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Approaches in how to walk in the Spirit Part 2 In this study we consider various aspects (looking at it from different angles) of walking in the spirit, so that we can develop an overview of how we ought to go about it. In this part we are going to consider 2 of 3 approaches of looking at how to walk in the Spirit (Notes: The word 'Spirit' in Galatians 5:16 =the Holy Spirit not our human spirit. The Greek grammar allows us to say walk ‘by’ the Spirit as well as walk 'in' the Spirit) The three approaches that we will consider in teaching us how to walk in the Spirit are a) Awareness of the Spirit b) Practicing the presence of God c) Being in two places at once (see Part 3) a) Awareness of the Spirit (first angle) Walking in the Spirit simply means living each day of your life and being continually aware that you are in the presence of the Holy Spirit. We know that the Holy Spirit indwells each believer from the new birth. A useful way to look at this is to use Jesus’ model of the Vine and the Branches from John 15 where Jesus tells us to abide in the Vine. When we are abiding (living) in the Vine, the love of Christ is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5 ). In other words the Holy Spirit is likened to the sap that brings life to the vine. If we are aware that we are abiding in the Vine, then we are also conscious of the fact that we are walking in the Spirit. We can only produce the fruit of the Spirit when we are abiding in the Vine, or you could say when we are walking in the Spirit. So walking in the spirit is having a continual God-consciousness . It is having Christ in first place in all your passions/ affections. It is pursuing God whole-heartedly, as commanded. It is to have no other idols before Him and no other gods before Him, but to serve God alone with all your heart . Amen It is important when we walk in the Spirit or abide in the Vine, we ought to continue to practice the basic Christian disciplines in our lives. We should be regularly practicing Bible study and meditation, several types of prayer, fellowshipping with believers, going to the church meetings, witnessing, and serving other people etc. These disciplines help keep us in the right mindset to help us walk in the Spirit or walk by Spirit. The late great American pastor and famous author A W Tozer said this (photo): Beloved, we either will walk in the Spirit or be walking in the flesh. These two are mutually exclusive. You get to choose! Take a moment. Choose life! Angle ii) Practicing the presence of God (modern language-drawing near to God) I once read a small book called ‘The practice of the presence of God’ written three hundred years ago by a monk called Brother Lawrence [1] . In this book it is described how Brother Lawrence was able to cultivate a continual awareness of the Lord being present in his life thus bringing immense joy. But you might say that is fine for him being a full-time monk with nothing else to do; no work to go to, no ironing or chores. But in fact, he was the cook for the monastery, and he believed it was easier to be aware of God’s presence when doing his kitchen chores than at any other time! [2] [3] Summary If like Bro. Lawrence you want to live constantly in the presence of God which brings fullness of joy ( Psalm 16:11 ) then practice these three things. 1 . Commit every task to Him (invite Him in). How about inviting the Lord to go for a walk with you? 2. Thank him for his supply and provision. True thanksgiving is not an event but a lifestyle and mindset . 3. Perform each task because you love Him and do it in a way that brings honour God. Brother Lawrence would pick up a flower out of love for the Lord and present it to him. Is there a gesture of love you want to make to the Lord today or later? [1] Bro Lawrence was a Carmelite layperson (1614-1691) [2] Prayer "Lord of all pots and pans and things... Make me a saint by getting meals and washing up the plates" [3] Quotation “Our only business is to love and delight ourselves in God.” Amen Personal Prayer

Galatians 5:16-18 Background to the book of Galatians: The Galatian churches were a Celtic people like most of us Scots. So this epistle may have special significance to Celtic peoples however it is certainly relevant to all Christians today. Galatia was in Central Turkey, which is near modern day city of Ankara. Theme: By way of context the main theme of the letter to the Galatians is the warning not to add anything onto the Gospel. The true gospel is ‘believe in Jesus Christ’ but with no additions. The problem of the day was the Judaizing teachers who taught that believing in Jesus Christ was not enough, but the believer also had to be circumcised and keep the entire Law. God wants all his children to walk in victory in our day to day lives. Amen This should involve us recognising all that Jesus Christ has done for us, in us and through us. We ought to have Satan under our feet and live with victory over the demons and even be able through prayer to pull down the enemy strongholds in our own lives and the lives of others (things like ingrained bad habits/thinking and addictions etc.) Part of our victory is achieved by walking in the Spirit . In Part 1 we are going to explore what it means to walk in the Spirit. Keynote scripture Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 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. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Paul is drawing from the Old Testament metaphor where ‘walk’ means how to conduct your daily life or you could say your lifestyle. Traditionally a person’s daily conduct in the Old Testament simply was not just defined as “walking” but more accurately as “walking in the law’’. [1] If you are not sure which actions are performed by those walking in the flesh as opposed to those walking in the Spirit, Paul helpfully lists them; 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery. fornication [2}, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. The great commentator Matthew Henry said this of lust Lust by definition can never be satisfied or happy! Our problem is that the flesh does not stay dead. When we become careless about our spiritual lives or when we feed our flesh, it rears its ugly head and causes us serious problems. This struggle between flesh/spirit is graphically portrayed for us by Paul in Romans chapters 7 and 8. Paul makes it clear in chapter 8 that the outcome of our struggle with the flesh is determined by what we "set our minds on ". In Romans 8: 5-6 he says "for those who are according to the flesh "set their minds" on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. And you get to decide! What is your mind set on today? If your mind is set on the Spirit here is what will happen. Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. The FOS is the character of JC reproduced in the life of the believer). 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Here is what the theologian John Stott said Walking in the Spirit stops us from conducting the sins and lusts of the flesh. The lusts of the flesh will cause us to feel defeated and to be ashamed. As previously stated this is part of the victorious Christian life. You may say ‘that is great, and we all say Amen’ but how do we learn to walk in the Spirit? Unfortunately, there is surprisingly little sound teaching in the broad church about this! I hope that today’s message will help us all gain some understanding of what Paul is saying in this scripture and that we can indeed put it into practice in our daily lives. Amen Your prayer [1] Halakhah is the legal term Jews use to refer to the rules and regulations found in both the law and the rabbinic traditions of their ancestors. While Halakhah usually is translated “the Jewish law,” the word actually is based on the Hebrew word for “to walk” and literally means “the way of going. The first Christians were also said to be ‘in the Way’ as in the W, T, and L. [2] Galatians 5:19 sexual immorality The word Paul uses is porneia "fornication") "broad, general word for unlawful and immoral sexual intercourse and relationships” In Part 2 we look at how to go about walking in the Spirit from three different angles.

