Faith Joy & Coffee

“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass,
you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness”
– Galatians 6:1 –

In this chapter of Galatians, we have seven valuable tips:

1. When we find someone doing something wrong, our role is not to accuse, but to restore in spirit of kindness (v. 1).
2. When we alleviate someone’s burden, we are fulfilling God’s expectation of each of us (v. 2).
3. We need to examine our lives, the way we do things, so that we can grow in grace and faith (vv. 3-6).
4. We cannot deceive God; it is impossible. And remember that life will offer us what we have put into it (v. 7).
5. We must always do good, under all circumstances. (vv. 8, 9).
6. We must do good to all, but especially to those who are of our community of faith (v. 10).
7. As we choose Christ, we turn our backs on the world and we look at the cross as the greatest good of our lives (vv. 12-14).

No Christian can think that he is independent and does not need help from others or that he is exempt from helping others. No one is so wise that he cannot learn something from his fellowmen, or so ignorant that he has nothing to teach others.

An island is, in appearance, one portion of land surrounded by water. However, the reality is something else: islands do not float in the sea; they are lands that emerged from the earth’s crust.

Similarly, all human beings are connected with each other. We often see ourselves as islands, separated and disconnected from others, surrounded by an empty space that, in an imaginary way, protects us from a society we believe is hostile.

“Nothing makes sense if we do not admit that people are not islands;
every person is a piece of the continent, a part of the whole” – Thomas Merton. –

In the Vietnam War, the city of Saigon was beginning to be evacuated when an orphanage was hit by an explosion. An orphanage staff member made radio contact with a doctor and a nurse and told them that a small orphan was dying from loss of blood because of the explosion. The doctor knew the girl would need a blood transfusion, so he found a boy and asked if he would be willing to give his blood to save the girl’s life. He agreed.

As his blood was drawn, he began to cry and said, “After I give my blood, she’s going to live and I’m going to die.”

They asked him, “Why are you doing it, then?”

He replied, “She’s my friend.”

We are not islands. We are all part of the same continent.
How willing are you to give your blood,
even if it meant your death and the life of your neighbor?

Think about it… God bless you…

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
And those who are Chrit’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires”
– Galatians 5:22-24 –

The fruit of the Spirit is a life led by the Holy Spirit. It is the opposite to the works of the flesh. The fruit comes from life; the works come from one’s own efforts. The flesh produces dead works; the Spirit produces living work, which bears more fruit than contains seeds that will produce even more fruit.

When the Spirit produces fruit, the glory is for God and the believer does not become vain; however, when the flesh works, the person gets proud. The fruit of the Spirit is to become more like Christ. It is like a cluster, that is several fruits together.

There are fruits that apply to our relationship with God, there are fruits that refer to our relationship with others, and others that can refer to ourselves.

In relation to God: First is mentioned the fruit of love, all the others are the result of this. Love is a gift from God, and we must cultivate it and pray for it to grow. As we live in love, we experience joy, an inner satisfaction that does not depend on circustances. Love and joy produce a peace that “surpasses all understanding” (Phil. 4:7).

In relation to others: Patience, kindness, and goodness are all love in action.

In relation to oneself: Faith, that is, faithfulness; meekness, the correct use of power; and self-restraint, which is self-control.

Just as a fruit cannot grow in all climates, the fuit of the Spirit cannot grow in the lives of everyone. The fruit grows where the Spirit and the Word work in abundance. This fruit is not for our own consumption, but to bless others and to glorify God. When this happens, we are also the first beneficiaries.

Someone wondered what fruit we should bear and came to the conclusion after spending some time thinking deeply on these things, she felt more and more deeply the sin that means neglecting to keep the soul in God’s love.

Alive unto God, through a living union with Christ, we trust in the promises, constantly gaining greater strength by beholding Jesus. What can change the heart or shake the confidence of the one who by beholding the Saviour is changed into His likeness? (Selected Messages, vol. 2, p. 236).

Natural medice often uses sugar to treat ulcers, which are typical in patients who spend a lot of time in bed. The high concentration of glucose cleanses, takes out dead tissues, and prevents microbes from moving in.

If the sugar of love were used to combat the ulcers, blisters,
and sores of the soul, we would see the best results.
For every ailment of the heart, what better remedy is there than love,
because the foot goes where the heart learns.

Let love grow…

“Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh;
and these are contrary to one another,
so that you do not do the things that you wish”
– Galatians 5:16-17 –

The desire of the flesh is one thing, and the desire of the Spirit is another. They are opposites. Paul said it is a struggle; he wanted to do one thing, but he did somethiing different than what he originally wanted (see Rom. 7:10-24).

