R Y A N S T R A T T O N

Unified Message

Galatians 2:2-5 ²I went there because of a revelation, and I laid out the gospel that I preach to the Gentiles for them. But I did it privately with the influential leaders to make sure that I wouldn’t be working or that I hadn’t worked for nothing. ³However, not even Titus, who was with me and who was a Greek, was required to be circumcised. ⁴But false brothers and sisters, who were brought in secretly, slipped in to spy on our freedom, which we have in Christ Jesus, and to make us slaves. ⁵We didn’t give in and submit to them for a single moment, so that the truth of the gospel would continue to be with you.

After Paul had spent his time re-learning the Scriptures and preaching across the land, he went back to Peter, James and the other apostles to meet with them to make sure the same message was being preached.

One of the things I enjoy about Bible Study is knowing each time we come to a particular passage we see something new. Likewise, when we discuss these passages with other people we can learn their viewpoint as well. There is value in studying on our own and learning from other people as well.

Since Paul was a representative of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles (non-Jewish people), he made sure the same gospel was being preached by the original apostles to the Jews. I can imagine that Paul was affirmed when he found out he was preaching the same message as Peter, James, John and the others.

This should still be true for us today. We can study on our own, and we can learn all of these wonderful theological concepts about the scriptures. We can even preach and teach these to other people. But, we should not just rely on what we have learned on our own for the simple reason that we need to be able to back up what we teach when someone comes along and attempts to distort the message into something you and I did not intend.

This is why it is important to have a group of people (whom we agree with and those we do not agree with) to discuss what we have learned. Doing this will help us think things through, and give even more strength to the message when we can say that God is working through these people who are giving the same message.

There will be times when people will come along and try to make you and I change our minds and get us to believe something completely different. It is easy to conform to what the culture around us says and try to place these same viewpoints and opinions in the mind and heart of God. But God asks us to trust in His Son, Jesus Christ, and the true message of good news for all people: grace is available to all, we just need to accept this grace to allow it to transform us.

Many people to do not want to hear they are wrong, but we should be careful not to dilute the incredible, awesome power and truth of Jesus Christ. It is in Christ that we are free, not by following rules other people want to place on us to “prove” how much of a Christian and follower of Christ we are. Christ breaks us free and allows us to not be slaves to sin, but rather loving children who do what God asks.

Paul knew the people who were with Jesus while he was still on this earth. My guess is he had great respect for them because they had that opportunity. We all need people in our lives who will hold us accountable and to keep us on the right track. We all need “spiritual parents” who will walk with us as we do the work that God calls us to do. The work Jesus Christ is with us in. The work the Holy Spirit gives us strength, wisdom and all we need to do the work.

#LiveFreeInChrist

It Takes Time

Galatians 2:1 “Then after fourteen years I went up to Jerusalem again with Barnabas, and I took Titus along also.”

Today I feel we should pause at this verse. There is something about this verse I believe speaks to our lives today and how we want things to happen quickly.

Here’s the basic timeline Paul has laid out from the end of chapter 1 to this verse today beginning chapter 2:

After Jesus revealed himself to Paul on the road to Damascus (and after the scales had been removed from his eyes), Paul went to Damascus and stayed there for three years. After this he went to Jerusalem for instruction with Peter for 15 days. Then he traveled to the churches of Syria and Cilicia, though they did not know him personally except by his former reputation. Now we get to today’s verse, “Then after fourteen years I went up to Jerusalem again with Barnabas, and I took Titus along also.”

Do you notice it? There is a span of at least 17 years described here of Paul’s life where he is learning, praying, discerning, teaching before he was really known and accepted as an apostle. It is easy for us to read this, and his story in the book of Acts, and not pay much attention to the amount of time and transformation took place in Paul’s life.

Remember Paul had all the education and credentials from his training in Judaism, but God wanted another form of training. God did not want Paul just to jump and, he gave Paul the gift of time in order to learn more about grace and about Jesus Christ.

In our instant gratification culture we live in today, how many of us like to wait for our goals? I don’t. I would rather my goals would be completed right away so I can move on to the next one. My guess is that you are like that too. But, what if we viewed the time it takes for the goals and dreams to be accomplished as a “gift?” Something else to think about, what if we looked at the time it took for us to realize our dream would not be accomplished as a “gift?”

