The Daily + Weekly by Vince Miller

Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. — Galatians 4:24-26 CALL OUT: Our call-out goes to Kenneth Webber from Irmo, SC. Thank you so much for your support, brother. You are in our prayers today! In this allegory, Paul contrasts two mothers: Hagar, a slave, and Sarah, a free woman. Through their respective sons, we witness the birth of two distinct covenants. Hagar symbolizes covenant slavery through Ismael, representing the former religious system. Sarah embodies the covenant of freedom, corresponding to the present family of faith born from above. Essentially, one is the mother of bondage, the other the mother of freedom. Paul's contrast is not just a literary device but a tool he is using to explain the freedom we have in faith. Using this allegory, Paul proclaims a truth that would be offensive to a devout Jew. He is saying that Jerusalem, the Temple, and all its priests and practices are a sign of religious bondage. The time of adherence to these legal regulations is done. Circumcision, festivals, and former religious systems and practices hold no meaning anymore. In fact, those who still do them are like Ishmael, sons of a slave woman birthed into slavery. However, Paul's illustration can easily be understood as outdated and irrelevant to us today. But it's not, and here's why. Anytime we embrace even a subtle belief that our good works will earn us status, standing, or salvation with God, we link ourselves to the lineage of Hagar and slavery. And it's easy to be conned into doing this. We might think, "If I just prayed more, read my Bible more, and attended church more, then maybe God will reward me and be pleased with me." Now, there is nothing wrong with these activities—we should do each of them—but believing that doing them will save you is an enslaving lie. It has led many believers right back into the arms of Hagar, the mother of bondage. These works-based religious beliefs result in a mentality of trying to earn God's favor through our efforts. Think about it. When we believe that our performance dictates our standing with God, we're essentially saying that Jesus's sacrifice on the Cross wasn't enough. We're saying that we need to add our good deeds to the equation to experience salvation. But that's not the message of the Gospel. Paul has been telling us throughout Galatians that we are saved by grace through faith, not by our works. It's not about what we do; it's about what Jesus has already done for us. He paid the price for our sins on the Cross, once and for all. When we put our trust in him, we are set free from the bondage of trying to earn our salvation, and we do good deeds as a result. So, while this allegory might feel outdated and antiquated, it's not. Don't fall into the trap of works-based systems of belief. Remember that you are a descendant of the free woman born into freedom by the Son who came from her seed—Jesus Christ. Embrace the truth that you have been saved by grace, not by your own efforts. And let's live our lives in response to grace and freedom. #FreedomInFaith #GraceOverWorks #AllegoricalWisdom #GalatiansInsights #LiberatedByGrace ASK THIS: Reflecting on your beliefs and practices, do you find yourself leaning more towards a works-based mentality or embracing God's grace? How can you shift your focus to relying on His grace rather than your own efforts? In what ways can you practically live out the truth of being saved by grace through faith in your daily life? How can you share this message of freedom with others who may be trapped in a works-based mindset? DO THIS: Rid yourself of works-based religious lies. PRAY THIS: Father, help me fully grasp the depth of Your grace and live in the freedom You have provided through Christ. Guide me to share this liberating truth with others so that they, too, may experience the joy of salvation by faith alone. Amen. PLAY THIS: Freedom.

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. — Galatians 4:22-23 CALL OUT: Our call-out goes to Richard Diguer from Ingleside, Canada. Thank you so much for your support, brother. You are in our prayers today! In this section, Paul will reference a story of immense significance for every Jew. It's not just any story but the narrative of a promise to Abraham that illuminates the very origins of faith in God. But you'll notice that Paul has been pointing back a lot. This is intentional. He is trying to show Gentile and Jewish believers that the basis of faith in God was established long before the law ever existed. Its origins began with a promise God made to Abraham. God promised to provide a son through his line of Abraham, establishing him as the father of many nations. Yet there was a problem. Abraham and Sarah were old, and Sarah was unable to have children. In disbelief, Sarah encouraged Abraham to take matters into his own hands. She persuaded him to sleep with his slave woman Hagar, and she quickly bore them a child — Ishmael. But soon after, Sarah became pregnant and bore them a legitimate son — Isaac. Despite the improbability of their age, God made good on his promise to give them a child. But he was only the first son in a long lineage that led to God's provision of the Messianic son — Jesus. By faith, Abraham believed, and even though he did not see the Savior, he knew God would provide a Savior. Therefore, Abraham put his faith in God, which was counted as righteousness. This is what Paul establishes yet again. Before any provision or works of the law, faith saved the patriarch of the faith in the same way all men are saved. By faith alone in Jesus Christ, who saved the world from sin. Paul keeps doing the same thing repeatedly, pounding home the same point from every possible angle. But some people need the truth presented this way. They need to see it from every possible angle. You know what that means. You can't give up on the people you love. If they have a corrupt understanding of the faith, find another angle and try another approach. Present the case until it makes sense. It was my grandfather who eventually convinced me. One day, we were taking a ride in his old 1958 Chevy Apache truck, and as we pulled over to stop, he paused and turned to me and said: "I know your mother and father say God is not real because Christians are hypocrites, and the church is full of broken people. And I want you to know they are right. Christians are hypocrites, and the church is full of broken people. In fact, I am a hypocrite and a broken person. But I don't put my faith in a hypocrite or in broken people. I put my faith in a man, his name was Jesus. He was not a hypocrite, and his life was broken for me and for you." That conversation turned my world upside down. It helped me see the one thing I was unable to see: Faith in a person, Jesus, is what saves, nothing else. And because my grandfather did not give up on me, I became a man of faith. So don't quit on the people you love. Keep telling them the story. Find another angle. Present the Gospel yet again. And remember, God never quit on us. #FaithVsFlesh #PromiseKeeper #LegacyofFaith #GospelPerspective #NeverGiveUp ASK THIS: How does the story of Abraham, Sarah, and their sons Ishmael and Isaac challenge your understanding of faith and obedience to God's promises in your own life? Reflect on a time when you faced a situation where you were tempted to take matters into your own hands instead of trusting in God's promises. How can you apply the lesson from Abraham's story to approach similar situations with faith and patience in the future? DO THIS: Don't quit on people you love. God didn't PRAY THIS: Father, help me to trust in Your promises and have faith in Your perfect timing, even when circumstances seem impossible. Guide me to persistently share Your Gospel with love, never giving up on those I care about. PLAY THIS: Don't Quit.

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? — Galatians 4:21 CALL OUT: Our newest men's ministry book, Sculpting Men, is now available in paper. Pick this up now if you are leading men. It contains over 50+ articles on the Foundations for Men's Ministry, Mentoring Men, & Practical Steps to Get Started. Why The Law? Laws are crucial. They safeguard and guide individuals and communities. Without laws, chaos would reign, and conflicts would escalate. They provide a necessary structure for life. However, laws can also be misused to enforce conformity, leading to excessive regulation and the stifling of freedoms. The challenge of governance lies in finding the right balance between too few and too many laws. At some point, it is tempting for those who govern to become intoxicated with power by legislation. When they don't get the behaviors they want, they legislate behavior, which is precisely what happened in Scotland overnight. Formerly a country known for its savage and merciless defense against harsh conditions and hostile enemies now has made hate speech a criminal offense that could land someone in prison for up to seven years. Leveraging The Law This was the situation in Galatia. New converts were being persuaded by Jewish Christians that their faith in Jesus was insufficient. They were told they needed to follow additional rites and rituals from the Mosaic Law to be in good standing with God. This was a legal overstep, a power move by religious leaders. You see, laws are good guides until they encounter two critical challenges: they are ignored by adherents or leveraged by authorities. The ultimate reason for the religious law was to point out the sinful nature of our selfish desires. The law, given by God, was supposed to stir us to examine our motivations and actions. It should redirect us toward good and godly guidance from God's Word and be led by the Spirit. Believers who do this have no need for the law. This is not an endorsement of lawlessness but the joy of freedom. Freedom in faith to be led by the power of God's Spirit. Those who the Spirit leads do not need the law because their sin was justified not by the law but by faith. In addition, they are indwelled by a daily guide—the Holy Spirit. This is the joy of being a believer. We are not regulated by the former law and oppressed by it. Instead, we live under the law of grace, as evidenced by how we are sealed and led by the Holy Spirit. Live Free From The Law Given this, how is the Spirit directing your steps today? Are you aware of his presence? Are you listening to him? Are you letting him have total control of your motivations and desires? Here's my prayer for you today as you reflect on these questions: Spirit of the Living God, direct my steps today. Convict me of any selfishness and sin. Direct me to your holiness. Make your desires my desires. Amen. #LawAndGrace #FreedomInFaith #SpiritLedLife #GalatiansInsights #GraceOverLegalism ASK THIS: How does your understanding of the law impact your daily decisions and interactions with others? In what ways can you actively seek to live in the freedom and grace offered through Jesus Christ rather than being bound by legalistic tendencies or expectations? DO THIS: Invite the Spirit to lead you to freedom. PRAY THIS: Spirit of the Living God, direct my steps today. Convict me of any selfishness and sin. Direct me to your holiness. Make your desires my desires. Amen. PLAY THIS: Spirit of the Living God.

My little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. — Galatians 4:19-20 CALL OUT: Our newest men's ministry book, Sculpting Men, is now available in paper. Pick this up now if you are leading men. It contains over 50+ articles on the Foundations for Men's Ministry, Mentoring Men, & Practical Steps to Get Started. The Invested Parent With these words, we encounter raw emotion. Paul perceives himself as a parent to the Galatians. He has parent-like aspirations for their spiritual growth and maturity. He likens this desire for them to the pains of birth, which speaks volumes about the labor and struggle involved in nurturing spiritual growth. This communicates something vital about discipleship and mentorship. It's not a passive endeavor. It requires a deep personal investment that is sometimes agonizing. For some of you who have been too disengaged in discipling those around you, this is a poignant reminder of the gravity of your role. Discipleship is more than imparting knowledge. It's about walking alongside others, sharing in their joys and sorrows, and helping them grow in intimacy with Christ. It's about investing time, energy, and passion into the lives of those we love. It involves both affirmation and admonition, speaking truth in love even when it's uncomfortable or confrontational. It requires discernment and sensitivity to a disciple's needs, knowing when to encourage, when to challenge, and when to comfort. Responsible To Not For But, like Paul, there will come a moment when the process pushes you over the edge. You will eventually scratch your head and contemplate questions like: "Have I wasted my time?" "Am I that bad of a teacher?" "Are they that stupid?" You will have these thoughts and questions. But right at this moment, you need to remember a simple principle: "You are responsible to them, but you are not responsible for them." All you can do is invest as much as possible, show them the truth, and let them decide for themselves. These are the pangs of spiritual birth that often our "children" do not know. #SpiritualParenting #DiscipleshipJourney #MentoringMen #AgonizingLove #InvestingInOthers ASK THIS: How can you deepen your commitment to nurturing spiritual growth in others, embracing the joys and pains of discipleship? Reflect on a time when you felt the tension between responsibility for others' spiritual growth and the realization that, ultimately, their choices are their own. How did you navigate this tension, and what did you learn from the experience? DO THIS: Disciple and invest. PRAY THIS: Lord, grant me the strength and perseverance to invest deeply in the spiritual growth of others, even when it involves agonizing labor and uncertainty. Help me to trust in Your timing and sovereignty as I walk alongside those You have entrusted to my care. Amen. PLAY THIS: Follow Me.

Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, — Galatians 4:16-18 CALL OUT: I want to give a shout-out to Alan Cox from Napa, CA. Thanks for supporting the ministry, brother! If you have a friend who is about to make a mistake, and you know a truth that could help them avoid it, do you typically intervene? Some will and some won't. It all depends on two factors: the depth of the relationship and how much damage it might do. If you have a deep relationship with them, you will probably intervene. If their decision could do a lot of damage, you will also be more inclined to intervene. Ultimately, the decision depends on how much you know and care about this person's future. Telling them the truth is hard when you know it might sting. It's uncomfortable and scary, but it's often the most caring thing to do. By telling the truth, you demonstrate how much you care about their future well-being, even if it means having a difficult conversation. In the end, the decision is theirs. They may heed your advice, or they may not. Some might take offense and perceive you as an enemy because you told them the truth. This is precisely what Paul is concerned about here. But this is where faith comes in. All you can do is speak up, share the truth in love, and let God own the outcome. If you do this, you have done your part. Then get out of the way of God and let God work, even if you feel like, for a season, the relationship is in disrepair. Remember, the truth always wins because God's good purposes always prevail. #TruthInLove #SpeakUpWithCourage #FaithfulFriendship #NavigatingRelationships #GodsGoodPurposes ASK THIS: Reflecting on your own experiences, can you recall a time when someone spoke a difficult truth to you out of love? How did you respond, and what did you learn from the experience? In your current relationships, is there someone you feel compelled to share the truth with, even though it might be uncomfortable? What steps can you take to approach this conversation with love and humility? DO THIS: Share the truth in love. PRAY THIS: Lord, grant me the courage and wisdom to speak the truth in love, even when it's difficult or uncomfortable. Help me trust in Your good purposes and surrender the outcome to Your hands, knowing that Your truth always prevails. Amen. PLAY THIS: The Truth.

