BEWARE OF WOLF

The Bible describes Satan as a roaring lion, constantly on the prowl looking for a victim to devour. However, Satan is not all knowing, all-powerful, nor can he be everywhere at once. Knowing this weakness, the devil recruits wolves to help with his dirty work. These wolves infiltrate our homes, workplaces, and churches with devastating consequences.

It is hard to recognize a wolf because they are masters of disguise. They will spend years masquerading as your friend; all the while spewing lies in order to achieve their own personal goals. Some even manage to slide behind the pulpit, mutilating scripture to convince people that their way is truth. Over time they build packs from the brainwashed followers who were oblivious to their true identity.

The motives of the wolf have absolutely nothing to do with God or others; any appearance to the contrary is only a mirage. Their ultimate goal is fueled by pride, lust or greed, and they will patiently wait for the perfect moment. If anyone tries to comprise the wolf’s true identity, they crush their accuser by rallying their pack to their side. The courageous person is left to sift through the ashes of their life, doubting God and wondering why the truth was invisible to everyone else.

The best form of defense against a wolf is not going on the hunt. That would only turn us into villains ourselves. Our hearts would fill with fear instead of love, stopping the continuous flow of the Spirit through us. As individuals we should rest our hope in Christ who will ward off any adversary, even the big bad wolves.

Should you spot a wolf, lean on the Spirit and seek out others who can assist you. Do not use the opportunity to start vicious rumors of your own because that will bring you down to the wolf’s level, giving victory to the enemy. Instead, cover the situation in prayer, then in the spirit of love and humility approach the wolf. Refuse to allow the wolf’s bark to scare you away, but stand firm on your foundation in Christ. Through His power the wolf will be cast out.

If you have already confronted a wolf, or have fallen to their attack, know you are not alone. Though your life may seem ruined and the truth buried beneath the filth of lies, do not lose hope. The darkness may be hard to see through, but remember the Lord will not abandon you. Also know that the wickedness of the wolf has not gone unnoticed, and God will bring them to justice. Do not be angry at the wolf, allowing your heart to become callused, rather you should lift them up in prayer, and live your life with peace knowing that your God is bigger.

The devil and his wolves are all around us. Some sit next to us in the classroom, others work along side us, and they fill a seat in a pew on Sunday. As Christ-followers we have to be on guard, not only for ourselves, but also for the cloud of witnesses that surround us. And when the wolves come prowling around our pasture, we have to pray that the Holy Spirit gives us discernment. Only after the wolf’s lies are filtered through the Spirit can we recognize their true nature. After the wolves are spotted, we place our hope in the Good Shepherd, who will deliver us from harm.

Beware of false teachers who come disguised as harmless sheep, but are wolves and will tear you apart.  Matthew 7:15 (TLB)

MONSTERS-R-US

I was very fortunate to grow up in a church where truth was preached every Sunday. The pastors in our pulpit had their own unique style of presentation and method of delivery. Many of them used different forms of imagery that still echo in my heart today. But one illustration has stuck we me the longer than the others, and it was on the topic of Christ-likeness. Like other speakers before him, this particular pastor decided to breakdown the word for us, but that is where the similarities ended. Instead of explaining the meaning of the word to us, he literally broke it apart. Christ being Jesus, like meaning that Jesus fancies something, and ness as in the Loch Ness Monster; in short Jesus likes monsters.

Of course, the pastor jokingly made those statements, but hidden in the humor was an element of truth. Jesus really does love monsters.  During his time on earth, Jesus hung out with the tax collectors, beggars, and thieves. His everyday companions were uneducated grunts of society, who Jesus later entrusted to spread the Gospel. Even to this day, Christ still chooses to work with the scum and unwanted members of society to build his kingdom

Why? Any coach, general, or CEO would say it would be wiser to pick from the cream of the crop, but God chooses the monsters. God uses the least of humanity because they recognize that apart from Christ they cannot achieve the standard God has set for each of us. Too many “church people” parade around with their chest puffed up in hopes the world will put them on a pedestal. Meanwhile the “monsters” display the love of Christ, and all they can do is give God the glory because they are still in awe that He accepts them for them.

The believer who walks around proclaiming to be a professional Christian is not displaying the image of Christ. They are showing the world that they have a heart full of selfish pride. To be Christ-like, we should have the heart like the person who the church is afraid will walk through their doors, because in reality the pride filled pro Christian is a con, parading around pretending to be something they are not.

What are you, a conman pretending to be a pro? Or a monster that recognizes the need for Jesus in their life? You can read your Bible everyday, attend church every time the doors are open, and donate millions of dollars to the ministry, masquerading as angels of light. But in a reality their daily walk is joyless and empty because pride has blinded them to their actual identity as monsters. In the end we are all monsters, not worthy of the grace given to us and unable to accomplish anything good apart from Christ. When are hearts are completely surrendered to that fact, the Spirit of God will begin to reflect the image of the Master, because Jesus loves monsters.