Each day we have is a gift from God. When it takes awhile for a dream, goal, vision, etc. to be accomplished in our lives, God is giving us the chance to be different. God is allowing us time to be transformed into the creation he created us to be. God is working in our hearts so that we are stronger and have better character in the end. God is allowing us the time to appreciate what we have and what we are able to do. To focus on this goal so we can see the value in it.

Instead of multitasking or seeking immediate gratification, I invite you to see what you are doing and the time it is taking as a gift from God. Who knows what you’ll be able to do when it is all said and done; but you’ll have embraced the time to get it done right.

Paul would probably not have been so grace-filled, he may not have trusted the Lord like he did, he may not have been able to handle the prison time and the beatings he took if he did not take the time for God to change him and teach him.

Will you take this time this year?

#LiveFreeInChrist

A Holy Calling

Today we are at a point in the letter to the Galatians, Paul could be at a loss for words. Instead of keeping silent, Paul begins to prove why the message he gave to the Galatians is the right message and why/how he is commissioned to carry out this work.

Today we pick up Paul’s letter in Galatians 1:13-24.

¹³You heard about my previous life in Judaism, how severely I harassed God’s church and tried to destroy it. ¹⁴I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my peers, because I was much more militant about the traditions of my ancestors.¹⁵But God had set me apart from birth and called me through his grace. He was pleased ¹⁶to reveal his Son to me, so that I might preach about him to the Gentiles. I didn’t immediately consult with any human being. ¹⁷I didn’t go up to Jerusalem to see the men who were apostles before me either, but I went away into Arabia and I returned again to Damascus. ¹⁸Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. ¹⁹But I didn’t see any other of the apostles except James the brother of the Lord. ²⁰Before God, I’m not lying about the things that I’m writing to you! ²¹Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, ²²but I wasn’t known personally by the Christian churches in Judea. ²³They only heard a report about me: “The man who used to harass us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.”²⁴So they were glorifying God because of me.

Before we continue, I have a question for us to answer. How do you respond to those people who try to discredit you? If we are honest, we would say that we get flustered and angry. Then we go about trying to prove the people wrong; or worse, try and get revenge on them to discredit them. We see this all the time, especially when people are going for some kind of position no matter the level.

We would try to denounce our former way of life to show that is not us anymore and that we have changed. Paul seems to embrace is former life (murdering Christians, imprisoning Christians, being arrogant in his knowledge) and says, in essence, “this is who I used to be and I cannot change that.” He seems to have a common thread throughout his letters to demonstrate a “new creation” and that it is Christ who makes us “new.”

We need to remember that our past does not define us. It does show us, and others, who we were before our conversion to Christ (or even at points after our conversion – we are human after all). We can show people this is how we used to live and then compare it to how our lives are now. Christ has redeemed us from our sins and our past and we are made new in his image.

Then, Paul goes on to say something interesting in verses 15 & 16. Read the verses again. But God had set me apart from birth and called me through his grace. He was pleased ¹⁶to reveal his Son to me, so that I might preach about him to the Gentiles.

I LOVE how that sentence starts, “BUT God…” We can have the most rocky and unholy past, BUT GOD comes in to change us! How cool is that? This is what our testimonies should be about. “Yes I did…(fill in the blank). BUT GOD came in and changed everything!”

Paul continues to say something amazing that we know in our heads but sometimes have a hard time allowing this truth to sink into our hearts. God had set me apart from birth and called me…

Paul’s life was able to be transformed and God was able to use his past to be a preacher to the Gentiles (non-Jewish people). It always amazes me how God works.

Paul was set apart from birth. You were set apart from birth. Do you think you don’t have the credentials, the experience? What do you “think” you’re lacking to live the life you know God wants you to live? God has called you and somehow provides to make his calling be fruitful. The best part is that we do not need a lot of material items, because God calls us to be his witness (be his preacher) to those around us first (like our family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc). Then we go to the outer parts of the circle. That’s what Paul did.

His past reputation followed him where ever he went. Whenever Paul went to a place that did not know him, only heard of him, it was his former (violent) way of life the people knew. And that was okay because God was getting all the glory. Paul was able to say, “This is who I used to be, BUT GOD…”

What a testimony! We are now FREE from our past. We are now FREE to live into the life God has called us to live. The life set apart for us from our birth.

Tomorrow, we begin chapter 2.

#LiveFreeInChrist

People Pleasing?

Galatians 1:10-12: ¹⁰Am I trying to win over human beings or God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I wouldn’t be Christ’s slave.¹¹Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that the gospel I preached isn’t human in origin. ¹²I didn’t receive it or learn it from a human. It came through a revelation from Jesus Christ.

