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Matthew chapters 1 and 2 Bible journaling notes
I was recognized by my department for all my hard work during my time here. I just want to say that the amount of growth I've experienced both spiritually and academically could not have been done if it wasn't for the professors who have chosen to mentor and pour into me. I feel both blessed and indebted to them - thank you so much. #graduation #academichonors #biblicalstudies (at North Central University)
When you keep studying the Bible little by little, you start to notice something amazing about God. His ways are completely different from the way humans think. People tend to judge based on appearance, reputation, status, or past mistakes. But God sees the heart and the whole story at once because He knows everything.
Over and over in Scripture, God chooses people that nobody else would have chosen.
He chose David, the youngest shepherd boy that even his own family overlooked, and made him king.
He chose Moses, a man who had killed someone and then spent forty years hiding in the desert.
He chose Rahab, a prostitute in Jericho, and she ended up in the family line of Jesus.
He chose Paul, who had been persecuting Christians, and turned him into one of the greatest missionaries in history.
God’s pattern is clear: He loves to take the people the world writes off and use them to accomplish His purposes.
That’s because His power shows up the clearest when it’s obvious it didn’t come from human strength.
Scripture even says this directly in 1 Corinthians 1:27 “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”
So when we see people whose past includes addiction, prison, gang life, or selling their bodies just to survive, God doesn’t look at them and see someone disqualified. He sees someone He can redeem, transform, and use as a testimony of His grace.
God works in ways that often look strange to us, but His timing and His plans are perfect. The Bible is really a long story of God taking broken people and writing redemption into their lives.
And when someone gives their life to Him on purpose, that’s when the real transformation begins
The strange thing about God’s kingdom is that it flips human expectations upside down. The unlikely become the chosen instruments, the broken become witnesses of grace, and the rejected often become the ones God lifts up to accomplish something bigger than themselves
Today I sat with Galatians 1, and I felt the weight of Paul’s urgency. There is no softness in his opening words, because the truth of the gospel is too precious to be handled casually. In this chapter, Paul makes it clear that the message he preached did not come from human invention or clever reasoning, but by revelation from Jesus Christ. He also warns that there is no other true gospel—only distortions that pull hearts away from the grace of Christ. Galatians 1 introduces a central theme of the letter: salvation comes through Christ, not through works of the law.
Reading this chapter, I am reminded how easily people—including me—can drift toward a version of faith that feels more measurable, manageable, and earned. Grace is beautiful, but it is also humbling. It leaves no room for boasting, no room for spiritual performance, and no room for the illusion that I can save myself. Paul’s words confront that instinct directly. The gospel is not something humanity created, adjusted, or improved. It came from God. It centers completely on Jesus Christ—His sacrifice, His mercy, His sufficiency.
What strikes me most is how fiercely Paul protects this truth. He does not treat the gospel like one option among many, or a message that can be customized to fit cultural expectations. He knows that once grace is mixed with human striving as the basis of salvation, the good news stops being good. A gospel that depends on my works will always leave me exhausted, insecure, and unsure. But the true gospel anchors me in what Christ has already done.
Galatians 1 invites me to ask hard questions: Am I trusting Jesus alone, or am I quietly placing confidence in my own effort, discipline, or religious appearance? Have I begun with grace but slipped back into performance? Am I living like Christ is sufficient, or like He merely helps me finish what I must achieve?
This chapter calls me back to the foundation. The gospel is from God. The gospel is about Jesus. The gospel is grace. And because it is grace, I can rest. I do not have to invent my own righteousness. I do not have to carry the burden of proving myself worthy. In Christ, God has already made the way.
Lord, keep my heart anchored in the true gospel. Guard me from every lie that tells me I must earn what You have freely given through Jesus. Teach me to treasure Your grace, to recognize false substitutes, and to live with confidence in Christ alone. Amen.
In the unfolding narrative of Scripture, the relationship between law and faithfulness emerges as a profound theme that shapes the lives of God’s people. Nehemiah 8:8 highlights the…
In the unfolding narrative of Scripture, the relationship between law and faithfulness emerges as a profound theme that shapes the lives of God’s people. Nehemiah 8:8 highlights the…
A concise summary of significant developments in Israel and the world through a grounded Christian worldview.
A concise summary of significant developments in Israel and the world through a grounded Christian worldview.
The Tabernacle, a divine blueprint revealed to Moses, serves as a profound prophetic picture, illustrating God’s indwelling presence among His people and foreshadowing the ultimate fulfillment in Christ.…
The Tabernacle, a divine blueprint revealed to Moses, serves as a profound prophetic picture, illustrating God’s indwelling presence among His people and foreshadowing the ultimate fulfillment in Christ.…
Recent developments in Israel and Jerusalem highlight Prime Minister Netanyahu’s firm stance that Iran will not acquire nuclear weapons, a position... #BibleStudy #LivingAsBereans
Recent developments in Israel and Jerusalem highlight Prime Minister Netanyahu’s firm stance that Iran will not acquire nuclear weapons, a position... #BibleStudy #LivingAsBereans