You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? — Galatians 4:13-16 CALL OUT: I want to give a shout-out to Dan Clements from Lawrenceville, GA. He bought a few Galatian Scripture Journals the other day. Thank you for leading men. God's providence works in surprising ways. Sometimes, a weakness, sickness, pain, or problem gives way to an opportunity to present the Gospel. When it comes to our relationship with God, I think sometimes we get a little frustrated because we don't see what God is doing at the moment. We encounter times when it feels like our plan gets postponed by an inconvenience, illness, loss, or layoff. But the older I get, the more I realize these apparent problems are usually precursors to God's providence. God uses problems to display the power of his providence. In Scripture, God did this with believers and unbelievers alike: Consider how God used Job's loss or Nebuchadnezzar's insanity. Consider how God used Jonah's resistance or persuaded Pharaoh with the pressure of increasing plaques. Or, for the best example, consider Saul (a.k.a. Paul) and Ananias. God afflicted Saul with blindness, bringing two improbable men together—a hater of God and a humble believer in God—which led to an incredible advancement of the Gospel. To see this in your life, you'll have to focus less on the problem of your pain and more on God's providence in the pain. You must force yourself to see the issues from God's providential purpose. This is not pretending that there is not a problem. There could be a very real problem that needs to be addressed. All you are doing is keeping in mind that God has a more purposeful purpose for your problem than the pain that we may see. A purpose and a path that may produce greater results than you expect. So, if something is not going your way today, look at that situation again. Stop focusing on why it is not going your way, and force yourself to see it God's way. If you cannot see God's present plan, then stay in a place of present trust. Be patient and keep faith because suddenly, God will reveal it. Like God sent Ananias to pray for Saul, suddenly you will see God's plan, and the scales will fall from your eyes, revealing the power and advancement of the Gospel. #GodsProvidence, #DivinePurpose, #TrustInTrials, #FaithOverFear, #SeeingGodsPlan ASK THIS: How can you shift your perspective during times of adversity to focus more on God's providential purpose rather than solely on the pain or inconvenience you're experiencing? Reflecting on past experiences, can you identify a time when what initially seemed like a setback or problem turned out to be an opportunity for God to work in a surprising or unexpected way? How can you apply the lessons learned from that experience to your current challenges? DO THIS: See beyond your problem to His providence. PRAY THIS: Lord, help me to trust in Your providence, especially in times of adversity, knowing that You can turn my weaknesses and trials into opportunities for Your glory and the advancement of Your kingdom. Grant me the faith to see beyond my immediate circumstances and to embrace Your plan with patience and trust. Amen. PLAY THIS: There Will Be A Day.

Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, — Galatians 4:16-18 CALL OUT: I want to give a shout-out to Alan Cox from Napa, CA. Thanks for supporting the ministry, brother! If you have a friend who is about to make a mistake, and you know a truth that could help them avoid it, do you typically intervene? Some will and some won't. It all depends on two factors: the depth of the relationship and how much damage it might do. If you have a deep relationship with them, you will probably intervene. If their decision could do a lot of damage, you will also be more inclined to intervene. Ultimately, the decision depends on how much you know and care about this person's future. Telling them the truth is hard when you know it might sting. It's uncomfortable and scary, but it's often the most caring thing to do. By telling the truth, you demonstrate how much you care about their future well-being, even if it means having a difficult conversation. In the end, the decision is theirs. They may heed your advice, or they may not. Some might take offense and perceive you as an enemy because you told them the truth. This is precisely what Paul is concerned about here. But this is where faith comes in. All you can do is speak up, share the truth in love, and let God own the outcome. If you do this, you have done your part. Then get out of the way of God and let God work, even if you feel like, for a season, the relationship is in disrepair. Remember, the truth always wins because God's good purposes always prevail. #TruthInLove #SpeakUpWithCourage #FaithfulFriendship #NavigatingRelationships #GodsGoodPurposes ASK THIS: Reflecting on your own experiences, can you recall a time when someone spoke a difficult truth to you out of love? How did you respond, and what did you learn from the experience? In your current relationships, is there someone you feel compelled to share the truth with, even though it might be uncomfortable? What steps can you take to approach this conversation with love and humility? DO THIS: Share the truth in love. PRAY THIS: Lord, grant me the courage and wisdom to speak the truth in love, even when it's difficult or uncomfortable. Help me trust in Your good purposes and surrender the outcome to Your hands, knowing that Your truth always prevails. Amen. PLAY THIS: The Truth.

GET THE BOOK: Daniel: A Strong Man Is Faithful here https://amzn.to/3ToZqOk Do you sense the persecution is heating up? Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. — Daniel 3:19-23 I doubt that you and I will experience something like this during our lifetime. I could be wrong, but I think there's almost no chance. Yet, we'll all encounter immensely hot moments in our lives—moments when we feel powerless and overcome by someone who has the upper hand. This could happen on the job, at home, or in the courtroom. It might happen before a boss, a spouse, or a leader. But let's realize that most of the time, this happens when we've done something wrong. But that is not the situation here. This fiery test had nothing to do with sin. These men never sin against God. Instead, they stood up for God, which demanded taking a stand against a king who proclaimed to be a god. These men chose to do what was right and righteous and were suffering for it at the hands of a cruel, self-righteous, and angry man. Now that we might experience. At some point, every one of us suffers for doing what is right and righteous in this life. We will suffer the fury of our Nebuchadnezzar. At present, this could be happening to you. If so, you shouldn't back down, especially if you have done what is right and have been righteous. Instead, this moment could be your moment. It is a time for increased faith in God, who is taking you to the edge of the flame. It's only here at the edge of the flame that the possibilities of natural solutions are entirely removed. These moments require more faith and more resistance to evil, but in the end, they result in a more glorious and supernatural work of God. So, if things are heating up in your life right now, hold on in faith longer. Stand up for God and against evil. God might be waiting to provide a supernatural solution revealed through you that turns the powers and people toward him. God, give those men whose lives are standing at the edge of the flame greater faith. Strengthen the Spirit within them so that they pay attention to every action and every word. May they be right and righteous in every way. In Jesus's name, amen.

You observe days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain. — Galatians 4:10-11 CALL OUT: I want to give a shout-out to Ron Ruch from Emmanuel Church in Minneapolis, MN. He's a legacy disciple-maker and sold-out man of God. Ron has lived a lot of life, but he also won't quit. I love you, brother. Have you ever been so exasperated that you've wondered if you've wasted your time? We all have. We have felt his way at painful points in our career, during a repetitive issue with a problem child, or in the middle of a project that's gone awry. And Paul feels this way right now. He wonders if all the time and training he has invested into these Galatian churches was a waste of time because they have returned to old rites and rituals instead of living in a relationship with Christ. I am so glad Paul expresses his emotion here. He is vulnerable just enough to expose his irritation with these people. Because sometimes people and processes can be very irritating. Can't they? So, if you are exasperated today, you need to know you are not alone. It's okay to feel this way and to share that you feel this way. It is also appropriate to tell the people draining you that they are depleting you of resources because they are unresponsive. Paul does. And he is not being vindictive. He's merely being honest and vulnerable because he has explained the same thing to them 1000 times. I believe this is how some pastors feel every Easter. Yesterday, thousands of inactive members piled into worship services across the world. Most assume that their semiannual pilgrimage to church is all the Lord requires of them. But a pastor will stand in a pulpit twice a year and tell them the same two messages. One about the birth of a Savior and one about the resurrection of a Savior. They are the same story. It is a story about a man who saved sinful men so we could have a relationship with God. Yet people hear the message and are absent from church the other 50 weekends of the year. And why? Because they believe that their rites and rituals are enough. They don't understand the necessity of a relationship with God. So stop irritating your pastor. It's your relationship with Christ that matters—rituals and rites mean nothing to God. Jesus wasn't born into this world to defeat death, so you could come to church twice a year. What he wants is for you to have a vibrant relationship with God. #RitesVsRelationships #AuthenticFaith #PaulineExasperation #BeyondEmptyObservance #LivingInChrist ASK THIS: How can we ensure that our religious practices and observances are not merely rituals, but genuine expressions of our relationship with God? In what ways can we shift our focus from seasonal or occasional religious activities to cultivating a consistent, vibrant relationship with Christ throughout the year? DO THIS: Change your environment in some small way. PRAY THIS: Father, help me to move beyond empty rituals and embrace a deeper, more authentic relationship with You. Guide me in living out my faith daily, not just on special occasions, so that my life reflects the love and truth of Christ to those around me. Amen. PLAY THIS: O Come to the Altar.

After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. — John 19:38-42 Most people know the accounts of Jesus's death and resurrection regarding Easter. However, there are some details we often miss during the time between the two events. One is the account and details of his burial. Most people don't realize that burial wasn't guaranteed for the crucified. Victims were often left to rot on their crosses for days until vultures picked over their bodies. Eventually, guards would take what was left of their bodies and dump them in a mass grave. This would have been the fate of Jesus's body if it had not been for two emboldened men. In the shadow of this dark moment, two men stood up and risked their reputations to request the body of Jesus. They were Joseph and Nicodemus. Interestingly, it is these men because both, up until this moment, only secretly followed Jesus. So, who were these guys? Joseph and Nicodemus were wealthy and respected members of the highest Jewish leadership council. They maintained a quiet belief in Jesus but never publicly exposed these beliefs for fear of surrounding religious and political powers. You might remember Nicodemus because he was the man who initially came to Jesus by night to ask some questions about his teachings (John 3:1-21). Together, after Jesus's death, these two join an alliance to request his body and provide a proper burial for Jesus. Nicodemus provided a substantial amount of myrrh and aloes, weighing about seventy-five pounds, to prepare his body for burial. We watch these men move from fearful believers to fearless followers in this event. Here, they did what followers do: They were willing to risk their money and reputations for Jesus, even before he was raised from the dead. They provided a proper burial and a tomb that Jesus wouldn't use for long. In our spiritual lives, we should be moving in the same direction—from scared and secret to cashed-in, sold-out, risk-taking, financially invested believers in Jesus. So, where do you stand? Is there something you need to sacrifice to turn up your commitment to Jesus? But as you consider what you might need to do, remember that Jesus sacrificed everything for you.

But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay." — Matthew 28:5-6 Imagine if you were standing before that tomb. The weight of grief is heavy on you. Then, out of nowhere, you hear a confident and calm voice say, "He is not here. He has risen!" Would your mind even compute this reality? You know what you saw over the last few days. You saw him flogged, ridiculed, sentenced, and crucified. You watched him suffer for hours before a heckling crowd. You were there when they took down his dead body, wrapped him, and placed him in a garden tomb. Would it possibly compute that he was risen indeed? The resurrection of Jesus stretches the limits of our understanding. It challenges the very boundaries of faith. How could a man who was undeniably dead come back to life? It defies logic, reason, and everything we know to be true about the natural order of things. Yet, that is exactly what happened on Easter morning. Jesus, who was undeniably dead, rose to life. By his own power, he triumphed over the one reality that is the end for all humanity—undeniable death. In his resurrection, he demonstrated his power over the dominion of sin and the sentence of death, defeating something ordinary man could not because Jesus was more than an ordinary man—he was God in the flesh. This truth might stretch your mind. You might find it improbable and unbelievable. Jesus understood this. So, he made it easier to believe. He appeared in resurrected form on more than a dozen occasions to over 500 people. He ate with them, walked with them, and talked with them. He made it easier for them to believe. He closed the gap on faith but did not eliminate the need for faith. Today, believers across the planet celebrate the reality of the resurrection. Our faith in his resurrection makes our resurrection a reality. We believe by faith that Jesus defeated sin and death so that we could enjoy salvation from our sins and resurrection life in his name. Without Jesus, this life is hopeless. Sin and death reign supreme. But by faith in Jesus, we believe he is preparing a place for us free from sin and death. Eventually, we will leave the land of the dying and enter the land of the living.

