The True Gospel Versus False Gospels.

Below Are The Marks Of The True Gospel And The Marks Of The False Gospels.

1. MARKS OF THE TRUE GOSPEL

• Teaches That The Source Of The Gospel Is God.

Galatians 1:11-12 (NIV) says “I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.”

• Knows That Life Is Obtained Through Death; We Trust In The God Who Loved Us And Died For Us So That We Might Die To Sin And Live For Him.

Galatians 2:20 (NIV) says “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

• Explains That All Believers Have The Holy Spirit Through Faith.

Galatians 3:14 (NIV) says “He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”

• Declares That We Cannot Be Saved By Keeping Laws; The Only Way Of Salvation Is Through Faith In Christ, Which Is Available To All.

Galatians 3:21-22 (NIV) says “Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.”

• Says That All Believers Are One In Christ, So There Is No Basis For Discrimination Of Any Kind.

Galatians 3:26-28 (NIV) says “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

• Proclaims That We Are Free From The Grip Of Sin And That The Holy Spirit’s Power Fills And Guides Us.

Galatians 5:24-25 (NIV) says “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

2. MARKS OF THE FALSE GOSPELS

• Treats Christ’s Death As Meaningless.

Galatians 2:21 (NIV) says “I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

• Says People Must Obey The Law In Order To Be Saved.

Galatians 3:12 (NIV) says “The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, ‘The person who does these things will live by them.’”

• Tries to find favor With God by obeying certain rituals.

Galatians 4:9-11 (NIV) says “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? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.”

• Counts On Keeping Laws To Erase Sin.

Galatians 5:2-4 (NIV) says “Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.”

Trying to be saved by keeping the law and being saved by grace are two entirely different approaches. “Christ will be of no value to you at all” means that Christ’s provision for our salvation will not help us if we are trying to save ourselves.

Obeying the law does not make it any easier for God to save us. All we need to do is accept His gracious gift through faith. Our deeds of service must never be used to try to earn God’s love or favor.

John 3:16 (NIV) says “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

GOD’S GIFT OF SALVATION IS ABSOLUTELY FREE!

ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS ACCEPT IT.

If you haven’t already done so, we encourage you not to procrastinate. Tomorrow or even the rest of today is not promised to any of us. Do it today. To learn how, Click Here.

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Vices And Virtues

The Bible mentions many specific actions and attitudes that are either vices (wrong) or virtues (right).

We all have evil desires and we can't ignore them. In order for us to follow the Holy Spirit's guidance, we must deal with them decisively (crucify them). Those who ignore them or refuse to deal with them reveal that they have not received the gift of the Spirit that leads to a transformed life.

Galatians 5:21 (NIV) says “Those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Review the vices list below and take a personal and frequent inventory. Have you been or are you now being influenced by any of these vices?

VICES

(Wrong Actions And Attitudes)

• Adultery - 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
• Arrogance - 2 Corinthians 12:20, Galatians 5:20
• Cheating – 1 Corinthians 6:8
• Discord - Galatians 5:20
• Dissension - Galatians 5:20
• Drunkenness - Galatians 5:21
• Envy - Galatians 5:21
• Fits Of Rage - Galatians 5:20
• Greed - 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Ephesians 5:5
• Impurity and Debauchery – Galatians 5:19
• Hatred - Galatians 5:20
• Homosexuality - 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
• Idolatry - Galatians 5:20, Ephesians 5:5
• Impurity - Galatians 5:19
• Jealousy - Galatians 5:20
• Lust - Colossians 3:5
• Lying – Revelation 22:12-16
• Murder - Revelation 22:12-16
• Orgies - Galatians 5:21
• Selfish Ambition - Galatians 5:20
• Sexual Immorality (includes Pornography) - Galatians 5:19
• Stealing - 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
• Wild Living - Luke 15:13, Galatians 5:21
• Witchcraft - Galatians 5:20

VIRTUES

(Right Actions And Attitudes – The By-Products Of Living For God)

• Faithfulness - Galatians 5:22
• Gentleness - Galatians 5:23
• Goodness - Galatians 5:22
• Joy - Galatians 5:22
• Kindness - Galatians 5:22
• Love - Galatians 5:22
• Patience - Galatians 5:22
• Peace - Galatians 5:22
• Self-Control - Galatians 5:23

The fruit of the Spirit is the spontaneous work of the Holy Spirit in us. The Spirit produces these character traits that are found in the nature of Christ. They are the by-products of Christ's control – we can't obtain them by trying to get them without His help.

