Matthew 10:16
"Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves."
"Beware the moon, Stay on the road. Keep clear of the moors." (From: An American Werewolf in London 1981)
I was 19 when that movie came out and it was then that I was at my lowest point ever. I was dying and couldn't see it happening to me.
It's nearly Halloween, and I've arrived here in my daily studies at Jesus sending his children, as lambs, out to preach the gospel among wolves. And I have to admit this morning my head went to the movie I rewatched (for the hundredth time) again last night. I confess I'm somewhat of a connoisseur of werewolf movies. It's really an odd and unexpected fascination since throughout my entire childhood I was plagued nightly by nightmares of invisible werewolves that stalked me trying to bite me. I couldn't see them but could hear them. And when they were just about to bite, they'd suddenly be visible (this is how I knew they were werewolves). And this was a nightly occurrence in my youth and teen years for as long as I can remember. As I grew older the demonic creatures evolved into a lion and a tiger. These two were visible and generally stayed clear of me, just looming in the background looking for an opportunity to strike. The werewolves never returned when I was converted to Christ walking, loving, and listening to The Lord. I believe the werewolves and the black dot demons (another group of nightmare killers that would visit me) were exorcised by my conversion. They are the wicked spirits that lived within me when I was foolish and young. They've been sent away into the dry places. They did try to return, but they found my house filled with the Holy Spirit. It didn't end well for them.
So, there you go, that's my Halloween story. Far worse than any horror movie, my childhood was a nightmare filled with night terrors. There are things I've never shared and I'm happy to keep it that way. And the whole reason I'm sharing this today little bit is I can relate and immediately understand what Jesus is talking about in Matthew 10:16.
He is about to do something new; he's creating the evangelism of the gospel empowered to defeat the demonic forces. But it's not going to be roses and buttercups. It's going to be difficult and at times downright scary. Like sheep without the protection of a shepherd, they are going to be harassed, tormented like my nightmares. Helpless and cast down, wounded, like when I faced the black dot creatures. These black dot nightmare beings were people, walking dead people, people with a tiny black dot on their fingertip. And I knew that as they slowly, quietly, creepily approached me, with their finger pointing at me, that if they were able to touch me with that dot, I'd die. The last time I experienced that dream I was a drug addicted fool. I was near death. I was at my lowest adult body weight, 6'3" and only a 29" waist. I was more concerned about doing drugs than eating. And I was dreaming about the black dot people. And that day they managed to touch me with it. I was frozen, couldn't move, couldn't breathe, I was dying. And I thought it was all just a dream, but the phone in my bedroom was ringing. I could hear it in my dream. I could see my bedroom. I could see the sky-blue touchtone phone on my nightstand. But I couldn't move to answer it. I was deadlocked into a catatonic state and I was fighting for my life. I needed to answer that phone. I just wanted to move and answer it.
I finally did get to the phone. I picked up the receiver (that's dating me) and I couldn't speak. On the other end was a very close friend. She was calling out to me but I couldn't answer her. After freaking out hearing my groans and whatever other weird things I was trying to give voice to, she said "I'm coming over!".
Her phone call saved my life that day. I know it. I was living in hell. My soul was at its limits and was about to leave this world. The black dot people won. The judgement had come for me and I was about to go forever. She saved me by caring enough to try and that grace saved me. My entire life I always felt completely alone but for the demons. All it took was one friend to save me by caring enough to come over.
In the face of evil and destructive forces, Jesus sends his family to come over. They're being sent to be there for the people who are living in their own personal hells. These are people who are outside of Christ. Jesus is looking out over the crowds of lost people, and he makes the decisive unexpected decision to take action. To send out his disciples on a mission to free these people from the bondage of evil. He sends them out as people who have been sent under his authority, but they are sent as friends. They take nothing with them but the offer of friendship with God. They must depend entirely on God for all their needs and accept those who accept their message of forgiveness. And Jesus does this because the time is short and many will be unreceptive to the Gospel. Many will receive them positively, but most will not. It's not going to be easy, but nothing good ever is.
Matthew 10:22
"And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end..."
We must stand firm to the end. Face demonic threats head on and speak the Bible truth to power. And take heart, though the way will be frightening, the reward will be that some will hear the message and respond positively, and those who do so will receive a great reward from the Father. And that will make all the frightening situations worthwhile.
Teach them to fight through the lethal lethargy that is holding them down. Tell them to pick up that phone. Salvation is on the other end. Freedom from the demons is there. Escape from their judgment is waiting for them to pick up.
Their addictions don't have to keep them down. Their adulterous behavior doesn't exempt them from finding a new way of living and making restitution. They can come out from their sins. They can turn from their past and walk into the new life offered to them. They don't have to die in their sins. They've got a choice to make. They can stop the stealing, stop the lying, stop the immoral sexuality, stop greedily grabbing and enviously gathering to themselves all their ill-gotten gains. They can be reborn in Jesus Christ. They can find freedom in that. And it's free for the asking.