What Makes It Good? On this day in history, the events that unfold mark what believers call Good Friday. This day is full of meaning, prompting us to reflect, remember, and rejoice. As you skim through the timeline of events posted below, you will recount the trials and tribulations that Jesus endured on this day. One question will emerge: "What makes this day so good?" To understand the answer, we must look beyond this day and the visible events. For a moment, we must look past what people are doing to Jesus and see what Jesus is doing. We need to see past the horror inflicted upon him and see the hope initiated by him. The easiest way to see this is to understand the whole story because the events of this day are only a snippet of a larger and longer story—a story told by God. To understand the narrative, you merely need to listen to a few timeless statements that God has been communicating to us through Scripture for generations. They illuminate his plan and reveal why this day is dubbed Good Friday. Four Key Scriptures To The Story Of Good Friday First, God reminds us in Romans 3:23 that this world and its people are perpetually broken and separated from him by our disobedience called "sin": For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Second, Galatians 3:13 explains that because of our sins, we were cursed, and we need someone to save us. Therefore, God chose to save us himself and provided his Son, who rescued us from our sins. This text reads: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree." Next, Colossians 2:14 explains that God planned to pay our sin debt for us. The Cross is where this debt was paid. This text reads: [God] by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. Last is 2 Corinthians 5:21. It clarifies that the payment had to be made by someone sinless. Our sins were purchased and paid for with the currency of a sinless Son who died at the hands of sinful men to save us. The text reads: For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. One Cohesive Story These Scriptures tell one cohesive story—a story of divine intervention and redemption. On this day, 2000 years ago, Jesus saved the world from sin. Despite the injustice he endured—sentenced, scourged, mocked, and crucified—Jesus was simultaneously executing a divine plan. He was redeeming us, lifting the curse by bearing our sins upon that Cross. In this act, he paid the penalty and canceled our debt, purchasing our salvation with his righteousness. Those unwilling to see the divine story and accept their own sinfulness find this event perplexing and the brutality unjust. But for those of us who have acknowledged our disobedience and sin, we see the Cross for what it is—Good News. For us, this day is profound. It's the day when a sinless Savior took upon himself the punishment we rightfully deserve so that we might be righteous before God. That's what makes it Good Friday. The Timeline of Good Friday By The Hour 6:00 AM - Zero Hour Jesus Stands Trial Before Pilate. (Matthew 27:11-14; Mark 15:2-5; Luke 23:1-5; John 18:28-37) Jesus Sent To Herod. (Luke 23:6-12) 7:00 AM - The First Hour Jesus Returned To Pilate. (Luke 23:11) Jesus Sentenced To Die. (Matthew 27:26; Mark 15:15; Luke 23:23-24; John 19:16) 8:00 AM - The Second Hour Jesus Led To Calvary. (Matthew 27:32-34; Mark 15:21-24; Luke 23:26-31; John 19:16-17) 9:00 AM - The Third Hour Jesus Is Crucified. (Mark 15:25) Father Forgive Them. (Luke 23:34) Cast Lots for Jesus's Clothing. (Mark 15:24) 10:00 AM - The Fourth Hour Jesus Is Insulted. (Matthew 27:39-40) Priests And Teachers Mock Jesus. (Mark 15:31) Soldiers Mocked Jesus. (Luke 23:36-37) Criminal Insults Jesus. (Luke 23:39) 11:00 AM - The Fifth Hour Jesus And The Criminal. (Luke 23:40-43) Jesus Speaks To Mary And John. (John 19:26-27) NOON - The Sixth Hour Darkness Covers The Land. (Mark 15:33) 1:00 PM - The Seventh Hour Jesus Cries Out To The Father. (Matthew 27:46) Jesus Is Thirsty. (John 19:28-29) 2:00 PM - The Eighth Hour It Is Finished. (John 19:30) Into Your Hands, I Commit My Spirit. (Luke 23:46) 3:00 PM - The Ninth Hour Events After Jesus's Death. The Earthquake and the Temple Veil Is Torn. (Matthew 27:51-52) The Centurion Believes. (Matthew 27:54; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:47) The Soldiers Break the Thieves' Legs. (John 19:31-33) The Soldier Pierced Jesus's Side. (John 19:34) Jesus is Laid in the Tomb. (Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42)

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? — Galatians 4:8-9 CALL OUT: I want to give a shout-out to Andrew Leck from Rosehill, KS. Thanks so much for your partnership in the Gospel. Your generosity is much appreciated. Paul thinks it is incomprehensible that believers would return to their weak and worthless ways. He cannot understand how they would go back to their old patterns and practices after knowing God and being known by him. He states it's as illogical as a slave who is freed, given sonship, and extended riches, and then returns to his former slavery. Even though this return is idiotic, we all know this is possible given the right amount of social pressure. This is because our social environments play a significant role in what we believe. Constant exposure to the same ideas, images, and messages will affect us. For example, if you are a recovering addict who is only spending time with other users, there's a pressure to conform that will eventually trigger those old patterns. Or, if you are working in corporate America and are constantly being conditioned by ideologies, agendas, training, and planned programs that you are forced to celebrate and promote, even though they are opposed to your faith, you will eventually buy into them. Eventually, you will be influenced by those around you. You can only hold the line so long before their attitudes and behaviors sway you. Immersing yourself in social environments where ungodly principles are celebrated and taught makes it increasingly challenging to resist their influence. The constant barrage of contrary messages will eventually erode your resolve and weaken your commitment to the Gospel truth. And then, you will cave, which is what the believers in the region of Galatia have done. They bought the woke lie. This is why believers need to do two things. First, we need to be in God's Word every day. We are doing that right here, renewing our minds with the Gospel Truth. Second, we need to be in the company of other believers. The influence of believers in our lives needs to proportionately outweigh the impact of unbelievers. For some, this may mean getting more involved in your local church or joining a small group. But it may also mean breaking free from some social environments and relationships affecting you. Some of you need to cut these relationships off and remove yourself from these environments. The challenge today is this: change your environment before your environment changes you. #FreedomInChrist #ResistThePull #RenewYourMind #ChooseYourInfluence #GuardYourHeart ASK THIS: How can you intentionally prioritize spending time in environments that strengthen your faith and resist those that weaken it? Reflect on any social circles or relationships in your life that may be subtly influencing you away from your commitment to the Gospel. What steps can you take to change your environment to align more closely with God's truth? DO THIS: Change your environment in some small way. PRAY THIS: Father, help me to remain steadfast in Your truth and resist the pull of worldly influences. Guide me in choosing environments and relationships that strengthen my faith and honor You. Amen. PLAY THIS: Changed.

And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. — Galatians 4:6-7 CALL OUT: I want to give a shout-out to Larry Wargel from Columbia, SC. Thanks so much for your partnership in the Gospel. Your generosity is much appreciated. The Spirit is easily one of the most neglected topics in the church. Yet for Paul, the Spirit is significant and central. He is the sign of our sonship—not works of the flesh (e.g., circumcision) but the searing of our hearts by his Spirit. This is not something we do. It's something Christ did at the moment we believed. The Spirit was "sent into our hearts" with a clarion cry. This made me wonder if we resort to works-based righteousness because we are unaware of the Spirit that God seared into us. We lack awareness of his searing and spiritual work. This is what Paul is doing here, he is making the church aware of the Spirit within them. So let me do the same for you. If you believe in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, the Spirit of God lives in you. The sign of the Father is seared upon you, signifying your sonship. The Spirit makes you an infinitely rich son. There is no other thing you need, and there is nothing else you can do that will alter or increase this status. But you do need to learn to rely upon and rest in the Spirit. But it all begins by becoming aware that the Spirit of God lives in you. So acknowledge the Spirit today. Invite him to convict, teach, intercede, guide, comfort, and reveal the truth today. God, thank you for the Spirit you have sent into us. Help me to become more aware of his presence, and help me listen to him as he convicts, teaches, intercedes, guides, comforts, and reveals the truth. Amen. #SpiritualSonship #SpiritWithin #DivineInheritance #AwarenessOfGod #EmbracingTheSpirit ASK THIS: How does the awareness of the Spirit's presence within you change your perspective on your identity and inheritance as a child of God? In what practical ways can you invite the Spirit to work in your life today, trusting in His guidance, comfort, and truth? DO THIS: Invite the Spirit to work. PRAY THIS: Father, thank you for sealing me with your Spirit and making me your son. Help me to live each day aware of His presence and reliant on His guidance, comfort, and truth. Amen. PLAY THIS: Holy Spirit.

I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. — Galatians 4:1-5 CALL OUT: I want to give a shout-out to the 1300 men at Men's Advance from Alexandria, MN. Thanks for letting me be with you over the weekend. If you remember back a few days, Paul had compared the Law to a "prison warden" and a "pedagogue." Now, he compares it to "guardians and managers" whose job was to supervise until the date of their status had ended. Here's Paul's illustration. There was a long period of time when your Father (God) used the Law to guard and manage you. During this time, you were like a son who was no different from a slave. You had borne the title "son" but were being guarded and managed, just like a "slave." However, that time is done. The "fullness of your time" as a son has come. You (the sons of Abraham) are now of age through the Father's provision of his Son born under the law, which frees you as slaves and adopts you as sons with all the rights of a pure-blooded heir. Here's Paul's point in context. In the same way, the Law was your former guardian and manager. But now that you are heirs, you don't serve the same guardian and manager. In fact, it would look foolish for you, as a pure-blooded heir adopted as a son, to go back to serving under a guardian and manager when you don't need one. You have a Father, a family, and the freedom to live as sons. Here's Paul's exhortation for the believers in Galatia: The discipleship and discipline of the Law had its time. Its purpose was to train and teach you the way of righteousness. But there comes a point when you no longer need this guardian and manager. By faith, the Father has adopted you as full heirs into his family. So don't go back to the old patterns of living like a slave when you are a son. Circumcision under the Law is one of those old signs that add nothing to your salvation by faith as heirs. Here's the exhortation for you today. By faith, you are an adopted son. By faith, you are a full heir of his righteousness. By faith, you are a son of the living God. If this is the case, why do you immediately return that voice of shame in moments of sin? Why do you let your shame rule over your sonship? This is similar to what the Galatians were doing. They were using former behaviors to fortify their current relationship. But when you let shame rule over your sonship, you are returning to the slavery of the Law. Stop listening to the voice of shame and letting it rule over you. Preach back to this voice, "I am no longer a slave to sin. I am a child of God." Consider singing this song to yourself. I posted it below. #FromSlaveryToSonship #EmbracingAdoption #NoLongerSlaves #IdentityInChrist #FreedByFaith ASK THIS: How does recognizing ourselves as adopted sons of God change the way we view our struggles with sin and shame? In what areas of our lives do we still tend to revert to a "slave mentality" instead of embracing our identity as sons of God, and how can we actively shift our perspective in those areas? DO THIS: Tell your shame, "I am no longer a slave to sin. I am a child of God." PRAY THIS: Father, thank you for adopting me as your son and freeing me from the bondage of sin and shame. Help me to live confidently in my identity as your child, rejecting the voice of shame and embracing the freedom you've given me through Christ. Amen. PLAY THIS: No Longer Slaves.

GET THE BOOK: Daniel: A Strong Man Is Faithful here https://amzn.to/3ToZqOk What impossible situation do you need to bring to God today? In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. And the king said to them, "I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream." — Daniel 2:1-3 I don't know about you, but there have been seasons of my life that have been troubled by my dreams. They tend to happen when my anxiety is high, and they are vivid and memorable, which is Nebuchadnezzar's experience here. He had a very vivid dream, which troubled his spirit and even prevented him from finding sleep. Yet, in the case of Nebuchadnezzar, we know that God gave him these dreams. God troubled him with ideas and images that were so vivid he knew there was a meaning behind them. So, what he wants from his seers is the meaning of the dream. But not just that. He wants them to tell him the details of a dream he has not told, which is a pretty impossible order. Have you ever been in a situation where someone has projected their anxiety onto you, demanding your help with an impossible task? I hate to say it, but I encounter this situation every day. Every day, I talk to some man who finds themselves in an impossible predicament. They come to me with problems I cannot solve. Marriages in a mess. Careers in chaos. Families in ruin. Addictions that overwhelm them. And guess what? I feel the weight of these projected anxieties. More than anything, I would love to remove their anxiety and repair the situation so they can find sleep and peace again. But I can't. But there is one thing I can do—and it's something we can all do. We can ask a God who does impossible things to make what is impossible for us possible. In Matthew 19:26, Jesus said: "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." If, at this moment, like Daniel, you are standing before an impossible situation, stop fretting about it and ask God to intervene. There is nothing impossible for him. Have faith. Be faithful. Trust in a faithful God. God, today, make what is impossible for me possible. I acknowledge you are able, and I am unable. In Jesus's name, amen.

