Paul McKenzie

Memory Verse, Friday, March 20, Galatians 1:11

"But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man."

What we find with the gospel is not a religion made by man, but that God inserted Himself into our time and space, taking on the form of a man. It wasn't about a religion, it was about a Life. A Life lived without sin, truly God and truly Man. (Philippians 2)

It wasn't about working for a salvation, it was about a death and resurrection. It wasn't about being good enough for heaven, it was about the plain fact that we would never be good enough, and God had to step in Himself, living a sinless life so death could not hold Him, and in that way opening the door of reconciliation for those who believe.

We weren't just left with a manual of dos and don'ts. We were left with the opportunity of a brand-new life, where God dwells with us and has a personal relationship with us. He gave us the Word of God as our "training manual" but is also within us day-by-day, helping us discern the Words He gave us.

They are words readable for any man, but experienced only by His children. They lead us to the Word Himself:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made." (John 1:1).

And the Words become a light to the path of life, which is not really a path, but a Person: "In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not (John 1:4-5). Those in darkness see but cannot comprehend. And within their consciousness they know it, for He left all mankind with some light of His presence.

"That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not" (John 1:9-10).

And He did not just leave us with distant memories, He made us new creatures: "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (12-13).

And this is the gospel preached by Paul. Others were not satisfied with the simple fact that they could do nothing but receive, and strove to earn. But as a child is born into this world completely dependent and without strength to survive—"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly" (Romans 5:6)—we were "born again" as children of the Kingdom of God.

And if that is hard for you to comprehend, you are in good company. Nicodemus "the teacher" of Israel could hardly grasp it when Jesus told him. And Jesus marveled that "the teacher" had strayed so far from Scripture that he could not grasp it. Hard to understand maybe, but easy to do.

If you want to know more about this birth, take the time to read John 3. And then read the whole book if you have time.

I suggest that you make time. You may be forever grateful that you did.

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

*KJV used*

Memory Helps

"But I certify you, brethren,
that the gospel
which was preached of me
is not after man."

(words per line: 5-3-5-4)

This makes a good word picture. "I" am standing before a bunch of angry "brethren", showing them a "certificate" tied to my New Testament "gospel" (But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel)

Next I bring my hands to my mouth like a "megaphone" to represent "which was "preached" of me".

Then I can have a rope tied in a "knot" and throw it beyond the men, or "after" them to signify "is Knot after man".

Your mind tries to find "unique" things to help solidify pathways to our "little gray cells". Things like the "certificate" for certify, and suddenly a "knot" appearing to be thrown "after man" are things that arrest its attention and make something more memorable. Try it and see.

Linking verse numbers:

Now I use my "DaD" for verses 11 (D or T=1), and put a huge bow "Tie" on him (D or T=1), and replace me with him in the scene above. That way I remember that this is Galatians 1:11.