Introduction and background Galatians 5:16-18 Background to Galatians: The Galatian churches were a Celtic people like most of us Scots. So this epistle may have special significance to Celtic peoples however it is certainly relevant to all Christians today. Galatia was in Central Turkey which is near modern day city of Ankara. Theme: By way of context the main theme of the letter to the Galatians is the warning not to add anything onto the Gospel. The true gospel is ‘believe in Jesus Christ’ but with no additions. The problem of the day was the Judaizing teachers who taught that believing in JC was not enough, but the believer also had to be circumcised and keep the entire Law. God wants all his children to walk in victory in our day to day lives. Amen This should involve us recognising all that Jesus Christ has done for us, in us and through us. We ought to have Satan under our feet and live with victory over the demons and even be able through prayer to pull the enemy strongholds in our own lives and the lives of others (things like ingrained bad habits and addictions etc.) Part of our victory is achieved by walking in the Spirit . In Part 1 we are going to explore what it means to walk in the Spirit. Keynote scripture Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 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. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Paul is drawing from the Old Testament metaphor where ‘walk’ means how to conduct your daily life or you could say your lifestyle. Traditionally a person’s daily conduct in the Old Testament simply was not just defined as “walking” but more accurately as “walking in the law’’. [1] If you are not sure which actions are performed walking the flesh and walking in the Spirit, Paul helpfully lists them 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery. fornication [2}, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. The great commentator Matthew Henry said this of lust Lust by definition can never be satisfied or happy! Our problem is that the flesh does not stay dead. When we become careless about our spiritual lives or when we feed our flesh, it rears its ugly head and causes us serious problems. This struggle between flesh/spirit is graphically portrayed for us by Paul in Romans chapters 7 and 8. Paul makes it clear in chapter 8 that the outcome of our struggle with the flesh is determined by what we "set our minds on ". In Romans 8: 5-6 he says "for those who are according to the flesh "set their minds" on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. And you get to decide! What is your mind set on today? If your mind is set on the Spirit here is what will happen. Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. The FOS is the character of JC reproduced in the life of the believer). 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Here is what the theologian John Stott said Walking in the Spirit stops us from conducting the sins and lusts of the flesh. The lusts of the flesh will cause us to feel defeated and to be ashamed. As I said this is part of the victorious Christian life. You may say ‘that is great, and we all say Amen’ but how do we learn to walk in the Spirit? Unfortunately, there is surprisingly little teaching in the broad church about this! I hope that today’s message will help us all gain understanding of what Paul is saying in this scripture and that we can indeed put it into practice in our daily lives. Amen Your prayer [1] Halakhah is the legal term Jews use to refer to the rules and regulations found in both the law and the rabbinic traditions of their ancestors. While Halakhah usually is translated “the Jewish law,” the word actually is based on the Hebrew word for “to walk” and literally means “the way of going. The first Christians were also said to be ‘in the Way’ as in the W, T, and L. [2] Galatians 5:19 sexual immorality The word Paul uses is porneia "fornication") "broad, general word for unlawful and immoral sexual intercourse and relationships” It includes fornication, adultery, same-sex activity, and perverted sexual practices In Part 2 we look at how to go about walking in the Spirit from three different angles.