Who is easier to please: people or God? This is a good question for us to think about because it shows us our view of God and if we place people above God.

Why do you do the things you do? Remember yesterday, we talked about another group of people going behind Paul to add restrictions and new rules to the newly formed Christians. I imagine they would also tell the people that Paul was only traveling around for fame and money and not really believing in the gospel or caring about the people. So at the beginning of this letter, Paul has to set the record straight.

If you were Paul, what would you do? How would you feel? Since we are human, it is possible our reaction would be anger and become very defensive and revengeful. We could also just slip away and not say anything. Which reaction would you have?

Tomorrow we’ll look at Paul’s defense of his motives and what’s really in his heart. Today I invite us to think about what is more important: to please people or to please God? And who are you more likely to listen to?

We all want to be loved and noticed by other people. Some so that they would have prestige and fame. Some so they would have friends. Some even want to know their lives matter to others.

The entire letter to the Galatians reinforces the idea that we are free in Christ. We do not have to focus our lives on how others view us. We are children of the promise. We are set free, and free people demonstrate love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. People pleasing means we may have to compromise on these qualities, these “fruits of the Spirit.” But God pleasing means that we will live a life that points people to God, even if it cuts to the other person’s soul because they know something is off.

This should also help us think about what we say and what message we are giving. People pleasing will mostly tell people what they want to hear, making it more palatable and non-offensive. If, however, we are speaking the gospel truth (out of true love) then God will speak through us and say what the person(s) need to hear to guide them to a life with God as a focus and central point.

We all have our personal preferences; but we should be careful when we place these preferences in the gospel message of Jesus Christ. Just because we like something doesn’t mean it’s true. Also, just because we know something doesn’t mean we have to tell every person to show them how they are wrong (which really comes off to them that I am right, and then they can get defensive). Instead we speak the truth God reveals and then allow God to work in the life of the person (maybe through you).

So, who is more important to please: God or people? I believe God is easier to “please” because we know where he stands. People change and flow with opinions, circumstances, and knowledge. God never changes. His character is unchanging.

Today, I invite you and I to thoughtfully and prayerfully consider who we are more likely to try to make happy: God or people (even if the person is us). Then ask how we can shift toward and attitude and a lifestyle of pleasing God instead.

#LiveFreeInChrist

Gospel & Grace

I think it is amazing how Paul begins his letters to his people and churches with greetings of grace and peace and ends the same way. Then we enter into the meat of the letter which explains more of the teachings he gave and also of chastisement because the people were not living up to the expectations of the Gospel (mainly living out of love for God and each other). Paul also wanted to offer encouragement (even if brash) to keep the Christians on the path of Christ and to live by the true Gospel and not add anything or diminish any part of it. This is why I am reading the book of Galatians this month. I also invite you to join me to read it with me.

Galatians 1:

⁶I’m amazed that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ to follow another gospel. ⁷It’s not really another gospel, but certain people are confusing you and they want to change the gospel of Christ.⁸However, even if we ourselves or a heavenly angel should ever preach anything different from what we preached to you, they should be under a curse. ⁹I’m repeating what we’ve said before: if anyone preaches something different from what you received, they should be under a curse!

When Paul was preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of Galatia he was inviting them to live a life of freedom from the rules and regulations the religious people imposed on many of the people. Paul was preaching God’s grace and how if we live in this grace we are free from “forced” religious rules and now we give our lives to Christ voluntarily and out of love. We are not forced to live by the religious rules to “prove” how much faith we have; we live by grace which allows us to cheerfully give to God what is God’s (worship, finances, time, relationships). We live by the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

There are people who, even today, will try to add to the message of Christ. This is why we should pray, study the Bible, worship in groups so we have other people to hold us accountable and to remind us how we should live. In Paul’s time, there was a group of people known as the Judaizers who went around telling the new Christians they had to basically become a Jew first before becoming a Christian. This meant that circumcision was required, and if this act was not done then they were not true Christians. Just adding rules to keep people from really understanding grace.

We still do this today. Many of us would like to have a “check-off list” of things we need to do in order to live the Christian life. But that kind of life requires human effort and takes God out of the equation. When we live a life like this, we are in essence saying, “God, look what I’m doing for you. Now that I have fulfilled these requirements, you must accept me.” Grace does not work this way. Grace looks upon the heart.

