Have you ever tried to rake leaves when a strong wind is blowing? Or how about washing your car just in time for the rain to start pouring down? It's frustrating when we put effort into things and then feel like nothing was gained by all the work we did. Paul had that feeling with the Galatians too. Was it a waste of time for him to preach freedom in Christ? Was all his effort pointless?

Most of us want to have clean hands before we eat, especially if our hands are going to actually be touching our food. But we probably have different methods of pre-meal handwashing (just rinsing with water, a dab of soap, completely lathering both hands, etc.). We can argue about the level of cleanliness and probably feel justified in defending our opinion. There was a time mentioned in scripture when Jesus and His followers were criticized for not washing their hands "correctly" before they ate. Jesus responded by pointing out a bigger issue with his critics than just having dirty hands. What was this more significant problem? And is it something I still need to concern myself with today?

We need to continue in our journey to understand what it means to be adopted, what it means to be heirs, and what it means to be "one." There are some powerful truths Paul shares in this part of his letter to the Galatians.

Most of us have a certain person or maybe a handful of people that we would just love to spend all of our time with if we had the opportunity. Most of us also have a certain person or maybe a handful of people that, for a variety of reasons, we would rather have nothing to do with at all. But when Jesus went to eat at Matthew's house, He showed us that everyone is invited to spend time building a relationship with Him...and with His followers too. But what do I do if I am really struggling with even being nice to that other person, much less building a connection with them? And how do I get better at letting go of my own prejudices and pre-conceived ideas when it comes to helping others find Jesus?

Mealtimes provide opportunities to get to know someone or connect with someone in a relaxed atmosphere. At the dinner table is when I tend to let my guard down and allow others to get a better glimpse of the real me, and I get a chance to get a clearer picture of them as well. Multiple times in scripture Jesus is shown enjoying a meal with others. These often become teachable moments for both His disciples and His critics. Let's take advantage of the opportunity to "eat" with Jesus and get a clearer picture of His message and His mission.

We've had to obey rules at different times in our lives - house rules, traffic laws, workplace policies, etc. But have we kept all of those rules perfectly all the time? Probably not. If I try to determine my value based on how good of a rule-follower I am, I'm setting myself up for major disappointment, because I'm never going to perfectly follow all the rules all the time. In Galatians 3, Paul addresses this rule-following / checklist mentality when it comes to being a Christian. His words leave us with a question to answer - is it more important to try to do everything right, or it is it more important to rely on grace?

Everyone likes a good story. We like to see how different characters and events are woven together, and we appreciate a strong storyline that runs through the story itself from beginning to end. However many of us fail to see scripture as a story. We might see a collection of stories, or we might only see a list of rules and regulations. But we often miss the fact that scripture itself is a story - a true story - that reveals the centuries-long connection between God and His people. But how do I start seeing the Bible as a continuous story? And what do the stories in scripture have to do with the story of my own life?

Peter gets personal! In these verses we see Paul give a defense for his ministry and the gospel that the Galatians have set aside. He shares of a moment where he even rebuked the apotle Peter in a spicy argument giving way to one of the most famous verses in the letter: Galatians 2:20.

Many of us don't like boundaries and guardrails. We don't enjoy being given limitations or having rules dictated to us. So it's only natural for many of us to be uncomfortable with what we perceive as "regulations" in scripture. It causes to have a negative view of God's guidelines for our lives and to balk at "being told what to do." But the boundaries God sets for us in His Word are actually for our benefit - they're there to make our lives better. So how do I change the negative perception I have about the "rules" I see in scripture? And how do I become more consistent in living within those boundaries?

Many of us have had to deal with our own measure of disappointments - plans that fell through, promises that were broken, expectations that led to let-downs. Enough disappointing experiences can cause us to become cynical and to think that there's nothing worth really believing in. But when it comes to God's Word, we find something we can trust because the promises made in scripture are promises that God keeps. So what are the things scripture tells me I can expect from a relationship with God? And how do I grow in my hope that God will actually do the things He has promised?