Galatians 3:1-5 (works)

Happy December (can you believe it's this warm in december??). I hope that y'all have been able to keep yourselves motivated these days....I know how tough it is to stay focused when you've got a lot of deadlines looming. Don't give up though....the end is near and you don't want a semester's worth of hard work to go to waste!

This is one of the daily devos from a few days ago (www.dailydevo.com). It's based on Galatians 3:3 but I strongly encourage you to read v.1-5 so the point is more clear. It is only by faith in Jesus Christ that we are saved, and our actions are just manifestations of this faith.

BACKGROUND on Galatians: Paul preached to the inhabitants of Galatia during his 1st missionary journey. Shortly after his departure, a group of Jewish believers arrived and insisted that the gentile Christians submit to the laws of Moses in order to be saved. Chpt 3 is meant to show them the error in that thinking.

Cheers!
-AMR
(p.s. sunrise is a nice time of day...you should check it out sometime if you happen to be still up working when it occurs :P)

--------------------------

The Daily Devo
by Pastor Steve Baney

Galatians 3:3 "Have you lost your senses? After
starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why
are you now trying to become perfect by your own
human effort?" (NLT)

It's so easy to get turned around backwards sometimes. We think doing good things will get us right with God. But that's backwards thinking. Getting right with God will prompt us to do good things. They are a result, not a cause. If you start by focusing on having a healthy friendship with God, then you won't be able to resist doing good things.

Lord, help me to be right with you first.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1997.