This is the last in the series titled, Choose Your Jesus Wisely. Todays episode is an allegory based on all the previous episodes. It tells A Tale of Two Gods who are very similar, and the people who follow them.

This is the final episode of the season. Lord willing, I will start back up in the fall with a series based on my new book, “Leaving the Church to Follow Jesus.” But for now, there are weddings to host on our property, blueberries to harvest, a family to pay attention to, a book to finish, trips to take, and Truth to seek. Until next time, may God bless you and Maranatha!

In this episode of the Called-Out Café we start to wrap up this series titled, “Choose Your Jesus Wisely” with some thoughts on what the authentic follower of Jesus might do in response to so many counterfeit Jesuses being followed today.

In this episode we look at if false Christian gods, or counterfeit Jesuses do exist in the Church today as I have been saying in this series, who’s problem is that to fix? Do we have any responsibility, or is it up to Jesus to fix His Church? 

A third of the world's population today claim to be Christian. Yet, Jesus said many will call Him Lord, to which He will respond, “depart from me, I never knew you.” Since the title of “Christian” can mean so many different things, it is almost meaningless.  But, there are many reasons for us to know who is an authentic follower of Jesus and who is not. How can we tell? In this latest episode of the Called-Out Cafe, we will attempt to sort that out.

Lets talk about how God views how serious it is to allow false gods to infiltrate our minds and lives...

This is a continuation of the last episode's look at a popular false Christian God: The God of Service And Works. A God being worshipped at a Church near you this Sunday!

There are many classic Christian false gods we could discuss. Any false god is a bad false god. However, in this and the next episode, we will do a case study on one particular false god, I am calling, “the god of Service And Works,” or “SAW,” for short. I am doing so to illustrate how some false gods have boldly infiltrated mainstream and evangelical churches. Nowhere in scripture is the Ekklesia (the Church) called to serve and save the world, yet many churches have made that their top priority.

Pulling together the information you have heard up to this point in this series, we will look at how to defend against SAW by applying the principles of biblical watchfulness.

Since the “priests” of false Christian gods don’t have the Holy Spirit on their side, they utilize what I call “Christian-Jedi mind tricks” to manipulate their followers. This includes the use of guilt, peer pressure, loyalty, nostalgia, tradition, and fear. These feelings can motivate people to follow the agenda of humans while saying they are acting in the name of Jesus. Being directed or manipulated by humans rather than being led by the Holy Spirit, and yet attributing what we are doing to Jesus, is another way we “take the name of the Lord in vain.” This is the topic of this episode of the Called-Out Café. 

The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Called-Out in the region of Galatia was a cohesive focused message and not a series of mini disjointed teachings. Paul’s main message was that of relying on the good news that the grace which comes through authentic belief in Jesus is not only sufficient for one’s salvation, but that to add anything to it, is to nullify it. Paul wrote that when one tries to add anything to what Jesus has already done, it is as if they are worshipping a false god. A god that needs their help to save them.

Today, it is extremely common to hear the gospel of assisting God with one’s salvation being preached in evangelical and mainline churches. The God of the Bible needs no assistance. Only false gods welcome such efforts. Please join me in this episode as we take a look at the book of Galatians.

In this episode we will talk about how the words “belief,” faith,” and “hope” have evolved over the centuries. Many Christian false gods rely upon the modern, unbiblical understanding of these words.

The modern usage of the word “faith,” has taken on somewhat of a mystical meaning that is used in support of many incorrect teachings. It means to continue to believe something despite any proof or good reason to do so. And “to hope” means little more than “to make a wish” or express a desire. Yet as used in the Bible, it means to have a realistic and confident expectation that something will occur.

To biblically “believe” means to have knowledge and understanding of something. Having greater “faith,” or belief, means to have acquired more knowledge and understanding.  Authentic faith is solely reliant on basing one’s beliefs on the authentic truth.