Verbatim Word with Justin Gerry

What does true satisfaction look like? And how do we know when we have found it. In Part 1 of Single-Minded, Justin shares a teaching he gave years ago, the night he met his future wife. Nothing in this world apart from God can truly fulfill us. Whether you are married, single, divorced, or widowed, God has a desire to satisfy your deepest needs. BIBLE VERSE References: JOHN 4:5-42 | GENESIS 21:9-...

It's important to follow through until the end in life, and giving up or checking out too soon can mean missing out on what is most crucial. Paul wraps up his letter to the Galatian Christians with a reminder of the key takeaways from all he has written. He points out how believers should relate to the world around us, and encourages them to faithfully endure until the end so they might enjoy the...

It's universally understood that you reap what you sow. But what does this look like in the Body of Christ and in the life of the believer? Paul encourages the Galatian believers to consider how they can be sowing into the lives of one another to bear fruit for the Kingdom as well as to take inventory of what they are sowing into their own lives. BIBLE VERSE References: GALATIANS 6:6-10 | NUMBERS...

Belonging. It is something we all desire at our core. When Jesus forgives us by His grace, He also adopts us into His family. Serving one another in the church is not always easy, but Paul reminds the Galatians how important it is that they bear one another's burdens in times of need. BIBLE VERSE References: GALATIANS 6:1-5 | GENESIS 2:18 | 1 CORINTHIANS 11:21 | MARK 14:8 | GENESIS 3:7 | ECCLESIAS...

How hard can it be to grow fruit? It might be easier said than done. But through the resurrection power of Jesus, His Spirit can bring life to those who once lived according to the carnal nature of the flesh. Paul encourages the believers in Galatia that they, too, can bear the fruit of the Spirit for which they can take no credit. BIBLE VERSE References: GALATIANS 5:22-26 | JOHN 11:25 | 1 CORINTH...

What exactly does the flesh look like? Paul helps the Galatians by giving them a practical list to help them differentiate between the flesh and the Spirit. Digging through the list may surprise you, as we discover just how common our flesh manifests itself in our day-to-day lives. **NOTE: The first 19 minutes or so of this episode may contain content that is more appropriate for mature listeners....

Who knew it was going to be so tough? It doesn't take long for a Christian to discover an inner conflict between their flesh and the Spirit of Jesus that lives within. The flesh seeks to fulfill temporal needs in a way that does not glorify God, while the Spirit invites the believer to live in a way that has eternity in mind. Paul encourages the Galatians in this ongoing struggle and shares with t...

Sometimes the best thing to do is to stand our ground. The Galatians were in danger of slipping into a fruitless place in their relationship with God. Paul wants to make sure they do not make decisions that are not necessary and that they may end up regretting. He was confident, though, that if they lived according to the Holy Spirit that they would live in a way that brought glory to Jesus, even...

Be careful what you ask for - you might just get it. The Galatians were contemplating a step backward to relate to God under the law instead of grace. While the opportunity looked good on the surface, Paul himself knew that it would rob them of freedom. He reminds them of a poor choice that Abraham made which was recorded in Scripture and the long-term implications of making that decision. BIBLE V...

How comfortable are you with letting people see the "real" you? Paul knew the Galatians on a deeply personal level, and was beginning to see signs that they were turning to inferior things that would weaken their spiritual lives. He loved them enough to speak up and point them back in the right direction. He reminds them of God's ability to call, accept, and use as as we are -- weaknesses and all...

Having a proper understanding of God as our Heavenly Father is crucial in rightly relating to Him. Paul encourages the Galatian believers to move on from relating to God with the Law in the mix in order to fully experience the relationship that God intended for us. He reminds them that God sent His own Son at the proper time in world history to redeem us to Himself, and that He will come again in...

Everything God does has a purpose. Even though we are not received by God through following His law perfectly, His law still held a strategic place in His plan of salvation for mankind. Taking a closer look at ourselves in light of God's law causes us to realize how much we need a Savior. Thankfully God has given us all equal access to Him through the gospel. BIBLE VERSE References: GALATIANS 3:19...

