Tag: Galatians 1:11-16
Set apart to preach!
Scripture reading for March 22nd: Galatians 1, Psalm 58, Proverbs 27
Galatians 1: 11-16 “For I would have you know, brothers, that the Gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 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. But when He Who had set me apart before I was born, and Who called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son to me, in order that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, . . .”
Paul had a unique encounter with the risen Christ. He learned the Gospel, not from men, but from Christ Himself. He described it as a ‘revelation of Jesus Christ.’ Paul had persecuted the church, imprisoning those who followed Jesus and he even stood in agreement with their death in the case of Stephen. He felt that he was doing God a favor in his zeal for the traditions of Judaism. But Jesus appeared to him, and revealed His calling and the purpose of his life. Jesus set him apart–before birth! Jesus called him by His amazing grace, offering him forgiveness of sins and showing him eternal life. Jesus sent Paul to preach to the Gentiles and confirmed the Word with signs and power. Ask our Lord to confirm your calling and His plan for your life today. Jesus is our great reward!
Psalm 58:10-11 “The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked. Mankind will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God Who judges on earth.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your calling and setting me apart to preach Your Gospel. Thank You for those, like Paul, that spoke truth into my life and lived in the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank You for the trials and testing that have deepened my faith and trust in Your love and goodness. Empower me today to fulfill Your will and purposes for my life and in those to whom you send me.
Proverbs 27:21 “The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and a man is tested by his praise.”
Abundance through revelation!
Scripture reading for January 25th: Galatians 1, Psalm 24, Genesis 43-44
Galatians 1:11-16 “For I would have you know, brothers, that the Gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 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. But when He Who set me apart before I was born, and Who called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son to me, in order that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, . .”
As we begin this first letter from Paul to the church at Galatia, Paul is explaining to the believers there where he had gotten the Gospel message that he had preached to them. He emphasized that he did not get it from man, nor even from those men who had walked with Jesus and were the original apostles. He was not taught it from some book or philosopher. He had obtained it through God’s grace to him as a sinner who was violently persecuting the church. God, through revelation, gave the Gospel message to Paul. God revealed that He had set Paul apart from before his birth to call him to preach this Gospel message to the Gentiles. Paul had entered into the abundant life of Jesus Christ through revelation and faith in God’s Word. God is no respecter of persons, as we all enter through revelation and faith!
Psalm 24:9-10 “Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.”
Prayer: Father God, Thank You for the true Gospel message of salvation through Your Son, Jesus Christ, the King of glory! Thank You for revelation of Jesus Christ to our world in a human body and for revealing Him to the disciples and then to the apostle Paul and to many others and to me. I recognize that I have been set apart from before birth and called to preach Your Gospel. Grant abundant revelation each time I share the Gospel of the King of glory!
Genesis 43:33-34 “And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in amazement. Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.”