Weekly Bible Memory and Meditation

Galatians 1:11-17

11 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.  13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. 17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.

1.     Many in today’s society do not believe that the gospel, or scripture, is directly from God.  They believe that it is man’s words and not God’s.  How would my life look differently if I believed that every word in the Bible was the inspired & infallible word of God?

2.     Did you realize that God “set you apart” and “called” your name before you were ever born?   Does knowing this help you grasp how far, & wide, & deep the love of Christ is for you?

3.     We all have our own “previous way of life”.  What has God saved you from and what has he saved you to?

4.     Consulting wise counsel vs. immediately obeying God can sometimes be a very fine line to balance.  How often do I consult friends and family on something that I know God has already called me to do?

5.     Paul definitely held the spiritual office of an apostle and had a special grace to share his faith with a certain people group.  However, everyone in Christ is commanded to share their faith with those around them and to the uttermost parts of the world.  Am I intentional about sharing my faith on a regular basis?  Do I have a systematic way of doing so?

6.     One of the main differences between Christianity and other religions is that the view of God, according to Christians, is that he is a loving and forgiving God.  Do I realize that it pleased God to reveal His son in me?  How do I need to change things in my life to please Him in return?

7.     After Paul’s conversion, he spent 3 years in Arabia and Damascus preparing for the works that God had predestined for him.  This preparation period is very important in a new believer’s life.  Have I ever set aside time and totally devoted it to allow God to prepare me for all the works that He has for me?