I was reading through Galatians again this afternoon, I'm so loving how the Lord has kept me in this Pauline Epistle longer. It seems as I'm digging into it, the Lord is teaching me SO much, and lovingly refining me. I recently have had the privilege also of getting a new Bible. I'm thrilled. Honestly this is a HUGE ordeal for me. A new Bible to me is like a new car for some people. I spent a long time on the Internet researching and went to godly friends (okay...one) and asked advise and opinions on newer Bibles, since the last time I got one was over 7 years ago. After gathering all the information I could, and praying about it I felt the Lord leading me to get the MacArthur study bible in the NKJ Version. I am so richly blessed by God's timeless word, I have no words for it. That said, there are times as I'm reading through a "new" version that I feel as if I reading the scriptures for the first time. I have to admit it's inspiring and convicting all over again, and I love it. Almost as if I'm a new believer all over again with that fire and passion to read without regard to life around me, but rather to get so lost in the pages of Scripture that I can imagine myself there with our brothers and sisters. So as I was reading through Galatians 3 this afternoon, the Lord in His kindness has allowed me to meditate upon 3:3. "Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?"
Are you sitting down? Because thankfully I was when I read this. I mean it's so obvious how self reliant we become as believers. We just slowly begin to think we've got it under control, we know the "Christian drill" so we almost get on auto pilot sometimes. Then as life happens, and things are tough, we unfortunately act like idiots, we begin to act as if the very sinful flesh that condemns us to death is now somehow able to make us perfect, or at the very least keep to some man made standard that will somehow allow us in our own sinful strength to honor God. Apart from God we can do nothing!!! We can not even pray, thanks be to God for His indwelling Holy Spirit. I love Mac Arthur's note on this verse, "The notion that sinful, weak, fallen human nature could improve on the saving work of the Holy Spirit was ludicrous to Paul" That notion should be just as ludicrous to us as well! Our lives should be a conduit of God's unending grace so that others around us know in every aspect of our lives we are consumed with the One who created us in His image, so that in all things He lives through us, "for it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Gal. 2:20)
Going further into chapter 3, in verse 5, Paul says, "Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"
It is the faith, given to us by God that allows us to believe in Him. Ladies this is remarkable. God has done it all, over and over again we must come to the end of ourselves and continually rely upon the God of all the universe who supplies to Spirit to us. I love the words of Paul here, it is HIM who supplies the Spirit. I do not want to continue in my own foolishness, I do not want any confidence in the flesh. I realize the more I learn the more I need to be changed, I realize the more I get frustrated with people or things, the more I need to sit quietly, I need to live out Psalm 46:10 and cease striving, and know that in it all He IS God!!! We all need to. Ladies we must stop giving allowances to our sinful flesh, we must not make provision for sin, and must continually turn to the One who can save us from our own sinful flesh, and daily, hourly, moment by moment if need be, rely on the God who saves us, and who supplies us with His Spirit, that we would not rely on our foolish selves, but rely on the sinless, perfect Savior who laid His life down on Calvary, so that we could name His name.
Cry out to your Savior dear sister, ask Him for an insatiable hunger for His word, and passion for prayer and a continually daily reliance upon the Living God for His Spirit to live in you and bring glory and honor to Him. I believe in my heart, ladies that if we would be so concerned with our own reliance upon God that we beg for His Spirit to lead us moment by moment we would begin to see a radical transformation within the body of Christ, as christian women rise up, and humble ourselves before God, seeking to please Him first, and just resting in His word we will see God Himself work a transformation in us that will bring Him glory....and isn't that what it's all about anyway ladies? Giving God the glory!!!
O, Lord that you would keep the foolishness of my sinful flesh far from me, and supply Your Spirit to me daily to honor You!!!
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