going viral

James 3:15 – 16

15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

Who do you like on TV? Who do you see on TV or any entertainment that you think : that is cool person, I want to hang out with them. For me: Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, Bono, Zoey Deschanel, Neil Patrick Harris, Ron Hextall… these are some people I would love to have coffee with. They seem like “down to earth people”, we always say that about actors or performers who make us feel safe and trusting. How many times though, do those people seem so “real” and “down to earth”, but then you hear someone who actually had the chance to meet them and you find out they really are just acting – in real life they are a jerk.

This week during a Draft week interview on live tv a reporter was asking a big named ESPN analyst questions in an interview. He asks one question and the guy being interviewed turned into a complete jerk, “you can’t ask me questions that we didn’t go over ahead of time, what kind of…” he treated this reporter like junk and made it sound like he himself was so important and the other guy was nothing. Just a jerk. He did it because he thought they were taping this interview, he didn’t know it was live! Seriously, when the other guy mentioned that they are live the jerk froze, “live? Uh, can we start over”. No you can’t start over!

See sometimes we put on a front and we pretend to be this kind and gentle person when people are watching (when we are “live”) but then when its back to normal then we are a jerk. This passage here is referencing the verses before that say You might be a wise person, but if you have “jelousy and selfish ambition in your hearts” … you are being false to the truth. You can be a good person, you can be very wise…  but if you are doing it for yourself and not for God, it’s just not gonna last. One day the whole fake charade will come crumbling down and it will hurt, or even worse sometimes we convince ourselves that we are wise and have pure hearts but in reality we are all about ourselves… and sometimes one by one everyone else around us starts to notice it. Getting caught on live camera and going viral lets everyone know at once, but if that wasn’t life and that guy just mistreated the reporter off the air, still that reporter would know that he was fake… and one by one the people around him would realize how fake he really was. Is it like that for you? The more that people spend time with you do they come to realize that you are the real deal or that you are a fake?

1. We are all flawed, we all have areas that we are fake in, and hopefully we are working on that. What is some area that you struggle with?

2. How can you take small steps to making your life real in public and in private?

3. “This is not the _______ that comes down from above, but is _______, unspiritual, demonic.”

4. Take a minute and journal about this.

You?? You?? You go there?

James 3:6-9 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

So we were out of town over the weekend of Easter and I heard it got really windy here in Phoenixville. The morning after I got home we got a text from my wife with a picture of our bunny cage – the roof had blown off while we were gone. My terrible wife was disappointed because the bunny didn’t jump out and run away (she doesn’t like pets) but when given the chance to bounce free our bunny stayed in his cage. The bunny is trained to stay in the cage if it wants to be fed. The bunny also has a little plastic “potty” in his cage … he’s not perfect but he’s pretty much potty trained…  took longer for my kids to get potty trained. If you have pets you know that you can train them to do stuff. Animals can be tamed and trained, some people even tame wild animals (don’t do that it’s dumb) but people do it with good success.

This passage says that an animal can be tamed but the human tongue is a different story.

When I was in high school as a freshman and sophomore I played football. I also was very active in the school Bible study. One day the big name Senior quarterback Bobby Green came walking into the locker room and asked something about the school’s Bible study and where it was meeting that night. Now Bobby had never come to the Bible study, I would have noticed that, everyone noticed what Bobby Green did. If he started coming to the Bible Study then everyone would start coming!! Imagine how cool that would be that we could be getting the Gospel out to all the cool kids in the school and then all the other kids would want to come too. So Bobby is asking in the locker room about where the Bible study is and so I answered and told him who’s house it was at. He stopped, looked at me, then laughed ..  “Harkins, you don’t go to a Bible Study!”. You see, when I was at Youth Group and around my Christian friends I was a Super-Christian, I was like leading stuff at Youth Group. Around my family I was also a Super-Christian…  but in the locker room…  that was different. In the locker room and on the football field I pretty much cursed like a Norwegian sailor. I loved Jesus, but I had a terrible mouth because I wanted to fit in…   Now Bobby Green, most popular kid in school, is interested in the Bible and when I try to talk he actually laughed because he didn’t believe I had anything to do with the Bible or God.   Ouch.

The tongue is so hard to tame. It’s been years since I’ve cursed or taken God’s name in vain. I just don’t talk like that anymore, I can get proud because I have tamed that tongue…  well, until I get into an argument with my wife. The woman I love more then my life itself but if I get stuck on myself and end up arguing with her I know exactly what to say to hurt her. It’s awful that we hurt the ones that we love, but it's true we do it and it usually comes from our tongue. It’s so hard to tame the tongue. Without God, it’s simply impossible.

1. When is the last time that you wounded someone with your tongue (words).

2. You don’t tame anything without a plan – what do you plan to do to make yourself choose better choices with your tongue?

