Whatever became of the Jesus we read about in the pages of the Bible? And who replaced Him with the modern American version?

Many still believe “Jesus is the way the truth and the life and there is no other way to the Father except by Him (John 14:6).” Yet many Christians have mistakenly embraced the heretical belief that God’s grace has done away with His laws.

Jesus Himself said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17).”

We’ve made grace a license to do whatever pleases us instead of the ability to do whatever pleases Him! Some seem to believe that, when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, there’s no need to repent since sin is no longer an issue.

Belief in these heretical doctrines results in acts like:

1) Marking, cutting and defiling our bodies with tattoos. The word clearly says it is an abomination to mark our bodies with tattoos like those who follow other gods. It also tells us our bodies are not our own; they are the temple of God.

2) Walking away from strong committed relationships because of offense, ignoring the mandate to resolve differences and to love one another as Christ loved us. Meanwhile, our love and honor for one another is proof to the world that the “Bible Jesus” is real and alive in us.

3) Failure to attend or commit to a local church and using our time, talent and treasure to help advance its God-given mission for our community. God hasn’t changed His mind about having a prosperous church. But we ask our church to serve us instead of serving others in the body to manifest God’s kingdom to our local community. So we come and go from local churches, shopping for the best deal to help us build our kingdom, instead of committing to build God’s.

4) Refusal to submit to godly authority and be spiritually fathered. Some see any spiritual authority as a hindrance to advancing their own agenda. Maybe one reason there are so few spiritual fathers today is the lack of sons and daughters willing to submit to godly authority. Please note: There are times when the “Bible Jesus” will say no and stop us from doing what feels and looks good to us.

What does Jesus say about all this?

The “Bible Jesus” says about His word: “Heaven and earth will pass away but my word will never pass away.” And in John 14:21: “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” First John 2:3 says, “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.”

There is no tension between God’s grace and His laws (His word). God’s grace (defined as His ability given to us to do His will) makes it possible to obey God’s commandments, not do away with them.

What a great deception Satan has sown! And he has covered it up by offering us an alternative Jesus. Don’t fall for that lie!

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Everything we do begins with a decision, and every day we make a multitude of them. Each decision brings with it good or bad consequences—consequences that will be compounded daily. If you don’t like where you are right now, it’s time to stop blaming others and recognize the part that your own choices have played.

Your destiny will be determined by choices you make today and, although you can’t go back and change your yesterdays, they influence your todays and tomorrows.  The God of all creation has planned a great life with a great ending for us, but our decisions can hinder those plans.

In Deuteronomy 30:19-20, God reveals the incredible power and privilege of choice we have been given and He encourages us to make the right choices. But He also warns us of the serious consequences of making wrong choices.

The responsibility of having God’s awesome plans fulfilled in your life is squarely on your shoulders and no one else’s. Here are some obstacles you should avoid.

1. People’s opinions probably influence our choices more than anything else. We make decisions (consciously or subconsciously) to obtain their acceptance. Know that you are extremely valuable and special in God’s sight. Stop trying to be a cheap copy of a great original! When God made you, He threw away the mold. Low self-esteem will directly influence the choices you make. Spend time with God and let Him reveal your true identity—the one He gave you.

2. Faulty motives like attention-getting, self-gain, ego and pride also influence our decisions. Ask God to search your heart and reveal the reasons behind your decisions. Galatians 6:8 says, “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” We should use our God-given freedom to make decisions that will advance His kingdom—not our own.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Will the decision I’m about to make promote God and His agenda or me and my agenda?

• Will God receive all the glory from the decision I’m about to make?

• Will this decision focus the attention on God or me?

3. Money issues affect a lot of our decisions. We can easily be blinded by the power money holds over us. Mark 6:24 says “You cannot serve God and mammon.” Money can be a huge factor in deciding who we hang out with (or not); who we will and won’t serve; who we will or won’t go the extra mile for. We become a “respecter of persons” based on how people can benefit us.

4. Ethnic, family and religious traditions, prejudice and faulty beliefs also influence us more than we realize. Our choices are so critical to our destiny! It’s a good idea to take time before jumping into anything. Think it through and invite God into the process. Ask Him to reveal to you whether it’s a God decision or just a good one!

Your life’s destiny depends on making right choices. So today, right now, make a quality decision to start making great decisions.

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Every day you engage in warfare. Your battleground may be on your job where someone gossips about you, and you are determined to straighten them out! It may be at home where you contend with your mate about family, finances or your relationship. The question we need to ask ourselves is: Is this battle worth fighting?

