First Baptist Church, Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Devotional: Galatians 2:11-14

Today’s passage: Galatians 2:11-14

Helpful thoughts:

  • This disagreements over the Gospel was so important that it was worth Paul and Peter getting into a public confrontation.
  • When Peter “separated himself” from the Gentiles, he chose sides.  The language here takes his actions beyond neutrality.  Peter had joined the Judaizers in that moment out of fear.
    • Peter’s fearful decision carried great consequences and this event became a moment of truth for the ministry of the Gospel in Antioch and beyond.
    • Paul called Peter out in a public way because Peter’s abandonment was also public.
  • Peter repented!  (1 Peter 1:13-21)

Questions to consider:

  1. Why is it so important to get the Gospel right?
  2. In that moment, who was loving God and people more?
  3. Why is fearing man a hypocrisy for the Christian?  What does fearing man/culture result in?

Devotional: Galatians 2:1-10

Today’s passage: Galatians 2:1-10

Helpful thoughts:

  • This trip to Jerusalem is recorded in Acts 15 and was called the Jerusalem Council.
  • The nature of this false addition to the Gospel is now specifically mentioned.  People called Judaizers were requiring men to be circumcised in order to be saved.
    • When Paul took Titus (a Gentile) to Jerusalem, the other apostles did not require him to be circumcised either.
    • These “false brothers” would have been Jews posing as Christians in the meetings trying to stir up controversy.
      • This means the false teaching wasn’t special to the churches in Galatia and was being refuted by all of the apostles, everywhere it was being taught.
  • There is only one Gospel message.
    • Time doesn’t change it.
    • Culture doesn’t change it.

Questions to consider:

  1. What approach did the apostles have to take toward those who were trying to add to the Gospel message?  Did they encourage fellowship and say they were on the same team?  Why is that so important?
  2. Did Paul doubt the validity of the Gospel message he was teaching until a bunch of other people confirmed it?  Why was he sharing this account with the members of the churches in Galatia?
  3. Where do we get the Gospel message from?  Why can we have so much confidence in its accuracy?

Devotional: Galatians 1:11-24

Today’s passage: Galatians 1:11-24

Helpful thoughts:

  • Paul’s former desire was to become a great Pharisee and persecute the church.
  • God set Paul apart before he was ever born and called Paul by grace.
  • Paul was not taught how to preach or what to preach by the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem.
    • He was not trying to raise up the ranks of the church as he had among the Pharisees.
    • He was not coerced by any to teach for the praise of man.

Questions to consider:

  1. What were some major changes in Paul from before to after his conversion?
  2. Why would he want people to know that the fear of man was not affecting his preaching?
  3. Even thought the fear of man certainly looks like we “care” about others, how is it actually more about us?

Devotional: Galatians 1:6-10

Today’s passage: Galatians 1:6-10

Helpful thoughts:

  • If someone adds to or takes away from the Gospel:
    • It is not the Gospel.
    • It is contrary to the Gospel.
    • It is distortion and trouble.
    • “Let him (Or her) be accursed.”
  • Paul was going to lose “fans” by confirming these truths.  But he wasn’t into gaining fans.  He wanted to please God.
    • Matthew 6:24 – No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Questions to consider:

  1. What is the Gospel? (Here is another helpful resource)  Have you repented, confessed your sin, asked God to forgive you and put all your trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross?  Is Jesus your Lord and Savior?
  2. There are many people who say they are Christians but do not know how to explain the Gospel.  Why do you think that is?
  3. Do people who add requirements to the message of the Gospel call themselves Christians?  Do they tend to live morally compared to the rest of the world?  Do they go to church and encourage you to do so as well?
  4. Why is it easy to call out false teaching in the world but hard to call out false teaching in our community?

Devotional: Galatians 1:1-5

Today’s passage: Galatians 1:1-5

Helpful thoughts:

  • An apostle is one who is sent with a commission.  The Apostles of the Church are those who were specifically sent by Christ Himself. Paul’s apostleship was unique in that his sending was after Christ’s resurrection on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19, 1 Corinthians 15:5-8).
    • The authenticity of Paul’s apostleship was going to be brought into question by those opposing the Gospel message in and around the churches in Galatia.
  • Because Paul’s calling, commission and confidence was from God, he was not swayed by the pressure of the opinions of men.
    • This epistle is going to be about the doctrine of salvation, and also about the fear of man.
  • Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God has given us grace (Unmerited, unearned favor) and peace (We are no longer at enmity with God or under His condemnation).
    • This Gospel message is unlike anything the world could offer or create religiously.
    • This occurred according to the will of God, not as a result of our desires or imagination.

