Giving God the Glory

Reading:  Galatians 1:18-24
    
    Paul continues his careful accounting of his travels after his conversion.  This is more than a history lesson; he is detailing the fact that his message can directly from Jesus rather than from the apostles.  He visited Jerusalem (where we might expect that he would study under the apostles), but saw only Peter and James and stayed only 15 days (Gal 1:18-19).  He affirms this with an emphatic oath (Gal 1:20), which may imply that the Galatians would have disputed his account.  He then traveled to the far-flung areas of Syria and Cilicia (where he was from).  All the while he was preaching a message about Jesus that he must have learned somewhere.
    
    His trip to Jerusalem was so short that “I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.  They were only hearing it said, ‘He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.’  And they glorified God because of me”(Gal 1:22-24).  Even though most of the Jewish Christians did not know him personally—though certainly they did by reputation—they heard the amazing report that Paul had abandoned his persecuting efforts and become a believer.  Yet he was not just a believer, but a preacher—which again begs the question of where he got his message.  Amazingly, these good brothers and sisters “glorified God because of me,” in awe of a God who can win over such a determined and violent enemy.

    This reaction is noteworthy.  Giving God the glory means overlooking the evil Paul had done that may have directly impacted them (imagine Stephen’s widow!).  It also means praising not the person doing the good deed, but the God who has inspired, empowered, instructed, and motivated the person to do it.  Jesus teaches his disciples to “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven”(Matt 5:16).  When God reaches people we wouldn’t expect—when Christians act in ways the world never would—when we are blessed by our association with the gospel, it is God who deserves credit.

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One Thing to Think About:  What people, circumstances, and good deeds can I give God glory for today?

One Thing to Pray For:  God’s life-changing power to be at work in me
 

Origins

Reading:  Galatians 1:10-17

Paul has challenged the Galatians not to accept anything other than the gospel he originally preached to them (Gal 1:8).  But how can he be so confident that what he already taught them is right?  “For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel.  For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ”(Gal 1:11-12).  Paul insists that he didn’t make up his gospel and he didn’t learn it from anyone.  He received it directly from Jesus.  So if anyone wants to change or tweak or distort or “improve on” this message, Paul is certain that the Galatians should reject them.  It comes from Jesus.  

This is all the more amazing when we consider Paul’s past as a persecutor of the church, devoted to traditional Judaism (Gal 1:13-14).  He was not a student of Jesus or a part of the Christian movement.  How did he so quickly become educated in the faith?  “But when he who had set me apart before I was born and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus”(Gal 1:15-17).  This is not how we would encourage a new convert to learn the gospel.  Paul—almost immediately after his conversion—had a full understanding of Jesus and went to parts unknown preaching a gospel entirely consistent with the apostles’.  

Origins matter.  Where did a teaching originate?  Jesus challenges the chief priests to answer whether John’s baptism came from heaven or from man (Matt 21:25).  Our confidence in any teaching is always based on its source—not on whether it pleases us.  

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One Thing to Think About:  Am I more interested in the words of God’s messengers or my contemporaries?
 
One Thing to Pray For:  Passion for the authentic message about Jesus

Deserting Jesus

Reading: Galatians 1:1-9

Paul writes to the churches of Galatia because they are being influenced by teachers who want them to keep the Law of Moses along with Jesus’ teachings.  In essence, Gentiles must become Jews to be right with God.  Galatians is Paul’s fierce rejection of this idea.  His greeting here is cut short by his desire to get to the matter at hand.  “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel”(Gal 1:6).  These are sharp words.  By accepting this teaching—and its hope of salvation through law-keeping and personal perfection—the Galatians are “deserting” Jesus.  They have deserted him not by rejecting his morality or disavowing faith in him, but by turning to a different gospel. 

Realizing that his language could be subject to misunderstanding, he quickly adds, “not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ”(Gal 1:7).  There are not multiple gospels, each as good as the next, for us to choose from.  These teachers are distorting the true gospel.  “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed”(Gal 1:8).  No matter who preaches it (even if an angel or apostle), we must not listen to those who would contradict or add to the message the apostles preached. If we want to be saved by Jesus, we must be saved his way.

What we teach matters, particularly because teaching leads to action.  If these Galatians accept this teaching and start keeping the Law of Moses, they are deserting Jesus.  This text impresses us with our deep need to evaluate modern teaching by comparing it against the original teaching of the apostles.  The stakes could not be higher.

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One Thing to Think About:  Am I as serious about the purity of the message as Paul is?

