Custom-Made Faith
I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. - (Galatians 1:6–7)
In the age of the iPhone, iPod, and iPad, our culture also has an iFaith. It’s a do-it-yourself divinity that has been customized for an individual’s needs. But this is not the faith that is given to us in Scripture.
I would classify this as another gospel, which the apostle Paul warned about in Galatians 1: “Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed” (verses 8–9).
Another variation of a false gospel would be one that promises that God wants us to be healthy and wealthy and always successful. I am not suggesting that I believe in the opposite of this. I don’t believe that God wants everyone to be sick and poor. But I do believe that God wants to be God. He will bless some people with certain resources, but He won’t bless others with the same resources. One person will have good health, while another will have poor health.
God’s bottom line is not to make us happy; it is to make us holy. The goal is not to make Jesus like us; it is to make us like Jesus. Being a Christian is knowing God and walking with Him, no matter what. It means having our faith intact when the sun is shining and the sky is blue as well as when the storm is raging and the journey is difficult.
Jesus made it clear that storms will come into every life. And when those storms come, it will become evident what kind of foundation we have built on.
Copyright © 2012 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
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The 2013 Riches in Christ Calendar will be sent to you in appreciation for your gift to Harvest Ministries this month..
“True riches, according to the Bible, are secured in heaven, where moth and rust can’t destroy and where thieves cannot break in and steal. True riches are found in Jesus Christ.” --Greg
The 2013 Riches in Christ Calendar displays twelve of the most precious gems in the Christian’s crown. Clean, colorful, and practical, this resource is not only beautiful, but uplifting and useful as well. Also included is a bonus mini-calendar for your desktop, purse, or pocket.