The Gift of Freedom in Christ “Let us pray together as we open God’s Word to Galatians 5 Lord, open our hearts to the freedom You have won for us in Christ. Help us not just to understand Galatians 5, but to be transformed by it. Teach us to walk by the Spirit, not by the flesh, and bear the fruit that glorifies You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” Paul opens Galatians 5, verse 1, with a powerful statement: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” This raises an important question: What does freedom mean to you? Defining Freedom According to the dictionary, freedom means: The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants. The state of not being imprisoned or enslaved. In our modern world, freedom is a celebrated cry. We yearn to live life on our own terms. Many people desire freedom from financial burdens, illnesses, emotional pain, and even existential fears. The list goes on. Freedom in the Kingdom of God So, what does freedom look like in the Kingdom of God? Paul points out that Jesus bought us true freedom through His death on the cross. This freedom is more than a ticket to Heaven; it’s about being reconciled with God through faith in Jesus. It’s a transformative experience. This perfect freedom involves recognizing that we are captives to sin. We cannot liberate ourselves, but in Jesus, we find complete freedom. By His grace and through our repentance, we are forgiven. Jesus has indeed set us free from the chains of sin, death, and despair. As He said, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” The Galatians' Faith Journey Initially, the Galatians were standing strong in their faith and enjoying their freedom in Christ. They were running a good race. However, they became sidetracked by false teachings that crept into the Church. Some teachers insisted that non-Jewish, or Gentile, believers had to adhere strictly to the Mosaic Law, including circumcision. Personal Reflection Growing up in the Roman Catholic Church, I was taught that cleanliness is next to godliness. I believed that behaving well would win God's love and help me earn my way to Heaven. I now understand that it’s solely through faith in Jesus and His grace that we gain acceptance. This realization opened the door to true freedom. We achieve good works not to earn anything but as a natural response to God’s love. Paul urges us to recognize that this gift of freedom can be easily lost. We must stand firm, or we might fall back into a life of bondage due to misleading teachings. It’s essential to remember that Jesus alone grants us this profound freedom. “Christ set you free; stand firm therefore... as it says in [Gal 5:1].” Stand firm against distractions! This is our responsibility. The Battle of the Flesh In Galatians 5, Paul outlines the acts of the flesh: sexual immorality, impurity, and more. These acts do not align with the freedom that Christ purchased for us. Paul encourages us to walk by the Spirit and cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Understanding the Fruit of the Spirit The fruit of the Spirit includes: Love Joy Peace Patience Kindness Goodness Faithfulness Gentleness Self-control It’s crucial to note that Paul refers to the “fruit” of the Spirit, not “fruits.” This implies a unified expression produced in our lives when we walk by the Spirit. Let's explore the essence of each fruit: Love : A selfless love that seeks the welfare of others, modeled after Christ. Joy : An enduring sense of happiness rooted in our relationship with God. Peace : A tranquil spirit, essential for harmonious relationships. Patience : The ability to face challenges with composure. Kindness : A compassionate approach to others, particularly the vulnerable. Goodness : A strong inclination to do what is morally right. Faithfulness : Reliability in our commitments and relationships. Gentleness : A considerate, humble demeanor towards all. Self-control : Mastery over our impulses and desires. Taking Action From Galatians 5, key takeaways include: Christian freedom must be used to serve and love others, not as an excuse to indulge in sin. An ongoing battle exists between the flesh and the Spirit ; however, God is on our side. The Spirit leads to transformation , visible in our actions and character. Walking in the Spirit exemplifies true Christian living, reflecting the freedom Christ grants us. As we conclude, I encourage you to take a moment. Ask the Holy Spirit if there’s one or two areas in your life where He wishes to deepen His work in you this morning. Closing Prayer “Lord, thank You for the freedom we have in Christ. Help us stand firm and not return to old ways. We appreciate the deeper work You have done in us. Let Your fruit grow within us that the world may see and Your name be glorified. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” Remember, embracing and actively pursuing this freedom is our choice. It’s vital that we engage with God's Word and lean into His love every day.

What can we learn from them? To the Church in Laodicea-the lukewarm church Laodicea was built on a confluence of three major highways and became a successful commercial and trade city. Located near hot springs the water temperature analogy would be particularly clear to these believers. Likewise the city had at that time a well-known school of medicine and so the analogy of eye salve would be understood . The citizens had a reputation for being very rich and knowing it and hence were considered conceited and proud. So too the church in this city had been influenced by such worldly thinking and had started to boast about their spiritual riches. Revelation 3:14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Jesus is disgusted with these Christians because of their tepidness, half-heartedness, and spiritual blindness. He warns them in severe tones to get sorted out from their delusions because He wants to see them return to spiritual vitality and to be able to see clearly again . He wants them zealous and passionate about Him and His things. Their affluence had blinded them to their true spiritual state which was of poverty rather than riches. True gold will be those works inspired by the Holy Spirit that will stand the trial by fire at the bema judgement of the righteous. 19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they with me. Jesus now speaks tenderly to them... 21 To those who are victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Those who obey Jesus will receive tremendous rewards.... Their affluence had blinded them to their true spiritual state which was of poverty rather than riches. Further Commentary from Linda Morris (see reference materials at the end) LAODICEA Laodicea was founded around 250BC by the Greek Antiochus and named after his wife. It was the capital of the region of Phrygia. It had 3 roads and 2 rivers and was a trading centre, bringing lots of Jews to the town. In the census of 62BC there were 7,500 Jews living there. The main industry was clothing, particularly clothes made from the wool produced there which was black and shiny. (Compare v18 ‘buy from me white garments’ It was a wealthy town which had everything, including theatre, stadium, etc. One of the things it was known for was a centre for banking and finance. Cicero changed his letters of credit in the banks there (like travellers’ cheques). There were a lot of wealthy homes therefore the city teemed with beggars hoping to be given money. (Compare v17 ‘you say “I am rich”...you are poor’). The other thing it was known for was a city for health. The local god they worshipped was ‘Men’, the god of healing. They had a medical school where a famous ophthalmologist practiced, a hospital, and offered