It's wise to read the fine print before you sign a contract, lest you find out later some restrictions or exceptions you agreed to. Paul seeks to point out to the Galatians some of the implications of seeking a relationship with God based on works that they may not have considered. God has already thought through all the intricate details in a way that works in our favor. Thankfully it is founded...

Nobody likes to feel foolish. It takes the wisdom of the Spirit to keep from being deceived. Paul reminds the Galatian believers about the resource they have in the Spirit to walk with and sustain a relationship with Jesus. It's the Spirit's presence that gives us the ability and resources to truly fulfill God's calling upon our lives. BIBLE VERSE References: GALATIANS 3:1-9 | MATTHEW 24:24 | JOHN...

Who are the influencers in your life? And how are they influencing you? Paul tells the churches in Galatia about a time he watched his own friends influenced by outsiders, and how they navigated through the situation. Having people in our lives who love us enough to tell us the truth when we need it is critical to walking in blessing.  BIBLE VERSE References: GALATIANS 2:11-22 | ACTS 11:26 |...

What is the hardest test you have ever taken? In this episode, Paul recalls the challenging test the early church leaders endured of clarifying the gospel for Jewish and Gentile believers. As in most tests we face, we do not always get them right the first time. Does God allow retakes? And why does it feel sometimes like we are retaking a test we thought we already passed? BIBLE VERSE References:...

Giving ourselves to Christ also means releasing the right to schedule our lives. We yield our calendars to Him, and trust that He orchestrates events, milestones, and challenges in His perfect timing. Paul recounts to the churches in Galatia the early years of his journey of faith and ministry, acknowledging that God ordered his steps. Allowing God the right to guide our lives often leads believer...

Embracing faith is a personal decision. We cannot be dependent on outside influences to secure us in a relationship with God. Paul recounts his own experience of how he came to embrace the gospel personally. A faith founded in culture, our environment, our community, or our family background is lacking an important component - a personal revelation of our need for Jesus. Those who find new life in...

What are you trusting in for your salvation? Paul was surprised that the believers in Galatia were getting confused in their faith so soon after believing. He reminds them that there is only one gospel that saves, and any other message taught by any other messenger has no power to bring salvation. How do we interact with people who have different beliefs than we have? What is the best way to share...

By nature we do not always get life right. Nobody's perfect. But what do you do when you find yourself "stuck" as a result of your own actions, your own ignorance, or as a result of the choices of others? It's in those moments that we understand our need for a Deliverer. Paul writes to the believers in Galatia about Jesus, who gave Himself for us, and who serves to deliver us. Paul reminds us that...

As we begin our study in Galatians, we look at the new beginning we can experience through the pure gospel. In addition to experiencing a new beginning in Christ, we enter into a new calling which God chooses for us and equips us to fulfill. And as believers, we are adopted by a good Father into a new family, the church, to bring Jesus glory as we fulfill our individual, unique calling and submit...

On this episode we finish up in Psalm 19 where we see the impact that King David found the Scriptures had in his life. God's Word has value and may involve sacrifice. The Bible can revive us and renew our strength and passion and service unto the Lord. In addition, there is always a reward for faithfully seeking God in His Word.

King David found himself in a position as king in which he often felt he was in over his head. In Psalm 19, he wrote about the resource he found the Scriptures to be that changed everything. In this episode we look at the "cause and effect" power of the Bible, and particularly it's ability to turn us to God, to give us wisdom, and to enlighten us.

On this first episode, Justin looks at the difference between On-Demand Conveniences vs. an On-Demand Attitude to studying the Bible. We will consider Bible passages such at Deuteronomy 6:4-9, John 14:26, Matthew 7:24-25, and 1 Peter 1:25 and also take a look at how Jesus taught His disciples. We learn that when we commit to learning God's Word and trusting the Holy Spirit as the teacher, we will...