While preparing this book, the phrase of today’s Scripture recurred to me so frequently that, in order to be rid of its constant reminder, I determined to give a page to it. The wolf at dusk, infuriated by a day of hunger, was fiercer and more ravenous than he would have been in the morning. Might not this furious creature represent our doubts and fears after a day of distraction of mind, losses in business, and perhaps the unkind taunting of our fellow men? How our thoughts howl in our ears: “Where is your God now?” How voracious and greedy these thoughts are, swallowing up all suggestion of comfort but remaining as hungry as before. Great Shepherd, slay these wolves at dusk, and tell your sheep to lie down in green pastures, undisturbed by insatiable unbelief. The demons of hell are so like these wolves at dusk—when the flock of Christ is in a cloudy, dark day and their sun seems to be going down, the enemy rushes in to tear and devour. They will rarely attack Christians in the daylight of faith, but fall on us when we are in the gloom of soul conflict. Oh, Jesus, you who have laid down your life for the sheep, preserve them from the fangs of the wolf. False teachers, who cleverly and industriously hunt for precious lives, devour people by their falsehoods—they are as dangerous and detestable as wolves at dusk. Darkness is their element, deceit is their character, destruction is their end. We are most in danger from them when they disguise themselves in sheepskin. Blessed is the one who is kept from them, for many have been made the prey of grievous wolves who entered within the fold of the church. What a wonder of grace it is when fierce persecutors are converted, for then the wolf dwells with the lamb, and people of cruel, ungovernable disposition become gentle and teachable. Oh, Lord, convert many of these—this is our prayer tonight.
- C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening
Idle minds are the devil's playground.
The child with little restraint will jump at every chance to be happy, regardless of what dangers there might be. I think of the of Hansel and Gretel that was in a Bugs Bunny cartoon.
Then I see adults today who are overjoyed by anyone who will celebrate their sin with them. They gather together and form groups that are more emboldened to come down on those who do not agree with what they believe.
Wolves come in all sizes. To believe that there's only one view of Satan or demons is to fall into the lies they have woven.
Any unbeliever can be possessed by a demon. There's a reason why someone coined the phrase 'silver tongued devil'. There's a lot more reasons why Proverbs is filled with verses to implore the reader to seek wisdom and not folly. To avoid those who are fools.
My friend we live in a culture today that is trying to glorify sin in everything. Including aspects of the Church. Too many Churches have vision statements that are not Christ-centered models but craftily written business models trying to sell a product. The wolves have come in.
In that cartoon the main protagonist was attempting to give the children any candy or food that would make them ignorant of the true intention. Today sin is glorified in movies, television, politics and even some so-called Churches. It's not just acceptable but celebrated.
Matthew 10:16 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves."
Christians are and have been getting carefully conditioned to not take sin as seriously as Christ does. Read the letter to the Church that had forgotten its first love. How does that happen? It happened because of enticement. Little compromises here and there. Nothing big that draws attention to the end result.
Look at how strong your walk with God is doing. Was it stronger in years past? What changed? God didn't. He's the same yesterday, today and forever.
We changed. I see a lot of the weakening of believers in the lie of you shouldn't judge. Then comes the others. Before long Christians are bound up in chains of their own making almost as bad as sin is to an unbeliever. Rather than calling on God to break the chains they sadly live in acceptance of them and teach others by their behaviors that those chains are ok. They aren't that bad.
Wolves...lion...seeking someone to devour. There's a description for that. It's called quiet ferocity. Snakes exhibit that as well. Slowly working on their prey to wear them down or even just take them unawares.
Only by being in prayer, being in the Word of God, only by holding fast to the foundation of Christ can you take a stand against such attacks.
Adam was the master over all the rest of creation until the fall. Every animal of every type obeyed. That's not going to happen again until the thousand year reign of Christ after the Tribulation.
Where Christ is present creation obeys. Including the wolves.
Including Satan.
We need to check ourselves daily to see where our hearts are in Christ. Have we compromised? Have we fallen into the lies Satan has carefully woven? Is what we believe matching up with what God's Word teaches?
Call upon Jesus to break the chains of the lies we and those we know have around us. There's a reason why Jesus taught concerning the log in the eye vs the speck in the eye. We have no trouble finding faults in others. We need to be with Jesus, be with Godly people to have them show us what we cannot see in ourselves.
Be careful of the wolves and teachings of the wolves and the world.
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