If the motive we have in our hearts is love for God and love for people, then when we do the things on a list, we are actually doing them out of love. This is what I believe God looks at first. Not at what we do; but why we do what we do. A person can have the appearance of a Christian and their heart does not reflect it. Their actions toward others will prove this (quick tempered, impatient, unjust, prejudice).

Perverting the message of Jesus today can also look like this: we make Jesus into our image saying he only likes who we like and he hates who we hate. The message of the gospel is that Jesus meets us where we are but does not leave us as we are. We are new creations; transformed into the image of Christ.

I love this quote from John Wesley, “I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist in either Europe of America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out.”

As we begin this new year, I invite you (and I) to daily look at how we live our lives. Do we do things for God or do w e do things out of love for God? Be careful that we do not add or diminish the true message of the Gospel to fit out needs or desires. Live the message of grace and allow God’s love to shine through each one of us.

Challenge:

Write down things you believe to be true of Christians. Put a check mark to see which one(s) you live by. If there are any left unchecked, pray to ask God to give you the power to have those qualities in your life (i.e. the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5). Ask for forgiveness and allow God to change you so that no more excuses have to be made (i.e. “this is just how I am.”).

God’s grace is pursing you. This is the message of the gospel.

New Year

Grace and Peace to you this year and welcome to 2015!

From Paul, an apostle who is not sent from human authority or commissioned through human agency, but sent through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead; and from all the brothers and sisters with me. To the churches in Galatia. Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. He gave himself for our sins, so he could deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father. To God be the glory forever and always! Amen. (‭Galatians‬ ‭1‬:‭1-5‬ CEB)

The promise of a new year is a great reminder of the fresh mercies and new beginnings our God gives us constantly. We have new chances to walk and live in the freedom Christ gives.

The power of the Holy Spirit lives inside you and me and we are sent by the Holy Spirit into the world to show and remind people of the Good News of Jesus Christ.

So as New Year Resolutions are being made now we should remember the plea of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatians: to live into the calling God has given us, to remember what Christ has done for us, to be true representatives of grace and peace and allow our lives to reflect this, to give God glory in all we do forever and ever Amen.

It’s going to be easy to slip back into our normal and usual routines and forget what God has done and what we resolved to do this year. But God continually asks and commands us to be different and reflect His love and glory.

My prayer for each of us is to remember that we are called and sent out by God. You are commissioned to go into the world to spread the news Christ is alive! We have the promise of Christ in Matthew 28 that He will be with us even to the end of the age; and in Acts 1 that we will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us.

Imagine what will be unleashed this year when we know our calling, trust in Jesus Christ and give God glory in all we do.

Live in Christ’s freedom this year! Love God and love people. Amen

Battling the Giants

As they were heading over the field, they took cover behind some rocks and looked at the land. The land was beautiful. Everything they were promised and dreamed about. It was the perfect place for their tribe to settle down. All of a sudden, one of the lookouts spotted the inhabitants of the land. They became scared because they saw the inhabitants as “giants” and did not feel they had the ability to trust their tribe or the skills to go and win the land. So it was reported to the rest of the tribe, the challenges are too great. All but two of the lookouts were covered in fear. The two courageous ones saw the opportunities ahead and the potential.

Fear and uncertainty usually keeps us from pursing what we know we should do and be who we know we should be. So, how do you see yourself in the story above? I think we see ourselves as the fearful people and as the courageous people. It really depends on the situation.

We all have sat in meetings and have been around people who cannot see past the problem or the issue at hand. When we take this approach to dealing with a problem, we allow the problem to become a giant and appear undefeatable. What are some giants (problems) you might be dealing with at this point in your life? (debt, relational, low attendance, low funds coming in, etc.) Are these really problems? Or can we turn it around to see that most of the situations we face are really challenges that are waiting to be conquered?

The Israelite army only heard the taunts from the Philistine giant, Goliath, and saw his enormous size compared to them. But one teenager, kind of a runt, stepped out and said, “I can defeat him. God will defeat this giant through me.” Imagine what would really be accomplished if we remembered the size, power and sheer awesomeness of our God!

“for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7 NRSV)

We should not allow our perceived “lack” (lack of resources, lack of education, lack of personality, lack of people, etc) because God has and will provide everything we need. “By his divine power the Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own honor and glory.” (2 Peter 1:3 CEB)

There are many “giants” we face in our lives but we serve and worship a God who is bigger than any giant we may face. Just because we cannot see the outcome does not mean there hasn’t been a victory. The Israelite’s just needed to go in and possess the land because God has given it to them. The battle has been won, even before it started for us.