Questions to consider:

  1. Why would it not make sense for a person to call themselves and apostle today?  What is a person who calls themselves an apostle today saying about themselves and what they have seen, heard and/or are saying to their hearers?
  2. Why is it so important that we know the message of the Gospel did not come from a person’s mind?
  3. What are two things Paul writes that God the Father or Jesus Christ did in these verses that man could never do? (Hint: look at verse 1 and verse 4)  How does knowing who God is and what He is like help us to not worry so much about what people think?

Devotional: Daniel 12:5-13

Today’s passage: Daniel 12:5-13

Helpful thoughts:

  • From the time of the Anti-Christ’s turn against the Jews to the “time of the end”.  (This is called the Great Tribulation.)
    • A time = 1 year
    • Times = 2 years
    • Half a time = 6 months
      • 3.5 years – This is the second half of the final week mentioned in Daniel 9.
  • The other marker used is another “abomination of desolation” similar to that of Anitiochus Epiphanes.  The idea being that the Anti-Christ will make himself to be god, thereby ending the worship of God in the Temple.
    • 1,290 days = Using 30 days as representative of a month (Which is in line with the Jewish calendar), this amount of days adds one more month to the 3.5 years.
    • 1,335 days = …plus another month and a half.  Perhaps the blessing of those who waits and arrives at the end of this day is blessed because they have witnessed the beginning of the promised millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ.
  • God’s commandment and promise to Daniel:
    • Go live out the remainder of your life.
    • “You shall rest” (Daniel is in heaven today).
    • “You shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days” (Daniel will experience resurrection.  He has an allotted place and purpose in the kingdom of God and in eternity!)

Questions to consider:

  1. Though a Great Tribulation is coming, what is promised to those who believe and follow God?
  2. Can you think of any Scriptures in the New Testament that give the same kinds of promises to Christians? (A little help… 2 Corinthians 5:1-10, John 14:1-3, Revelation 20:4)
  3. How do the promises of God’s grace in the future encourage you to live for Him today?

Devotional: Daniel 12:1-4

Today’s passage: Daniel 12:1-4

Helpful thoughts:

  • “At that time” is still referring to the end.  Specifically, the time nearing the end of the tribulation.
  • The Jews who believe (“Everyone whose name is in the book”) in the end times will be delivered from the Anti-Christ.
  • Resurrection and judgment will take place (Revelation 20:11-15).

Questions to consider:

  1. What does it mean to be delivered?  Is that something we can do on our own or something that has to be done for us?  Who is our deliverer?
  2. What is true of all those who are delivered?  How is a person’s name written in the book?  What must be true of them? (If you aren’t sure, follow this link!)
  3. Has our knowledge of the end times increased with the completion of the Scriptures?  Are people still running “to and fro” without applying the weight of the reality of what is going to happen?  What has God called us to do with the knowledge we have?

Devotional: Daniel 11:40-45

Today’s passage: Daniel 11:40-45

Helpful thoughts:

  • It makes sense that the king of the north and the Anti-Christ are the same person in this passage.  Antiochus Epiphanes was referred to as the king of the north in the previous passage and served as a type for the coming “king” of the end-times.
  • The Anti-Christ may be alarmed by activities around him, but no human advance will overpower him.  He will continue to win and conquer, until God brings his end.
  • After completing his earthly conquest, the Anti-Christ will set up his headquarters (“Palatial tents”) in Israel.

Questions to consider:

  1. What has been true of every kingdom and king depicted in these visions, even that of the Anti-Christ?
  2. How does remembering the effects of the curse of sin and the reality of man’s (and even Satan’s) inferiority to God prevent us from putting our hopes in the kingdoms and nations of this world? (Psalm 20)
  3. Who is your king?

Devotional: Daniel 11:29-39

Today’s passage: Daniel 11:29-39

Helpful thoughts:

  • This passage continues the prophecy concerning Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
  • Antiochus was defeated while attempting to wage war in Egypt in 168 B.C.  In anger and humiliation after the defeat, he decided to take out his anger on the Jews.
    • A massacre ensued.
    • False gods were erected in the Temple and swine (Considered “unclean” by the Jews because of the Law of God) were sacrificed.  This event has been called the abomination of desolation (“The abomination that makes desolate” vs. 31).
  • Some of the Jewish people persevered in their commitment to worship of the Lord.  Other Jews determined to be loyal to the Greeks.
  • The transition from verse 35 to 36 begins a set of events and characteristics of the king that have not occurred yet.  Many believe the next several verses no longer refer to Antiochus, but instead to the Anti-Christ.

Questions to consider:

  1. How did Antiochus view himself compared to other people if he was able to destroy them in order to “vent” his anger?  When we hurt others in our anger, who are we trying to please and how are we viewing ourselves and others?
  2. What was Antiohcus’ view of God?  How did that impact his decisions?  What does a high view of God result in?
  3. What does it mean at the end of verse 36 when it says, “for what is decreed shall be done.”?  Who is the One who makes decrees?  Who will ultimately be in control, even when the Anti-Christ appears to be winning in the last days?