Share on Facebook 132 Share on Twitter Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
Devotionals   

Loving the Deceived

By       (Page 2 of 2 pages)   1 comment

I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. - Acts 20: 29-30 (ESV)

These are the words of the Apostle Paul as he was leaving the elders at Ephesus. He is explicitly warning them of the attack that he knew would come once he left them. That fierce and vicious wolves would arise to attack the flock, even from within! How do these wolves attack the flock? By drawing them away with false doctrine! This is exactly what is going on today! The false teacher comes and speaks twisted things. He attacks the flock. He draws disciples unto himself by doing so. The sheep wander because they are harassed.

They also wander because they are helpless. It is not by accident Jesus chose to use sheep as His analogy for believers. Sheep are helpless. We can tend to look at the deceived through such a willful lens. As if they completely understood the falseness before them and followed it anyway. They did not. They are helpless. They are deceived and taught that the darkness that surrounds them is actually light:

"The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! - Matthew 6: 22-23 (ESV)

How great is the darkness that surrounds the lost sheep in our churches? As dark as darkness can be. The same darkness that was surrounding the multitudes that stood before Jesus in our key verses. They were led by the Pharisees. They had been raised to believe things that were wrong. Most were willing to stay while Jesus was feeding the thousands but many left as soon as the teaching got too tough. As soon as the teaching touched upon one of the religious beliefs they held dear. Likewise try having a biblical conversation with a follower of Joseph Prince or Joel Osteen and you will see how deep their darkness is. You will see how helpless they truly are.

Besides harassed and helpless, they are like sheep without a shepherd. What happens to a sheep without a shepherd beloved? At best they get lost and at worst they get slaughtered. This is what I see when I look out upon the multitudes in apostate churches today. Besides those tricked into believing they are saved when they are not, there are real sheep of the Lord. They are harassed on all sides, attacked by every wind of changing doctrine. They are helpless to stand against the rising tide. They are shepherdless sheep, either on their way to being lost or being led to slaughter. Many false teachers make no bones about the fact that they are not shepherds at all. Andy Stanley has preached that the word shepherd is no longer culturally relevant and should not be used anymore. Rick Warren teaches that the role of the pastor is not to shepherd but to cast vision. Even those who have not abandoned the word shepherd do so in principle by teaching a contrary gospel.

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. - Galatians 1: 6-10 (ESV)

There are some who trouble you - harass you in other words. They want to distort the Gospel of Christ. Beloved this is all too real. Millions will be lost thinking they are saved. Millions more run the risk of being led completely astray. As the key verses teach us, the harvest is plentiful. The problem is that the true laborers are few.

Jesus never leaves us without the solution. The false gospels are countered by the true Gospel. By bold preaching that says no to cultural relevance. That says no to the bright lights and the satanic lures of fame and fortune. I have spoken with people who have come out from among the false and into the glorious light of Jesus Christ. People who just needed to hear the truth as opposed to all the lies they were used to hearing. All of heaven rejoiced on those days because what was lost had been found. If this word finds you today as a preacher it is imploring you to not compromise. Do not give in to the temptations that surround you. Break the mega church mentality. The only purpose God ever gave you was to shepherd His sheep. There is no greater call. The only purpose He gives to us, His sheep, is to glorify His name by staying true to His Gospel. Let us all be driven by that purpose.

And let us never look upon the deceived the same way again. Let us look at them with the compassionate eyes of Jesus Christ. Let us see their harassed state for what it is. The end result of being bombarded by false teaching. Let us realize they are indeed helpless as we once were too. Like sheep without a shepherd. Let us give them the only thing that can save them from this and that is the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Let us be the laborers in the harvest field of the Lord.

Reverend Anthony Wade - June 6, 2015

Next Page  1  |  2

Rate It | View Ratings

Anthony Wade Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Credentialed Minister of the Gospel for the Assemblies of God. Owner and founder of 828 ministries. Vice President for Goodwill Industries. Always remember that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to (more...)
 
Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Joel Osteen Blasphemes "I Am" (55008 views)

Why I Have Left the Assemblies of God (38841 views)

Joyce Meyer Teaching the "Relationship over Religion" Heresy (19819 views)

Joyce Meyer -- A Prisoner of Heresy (17524 views)

Francis Chan Stands With Outright Heresy, Again (14581 views)

Bethel Teaches to Declare God is in a Good Mood and Other Insanities (14272 views)

Total Views: 160045

To View Comments or Join the Conversation: