Week 40: Don’t Quit, Stay the Course! | Day 3

Tasks for this week:

  1. Watch all three parts of Don’t Quit, Stay the Course!
  2. Complete daily Bible reading
  3. Memorize Acts 17:11 and Acts 17:24-25

Week 40: Day 3

Please watch the second part of Don’t Quit, Stay the Course! today.

Today’s F260 Bible reading: Galatians 4-6

4:1 Now I mean that the heir, as long as he is a minor, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything. 2But he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. 3So also we, when we were minors, were enslaved under the basic forces of the world. 4But when the appropriate time had come, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5to redeem those who were under the law, so that we may be adopted as sons with full rights. 6And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who calls “Abba! Father!” 7So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are a son, then you are also an heir through God. 8Formerly when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods at all. 9But now that you have come to know God (or rather to be known by God), how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless basic forces? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again? 10You are observing religious days and months and seasons and years. 11I fear for you that my work for you may have been in vain. 12I beg you, brothers and sisters, become like me, because I have become like you. You have done me no wrong! 13But you know it was because of a physical illness that I first proclaimed the gospel to you, 14and though my physical condition put you to the test, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as though I were an angel of God, as though I were Christ Jesus himself! 15Where then is your sense of happiness now? For I testify about you that if it were possible, you would have pulled out your eyes and given them to me! 16So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17They court you eagerly, but for no good purpose; they want to exclude you, so that you would seek them eagerly. 18However, it is good to be sought eagerly for a good purpose at all times, and not only when I am present with you. 19My children—I am again undergoing birth pains until Christ is formed in you! 20I wish I could be with you now and change my tone of voice, because I am perplexed about you. 21Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand the law? 22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23But one, the son by the slave woman, was born by natural descent, while the other, the son by the free woman, was born through the promise. 24These things may be treated as an allegory, for these women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar. 25Now Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 27For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren woman who does not bear children; break forth and shout, you who have no birth pains, because the children of the desolate woman are more numerous than those of the woman who has a husband.” 28But you, brothers and sisters, are children of the promise like Isaac. 29But just as at that time the one born by natural descent persecuted the one born according to the Spirit, so it is now. 30But what does the scripture say? “Throw out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the son” of the free woman. 31Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman but of the free woman. 5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery. 2Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all! 3And I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace! 5For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness. 6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight—the only thing that matters is faith working through love. 7You were running well; who prevented you from obeying the truth? 8This persuasion does not come from the one who calls you! 9A little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise! 10I am confident in the Lord that you will accept no other view. But the one who is confusing you will pay the penalty, whoever he may be. 11Now, brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12I wish those agitators would go so far as to castrate themselves! 13For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another. 14For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” 15However, if you continually bite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another. 16But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. 17For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, 20idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, 21envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God! 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, being jealous of one another. 6:1 Brothers and sisters, if a person is discovered in some sin, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. Pay close attention to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too. 2Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4Let each one examine his own work. Then he can take pride in himself and not compare himself with someone else. 5For each one will carry his own load. 6Now the one who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with the one who teaches it. 7Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. For a person will reap what he sows, 8because the person who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 9So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up. 10So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith. 11See what big letters I make as I write to you with my own hand! 12Those who want to make a good showing in external matters are trying to force you to be circumcised. They do so only to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13For those who are circumcised do not obey the law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised so that they can boast about your flesh. 14But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything; the only thing that matters is a new creation! 16And all who will behave in accordance with this rule, peace and mercy be on them, and on the Israel of God. 17From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear the marks of Jesus on my body. 18The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen. (NET Bible)

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB),
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Used by permission. www.Lockman.org