Happy Sunday

WolvesBy Skip Heitzig

Remember the story of the three pigs and the “big, bad wolf”? The hungry wolf went to each pig’s house in turn and said, “Little pig, little pig, let me in.” When they refused, he said, “I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in!” He might have succeeded if he’d been more subtle!

In Matthew 7:15 Jesus talks about another kind of wolf: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.”

A false prophet is a wolf in disguise, someone with a self-appointed ministry. And they can lead folks astray. After all, when someone says, “God spoke to me directly,” it can intimidate some people. Their response is, “Well, I don’t want to oppose God…” and so they open themselves to false teaching.

But remember the curse that Paul pronounced in Galatians 1:6-9 on anyone who would pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ!

In Revelation 2:18-29, Jesus warns the church at Thyatira against one who “calls herself a prophetess.” He labels her “Jezebel,” a reference to the evil wife of Ahab in 1 Kings, who mixed the true worship of God with the worship of Baal, which included gross sexual immorality.

Today, some mix Christianity with occultism: New Age churches, crystal churches, etc. And some have mixed in Eastern religions, like, “It’s OK to be Christian and be a Zen Buddhist, or to worship Christ and use transcendental meditation.” It’s all part of Satan’s effort to deceive.

So I want to make a plea for discernment. It’s a necessary but lacking element in the church today, when the lines of distinction between truth and error are fuzzy, or almost obliterated. The Bible reminds us, “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is the “discerning of spirits,” the ability to tell between things that are spiritually true and false, the ability to “test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

We must “learn to discern.” I’m not saying to be judgmental; I’m saying don't be gullible! Just because some guy wears a collar, or is on radio or TV, or writes books, or has charisma, doesn’t mean he’s right on spiritually! False teachers may talk about God and Jesus Christ, or quote scripture. After all, satan used scripture when he tempted Jesus!

False prophets don't come as wolves, they disguise themselves as sheep. They don't growl, they say, “Baa!” They claim to come “in the name of God,” and they speak Christian-ese.

So how can you tell if someone is a false prophet? Here are three simple tests: Number one is the test of character. Paul spoke of having the “fruit of the Spirit.” This is evidenced by the character of Christ, produced by the Spirit of Christ, in the life of a follower of Christ.

Second is the test of creed. That is, what do they teach, especially about Jesus Christ, His Person and His work? Many will teach that there is no narrow road that leads to life. Or they might try to broaden it, preaching Jesus AND Eastern teachers, or Jesus AND Scientology, etc.

Then there is the test of converts. By this I mean their influence: What is the effect of their teaching on their followers? Sometimes falseness is not immediately apparent; you need to wait until the fruit appears. Paul wrote, “And their message will spread like cancer” (2 Timothy 2:17). That is, it will erode people's walks with Jesus Christ.

Look through the peephole of discernment and identify the wolves trying to gain entry to your spiritual house. Don’t listen to them, and don’t let them in!

To God Be the Glory

1. To God be the glory, great things he hath done!  
 So loved he the world that he gave us his Son, 
 who yielded his life an atonement for sin, 
 and opened the lifegate that all may go in.

Refrain:
 Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, 
 let the earth hear his voice!  
 Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, 
 let the people rejoice!
 O come to the Father thru Jesus the Son, 
 and give him the glory, great things he hath done!

2. O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood, 
 to every believer the promise of God; 
 the vilest offender who truly believes, 
 that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
 (Refrain)

3. Great things he hath taught us, great things he hath done, 
 and great our rejoicing thru Jesus the Son; 
 but purer, and higher, and greater will be 
 our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.
 (Refrain)

Daily Smile:
While Mark was shopping for pet supplies, one of the salespeople came running up to him. “Mark! Mark! I just saw someone driving off with your BMW!”

“Oh NO!" Did your try to stop him?” 

 “No,” said the clerk, “but don’t worry. I got the license plate number!”