And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. — Galatians 3:29 CALL OUT: I want to give a shout-out to Mark Robinson from Slidell, LA, who is using our book 30 Men Who Lived With Conviction with his men. Thanks for leading men. We need men of conviction in the world today. Thanks for being that man. Yesterday, we learned how to exegete the previous verse more accurately than many do. We learned that our spiritual oneness in Christ is a status received by faith and celebrated in baptism. It superseded but did not absolve our ethnicity, status, and gender. The great part of being a believer is the blessing of a unified spiritual family. God knows you want and need a family. God knows your family is messed up. God sees the disobedience of your parents. God sees the rebellion of your children. God knows your family is infested with adultery, perversion, addiction, and abuse. God knows the pain of your broken relationships. He also knows the shame you've had to endure and its effects on everyone in your life. And in the shadow of all this darkness, God had a bright plan. His divine providence is so great he knew thousands of years ago that you would endure this. He saw how messed up your family would be, so he made a promise to a man named Abraham. The promise of a new family planned for you, paid for in blood. In Christ, you have a family—a spiritual family full of messed-up people redeemed by the Father. If this is the case, you need to attend church and enjoy the blessing. I know some churches are ridden with issues. Sometimes, these issues exhaust us. Even so, removing ourselves entirely is never the solution. Like Paul, we have to fight through the problems. Paul is fighting at this moment because he knows the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. He needs the family. The family needs him. It's not his family. It's God's. It has all kinds of blessings when it works well. God planned this family for you. So get to church. Get to know your family and receive the blessing planned and prepared for you in Christ. #AbrahamsOffspring #FamilyInChrist #RedeemedRelationships #ChurchCommunity #BlessedBelonging ASK THIS: Reflecting on your own journey, how has embracing your identity as a member of God's spiritual family impacted your perspective on the brokenness within your biological family? Considering the challenges you face in your church community, what steps can you take to actively participate in and contribute to the blessings of fellowship and unity that God has prepared for His family? DO THIS: Go to church. PRAY THIS: Father, thank you for the incredible blessing of belonging to Your spiritual family through Christ. Help me to actively engage with and contribute to my church community, embracing the blessings of fellowship and unity You have prepared for us. Amen. PLAY THIS: For Me And My House.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. — Galatians 3:28 CALL OUT: I want to give a shout-out to Chris DeBoer in Peachtree, GA, who is a new monthly partner. I am thankful for you, Chris, and all who support us monthly and faithfully. So many people have taken this text entirely out of context. They use it to leverage ideological positions that this Scripture does not endorse. Let me be clear: This text in no way advocates for social equality and inclusion. It does not promote the fair treatment, opportunity, and acceptance of all individuals regardless of their background, identity, or circumstances. However, please do not hear me say this text endorses racism, slavery, economic oppression, and gender fluidity. It does not endorse either side of this argument because these issues are not what this text is about. Here is why: This text does not speak about social equality. It is speaking about spiritual equality. Sometimes, when we read Scripture, we are going to be tempted to read into a text from our own cultural perspective. This is called eisegesis. Eisegesis is an interesting word. It is a compound Greek word that forms one word and meaning. "Eis" means "into." "Egesis" means "interpretation." Thus, eisegesis is when we interpret a text by reading into it our own presumptions and biases. This is something we should always avoid when reading Scripture. It is easy and tempting to do, especially when you have strong beliefs and convictions about specific social issues. There are people in our time who have some pretty strong opinions on social issues. They are triggered when they hear social references to race, ethnicity, economic disparity, slavery, and gender. Thus, it is very hard for them to put these ideas aside when reading the Scripture. When they encounter a text like this one that seems to defend or dismiss their position, they will pounce all over it. On the other hand, a skilled student of the Scripture exegetes the text. Exegesis is another compound word. "Ex" means "out from." Thus, exegesis is when we draw out the meaning of a text from the text. It's understanding what the text is saying based on its own words, context, and historical background instead of adding your own ideas. You're trying to uncover the original meaning intended by the author. So, if we exegete this text correctly, we will draw out the author's intent instead of importing, imputing, and inserting our intent. So let's do that. But let's reread the text: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." First, Paul lists three subordinate groupings that are transcended in Christ. They are ethnicity (Jew/Greek), economic status (slave/free), and gender (male/female). Paul never suggests that these categories cease to exist or are no longer a present reality. Our ethnicity, status, and gender are a part of our human existence. But there is something that supersedes them. This leads to Paul making one positive assertion. We (i.e., believers) experience a oneness (i.e., spiritual unity) found only in Christ. Our unity is not found in this world. It is made possible and encountered only in union with Christ. This means our spiritual unity takes precedence over social identity in Christ. If we now carefully place this exegesis into the greater context of the chapter, it will provide even more precise meaning. Paul says our spiritual oneness in Christ is a status received by faith, celebrated in baptism, superseding but not absolving our ethnicity, economic status, and gender. Spirit-filled believers enjoy the blessing of living in a new spiritual family that comes with serious spiritual blessings. The blessing is found in the next verse, which we will read together tomorrow. This is a sound exegesis of this text. As you can see, it does not promote social equality and inclusion. It celebrates a spiritual reality in the church, made possible by Christ. This transcendent reality affects how we perceive each other in Christ without absolving our individuality or condoning human sin. Here's the application of this sound exegesis: Take another look at a believer in Christ. See them from a spiritual perspective and not only a social perspective. If you tend only to see their natural qualities, look beyond that today. Work in your heart to perceive them differently. See them as your brother and as your sister in Christ. Then treat them like a divine member of the spiritual family because, in Christ, you finally gain a diverse family with one thing in common—one Good Great Father. #SpiritualEquality #InChristAlone #BeyondSocialDivides #BiblicalInterpretation #UnityInDiversity ASK THIS: How can you actively cultivate a mindset that sees fellow believers not just through the lens of societal labels but as fellow members of the spiritual family in Christ? Reflect on a

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. — Galatians 3:27 CALL OUT: I want to give a shout-out to all the staff who follow me at Dekalb Mechanical in Illinois. This is for you today. If you read this text without reading the preceding and succeeding text, you will miss something so important. In the preceding text, Paul has established salvation by faith alone. In the succeeding text, he establishes that through faith, we are born as heirs into a family. Sandwiched right between faith and family is the event of baptism. Do you see it now? Baptism stands at the crossroads between our faith and our family. It's the event that conjoins the two. Baptism means "to immerse." It's a spiritual practice done publicly in which a believer is immersed in water. Jesus was baptized. He was immersed in the waters of the Jordan River, by John the Baptist. In the same way, we are commanded to be baptized. Baptism is an important marker. It's a public profession that proclaims our personal faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord. It's a pronouncement of our surrender to a new way. It's a symbolic ceremony that others in the family witness. It's a symbolic burial of our old life in the water and a resurrection into new life from the water. Church, we need these markers of faith in our spiritual journey, and we need the family who goes with it, too. If you have not been baptized and you are new or old to the faith, I want to implore you to be baptized and take this step. Go to a friend who is a believer, tell a family member who is a believer, or speak to your church leader and express your desire to take this step in your faith. And then tell me after you have done this and I want to celebrate this with you. Don't wait too long to respond to my exhortation today. Some of you have waited too long. Be a little more like the Ethiopian Eunuch who proclaimed to Paul, "See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?" (Acts 8:36) #Baptism #FaithAndFamily #ClothedInChrist #SpiritualMilestone #NewLifeInChrist ASK THIS: How does understanding the significance of baptism impact your daily walk with Christ and your relationships within your spiritual family? What steps can you take today to embrace baptism as a public declaration of your faith and commitment to living a new life in Christ? DO THIS: Take action and pursue baptism. PRAY THIS: Lord, I thank you for the gift of baptism, which symbolizes my union with Christ and my commitment to a life transformed by your grace. Help me to continually live out this reality, embracing faith and family as integral parts of my journey with you. Amen. PLAY THIS: Never Be The Same.

So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. — Galatians 3:24-26 CALL OUT: I want to give a shout-out to Todd Hansen, our Prayer Team Leader, who is presently in Panama, MX. Thanks so much for your partnership in the Gospel. Which reminds me, if you need prayer, please reach out here: The Prayer Wall. The word "guardian" is a choice word. In the Greek language, the word is "paidagōgos." A paidagōgos or a pedagogue was a slave entrusted with the responsibility of training a child. They weren't just teachers who taught lessons from books constrained to the information that they were an expert in. They served as a living moral compass for the direction and discipline of a child. Then, when the child was old enough, they eventually outgrew the need for their pedagogue. In context, Paul is saying that the law functioned in the same way. The law was a temporary teacher responsible for the direction and discipline of God's people until our justification was revealed. Thus, we are no longer children parented by the guardian of the law, but we are children of God by faith. Paul is telling the believers, it is time to grow up. You are acting like little children, subjecting yourselves to a way that was. You are no longer slaves. You are sons of God. You are recipients of the promise. You are freed from the law of sin. Live by faith in freedom within God's family. Stop going back to the old ways of serving the old pedagogue. That time is done. In the spiritual life, we sometimes need someone to tell us this. So, if you feel stunted in your faith, isn't it time to start doing something about that? Are you going to wait around for someone to spoon-feed you spiritual sustenance like a child in the faith? Or is it time to grow up? To declare and define a point of separation with no return to your childlike ways. If you are ready to do this right now, you could do one of two things: You could either declare there is something you are going to stop doing forever and not go back to it. Or you can declare there is something you are going to start doing that you are going to build into the fabric of your spiritual life. You might even decide to do both. But do me a favor; don't act like a child and do nothing. #FaithOverLaw #SpiritualMaturity #EmbraceSonship #BreakFreeFromLegalism #GrowInFaith ASK THIS: Reflecting on your spiritual journey, in what ways have you relied on religious rules and regulations rather than fully embracing the freedom and sonship offered through faith in Christ? Considering Paul's call to spiritual maturity, what specific steps can you take today to transition from a mindset of spiritual immaturity to one of responsibility and growth in your relationship with God? DO THIS: Stop acting like a child in the faith. PRAY THIS: Father, help me to release the grip of legalism and embrace the freedom and sonship You have provided through faith in Christ. Guide me in my journey toward spiritual maturity, empowering me to live boldly as Your child and to walk in the fullness of Your grace. Amen. PLAY THIS: No Longer Slaves.

But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. — Galatians 3:22-23 CALL OUT: I want to give a shout-out to Colin Steen from Brandon, SD, who purchased numerous copies of 30 Men Who Lived With Conviction. This is one of the easiest books we have for leading men through some great biblical conversations. Thanks, Colin, for stepping in and stepping up and leading men. Paul imagines Scripture as our judge, sin as the jailor, and mankind as the inmates held captive by the law. This imagery combines the damages and the discipline demanded by sin. It is the final judgment pronounced in Paul's case which is this: We are all guilty, sentenced, and captive by sin of which there is no escape without faith in Jesus. This imagery exposes why many don't believe in Jesus. They don't believe that sin's effects are as expansive as Paul expresses here. They think their moral goodness is good enough. Believing this, they conclude one of two things: either they don't need Jesus because they think they are morally good. Or that they are good enough, so if Jesus does exist, he will accept them. But this is faulty logic and exactly the logic taught by the world in every self-help book written and every Disney movie you have ever watched. It is the false belief that mankind, at the core, is good and, therefore, has some ability to save itself by its capabilities, competence, character, and personal capacity. But you can't. It is not possible. Paul says it's impossible. This is why you have to convince someone of the bad news before you tell them the good news. And the bad news is very bad. We are sinful, slaves, serving sentences for our own sins. And there is no escape—except by Jesus. He is the good news. Faith in him saves us from the sentence of our senseless sin, which enslaves us. So get out there today and tell people the Good News. But remember, you might have to tell them the bad news first; otherwise, they won't see the need. God, I pray that the people around us today will see the Good News in each of us, come to their senses about the senseless nature of the sin that enslaves them, and be drawn to the saving power of Jesus Christ, which blows the doors off the prison of sin. #FaithInJesus #FreedomFromSin #GoodNewsBadNews #LiberatedByFaith #SinnersSavedByGrace ASK THIS: How does understanding the depth of our captivity to sin impact our perception of our need for Jesus? In what ways can we effectively communicate the "bad news" of sin's consequences before sharing the "good news" of salvation through Jesus? DO THIS: Explain the bad news with the good news. PRAY THIS: Lord, open my eyes to see the reality of sin's grip on my life and the world around me, and give me the courage to share the liberating message of faith in Jesus with others. May Your saving power break through the darkness of sin, setting hearts free to embrace Your grace and truth. Amen. PLAY THIS: Good News.

Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. — Galatians 3:21 CALL OUT: I want to give a shout-out to Will Newcomb from Dover, DE, who watches our devotionals before his 4:00 am workout each day. Here's a spiritual workout for you today. One of the most reasonable and logical arguments against salvation by works is the argument, "If you could've done it, you would've done it. You tried and failed, so God had to do it for you." This is what Paul is saying here. The Law was God's means of getting our attention. It drove us to the reality that we are persistently and perpetually unrighteous and unlawful. It also pointed us to the one ("the offspring") who could live in perfect obedience to the Law and reveal him as the one who provides salvation and righteousness. This is one of the things I love about our God. Everything he does is logical, reasonable, purposeful, and righteous, which leads us to freedom. And don't you want freedom? If you do, wouldn't it be foolish to be freed by God's divine sovereignty and continue to live and act like you are under the bondage of the law? May it never be! Yet I know so many men who live in bondage to sin and shame and keep cycling repeatedly on the same sins. Sometimes, men convince themselves this is their penance. But there is no penance you can pay that Jesus has not paid for you. Remember, "If you could've done it, you would've done it. You tried and failed, so God had to do it for you." Isn't it time to accept his grace, receive his forgiveness, and stop rejecting the righteousness he has already extended to you? Maybe today is the day you will receive what God has done and extended. God, for those living under the bondage of repetitive sins, I pray that they will know, accept, and receive your grace and forgiveness today. Help them stop trying to do it on their own. May your Holy Spirit convict them of their selfish attempts and arrogant rejection of your forgiveness and grace. Make clear to them that they are an entirely new creation with a new identity in you. May they never return to the behaviors and patterns of their old life. Amen. #GraceOverLaw #FreedomInChrist #BreakTheCycle #EmbraceGrace #NewCreation ASK THIS: Reflecting on your own life, in what ways have you found yourself trapped in cycles of sin or legalistic thinking? How can embracing God's grace lead to liberation from these patterns? Consider a time when you've struggled to accept God's forgiveness and grace for your mistakes. How might recognizing the logical and purposeful nature of God's plan for salvation help you fully receive and embrace His forgiveness in your life? DO THIS: Receive God's grace. PRAY THIS: Lord, I confess my tendency to rely on my own efforts and to dwell in shame over my failures. Help me to fully accept and embrace your grace, knowing that through Christ, I am made new and free from the bondage of sin. Amen. PLAY THIS: Made New.

Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. — Galatians 3:19-20 CALL OUT: I want to give a shout-out to Robert Colbert from Hickory, NC, who purchased some of our leather journals. Thanks, brother! Paul asks a rhetorical question here, "What is the purpose or function of the Law?" In context, the question would be, "If our works by obedience to the Law do not save, and faith in Jesus's works saves, then what is the function of the Law?" This is a great question. One he knew the believers in Galatia might have. A growing believer needs to ask questions. It is right for you to ask them. Too many believers arrive at salvation by an emotional decision and then stop searching. While that moment is significant, it isn't the end—it's the beginning. Sanctification, spiritual growth, and the Holy Spirit await you. There is plenty of corruption in your mind, heart, and soul that God wants to deal with in your life. And these issues should generate lots of troubling questions. In Galatians, Paul is dealing with the corrupt beliefs of works-based salvation—the wrong belief that salvation requires adherence to the Law. If the Galatians see this mistaken belief and turn to salvation by faith alone, it will increase their faith in God, who has planned their salvation from sin from the beginning of time. If you are a believer listening, rejoice in your salvation today. But don't stall out and get stagnant. Ask a good question today, and you might find you get a good answer that only increases your faith in God's greatness. The answer Paul gave the Galatians in our text today is razor-sharp. The Law was given to divide right from wrong, not to make you right or wrong. Faith alone saves you. The Law merely points out how bad you are and how badly you need God's salvation. Do you see how asking a good question might challenge a flawed belief and increase your faith at the same time? Church, great questions lead to great answers and greater faith in a Great God. God, give every believer listening a moment of reflection where they are faced with a good question about you. Provide them with a great answer that will drive away their disbelief. Increase the joy of their salvation. Amen. #FaithVsWorks #GalatiansInsights #LawAndSalvation #GrowInFaith #QuestioningBeliefs ASK THIS: How can we ensure that our understanding of salvation remains rooted in faith rather than works, especially when faced with societal pressures or personal doubts? Reflecting on Paul's message to the Galatians, how can we actively engage in spiritual growth and deepen our relationship with God, moving beyond mere adherence to religious practices? DO THIS: Ask a good question today. PRAY THIS: Lord, help me to continually seek understanding and growth in my faith, relying solely on Your grace for salvation and guidance in my journey. May my questions lead me closer to You, strengthening my trust in Your plan and deepening my relationship with You each day. Amen. PLAY THIS: The Lord Is My Salvation.

GET THE BOOK: Daniel: A Strong Man Is Faithful here: https://amzn.to/3ToZqOk When masculinity is under attack, do you find refuge in your identity in God? Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego. — Daniel 1:6-7 The four young men in this text, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were forcibly taken from their homeland and thrust into a culture that stripped away their identity and redefined them according to its standards. The initial assault on their identity came in the form of new names. Their original names, each filled with Godly meaning, were replaced with names honoring the gods of the Babylonian culture. So, let me quickly list their original names and meanings and then compare them with their new names and meanings. Daniel means — God is my judge. He is renamed Belteshazzar, which means — Bel protects his life. Hananiah means — God has acted graciously. He is renamed Shadrach, which means — Aku commands. Mishael means — There is no god like God. He is renamed Meshach, which means — Aku is who god is. Azariah means — God has helped. He is renamed Abednego, which means — Nebo is god. Hopefully, you see what the Babylonian administrator is doing. He is not just giving them new names. He is intentionally removing God's name from each man. This is always the first move of secular indoctrination — the complete removal of the name of God. God must be deleted from history. Even so, Daniel and his three friends remained faithful to God. They refused to compromise their convictions or abandon their allegiance to God. They understood that changing their name did not change their convictions. Their identity was not founded on given names or newly imposed labels, but it was intricately woven into their hearts, minds, and souls by the only true God. We face the same challenges in our own time. Our culture constantly seeks to redefine identity, promoting ideologies that contradict the Scripture. We are told that we can determine our own identity, that gender is fluid, and that morality is relative. But like Daniel and his companions, we must resist these attempts to conform to the patterns of this world. Our identity as believers is created and established only by God. We were made by his hands and crafted in his image. He is the Creator, and we are his clay. Therefore, only he determines our identity, and when we are lost in the ideologies of this world, it can only be found in him. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah understood this. They knew that altering their names did not alter their identity. They understood this was a useless secular attempt to reidentify them. And notice, they didn't throw a fit about it, either. They simply held fast to the truth, knowing deep within that their identity was formed and found only in God. In our time, we should do what these men did. When the world hurls insults at us for our allegiance to God, calling our convictions old-fashioned and toxic, it is vital to anchor our identity in God. We should stand firm in our beliefs yet avoid useless debates. Anchor yourself in what God has declared about you. The only truth about you is told in God's Word. Every other ideology is merely a secular attempt to remove God's name and reidentify his creation. God, in a world that attempts to attack and assault our identity as men. Help us find all our meaning, purpose, and identity in you. In Jesus's name, amen.

This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. — Galatians 3:17-18 CALL OUT: Shout out to Chase Shrum from Houston, TX, who graciously encourages men to check out our resources and daily devotionals. I cannot thank you enough. I know sometimes texts like this one, read exclusively, can feel very cryptic; however, the meaning is simple. Paul is stating a chronological fact. The promise God made to Abraham was not changed by God at the advent of the Mosaic Law, which occurred 430 years later. Or, to emphasize the issue at hand, the faith of Abraham's covenant and blessing was not ratified 430 years later by works of the Law. Faith was and still is the means of the Abrahamic blessing. This draws attention to a danger we constantly face as believers—losing touch with the truth of Scripture. Every believer needs to read the Scripture for themselves. You need to pick up your Bible and read it. You need to mature beyond consuming the regurgitated text of a popular pastor who preaches a proof text. You need to read more than the New Testament. You need to read both Testaments. The whole Bible tells a whole story. One congruent story that God has been telling since the beginning of time. In the thread Paul references right here, we see one covenant, one blessing, one promise, one Son, and one sacrifice for all people provided by faith. The only way to see God's divine design is to read the thread for yourself. When you read it, you will see it. The carefully woven, intricately connected, divine design of our Sovereign God in whom we have faith. Reading the whole of the Bible will strengthen your faith and maybe even correct the corrupt beliefs you have about him. #FaithfulPromises #BiblicalTruth #GodsCovenant #ScriptureReading #StrengthenYourFaith ASK THIS: How does reading the entire Bible, both Old and New Testaments, enhance one's understanding of God's unchanging promises and faithfulness throughout history? In what ways can we ensure that we're not just relying on secondhand interpretations of Scripture but actively engaging with the text ourselves to deepen our faith and correct any misconceptions we may have about God? DO THIS: Set a goal of reading the entire Bible. PRAY THIS: Father, thank you for your unchanging promises that are revealed throughout Scripture. Help me to dive deeper into your Word, to read it with understanding, and to trust in your faithfulness in every season of my life. Amen. PLAY THIS: Faithful.

To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, "And to offsprings," referring to many, but referring to one, "And to your offspring," who is Christ. — Galatians 3:15-16 CALL OUT: Shout out to Adam Wallace from Chesapeake, VA, who is launching his own independent group for men in his community. We love and support you and we are praying for you. Two things stand out to me from this text: First, God makes unchanging covenants rooted in his unchanging character. Second, God fulfills covenants down to the letter, underscoring his meticulous sovereignty. In our world of shifting alliances and broken promises, it's hard to grasp the nature of this type of covenant. The truth we hear is mostly subjective; therefore, trust is ever-changing. We see this in courtroom dramas and political debates. We are drowned in conflicting narratives telling us different truths, leaving us wondering who to listen to and believe. But with God, covenants are different. It's hard for our minds to comprehend this. Therefore, naturally, we make assumptions and conclusions that are varying degrees off. The Judaizers in Galatia are slightly off in their understanding of God's covenant and promise. It was a covenant through one man, one offspring, and one seed—Jesus. It was not through righteous "men" but a righteous "man" that the blessing of the covenant would be realized for all men. It was made possible through Jesus by faith. The same faith that Abraham had in the future blessing that would come through him to all men. This is what is so spectacular about faith in God. His meticulous sovereignty and unending character are etched into every covenant he makes down the letter. This makes him unlike man and, therefore, trustworthy in the purest sense of that word. This means he is worthy of all your faith. So abandon your life to him in faith today. He is trustworthy. #GodsUnchangingPromises #MeticulousSovereignty #TrustworthyFaith #CovenantalFaithfulness #AbrahamToChrist ASK THIS: How does understanding the unchanging nature of God's covenants affect the way you perceive and trust His promises in your own life? In what areas of your life do you struggle to fully trust God's meticulous sovereignty, and how can you actively surrender those areas to Him in faith today? DO THIS: Abandon your life to Jesus in faith. PRAY THIS: Father, thank You for Your unchanging character and the meticulous way You fulfill Your promises. Help me to trust in Your sovereignty and surrender all areas of my life to Your faithful care. Amen. PLAY THIS: Abandoned

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree"— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.— Galatians 3:13-14 CALL OUT: Shout out to Pastor Mark Roberts, from Crawfordsville, IN, who shares these devotionals with all the men of his church. "Redeemed" is such a good word. It's a marketplace term that means "to buy back." In context, we picture our impossible "debt" exposed by the law and evidenced by our sin, which leaves us subject to a curse that we cannot "pay." Yet, there is a standing covenant made by God. God promised a blessing to Abraham. This blessing comes through the promised Messiah, given by God, who will pay our debt—one we could not pay. As a result, his Son became the curse for us, "buying us back" for himself. Our improbable penalty required a divine payoff. The debt was so expansive that God could make the only possible payment. It must be paid for all sins in all time, past, present, and future. Only God could afford "to buy us back." The payment—his Son. "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). This payment is a great exchange. Jesus pays our curse with his life. He dies sinless as a sacrifice for our sins. The curse on us is lifted. We become God's righteousness. On top of all this, we receive the promised Holy Spirit. But all this hinges on one thing—and it's not our works—it's faith. In simpler terms, Paul is saying that you cannot build back better; you have to be bought back better, which is only possible by confident faith in what God did on that old rugged Cross. #RedeemedByGrace #SacrificeAndSalvation #FromCurseToBlessing #FaithInChrist #BoughtBackBetter ASK THIS: How does understanding the concept of redemption change your perspective on your own worth and value in God's eyes? In what practical ways can you express gratitude for Christ's sacrifice and redemption in your daily life? DO THIS: Believe it. You are brought back better by Jesus. PRAY THIS: Lord, thank you for the incredible gift of redemption through your Son, Jesus Christ. Help me to live each day in gratitude for this amazing act of love and to share the hope of redemption with others. Amen. PLAY THIS: Old Rugged Cross.

Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith." But the law is not of faith, rather "The one who does them shall live by them."— Galatians 3:11-12 CALL OUT: Shout out to Mark Lerom, who is hosting me at Men's Advance this year. I am excited to be with you, 700+ guys. Let's see what God does! These verses may sound a bit cryptic if you only read them once, but if you read them multiple times, Paul is saying there are two ways to salvation. Yep, you read that right. This text contains two quotes from Old Testament Scriptures. The first is from Habakkuk 2:4, and the second is from Leviticus 18:5. The operative connecting phrase is "shall live by," which is found in both. The first declares justification by faith, while the second declares justification by works. The first is humanity's only possible means of salvation, and the second is Jesus Christ's means of providing salvation, who is "The one" of the text. So yes, there are two ways to salvation. One way, the second way, would require someone to fulfill the entire works of the Pentateuchal law, with its 242 positive commands and 365 prohibitions. Only this person could stand before God at judgment and be justified on the basis of his performance. That person, of course, was Jesus (Matthew 5:17). This way is impossible for us. The first way is our only hope. Therefore, we have only one possible way to salvation: "by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). Paul is going to beat this point to death, hoping that the Galatians will see the hopeless nature of a doctrine of justification by works. He is trying to beat this out of their minds. The effort he makes is notable. It is exactly what we should do when we encounter questionable ideologies. We should test them against Scripture. Then, we should test them again against the work of Jesus Christ. If they don't pair up, we need to refuse and remove them from our minds and lives because our only hope is faith in Jesus. Put your faith in him today. #FaithVsWorks #JustificationByFaith #SalvationThroughChrist #GalatiansInsights #HopeInJesus ASK THIS: How does understanding the contrast between justification by faith and justification by works impact your daily walk with Christ? In what areas of your life do you find yourself relying more on your own efforts rather than trusting in God's grace through faith? DO THIS: Have faith. There is only one possible way. PRAY THIS: Father, help me to fully grasp the depth of your grace and the significance of justification by faith alone. Guide me to place my trust entirely in Christ, knowing that my salvation rests solely on His finished work on the cross. Amen. PLAY THIS: Faithful God.

For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them." — Galatians 3:10 CALL OUT: Shout out to Resolute, all my current Board Members, and those who've journeyed with us over the past decade. Today marks our tenth anniversary since our inception. Looking ahead to the next decade, I'm eager to expand our reach, deepen discipleship, and offer even more valuable resources and support to men within the church. I want each of you to be integral to this journey. For those of you who listen daily to these devotionals, I want you to know I'm committed to delivering them until I've covered the entire Bible. I will continue to provide great studies through the Bible. And to every generous donor who has supported our mission, a heartfelt thank you. Your contributions make all of this possible. With your assistance, we're impacting millions of men each year. So, this text has some super interesting history that Paul is hinting at here. The curse he referenced is spoken about in Deuteronomy 27-28. This Scripture is the account of Israel's inaugural entry into the promised land. Moses instructed the people on how vital it was to keep the Law of God as they entered this new season. He ordered men to build a legal monument on two separate mountains: one in the Desert and one in the Promised Land (i.e., Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal). Then, a long list of curses is shouted from the leaders on each mountain to the people below. The list of curses is found in Deuteronomy 27:15-26. The point of doing this was to forever embed in their hearts, minds, and souls the importance of obedience to God's Law and the curses upon them if they were disobedient. It's worth a read if you have not read it before because the words and scenes are chilling. Paul, without a doubt, had these curses memorized. History tells us that he endured five severe floggings, each time receiving "39 lashes" from synagogue leaders (2 Corinthians 11:24). During these lashings, it was mandated that the curses from Deuteronomy 27:15-26 be recited. This means Paul had these curses ingrained in his mind and beaten into his body multiple times. Also, before his conversion, he justified the lashing of others. So, better than most, Paul understood the curse he referenced here. Yet Paul also understood that we are all cursed. The Law of God curses all men because only one man was obedient to the whole Law—Jesus Christ, which brings us to the ultimate point. Relying on our work is to live cursed but relying on Jesus's work is to live blessed. Today, consciously shift your reliance from your works to the finished work accomplished by Jesus on Mount Calvary's Cross. Embrace the blessing that he shouts down to you that the curse of the Law no longer binds you but you are a recipient of all God's grace. #GraceOverWorks #CursedNoMore #ChristFinishedWork #FromCurseToBlessing #EmbracingGodsGrace ASK THIS: Reflect on a time when you found yourself striving to earn God's favor through your own works. How did this mindset affect your relationship with God and others? What changes can you make today to shift your reliance onto Christ's finished work? In what areas of your life do you still struggle to fully trust in God's grace rather than your own efforts? How can you intentionally remind yourself of the freedom and blessing found in Christ's redemption, especially when facing challenges or temptations? DO THIS: Shift reliance from your work to His work. PRAY THIS: Father, I humbly surrender my striving and efforts, choosing to trust fully in the grace and finished work of your Son, Jesus Christ. Renew my mind daily to live in the freedom and blessing of your redemption, and empower me to extend this grace to others. Amen. PLAY THIS: God Help Me.