Too often we get consumed with battles that have no spoils and actually leave us in a lose/lose situation! We’re worse off after such battles than before we started.

A great warrior—before he invests his time, energy and his life—will choose battles whose victory promises great spoil. As warriors in God’s army, you and I need the wisdom to not fight unnecessarily. Satan loves to pull us into no-win situations so we miss the important battles we should be fighting, the ones that bring great victories. We’re called to engage in battles that advance the kingdom of God, promote us in His kingdom and that will spiritually mature us.

Retaliating against someone who cuts you off on the road or trying to prove how important you are by making someone who dishonored you look bad… these are not battles worth fighting. There are no rewards because they don’t advance God’s kingdom. In fact, they damage our spiritual growth and misrepresent the God we serve. As sons and daughters of God, we are His ambassadors here on earth.

Long before David becomes king and before fighting the battle God designed for him in which he defeats Goliath (1 Samuel 17:17-30), he brings food to his brothers on the battle field. It is here that he hears the giant Goliath ridicule Israel’s army. When David asks what the prize would be for defeating Goliath, he is told that he would have favor with the king, could marry one of the king’s daughters and live tax-free for life. That’s quite a spoil isn’t it?

While David is talking to the soldiers, his oldest brother Eliab starts to ridicule him in front of the men: “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness?”

I believe the one thing that made David a true champion was his ability to engage in the battles that were the Lord’s and ignore the rest. He had the wisdom to walk away from Eliab (a battle with no spoils) and, instead, spent his energy on the battle the Lord had anointed him to fight!

David understood his value was in God, not in people’s opinions of him. Because he turned away from the wrong battle that day, he was available to fight the Lord’s battle and be promoted from zero to hero… from a shepherd over his father’s sheep to king of Israel, watching over God’s people.

Before you engage in warfare, ask: “Is this the Lord’s battle? Will it advance His purposes and plans in and through my life? Will it cause me to grow spiritually and be a better representation of Jesus?

I encourage you today to pick your battles wisely. Be strong enough to walk away from the many to fight the few that fulfill your destiny, the ones the Lord calls you into—not the devil. When a battle is the Lord’s, the spoils will be great!

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Often, when people are asked about their plans for the future they answer, “I’m just trusting God.” Although as a Christian, that sounds right, it isn’t biblically correct.

Proverbs 29:18 says that people without a vision (a strategy or plan) will never reach their God-given destiny, no matter how much they trust God to do it for them. You see, to bring us to the fullness of our destiny, God downloads His plans and strategies and expects us to follow them.

Planning for our future is important and is God’s way to assure His success in our life. At the same time, counting on God to direct us is essential.  It’s actually a joint effort, a co-laboring between God and us!

Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me.” In other words, God expects our cooperation to accomplish His will. We do it…but it’s through His strength!

Are you cooperating with God to accomplish His purposes and plans in and through you? Proverbs 13:16 tells us a wise man thinks (plans) ahead; but a fool doesn’t, and even brags about it! The fool says, “I don’t need to plan; I’ll just trust God.” Yes, we trust in God, but we seek His plan and rely on Him to order our steps daily. Ask yourself:

1. Am I following God’s plans and strategies (vision) for my life or my own desires? Don’t make your desires God’s. Instead, surrender to Him. Pray, “Lord, I want Your will, not mine.”

2. Make sure that every day you’re on His road to success and haven’t taken a detour. The Holy Spirit helps you stay on course by bringing deep conviction when you start to wander. Develop a listening heart to hear His still small voice. Ask if the choices you’re about to make align with His plans or if you need a course adjustment.

3. Watch out for pride. Pride happens when you take His designed plan and purpose into your own hands, making it yours. When we think that God will automatically put His stamp of approval on everything we do, we’re putting a stumbling block between us and success.

4. Write down the vision God downloads into your spirit. We easily forget His plans when too many distractions confuse the vision God gave us. I suggest you write down the vision, as Habakkuk 2:2-4 instructs. And review it often.

5. Finally… the strategy and plan that God gives you needs a constant upgrade. Why? Because He gives us what we need, but it’s usually one step at a time and the first few steps might be different than the second few steps. Depend on God (not yourself) to get from point A to point Z.

Change is the Christian’s way of life. God is always re-aligning us to His purposes, keeping us on the potter’s wheel so He can mold us into vessels of honor!

So don’t just say I’m trusting God for my future. Know His strategies and plans. Co-labor with God and live with the confidence that what He started in you He will be faithful to finish!

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