How will you see things in this upcoming year? As problems? As “giants”? As challenges? As victories we just move into?

We do not need to fear or worry because we have everything we need in Jesus Christ. Sometimes we should simply open our eyes and hearts to see the enormous resources at our disposal before we think about quitting and throwing in the towel.

Challenge: Read and journal about each day about what these scriptures say to you about battling and overcoming “giants” in your life:

Day 1: Numbers 13
Day 2: 1 Samuel 17
Day 3: 2 Chronicles 32
Day 4: John 20
Day 5: Revelation 19

December 24: Merry Christmas!

We have been on this journey to allow the message of the Christmas story to change our hearts. Today I invite us to read the story of Jesus’ birth from the Gospel of Luke to hopefully hear it with fresh ears and a fresh heart.

In those days Caesar Augustus declared that everyone throughout the empire should be enrolled in the tax lists. This first enrollment occurred when Quirinius governed Syria. Everyone went to their own cities to be enrolled.Since Joseph belonged to David’s house and family line, he went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to David’s city, called Bethlehem, in Judea. He went to be enrolled together with Mary, who was promised to him in marriage and who was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for Mary to have her baby. She gave birth to her firstborn child, a son, wrapped him snugly, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the guestroom.

Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night. The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them, and they were terrified.

The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people. Your savior is born today in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord. This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great assembly of the heavenly forces was with the angel praising God. They said, “Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.”

When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go right now to Bethlehem and see what’s happened. Let’s confirm what the Lord has revealed to us.” They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw this, they reported what they had been told about this child. Everyone who heard it was amazed at what the shepherds told them. Mary committed these things to memory and considered them carefully. The shepherds returned home, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. Everything happened just as they had been told.

~Luke 2:1-20 CEB

December 23: Prepare (Advent 2014 Devotional)

Matthew 28:20 “…..I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.”

These past 24 days, we have been on this journey which I hope has prepared your heart for Christmas in a fresh way this year. We have traveled with Joseph, Mary, the shepherds, the angels, Herod, the magi, and many more.

How does Christmas change you? Jesus Christ’s birth into the world is not just a cutesy story we hear each year. This is an incredible story that really changes everything. God, the creator of the universe, came down and became one of us in the human form of Jesus the Christ.

This birth, like ours leads to death. But there is something NEW that happens. Because Jesus Christ has risen from the grave, he has conquered death. It is great gift for God to walk among us AND it is an incredible gift that he chose to die a human death to conquer sin and death so that we can be in his presence. I heard this said, “Jesus did not die so we could go to heaven. Jesus died so we can get to God.”

That’s the great thing about Christmas. We remember God coming to us. God pursues us and showed he understood firsthand the human experience. We do not have a God who is aloof about what’s going on; we have a God who has walked with us and continues to walk with us today.

Jesus Christ is with us each and everyday! Our challenge is to live so the truth of his presence changes us and makes us stand out.

Lord Jesus, Thank you for your presence among us. Thank you for walking with us. Help us to see you each day. Continue to mold us into the new creations you created us to be. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.

December 22: Prepare (Advent 2014 Devotional)

Matthew 2:10-12 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy. They entered the house and saw the child with Mary his mother. Falling to their knees, they honored him. Then they opened their treasure chests and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Because they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by another route.

We are now just a few days away from Christmas and celebrating once again the birth of Jesus Christ. In our passage today, we see the wise men (magi), have come to visit the toddler Jesus in his home. Even though this even took place up to two years after Jesus’ birth, there is still something here for us to see and hear during this Advent season.

The magi entered the house, bowed down and gave their gifts. So what is really interesting, to me, is how these verses today end: “they went back to their own country by another route.”

The magi left different. They still went back home, but they left different. After you and I celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ this year, we should leave different and not take the same path back we searched for him on. This means, we do go back into our home, work, school, life; but we are different. We do not have the same patterns, the same “rituals,” the same direction. Our new purpose is that of following Christ and helping people find him. You and I have become the angels (messengers of God) to proclaim to those who feel unworthy that the God in heaven loves and adores them and is longing to be around them.

How will you be different this Christmas season?

Jesus, too often we hear the story of your birth in this world and it does not phase us. We seek for and long to be in your presence. Help us proclaim to others your reality and your love for them, even if we feel too important. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.

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