Identifying the Wolves Among the Sheep  

I’ve downloaded an app on my phone that identifies various plants. I can simply take a picture of the vegetation in question and in a few seconds its name will be revealed to me, along with more detailed information if I’m interested in knowing more about it. One of my main purposes in using such a program is to aid me in avoiding some of the poisonous plants which tend to leave me with very uncomfortable rashes. However, I’ve also found it useful when I’m cleaning out areas of my yard in helping me to determine whether something is a weed I need to eliminate or a plant that may produce flowers or have other positive qualities that could enhance our landscape.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we possessed such an app that could help us identify people so readily? It could tell us which person might be poison to us and which could blossom into a beautiful addition to our lives. Such an ability could especially be helpful when it comes to identifying false teachers or others who might lead people astray spiritually. Take a picture and a warning appears in bold red letters, “FALSE PROPHET! DECEIVER! A WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING! KEEP AWAY!”

Unfortunately, there aren’t any such programs to assist us when it comes to discerning the beneficial people from the dangerous ones. It might be especially useful as we move ever closer to the time of Christ’s return. Jesus foretold that as those last days progressed “many false prophets will rise up and deceive many” (Matthew 24:11). We’re going to need discernment to avoid being among those well-intentioned people who get fooled into following a different path rather than the one, narrow way to which Jesus pointed.

So how do we identify those who may be poisonous to our souls? We can’t go by outward appearance, or by how dynamic a speaker someone might be, or how winsome a personality someone possesses, or how good that person makes us feel about ourselves. We can’t identify them based on how many followers they have or how successful their ministry is. Jesus warned that “many” will be deceived, so popularity may not be an accurate indicator. In some cases, it may even serve as a warning sign.

Concerning false prophets, Jesus declared, “By their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 7:20). Watch their lives. No one is perfect, but do they manifest Christlike qualities, the “fruit of the Spirit” (see Galatians 5:22-23), and spiritual genuineness? Are they seeking holiness rather than excusing sinfulness? Look for the motives behind their actions – are they doing what they do out of love for God and concern for others, or are they mainly out for personal gain and glory?  

However, identifying marks aren’t just found in their character but also in their teaching. John pointed out that anyone who denies Jesus is the Christ is antichrist (I John 2:22). The Bible also warns that those who preach a different gospel should be avoided. Listen to what those people are teaching. Does it coincide with what the Bible says? Do they try to “explain away” clear teachings of scripture while substituting something more palatable to our modern culture? If they are taking away from the good news that Jesus died for our sins then they are not adhering to the one true gospel. If they are condoning what the Bible calls “sin”, then their teachings are in error.

Don’t solely trust your “gut feeling” about someone, but the Holy Spirit can give His people discernment if we’ll stay attuned to His leading. If we’re prayerfully on guard and keep these factors in mind, God can help us see through the sheep’s clothing and identify the wolves among us.

 

A Mom’s Example: Be Fresh and Fruitful  

Recently I took my eighty-seven-year-old mom grocery shopping. With her back problems and other physical limitations, she made her way slowly through the aisles of the store, sometimes pausing for a moment in order to rest. Even though I tried to do all the reaching for items on shelves and any heavy lifting, by the time we were finished I knew she was in pain and worn out. However, as we approached the check-out line, she took the opportunity to pull out a couple of devotional booklets and place them where she hoped someone might see them, pick one up, and be ministered to by its inspirational content. Then she proceeded to ignore her own physical discomfort long enough to interact with the cashier and the person bagging our groceries with a warm smile, a laugh, and kind words.

My mom is not perfect. And she’ll likely be embarrassed when she discovers I wrote this about her and will remind me of her faults. Certainly there are days when her ailments negatively affect her spirit and attitude. However, on this Mother’s Day weekend I’m thankful for a mom who still often seeks to be a witness for Christ and tries to positively touch the lives of others whom she encounters. It reminds me of a description given in one of the Psalms. “The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, to declare that the Lord is upright” (Psalm 92:12-15).

No matter what age we are, no matter our physical challenges, no matter how trying our current circumstances may be, we should hope to be “fresh and flourishing” spiritually. While some of us may be limited in the scope of our activities or in the opportunities we have to personally interact with others, we can still look for ways to bear fruit for the Lord and to be a witness for Him. How do we do that? How do we maintain a spirit of freshness? How do we flourish in spite of the obstacles which try to hold us back? How do we keep bearing Christlike fruit when there are so many reasons to give in to the tendency to just dry up and wither?

