Glory be to God for Paul

But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God in me. (Galatians 1:23-24)

The apostle Paul did not confer with flesh and blood after he had received the revelation of Christ and his mission to preach among the Gentiles. Also, he did not go up to Jerusalam to meet with the 12 apostles. Instead, he went to Arabia. After some time there, he returned again to Damascus.

It was 3 years later that he went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and James, the Lord's brother.

After that, he went into the region of Syria and Cilicia.

The apostle Paul insisted that he was telling the truth; he did not lie when he made all these statements.

The apostle Paul was unknown by face to the Christians in Judea. But they had heard of him:  “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God in him.

The apostle Paul needed no introduction. He was in full view. His life was in the open.

We have here Paul's full submission to the lordship of Christ.

We have here Paul's total dependence on the sufficiency of God.

We have here Paul's continued faithfulness to God's mission that was revealed to him.

Paul was fully committed to the Gospel.

Even the Jewish Christians in Judea heard about him, though they had never seen him face to face.

They knew him once as an enemy of Christ, bent on destroying Christians.

Then, they heard about him again. This time as a fervent preacher of the faith, preaching Christ and planting churches everywhere he went.

God has done a great work in the life of Paul.

He had chosen him before the beginning of time.

He had called him and revealed His Son to him. 

He had saved him from His wrath and eternal death.

He had called him to be an apostle to the Gentiles. 

He had called him to preach to kings and rulers. 

He had put a heavy burden on him for the salvation of his fellow Jews.

The apostle Paul was committed and faithful to God. 

He preached and labored more for Christ everywhere he went.

People everywhere were talking about him. 

He needed no introduction. He needed no publicity.

Once they looked down on him because he persecuted the Christian.

Then they looked up to him as hero of faith.

Glory be to God for Paul!

May God use us also for His Glory! Amen and Amen!

Handling God's Word

You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. (Deuteronomy 4:2)

• Words matter.
   
• Especially when they are the very words of God.
   
• Moses warned Israel, “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God”.
   
• Moses often reminded Israel of God’s mercy and faithfulness to them in the past.
   
• But he also stressed the importance of obedience to God’s commands as they prepared to enter the Promised Land.
   
• He told them that obedience would result in blessings of life and a rich inheritance.
   
• Every command and regulation mattered to God.
   
• The value His people placed on God’s Word showed their view of Him.
   
• Today, when we value God’s Word, handle it with great care, and obey what it says, we give God the reverence He truly deserves.
   
• God’s Word needs no additions or subtractions.
  
  
  

Unfaithful Servant

They are unfaithful to the LORD;
they give birth to illegitimate children.
When they celebrate their New Moon feasts,
he will devour their fields.
- Hosea 5:7 -

Here is a sorrowful truth.

We are the beloved of the LORD, redeemed by blood, called by grace, preserved in Christ Jesus, accepted in the Beloved, and on our way to Heaven.

But we are unfaithful to the LORD.

We are found to be unfaithful in the matter of vows and promises.

We have forgotten the happy time, the springtime of our spiritual life.

Oh, how closely we clang to our Master then!

But now, we are unfaithful to the LORD.

Prayer has oftentimes been slurred.

It has been short, but not sweet.

Brief, but not fervent.

Communion with Christ has been forgotten.

Instead of a heavenly mind, there have been carnal cares, worldly vanities and thoughts of evil.

Instead of service, there has been disobedience.

Instead of fervency, lukewarmness.

Instead of patience, petulance.

Instead of faith, confidence in an arm of flesh.

As a soldier of the cross, there has been cowardice, disobedience, and desertion, to a very shameful degree.

We are unfaithful to the LORD.

We have sinned against Him terribly.

Oh LORD! Forgive us.

Oh! Let us not sin again!

How shameful it is to be unfaithful to the LORD who never forgets us.