“Another Gospel”

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

—-Galatians 1:6-10

If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

—–I Timothy 6:3-5

For if someone comes along and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached, or should you receive a different spirit from the one you received or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you are all too willing to listen.

But I will go on doing what I’m doing in order to deny an opportunity to those people who want an opportunity to be recognized as our equals in the work they are boasting about.

Such people are false apostles, dishonest workers who are masquerading as apostles of the Messiah.

And no wonder, since Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

So it is not surprising if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their doom will match their deeds!

—–2 Corinthians 11:4, 12-15 ISV

The Word of Faith movement – is this what Christ preached?

It is also interesting to look at wealth. The Bible never shows any of the preachers of the Bible getting wealthy by preaching — or even writing religious books. The wealthy followers of God such as Abraham and Job – obtained their money from secular activities such as the equivalent of ranching and other endeavors.

The principle and command to tithe is still in effect. That is not the point.

Many preachers urge their congregants to give to get or sometimes to give until it hurts. But the preachers themselves don’t seem to sacrificially give so doesn’t this seem hypocritical?

Let’s just take a look at the net worth of the top 10 “Christian” preachers. This does not even include Joyce Meyer’s net worth of $8 million, or Kenneth Hagin’s net worth (when he boasted of being a billionaire).

2015 – Top 10 Richest Pastors in the World

All we can do is warn people of these entrapments – maybe they will repent like Zacchaeus did. But getting rich preaching the “gospel” doesn’t have a ring of truth to it. It almost seems like “another gospel” from the one Jesus taught – and what Paul spoke about.

Remember the poor widow woman who Jesus commended? Jesus drew a comparison between the ostentatious Pharisees and the sincere and devoted widow. We can all benefit from this story. While the Pharisees “devour” widow’s houses, the widow acted with sincere love and true sacrifice.

And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,

And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:

Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

–Mark 12:38-44

 

Preach the Gospel – as Lambs among Wolves

The Wolf and the Lamb – by Jean-Baptiste Oudry

“After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.

And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:

And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,

Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.”

—Luke 10:1-12

 

Common Sinners and the Common Salvation

I have been noticing a lot of modern-day Pharisees lately. Who were the Pharisees of Jesus’ time? The Pharisees had artificial moral constructs, in which they added to God’s law. The Pharisees were anti-evangelical, they did not seek to save the lost. The Pharisees only did works to be seen of men, not private works to be seen by God. The Pharisees were prideful and hateful. And most significantly — the Pharisees rejected Jesus.

Pharisees are like cult leaders, they don’t want to help create converts to Jesus, they want to create followers of themselves. They want admirers and mini-clones of themselves.

Jesus’ harshest rebukes were for Pharisees — the ones who were likely to discourage his true followers.

“But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.” –Matthew 23:13-14

Some people think it is a compliment if you compare them to a Pharisee, but as the passage indicates, the Pharisees were not saved! The Pharisees were prideful, having not the spirit of Christ. In trying to inflate themselves, they led people away from Christ.

Who does the Bible say is a sinner?

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” –Romans 3:23

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” – I John 1:18

“Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?” —
 –Proverbs 20:9

“What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;” –Romans 3:9

“But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” –Galatians 3:22

The example of Jesus’ Brethren – what did they preach?

The brothers of Christ perhaps had some reason to feel special or privileged. But no, James and Jude were some of the humblest servants of Christ following their conversions. James and Jude continually pointed Christians back to the source of their salvation, to the Lord Jesus.

“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” –James 2:10

“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation,

it was needful for me to write unto you,and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares,who were before of old ordained to this condemnation,ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness,and denying the only Lord God,and our Lord Jesus Christ”. –Jude 1:3-4

Justification and Salvation

The Justification of sins comes only through Christ. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles consistently pointed people to Christ.

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. –Romans 3:21-26

 

NEEDTOBREATHE – TESTIFY

 

Aaron Shust – Ever Be

Your praise will ever be on my lips

 

Fear Not

There are huge websites that besides hosting email have everything from news, to stock quotes, to just plain gossip or human interest stories, and these websites seem to steer the public psyche about what they are going to think about that day.

