Vince Miller Podcast Vince Miller

Are you tired of all the pointless drama?
We begin 1 Samuel tomorrow, so get your 1 Samuel Scripture Journal from the website so you can follow along.
From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen. — Galatians 6:16-17
I love the allusion in the closing text. If I were to put this text in my own words, Paul is saying:
If you want to see and know the marks of Jesus, let me take off my shirt for you. Five times, I have been beaten with 39 lashes. I have been shipwrecked. I have been stoned and left for dead. Your pointless ritual of cutting off a tiny piece of your foreskin does nothing for you. Instead, try enduring a beating for sharing the Gospel, and then you will know the Gospel. So stop bothering me with these petty issues and join me in real suffering by proclaiming the Gospel just as it is. For the Gospel has all the grace you need to endure every issue in this life.
Church, I have loved reading this letter with you. But never forget Paul's point.
Adding anything to the Gospel makes it no Gospel at all. Salvation is by faith alone, not by works so that no man can boast except in Christ Jesus alone.
#DramaFreeLiving
#GraceInSuffering
#GospelCenteredLife
ASK THIS:
How can we distinguish between the petty dramas of life and the enduring truths of the Gospel in our daily experiences? Reflecting on Paul's words, what steps can we take to prioritize proclaiming the Gospel above getting entangled in trivial matters, and how might this shift in focus transform our lives and relationships? DO THIS: Don't add anything to the Gospel.
PRAY THIS: Father, help me discern what truly matters amidst life's distractions, and empower me to boldly proclaim the Gospel with unwavering faith and grace-filled endurance. May Your Spirit guide me to live a life that reflects the marks of Jesus, bearing witness to Your transformative love in all I do. Amen.
PLAY THIS: The Power of the Cross.

It's all for God. It's his mission, his people, and his glory, not yours.
We are days away from beginning the book of 1 Samuel. So remember to visit our website and secure your copy of the 1 Samuel Scripture Journal. Pick it up so you're fully prepared to dive into this study.
And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.— Galatians 6:16
As Paul closes this letter, he wants the Galatians to know that they don't get to have their way with God's story. It's God's story about Israel. They only get to tell the story as it is. While there are Judaizers who want to modify and adjust it to their liking, God does not like this.
I have often repeated a maxim that echoes this idea. It goes like this: The church is God's people, on God's mission, for God's glory. I repeat this maxim to myself to remind myself, as a leader and other leaders, that God is the only leader. We are merely followers of God even though he might give us the task of shepherding a few sheep in our lifetime.
But as Paul clarifies, this is the best way to walk. It's to walk by this rule because it is the only way to find the peace and mercy we want and need.
Friend, this is the most peaceful way to live life. Let God be God. Live by his rules, and don't make up your own. Are you ready to submit to his rules again?
God, we submit our lives to you today. We remember again that you are telling your story for your glory, not our own. Father, may we follow you all our days and walk in all your ways. Amen.
#GodsMission
#HisGlory
#SurrenderToGod
ASK THIS:
How can you actively surrender your plans and desires to God today, trusting in His mission and His timing? In what areas of your life are you tempted to assert your own control instead of submitting to God's leadership? What steps can you take to align your priorities with His will? DO THIS: Proclaim it today: It's his mission, his people, and his glory, not yours.
PRAY THIS: Father God, today I humbly submit my life to Your perfect plan, recognizing that Your mission and Your glory far surpass my own desires. Help me to walk in Your ways, finding peace and joy as I surrender to Your leadership and follow Your story for my life. Amen.
PLAY THIS: Come and Rest.

