A Watered-Down Version of the Gospel....

We must be careful when preaching the Gospel. We cannot be effective preaching a watered-down version of this Good News. The one way to know if you’re being effective is the truth will offend some people. If you’re not receiving opposition from some people, you’re either in a real Christian circle (among believers), or you’re watering down the Gospel.

11 Dear brothers and sisters, if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised–as some say I do–why am I still being persecuted? If I were no longer preaching salvation through the cross of Christ, no one would be offended. Galatians 5:11

Religion vs Relationship....

Religion is man’s attempt to earn his way to God. It’s a works-based practice. Christians always have to be careful not to fall into this kind of practice. It’s easy to do when we allow ourselves to compare. The thing that a faith-based belief system does that separates it from all other forms of religious practices is this: it’s not dependent on our actions. We don’t have to do anything to earn it. We can’t. It’s all based on something outside of ourselves. Something that is immovable and doesn’t change. It based on what Someone Else has already done, and transferred the honor and outcome to us, on our behalf as if we did it ourselves. By doing this we can’t brag, take credit, think we are better than anyone else. We can only give credit where credit is due, to Jesus alone. This sets up an attitude of gratitude, a selfless-thinking type of attitude. It helps us not focus on ourselves, but rather the One Who granted us this privilege. It equals the playing field, eliminating prejudice, hatred, and discontent. It infused us with hope. It gives us freedom, freedom to live a life free of worry, shame, and regret. Knowing we are forgiven, frees us up to be the people we are meant to be. It’s all based on a gift we’ve been given, a free gift, not earned, or deserved. This plan is marvelously crafted. It’s designed to keep us in check by knowing we are blessed by it, but also grants us the freedom to abound in the things that have no laws: Love, righteousness, mercy, compassion, forgiveness, patience, kindness, humility, tenderness, self-control, empathy, to name a few. Being free from condemnation, knowing we live under grace (God’s free gift), grants us the mindset and power to live in freedom; freedom from everything that holds us back from living a fulfilled life. Now that’s the power of the Gospel. A level playing field for us to showcase the talents God has given us. Does that sound like the most persecuted belief system in the world? It saddens me to know, what people truly want, Christianity has, yet they spend their time trying to find it on their own, turning away from the very answer their heart desires. You won’t find it in religion, only in Jesus. True freedom is found only in obedience to proper restraint. And the freedom found in Christ, truly sets us free.

9 So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.10 But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under His curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.” 11 So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” 12 This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.”13 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When He was hung on the cross, He took upon Himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing He promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:9-14

22 But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:22

28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you. Galatians 3:28-29

Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles–free from those laws. Galatians 4:12a

1 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. Galatians 5:1

4 For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace. Galatians 5:4

7 You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? 8 It certainly isn’t God, for He is the One who called you to freedom. Galatians 5:7-8

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:13-14

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23

4 Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. 5 For we are each responsible for our own conduct. Galatians 6:4-5

4 Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:4-5

If He, Than We....

Isaiah chapter 50 is about Jesus. It’s about His mistreatment before the cross. Reading this gives us hope. If He can suffer for us all, then we can endure hardships for Him as well. Serving God may have its valley of hard times, but in the end, the rewards that await won’t compare to the suffering. “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe...”

I offered my back to those who beat me and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard. I did not hide my face from mockery and spitting. 7 Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do His will. And I know that I will not be put to shame. 8 He who gives me justice is near.Who will dare to bring charges against me now?Where are my accusers?Let them appear!9 See, the Sovereign Lord is on my side!Who will declare me guilty?All my enemies will be destroyedlike old clothes that have been eaten by moths! 10 Who among you fears the Lordand obeys His servant?If you are walking in darkness,without a ray of light,trust in the Lordand rely on your God.11 But watch out, you who live in your own lightand warm yourselves by your own fires.This is the reward you will receive from Me:You will soon fall down in great torment. Isaiah 50:6-11

Never Underestimate the Power of God.....

Never underestimate the power of God. Just because it doesn’t happen, doesn’t mean He couldn’t do it. All things are possible with Him. He just determines what those things are, not us.

2 Why was no one there when I came?Why didn’t anyone answer when I called?Is it because I have no power to rescue?No, that is not the reason! For I can speak to the sea and make it dry up! I can turn rivers into deserts covered with dying fish. 3 I dress the skies in darkness,covering them with clothes of mourning.” Isaiah 50:2-3

Protection From Being Put to Shame....

For those who trust in God, He promises to protect us from being put to shame. He doesn’t say no suffering, He says no shame. When you stand on God’s side, honor, integrity, and peace come, regardless of the opposition. When you do the right thing, you never are ashamed for standing for the truth. God honors that by protecting us from all the deceitful attacks, protecting our minds from all of Satan’s ploys.

Those who trust in Me will never be put to shame.” Isaiah 49:23c

Life Sucks Right Now.....

We live in a messed up world. This is not how God designed it to work. We as humans have corrupted it with our sinful desires. So how do we deal with it, what kind of attitude should we have? I’ll be the first to admit, I get down when I see the headlines that run across the feeds on my phone. I don’t have subscriptions to any mainstream media outlets. Even the conservative feeds contribute to the gloom and doom. This is why I always say, “feelings are legit, but often overrated. We have to go with what we know to be true”. This story of the ten lepers is exactly the type of story we need to hear in times like these. Of the 10 lepers healed, only one comes back to thank Jesus. Only one. We need to be like this one grateful, healed leper. We need to be thankful that Jesus not only chose us, but also walks with us. When times are bad, when our outlook on life slips below the “life is good” season, we have to go back to Jesus and thank Him for choosing us. We have to focus our attention on what is good. Jesus said, “only God is good”. If that’s the case, then we need to focus on God. Having an attitude of gratitude is always a good thing, especially when the feelings raging inside of us are screaming “life sucks right now”.

11 As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, He reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12 As He entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, 13 crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”14 He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” 16 He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking Him for what He had done. This man was a Samaritan.17 Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?”19 And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.” Luke 17:11-19

The Love of a Mother....

The love of a mother, who can surpass it? Only God. Chew on this for a while, you’ll realize you are loved more than you’ll ever know. Regardless of how it makes you “feel”, this is something you need to draw from in good times, and in bad. We need to go with what we know to be true, regardless of how we “feel”. God loves you, so much so, He’s written your name on the palms of His hands as a reminder.

15 “Never! can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible,I would not forget you! 16 See, I have written your name on the palms of My hands. Always in My mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins. Isaiah 49:15-16