expensive treatments. It was famous for its perfumes, ointments, and medicines. They had ointment for sore ears, and powder known as ‘ Phrygian powder ’ was an ingredient of eye lotions. (Compare v18 ‘anoint yourselves with eye salve’) It was 10 miles from Hierapolis where Philip was martyred and buried, and the same distance from Colossae. The water supply in the city was lukewarm , probably carried by the aqueduct. Hierapolis had hot springs and Colossae had cold, pure water so the water was tepid by the time it reached Laodicea. You could drink the water hot or cold, but if you drank it lukewarm it made you sick. (Compare v16 ‘you are lukewarm.... I will vomit you out of my mouth’) The church was founded by Epaphras and was meeting in the house of a lady called Nympha. Onesimus came from Laodicea. Later it mentions a leader of that name, so could be the same person. Unlike most of the other churches, the church in Laodicea had no problems. They were large and prosperous. Laodicea is mentioned a few times in Colossians, and the letter to the Colossians was also to be read out to the people in Laodicea. Paul wrote a letter to the church in Laodicea (Col 4:16) which was also to be read out in Colossae, but nobody knows where it went. Perhaps the fact that it was lost shows that it did not do any good. The letter to the church in Laodicea begins with the most intense description Jesus gives of Himself – the ‘Amen’ (meaning absolute truth), ‘Faithful and True Witness’, ‘the beginning of the creation of God (the source of God’s creation, the Creator). The accusations against them They are neither hot nor cold – they are insipid, cannot be bothered. When a house is on fire, people come and look! You cannot do anything when people are tepid because they are satisfied. It is a hopeless situation. Jesus says lukewarm people make Him sick! They are independent. Self-sufficient. They are proud. They needed no help and could fall into the trap of thinking that God was blessing them. When they were struck by an earthquake in 60AD they refused help from the Roman Empire and rebuilt the city by themselves. They were ignorant . Self-deceived. Jesus’ “ counsels ” (advises) them (v18). It is not a command . He knows they will not obey His orders. We cannot buy spiritual gold from Jesus but here (v18) Jesus is speaking to them as people who measure everything in monetary terms. He is saying, ‘ do business with me !’ He is telling them to exert themselves (v19) - it takes effort to lift yourself out of apathy and turn from sin. Jesus wants them to let Him in so that He can have fellowship and be intimate with them (v20). Summary It is interesting seeing the comparisons between how they live their lives and how Jesus uses these things to challenge them, and made me think – if Jesus were to write to a church in our city/town what aspects could He use? Does that relate to our churches? Even today rich, self-made people do not see their need for Jesus and there is more openness to the Gospel in poor countries than it is in the Western world. We need missionaries to come to the UK from Africa!! Amen Reference materials: Jewish New Testament Commentary by David H. Stern Studies by David Pawson

No more puny prayers! Ephesians 3:14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Do you ever get fed up with making or hearing puny prayers? That is not how the apostles prayed , they prayed mighty and powerful prayers, prayers that changed the world they lived in. This prayer contains a progressive revelation (each of the 5 steps from v16-20 builds onto the previous step). Step 1 v16 , to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man. We need the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit indwelling us to help us progress spiritually and without this power we cannot proceed with steps 2-5. Step 2 v17 tells us that the consequences of  Christ may dwelling in our hearts through faith; is that we become  rooted like a tree and grounded in love like a building with Jesus Christ as your foundation. This means that our Christian walk of obedience to Christ is based on us responding to the love Jesus first gave us. Step 3 v18 When we are strengthened with might in our inner man, and Christ is dwelling in our hearts by faith, we become rooted and grounded in his love. We then are in a position to begin to comprehend or discern spiritually what are the dimensions of God’s which cannot discerned by mere human knowledge. Here are some features of God’s love. Breadth a -boundless           Length b-endless Depth c-fathomless             Height d- measureless a How broad? All men of every race and colour at every stage of development from a foetus to an old man on his death bed, embraces every man from Adam onwards. This breadth of the fathers have told the early Jewish believers the He even loves the Gentiles. It speaks to our heart of the different parts of the body pf Christ, Baptist, Pentecostal, faith people, love people in my father’s house there are many mansions. God’s love is so broad it takes in all barriers of rank or position intelligence, personality etc. b How long? Invites us to meditate on the eternal nature of God’s love. He loved us before the world was made and has promised to love us from everlasting to everlasting [Jeremiah 31:3] is for each one of us. c How deep? Let’s look back to where we came from spiritually dead on the way to hell, no joy, peace or hope. Take a minute to think on the depth of love that caused Jesus to go through the cross for you to pluck you out of Satan’s hand. [Ephesians 2:3] We were children of wrath by nature, engrossed in sinful lives. He loved us so deeply he paid the full price of our sins. d Height, breadth boundless, length endless depth fathomless then the height is measureless in trying to comprehend the height we may look to both our present privileges and our future promises as clearly identified in the word of God. To describe God’s love as a sea is not enough since seas have limits Think of God’s love on the cross. Step 4 v19  We must experience the love of Christ, each one of us that agape love that the Holy Spirit sheds abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5). For when we are filled to overflowing with divine love then we attain the fourth part of the progression that is we have the richest measure of the divine presence, and we become a body wholly filled and flooded with God himself. To be filled with all the fulness of God in the Greek suggests a continuous process where the vessel expands to continue being filled i.e. our hearts will expand and take in more and more of God. Step 5 v20 Paul goes on to say after having given us such a tremendous revelation of the word that the Lord can give us infinitely more than we dare to ask or think, infinitely above our highest hopes, prayers, desires, thoughts or dreams . Wow! Conclusion No more puny prayers! Would you dare to make such a prayer for yourself or your church fellowship?    Closing prayer Father God, we bow our knees to you in the name of Jesus Christ. We ask that you grant us, according to your riches, that we might be strengthened with your mighty power in our inner man. We pray that Christ may be dwelling in our hearts by faith, and that we are becoming rooted and grounded in your divine love. We ask that we may be able to comprehend with all your saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of your love, and to come to truly know your love which surpasses human knowledge, that we might be filled with the love of God as you are Lord. Lord, we know you can do much more above all we can ask or even think because your power is at work in us and we say Amen and Glory to your name.

