Hinge & Bracket's New Years Eve Party. Singing Tiddly Pom

How Wales could officially become the second best football team in the world if they beat Israel.

Wales' rise up the Fifa rankings shows no sign of slowing, with victory over Israel understood to mean they will be ranked at least fourth in the world.

Just when Wales fans thought things couldn't get much better comes the news our nation could soon be the second best football team in the world. Yes, you read that right!

The Dragon’s have seen an incredible resurgence under boss Chris Coleman, currently standing ninth in the Fifa rankings. They are even above England for the first time with the ‘old enemy’ one place behind.

After a hard-fought win over Cyprus last night, thanks to a great goal from talisman Gareth Bale, Wales are now on the brink of qualifying for Euro 2016 in France next year - the first time they would have done so in nearly 60 years.

Read more on the Dragon’ s ongoing success here:

Words for The Wise, From Slavery to Sonship, Our Status in Christ

Galatians 4 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

4 What I am saying is that as long as an heir is under age, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were under age, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces[a] of the world. 4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.[b] 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba,[c] Father.’ 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

Paul’s concern for the Galatians

8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you know God – or rather are known by God – how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces[d]? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.

12 I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. 13 As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, 14 and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. 15 Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

17 Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. 18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you. 19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!

Hagar and Sarah

21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.

24 These things are being taken figuratively: the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: this is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:

‘Be glad, barren woman,

    you who never bore a child;

break forth and cry aloud,

    you who were never in labour;

because more are the children of the desolate woman

    than of her who has a husband.’[e]

28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. 30 But what does Scripture say? ‘Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.’[f] 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series

Enjoying the Full Rights of Sons (4:6-7)

Now Paul describes the way that children experience their full rights: Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts (v. 6). The change from first person (we) to second person (you) shows that the adoption received by those under law (v. 5) was also received by the Gentile converts. The confession of faith of Jewish Christians is now the confession of Gentile Christians. Though Gentiles were not under law in the same way the Jewish people were, Paul's point is that they too were set free from the tyranny and curse of the law by the sending of God's Son. And by faith in Christ, they too have entered into a new relationship with God which involves the enjoyment of the full rights of sons and daughters of God. Now their life is to be lived not "under law" but "in Christ."

The striking parallelism between God sent his Son and God sent the Spirit of his Son rivets our attention on God's gracious initiative. Just as our position as sons and daughters was secured by God's action in sending his Son, so our experience as sons and daughters is the result of God's action in sending the Spirit of his Son. We could do nothing to attain to the position of sons and daughters; we can only receive the gift of adoption by faith. We could do nothing to produce an experience as sons and daughters; the action of God in sending the Spirit of his Son into our hearts enables us to enjoy our new relationship with God our Father.

The Bible Panorama

Galatians 4

V 1–5: ADOPTION Paul states that through redemption Christians are adopted by God as His sons. An adopted child is brought from one family into another. We have been brought from the ‘family’ of condemnation to the ‘family’ of salvation in Christ. As such we are heirs who inherit His eternal blessings.

 V 6–7: ABBA Paul is quick to point out that this is not only a legal position, but that God’s Spirit works in our hearts so that we know Him spiritually and directly as ‘Abba Father’. ‘Abba’ literally means ‘daddy’. We are not slaves, but sons and heirs.

V 8–16: ASTRAY Paul applies this truth and tells them of his concern, because having been saved by faith in Christ according to God’s promise, they are now putting themselves into bondage by observing days, months, and seasons. They seek to fulfil unnecessary legalistic requirements either of a past and extinct ceremonial law, or of man-made laws. Paul observes the difference that this has made to their former conduct towards him. Previously he had been encouraged by their love and their caring warmth. Now he feels treated as an enemy because he insists on God’s truth about salvation.

 V 17–20: APOSTATE The comparison between the false apostles, who seek to exclude the Galatian Christians from the grace of God, and Paul’s fatherly concern is obvious. Nevertheless, he is prepared to act as a good father and reprimand them if necessary.

V 21–31: ABRAHAM Paul refers to scriptural history. Abraham and Hagar (a slave) had a son, Ishmael. Abraham and Sarah, his wife, had the son God promised, namely Isaac. Paul illustrates two distinct and opposing covenants of law and of freedom, represented by the two different relationships, which underline what he teaches the Galatians in this chapter. As Isaac inherited God’s promises to Abraham, so we inherit God’s promises magnified to repentant sinners in Christ. Thus we are the free ‘children of promise’ and are born of the Spirit of God. We do not become God’s children of promise through enslavery to the law or our works.

Yours for His Sake

Blessings

Blair Humphreys

Southport, Merseyside

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