S.O.A.P. 30 Day Challenge - Day #7 - November 7, 2022 "Christ's Character Formed in Me."

S. Galatians 5:22-25 (NIV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

O. To keep in step with the Spirit means to walk in line, to a particular pace with the Holy Spirit. Therefore, to do this, the Holy Spirit wants to develop the character of Christ in our lives in 3 directions:

• Inward - Love, joy and peace

• Outward - longsuffering, forbearance, gentleness, kindness and goodness

• Upward - faith, meekness, gentleness, temperance and self-control

A. I deisre the character of Christ to continue to be developed in my life that I might keep in step and walk in the same pace with the Holy Spirit. May His character be developed inward (in my life) as I listen to Him speak to me (via the Word, the Holy Spirit and others); - to others (outward) that Christ’s character might be evidenced to all I come into contact with; and upward - i.e., in how I relate to the Lord - trusting Him with every area of my life.

P. Thank you Lord Jesus for this Word today. Holy Spirit grant me wisdom to let you form Christ’s character in my life that I might walk in step with you and effectively minister to those I connect with. In Jesus’ name.

S.O.A.P.30 Day Challenge Day 6 - November 6, 2022 "No Longer Under Lock and Key"

S. Galatians 3:24-25 (NIV)

24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

O. Paul describes the presence and purpose of the law - it served as a guardian (one that would guide the parents children until they reached adulthood) - sort of a school master - teaching of righteousness but controlling and leading. The guardian sort of had those being led under “lock and key” a description Paul used “locked up” (V. 23) to describe the lack of freedom that was available until the children could learn and come into adulthood.

But now that Jesus Christ has come to fulfill and to abolish the law - Paul says we are no longer under the control of the guardian. In Christ we are now treated as “adults” and have freedom in Christ rather than being controlled and led.

A. What a blessing it is to be alive in Christ Jesus as children of God’s promises - of faith. We no longer are in need to be led by law keeping nor are we to be controlled by the “works” of the flesh. As members of God’s family, we experience all the rights and privileges in His family and we have the Holy Spirit now to fill us and to lead us.

P. Thank you Father that because of Jesus, we can no live and enjoy the life of faith. In Jesus’ name.

S.O.A.P. 30 Day Challenge - Day #5, November 5, 2022 "Standing on Solid Ground."

S. Galatians 1:6-7 (NIV) 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.

O. Paul is writing to churches he had previously planted in Asia Minor (Galatia) and he can hardly believe - he is surprised that these believers have turned away from the grace of the Lord to “another” form of gospel (good news) - which really wasn’t. He uses two different Greek words “heteros” and “allos”. Heteros refers to a gospel of a different kind It’s a qualitative difference and is of a different sort. Allos refers to a gospel of the same sort. John uses ther term “allos” when he writes about Jesus sending them another (allos) comforter - referring to the Holy Sirit and of the same kind (like Jesus) John 14:6-7.

These Galatian churches (believers) were being swayed by those who were still law keeping Jews (known as Judiazers). These “Judiazers” were teaching that people still needed to follow the Law (in addition to believing in Christ) for salvation. Paul lets them know that by adding “works” to God’s grace, they have actually set the Gospel of Christ aside and Christ died for nothing (Gal. 2:21).

A. It is so important to be “grounded” in the Word of God and to be on “solid” ground (compared to shifting sand where you never get good footing or traction and you’re always moving) as far as the Gospel of Jesus is concerned. We should not be swayed. We should grow in the grace of the Lord and have deep spiritual roots that anchors us and then allows us to enjoy the freedom that we have in Jesus Christ (Galatians 5).

P. Thank you Father for your Word today. Lead me to be an effective communicator and teacher of the Gospel of Jesus that those I teach, will develop deep and strong roots and not be easily swayed by the false teachings of others.