The width, length, depth, and height of God's love Ephesians 3:18-19 Picking up from Part 1 in Ephesians 3:18 we see that there is a supernatural order of the dimensions of God’s love. The Holy Spirit directs our attention as follows. A. What is Breadth? We have some difficulty in seeing the breadth of God’s love to all men of every race and colour, every age from a foetus in the mother’s womb to a man on his death bed, embracing each one of these. In all time past, back to Adam and forward to Christ’s second advent. This breadth tells the Jewish believers of God’s love for the Gentiles and tells us now of His love for all the various parts of the body of Christ. In my Father’s house there are many mansions. God’s love is so broad it embraces His whole family beyond any man-made barriers. He is not a respecter of rank or position. His love is so broad it includes from the humblest to the most exalted of his people. B. Length , this invites us to meditate on the eternal nature of God’s love. Christ loved us before we got born again. 1 John 4:19 tells us that we love him, because he first loved us and as his love knows no end, so it has no beginning and is from everlasting to everlasting. Jeremiah 31:3 Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness. I have drawn thee the Lord says this to each one of us. His drawing of us unto himself is the effect of his love. John 13:1 Jesus loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. Romans 8:35-39 Nothing can separate us from God’s love. Are you catching a glimpse of its length? C. Depth, another way to look at the depth of God’s love is to look back to where we came from, dying and on the way to eternal death. Each one of us can take a minute to meditate on how deep our Father’s love was to raise us up out of the pit of our sinful lives. We were children wrath by nature see Ephesians 2:1-6. Does this not speak to your heart of the Depth of our Father’s love? D. Height, so far, we have seen the love of God has a boundless breadth, an endless length, a fathomless depth then surely its height is measureless? In trying to comprehend the height we may look to both our present privileges and our future promises as clearly identified in the word of God. 1 Samuel 2:8, Isaiah 56:5 Romans 8:16-17, 1 John 3:1, and Revelation 22:4-5,19 that we might know the love of Christ which passes knowledge by the Holy Spirit that you might be filled with all the fullness of God. Did Paul get carried away with it here or was the Holy Spirit showing us the summit of the prayer? Are we not heirs of the Father, joint heirs of Christ? If we ask for bread, will he give us a stone or a snake instead of a fish? This is the point; the word of God tells us that God wants us at filled with all His own fullness. Our hearts and minds must constantly be occupied with the love of Christ to be prepared for the being filled with all his fullness. Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness as in Matthew 5:6? The Greek for ‘filled with all the fullness’ suggests a continuous process, a progressive and enlarging experience. As a vessel is filled to the brim the vessel then expands and the process continues thus our hearts will grow and take in more of him on an ongoing basis. Suggestion: Let us agree not to pray any more weak and feeble prayers! Pray for yourself and others in this manner. Prayer Father God we bow our knees to you in the name of Jesus Christ. We ask that you grant us, according to your riches, that we might be strengthened with your mighty power in our inner man. We pray that Christ may be dwelling in our hearts by faith, and that we are becoming rooted and grounded in your divine love. We ask that we may be able to comprehend with all your saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of your love, and to come to truly know your love which surpasses mere human knowledge, that we might be filled with the love of God as you are Lord. Lord, we know you can do much more above all we can ask or even think because your power is at work in us, and we say. Amen

Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 In this study we consider the Spirit-anointed prayers of the Apostle Paul. These prayers were given of the Holy Spirit to teach us how to pray for ourselves and others. The prayer we are focusing on today is in Ephesians 3:14-21. The prayers of Paul listed below are not in the word of God by chance but are there that Holy Spirit can use them to lead us into how we might to pray. They are found in Ephesians 1:17-19, Ephesians 3:14-21, Philippians 1:9-11. In Ephesians 3:14-21 we see a stepwise progressive revelation of the God’s Word. Step 1. Being strengthened with might in our inner man by Holy Spirit Step 2. That Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith, that we be rooted and grounded in love Step 3. That we might comprehend the dimensions of God’s love, practically experiencing it for ourselves Step 4. That we might be filled with all the fullness of God Comments Verse 16; It is the dunamis or dynamite power of the Holy Spirit that will strengthen us spiritually. It is part of the Holy Spirit’s ministry to build us up that we might be ready for the next step of this progression. It is that same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead that dwells in us so we can ask Him to strengthen us. Verse 17 ; As Christ dwells (is at home) in our heart by faith we become rooted like a tall tree. A tree planted by running water yielding its fruit in season, prospering in every way. Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches, our roots are in Him grounded like a building on the sure foundation of Jesus Christ the Solid Rock. Jesus is building the stones in his body into a perfect temple for the Father (1 John 4:19). The Christian walk of obedience is in response to his love which was given first to us. As we are strengthened with might in the inner man by Holy Spirit, Christ begins to live in our hearts by faith and we become rooted and grounded on his divine love. Verse 18 ; Then we are in the position to begin to discern the dimensions of God’s love. We can only hope to have any possibility of achieving this through the Lord’s grace i.e. through the Holy Spirit revelations to our hearts. Verse 19 ; To know the love of Christ that surpasses and bypasses mere head knowledge. Amen Personal Prayer In part 2 we consider the individual dimensions of width, length, depth, and height in Verse 18.