Just as Abraham "believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "In you shall all the nations be blessed." So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. — Galatians 3:6-9 CALL OUT: Call out to Mike Gole from Broken Arrow, OK, who joined us for leadership training in Florida. Thanks for sharing our devotionals with your men daily. Paul presents an airtight case for salvation by faith alone by referring to the Jewish icon of faith, Father Abraham. In this section, he will explain to the Galatians how Abraham (like them) was saved only by faith, not by circumcision, and that the covenant made to Abraham was a blessing for all nations, including Gentiles. Today, this compels me to address the issue of proof-texting head-on. Proof-texting is a method of interpreting Scripture that selects specific lines of Scripture, or "proof texts," that appear to support a particular belief or doctrine without considering the broader context of the passage. Thus, in Paul's correction, we can see this is precisely what the Judaizers were doing. This approach led Jewish believers to a biased interpretation of Scripture, which ignored some pretty apparent truths about Abraham, faith, and the blessing to all nations, which included the Gentiles. It also resulted in false teaching, a wrong understanding of the gospel, and wounded and confused believers who questioned their salvation. But note that memorizing, quoting, and referencing individual Scriptures is fine. Just remember that in context, verses like Philippians 4:13, which reads, "I can do all things through him who strengthens me," might have nothing to do with my striving to achieve the next stage of my potential. Instead, it might communicate that I need to learn to be content with my present discontentment and discover God's strength through my suffering. If you don't believe me, take a glance at the two preceding verses: "Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need." — Philippians 4:11-12. Hopefully, you see how easy it is to misread the text by proof-texting and thus communicate a Gospel truth that is not a Gospel truth at all. So be cautious of what you believe and how you communicate it, as well as how you communicate what you believe. #FaithAlone #GalatiansInsights #ContextMatters #SalvationByFaith #AvoidProofTexting ASK THIS: How can we ensure that our interpretation of Scripture is rooted in its broader context rather than relying solely on proof-texting? In what ways can we apply the principle of seeking God's strength amidst our present circumstances, as highlighted in Philippians 4:11-13, to our daily lives? DO THIS: Read Scripture in context don't proof-text. PRAY THIS: Father, help me to approach Your Word with humility and discernment, seeking to understand its full context and applying its truths to my life with wisdom and clarity. Grant me the strength to trust in You alone for salvation and to rely on Your power in every circumstance I face. Amen. PLAY THIS: Your Name Is Holy.

Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith. — Galatians 3:5 CALL OUT: Call out to Don Parker from Smithfield, RI, who is taking some men through our book Called To Act. I am excited for you and your men, and make sure they take that 35-Day Challenge! With each one of these questions here, you can almost feel Paul's intensity building. His question could be reduced to five simple words: "What more do you want?" God gave you everything. He created you in his image. He formed you with his hands. He gave you his Son. He sent his Spirit. He sustains you and supplies you with miracles as proof of his working through you, and now you return to thinking there is still more to do. This verse reminds me of that moment in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, where the father addresses the older son, who is bitterly angry that his father has killed the prize calf for his wayward brother, who has returned. Then the father declares to him: "Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found" (Luke 15:31-32). In fact, Jesus's point with this parable is precisely the same as Paul's to the Galatians. Everything gained in our spiritual life is distributed by God's grace and gained by faith. We can come into the Father's house and enjoy it, but we cannot stand outside and do anything to earn it. But this verse points out the confusion that many believers have regarding the nature, work, and power of the Spirit that indwells them. Most believers, like the Galatians, the Judaizers, and even the older son, assume that the spiritual life is merely a new start at life accomplished by a new natural strength. And it's not. It's a whole new life. The old is dead. We are now sustained by a whole new nature, a new identity, and a new power working through us — the very Spirit of God that formed the earth and raised Jesus from the dead. Many believers fail to grasp this. They revert to old programming and old patterns from their old life, giving a fresh attempt at moral fortitude and good works, only to eventually fail and be disappointed. They repeat these cycles and never discover the nature, work, and power of the Spirit. This is what Paul is concerned about for the Galatians. They are falling for the old pattern of living by the flesh rather than learning to walk by the Spirit (which he will unfold in great detail in Galatians 5). For now, know this. The life you live in the flesh is one you live by faith in the Son of God, who also gave you a Spirit to sustain you. So stop relying on the good works of your flesh. Learn to trust in the Spirit that indwells you and the great works he wants to do through you. God, I pray that every believer listening today will learn to trust in the Holy Spirit that you supplied to them and sustains them. Show them how to walk obediently in faith by the Spirit, and may all their good works be only the great work of the Spirit through them. Amen. #FaithVsWorks #SpiritualPower #GraceOverLaw #WalkingByFaith #HolySpiritSustains ASK THIS: How can you actively shift from relying on your own efforts to trusting in the Holy Spirit's power to sustain you in your daily life? Reflecting on your recent actions and decisions, how might relying on the Spirit's guidance have led to different outcomes or perspectives? DO THIS: Ask God to reveal his Spirit through you. PRAY THIS: Lord, help me to relinquish my reliance on my own efforts and instead trust fully in the sustaining power of your Holy Spirit within me. Guide me to walk obediently in faith, letting your Spirit work through me to accomplish your will. Amen. PLAY THIS: Holy Spirit.

GET THE BOOK: Daniel: A Strong Man Is Faithful here https://amzn.to/3ToZqOk Will you be faithful in unfaithful times? In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. — Daniel 1:1-2 As we begin, I want to highlight a few characters in this text because we need to know them to understand Daniel's story of faithfulness. First, we have Jehoiakim. He is the 18th king of Judah. He was not appointed by God but by the Egyptian Pharoah, who, in some ways, controlled Judah at the time. Jehoiakim was 25 when he became ruler and ruled for 11 years. He is described by other biblical authors as a horrible king. Here is why. He had sex with his mother, daughter-in-law, and stepmother. He murdered men, raped their wives, and stole their property. He performed an epispasm (restored foreskin) to conceal the fact that he was a Jew. In addition, he tattooed his body, which was prohibited by his religious law. But most notably, he took a biblical scroll, removed God's name, and burned it. So, we might say Jehoiakim was not such a good guy. Second, we have Nebuchadnezzar. Historically, this Nebuchadnezzar II, also known as Nebuchadnezzar the Great. He ruled Babylon for 43 years. During his time, they became a world superpower. He kept taking land and erecting buildings during a time when Egypt and Israel were in decline. And the capital city of Babylon was massive and glorious. And that's where the Book of Daniel begins. Israel and Jerusalem are in disarray, and God's people are taken captive. Third, there is Daniel. He is unmentioned here, but this book is about him. Daniel is a teenager when he is taken and becomes a refugee in the city of Babylon. What is great about this book is that Daniel tells us the entire story of Israel's captivity, and he is faithful from beginning to end—all 70 years of his life. Right from the start, we see a contrast between three men: one unfaithful king, one enemy king, and one man who worships the only King. And from Daniel, more than any Old Testament character, we can all learn how to be faithful men in unfaithful times under unfaithful and unbelieving kings. Could a story like this be more applicable, given our times? I think not! Even more, Daniel will suffer under the reign of not just one king but five enemy kings over his entire lifetime and come out on the other side a faithful, God-fearing man. I think every believing man living today should aspire to do the same: resolve your wayward desires, fix your gaze on God, and then make the covenant to be a faithful man in unfaithful times. That's what Daniel did and so should you. God, I pray that all your men will aspire to be faithful to you for the remainder of their days. By your truth, nudge them when they get off the path, show them how to get back on, and help them to stay on the path so they will be named with great men like Daniel, who was faithful from beginning to end. In Jesus's name, amen. In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. — Daniel 1:1-2 As we begin, I want to highlight a few characters in this text because we need to know them to understand Daniel's story of faithfulness. First, we have Jehoiakim. He is the 18th king of Judah. He was not appointed by God but by the Egyptian Pharoah, who, in some ways, controlled Judah at the time. Jehoiakim was 25 when he became ruler and ruled for 11 years. He is described by other biblical authors as a horrible king. Here is why. He had sex with his mother, daughter-in-law, and stepmother. He murdered men, raped their wives, and stole their property. He performed an epispasm (restored foreskin) to conceal the fact that he was a Jew. In addition, he tattooed his body, which was prohibited by his religious law. But most notably, he took a biblical scroll, removed God's name, and burned it. So, we might say Jehoiakim was not such a good guy. Second, we have Nebuchadnezzar. Historically, this Nebuchadnezzar II, also known as Nebuchadnezzar the Great. He ruled Babylon for 43 years. During his time, they became a world superpower. He kept taking land and erecting buildings during a time when Egypt and Israel were in decline. And the capital city of Babylon was massive and glorious. And that's where the Book of Daniel begins. Israel and Jerusalem are in disarray, and God's people are taken captive. Third, there is Daniel. He is unmentioned here, but this book is about him. Daniel is a teenager when he is taken and becomes a refugee in the city of Babylon. What is great about this book is that Daniel tells us the entire story of Israel's captivity, and he is faithful from beginning to end—all 70 years of his life. Right from the start,

Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?— Galatians 3:4 CALL OUT: Call out to Randy Cook from Mendota Heights, MN, who is taking some big steps of faith by reconciling some issues of the past. This is what men do. This is what we all need to do. Step into something hard today. Remember, Paul poses several questions in Galatians 3:1-6. With each, he builds a list of logical fallacies against the reasoning of the false teachers. This one points to the fact that living by faith comes with suffering. Contrary to the belief of some, faith does not absolve human suffering even though it does alleviate eternal suffering. Faith in Jesus always assumes we suffer here even though we won't suffer there. Therefore, Paul's point is suffering in faith would be all for nothing if they try to manufacture a Gospel that attempts to alleviate suffering. In every generation, popular teachings attach trendy ideologies to the Gospel: it could be legalism, scholasticism, colonialism, prosperity, and equity. Each has had its time and was presented as a "better" Gospel that promised to relieve our suffering or the suffering of another. But the Gospel doesn't need our help. It never needs to be made "better." We don't need to make it more relatable, acceptable, or believable. It stands alone. It is accepted by faith alone. It is full of grace alone. It is better left alone. And yes, there is temporary suffering that comes with faith. So we must all accept this, too. #FaithfulEndurance #GospelTruth #SufferingForFaith #StandAloneGospel #GalatiansReflections ASK THIS: How can we ensure that our faith remains steadfast in the face of societal pressures and popular ideologies that seek to distort the Gospel message? Reflect on a time when you were tempted to compromise your faith for the sake of cultural acceptance or personal comfort. How did you overcome this temptation, and what lessons did you learn from the experience? DO THIS: Accept your salvation. It stands alone. PRAY THIS: Lord, help me to stand firm in my faith, even in the midst of suffering and temptation to compromise. Grant me the strength and wisdom to uphold the purity of the Gospel message and remain steadfast in Your truth. Amen. PLAY THIS: Salvation is Your Name.

Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? — Galatians 3:3 CALL OUT: This is to all the men who use these daily devotionals to disciple others. It's pretty simple: share the devotional with another man, and then use the questions below to spark a quick discussion. I know many men use these daily devotionals for weekly small group meetings as a discussion guide for their time, and you can, too. If you read this in context, you will see Paul posing several questions in Galatians 3:1-6. With each, he builds a list of logical dilemmas. This one presents a logical fallacy about spiritual maturity—that spiritual maturity is not perfected by human effort. This means human effort from beginning to end is insufficient in attaining or achieving our spiritual maturity. Many young believers get this wrong. They wrongly believe that spiritual maturity is attained and achieved by how much they know or how long they believe. The reason we get this wrong is that the world's system rewards how much we know and how long we do something. But when it comes to faith, these factors are irrelevant. The only thing that matters is faith in Jesus, who was perfect and made us perfect. As the author (probably Paul) said to the Hebrews, "For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified." — Hebrews 10:14 Our works of the flesh never made us perfect. If we could have done it, we would have. Instead, his work in the flesh, sacrificed for us, made all men perfect. Therefore, all our good works are simply an overflow of his Spirit doing good work through us by faith. So be receptive to the Spirit today, live by faith, follow his prompting, and cultivate the perfect life that has been perfected in you. #SpiritualMaturity #FaithNotWorks #SurrenderToTheSpirit #PerfectInChrist #WalkingByFaith ASK THIS: How does the concept of spiritual maturity being perfected by faith challenge your previous understanding of personal growth in your Christian walk? Reflecting on your own experiences, how have you seen the difference between striving in your own efforts versus surrendering to the work of the Holy Spirit in your life? DO THIS: Cultivate the perfect life that has been perfected in you PRAY THIS: Father, I thank you for the gift of faith that perfects me in Christ. Help me to surrender daily to the leading of your Spirit so that I may walk in the fullness of the life you have perfected in me. Amen. PLAY THIS: Thrive.

Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? — Galatians 3:2 CALL OUT: Today, our callout goes to Darwin Saunders at Next Step Recovery Home in Houston, TX. Thanks for serving men in this way. I would love to find a way to give group homes and recovery homes biblical resources this coming year. If you know a director at these homes across the country, please contact me. The rhetorical question posed to the Galatians is meant to challenge their reasoning and drive them to a different logical conclusion. The obvious answer to Paul's question is that they did nothing to gain the Spirit because it was a gift dispensed by Jesus that could only be received by faith. This again reinforces the logic that faith in Jesus both saves and sustains. This means every step we take post-salvation is not a return to works done by our strength but works done by the Spirit, who is our strength. Of course, the result is good works, but these good works are merely an overflow of believing by faith. They do not trust in our ability, skill, talent, or effort, which only puffs us up and diverts us from the sustaining work of the Spirit in us. It's important for believers to calibrate this connection. If we don't, we become "hypnotized fools," as Paul declared in Galatians 3:1. So, I have a question for you today: Do you need calibration? Are you giving too much credence to your abilities, skills, talent, and effort? If so, it's time for a spiritual recalibration. Here's how to do that. When you have that inclination to trust yourself today, don't. Don't! Trust instead in Jesus and place your faith in Him and the Spirit he has placed within you. His Spirit has all the ability, skill, talent, and effort you need. #FaithOverWorks #SpiritualRecalibration #TrustInJesus #SurrenderToTheSpirit #WalkingByFaith ASK THIS: How can you actively surrender your self-reliance today and trust more fully in the guidance of the Holy Spirit? In what areas of your life do you find yourself relying on your own abilities, talents, or efforts instead of leaning on the power of God's Spirit within you? DO THIS: When you have that inclination to trust yourself today, don't. PRAY THIS: Lord, help me to let go of my reliance on my own strength and abilities, and instead, trust fully in Your Spirit to guide and sustain me each day. May my faith in You grow stronger, leading me to live a life that glorifies You in all that I do. Amen. PLAY THIS: Direction.

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. — Galatians 3:1 CALL OUT: Today, our callout goes to the 3 men I baptized last weekend in Ocklawaha, FL. I am so proud of you for taking this step of obedience. It's easy for believers to go from being a brother (Galatians 1:11) to being bewitched (Galatians 3:1). "Bewitched" is a word found nowhere else in the New Testament. It means "to give the evil eye" or "to cast a spell over." This description of the Galatians stands in sharp contrast to the fact that some saw the crucified Jesus with their own eyes. So why does Paul describe them in this way? He is concerned about how easily believers were persuaded by foolish ideas, knowing they witnessed Jesus' atoning work on the Cross. Thus, he is pointing out the danger of unanchored beliefs. Emotional responses to Jesus can be genuine but also dangerous. If they are founded on sheer emotion, then when emotions change, so will their beliefs, regardless of the "noticeable" facts. Yet the Galatians are not the only believers who acted this way. Contemporary believers also act this way. Many live from one emotional high to the next. Therefore, they become bewitched by baseless beliefs, leading them to chase after foolish ideologies, pursuing temporary emotional highs or spiritual euphoria. As a believer, you will have emotional responses and spiritual highs, but you should check these. They need to be grounded on stable facts established by God's Word. Just so you know – the one fact that Paul is concerned about here is the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the Cross, which needs no additional work from us. So, if you are a new believer today, I want you to enjoy that spiritual high. But do not found your beliefs on fleeting spiritual highs and be bewitched. Instead, found your life on the stable foundation of Jesus Christ. #AnchoredInChrist #StableFaith #BewareTheSpell #EmotionalFaith #GalatiansInsights ASK THIS: How can we ensure that our faith remains anchored in the stable foundation of Jesus Christ amidst the highs and lows of our emotions? Reflecting on your own spiritual journey, what steps can you take to guard against being bewitched by fleeting emotions and instead build a faith grounded in the atoning work of Christ? DO THIS: Stop running from one emotional high to the next. Be grounded, not bewitched. PRAY THIS: Father, help me anchor my faith securely in the unchanging truth of your Son's sacrifice, guarding against the allure of fleeting emotions and unstable beliefs. Grant me the wisdom and strength to remain steadfast in Christ, resisting the temptation to be swayed by anything less than the solid foundation of your Word. Amen. PLAY THIS: Blessed Assurance.

I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. — Galatians 2:21 CALL OUT: Today, our callout goes to Shawn Wilson from Fruit Cove, FL, a new member of the website. Thanks for your partnership with us. Returning to yesterday's devotional, we learned that we live by faith. Faith in Jesus both saves and sustains us. Paul's follow-up today is that thinking that we can add anything to Jesus's accomplished work other than faith alone nullifies the greatness of God's grace and the purpose for which Jesus died. The bottom line is we need grace. Grace is our only hope when we stand condemned before the Great Judge because, in matters of salvation, grace is all we have. We are guilty and sinful to the core, trapped by inescapable guilt. Therefore, trying to work our way out when there is no way out is a waste of time. Moreover, it's equally foolish to reject grace and pretend like we don't need it. So stop wasting your time, stop nullifying God's grace, and accept it. Don't reject it. That is not noble. It's stupid. To reject it is to deny the very thing you need to receive. #GraceAlone #SalvationThroughFaith #NullifyingGrace #RejectingGodsGrace #FaithVsWorks ASK THIS: How can we ensure that we're truly relying on God's grace alone for our salvation, rather than trying to earn it through our own efforts? In what areas of our lives do we find ourselves tempted to rely on our own works or achievements instead of fully embracing the grace of God? How can we shift our perspective to trust in His grace more fully? DO THIS: Stop rejecting God's grace. PRAY THIS: Father, help me to grasp the depth of Your grace and to fully trust in it for my salvation, knowing that nothing I do can earn Your love. Guide me away from the temptation to rely on my own efforts and lead me to rest in Your unending grace. Amen. PLAY THIS: Grace Got You.

For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. — Galatians 2:19-20 CALL OUT: Today, I'd like to call out Chuck Peter from Roseville, MN, who yesterday marked his third year using our devotionals for his weekly Zoom meeting with his guys. It's my privilege to be a part of your group every week. Galatians 2:20 is undoubtedly one of the great verses of this chapter and the entire letter. Paul's point is that all our actions are futile. The law proved it. Our best actions on our best days were insufficient to reconcile our relationship with God. We needed the perfect action of a perfect man, Jesus, God's Son. Through his perfect work and his sacrifice for us on the Cross, we live. But from this point forward, it's not our life we live. It's his life. The life I live is a life lived by faith—faith that both saves and sustains—faith that saves me from eternal damnation and sustains me while I am still in the flesh. Thus, it is pointless to accept salvation by faith and then live my life by my works (which is what the false teachers were teaching). Instead, I should accept salvation by faith and live his life (not mine) by faith in his work (not mine). So here is the call to action for us based on this text: We wake up, look in the mirror, and say aloud in faith, "I will not live by my power today because I am dead, and Jesus lives through me." Say it aloud throughout the day; believe it because it is the truth. #FaithInChrist #SurrenderedLife #LivingByFaith #ChristInMe #GraceOverWorks ASK THIS: How does the concept of "dying to self" and allowing Christ to live through us challenge your approach to daily decisions and interactions? Reflecting on your own journey of faith, what practical steps can you take to shift from relying on your own efforts to embracing Christ's life within you on a daily basis? DO THIS: Say aloud, "I will not live by my power today because I am dead, and Jesus lives through me." PRAY THIS: Father, I humbly surrender my life to You, acknowledging my inability to save myself and embracing the transformative power of Christ living within me. Help me walk in faith each day, trusting in Your grace and allowing Your Spirit to guide my every step. Amen. PLAY THIS: Give Me Faith.

But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. — Galatians 2:17-18 CALL OUT: Call out today to all the Leaders from Forged, our leadership training event in Florida. What a powerful group of men's leaders. The point of this text is so simple and yet so profound. Paul is saying that it is not my work that matters. It's Jesus's work. I tried my hand at building my life. It didn't work. All my work (the best of it and the worst of it) had to be torn down so that Jesus could build something new in me. He's the master carpenter. He always has been. I am not. I am merely the work of his hands. Therefore, my job is not rebuilding my life. It is living in the house he has already built. In addition, it's now living in this house with His Spirit, enjoying the work he has accomplished in me. Too many believers accept Jesus and return to the same old patterns. A justified man who behaves like an unjustified man is exerting useless energy. They have failed to see the point of justification, and rather than enjoying the justifying work of Jesus, they work to add their justification to Jesus' work because they are failing to let him be Lord and Savior. This is the point Paul is making about the Judaizers. They are teaching a Gospel of addition to Jesus's work, which is no Gospel at all. It's a man trying to play God. So don't play God today. Enjoy the justification of Jesus. Live by faith. Keep in step with the Spirit. Let others see the power of a life justified by Jesus Christ. #JustificationByFaith #ChristCenteredLife #LivingInHisWork #SpiritLedLiving #NoSelfJustification ASK THIS: How can we actively surrender our own efforts to rebuild our lives and instead embrace the work of Jesus in our daily walk? In what areas of our lives are we prone to revert to self-justification rather than trusting in the justification provided by Jesus? How can we shift our focus to living in the freedom of His grace? DO THIS: Enjoy the house Jesus built. PRAY THIS: Lord, help me to fully surrender my efforts to rebuild my life and to embrace the work you have already accomplished in me through Jesus Christ. Grant me the strength to walk in faith, keeping in step with your Spirit, and to reflect your justifying grace to those around me. Amen. PLAY THIS: Build My Life.

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. — Galatians 2:15-16 CALL OUT: Call out today to Bret Hoover from Allentown, PA, who is going to be baptized on March 17. A shirt is coming your way! The following seven verses of this chapter are a highly potent, compressed, and theological language that drives home the whole point of the book. Paul's single point is this: acceptance by God is affected by a simple act of trust in Jesus Christ, not by adding anything else. And you need to remember because it's easy for this to get lost; the problem in Galatia is not a denial of the faith but the dilution of the faith by additions to the faith. Keeping this in mind, Paul is stating that the only thing that matters is faith in Jesus Christ. A man's heritage and race are not the factor. We are all born sinful, Gentiles and Jews alike. The only birth that mattered was the birth of the sinless man, Jesus, God's Son. His work is our justification. His justifying work on the Cross, proven by his resurrection, fulfilled the works of the Law in a way no man could. Therefore, preaching a Gospel of any addition to the faith is a dilution of the faith. Adding something to the Gospel ends up taking everything from it. But does this mean we shouldn't do good work? No! It only means that when I am doing good works, that I am doing them from the overflow of His love, not to earn His love. I must be habitually aware that my salvation has been obtained by Jesus for me and that anything good work that comes from me is an overflow of his work in me. This means only that there is no such thing as self-justification for a believer. The only justifying work that matters is Jesus Christ's, so today, say it with spiritual confidence—"He has justified me!" #FaithAlone #GraceOverWorks #JustifiedByChrist #GospelTruth #OverflowOfHisLove ASK THIS: How does understanding that our justification comes solely through faith in Jesus Christ impact the way we approach good works and service in our daily lives? Reflecting on your own journey of faith, how has the realization of being justified by Christ's work on the Cross influenced your understanding of self-justification and reliance on His grace? DO THIS: Say it with spiritual confidence—"He has justified me!" PRAY THIS: Father, thank you for the gift of faith in Jesus Christ, through which I am justified. Help me to live each day in the overflow of Your love, freely sharing the grace I've received with others. Amen. PLAY THIS: Justified By Faith Alone.