I believe Jesus pointed us to one of the key elements in the answer to those questions. He also used a plant analogy in conveying this truth, although using a vine as his teaching tool rather than one of those majestic cedars of Lebanon. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit” (John 15:5). The key to being fresh, flourishing, and fruitful is to abide in Christ. This means that we stay closely connected to Him. We don’t allow anything to come between us and our relationship with the Lord. Unlike King Solomon who allowed the influence of idol-worshiping wives to lead him astray from God in his latter years of life, we continue to maintain our love and loyalty to the Lord in spite of the forces of this world that try to pull us in a different direction. We continue to cultivate a growing fellowship with the Lord through prayer, listening to and obeying His Word, participating in corporate worship, and seeking for ways to serve Him and to point others to Him.

No matter what challenges and limitations we may face today, if we’ll keep pursuing a closer walk with Jesus, He can make us spiritually fresh and fruitful.

 

The Image of Jesus Should Be Seen in Us  

Among my various sleepwear is an old gray T-shirt. One evening I was wearing it as I was getting ready for bed when my wife noticed a small white spot on the front of it. She wondered if maybe I had gotten toothpaste on it as I had just brushed my teeth. I reminded her that this was the shirt someone had given me which originally had been emblazoned with elements from one of my favorite movies, North by Northwest. I informed her that if she looked closely, she could see that the little spot she pinpointed was actually the face of Cary Grant. After various wearings and washings over a period of time everything else had faded with only the image of the actor’s face remaining visible.

This reminds me of what the Bible says about the image of Jesus being seen in us as His followers. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (II Corinthians 3:18). God’s Word tells us that part of God’s purpose for us is that we “be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). While we are told that such a transformation will take place more fully once we leave this earthly existence behind us, even now we should be experiencing the reality of the image of Jesus becoming more and more evident in us. Of course, we’re not talking about resembling Jesus’ physical appearance. We don’t even know what He looked like when He was here in the flesh. I doubt that He looked like handsome Cary Grant, since prophecies described Christ as not having an attractive appearance. It’s His character, qualities, and spirit which should be increasingly manifesting themselves in our lives.

Part of this process of becoming more like Jesus involves everything else that is not like Him fading away. For example, the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23 is often viewed as being embodiments of the spirit of Jesus. As those qualities increase in our lives, anything contrary to them should be diminishing. It’s not just about adding that which is good and Christlike to our lives, but also getting rid of anything which isn’t part of that image – such as anything that would be unloving, unkind, harsh, impatient, anxious, and lacking self-control. Sometimes I’m afraid we try to add Jesus’ likeness to our lives while still keeping everything else intact, including our own image with all its faults.   

There is an old song that points out that we need to be so giving ourselves to the Lord that it becomes “less of self and more of Thee”, even seeking for it to become “none of self and all of Thee.” As we continue on our journey with Christ, there needs to be less sin and less self in our lives and more of Jesus. We need to follow the example of the Apostle Paul who testified, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).  

Do people see Jesus in you? Maybe they see some of His qualities in your life, but is there so much of that which is un-Christlike still present that it gets in the way? Let’s pray for Jesus’ image to become more evident in our lives. Let’s cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He works in us to mold us into that image. And let’s pray that everything else will be cleansed and will fade until people see only Jesus living in us and through us.

 

A Retreat May Help Us Better Fight the Battle   

Our church association schedules a little retreat sometime during the week following Easter Sunday for ministers and their spouses. There is a two-fold reason for the timing of this event. First of all, prior to Easter those couples are often so busy planning and preparing for activities related to this special celebration of Jesus’ resurrection that they are unable to get away. Secondly, after all of the Easter hustle and bustle, they could use a time to step back, take a break, and recharge their batteries.

When we think about a “retreat” in military terms, we often associate it with turning back out of fear of defeat or because of enduring great losses at the hands of the opposition. However, those aren’t the only reasons to withdraw from the battle. It may not be a permanent move or a prelude to surrender. It may simply be a temporary withdrawal in order to regroup, restrategize, or reinforce one’s strength before returning to the fight. Similarly, when we speak of going on a retreat, we’re not talking about quitting the fight or hiding out in fear from our challenges in life. We’re simply taking a step back for a moment in order to refresh our spirit, mind, and body so that we can better engage in the necessary battles.

We all need that at times. Maybe you aren’t able to take a couple of days to go someplace where you can actually physically distance yourself from the pressures of life. It’s wonderful if you can do it – and it may be helpful to plan such little trips occasionally. However, we can seek to find ways to create our own mini-retreats wherever we are, even when we’re still toiling on the battlefront.

