Subject: Devotional | July 11 | morning (full)
Rejoice and be glad, for your father invites you into his loving presence. Use this email as you are able, in whole or in part. Call to PrayerLord, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress. (Isaiah 33:2) Opening PrayerAlmighty God, whose Son had nowhere to lay his head: Grant that those who live alone may not be lonely in their solitude, but that, following in his steps, they may find fulfillment in loving you and their neighbors; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP 829) Confession of SinPardon our sins, merciful Lord. We have been hasty and short in prayer, and this first sin of the day leads to so many others. Keep us from robbing you of the true worship which your glory requires and which our hearts so urgently need. Wipe out our sins, known and unknown, felt and unfelt, remembered and forgotten. Enable us to remember the blood that cleanses from all sin, and the grace which overwhelms all evil, in Jesus’ name, Amen. Take a moment to confess your sins, knowing that he hears you. Praying the PsalmsPsalm 140For the director of music. A psalm of David. 1 Rescue me, Lord, from evildoers; 4 Keep me safe, Lord, from the hands of the wicked; 6 I say to the Lord, “You are my God.” 9 Those who surround me proudly rear their heads; 12 I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor New Testament ReadingA stunning letter on how Christianity goes beyond Judaism. The role of the law and the role of grace are explored at length to a church that is torn with ethnic divisions. Meditate on the passage. How does your life demonstrate that you are remembering and acting out the ideas in this reading? Galatians 2Paul Accepted by the Apostles 1 Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. 2 I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 4 This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 6 As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—they added nothing to my message. 7 On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. 8 For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. 9 James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. 10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. Paul Opposes Cephas 11 When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. 14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? 15 “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. 17 “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker. 19 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” Prayers of IntercessionRelationships
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. BenedictionMay the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14) Wonder what your next step in spiritual formation is? Consider getting involved in a community group. For a handy guide to the devotional elements and an archive of past issues, visit redeemer.com/daily. |
Biblical summaries by David Whitehead, author of Making Sense of the Bible.
You are subscribed to receive these full devotionals. To switch to the abridged version or unsubscribe, These devotionals are brought to you by Formation, an initiative to help you grow as a disciple. Redeemer Churches & Ministries | 1166 Avenue of the Americas, 16th Fl | New York, NY 10036 |