Focus

As you quiet yourself for this brief time, be willing to be open to God in whatever way that may take place.

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Read

Galatians 5:2-6

Listen! I, Paul, am telling you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. Once again I testify to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obliged to obey the entire law. You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that counts is faith working through love.

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Reflect

Christianity, if not careful, can become a list of rules to follow to please God. Our preaching and teaching can devolve into moralism. We have to fight against making Christianity a works-based religion.  BUT…its so tempting, because it is so easy.  You can make a list and perform all the actions of the list, and yet your heart would not be changed.  It is much easier to preach the Book of James rather than the Psalms.

Jesus Christ calls for us to love God and love our neighbors, without the restrictions of the Law.  In other words, the Law says, “Do not commit murder.” I can do that.  But, “faith working through love” means not only refraining from killing but going above and doing works that create human flourishing.

The goal of Christianity is to fall in love with God in Jesus Christ. Through this relationship, our hearts are transformed and we begin to do perform works of love because of a change of heart.

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Pray

Almighty God, help me to love you more, to love others more, and to be ever transformed from one degree of glory to another. Amen

Go with God!