Brag A Little
Posted by anthologycreative
I had been practicing and thought my ping-pong skills were pretty impressive. So, when my friend challenged me to a game, I asked, “Do you really think you can handle it?” That day, I learned not to brag about my ping-pong skills. My friend never told me he was a ping-pong master!
As you read Galatians 6:11-16, notice what Paul said of himself in verse 14.
God gave the Jews the sign of circumcision as an outward sign of their covenant with Him. Why do you think the Jews would boast in that outward sign? What was the problem with their boasting?
What did Paul mean when he said that “circumcision and uncircumcision mean nothing” (v. 15)?
Why do you think Paul was so emphatic about only boasting in the cross of Christ (v. 14)?
What do you think boasting in the cross of Christ sounds like? What would it look like if you did it?
Do you know anyone who always boasts in Christ rather than him or herself?
How quick are you to talk about Christ? Where are you when you are likely to talk about Christ?
Where are you when you tend to shut up about Christ?
What do you brag about most often? Some of us are always ready to brag about ourselves, to push ourselves forward, to make ourselves sound important. Not Paul. Instead, he wanted to brag about the cross of Christ. So should we. As believers, we should always be ready to brag on the One who is the Creator of the world, the Savior of all humanity. Today, ask God to fill your heart with His wonder and cause you to think and talk of Him in your conversations.
Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest, Galatians, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2011 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission. | Leave a reply
Love, Love, Love.
Posted by anthologycreative
NO RUNNING IN THE HALL. Don’t litter on school property. No standing on the bus. No cell phones or iPods at camp. No double-blobbing.
Rules, rules, rules. Sometimes, it seems like our entire day at school or time at camp is spent following rules (or listening to someone enforce them). What is the purpose of all these rules, anyway? Some would say they are for the health and safety of the students and staff. What about God’s rules? What is the purpose of the guidelines found in the Bible?
Read Galatians 5:13-15, focusing on verse 14.
What does it mean that we have freedom as believers?
Who is your neighbor?
Is it possible to love someone if you don’t even like them? Explain.
How does loving people fulfill all of God’s laws?
According to these verses, what are the consequences of not loving others?
It’s a simple concept. If you love God and love others, you are meeting all of God’s requirements. Understand this: God is love, and His principles for living are based on love. As Christians, others should see love when they look at our lives. Jesus spent His life on earth showing love to people and ultimately loving us enough to die for our sins. We can continue to communicate His love by giving of ourselves in service to others.
Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Devotion, Galatians, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply
If You Belong To Him, You Can’t Hide It
Posted by anthologycreative
HAVE YOU ever wondered why your nose is the way it is? Or maybe why some men never go bald and others have heads as shiny as bowling balls? Why do some women have high cheekbones and others don’t?
The answer lies in genetics. All the things that make you uniquely you—including those things you hate—were passed down to you from your parents, grandparents, and all those family members who came before them. Your genes help tell the story of who you are and to whom you belong.
Read Galatians 5:19-26 and read verses 22-23 out loud a few times.
What are the works of the flesh?
How have you seen your sinful desires fight against the leading of the Spirit?
According to this passage, what is the fruit of the Spirit?
Which fruit of the Spirit do you struggle with the most to express toward others?
How does the fruit of the Spirit help tell the world about whom you belong to?
What does it mean to “live by the Spirit”?
Take a good look at your life. Where do you see the work of the Spirit? In what areas do you need to let Him have more control? What steps will you take to do so?
When Paul was writing to the Galatian Christians all those years ago, he wanted them to recognize the war going on between their sinful desires and the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. He explained to them (and us) that the fruit in our lives points to whom we belong. If our lives are dictated by the desires of our flesh, as Paul put it, then we aren’t in a relationship with Christ. If we know Jesus and the Spirit of God lives within us, it will be obvious. Our lives will be marked by peace, joy, love, gentleness, and all those other laudable qualities. God’s Word is clear: we must live for Christ or live for the world. We can’t live for both. It’s your life that tells the truth. So, what does your life say?
Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Devotion, Galatians, Weekly Devotions | Leave a reply