Friends,
Beware the moon, which merely reflects the true light. Stay on the road, keep your faith alive and true in Christ's name and through obedience to that word. And keep clear the moors, cast off all your old ways, get out of those old habits, move back and back off from what you once were. Don't get bogged down by your past.
God bless you now and forever.
Amen.
#Beware
Matthew 24:6-8 "You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these events are the beginning of labor pains."
There has been thirteen years of war for every one year of peace since the time of Christ. Mankind loves war.
"Many will fall away, betray one another, and hate one another." (v.10)
Love grows cold. Lawlessness spreads faster than the gospel. But through endurance the kingdom of God will be preached. And the angels will fulfill this mission:
Revelation 14:6 "Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, 'Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.'"
And just as a side note, for all ...
Matthew 10:32-33
“Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven."
Jesus calls and sends his disciples to the lost sheep of Israel because he has a great compassion for the needy. He sees them as sheep without a shepherd, lost and living in miserable conditions. They're harassed, and cast down. And in the face of many evils they're unable to help themselves. They are outside of Christ, living in darkness.
And what's interesting is the disciples are sent to be forerunners to His coming. Like heralds they are to go into the towns and villages healing the sick, casting out demons, raising spirits and preaching the good news. It's a mission trip, he's sending them outside the congregation to free these people from the bondage of evil. This is aggressive evangelism. It's like rustic camping. Bring it in and take it out. They must depend entirely on God for all their needs. It's a mission trip focused upon aggressively reaching ...
Matthew 5:17-18, Jesus declares: “Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the law until all is accomplished.”
The religion of the Bible is foundationally layout upon the groundwork of the apostles and the prophets, and Jesus Christ is its chief cornerstone. He is its only basis, he alone has authority, but he has chosen the word of God to speak for him. Jesus trained the apostles, he taught them his word from the scriptures, and his Holy Spirit was sent to them to inspire in them the remembrance of those teachings. And then, they are sent out into the world as his authoritative agents for proclaiming the gospel that he gave them.
The authoritative ground of the apostles by which they stand is the Scriptures, and all the authority of Christ Jesus stands behind the apostles and those Scriptures. Jesus is the lawgiver; they carry the ...
Exodus 13:21-22
The Lord showed them the way; during the day he went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud, and during the night he was in a pillar of fire to give them light. In this way they could travel during the day or night. The pillar of cloud was always with them during the day, and the pillar of fire was always with them at night.
In 1446 BC, the 435 miles long trip from Goshen (Tell el-Dab’a) to Mt. Sinai took the Hebrews a total of 47 days to trek. The Hebrews made the 12-mile-long crossing of the Red Sea at the Straits of Tiran, and they all eventually arrived at the Red Sea on day 25 then took 22 days to travel 124 miles from the Red Sea Crossing to Mt. Sinai. During that entire trip about 2 million Jews DID NOT die. The Lord was with them in a very prescient manner. And his protection was upon them. They hadn't done anything to earn it. They had no merit born out of faithfulness. In fact, many if not most were people who had been fully engaged in the pagan worship of the Egyptians.
Pharaoh's army easily traveled the 249 miles from Goshen to the Red Sea crossing ...
James 2:1
"My brothers and sisters, show no partiality [favoritism] as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory."
It may be smart, this sign of showing favoritism, but it is sin, in the same way that murder and adultery are sin. It's the sin of discrimination. And it's contrary to God’s design. It's difficult to say you love your neighbor as yourself when you are motivated to be discriminatory towards others who are not to your liking. Living a life in faith is living selflessly always, not just when it's convenient. There are never moments when it's not sin to discriminate against others. To operate in this discriminatory manner is to make yourself a law unto yourself. A law contrary to God's law. And this attitude toward the law of God draws attention away from the needs of others and makes the merits of the self into law. This is how one arrives at self-righteousness and a philosophy of self justification.
With God there is no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11). We know Jesus was no respecter of persons because his disciples taught that he ...
Mark 9:23
And Jesus said to him, "‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes."
Whatever the situation, a follower of Jesus should respond always in faith. For it is always faith that does the will of our Father. And what the Father requires is the prayers and fasting of his people.
And to be honest, it's not really that hard a task. It's no great sacrifice to pray for others and fast of the things that distract you in prayer. At any rate, like it or not, a life of prayer is our duty.
The father of this young boy, in Mark chapter nine, was greatly troubled. His son probably was afflicted with epilepsy. And he's desperate for a solution that will save his son from this horrible malady. And yes, it's possible that this affliction is inspired by Satan, certainly the demons believed that to be the case.
You may ask, "how does that happen?"
The obvious answer would be that the boy was likely already frail. I mean to say he likely had the condition at least available for the demon to take advantage of in its possession of his body. They'll prey upon human weakness in the mind,...