The Prayers of the Apostles: Paul The prayers of the Apostle Paul a) The prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 (read) This prayer contains a progressive revelation. Please note there are five main steps in this prayer. Step 1 Verse 16; To be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man . This strengthening with might in your inner man is an essential prerequisite before partaking of steps 2-5. For it is only through the ‘dynamite’ power of the Holy Spirit in us that we can progress spiritually. Step 2 Verse 17; Tells us that consequences of Christ dwelling in our hearts by faith is that we become rooted like a tree in love and grounded like a building , with Jesus Christ as your foundation. This means our Christian walk of obedience to Christ is based upon our responding in love to his love which Jesus gave first. Step 3 Verse 18 ; When we are strengthened with might in our inner man, and Christ is dwelling in our hearts by faith and we grow rooted and grounded in love then we are in the position to begin to comprehend or discern spiritually the dimensions of God`s love where it surpasses humanly discerned knowledge. Things to consider about the dimensions of God’s love. Breadth – boundless Length – endless Depth – fathomless Height [1] – measureless Even to describe God’s love as a sea is inadequate since seas have limits. Step 4 Verse 19 We must experience the love of Christ, each one of us. That agape love that the Holy Spirit sheds abroad in our hearts ( Romans 5:5 ). When we are filled to overflowing with his divine love then we attain the fourth step of the progression, which is that we have the richest measure of the divine presence and we become a body wholly filled and flooded with God himself. If this is true, it is possible that we can experience the richest measure of the divine presence! Wow! The Greek rendering of ‘filled with all the fullness’ suggests a continuous process, a progressive enlarging experience like a vessel being filled to the brim. Then the vessel expands, and the process goes on and on. Thus, our hearts will grow and take in more and more of Him. Amen. Step 5 Verse 20 Paul then goes on to say after having given us such a tremendous revelation of the word, that the Lord can do infinitely more than all that we dare ask or think, infinitely above our highest hopes, prayers, desires, thoughts, or dreams. Wow! Fellow saints, the word of God tells us that the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16) . Would you dare to make such a prayer as this, a prayer for yourself and for those you lead, would you dare to pray this prayer right now? In verse 20 did Paul get carried away with himself? Or was the Holy Spirit showing the church how we also ought to pray for ourselves and others, so that we can aim for the summit of God`s fullness in us in bodily form. If we ask Him for bread will he give us stone or snake for a fish? He knows what good gifts to give to His children. Matthew 5:6 Conclusion Would you dare to ask God for his best for yourself and others, or do you think that the Lord can only just keep you saved? See Ephesians 3:10 concerning the multi-faceted wisdom of God. The Word of God says that the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much ( James 5:16 ). Will you dare make such a spirit anointed prayer your fervent prayer? Dare to pray this prayer! Father God we bow our knees to you in the name of Jesus Christ. We ask that you grant us, according to your riches, that we might be strengthened with your mighty power in our inner man. We pray that Christ may be dwelling in our hearts by faith, and that we are becoming rooted and grounded in your divine love. We ask that we may be able to comprehend with all your saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of your love, and to come to truly know your love which surpasses human knowledge, that we might be filled with the love of God as you are Lord. Lord, we know you can do much more above all we can ask or even think because your power is at work in us and so we say. Amen and Glory to your name. [1] Height How high does God`s love extend? Look at the privileges we now enjoy and those the Lord has promised will come. I Samuel 2:8 Isaiah 56:5 Romans 8:16-17 I John 3:1 Revelation 22:4-5

What can we learn from them? Each church usually has a commendation, a criticism, and a correction To the Church in Smyrna –the persecuted church-under Satanic attack Smyrna was a beautiful city with a temperate climate and was a loyal Roman colony. The church in Smyrna was probably founded by Paul between 53-56 AD). The church father Polycarp lived in Smyrna in those days and beyond but was martyred at the stake at age eighty six (in 155 AD). According to the story the flames would not touch him so they had to kill him with a sharp weapon. He died refusing to recant his faith in Jesus Christ. 2:8 “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test [1] you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. Jesus knows about life and death having experienced both. Jesus also knew all about their suffering church in Smyrna. Many were thrown out of their jobs for being Christian and lost their livelihoods. Their goods would be confiscated and they would be badly beaten. Jesus considered these faithful brothers and sisters as rich in the things of God. Many Jews were the first to be the accusers of the Christians who as such were more like Satan the chief accuser of the brethren than like the righteous Jews they ought to be as commanded by the Law. Jesus warns them about the intensifying of their suffering which is about to happen in which they will be imprisoned and after ten days they will be put to death for holding onto their faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus tells them to be faithful even though it costs them their lives. 11 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Those who are victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. These saints in Smyrna were called to be bearers of the Gospel light. The first death may engulf them but they will never be affected by the second death where the devil and his angels will be cast into the everlasting lake of fire (Gehenna). Smyrna continued THE COMMENDATION & CRITICISM Jesus’s commendation is highly significant because He has no major criticism ! Ephesians 2:9 says: “ I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not but are a synagogue of Sata n." Jesus said He knew four things about the church in Smyrna: 1. Jesus knows their good works. "I know your works:" That is the same phrase Jesus used when speaking to the church of Ephesus. The church in Smyrna likewise was working as unto the Lord, and Jesus recognized their ministry. God knows your works today. God sees. God knows. God will not overlook it. 2. Jesus knows their pain. The Greek word can be translated: tribulation, affliction, trouble, anguish, persecution, burdens. We could probably add the word pain. Jesus is saying, “I know you look afflicted and poor, but I consider you rich!" God sees your afflictions today. Why does it seem to take suffering to remind us that God is sovereign and will work everything out for our good and His glory? Romans 8:28 ("All things work together for good to those who love God"). We have the choice of how we to respond to all our problems. We need to have a scriptural view of suffering. Consider myrrh, of which the city of Smyrna was named after. When the myrrh fruit was crushed, it releases an aroma and was also used to anoint the priests. If you have suffered, you are now someone who can use that pain to minister to others. What an appropriate gift for Jesus from the Magi: gold (for a king), frankincense (for a burial) and myrrh (to anoint a priest). We can be most effective after we have been greatly bruised and crushed--and an aroma that is pleasing to the Lord arises from our suffering.” 