Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Friday, 22 September 2017 "Living in Hope" by Robert W. Smith - Galatians 5:1-12

Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Friday, 22 September 2017 "Living in Hope" by Robert W. Smith - Galatians 5:1-12
Galatians 5:1 What the Messiah has freed us for is freedom! Therefore, stand firm, and don’t let yourselves be tied up again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Mark my words — I, Sha’ul, tell you that if you undergo b’rit-milah the Messiah will be of no advantage to you at all! 3 Again, I warn you: any man who undergoes b’rit-milah is obligated to observe the entire Torah! 4 You who are trying to be declared righteous by God through legalism have severed yourselves from the Messiah! You have fallen away from God’s grace! 5 For it is by the power of the Spirit, who works in us because we trust and are faithful, that we confidently expect our hope of attaining righteousness to be fulfilled. 6 When we are united with the Messiah Yeshua, neither being circumcised nor being uncircumcised matters; what matters is trusting faithfulness expressing itself through love.

7 You were running the race well; who has stopped you from following the truth? 8 Whatever means of persuasion he used was not from the One who calls you. 9 “It takes only a little hametz to leaven the whole batch of dough.” 10 I am confident that since you are united with the Lord, you will take no other view; and I am confident that the one who has been disturbing you, whoever he may be, will have to bear his punishment.

11 And as for me, brothers, if I am still preaching that circumcision is necessary, why am I still being persecuted? If that were the case, my preaching about the execution-stake would cause no offense whatever. 12 I wish the people who are bothering you would go the whole way and castrate themselves!

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Paul’s world was teeming with pagan gods and goddesses, and with religious systems intended to aid individuals in their desire to manipulate the heavy hand of Fate. Whether by magic or luck, they dreamed of controlling their destiny. Our far more secular world uses power, money, influence, and reason in an attempt to control the future.
The body of Christ has a different perspective on the future. Those who believe in Christ are convinced that the future, with its promise of righteousness, belongs to God. In the New Testament, hope is more than our desires grounded in a quest for self-fulfillment. For believers, hope expresses certainty because it is grounded in the character of God, a hope in the promise of the resurrection.
In 2 Corinthians 1:22, Paul says that God "has also sealed us and given us the Spirit as a down payment in our hearts" (CEB). This down payment (guarantee) is given to us in anticipation of all that is to come.

Our spiritual location is worth noting: In Christ we anticipate the future through the Spirit as we await the hope of righteousness by faith. The presence of the Spirit empowers us to live in hope against all odds.
Hymn for Today:
"Holy Spirit, Light Divine" by Andrew Reed

1. Holy Spirit, light divine,

Shine upon this heart of mine;

Chase the shades of night away,

Turn the darkness into day.

2. Let me see my Savior's face,

Let me all His beauties trace;

Show those glorious truths to me

Which are only known to Thee.

3. Holy Spirit, pow'r divine,

Cleanse this guilty heart of mine;

In Thy mercy pity me,

From sin's bondage set me free.

4. Holy Spirit, joy divine

Cheer this saddened heart of mine;

Yield a sacred, settled peace,

Let it grow and still increase.

5. Holy Spirit, all divine,

Dwell within this heart of mine;

Cast down ev'ry idol throne,

Reign supreme, and reign alone.

Thought for Today:
May God, the source of hope, fill you completely with joy and shalom as you continue trusting, so that by the power of the Ruach HaKodesh you may overflow with hope.(Romans 15:13}
Please pray:
That many people in Guadeloupe will come to know Yeshua the Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
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