A decade or more ago, these websites seemed to have a lot less advertisements – and also more useful information. I observed the change over a decade the websites have gotten away from stories on personal finance, planning for the future and real news stories like things like the Enron collapse or the Bernie Madoff scandal. They don’t talk about the negative effects of quantitative easing or the fact that you can’t make money in banks anymore with rock bottom interest rates. As far as these websites go, it looks like the American Dream is dead or for an exclusive few who are insiders.

Instead of meritorious success stories or useful information, these websites have changed over time. Our public consciousness focuses around publicity whores who will do anything, or say anything, to stay in the public eye. And instead of focusing on the stories of the bad that happens at the highest levels of society, “the moneyed classes” and all that goes on with those power brokers, the stories focus on the degenerate elements of the middle and lower classes. There are horror stories of grisly murders, awful mothers and fathers, monstrous children, horrible stories of abuse, miscarriages and stillbirths, and just plain depressive stories. And of course there is always a new fear of some disease outbreak – from measles to Ebola to Zika. To satisfy our taste to learn about the rich and famous, we also get the sensational gossip and dark narcissism from our cultural leaders out of Hollywood – where people jump into a new bed before they even sign divorce papers. Everything that is soul-destroying and materialistic – that is what these sites cover.

When we feed our minds these negative images of our society as a whole, there is a subconscious drift to either mirror this behavior, or to react in fear. If you are a woman, you might fear marrying a man because of all the horrible behavior you hear about. Men will dread marriage because they see all of the manipulative behavior of women and all they hear is that men are losers. Colleges have recently driven a message that all sex is rape, so a woman can change her mind after the fact. That is not to condone promiscuity, but a rape charge is also very serious, that is why there is the Biblical commandment to not bear false witness. With all the stories you hear about of children with defects (like the hysteria about Zika virus), people will shrink back from procreating. The public consciousness is telling us that men are horrible, women are horrible, children are horrible, religion is horrible, and relationships are horrible. What are we left with? We are left with materialism, jealousy, hate and fear.

Not good.

I’m not saying that bad things don’t happen. I’m not saying we shouldn’t take precautions or have many reasons to be concerned about any number of things. But we can’t dwell on the bad – or it will take over.

We can’t merely eschew evil, we must fill our minds and lives with good. That is why we have the Bible. That is why God gave us the Sabbath – to meditate upon God, his Word, and his creation.

Let’s have some hope, shall we? And let us put fear behind us and make it our servant, and not our master.

“Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” – Isaiah 41:14

Just a thought – did God call the nation of Israel a worm – because they where moping around in the “dirt” of life?

“But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.” -Isaiah 43:1

“For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.” – Isaiah 41:13

“Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.” -Numbers 14:9

“Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.” -Isaiah 35:4

Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.

In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. –Zephaniah 3:14-17

There is only One to fear — and that is a healthy fear.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” -Proverbs 1:7

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” – Matthew 10:28

Remember, “hell” is used synonymously with the grave and death. The “gift of God” is eternal life.

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” -Ecclesiastes 12:13

What should we be doing, cowering in fear? Or helping develop new disciples for Christ?

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” – Matthew 28:20

 

 

“The History of Sports Idolatry” – Jason Cooley

This brand of preaching might step on some toes, but hopefully it encourages our hearts toward Jesus and toward a serious mindset. “The night is far spent, the day is at hand….”

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” –Matthew 6:24

This passage was alluded to in the message, not sure if it was alluding to Paul being forced to fight animals at Ephesus or not. But regardless, Paul did not do what he did for glory or for other’s entertainment. Sports is not wrong, but like anything else, it can be an idol, and can be used to draw us away from God.

“Seeing what shall they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? why also are they baptized for the dead? why also do we stand in peril every hour? Every day do I die, by the glorying of you that I have in Christ Jesus our Lord: if after the manner of a man with wild beasts I fought in Ephesus, what the advantage to me if the dead do not rise? let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die! Be not led astray; evil communications corrupt good manners; awake up, as is right, and sin not; for certain have an ignorance of God; for shame to you I say [it].” –I Corinthians 15:29-34

 

Newsboys – Guilty – Persecuted For Christ

 

Why Paul’s Testimony of Jesus Christ is Important (Revelation 1 F) – Pastor Ben Heath