Galatians 1 ~ the Grace of Christ

Galatians 1

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio

1 Paul, an apostle— not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— ² and all the brothers ^{[adelphoi - brothers and sisters]} who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴ who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵ to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

No Other Gospel

⁶ I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— ⁷ not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. ⁹ As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

¹⁰ For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

¹¹ For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. ¹² For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹³ For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. ¹⁴ And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. ¹⁵ But when he who had set me apart before I was born, ^{[set me apart from my mother's womb]} and who called me by his grace, ¹⁶ was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; ^{[with flesh and blood] 17} nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

¹⁸ Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. ¹⁹ But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. ²⁰ (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) ²¹ Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. ²² And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. ²³ They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴ And they glorified God because of me.

A beautiful Holy Week to you. Recently I was in a restaurant in Tomball, Texas and saw Tomball is celebrating Easter the week after Easter. With all the celebrations and cheesy things making it fun for the small children & their parents. And it touched me. Easter celebrated. Like Christmas. And the week after - so that your family can celebrate - as family.

I started writing a letter to Father God in my mind this morning, and it was telling Him thank you for the things I've been through and with good things ahead, I was telling Him He is my refuge and realized, I didn't have to write a letter - He heard and He loves me. Like He loves, loves, loves, loves you.

Each day we have an opportunity. Just like Paul. Because Beloved in Jesus Christ, we are all Paul. We share the same Holy Spirit. When we look around us, we have the opportunity to be constantly in prayer. Building up our relationship with the Eternal! The One Who LOVES You. Jesus who chose to be Grace and Truth. The True Light, which gives Light to everyone - children of God - His Glory, Glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of Grace and Truth. For from His Fullness we have all Received, Grace upon Grace.

It fills me with wonder.

We looked at Judges yesterday. Man, we are there. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. The pendulum swings. We sometimes hear of people stealing copper from Church air conditioning pipes.

And yet, and yet, and yet.

What is above this pendulum, Jesus Christ. God does not pivot. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Isaiah 54:10
For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

This is Holy Week. Jesus Christ loves you. His compassion is for you. You are important, chosen, special to Him. No matter if you are Jew or Greek, He is for you. When no one is right, no one is righteous, He is still there.

Last night, I was reading:

Revelation 8:3-4
And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.

And where is:

John 14:8-14
Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. ¹¹ Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

¹² “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

Actually, John 14 is above the pendulum. When Jesus walked this earth for us, the disciples were probably about - at amplitude level. (And all of them except John, were so afraid on Good Friday they were at the bottom pendulum - shaking with fear.) But in Jesus Christ, in His Holy Spirit, later they could see above the pivot. They never were God, yet the words of John 14 became alive to them. The Words of God are living and active. For you. Today.

Faith. God is what He says.
Hope. He means His promises for you.
Love. God is Love. All the Love in the Universe. For You.

God has always used the analogy of His Love being as High as the Heavens. Have you ever thought God is the Universe. So mighty, so gentle, all of creation and space is needed to hold Him. (Now don't be thinking about the Lion King analogy of we become stars, that is poetic and not what He meant, He'd have said So if He meant it. God says we will go to a new Heaven and a New earth.) Mankind, who knows, maybe we are the center of the Universe. But we still have to circle the Son. So many parables.

Stand in awe of God. His Word. His Works. His Promises. For you. In Jesus Christ.


Proverbs 4
Hear, O sons, a father's instruction,
and be attentive, that you may gain insight,
² for I give you good precepts;
do not forsake my teaching.
³ When I was a son with my father,
tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
⁴ he taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart hold fast my words;
keep my commandments, and live.
⁵ Get wisdom; get insight;
do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.


1 Chronicles 29:10
Therefore David blessed the LORD in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: “Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever." !!!!!!!!!!!!!


<><