The Bible reveals to us that even Jesus needed to make time for such retreats. In Mark’s Gospel, the life and ministry of Jesus is pictured in very busy and active terms. It’s just one event after another, often characterized by the use of the word “immediately”. Nevertheless, in the midst of His active ministry, this is recorded about Jesus: “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed” (Mark 1:35).  Luke provides us with the additional insight that this wasn’t just a one-time occurrence. As great multitudes flocked to Jesus to be taught and healed, it says, “So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed” (Luke 5:16).

Jesus’ example suggests that prayer can be an important part of our experiencing the revitalization we may be seeking. We need to find ways to be able to spend some time in fellowship with our Lord, both through prayer and by spending time in His Word. Quiet reflection in those activities can provide divine guidance, help us to refocus our priorities, and give us renewed strength as we feed on the truths of the Bible. Jesus’ practice also shows us that we might need to make an extra effort in order to find those “retreat moments” each day. We might have to get up a little earlier or put aside some other activity in order to have our time with the Lord. And we may need to learn how to turn our focus toward Him even as we find ourselves stuck in the midst of the battle – to grab moments to whisper a prayer or remind ourselves of one of His promises. Even if we can’t physically withdraw from the crowd, we can momentarily retreat in our mind and heart.

 Don’t run from the battle. However, find time regularly to retreat to the Lord so that you can be refreshed and strengthened to continue the fight.

 

Jesus’ Resurrection Dethroned Death   

As a child, did you ever play some version of the game “king of the hill”? I can remember doing so with kids in our neighborhood with the top of an embankment being the prized ground to try to control. Not surprisingly, it was usually the older, bigger kids who reigned as victors in that contest. Many of us who were smaller enjoyed trying to remove the stronger opponent from his lofty perch, but were usually not very successful. As long as it didn’t get too rough and no one got mad, there was some degree of fun in attempting to take down one of these bigger foes who seemed to be unconquerable. It usually took a number of us ganging up on him at one time in order to accomplish that feat.

The Bible indicates that after man’s sin in the Garden of Eden, there’s a sense in which death became the king of the hill in our world. “Through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned…by the one man’s offense death reigned” (Romans 5:12, 17). Death wasn’t even in the picture until Adam and Eve chose to disobey the one restriction God had given them. Then this powerful foe not only appeared, but he rose to the top of the hill to reign as king. Everyone was going to have to face this enemy. And he successfully defended his territory against all he encountered. No one could dethrone death. Everyone succumbed to his great power...

  …until Jesus came. Here was the biggest threat death had faced. This was the very Son of God showing up on the scene – God in the flesh. This was a worthy opponent. The same God who pronounced the sentence of death on mankind now entered the world and looked to climb that hill on which death had stood as the perpetual king. He landed a couple of blows by raising individuals from the dead. However, death still had those souls in its grasp and knew he would eventually bring them back to the grave to remain there. In spite of Jesus showing Himself to be the greatest challenger to death’s power he had ever faced, in the end death appeared to still come out on top. Jesus was crucified, committed His spirit to God, and breathed His last. Death was still the king of the hill...

…until an empty tomb revealed that there was a new king on the throne. Jesus was resurrected – not just to live a few years longer before being overcome by death – no, Jesus arose to live forever. He had conquered the unconquerable. He had dethroned death. Not only did He stand victoriously at the top of the hill, but He also made the way for all of us to join Him there. He has given us victory over death as well. This doesn’t mean we won’t have to face that powerful enemy. He is still present in our world. As the preacher at a funeral I attended last weekend reminded us, unless the Lord returns first, one day we’re all going to be in that situation. Death will still strike its blow. However, the difference is that now we know that’s not the end of the story. All will be resurrected. Those who know Jesus as Savior will be raised to a glorious existence with Him for eternity. Not only does Jesus reign as King, but we get to reign with Him.

I like the way one song puts it: “As He stands in victory, sin’s curse (including death) has lost its grip on me.” And it’s all because there’s a new King of the hill – the resurrected Christ!

 

Honor the One Worthy of Your Worship   

As this weekend’s Masters golf tournament drew near, there was much speculation about whether or not Tiger Woods would be playing. All the focus on this great golfer took me back to 2018 to another golf venue in Georgia where he won a tournament for the first time in several years. As he approached the final green on that occasion, there was mayhem as the crowds ignored the usual boundaries and thronged around him ready to celebrate his victory.  While there was some apprehension and discomfort about the zealous behavior of the group following him and for his safety, it turned out to be a memorable moment as they crowned their hero as king of the world of golf, at least for the moment.