The sheep is a clean animal, and if it falls in the mud, it feels uncomfortable, annoyed, and wants to get out. On the other hand, if the pig falls in the mud, nothing bothers it; it feels happy and wallows in the dirt. The pig is called “hog” and “swine,” which are all negative connotations often transferred to human behavior. Scientific reports claim that pigs do not have sweat glands that regulate body temperature, so they control their temperature by bathing in mud or water. Dogs use their tongues to cool themselves, so they pant. However, in the case of pigs, what they do is wallow in the mud to cool themselves.

Now let us think about the dove and the crow. When the rain of the flood stopped and the ark rested, Noah sent a raven, but it did not return. The raven found a lot of food, since it feeds on worms, caterpillars, spiders, toads, frogs, mice, rats, and carrion – that is, all kinds of dead animals.

Instead, when he sent the dove, a clean animal, it returned. However, when it was sent for the last time, it did not return, and so Noah knew that the dove had found a clean place to settle down and thet the waters had gone down.

Our carnal nature is like the pig and the raven who always look for dirty things. Our new, spiritual nature is like the sheep and the dove that want what is clean and holy. It is an ongoing struggle within the believer, and will be victorious; in short, it is the nature we feed best.

Beware of feeding the sinful nature that drags us
into the filth of this earth. Let us nourish the spiritual nature
that elevates us to cleanliness and holiness of heaven.

We are so involved in listening to the noise of the world that we do not have time to listen to the language of the Spirit, to pray, to study the Bible, and to serve others. “The things of eternity are made subordinate, the things of the world supreme. It is impossible for the seed of the world to bring forth fruit; for the live of the soul is given to nourish the thorns of wordliness” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 51).

Let us not feed ourselves from the filth of this world.
Let us walk in the Spirit, revived by His Word,
living like sheep and doves.

Be blessed, my dear brethren…

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision
avails anything, but faith working through love”
– Galatians 5:6 –

Neither legalism nor license leads us to the right path. It is not our works that earn us the right to heaven, but our works show what the quality of our faith is. Paul said that it is “faith working through love” (Gal. 5:6). Circumcision or uncircumcision can make you a slave, but for those of us who trust in Jesus and allow Him to direct our actions, His love leads us to the “trio” that guides our existence: faith, hope, and love.

Thus, true love does not create its own rules, but is expressed in obedience to the will of God. Faith has its works motivated by the pure love of the presence of Christ in us. God’s love and will do not create a saving faith in us; it is saving faith that creates love in action.

A very famous writer told us that when we speak about faith, we must always keep one distinction in mind. Belief is one thing, and that differs from faith. For example, the existence and power of God, the truth of His Word, are facts that even satan and his hosts cannot deny. The Scriptures say that “the demons believe – and tremble” (James 2:19), but this is not faith.

Faith is believing that God exists;
faith is submitting to His will; faith is surrendering
our hearts and affections to God.

[A] faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Through this faith the heart is renewed in the image of God. An the heart that in its  unrenewed state is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, now delights in its holy precepts, exclaiming with the psalmist, “O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day” (Ps. 119:97). And the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us, “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Steps to Christ, p. 63).

The faith that saves is a living, active, and working faith. Salvation is a gift from God, the fruit of His love and compassion for us; in gratitude, we return the warmest affection of our hearts. Spurgeon explained that when Jesus is everything to us, He is the Lord of our hearts. Faith, instead of being a poor and miserable thing, as some think, is the greatest cause of love, and therefore, of obedience and holiness.

May our faith be so real that for the love of Christ and for Christ,
it produces the best and abundant fruits.

May the Lord bless you…

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free,
and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage”
– Galatians 5:1 –

In chapter 5 of Galatians, Paul emphasized remaining in the freedom of salvation by faith in Christ. He also argued that love is the essence of the law (v. 14).

An important call of the apostle was for them to stand firmly on a solid foundation. That foundation was the truth established in the Holy Scriptures. The diligent Christian perseveres in studying and discussing the Scriptures and examines them to find out if he remains steadfast in the faith (vv. 7-9).

Noo matter how much we know about the Scriptures and their interpretation, we must always continue searching for the truth. That is why I want to tell you: get to know the truths of the Bible, live those truths, and continue growing, discovering, and applying them to life.

Paul reminded the Galatians that they were not under the law and warned them that the Holy Spirit never led people to seek salvation by conforming to the requirements of the Jewish ritual system or by any legal justice system, or even salvation by obedience to the moral law of the Ten Commandments (vv. 10-15). On the other hand, those who submit to a legalistic religion are at war with the Holy Spirit (vv. 16-18).

Finally, he pointed out the fruit of the Spirit, which refers to what develops naturally in our lives when the Spirit takes control. The results of this control are in contrast with the works of the flesh (vv. 19-23). The fruit of he Spirit is not a spontaneous product of human nature, but of a completely different power that comes from outside the individual.

