Vince Miller Podcast Vince Miller

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.

Are you living in eternal life now?
Remember to visit our website and secure your copy of the 1 Samuel Scripture Journal. This valuable resource will help you prepare for our upcoming sessions and ensure you're fully prepared to dive into this study.
For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. — Galatians 6:8
When Paul talks about sowing to the Spirit leading to eternal life, it adds a significant theological twist here at the end of the letter. It challenges his explanation up to this point that eternal life is solely a result of faith and not human works. However, Paul isn't negating faith by adding to it human works; instead, he's revealing the inseparable connection between faith and works.
Sowing to the Spirit is living a life of faith, where every action, decision, and sacrifice is motivated and empowered by the Holy Spirit. It's not focused on outward actions for the sake of outward actions but on the heart posture driving those actions. When we sow to the Spirit, we entrust our lives to God's guidance and surrender to his will, allowing him to shape and direct our choices.
Therefore, "eternal life" in this text doesn't just refer to life after death. It's also about experiencing the fullness of eternal life with the Spirit in the here and now. Sowing to the Spirit leads to this abundant life that transcends earthly circumstances and extends into eternity.
So, sowing to the Spirit isn't about earning salvation through our works; instead, it's about living out the salvation we've already received by faith. Our works are the natural outflow of our faith, evidence of our relationship with God. Through this faith-filled living, empowered by the Spirit, we truly experience the richness of eternal life.
Therefore, Paul's message is twofold. First, continue to walk by faith, allowing the Spirit to guide and empower you in every aspect of life. Second, persevere in doing good, knowing your faith-filled actions have eternal significance and impact. It's not about striving to earn God's favor but about responding to the Spirit with faith, where every act of kindness and generosity reflects his grace at work within us.
So do this today. Live in eternity now.
#SowToTheSpirit
#SpiritLedLife
#EternalHarvest
ASK THIS:
How can you discern if your actions are being sown to the Spirit or to the flesh? What practical steps can you take to ensure your decisions align with God's will and reflect a Spirit-led life? Reflect on a recent decision or action you've taken. How might approaching similar situations with a mindset of sowing to the Spirit impact your choices and outcomes? DO THIS: Live in eternity now.
PRAY THIS: Father, guide me to sow seeds of faith, love, and obedience, trusting in Your Spirit's leading as I navigate life's challenges and opportunities. May my actions reflect Your grace and bring forth a harvest of eternal significance, honoring Your name and glorifying Your kingdom. Amen.
PLAY THIS: One Day.

Are you reaping the benefits of spiritual nourishment?
Remember to visit our website and secure your copy of the 1 Samuel Scripture Journal. This valuable resource will help you prepare for our upcoming sessions and ensure you're fully prepared to dive into this study.
Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. — Galatians 6:6-7
Let's start by recognizing that this verse speaks about what I do. My profession is, to some degree, like any profession. There should be this reciprocating effect, including sowing and reaping.
The problem is that sometimes people justify not rewarding a pastor financially because they feel their only reward should be an eternal reward. But this is not the case. Pastors need sustenance, too, which comes not only in the form of a pat on the back.
Paul addresses this not only here but also in 1 Timothy 5:18. His statement here to Timothy and the Ephesians church reads:
For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.” — 1 Timothy 5:18
The picture is of a muzzled ox. Why is this important? Because in Deuteronomy 25:4, God established a law for how farmers leveraged animals for their advantage. He understood that people would abuse even the rights of animals by working them to death for their benefit. And that they would become so selfish that they would muzzle them so that they could not "slow down" even for a quick bite.
What Paul is pointing out here is that Pastors deserve their wages and that we are sometimes so selfish that we don't realize that our selfishness is a burden to pastors as well. Remember that this whole text is about burdens, and your pastor bears more than average. He is shepherding and bearing the burdens of the body continually. So don't add a more significant burden to his life by withholding the one thing you can give that he should reap.
So give generously today to the pastors who have sown great things in your life.
#SupportSpiritualLeaders
#SowGenerosity
#PastoralCare
ASK THIS:
How can you practically support your pastor or spiritual leader beyond financial means, demonstrating appreciation for their dedication and service? Reflect on a time when someone's teaching or pastoral care significantly impacted your life. How can you show gratitude and reciprocate their investment in your spiritual growth? DO THIS: Don't hold back.
PRAY THIS: Father, grant me a heart of generosity to honor and support those who faithfully teach and shepherd me. Help me to recognize the value of their labor and to sow seeds of gratitude and provision into their lives. Amen.
PLAY THIS: Surely.

Do you have a heavy burden or is it only a little load?
Remember to visit our website and secure your copy of the 1 Samuel Scripture Journal. This valuable resource will help you prepare for our upcoming sessions and ensure you're fully prepared to dive into this study.
But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. — Galatians 6:4-5
If you read the previous text and then read this one, you will feel like there is this apparent discrepancy. However, this is quickly resolved when we realize that Paul used two different words to refer to two situations. The word translated “burdens” from verse two refers to a "heavy load with an oppressive weight" that someone must carry for a long way. But the word “load” in verse five is a different word, which refers to a traveler's backpack.
So, hopefully, you sense Paul's point. There are burdens and loads. There are burdens that require help from others, and then there are loads that you need to carry. In other words, you must empower yourself with discernment, understanding the weight and how much help you really need.
Every believer in life has macro-burdens and micro-burdens. Some things concern believers together politically, economically, ideologically, sociologically, and theologically. And then there are things that only we can bear alone: marital problems, career challenges, sin issues, and health concerns. The key here is striking a balance. Not being so independent that we don't seek help from the church when it's needed and not being so dependent, we expect the church to solve all of our consequential needs. This balance is what makes us a supportive and thriving community.
So, what's your burden today? Is it macro or micro? Is it heavy or light? Is it a big burden or just your backpack to bear? Discern the difference because some in the community have enormous burdens they need help with, and your load shouldn't take time and attention away from that. Besides, sometimes your burden is God's way of keeping you humble and trusting in him, and you might have to carry this backpack to the threshold of the pearly gates.
#BurdensAndBackpacks
#CommunitySupport
#BalanceInFaith
ASK THIS:
Reflecting on your current challenges, do you tend to lean more towards seeking help from others or carrying your burdens independently? How can you strike a healthy balance between independence and community support in facing these challenges?
Consider a recent burden or load you've been carrying. How might viewing it through the lens of discernment and trust in God's guidance change your perspective on its weight and significance in your life?
DO THIS: Discern your burden from your load.
PRAY THIS: Father, grant me the wisdom to discern between burdens that require community support and loads I must carry alone, and help me find balance in seeking both independence and assistance. May I trust in Your guidance and lean on Your strength as I navigate life's challenges, knowing that You are always with me. Amen.
PLAY THIS: Burdens.