Galatians: Introduction

One thing I like to do when studying a book of the bible is answers the five Ws

Who? Paul
What? A letter to the church of Galatia
When? 50-60 A.D.
Where? Paul was in prison.
Why? To correct false gospels being presented in Galatia

Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— and all the brothers and sisters with me, To the churches in Galatia:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Galatians 1:1-5

Paul's letters have always been inspiring to me. Look at verses 3 and 4:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

Jesus died for you he for the present, for the present sinners, the present evils and everything that exists now. He died for all of in 2013. As Jesus carried the burdens of sin, he was carry every sin that has been done and will be done. 
Jesus never sinned, but he had to carry you sins, until he could bear them no longer, then he gave of his spirit for you. He died. For you.

Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
John 19:30b

Next

Photo Credit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PaulT.jpg

What does it mean to fear God?

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them...Fear the LORD, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
Psalm 34:7;9-10

Psalm 34 is all about fearing God. It includes the rewards for fearing God and the punishment for not doing so. This might make you wonder what exactly, it means to fear God. First, I want to be sure everyone understand that fear of God is a positive thing. Here are a few examples of this:

• Exodus 1:17: Because the midwives feared God, they obeyed him instead of Pharaoh by sparing the Hebrew babies
• Exodus 9:29-31: Pharaoh brought disaster on his nation because he did not fear God
• Exodus 18:21: Moses was to choose leaders who feared God and wouldn't take bribes
• Exodus 20:20: Moses told the Hebrews that they should fear God to keep them from sinning 
• Leviticus 19:14; 32: The law says fear of God as a reason to treat the disabled and elderly well
• 2 Corinthains 7:1: Paul says to work toward complete holiness because we fear God

Fear of God is obviously not a bad thing, but is is indeed, fear, not a holy reverence.

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Mathew 10:28

Jesus says so himself. The bible does say over and over again to fear not, but what Jesus is saying is that shouldn't fear creation, but the creator. The creator is the one who decides if we go to heaven or to hell.

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
Ecclesiastes 12:13

Serve the LORD with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Psalm 2:11-12

I've talking on God's wrath before, so I'll get to the point. The point is 1 John 4:18 says "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." So this may seem like a contradiction. How can we love and fear God at the same time? This verse says we can't.
Well Jesus is the best example of fear and love working together. He warned us over and over again to not fear men, but to fear God. He spoke lovingly, but frankly to all people because we all need to face our sin and repent. But he also demonstrated love beyond human understanding

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.
John 15:12-13

Photo Credit:
http://survivingsurvivalism.com/fear.htm

Sources:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/bible-answers/spirituallife/what-does-it-mean-to-fear-god.html

Daily Reminders #21

They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"

Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

John 8:33-36

Photo Credit:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/115800519640825230217/albums/5897416177086391041/5897416178060909186?pid=5897416178060909186&oid=115800519640825230217

Our Treasure

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

2 Corinthians 4:7-9

Christians are just ordinary jars of clay, but what makes us so extraordinary is what’s on the inside. I like the first sentence. “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” We are nothing, and that’s why it’s so amazing that God gives us his treasure. What God has done is obviously not the works of us. We’re just a pot. It’s obviously from God. And this treasure is much more valuable than silver or gold, it’s Jesus Christ himself.

God has given us his treasure and it’s the best treasure out there, but thieves will try to take away your treasure Satan wants you to crumble, but we are never crushed. A clay pot is weak, but through the treasure, Jesus, we are able to withstand the pressures of life.

Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Colossians 2:2b-3

As a Christian, you will face tough decisions and impossible issues, but our treasure will be our counselor. Jesus protects us from hopelessness.

... God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

Hebrews 13:5b

Persecutions are included in the process. We will be accused, misunderstood, and have lies told about us, but we know that Jesus will never abandon us.

They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support.

Psalm 18:18

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Mathew 11:28

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

Isaiah 40:29-31

Bad stuff will happen too. We will be “struck down, but not destroyed.” Life may feel like it’s overwhelming you, but Jesus will still be there to bear the burdens with us.

The bible never said life as a Christian would be easy and I fill you with lies if I tried to say that being a Christian would be. Life will be hard, but the amazingness of Jesus Christ will help us survive. Life comes at us like an overpowering tank and there is hope for survival with anything man has to offer. There is no earthly way a clay pot can overpower a tank, but with Jesus there is nothing a tank can do to destroy you. There will be challenges, but with Jesus you can withstand the pressures of life.

This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist  which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.

1 John 4:2-5

Sources:

http://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/dbdbg/view.cfm?Date=05/22

Jesus (God's Son = God?)

I know that Jesus is God because the bible says so. This is something that a lot of people argue about, but why I do not know, because the bible clearly states that Jesus is man, and is God. Anyway, I'm gonna prove my point in this post.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:1-4; 14

Nothing was made without the word (Jesus) because Jesus is God. Jesus became flesh (human) and lived on the earth.

The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
Hebrews 1:3

Jesus (the son) is exactly the same has God, and is a physical representation of who he is, and now Jesus Christ is in heaven, sitting by the right hand of his father. And I know that one day, we will all bow before Jesus (Philippians 2:10) because he is God. Which leads me to my next verse.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Phillippians 2:5-11

Even Jesus says these things:

"I and the Father are one."
John 10:30

"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"
John 8:58

By calling himself "I am", he was saying he was the same as the God of Abraham (Exodus 3:14)

For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
John 5:18

This one says it all, the Pharisees knew that if Jesus was God's son, he would be equal with God! If even the stubborn, hardhearted Pharisees understood that, then why can't so many people today understand it?

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."
Matthew 1:23

The Jesus is God because he was to be called God with us.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:
2 Peter 1:1

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil--
Hebrew 2:14

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
1 Timothy 2:5

Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.
1 Timothy 3:16

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
2 Corinthians 4:4

I here's chart that I made about Jesus being man and God

Chart created by me, but text inspired by carm.org (http://carm.org/jesus-two-natures)

Taken from: http://blog.mrm.org/2012/12/the-trinity-mormonisms-rejection-of-gods-highest-revelation-part-4-of-4/

So there it is, my proof in a condensed form.

Still not convinced? Here are more verses you should look at.
Mathew 4:7, John 8:58, John 1:14, Luke 7:16, John 10:30, Hebrews 1:8, Luke 5:21-22

Sources:
http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2009/04/10/the-real-jesus#fnList_1_9
http://carm.org/jesus-two-natures

Photo Credit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dirk_van_Baburen_-_Kroning_met_de_doornenkroon.jpg
http://blog.mrm.org/2012/12/the-trinity-mormonisms-rejection-of-gods-highest-revelation-part-4-of-4/