In The News:

Maryland Pro-Lifers Seek Justice in Botched Abortion Death
Pro-life groups in Maryland are hoping state regulators will revoke an abortionist's medical license and file murder charges after a patient under his care died, CBN News reports. State authorities are investigating the death of 29-year-old Jennifer Morbelli, who died Feb. 7 just days after receiving an abortion from late-term abortion doctor LeRoy Carhart. An initial medical examiner's report shows Morbelli suffered from a "complication related to childbirth in which amniotic fluid was pushed into her bloodstream." The pro-life group Operation Rescue is seeking second-degree murder chargers against Carhart, saying Morbelli's family was unable to reach him as her condition worsened -- and that he in fact had left town. "There was no one for the family to contact when her condition began to deteriorate back at the hotel," said Cheryl Sullenger, senior policy adviser for Operation Rescue. "She was not properly monitored. They knew it." Jack Ames, co-founder of Defend Life, added, "[Carhart] left for Nebraska and later that evening she was bleeding profusely and she had to go to the nearby hospital." Pro-life groups are also calling on the Maryland Board of Physicians to revoke Carhart's medical license. Some protesters recently stood vigil outside the building while the board met, and more than 1,300 people have signed an online petition asking the board to take action. Police say their investigation into Morbelli's death "remains active" while they wait for the full autopsy report, which takes 60 to 90 days to complete.

Americans Feel Most Connected to Local Religious Institutions
More than one-third of Americans say they feel "very connected" to their local church or religious institution, according to a new survey from Rasmussen Reports, Christianity Today reports. The survey's participants were asked to describe how connected they felt to nine governmental and nongovernmental institutions, including a "local church or religious organization," "local charity," "local government," "federal government," a "political party," and "local advocacy group." More than half of those surveyed (54 percent) said they felt at least somewhat connected to their local religious institution -- by far the institution with the strongest feelings of connection. Only 12 percent said they felt "very connected" either to local charities or local recreational groups, which both ranked second. "Nothing else comes close" to religious institutions, Rasmussen said. "Government and politics are near the bottom of the list." A separate study released by Rasmussen in February found that, beyond family, 35 percent of Americans say their primary allegiance is to their church, while 31 percent said it was to their country.

Chick-fil-A Stays on University of New Mexico Campus
Chick-fil-A will continue serving University of New Mexico students, after the Student Union Building board voted 8 to 3 last week to keep the fast food chain on campus. After Chick-fil-A's CEO made remarks last year in support of traditional marriage, some had argued the restaurant was disrespectful and threatening to gay and lesbian UNM students. SUB board president Rebecca Vanucci, who voted to get rid of Chick-fil-A, said, "If someone is telling me they feel unsafe then I feel I should respect that and that's why I wanted them removed." But not everyone believed the restaurant should be banned: A survey of about 3,700 UNM students and staff, presented by the SUB board at its meeting, showed that 94 percent said they wanted Chick-fil-A to stay on campus. "I feel business has the right to do business regardless of personal beliefs," said Steven Ybarra, a UNM senior. "They provide a good product with a good price in clean facilities." Some also expressed concern that if Chick-fil-A could be thrown off campus for the beliefs of its owners, other companies might ultimately have to comply with a wide range of ideologically driven conditions before doing business on campus.

History Channel's 'The Bible' a Ratings Hit
The new TV miniseries "The Bible" is drawing huge ratings on The History Channel, CBN News reports. The first two-hour installment attracted 14.8 million viewers -- more than any other program on Sunday. Four more episodes of "The Bible" will be broadcast each Sunday night this month. The series was produced by actress Roma Downey of "Touched by an Angel" fame and Mark Burnett, producer of reality TV shows like "Survivor" and "The Amazing Race." The couple said in a statement: "We've been working on this project for the past four years now, and are deeply honored to be given this once-in-a-generation opportunity to breathe new visual life into the Bible's profound stories."