EPHESIANS 4:15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in ever way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. (NLT)

RUNAWAY BRIDE

As the groom stands at the front of the church, his best friends behind and the preacher in front, an overwhelming sense of joy floods his heart. Out of all the girls in the world, the groom has selected one that wants to make the everyday choice to love him. Even though she may not be the pure girl the dress states, to the groom all that matters is she is committing her love to him for the rest of his life. But the sad truth is that more often then not the promises of that day vanish beneath lies of deception or the weight of life’s circumstances. Instead of happily ever after, people are left with scars of love’s past and thousands of memories they wish they could forget.

Often times a person suffering from the heart ache of divorce will feel absolutely alone and that no one else understands. But there is someone who does understand, way better than anyone. That person is Jesus Christ, who died to save us from our sins. Jesus sacrificed himself for millions of people who deny that he is God, deny that they need him, or even deny his existence. His heart aches for every person to come to him so they experience his love, but like an un-interested spouse people want nothing to do with him.

The Church is no better than the rest of the world. Instead of being the loving bride of Christ, uplifting her husband, we chase after own desires. When we are suppose to be working together to spread the message of the gospel we waste time arguing over words. While we should be seeking to bring God the glory, we seek after huge offering and mega-attendance. The American church is not the beautiful bride of Christ, glorious and without spot or wrinkle. No she is the wife who long ago abandoned her vows and only affiliates herself with the husband when it is a matter of self-preservation.

It is time we as the church stop pursuing our denominational creeds and start following Jesus. Instead of trying to fill our pews using popular programs, let us return to the message of truth. The truth is that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who gave his life as ransom for us all.

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore,  just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.   Ephesians 5:22-32 (NKJV)

FREEDOM THROUGH SLAVERY

Aided by the early morning cold and Oklahoma wind, melon-sized drops of rain crashed in through the small opening of my poncho and into my face. The loud “left, right, left” calls of the drill sergeant pierced through the early morning darkness. As we marched on our first day of basic training, tired and with wet shoes, it hit home the choice I had made. It is a choice that every soldier, regardless of branch, rank, or era has made. The choice is to give up our freedom so that others can enjoy theirs.

As a country, thousands of slave owning men completely sold out for a cause that would free those working for them. In World War II, allied forces landed on a heavily fortified beach to shed their blood to pay the cost of liberating France from the grip of tyranny. Everywhere liberty has been obtained, someone has willing become captive for that cause.

In the greatest struggle of them all, mankind’s quest to live forever, the ratio remained the same. Since shortly after our creation, our ancestors made a willing choice to disobey the spoken law of the Creator. This choice entangled not only Adam and Eve in the deep mud of sin, but rooted all of humanity in deficiency. This also separated us from the Master who loved us and designed us for a relationship with Him. So in effort to free us from the bondage of our wickedness, God stepped out of heaven and put on the same flesh as us. Enduring humiliation and death on a Roman Cross, Jesus Christ gave up his life on cross as a slave to all of our sin, then after three days He rose from the dead to obtain our eternal freedom; all for love.

The God who loved us enough to die for our freedom also loved us enough to give us a choice, because true love is letting someone go. And it is only after letting them make their own decision to return the feeling that the joy of love can be felt. In view of God’s love, we see the soldier who is willing to pay the dues of freedom by taking stand in the way of those who seek to snatch it away from others. In the same manner Christ provided grace for those who reject it, a true warrior battles not for the glory, nor because society deems the cause worthy, but because he understands that God created man with intentions of him being truly free. And the soldier with a heart full of love says that is reason enough give his life.

No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends. --JOHN 15:13 (HCSB)

BROKEN BUT WITH HOPE

I am broken, that is what most of us say to ourselves. Whether we are popular with other people or we are an outcast, rich or poor, healthy or sick, our heart tells us that we are not the person we should be. While we know what ails us, the cure eludes us. And even if we know the cure, no one has the ability to administer the remedy our self.

Think of a white t-shirt, clean and bright. If it were to fall into a mud puddle, the brightness would vanish underneath the immense dirt stains. Even though the shirt knows it is needs washed, there is no way it can get into the wash machine on its own. Regardless of how much dirt is on it, once someone puts it through the washing machine, it can return to the same bright and clean state it was before.

We are the same way, despite the fact each one of us are broken, and sin the reason we are broken. Even though we know that are hearts are sinful, not one of us holds the power to overcome strangle hold it has on our life. It is only through Jesus Christ that sin can be removed from our lives.

Some of us think because of the terrible condition that sin has left our lives in that we need to get to a certain point before Jesus can cleanse us, let alone use us. But the blood of Jesus is more powerful than any sin you or I can commit, all we have to do is allow Him to transform us into His instrument.  Even if we have a little pepper mixed in, we can still be the salt that Christ has called us to be.

But some will come to me—those the Father has given me—and I will never, never reject them. John 8:37 (TLB)