Saturday Spotlight: Break Time Bible Study

This is a reprint from our Break Time Bible Study blog.

Galatians can be summarized as “Jesus Plus Nothing = Everything.” (I did not come up with that, but it succinctly shares the essence of the book.)

Paul was writing to a group of churches in an area now known as Turkey. Jesus had ascended around 25 years prior, so His earthly presence was still part of the contemporary history, rather like many of us remembering Ronald Reagan.

In the first chapter, we see the following major points:

Paul’s authority: Paul established himself as an authority the Galatians could listen to. He had already ministered to them and then left for other missionary work. He reminded them that he had directly encountered the Lord, and that major life change had happened.

Paul’s astonishment: Early in the book (Paul wastes no time) he tells the Galatians how shocked he is that they are already turning from the simple truth of believing in Christ alone for salvation. A group of false teachers known as Judaizers had infiltrated and were teaching that in addition to belief in Jesus, certain rituals (such as circumcision) were still required for salvation. Paul is adamant that this is not true. Salvation is by faith in Jesus alone…no other action, ritual, practice or performance is required. Our good works as Christians come out of appreciation, not obligation.

Paul’s approval: Paul actually did not seek the approval of man (see verse 10.) He instead sought the approval of God. In our group, we discussed what happens when we don’t get credit for something we have done. We saw a beautiful descriptor in verse 24: “And they praised God because of me.” Our focus as believers should be less and less on ourselves.

Wouldn’t you want that to be the thing that people say about you at the end of your life?

Friday Fun

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

Make Use of that Computer!

Take advantage of your computer's capabilities to avoid piles of paper on your desk. Use task lists such as what are provided in Outlook, or set up an Excel sheet so you can sort by due dates. Some phone apps have to-do list features.

You can also use Google calendar to sync all views of your calendar which is awesome! I have a copy of my calendar on my HOPE office desktop, my desktop at part time job, my phone and my iPad, all staying in sync with each other. Plus, it is always "in the cloud" through Google. Google has a task feature too that syncs with an app called TaskOS.

I use Google docs to keep a couple of spreadsheet documents that are helpful for me to access from my home office, my part-time job office or even my phone or iPad. This way I can keep one copy up to date and access it wherever I need it.

Due to the above, I generally avoid having written to-do lists, but if you prefer the organic paper method, I suggest you have one journal/spiral notebook (or maybe two--one for work and one for home) and keep all your to-do's in one place.  For more on to-do lists, visit the organizing hope blog today here.

Storms...

Stop telling God how big your storm is. Tell your storm how big God is. - Unknown

Keeping the Surface Clear

Since the Internet offers so many resources (Bible, dictionary, Google) there's really no need to pile a bunch of books on your desk. You can "Google" something almost as quickly as looking it up in a book, so keep the surface of your desk clear. If you like to have certain books at your fingertips, try to have a hutch or nearby bookcase for them. Keep the work area that you most use as free of clutter as possible...at least the 2 foot circumference right around you.

Training or Trying? By Laura Smith

Most of us would stake claim to the fact that we desire to be more like Jesus. We try to do the right thing at the right time for the right reason, as Jesus would do. But is trying likely to result in change? Spiritual transformation is not a matter of trying harder; it involves training wisely.

I recall attending a high school performance of Annie Get Your Gun several years ago. During intermission time, a friend leaned my way to offer a comment. She said it was apparent the students had been practicing long and hard for an extended period of time. The choreography was well-planned and rehearsed. The performers communicated to the audience clearly and passionately through dialogue, song, and expression. They were on cue and on key! They didn’t just show up and try to perform well. They had obviously trained wisely.

If we are to be “on cue” in the way we live out our Christian lives, we must enter into spiritual training. This requires a purposeful effort on our part, not just wishful thinking or good intentions. We must enter into places–mentally, emotionally, and physically–where spiritual transformation can occur. Are you spending time in places that help you think and feel and act like Jesus? Are you training wisely?

Prayer and Bible study are of course key pursuits that impact our spiritual growth, but are we overlooking other potential training grounds that exist in our everyday lives? In John Ortberg’s book, The Life You’ve Always Wanted, he says spiritual training can be defined as “any activity that can help you gain power to live life as Jesus taught and modeled it.” He goes on to explain a unique example of spiritual training in his own life. Knowing that he was called by God to be a loving person (like Jesus), and realizing that loving well required a tremendous amount of energy, John decided that if he was serious about becoming a more loving person, he was going to have to get more sleep. For him, going to bed earlier was a form of spiritual training.

What about you? What activities could you pursue to help you gain more power to live like Jesus? If you want to move beyond just trying, take a few minutes and ask the Lord to speak to you about how you might train wisely so you’ll be “on cue” with the things He wants to do through you.

Living it out...

In I Timothy 4:7, Paul urges Timothy to discipline (or train) himself for the purpose of godliness.

Paul said Timothy should show himself an example of those who believe through his speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.

Do you struggle in any of the areas Paul mentions here? Maybe your speech is sometimes harsh? Perhaps you struggle with worry (like me?) Or maybe your television viewing or Internet surfing habits are wreaking havoc on your thought life? Do you take care of yourself physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually?

Can you identify a specific area where God is calling you to train better? What steps can you take to train yourself in godliness?

Sunday Sabbath

“In that day the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk; all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the LORD’s house and will water the valley of acacias." Joel 3:18