BRF -- Galatians

Nothing too earth shattering this week.
I really enjoyed Galatians.
I love the way Paul doesn't beat around the bush... he jumps right into why he's writing this letter.
Greetings, blah, blah, blah... vs 6 "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- (7) which is really no gospel at all."
Hi guys WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU THINKING?
vs 10 really sums up how Paul is. "Am I trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."

I don't think anyone would accuse me to be a pleaser of men. I have plenty of problems, but I really could care less what anyone thinks of me. But I'm not so bold as Paul. He stood up to the core of Jesus' disciples, now the apostles. I love when he says that Peter was clearly in the wrong so he rebuked him in front of everyone. If you sin in front of everyone I guess being rebuked in front of all of them is fair. I just don't think I would ever do that!
The prophets of old rebuked in front of audiences.
Remember Nathan rebuking David about the Bathsheba/adultery/murder/cover up thing?
Maybe its loving to confront someone openly knowing they have 2 choices... hate you for life or repent publicly. Ouch.

Its so hard to not get caught up in the law. Freedom in Christ is a wonderful thing. Having the heart of Christ is a wonderful thing. Knowing the law helps to understand the holiness of God. The balance is being Christlike in His holiness and still free from the law. That is, for me anyway, a tough call sometimes.
I don't want to be burdened by a yoke of slavery, but what all is the law?
What are we free from? What about tithing? Is that part of the law? Is that still required today or is that the church trying to finance itself. If you are part of a home church do you still tithe? and to who? Is giving the way we are to go now? Does percentage matter? or does whatever we can give matter? Jesus said the woman with the 2 mites gave more than the Pharisees with their tithes. Did she give a tithe or what she had left from her meager store after she paid her rent and bought the groceries? Is all that she had everything until her next "paycheck" or all that she was ever going to have forever?
Sometimes all that I have is literally dumping out the change from my purse knowing that is it until the next pay... and it hasn't been a tithe. Thankfully we have had pay raises since. Where exactly is the freedom here?
Is it more important to give our tithe to the church for the newest gadgets they will be purchasing or to get christian curriculum for our kids to teach them at home? Does giving to registered charity make it a tithe and giving to an unregistered charity such as our homeschool make it not part of giving to the Lord.
Where does freedom come in and following the law go out?
I know that finances are not exactly what Paul is going with here, but this is the area of freedom vs the law that we keep struggling with. Everything we have is God's. We have a home to raise the children He gave us to raise, to offer hospitality to others in and to learn His word in. Our van is to not only schlepp our family around in, but to visit others and maybe even schlepp them around in. Everything we have is to be used for whatever purpose God has given them to us for. Most of all is to take care of and train our children to be warriors for His kingdom.
These are our busy at home with small children years which may not seem as productive as our get out and minister actively in the community years were (and will be again), but no less important. This is also the time when we have less money for tithing as the kids, bless their hearts, require a lot of upkeep!!
Freedom... law... freedom... law...
As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
This is the heart of the book. Chuck the law. Stop picking on the other believers... just do good to them... even the ones that are nasty to us.
Oh boy. That opens a new can of worms. What about those who have spent a good deal of the past year slandering us? What about the ones that have believed the slander and told us off and ignored us? How on earth do we do good to them?
Jumpins!! Wish I hadn't had that thought! Now I may have to go waaay outside my comfort zone and start actively loving some "enemies" that I don't even like.

I'm going to need some prayer for this one girls.
Did anyone notice this Bible just keeps getting sharper and sharper??
I really don't want to change... but how can I grow closer to the Lord and not change?
Ideas... anyone?

Did I say nothing too earth shattering this week? I feel like my world is about to be turned upside down.