3. Jesus knows their poverty. In fact, Jesus states that they are rich! The word for poverty means abject or absolute poverty. They had absolutely nothing . That was because of the persecution from Satan they were facing. Jesus is aware of us when we are in a helpless state, both spiritually and otherwise. Jesus sees what you are going through today. 4. Jesus knows their persecution. "And I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not but are a synagogue of Satan." The Jews in Smyrna were particularly against Christianity. It didn't help that Christians replaced the catchphrase of Caesar worship, "Caesar is LORD" with "Jesus is LORD’’ when you are abandoning the compulsory worship of the state emperor. Jesus is saying that when we face persecution and trouble from people, do not forget who your adversary is really. It is not the person in front of you, it is Satan ! Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:12 that, "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." You are not fighting against your colleagues, your teachers, your in-laws, your clients, that especially hostile guy in the workplace, the people slandering you on their blog, or through that email they sent you—your struggle is not against flesh and blood! It is against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms! Who writes their lines ? THE CORRECTION "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation 10 days. Be faithful until death , and I will give you the crown of life. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”’ Jesus' correction for them is not to fear . They were about to have 10 days of tribulation, including prison. This could have literally been 10 days, or as some have said there were the 10 years that the Rome violently persecuted Christians during this time. Either way, what is most important is that their suffering would be temporary . This promise would encourage them that there was an end in sight to their suffering . It is a sobering thought that Jesus did not spare them, but rather told them it is about to get worse, a lot worse, perhaps even resulting in death. The Christians had a choice, to compromise or to be faithful. You see, Caesar worship was required by Rome. If you persisted with Jesus is Lord and not Caesar, you would be at risk of execution. What would you do? Many of us would probably run from suffering because of fear, and we would just lie and get the certificate to spare our lives and the lives of our families. But Jesus here says, “ Don’t be afraid; don’t run! ” THE REWARD-THE CROWN Sometimes we are surprised by our suffering. It seems to come out of nowhere. And sometimes it seems like it will never end. But we are not to be surprised. We are to be ready . We are to endure to the end, even if that end includes death. Why? Because Jesus promises a crown. For the Smyrnaeans, it would be the crown of life--to not be hurt by the second death. Consider Jesus, and the suffering He endured. "Gethsemane" means "olive press." It has the same meaning that myrrh does. Jesus had to suffer, to give His life as a ransom for many. He did so for others, for you and me. Peter, who was eyewitness to Jesus' suffering, uses this as the motivation for you and me in our sufferings: " Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for human desires, but rather for the will of God" ( 1 Peter 4:1-2 ). "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings . And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen"( 1 Peter 5:8-11 ). Further thoughts Had the church in Smyrna been the most prepared of the 7 churches for the ultimate test of probable martyrdom? What do you think? For those who stand strong amid severe trials, the best is yet to come . We will receive the “crown of life” and reign with Jesus forever. Be encouraged, child of God. Buckle up your armour and get back into the fray . Do not run from the troubles of life. You are richer and better equipped than you think. Jesus is coming back soon! Jesus knows your troubles. He knows your poverty. He knows your enemies. Jesus says, “ Do not fear. Be faithful, and I will give you the crown of lif e.” Are we willing to be faithful to the Lord no matter the cost? Amen Personal Prayer For an in depth study on the church at Smyrna see Pilgrim Benham (Calvary Chapel)-COMFORT THROUGH THE HARD TIMES: LESSONS FROM THE CHURCH OF SMYRNA [1] Greek peirazo Lit; test, try , assay. The testing of the believer’s strength , loyalty, faith , patience etc. i.e. testing of direction and character. [2] Numbers chapters 22-25 and 31 see also 2 Peter 2:15 and Jude 11.

What can we learn from them? With almost all these churches, there is a commendation, a criticism, and a correction. To the Church in Ephesus-wrong priorities Ephesus was the first church to be founded in Asia Minor and could be described as the church that no longer loves as it should. Revelation 2:1 “To the angel [ a ] of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Jesus Christ is speaking and shows His authority over the angels of the seven churches by indicating that they are in His right hand and shows His intimate care and concern for the seven churches by walking amongst them. Jesus praises their works, their endeavour and the ‘stick-ability’ to His cause. He also praises the fact that they cannot stomach false teachers and have rightly discerned such even including false apostles. Nevertheless the Ephesian church had stuck fast to their faith putting up with the various difficulties and persecutions and continued in a tireless way with their Christian service. 2:4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favour: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Their initial spiritual spontaneity and vitality had given way to a dour routine service done out of duty rather than out of love. They have fallen away from the intimate first love of the Saviour and he commands them to do a U-turn back to Him and rekindle the first love with Him again. If they refuse to do this Jesus threatens that He will take away the witness of this church, in other words they will no longer bear the light of the Gospel and will cease to be a ‘spiritually alive’ church. It is sad to think that this actually happened. The Nicolaitans are thought to be those people who made light of sin (anti-nomianism) and were happy to join in the pagan festivals eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols and taking part in immoral pagan practices. 2:7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To those who are victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God . They need to hear this message with their spiritual ears and take onboard what the Holy Spirit is saying to them. This is like military combat and the prize of eternal life is waiting for those who overcome the world, the flesh and the devil. The fruit of the tree of life is infinitely better food than the meat that has been sacrificed to idols and brings everlasting life. The Ephesus church had got its priorities mixed up! If your church is like the one in Ephesus, you will be getting some things right. J esus commends them for three things: 1. Duty and responsibilities : They were hard-working, busy servants. Lots of work--but busyness in a church does not always mean the Spirit is at work. Often when things are simple, you can focus your energy on what is most important, things like in Acts 2:42 instead of all the flurry of things some churches expend all their energy doing. But Jesus was commending them for their good works. 2. Doctrine : The church at Ephesus could not bear those who were evil. They would check out, test, and confirm if someone were true or false according to Biblical orthodoxy, and if they were false, the church would rightly reject with their teaching. The word "bear" is the same word used of Jesus carrying the cross. This church could not bear the weight of wrong doctrine. They could not carry it and would not tolerate it. The church of Ephesus knew good doctrine; they knew what they believed. Oh that, the church of Jesus Christ today be more like Ephesus on that specific point! Many Christians today cannot even explain the Gospel clearly or communicate sound doctrine. 