One Thing to Pray For:  Teachers who will help me remain true to the apostolic message

Dear brothers, a big greeting from me and my family.
My wish and pray to our God is that they are well, together with all their loved ones.
For our part, my family and I find ourselves very well, always enjoying the Christian life,
As for the weather, thank God, we entered the winter season, and due to this, the rains moved away in the north of Peru.
Now the government has begun to rebuild the country.
Regarding the local churches and the work in them, we continue to support evangelization and edification.
Paita, Sullana, zamba and catacaos, continue to grow in the grace of the Lord.

On my visit to Zamba this month, four souls were persuaded for salvation and obeyed the pure gospel. Today the churches in the north rejoice knowing that the churches are growing.
I need you to know about our new brothers in zamba
1 Pierina Jimenez painted. 13 years.
2 Corina painted Jimenez
3 Edgar painted Jimenez
4 Ricardo pool mass.
I also send your photos for your knowledge
 
I want to reaffirm my gratitude to each one of you, for the great support you give me, so that my family and I do not lack anything, may our good God continue to bless you and prosper your work.
If the Lord allows us to continue working on his work, I will do so with great gratitude.
May God bless all of you.
Yours in Christ:

David Guerrero

APRIL 2023 REPORT ON THE WORK IN CORRIGAN, TEXAS [email protected]

281-756-7957

ROBERT RAIF
171 CALDWELL ST LIVINGSTON, TX 77351

Greetings brothers and sisters! I hope you are all well, especially well in your souls.

Sam Brown is doing fine. He got a job in construction and is still living with his cousin, but he hopes to get out on his own soon. Most importantly, he is doing great spiritually. He will be on parole te rest of his life since he had a life sentence, but he is outside! Eric got out about 7 years ago and likewise is doing fine. He fills in for the preacher there in Bay City when needed. He has another 1 1⁄2 years on parole and then wants to support himself with money he put aside when he was working in the oil fields and just preach and teach the gospel. Esteban likewise is doing well spiritually in College Station. Spike got out 6 years ago and John about 2 years ago. Both of them were doing fine in the Lord, but both have died since then. All of these were converted while at the Estelle unit. Only one of these men went astray after a few months.

The prison system moved some of my guys away, and three others have been given different jobs so they cannot attend our class. I have only 7 in my class now, and they are very intent on following the truth. I need to round up 8 more to fill up my class, so please pray for open doors in this respect!

John and Deborah moved to Corrigan from California. He got our bulletin and came to worship. I had a study with him and he was baptized. I am continuing the studies with them, hoping she will soon obey the truth also. Pray for them.

Concerning the Bible Correspondence courses with the prisoners, I hope to soon turn this over to Nick Krumrie who has shown an interest in the prison work. It is one of the irons in the fire that I am not doing justice to.

Brethren, I thank you so much for being coworkers with me in spreading the truth here in Corrigan and the prisons. Always pray for open doors, both here and where you are. Paul teaches us to do so, and he also teaches us that the Lord DOES open doors! Pray that I (and all preachers) may speak boldly (Col 4:2-4).

In Him who saves, Robert Raif

(Read on for more information on the benevolent work to those overseas.)

The following is the aid sent out for April. $6600 was sent. Some aid is for the support of preachers who sacrifice so much. The fields are SO white with harvest! Sometimes they have to walk miles to a place where there is enough water to baptize. They cross rivers and mountains to get to a village and will have 30 people come out to hear the gospel. Sometimes they have to dig a hole and let the water seep into it to baptize. They need petrol for their motorbikes to go and spread the truth. The first number is the benevolence amount to faithful Christians, and the second number is for the preachers’ support. They also need Bibles and songbooks. One church has only two songbooks and only 1 Bible per 3 brethren.

Benevolence Support

Zimbabwe
700 300 300 300

Uganda
500 300

Kenya
200 200

Philippines
100 200 100 300 300 500 300 400 100 300 100 100 100 100 200 0

Nicaragua
300 200 150 0

Kudakwashe Bangure. (Four congregations.) Brighton Makurudza.

Kule Bisathu

John Ositu.

Glenn Fiesta.

Manny Pader.
Simeon Vargas. (500 is for medicine) Jimmy Domingo.
Rosendo Gumpad.
Andy M Dappas.
Felipe Jr Tan Tula.
Zurdan & Fe Baliog.

Jose Ruiz. Paulita Lopez.

I think with recent inflation, $10 will feed one individual for the month in Zimbabwe. If you want to personally support a preacher with $100 each month, that would be a great help. I could put you into contact with any number of men on FB messenger or email. You can hear from them daily and see their work.

If you want to help, you can send the money to me and I will send it on, or you can send it directly to them through Moneygram or Western Union or other methods using your computer. If you want to send a large amount and want a tax deduction, you can send it to Ron Halbrook, because he has a non-profit benevolent fund.