And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, "If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?" — Galatians 2:13-14 CALL OUT: Call out today to Christopher Raynolds from Kingsport, TN, who is using the tools on our website for himself and others. Way to go, brother! There are a bunch of great one-liners in this letter, and these verses contain two that are powerful: Even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews? Both of these accentuate Paul's point that even subtle acts of hypocrisy by spiritual leaders can potentially lead believers and unbelievers away from God. They will even lead sincere believers away from the truth. This is why we must keep a watchful eye on who we listen to, what we believe, and how we behave. We need to give this attention because our spiritual inconsistencies have ripples that affect the lives of others. On April 19, 1995, I was sitting in a college class, waiting for the class to begin. The professor was a little late on this day, and every student in class was watching the clock. At 9:02 am, we heard and felt it. Twelve miles from the epicenter, we felt a rush of wind and a sonic boom so loud it almost blew the hinges off the doors of the building. Timothy McVeigh ignited a bomb in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City. Dozens of cars were incinerated, and more than 300 nearby buildings were damaged or destroyed. The human toll was more devastating: 168 lives were lost, including 19 children, with several hundred more injured. The force of hypocrisy by a spiritual leader is much like this—surprising and devastating. No one understood this better than Paul. His former life of self-righteousness led to spiritual devastation in the lives of so many. After his conversion, he understood the damaging effects of misunderstanding the Messiah and the true Message of the Gospel. And he, like many of us, had deep regrets about his former life and the explosive effects it continue to have on the message. None of us will ever be perfect, but we can work with vigor to kill all hypocrisy that lives within our hearts. This requires daily work. Daily exposure to Scripture. Daily assessment of our motives. Daily redirection by the Holy Spirit. We aim to live in step with the Spirit and abide in the vine, which leads to Christ living in us and him having a powerful and positive effect on the lives of others, which is way better than leaving a trail and memory of devastation. #SpiritualHypocrisy #TruthoftheGospel #DailyDevotion #ChristianLiving #SelfReflection ASK THIS: How can we proactively guard against spiritual hypocrisy in our own lives, especially in our roles as leaders or influencers within our communities? In what ways can daily exposure to Scripture and intentional reflection on our motives help us align our actions more closely with the truth of the Gospel and avoid leading others astray? DO THIS: Work with vigor against spiritual hypocrisy. PRAY THIS: Lord, help me to be vigilant against any traces of hypocrisy in my life, and guide me to live authentically according to the truth of your Gospel, so that I may positively impact the lives of those around me. Strengthen me daily through Your Word and Your Spirit, as I strive to reflect Your grace and truth to the world. Amen. PLAY THIS: Faithfulness.

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. — Galatians 2:11 CALL OUT: Call out today to Joey Johnson from Woodbury, MN, who is leading a group using our easy-to-use resource 30 Men Who Lived With Conviction. Antioch is an essential city during Paul's time. Today, this is Antakiya, located in Turkey. However, during the Roman Empire, Antioch was the third largest city in the empire, with about half a million people. It was the capital city of Syria and was known as the "Rome of the East," furnished with theaters, aqueducts, public baths, a great basilica, and a famous colonnaded main street adorned with marble pavement and vaulted stone roofs. Antioch was also ground zero for Paul and his apostolic ministry to the Gentiles. It played a crucial role in Paul's ministry for several reasons. First, it served as a base for his missionary journeys, launching him into diverse regions with the gospel message. Second, its cosmopolitan nature made it an ideal location for financially supporting the advancement of the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles. Third, the Antioch church's early acceptance of Gentile believers affirmed Paul's mission as the apostle to the Gentiles. Fourth, the church is also willing to wrestle with theological issues, leading to the Jerusalem Council's decision affirming salvation by grace through faith. Fifth, Paul's collaborative efforts with Antioch's leaders, such as Barnabas and Silas, strengthened his ministry and provided mutual support. Overall, the Antioch church served as a pivotal "northern hub" for the Gospel to the Roman Empire. Knowing this context, Peter visits Antioch, and we will explore the confrontation here in the coming verses. For now, I would like you to take note of the moment here. Peter, the man identified as a "pillar" of the Jerusalem Church, meets with Paul, the Antioch Church's pillar. The setup here sounds like a weigh-in between two prize fighters coming face-to-face with each other. But remember, these two men don't hate each other; they are brothers challenging one another for the purpose and preservation of the Gospel. When believers love one another, love the Gospel truth, and love Jesus, they know how to do this. They know how to get in each other's faces. They know when to do it, how to do it, and why they do it. Paul does it here because he knows that if it is left unaddressed, it will harm the Gospel. Clearly, it did because Paul had to deal with the issue again by writing this letter. Which leads us to a critical application. If you know a believer doing something wrong and needs to be corrected, why aren't you doing or saying something about it? If you don't, the issue could get so out of hand that it might become irreconcilable. #GospelPreservation #BrotherlyConfrontation #ChurchLeadership #AccountabilityMatters #PaulandPeter ASK THIS: Reflect on a time when you witnessed a fellow believer engaging in behavior contrary to the Gospel. Did you address it, and if not, what held you back? How can you approach similar situations differently in the future? Consider the importance of accountability in your Christian community. How can you cultivate an environment where loving confrontation is embraced for the sake of preserving the truth of the Gospel? DO THIS: Who do you need to confront? PRAY THIS: Lord, grant me the courage and wisdom to lovingly confront my brothers and sisters in Christ when their actions stray from Your truth, knowing that by doing so, we can uphold the integrity of the Gospel and strengthen our bonds as a community. Help me to always prioritize the preservation of Your Word above personal comfort or convenience. Amen. PLAY THIS: God Help Me.

And when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. — Galatians 2:9-10 CALL OUT: Call out today to Jim from Dayton, IA, a friend of Steve Pinkley, the Director at Hidden Acres Camp. I was pumped to hear you shared your testimony, and you mentioned "All In" numerous times. The three men mentioned are the inner circle of Jesus. Paul calls them those "who seemed to be pillars," which sounds a little derogatory even though Paul never contested it. We have to assume there was a slight veneration of these men, given the time they spent with Jesus and how others perceived them. Paul was sensitive to this type of public veneration. In Galatians 5, he states: If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. — Galatians 5:25-26 Paul understood that veneration of any kind, real or perceived, could lead believers to spiritual missteps. Elevating a leader has the potential to instigate arrogance and jealousy, which can persuade a spiritual leader to get out of step with the Spirit and have an unintended effect on followers. But this meeting was not about the decision of a triad of venerated individuals deciding for Paul and Barnabas. Paul does not want this meeting to be perceived that way. Instead, this meeting was a debate about the true nature of the Gospel as declared by Jesus, which, in my opinion, the triad (including Peter) was representing wrongly, and Paul and Barnabas represented rightly. Again, perceptions are powerful. What we think about ourselves and what others think about us have the power to direct or misdirect. Spiritual leaders are responsible for stewarding this by doing two things well—remaining in step with the Spirit and directing all glory to God. Remember, when others stand you on a pillar, say to yourself: It ain't about me. It's all about He. #SpiritualLeadership #HumilityInLeadership #GalatiansInsights #InnerCircleFaith #GloryToGod ASK THIS: How can we ensure that our admiration for spiritual leaders remains grounded in humility and does not lead to idolization or division within the community? In what ways can we actively redirect any praise or recognition we receive towards God, acknowledging that all glory ultimately belongs to Him? DO THIS: Say this one time today: It ain't about me. It's all about He. PRAY THIS: Father, help me to walk in humility, recognizing that any leadership role I may have is a gift from You and an opportunity to serve others. May Your Spirit guide me to always direct glory back to You, keeping my focus on Your will and Your kingdom. Amen. PLAY THIS: I Speak Jesus.

On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), — Galatians 2:7-8 CALL OUT: Call out today to Brian Lydick from Belpre, Ohio. Thank you for sharing your testimony and God's divine intervention in your wife's life. Paul's point here is very positive. It is that they, Paul and Peter, are two men preaching the same Gospel called to two different spheres of influence by one Spirit as agreed upon in the meeting at Jerusalem. Paul is advocating for unity in the Gospel by the Spirit. Not a unity that ignores heresy or apostasy. A unity of effort that is true to the Gospel message that invites the one Spirit to reach many different people. This accentuates the point that, as believers, we need to try to work out our faith together. God gave us life. We are redeemed by Jesus. The Holy Spirit sustains us all. He gave us one message and one Gospel. Therefore, we have an obligation to work out his life together with others, even if it's hard. In light of everything our Trinitarian God has done for us, we, too, should reflect his unity, even though we have differing spheres of influence. This means I should celebrate and support what God is doing in other believers, churches, and ministries that align with God's message, God's Son, and God's Spirit. So, if this is you today, here is my prayer for you: God, you have so many God-fearing, Gospel-centered, Spirit-led ministries in this world today. Each is doing your work for your glory. Today, I ask for your blessing on all of them. Today, as we are led by your Spirit, I ask that you do a mighty work in us together. Amen. #UnityInTheSpirit #EmbracingDiversity #OneGospelManyCallings #CelebratingGodsWork #SpiritLedMinistries ASK THIS: How can we actively support and celebrate the work of other believers, churches, and ministries that align with the Gospel message, even if their spheres of influence differ from ours? In what practical ways can we demonstrate unity amidst diversity within the body of Christ, ensuring that our efforts reflect the message of God's love and redemption to the world? DO THIS: Pray for unity in the Gospel. PRAY THIS: Father, thank You for the diverse ways Your Spirit moves among believers, uniting us in purpose despite our different callings. Help me to actively support and celebrate Your work in others, reflecting Your unity and love to the world. Amen. PLAY THIS: Together.

To them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. — Galatians 2:5-6 CALL OUT: Call out today to 8 Men Baptized in Big Sandy, MN. I am excited about your big step to proclaim your new life in Christ. In conflict, we have choices, don't we? There is that moment of pause where we have the option to confront or dismiss. For example, I can recount many moments in "discussions" with my wife when I have a split second to decide whether I confront a particular issue or let it go. The issue is discerning which battle to fight and how vigorously I want to fight it. Have you been here? Maybe you're in the middle of a moment just like this today. This is the same decision Paul had to make regarding this issue. He had to make a choice. Was he going to dismiss the issue and build stronger alliances and allegiances with the influential leaders in the Jerusalem church and the originating apostles? Or was the matter at hand worth confronting and critical to stand against? In this case, Paul weighed the options. He weighed the threat's level, the message's value, and the importance of spiritual freedom for believers and decided that it was worth the fight and even his reputation. Therefore, he went all in. But Paul never perceived the vigor with which he would oppose the false teachers as a move to win an argument for himself. He knew what he believed and understood the Gospel message was justified by Christ and received by faith and not other addition to this Gospel. Yet he was going to fight vigorously for the faith and freedom of others because he understood that one wrong theological move would precipitate another until, one day, the Gospel was no longer the Gospel at all. In life, we will often face similar dilemmas: Ethical Dilemmas: Do we confront an ethical issue or overlook it? Conflict Dilemmas: Do we address the deeper issues or let them go? Injustice Dilemmas: Do we speak up to protect the rights of another, or do we take a pass? Authority Dilemmas: Do we challenge the actions of authorities whose policies and procedures conflict with our own? It's tough to know what to do sometimes, but if you have assessed the threat, the value of the message, prioritized freedom, and are willing to risk your reputation, then it's much easier to know when it's time to take a stand. #ConflictResolution #StandFirm #CourageousChoices #FaithfulDecisions #EthicalDilemmas ASK THIS: Reflecting on your own experiences, recall a time when you had to decide whether to confront a difficult situation or let it go. How did you approach that decision, and what were the outcomes? Consider a current conflict or ethical dilemma you're facing. How can the principles discussed in this devotional guide your decision-making process? What steps can you take to ensure that your response aligns with your values and priorities? DO THIS: Assess, value, prioritize, and risk it. PRAY THIS: God, grant me the wisdom to discern when to stand firm in confronting conflicts and when to extend grace in letting them go, all while prioritizing the values of truth, justice, and love in my actions. Amen. PLAY THIS: I Will Trust You.

Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery — Galatians 2:4 CALL OUT: Call out today to Derrick Bressel and the team from Fresno, CA. Thanks for your friendship and partnership in the Gospel. If you think woke theology in the church is a new problem, well, you're wrong. Paul is writing this letter because false teachers in his day were sneaking in their own version of woke theology. I love the metaphor Paul uses here. He describes these false teachers as "spies" who have "slipped in" and "secretly" operate by dropping in misinformation for "enslaving" Gospel-believing people. This metaphor is so potent because it highlights the problem and the purpose of woke theology. The problem with woke theology is that it sounds like the truth, yet it only contains shreds of truth. Yet it has just enough shreds of the truth that it's pretty presentable and persuasive. It seems reasonable, even though it's not. The purpose of woke theology is to entrap and enslave. It has an ulterior motive with an oppressive end. If surrendered to, it becomes clear that its purpose is submission to ideas that submit people to behaviors and oppressive people with a selfish agenda in mind. The easiest way to detect a spy who has slipped in and secretly plans to enslave is to know the true Gospel. It's to know the Gospel message of Christ that leads to freedom. You must understand it so well that even a hint of untruth mixed with the Gospel truth will alert your heart, mind, and soul. But to know it this well, you need to read, experience, and live it so that when it comes time to detect it, you will know how to respond. And this is why starting our days here together is essential. Each time we do, we are renewing and retraining our minds to the only truth—the Gospel truth. #GuardTheGospel #WokeTheologyAlert #FreedomInChrist #DetectDeception #RenewYourMind ASK THIS: How can we actively guard ourselves against the infiltration of false teachings, like woke theology, while remaining open-hearted and loving towards others? In what ways can we deepen our understanding of the true Gospel message in order to better discern between truth and deception in today's cultural and theological landscape? DO THIS: Know the Gospel better. PRAY THIS: Father, grant me wisdom and discernment to recognize and resist the subtle traps of false teachings, so that I may stand firm in the truth of Your Gospel and experience the freedom You offer. Help me to continually renew my mind in Your Word, strengthening my resolve to follow You faithfully each day. Amen. PLAY THIS: Surely.

Do you have enough masculine strength to be vulnerable and seek counsel from God and others? — A devotional by Vince Miller.

Everyone's conversion experience is different. But there are some of us who need more perseverance in grace. — A devotional by Vince Miller.

Are you maturing through the stages of faith, or is your spiritual life a little stagnant? — A devotional by Vince Miller.