If we want the fruit of the Spirit to grow in us, we must join our lives to His.

John 15:4-5 (NIV) says “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

We must know Him, love Him, remember Him, and imitate Him. As a result, we will fulfill the intended purpose of the law – to love God and our neighbors.

Galatians 5:24-26 (NIV) says “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”

Which Of These Virtues Do You Want The Holy Spirit To Produce In You?

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Are You Stretched Past Your Breaking Point?

NOTE: This is a Guest Post used with permission from Gloria Thomas Anderson, LMSW at http://www.hearttones.com.

Are you currently facing something in your life that is really testing your faith in God? Does it seem like constant and steady bombardments of challenges keep knocking at your door? It may be work related or a relationship or a family issue. It may be financial or a health concern. It may be grief for a loss that is near to your heart.

Sometimes the testing can try you in such a way that you question whether or not you will be able to get through. There’s a saying, "in every life a little rain must fall." Sometimes that little rain shower turns into a drenching downpour, releasing every kind of stress and anxiety at the most vulnerable times.

We’re often told to “be strong and hold on” and although those words are comforting, sometimes we can still feel like we are being stretched past the breaking point. No matter how strong we might think we are, there comes a time when our strength will be tested in some circumstance, usually beyond our control.

When this happens, it is critical to press past the moments of conflict and persist in maintaining our hope in God. Being stretched past the breaking point doesn’t necessarily mean that you will break. As long as you hold onto hope, you have the capacity to bounce back with resiliency. Greater strength prevails through your faith and in God’s faithfulness towards you.

Blessings,

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Two Choices

Note: This post was sent to us by email and, unfortunately, the author is unknown. We thought it was so good that we wanted to share it with you. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

 
          WHAT WOULD YOU DO?....YOU MAKE THE CHOICE.

Don't look for a punch line, there isn't one. My question is: Would you have made the same choice?

At a fund raising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a quotation:

'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection.

Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?'

           THE AUDIENCE WAS HUSHED BY HIS QUESTION.

The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.'

                    THEN HE TOLD THE FOLLOWING STORY:

Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father, I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.'

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three.

In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact.

The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher. The game would now be over.

The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates.

Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first! Run to first!' Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!' Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base.

By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball. The smallest guy on their team now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head.

Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home. All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay' Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third! Shay, run to third!'

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!' Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team

'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'.

Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the 'natural order of things.' So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice:

Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?

A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate among them.

MAY YOUR DAY BE A SHAY DAY!

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God Loves You.

 

Note: This post was sent to us by email and, unfortunately, the author is unknown. We thought it was so good that we wanted to share it with you. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

THE FOLLOWING ARE TWO STORIES

THAT CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE GOD'S LOVE FOR YOU.

STORY # 1

Two brothers were starting in a new school and the teacher asked them for their birth dates. One brother gave his and the other brother gave his as the same year but three weeks later.

The teacher looked at them and said “Now, wait a minute! You're obviously not twins and your mother couldn't have given birth to you and then to your brother three weeks later. How can this be?”

They answered “One of us was adopted”. And the teacher asked “Which one of you was adopted?” And they answered in unison and said “We don't know!”

Like the boy's mother, when you receive Christ, God's love for you is exactly the same way.

STORY # 2

A little girl named Mary became seriously ill and the doctors diagnosed her with a terminal illness unless she received a blood transfusion. She had a rare blood type and the doctors found out that her little six year old brother Billy had the same blood type.

His parents and the doctor asked little Billy if he would be willing to give some of his blood so his sister could live. Billy thought about it for a few minutes and then said “Yes”.

When the doctors began to take Billy's blood, it hurt a little and Billy asked the doctor “Will it hurt when I die?” The doctor looked surprised and said “Billy, you're not going to die”.

When little Billy made his decision, he really thought that he was going to have to die so his sister could live and he was willing to do that.

Jesus did the same thing for you! How can you say “No”?

ANOTHER THOUGHT

Five or ten years from now, what will you wish you had done today? Do it now!

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