ABOMINATION: A horrible foul thing to God or man.  The adjective abominable describes something hateful, loathsome, putrid, sickening, awful, disgusting, evil. (Matt. 24:15; Gen 43:32).  Abominations are connected with idolatry (Rev 17:4-5; 21:27), disrespect for God (Ezek. 7:3-4), ceremonial uncleanness (Lev. 7:21) and sexual sins (Rev. 17:4-5)

PASS IT ON

Lest you forget the things your eyes have seen…teach them to your children and grandchildren.  Deuteronomy 4:9

Begin to train them early                                                                                                                                  To fear and love the Lord,                                                                                                                                To carry on life’s pathway                                                                                                                           God‘s lamp, His holy Word.–Fennema

If children are to find their way to God, we must point the way.

Personal Comment:  I have three children.  Now they are 19,18, and 14 years old.  I have home schooled them and have done my very best to teach them about the Lord.  I have also in my own feeble way tired to set a good Godly example as a mother and wife.  All three of my kids have such different personalities and as I watched them grow they started to choose their own paths and become more independent upon entering puberty.  My two older teenagers are now away at college and instead of teaching them about the Lord I find myself praying that they put the Lord 1st in their lives and walk with him daily.  I watch the world as it tugs on them and pulls them away from the Lord.  It can be very difficult.  I realize that they have to live their lives and have bumps and growth along the way.  It can be hard to let go but I know that my greatest weapon is prayer and my greatest strength is the Lord.  I tell myself that they are in His care and He is in control.

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**I wouldn’t walk across the street for religion, BUT  I am willing to go around the world for the gospel.  WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE ?

**Religion is man-made; The Gospel is God-given.

**Religion is what a man does for God; The Gospel is God’s search for man.

**Religion is man trying to climb the ladder of his own self-righteousness, with the hope of meeting God on the top rung; The Gospel is God coming down the ladder in the incarnation of Jesus Christ and meeting a world of sinners at the lowest rung.

**Religion is good advice; The Gospel is a glorious announcement.

**Religion leads to an outer reformation;The Gospel leads to an inner transformation.

**Religion whitewashes; The gospel washes white.

There are many religions, but only one gospel.  What are the Basic Differences Between Religion and the Gospel ?

1. Religion emphasizes doing; the gospel emphasizes being.  Religion claims our merit; the gospel calls on God’s mercy.  Religion depends on what I do.  Gospel depends on what Jesus has done.

2. Religion places the emphasis on principles, precepts, codes and creeds; the gospel places the emphasis on a Person. Religion offers us a set of teachings and says, “Accept these, believe in them and follow them.”  The gospel presents a Person and says, “Accept Him, believe in Him and follow Him-Jesus Christ.

3. Religion says, attain; the gospel says obtain.  Religion says attempt; the gospel says accept.  Religion says try; the gospel says trust.  Religion says develop yourself; the gospel says deny yourself.  Religion says save yourself; the gospel says surrender yourself.  Religion says, “Do! Do this and do that and you might make it.”  The gospel says, “It is done!  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved!”  all ways lead to the same place except one.  Religion can point to the grave of a leader, while Christianity points to an empty tomb.

“AH! the bridge of grace will bear your weight, brother.  Thousands of big sinners have gone across that bridge, yea, tens of thousands have gone over it.  I can hear their trampings now as they traverse the great arches of the bridge of salvation.  They come by their thousands, by their myriads; e’er since the day when Christ first entered into His glory, they come, and yet never a stone has sprung in that mighty bridge.  Some have been the chief of sinners, and some have come at the very last of their days, but the arch has never yielded beneath their weight.  I will go with them trusting to the same support; it will bear me over as it has borne them.” (The Forgottne Spurgeon, p. 164)