Let's get into the Word of God. On Sunday mornings, we're going through Galatians, having completed

2 Corinthians, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. We finished chapter one last week, and this week

we will start in chapter 2. Our text will be verses 1 through 5. I'll ask you to stand if you're able.

You can follow along as I read. If not,

that's all right. The Apostle Paul is really continuing in verse one and says that then after 14 years,

I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also.

I went in response to a revelation, and meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders,

I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles.

I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain. Interesting.

Yet, verse three, not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though

he was a Greek. This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks, some of your translations render it stealth,

undetected, to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.

We did not give in to them for a moment. And here's why,

he says, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. Would you pray with me?

We'll ask God's blessing on our understanding.

Lord, we're here today for one simple reason.

And that reason is that we want to hear you speak into our lives in through your word.

We're here today because we're anticipating a word from you, perhaps very personal, maybe even confidential, as you speak into our hearts to those matters that you alone know

and you alone can minister to. So Lord, we're yielding ourselves to you.

We give you our ears so we can hear.

We give you our eyes so we can see and we give you our hearts so we can see and we give your hearts so we can take heed.

In Jesus' name, amen.

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