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Daily Devotion: Galatians 5:14, 16, and 18

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Galatians 5:14    "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." 

Galatians 5:16    "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." 

Galatians 5:18     "But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law."

There are those people who feel it is too rigid a life to follow Christ. They think it really puts too many restrictions on them if they try to walk the path that God has laid out for us. The truth of the matter is that the only restrictions that are placed are those which would bring pain and misery upon us. Paul began this chapter by saying, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free." Christ has made us free!  Christ has made us FREE !!  So what are the guidelines for walking in this liberty? The key is found in one word - love.  We love God because He first loved us. Because of His love for us, we can love others. If we truly have love in our hearts, we will not want to do those things which God has restricted.

It is a fact that if we walk in the natural tendencies of the flesh that we end up with guilt and regret in our lives. But if we walk in the Spirit of God, we can experience the fullness of joy and contentment. What are those things experienced in our lives when we choose to love others by walking in the Spirit of God?  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  (23)  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23)  There is no law against loving, having joy in our hearts and the peace that accompanies. There are no restrictions to being patient, showing goodness, and having faith in our Lord. It isn't against the law to place our dependence upon God. Actually that shows the inner strength that is ours through Christ Jesus. So the question for me this morning is this: Do I want to experience guilt, pain, misery, and remorse? Or, do I want to have that which brings inner peace and joy?  Though I have not always made the right choices, my heart's desire is to have peace with God and live peaceably among others.

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