3. With it we _________ our Lord and Father, and with it we _________ people who are made in the likeness of God.

4. Take a minute to journal about this topic.

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Written by Jeffrey Harkins

i talk like a sailor.

James 1:26-27

 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Religious - thrēskos (fearing or worshiping God, to tremble)

vv. 26, 27: Religion - thrēskeia (external religious worship, religious discipline)

Hi, my name is Sarah Rowland Davis; I was born into a loving and supportive Christian family. I grew up going to church my whole life, going on missions trips, going to a Christian school (aside from being homeschooled), and I was very involved in all of the church activities. I was religious if you asked my family, church friends, and some of my homeschool/high school friends. But if you were to ask my non-Christian friends if I was religious they would laugh and say “well not when we are around…” Aside from my “religious” background, I would curse, rebel against my parents, rebel against God, and do all the things I knew I shouldn’t do. I was a two-faced, lying, hypocrite. I could not control my tongue, I was fooling myself and everyone around me, my religion was <WORTHLESS.> I can now honestly come before you and God and say I am still a hypocrite, but by the Grace of God He has changed my life drastically. I have put my faith and religion before God so He can make it pure and genuine. ~ You may be thinking; “well how does she do that?” and my answer would be: I know I am a sinner, I know I mess up I know I cannot do this by myself, I know I need God for my religion to be real. So I humble myself before the Lord and rely on Him for the things I try to rely on myself or others for, I seek His forgiveness when I fail and I move forward from my past, I am in His word daily and I am always finding time and ways to talk to Him. I am refusing to let this world corrupt me! Anything is possible with Jesus Christ. *Keep in mind, this verse is not saying to only do these 3 commands and your religion will be pure, those are just some examples of being a servant to the Lord.

Galatians 5:13 “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.”

Answer This:

1.  Would you say you have a fake or genuine religion? Why or why not?

2.  What are some ways you can go about keeping your religion pure and genuine?

3.  Are you using your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature? or are you using your freedom to keep your religion pure and genuine? How so?  

Take some time in your day to read/ focus on God’s word and talk to Him (aside from this devotional). That is how your relationship with Him grows

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Written by Sarah Davis

they will know we are Christians by our...

See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. (Galatians 6:11-16 ESV)

All these passages that we've looked at throughout the book of Galatians have been focused on this whole topic of circumcision versus uncircumcision. Paul's bringing the book to a close, and is making a few final points. His emphasis here is that all this really isn't about whether you're circumcised or not.
People who are saying that circumcision is necessary are doing so in order to have an outward sign to prove that they are spiritual. But just because they are circumcised doesn't mean that they actually are spiritual. You can look the part all you want, but you have to actually live it out.
It's not about whether you were circumcised or not, the truth is that once you've accepted Christ, you are a new creation!

Now how does this apply to us? When they are talking about circumcision, it was an additional requirement they were adding onto salvation. Gentiles were believing in Jesus, but then men in the church would tell them that they needed to be circumcised in order to be saved. So this applies to anything that we tack onto salvation. So maybe it's baptism, or maybe it's church attendance or maybe it's doing devos or anything that we force as an additional requirement.

In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul says it this way, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

God has saved us by grace through faith. Circumcision or baptism or any other works are not necessary!** Being human as we are, we would twist these works into something to brag about. In both passages, Paul makes it clear that the only thing we should be bragging about it Jesus.

(**Side note- there’s nothing wrong with circumcision, baptism or works. They are just not actions that will save you. Jesus got circumcised, baptized and did lots of good works and so I’d recommend following His lead. These are ways we can show Him our love and obedience to Him.)

The last thing Paul talks about here is the reason for all of this. Peace and mercy will be upon us as new creations. We are under grace not the Law. We have the freedom to make choices about how we live. But if we truly love God, we will choose to keep his commandments (see 1 John 5:3). When we are living under grace and loving God, we will experience the peace and mercy Paul is talking about.

Answer This:

1) Is there a time where by grace you been saved through faith? (If your answer is no, find a parent or youth leader that you can talk to about this!)

2) For neither _______________counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new _______________.

3) Do your actions show that you love God? Are you making outward changes to your life, without making them inside? Are you being a hypocrite by acting like you’re a good Christian when your heart is far from the Lord?

4) Take a minute to journal about this passage.

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Written by Amber Carter

If I hadn’t gotten sick…

Galatians 4:12-20

12 Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles—free from those laws.

You did not mistreat me when I first preached to you. 13 Surely you remember that I was sick when I first brought you the Good News. 14 But even though my condition tempted you to reject me, you did not despise me or turn me away. No, you took me in and cared for me as though I were an angel from God or even Christ Jesus himself. 15 Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then? I am sure you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me if it had been possible. 16 Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?

17 Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay attention only to them. 18 If someone is eager to do good things for you, that’s all right; but let them do it all the time, not just when I’m with you.