Are you boasting about the wrong things?
We are days away from beginning the book of 1 Samuel. So remember to visit our website and secure your copy of the 1 Samuel Scripture Journal. Pick it up so you're fully prepared to dive into this study.
For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.— Galatians 6:13
Paul is so familiar with twisted acts of legalism that he tells the Galatians (both Gentiles and Jews) how twisted the motives of legalism can be.
Simply put, he says that some legalists will invade your churches and try to convince you to be obedient to the law, even though no one can be obedient to the law aside from Jesus, and then return to Jerusalem and boast about what they have done to you.
This is insanity, but it's precisely what Paul says they will try to do, and he knows this is their motivation because he was a devout Jew before he became a follower of Jesus.
But then he says this:
But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. — Galatians 6:14-15
This is good, and here is why. What you boast about is what you care about. If you boast about the things of this world, then you care about the things of this world. But if you boast in the Lord, then you care about the things of the Lord.
So let me give you a little life hack I have used to help retrain my mind, spirit, and soul. When people praise me for something I have done, I try to immediately deflect glory to God by responding with the phrase—"Praise The Lord!"
Sometimes, at least in Christian circles, people dismiss this declaration as a little cliche. But for me, it is not. I use this statement to preach a truth to myself. You see, I need to be reminded that it is only by Jesus's redemption and salvation and the Spirit's gifts and power that I can do anything. So I proclaim this statement to preach this truth to myself when I am tempted to boast in myself. But by preaching this truth to myself, I am also preaching this truth to others that only the Lord is one that ever deserves praise. Thus, I am training myself while preaching to others, which is more than cliche; it's the truth.
#BoastInTheCross
#NewCreationInChrist
#OvercomeLegalism
ASK THIS:
Reflect on a time when you were tempted to seek approval or boast about your achievements. How can you shift your focus to give glory to God in similar situations moving forward? Consider the phrase "Praise the Lord" as more than just a saying, but a declaration of where your worth lies. How can this practice help you and others focus more on God's work in your lives rather than personal accomplishments? DO THIS: Proclaim it today, "Praise the Lord!"
PRAY THIS: Lord, help me to boast only in Your cross, recognizing that all my accomplishments are gifts from You. Teach me to redirect every praise back to You, grounding my identity and worth in Your gracious love. Amen.
PLAY THIS: Praise.

Are you scared of the truth because you are trying to please people?
We are days away from beginning the book of 1 Samuel. So remember to visit our website and secure your copy of the 1 Samuel Scripture Journal. Pick it up so you're fully prepared to dive into this study.
It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. — Galatians 6:12
There are all kinds of reasons we do the things we do. Sometimes, the motive is clear, and other times, the motive is murky. Sometimes, we do it for the payoff, and sometimes, we do it to avoid the consequences. Either way, there is always a motive, regardless of how conscious we are of it.
At the close of Galatians, Paul shines a bright light on the dark motives of the false teachers. Simply put, he points out that they were cowards. They were afraid of standing up for the Gospel truth, so they adjusted the truth to their liking. To avoid persecution by fellow Jews, they adapted the teaching to appease people who might be politically powerful and stand in opposition to the freedoms of the Gospel.
Turn on the news, and you will see the exact same drama unfold today. Political parties are either motivated by personal payoffs or to avoid the consequences of political losses. Their motivations may appear a bit murky, but they are not. They either do it to secure their position or avoid losing it because their positions are the means of retaining power and money for themselves.
But in Galatians, we are not talking about the government. Paul is addressing the church. This is the one place we assume our leader's motives will be truthful and righteous. It's the one place we hope will be free from impure motivation. Yet we learn that even spiritual leaders are not infallible. I am not, and neither is your pastor. At some point, even spiritual leaders become susceptible to fear—fear of loss, fear of opposition, or fear of standing up for the truth as it is written.
There are certain texts of the Bible that I read that still disturb me. When I read them, they test me. This internal dialogue happens where, for a second, I think, "How should I say this? Should I say it stronger or softer? Is there a way to avoid this topic or the offense?" This still happens to me because the living Word always has something to say to our rapidly changing culture, and as a result, there is a strong temptation to adapt the Gospel to our liking to ensure we don't lose butts in the seats and bucks in our wallets.
So today, the call of this text is for all of us to address our motivations. But I also would like to ask you to do something specific. Pray for me and all our pastors. Pray that our motivations as your spiritual leaders will always be pure and that the Gospel message will stand tall amidst the pressure to please people over preaching the Gospel truth.
#FearOfTruth
#GospelIntegrity
#CourageousFaith
ASK THIS:
How can you discern whether your actions are motivated by a desire to please others or by a commitment to proclaiming the truth of the Gospel? What steps can you take to ensure that your motivations align with God's truth, even when faced with pressure to conform to societal expectations or avoid conflict? DO THIS: Test your motives and pray for your pastor's purity of motive.
PRAY THIS: Lord, help me examine my motives honestly and courageously, choosing to stand firm in proclaiming Your truth even when faced with the temptation to please people. Guide me in aligning my heart with Your will so that Your Gospel may shine brightly through my words and actions. Amen.
PLAY THIS: God Help Me.

