“But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.  But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” (Galatians 5:15-16).

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit that we would not trade one sin life for another sin life.  We are to walk with the Holy Spirit who is within us.  We are to care for one another as the Lord cares for us.  Do not be deceived.  The Lord will lead those who trust in Him.  Those who go their own way will walk in the way of destruction.  Come and walk in and by the power of the Spirit.

Lord, You are always speaking to me and Your voice is always present.  Help me to know that only in You is there hope and a future.  Only by Your guidance can I avoid those places where I will fall into the traps of this age.  Lead me, O Lord, that I may walk always in the goodness of Your grace and mercy and know the life that You have come to give.  Let me not be deceived, nor be led astray.

Come, Holy Spirit, and minister to me this day.  Help me to know Your voice amidst all the noise of this world.  Lead me in the goodness of all the Good News, taking only that freedom which is mine and no more.  Let me not fall into the trap of replacing one sin for another.  Teach me all I need to know and begin with today by teaching me those things that I will only learn from You.  Amen.

“For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5:13-14).

We may think we are modern people, but what Paul is describing is what has happened in our culture.  The Gospel is rejected in order that we may gratify the flesh.  What good does it do to satisfy momentary feelings at the expense of life?  Do not reject what Christ has done, nor truth over your freedom for another form of slavery.  If Christ sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Lord, teach me not only what true love is, but also what it really means to be free.  Let me not follow the well-worn pattern of replacing one slavery for another.  Guide me in the way of eternal life that I would practice that which I shall always be doing with You in eternity.  Keep me in the narrow way that I not fall into the snares and traps of the wicked one, but live with and for You.

Lord Jesus, You have come that we may have life and have it abundantly.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of everlasting life that I would walk humbly with You.  Lift me out of the mire of this world and its traps that would ensnare me.  Teach me those things I need to know and guide me in Your goodness.  Shepherd me to seek after those things which are righteous, good, and loving.  Amen.

“But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.  I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves” (Galatians 5:11-12).

Why do people stumble over the cross?  In part, it is because they do not want to submit to Christ.  The words may be there, but the struggle is to always be in control.  All authority and power belong to Christ.  Apart from Him is nothing.  Come then and be one who submits to the Lord of all.  Fighting against Him, as those of this age do, is futile.  Following Him is the way of everlasting life.

Lord, help me to see how simple in many ways all of this is. The game continues generation after generation and there are those who feed it all.  Let me not be caught up in the game but live in the life You have promised.  Help me to know that in You is all hope and a future.  Let me not listen to those who would lead me astray but follow You in all things and learn from You.

Lord Jesus, You went to the cross because it was what was needed.  Help me to understand more fully that You call for me to pick up my cross and follow You.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I would forever be led by You, the truth, and walk in the way in which You direct me.  Help me to know that in You alone is all hope and the only future anyone could want.  Amen.

“A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.  I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is” (Galatians 5:9-10).

The Lord knows those who are His.  The Lord knows who are seeking to lead His little ones astray.  We are in a battle, not between flesh and blood, but principalities and forces.  Do not be misled and do not fall into the temptation of thinking that you may behave as you wish.  The Lord has given His Word and has died for you.  These are important and serious things.

Lord, help me to see more clearly that in You and You alone is all hope.  There are those who would lead me astray to follow other paths.  Guide me, O Lord, that I would not be led away by chasing after futile things.  Instead, give me conviction of faith that I would stand firm in the truth You have revealed once for all.  Let me be able to stand before You with a clear conscience.

Lord Jesus, You know all that is needed.  You know what gets in the way of my faith.  Lead me, O Lord, away from those who would influence me in the wrong way.  Guide me according to Your goodness to follow more closely the truth You have revealed.  Help me to live more fully the way You have established and become a rock of faith as Your saints of old.  Amen.

“You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?  This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you” (Galatians 5:7-8).

When you know that you have been saved by grace through faith, what causes you to backslide?  Look at the root and do not be led astray by the tug of this age.  Some say: “make right what has gone wrong.”  But scripture says: die to sin, death, and the devil.  Jesus alone saves, so let Him do the saving.  Our part is learning to listen and live as He instructs us to live.  Be guided by His goodness and mercy.

Lord, teach me to listen.  Show me how to live as You would have me live.  Help me to resist those places where my heart is tugged by the legalistic thoughts of this world.  Guide me in Your goodness to see through these things and live in Your presence, in the present, doing what is pleasing to the Father.  Lord, You alone have saved me; help me to live in that salvation.

Lord Jesus, You have given the words of eternal life.  You know all that is needed and You have paved the way for all who believe, Keep me on the narrow track of life, the life for which You died.  Keep me close to You that I may understand more fully the goodness You are pouring into me.  Help me now and always to see through this world’s temptations to be Yours forever.  Amen.