We look much further back into history to celebrate another memorable moment this weekend. We’ve come to call it Palm Sunday. It’s that occasion when Jesus entered Jerusalem as He approached the final leg of His journey on this earth. A great crowd gathered around Him as well. In their zeal, they ignored many of the usual restraints. They didn’t hold back their enthusiasm or tone down the bold proclamation they shouted as their hero made His way into the city. They ignored the frowns of the religious authorities who thought this celebration was getting out of control and who didn’t appreciate the implications of the people’s claims about Jesus. This crowd was giving Him the homage due to a conquering king. They were attributing titles to Him which identified Him with the long-awaited Messiah. These people were praising this man in a way that bordered on worship.

Yet Jesus didn’t rebuke them for what they said or did on this occasion. He didn’t deny their claims or attempt to correct them. No, He affirmed that their actions and declarations were appropriate. When the religious leaders suggested He should discourage the crowd, Jesus responded, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out” (Luke 19:40).

Granted, this group yelling “Hosanna” and laying out their palm branches on the road before Jesus didn’t really understand the nature of Jesus’ kingship or the manner in which He was about to win the victory. They were hoping for a political ruler and for deliverance from the oppression of the Romans. Nevertheless, their honoring Jesus as their king and treating Him like a conquering hero was still the proper response. He was on the verge of a great triumph. He was about to make His final shot. He would lay down His life on the cross in order to make a way for us to be reconciled with a holy God. While His last putt would seem to hang on the edge of the cup for three days, an empty tomb would reveal that it had dropped into the hole and had won the victory.      

I sometimes question how appropriate it may be for us to exalt certain athletes and other celebrities the way our culture tends to do. At times the admiration does seem to border on worship. However, it’s always appropriate to exalt Jesus and to worship Him as our conquering King. He is the one person who is worthy of such devotion and praise. What He has done for us far outweighs winning a golf tournament, yes, even the Masters.

So let’s allow this Palm Sunday celebration to be a reminder to us that we do have a King who is worthy of our worship. Honor Him. Proclaim His praises. Humbly bow before Him and submit to Him. Celebrate His victory through His death and resurrection. Your zeal may disturb some people, but it will please the One who matters most.   

 

Confront the Giants in Your World   

Recently our oldest grandson took on the challenge at a local Mexican restaurant to eat their meal called “El Gigante” or “the giant.” Anyone who eats this oversized burrito in its entirety is rewarded with a T-shirt attesting to their victory, along with a free dessert. Our teenage grandson had no problem completing the mission. He even happily polished off the dessert afterwards. Interestingly enough, he was actually following in the footsteps of his uncle – our son – who accomplished the same feat many years ago at approximately the same age.

When we think of challenges and giants, many of us associate it with the familiar story in the Bible about David and Goliath. The Philistine “El Gigante” didn’t challenge the members of Israel’s army to try to overcome him with forks and big appetites, but rather with swords and spears. Yet no one was willing to stand up to him until young David came along. And he chose his own unorthodox weapons - a staff and a sling. He rightfully recognized that this giant wasn’t just challenging an army of men, but he was defying the one true God. So instead of running away from the giant, David ran toward him with the confidence that “this day the Lord will deliver you into my hand…for the battle is the Lord’s” (I Samuel 17:46-47).  The result? “David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him” (v.50).

What giants are you facing today? Some of us may be dealing with our own personal Goliaths – huge issues that are singular to us and our particular circumstances. Others of us are facing off against the same giants – the ones that are marching forth in our day as a challenge to all who align themselves with God, Jesus, and the teachings of the Bible. Some of them are trying to bully us into submission. Others are working more craftily, using deception and propagating half-truths in order to try to get us to surrender our loyalty to the Lord and His Word.

What do we do? We could choose to do nothing. We could wait, watch, and cower in fear as the army of Israel did each day as Goliath came forth with his challenge. Or we can move forward and confront the giant as David did. We can trust God to be with us, to give us whatever strength and wisdom we need, and to help us gain victory over that enemy. In some cases, He may enable us to slay the giant. In other cases, He may help us endure those challenges and to overcome by maintaining a steadfast faith in the Lord in spite of the efforts of the enemy to destroy us.

A favorite hymn should inspire us: “Lead on, O King Eternal, we follow not with fears; for gladness breaks like morning where’er Thy face appears. The cross is lifted o’er us; we journey in its light. The crown awaits the conquest; lead on, O God of might.”

The giants are challenging us today. Let’s just remember as David did that they’re not only standing against us. They’re defying God Himself. Therefore let’s trust the Lord to defend His name, to protect His people, and to enable us for the battle. Let’s also keep in mind that like David we may need to use different weapons. As another verse of that song indicates, “For not with swords’ loud clashing, nor roll of stirring drums, with deeds of love and mercy the heavenly kingdom comes.”

Let’s take up our sling and stone, our faith and love, and run to meet the giants who are challenging our God and His people today.