There are some things you need to do yourself.
We are days away from beginning the book of 1 Samuel. So remember to visit our website and secure your copy of the 1 Samuel Scripture Journal. Pick it up so you're fully prepared to dive into this study.
See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. — Galatians 6:11
There is a lot of speculation about why Paul says this. The most likely explanation is that Paul had a secretary who wrote the letter for him as he dictated. Then, at the end of the dictation, he took the pen from the secretary and finished the letter himself so they knew it was authentic.
So, what do you need to do today that must be authentically from you? Is there a task or issue that only you can do?
Whatever that is, do it. But as you do it think about why only you can do it. Often, there is a divine reason. The reason could be as simple as there is something God wants to do in you as you do something for others. So take up your task and address that issue, but give care to how you do it because God is going to do something in you as do something for others.
#AuthenticAction
#DivineDesign
#UniqueCalling
ASK THIS:
What tasks or responsibilities in your life do you often delegate or overlook because you think someone else could handle them better? How might embracing these tasks with authenticity lead to personal growth and deeper connection with God? Reflect on a recent situation where you felt hesitant or reluctant to take ownership of a task or issue. What insights did you gain from today's devotional about the importance of embracing tasks that are uniquely yours? How can you approach similar situations in the future with a greater sense of authenticity and purpose? DO THIS: Get it done and do it with care for His glory.
PRAY THIS: Father, help me recognize the tasks that are uniquely mine and grant me the courage and wisdom to embrace them with authenticity, knowing that through them, You are shaping me into the person You created me to be. Guide my actions today, Lord, so that I may fulfill my purpose and grow closer to You in the process. Amen.
PLAY THIS: Rapha.

Ever felt like giving up on doing good when the world weighs heavy?
We are days away from beginning the book of 1 Samuel. So remember to visit our website and secure your copy of the 1 Samuel Scripture Journal. Pick it up so you're fully prepared to dive into this study.
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. — Galatians 6:9-10
When we feel the weight of the world bearing down on us and witness conflicts within the church, it can be draining. This was the challenge faced by the churches in Galatia. External pressures coupled with internal disputes sowed seeds of exhaustion and frustration.
Haven't we all experienced moments when we've had enough drama and just crave a break?
Yet, it's precisely at these junctures that many believers grow tired of doing good. What's required is another act of kindness, motivated by the Spirit.
Think of it like a critical moment in a football game—fourth down with just one yard to go, the game hanging in the balance. We're standing on the spiritual goal line, seconds ticking away, feeling weary, yet knowing we must execute one more crucial play—the most important one. Despite being behind, despite the internal squabbles on the team, we must deliver. The play needs to be solid and flawlessly executed.
So, despite the burdens and conflicts you face today, hold firm. Do one more good deed because that deed might just tip the scales, leading to another small victory on the path of salvation—for you and your fellow believers.
#DoGood
#PerseveranceInFaith
#RenewedStrength
ASK THIS:
Reflecting on your own experiences, when have you felt weary in doing good? How did you overcome that weariness, and what motivated you to continue pressing on? In what areas of your life do you currently feel the weight of weariness or frustration? How can you apply the encouragement from Galatians 6:9-10 to those situations, and what specific steps can you take to persevere in doing good despite the challenges? DO THIS: Do good yet again.
PRAY THIS: Lord, grant me strength and perseverance to continue doing good even when I feel weary or discouraged, knowing that in due season, I will reap a harvest if I don't give up. Fill me with your Spirit, guiding me to be a beacon of kindness and love amidst the challenges I face today. Amen.
PLAY THIS: Gratitude.