3. Determination : They were persevering and hanging on in there despite a lot of hardship, attack, and suffering. Jesus says, "You have not become weary." That is incredible! They were the marathon runners of the church! Many people give up as soon as there is a problem in their faith, but not the church of Ephesus. So, with all these positives, did Jesus just stop there? Ephesus seems a great church to be a part of. However it is less important if you are doing amazing things for God, than if you have separated yourself from the love of God. The Criticism How could we possibly forget our first love, the Lord Jesus? Here are four possible ways that we can leave our first love: 1. We can replace love for the Lord with rules and duty. Our dealings with the Lord must be more than a set of rules which are not based on a personal relationship with him. Perhaps this is what happened to the Ephesian Church? Perhaps they began to set up rigid rules and guidelines and end up serving God but out of duty, not out of desire. Obligation does not necessarily mean love. How does your own church rate in this matter? 2. We can replace love for the Lord with feelings and emotion Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. God created us with emotions, so we could be limiting our personal expression of the imago Dei if we suppressed all emotions? Jesus wept over Jerusalem, had compassion for the crowds who were unshepherded, drove out in anger the money changers from the temple. We read in Scripture that the Holy Spirit can be grieved. These are all emotional responses, and we would probably be stinting on our love for God if we were always suppressing our joy or sadness. But by the same token, we should not base the quality or reality of our love simply on how we raise our hands, pray our prayers, or cry our tears. ''True love is not a feeling by which we are overwhelmed. It is a committed, thoughtful decision ." (Dr M Scott Peck) Have we replaced our love for the Lord with emotion? Has your church fellowship left your first love? 3. We can replace love with works. The church at Ephesus had gotten so bogged down with their heresy hunting that they forgot that church is where people experience the love of God and the love of God’s people . What we tend to find in most modern churches is that our people are saturated with committed busy-ness. How many of us stand exposed as being bogged down in the busy works of Christianity instead of choosing what is better (like Mary vs Martha)? 4. We can replace love with disinterest Sometimes we become desensitized to the things of God because they become over familiar. Instead of keeping our zeal for the Lord as we serve Him, we get bored by the same old routines. When there is a lack of desire in your heart for the things of God it is time for a renewing of your mind! The church of Ephesus had warm hands but cold hearts . Could that describe us today in our relationship with God? Once a thriving spiritual community, the Ephesian believers diverted their attention from Christ, to works done in His name . They had lost sight of what was most important in their relationship with Christ— their love for Him. Perhaps that is where many modern churches are today. Forgetting the height from which we have fallen, we need to repent that we may experience times of refreshing from the Lord once again. We must return to our first love and remember that He first loved us. That first love--that pure love--the love that never lets you go--the love that accepts you even now--with all your rebellion and coolness toward Him--is available for each one of us. We may not find the perfect church--but we have certainly discovered perfect love. Summary: This type of church needs to get their priorities straightened out and return to their first love. Remedial Actions (pardon the alliteration): Remember. Repent. Return. Amen Personal Prayer Further thoughts on Ephesus It is widely accepted in business circles, that often our strengths and weaknesses can be two sides of the same coin. An example might be our determination to forge ahead is usually an asset but what about the other side of the coin, by which we ignore what other people are saying , this can indeed be a weakness! Could it be that the Ephesian church because of their zeal for duty and pure doctrine became desensitised to love and gave it a lower priority? Our first love for God cannot be easily separated from our love for the church. They had lost the balance and were putting doctrine and duty ahead of their for the church family. This is tricky because duty and doctrine are indeed important but must be balanced with our love and care for the Lord and his church family. It is possible today that many churches have got their priorities mixed up? What about your church? For an in depth treatment of the Church in Ephesus we recommend Pilgrim Benham (Calvary Chapel): A letter to a modern church.

Ch 1 Correcting the belief in Jesus plus anything else The gospel had been preached and received in Galatia, which region today would be found in modern Turkey. The apostle Paul wrote this letter to the churches of Galatia. The main thrust of the letter is to bring correction to the churches because Judaizing teachers had arisen, saying, that faith in Christ alone was not enough for salvation but that the Christians had also to keep the mosaic law (including circumcision). These legalistic teachers had also tried to discredit Paul, by unfavourably comparing him with the other apostles. They tried to discredit Paul so that they could also discredit his teaching. The message of Galatians is still important today as there are still people around trying to add things (believe in Jesus and …something else) onto the gospel and bringing men into bondage. Paul then emphasises the great teaching of justification by faith alone without the works of the law and exhorts them to walk in the wonderful liberty given to them and us by Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle--sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead-- 2 and all the brothers with me, To the churches in Galatia: 3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age , according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. A true apostle and a true message. 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel -- 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one, we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned ! Not just life or death, but eternal. 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! There is only one true message. 10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men ? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. What about you, are you a man-pleaser? 11 I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. How Paul became an apostle. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus. 18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles--only James, the Lord's brother. 20 I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie. 21 Later I went to Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." 24 And they praised God because of me. Paul did not go to the other apostles or bible school, nor a seminary, he was in no way inferior to them or dependent upon them. His calling was direct from the Lord. Summary of key learning points 1. Paul is a true apostle. He was not called, commissioned nor taught by any man; he was directly called by Our Lord. 2. There is one true gospel, that we are justified by faith alone without the works of the law. 3. The one true gospel is believed in Jesus, not believe and Jesus and anything else. 4. It is crucial we know and understand the basis of the gospel, so that no one can take away our wonderful liberty Christ has purchased by his blood and death for us. Amen Your prayer