The word “fruit” is in the singular, while the word “works” is in the plural. There is only one “fruit of the Spirit,” and that one fruit includes all the Christian graces listed there. In other words, all these graces must be present in the life of the Christian. Understanding this means experiencing true freedom and fullness of Christian joy (vv. 1, 13).

He who is trying to reach heaven by his own works in keeping the law is attempting an impossibility. There is no safety for one who has merely a legal religion, a form of godliness. The Christian’s life is not a modification or improvement of the old, but a transformation of nature. There is death to self and sin, and a new life altogether. This change can be brought about only by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit (The Desire of Ages, p. 172).

Christ’s grace gives us freedom from sin and leads us to obey.
It is obedience that comes from God’s love,
and not obedience that tries to get God to love us.

Be free from bondage, be blessed….

“Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise”
– Galatians 4:28 –

The origen of the saying “between a rock and a hard place,” whose meaning is related to a situation that takes one to the limit, with no apparent exit, seems to have to do with swordsmen. However, it may have evolved from a very ancient story related to Greek mythology.

We must situate ourselves in the Strait of Messina, which separates Italy from Greece. Legend has it that at this geographical point, considered to be very dangerous for navigation, two monsters (Scylla and Charybdis) lived, one on each side of the strait. Scylla was a six-headed monster, while Charybdis swallowed huge amounts of water, thus generating immense whirpools in the sea that wreaked havoc among the sailors.

The ships tried to avoid them by staying as far away from the sides as possible, but they were so close to each other that  they could not help but pass very close to both. This situation led to the beginning of using the phrase “caught between Scylla and Charibdis,” which then changed, until it became the one we know today: “between a rock and a hard place.”

Some Christians, delighted by what Jesus did on the Calvary for our salvation, sit on their hands and say that there is nothing we can do. We just have to believe. They reason well, for we cannot save ourselves. Thus, they become nothing more than spectators, claiming salvation, but never becoming participants. Therefore, in trying to avoid the monster of salvation by works, they are led to the whirpool of disobedience.

On the other hand, there are Christians who have not understood what Jesus has done for them and the adequacy of His sacrifice on the cross. They think that they have to earn salvation in some way. They make pilgrimages, do penance, work, all hoping that God will somehow be convinced of their sincerity and finally save them. 

Isaac was the son of God’s promise and Abraham’s faith, for he believed in God’s promises when his fulfillment seemed humanly impossible. That faith led to dependent behavior and an obedient experience.

Abaraham’s attitude of being willing to give his son to be sacrificed “teaches us the great lessonof confidence in the requirements of God, however close and cutting they may be; and it teaches children perfect submission to their parents and to God. By Abraham’s obedience we are taught that nothing is too precious for us to give to God” (Child Guidance, p. 255).

Beware of dangerous extremes of thinking we can save ourselves
or that we do not need to do anything. We do not obey to save ourselves,
but rather, because we are saved.
The son of the promise is a son of faith who obeys out of love.

May the Lord bless you…

“For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem
which now is, and is in bondage with her children –
but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all”
– Galatians 4:25-26 –

Paul always gave contrasts to illustrate and record the truth in a better way; thus, he presented the two sons. Ishmael represents the physical birth, by which we are sinners; Isaac, the spiritual birth, by which we become children of God.

Isaac was born by the power of God; the beliver is born by the Spirit. Isaac came into the world through grace and faith, which represents Abraham and Sarah. Every believer becomes a child of God by the grace received through faith. Isaac brought joy, just as salvation is a joyful experience for the believer.

Ishmael represents the carnal nature and caused problems for Isaac, who represents our spiritual nature. Abraham’s home illustrates to us the same problems that existed in Galatia and that we can face today.

Hagar, confronted by Sarah, illustrates the conflict between law and grace. Are we saved by obeying the law or by accepting the Lord’s grace? The confrontation between Ishmael and Isaac illustrates the struggle between the carnal nature and the spiritual nature, living according to the flesh of our humanity or according to the Spirit of God’s will.

Paul also explained the meaning of the two women, Sarah and Hagar, in order to show the contrast between the law and grace. God did not start with Hagar, but with Sarah. In relation to how He treats people, God also begins with grace.

When Adam and Eve sinned, God did not give them laws to obey. In His grace, He gave them robes to cover themselves and the promise of a Redeemer. When He freed the people from Egypt, it was first the grace of liberation; then came the law.

Hagar was a slave, but Sarah was free. We have already said that the function of the law is to reveal our sins and be the tutor that leads us to Christ. The union of Abraham and Hagar was contrary to God’s will. It was the consequence of Sarah’s and Abraham’s unbelief and impatience.

