Paul McKenzie

Memory Verse, Sunday, March 29, Philippians 3:12

"Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus."

In the opening chapters of Galatians, we are getting special insight into the testimony of Paul, and how Jesus personally groomed him to preach the Gospel, and to describe the workings of it in a way no one else could.

We find that when the Almighty "breathes" His Word into His apostles, He doesn't slap them into some "auto-writing" mode, as if they are in a trance being possessed, but uses the abilities that He had "breathed" into them from before the foundation of the world, and uses them to present His words in a living way that human beings can comprehend.

And not many in that generation had the great knowledge of how to communicate both in the Jewish and secular world as the Apostle Paul, so God in His great Providence chose him. In this small interlude we get a taste of the process God used with him, sending him to an isolated place to have a complete One-on-one with him, and then sending him equipped to the apostles.

When I read this, it inspires me to prepare, prepare, prepare. I'm also being groomed, as are you if you are one of the Kingdom children saved by Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit. We wake up each morning with our minds first set on our Heavenly Father. We glorify Him, pray for Christ's soon return, and ask that His will be done here just like it is in heaven.

With that in mind, we proceed to serve Him, and walk in His steps as He guides us, trusting that He has works prepared for us as we do. And I have found in the half-century I have walked with Him, that much of the time is in preparation—study, prayer, and fellowship with other saints who have the same goal in mind—become mature sons and daughters of the Most High God.

Also, I find that God has deliberately limited me so that I am dependent on fellow believers and their gifts to help me grow within a well-functioning body. Which usually involves Sunday church services and some weekly study. And often one-on-one studies in a smaller setting, where I learn to apply what I have learned.

Each day of preparation brings another facet of Christ that is slowly being molded in us, so that we get in tune with this New Creation He has birthed in us, and the way of Christ becomes more natural to walk each day.

Then people not only hear what we say, but look at how we live to say it. But our concerns aren't on impressing anyone, or ourselves, for that matter. Our minds are set on Him, for in Him dwells our fullness, and forever life awaits us.

Today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart.

*KJV used*

Memory Helps: Galatians 1:12-18 review

"For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: and profited in the Jews religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days."