19 Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives. 20 I wish I were with you right now so I could change my tone. But at this distance I don’t know how else to help you.

Have things ever just not gone the way you planned? Maybe you thought you were going to get the chance to hang out with a friend, but something came up and you had to reschedule. Or, maybe you were going to take a day trip to the beach, but were sick and couldn’t do so.

Well, in Galatians 4:13 Paul reveals that the only reason he preached the Gospel to the church in Galatia in the first place was because he was sick and could not continue on his journey. Paul worried that he would be a burden to the people, but they “received him as an angel of God” and did not scorn or despise him for his illness even though it was a trial to them.

Paul experienced what many of us do all the time, an unwanted change of plans, but he was able to make the best of it and preach to the church in Galatia. The people there had so much respect for Paul that he said, “you would have gouged out your eyes, and given them to me.”

The first time Paul was in Galatia the people adored him and were very receptive of his message, but something was different this time. Paul asks, “What then has become of your blessedness?” and “Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?” The people didn’t want to hear what Paul had to say anymore and no longer accept him.

Paul reminds the church that they should be doing good and serving God even when he  was not present and then addressed them as his little children. By doing this, he lets them know that he feels responsible for them and wants what is best in a way similar to that of a father.

We should, unlike the church in Galatia, be careful not to only do good when we are in church or around a certain person, but live our lives for God all the time and not change our personalities or actions depending on the situation.

Questions:

1.   Are you living more like the Galatians the first or second time Paul visited them?

2.   What changes do you need to make in your life in order to become more the church during Paul’s first visit?

3. “Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through ________ pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully __________ in your lives.”

4. Take some time and journal about this passage.

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Written by Hannah

downward facing hypocrite pose

Galatians 2:15-16

15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

 Let me break this down a little bit for you:

We are made right with God by our faith in Him, not by obeying the law. No one will ever be made right by just obeying the law.

Paul is talking to Peter, or more so reprimanding him for his hypocrisy. Starting in verse 11 (please open your Bible to check it out) we see that Peter is eating and drinking with the Gentiles but when his friends come around he would not eat with them anymore in fear of being criticized. Now this passage isn’t saying Peter was sinning by being with these people, Paul had to oppose him to his face because of the hypocrisy he was showing. Peter was okay with socializing with these people when the leaders weren’t looking, but as soon as they came around he then acted as if it were wrong. Then Paul goes on to explain that it is NOT the law that makes us right, it is only by our faith in The Lord Jesus Christ. If I were to wear yoga pants every day at work but at church lecture the girls about not wearing yoga pants, I would be a hypocrite right? Well that is exactly what Paul is telling Peter.

Answer This:

1.   Have you ever tried to live like non-Christians to “get them saved,” or win their approval?

2.   Have you ever been called out for being a hypocrite? (If yes, why? If no, maybe you need to ask yourself: Am I living like a Christian? Am I living like a non-Christian? or Am I trying to live like both?)

3.   How would you react to being called out like Peter was?

4.   Are you trying to be a good person only living by some laws? (stay out of trouble, no stealing, no lying, no sexual immorality, no filthy language…) Or are you relying on Christ with your faith and actions? (daily Bible reading, prayer, godly fellowship, godly choices because it's right, discipleship, sharing your faith…)

5. Take a minute and journal about this passage.

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Written by Sarah

the worst party on Earth

Galatians 2:11-14

10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.

In Galatians 2:11-14 Paul opposes Peter, or Cephas. Paul and Peter were friends and working together to advance the Kingdom of God, but when Paul felt that Peter was not living out the Gospel, he was not afraid to “oppose him to his face because he stood condemned.” 

I’m sure that there have been times in all of our lives when we knew something was wrong, but were too afraid to stand up for what we believed in because we were afraid of what people might think of us or that we could ruin a friendship. In this instance, however, Paul demonstrates that nothing is more important than what God wants us to do and is willing to endure the conflict with Peter if it means obeying God.

The passage says that “before certain men cam from James, he Peter was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.”

In Acts 10:28, after a vision about how God can make even unclean animals acceptable to eat Peter says, “You yourself know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.” After this, Peter realizes that God wants him to preach to the Gentiles and begins to do so. After James comes, however, he stops and separates himself from the Gentiles. 

Peter stopped doing what God told him was right and Paul noticed it. He saw that Peter was being hypocritical and asked, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” Paul questions how he can expect the Gentiles to live like Jews if he is not even living like a Jew himself.

Answer This:

1.   Are there areas in your life where you know you should be standing up for what you believe in, but are too afraid to do so?

2.   Are you truly living as you say a Christian should or are you being hypocritical?

3. “For am I now seeking the _____________ of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please _________?”

4. Take a minute and journal about this passage.

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Written by Hannah