in the field.  The Lord is a Lord of order.  He calls and sends.  This does not mean that those above are beyond reproach, nor does it mean that they are not to be honored as those whom God appointed.  In all things that Lord brings balance.  Be led then in the truth of the balance the Lord gives that you may be whole even as He is whole.

Lord, I am often not content with where You have placed me.  I want something other than what I have.  Lord, guide me away from discontent to the place of thankfulness.  Lead me according to Your mercy to know that all things are in Your hands and they will be what they will be and that there is nothing I can do that will change what will be.  Lead me to be thankful in and through all things.

Come, Holy Spirit, and point out those places in my life where I need to be gracious and thankful.  Guide me to know that in You is all hope and that apart from You is nothing.  You have appointed whom You have chosen and You uplift whom You uplift.  Uplift me to walk in Your guidance and live according to the Father’s plan that I would in all things be faithful.  Amen.