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01-Wolves in Sheep´s Clothing

Matthew 24:4-5,

4)”And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5)For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”

Jesus is quick to warn His disciples that in the last days there would be incredibly subtle deception among people, especially in the organized house of God. We know this is true for He is warning His disciples to beware, not the heathen. In other words, He is saying to great men of faith like Peter, James and John, the pillars of the church, for them to be careful, cautious and concerned. If they are not, they will be deceived and fall away from the Lord while still thinking they are serving Him.

How is this to be accomplished? What kind of deception is our Lord talking about? Rest assured, the religious deception is today coming from established institutional structures and organizations. The man sitting in the bar, drinking his life away, could care less what God´s word has to say. But the Word is very clear that in the last days, so called Bible teachers, themselves deceived by Satan, will distort and discredit the life and teachings of Jesus. The error will be subtle and seductive, and to the Spiritless or fallen Christian, seem so truthful and timely.

Today, vast multitudes of people have heaped to themselves false teachers who teach and encourage them in what they like to hear. But what they´re hearing is not necessarily what God wants them to hear. Sadly, they think they are hearing from God just as Jesus prophesied. How did this happen?

Jesus said man cannot serve and love two masters at the same time. He wants us to choose to serve Jesus Christ. But that includes and means living and walking in the Holy Spirit. Sin and worldliness are then hated. Heaven becomes our real treasure. Spiritual truth washes away the self-absorbed philosophies of this world system.

Since Satan knows man´s ability also, he has developed a plan that will make unaware people think they´re serving God. In reality, they´re serving the devil himself, and despising and hating the real God. He has developed his own doctrines and teachings which are full of distorted half-truths. He develops them by perverting the real word of God. This perversion encompasses all areas of the written word of God, but it zeroes in on the person, work and words of Jesus.

Along with this, the devil must have someone to proclaim his lies as truth to the ignorant masses of people. He even blasphemes by declaring that his lies are the revealed truth through the Holy Spirit. Remember, he thinks and desires to be God. The men who hear his lies and become deceived are the disciples of Satan. Slowly, but surely, they fall deeper into the darkness of Hell´s deceptions. As they progress, they are promoted and exalted as the teachers and preachers of the synagogue of Satan, the church of the antichrist, all in the name of Jesus. Did you catch that? Yes, they preach their lies in the name of Jesus. They are the wolves dressed in sheep´s clothing who devour the truth. Many of today´s largest and most popular ministries reflect this very truth to the discerning eye.

There are as many levels and degrees of deception as the sand of the sea. All are designed to keep you from the real light of Jesus Christ, Heaven and eternal life. Jesus knew this would happen and declared to His disciples that in the last days many would come in His name, “say” that He´s the Christ, “say” they love God, but still be deceived and lost. To say it with our lips and not confess it in our lives and hearts is vain worship. This can happen because Satan has lied to people and they believe him. He appeals to the carnal nature through these false doctrines. Most people today are believing and living his doctrines and think they are following the Lord. The devil has taken the Lord´s personal name and applied it to his distorted words and doctrines. As Paul stated, they are following another Jesus, another spirit, another gospel, (2 Corinthians 11). The devil knows that you can only serve one master and if he openly called himself Lucifer, most people would not follow him.

What you have just read is designed to propel you into a personal study of the written word of God. Don´t just listen to men but test everything before you practice what they preach. The real Jesus of Nazareth will reveal Himself to you if you will but open your heart and be honest with Him about yourself. He will draw near and show Himself in your heart if you draw near to Him. That means to come with a broken and contrite heart, to come asking, seeking, and knocking for the truth. This is not a one shot deal, but a way of life.

Jesus wants to be your master. Remember, you cannot serve two, only one. Make Him your master all the time. By faith it becomes reality in your life, every area of your life. He becomes your all and is able to keep you His forever through the indwelling Holy Spirit