“Abraham had accepted without question the promise of a son,
but he did not wait for God to fulfill His word in His own time and way.
A delay was permitted, to test his faith in the power of God;
but he failed to endure the trial” (Patriarch and Prophets, p. 145).

How is your faith today? Does it stand the test when tested? God bless you…

“For it is written that Abraham had two sons:
the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman.
But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh,
and he of the freewoman through promise, which things are symbolic.
– Galatians 4:22-24 –

Through an allegory, Paul wanted to explain or illustrate the condition of the spiritual slavery of the Galatians. An allegory is a narrative in which people, things, and facts have a metaphorical or symbolic meaning. The historical facts were real, but the application was allegorical.

Let us look briefly at the historical facts reported in Genesis 12 to 21 by using tha age of Abraham as a reference.

When Abraham was seventy-five, he was called by God to go to Canaan, and God promised him many descendants. Abraham and Sarah wanted children, but Sarah was barren.

At eighty-five years of age, it felt like the promise was delayed, and Sarah became impatient and suggested to Abraham that he have a child through Hagar, their slave. This was legal in that society, but it was not God’s will; however, Abraham accepted and took Hagar as his wife.

When Abraham was eighty-six, Hagar became pregnant, and Sarah became enraged. Result: the latter made life so difficult for the first one that she was forced to flee. However, the Lord intervened by having Hagar return. Thus, the child was born; he was called Ishmael.

When Abraham was ninety-nine, God reiterated His promise to Abraham and Sarah and told them to call their son Isaac.

The son of the promise was born when Abraham was one hundred years old, and they called him Isaac (“laughter”). This was going to create a problem of rivalry with the other son, Ishmael (who was already fourteen years old); this problem continues even to this day through descendants.

When Abraham was 103, Isaac (three years old) was weaned and they had a party to celebrate. Since Ishmael mocked his half-brother, both he and Hagar left the house.

Paul drew spiritual lessons of faith and freedom from historical facts that were in opposition to works and to slavery. Sarah represents a covenant of faith from a promise; Hagar represents the covenant of works. Abraham and Sarah wanted to “help” God; the root of the delay lay in the fulfillment of the promise and their own impossibility, her age and infertility.

Abraham tried to carry out God’s plan through Hagar and her son Ishmael. That was his way of doing it, but not God’s. It is not God’s plan that man’s salvation be attained through the works of the law for the simple reason that it is impossible to do so. Paul showed that as long as man relies on the works of the law to save himself, he cannot escape slavery.

The great lesson we learn is that things
always have to be done in God’s way, not ours.

Be patient, He keeps all His promises. Have faith in Him…

“Even so we, when we we were children,
were in bondage under the elements of the world”
– Galatians 4:3 –

We are children of God through faith in Christ, born into God’s family with all rights. When sinners are saved, they are like newborn children who need to grow, but regarding their position, they are sons and daughters with all their rights. The gateway to adoption is conversion.

In the Roman Empire, children of the weathly were cared for by slaves and were educated under the supervision of a servant. Children were not very different from the servants who cared for them. The servants received orders from the owner, and the children received orders from the servant.

Ancient religions were dying, and ancient ohilosophies were empty and powerless. Strange new religions were invading the Empire. Spiritual hunger reigned everywhere. God was preparing the world for the arrival of His Son.

The birth of Christ was not accidental, but was designed by God. Christ came in the “fullness of time” (Gal. 4:4), and will also come a second time at the right time (see Eph. 1:10). The Lord did not buy us through His sacrifice for us to become slaves, but to be children with all rights. The Father sent the Son, the Son died for us, and He sent us the Holy Spirit to live in us.

The contrast here is not between children and adult children, but between slaves and children (Luke 15:19). Like the prodigal son, the Galatians wanted their Father to accept them as servants, when they were really children. The sonhas the same nature as the father; the slave does not. Children have a father, while slaves have a master. No slave can call his mater “Father.” When sinners trust in Christ, they receive the Holy Spirit who bears witness that they are God’s children.

Children obey out of love, while slaves obey out of fear. Slaves obeyed their masters through fear of punishment; vanquished soldiers obeyed their victors through fear of death; ancient civilizations obeyed their gods through fear of receiving their wrath.

Today, fear continues to mobilize many: employees who obey their bosses through fear of being dismissed, patients who obey their doctors through fear of death, and even Christians who obey God through fear of present curses and eternal punishments.

“God has two thrones. One at the top of heaven,
and one in the humblest of hearts” (D. L. Moody).

He adopts us out of love, and makes us children and heirs,
so that we may live through love
by depending on the Lord and doing His will.

Are you a slave or an heir? God bless you…