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6).

What is important?  We often are caught up in doing what we think is important, when the Lord has already told us He wants us to love Him and one another.  Have you been caught up in legalism?  Have you worried about what you are or are not doing?  Leave those things behind and come into the grace of Christ and live the love He asks for us to live.  Come then in trust and obedience.

Lord, teach me to love that I may not be caught up in the insanity of this age which is always doing evil and then denying You.  Guide me away from the wrangling of what I should or should not be doing and into the love You have given me.  Lead me in the way of love that I would now and always abide in You and You in me.  Lord, You know what I need.  Help me to come into Your love.

Lord Jesus, You are the way and life.  You have come to set us free from the impossible, to live with not only what is possible, but what will be in eternity.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of love and teach me how to live life in the freedom You grant by faith.  Help me, O Lord, to become whom You are making me to be.  Guide me in the way of life both now and forever.  Amen.

“You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.  For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness” (Galatians 5:4-5).

The tendency to rely upon one’s self runs strong in our rebellion.  On the one hand we will take from others, but on the other, we will not take what we need from the Lord.  You and I need grace and apart from grace we remain in our sin.  Come then and take the gift given freely of the grace Christ won from the cross on behalf of all who believe.  Live in new life and not the old of bondage.

Lord, I do mix up priorities and make systems where no system needs to be.  Lead me away from the control I seek and into the freedom You have given by grace.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of mercy and grace, giving to others as You have given to me.  Lead me in the upward way of sanctification.  Help me to learn how to follow You as Your disciple now and always.

Lord Jesus, You have come into the world that all who believe would be given the grace You purchased through the cross.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of salvation and free me from the insistence of doing things my way.  Help me to know that in You is all hope and that apart from You is condemnation.  You have lifted me out of the mire.  Lead me in freedom that I may remain in You.  Amen.

“Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.  And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law” (Galatians 5:2-3).

What is Paul saying?  Only this, that those who appeal to the law are under the law.  The law saves no one, but only condemns.  What then?  Only this: that He who knew no sin became sin on our behalf.  He died to sin once for all.  The “For all” means all who receive Him and walk in His grace.  Therefore, this means that You and I have been called into the new life through the grace of Christ.

Lord, You know where the obstacles are and those places where I lack belief.  Guide me, O Lord, in the eternal way of life that I may grow in Your likeness.  Help me not fall back into the bondage of the law, but live freely as one who walks with You; not free to do as I please, but free to walk pleasing the Father.  Lead me in the way You know I need to be led, O Lord.

Lord Jesus, You have breathed on us and given Your Spirit.  Help me to learn to listen.  Help me to be guided in the way of everlasting life.  Aid me to respect what You teach through the law, but never again to be under the law.  Lord, You know what the world does with these things.  Lead me in the way of peace that I would not wrangle with the world.  Amen.

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1).

For freedom is what it says.  Two things, first, you were born in slavery.  Second, Christ has set you free.  What does this mean?  It means that all protestations aside, sin is bondage and grace brings freedom.  We have the tendency to want bondage and not live in freedom.  We need to be reminded to turn this around and live into the freedom which is ours through Christ.

Lord, You have set all who believe free from the bondage of sin, which is death.  Let Your grace bubble up from the heart and be a wellspring unto eternal life.  Open eyes and ears to see and hear.  In the way of grace, let truth build its foundation that all who believe may walk in the way of salvation and not in the way of this world.  Help us all to see clearly the difference before us.

Lord Jesus, only by and through You are we able to overcome by Your grace what sin and death have brought.  Help me to stand firm in the freedom You have purchased with Your own blood that I may walk in the freedom and newness of life that You make possible.  Let me never sell my gift of grace for the pottage of this world.  Guide me to grow in the way of grace unto the eternal life You promise.  Amen.

“So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman” (Galatians 4:31).

Christ has overcome sin, death, and the devil.  When you by baptism are united with Christ in a death like His, you are united with a resurrection like His.  Come then and live into the promise which is yours in Christ.  Come into the fullness of freedom and know that Jesus has accomplished for you what is needed and that it is reckoned to you as righteousness.  For all who believe He has given the power to become children of the Heavenly Father.

The way is not complex.  The Lord has done this and it is marvelous in the eyes of all who believe.  We do not overcome death, but live in the freedom grace brings.  Free not to do as we please, but free to live a new life and to live into eternity.  The invitation is clear and before us.  Will you go in the way of sin, or come and live with Jesus in love, peace, and freedom?

Lord, You have set those who believe on this course.  Help me O Lord that I may now and always abide with and in You.  Lead me in the way of everlasting life.  Guide me according to Your goodness to see that in You alone is all hope, glory, and honor.  Teach me to love as You love and to live in the freedom You have purchased with Your shed blood.  Guide me in the way of salvation.  Amen.