Ravenous Wolves….

As I learn to walk with Jesus, I again read this verse this morning, and see within it, deeper truth:

 

Matthew 7:15

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves

 

I know many people of God, who name the name of God, even Jesus, yet I watch the way they are treating people around them, manipulating, slithering around them, to get their own needs met.

 

Not just financial needs!

 

Sure we have seen people merchandise the ministry, making some practices look like the old fashioned ‘snake oil salesmen’ or schemers out of the proverbial shell game.

 

Yet it is not just ministry leaders that prey upon God’s sheep. I see it in business and politics too, ambitious, passionate people making merchandise of people with no concern for the care and needs of those they are using.

 

Ezekiel 22:27

Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain

Isaiah 56:11

But the dogs have monstrous appetites. They never have enough. They are shepherds who don’t understand. All of them have turned to their own ways, every last one greedy for profit.

So what makes a spiritual wolf?

I believe it is all about hungers….appetites designed to be legitimately met by Jesus and the bread of His Word,  that feed on the flesh and brokenness of others.

It is all about the heart. We have passions that rage within ourselves, needs for love, intimacy, sex, food, success, to be noticed…

God will supply all of these, if we allow Him to break our hearts, and give to us the living waters of His Spirit that Jesus promises, but this is not a quick, microwave thing, it takes hours, daily, alone with Him in prayer, as He gently soaks us with His Spirit, washes us with His Word, feeds our heart of heart with His love, understanding, revelation, and peace, quieting our raging passions in the ocean of His presence.

Yet, I have learned that most leaders are way too busy for this degree of intimacy, and they gotta GO!

No realizing that in many cases the ‘gotta’ is an unmet appetite, that they are going to get fed in the rough and tumble of life.

Gotta make that deal, sign that contract, make that buck, conquer that person, have sex with the object of my desire.

Self…

Ravenous passions….

The tyranny of unmet expectations, the pursuit of unholy desires….

Jesus saw all this while He was on the earth, which is why I believe He told His disciples:

Matthew 10:16

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

He knew the pride and passion of sinful people, wolves, bloodthirsty predators…

So we walk with Jesus, allowing Him to meet with us deep within the secret places of our heart, and each day, He gently sends us out into this broken world as His sheep, in the midst of people who are as ravenous and predatory as wolves…

Yet His command is clear, walk with Him in their midst, as wise as a serpent, as gentle as doves…

Not all leaders are false, God does still call leaders!

Jeremiah 3:15

I will appoint shepherds with whom I’m pleased, and they will lead you with knowledge and understanding

John 10:11

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

There are still servant hearted servants of the Lord, laying down our lives for the feeding and leading of God’s people, because we honestly care…

Let’s Pray:

‘Father, thank you for Jesus. May we continually seek You First, and allow you to meet our deepest needs, directly by Your Word and through Your presence Holy Spirit. Protect us from our own raging passions and appetites, and may they rage only for You and Your kingdom. As leaders, may we gently lead, feed, protect, and empower your people, as You gently give us a good word in season, knowledge from heaven to meet the needs of your people. I ask this, looking to You Lord Jesus, the chief shepherd, my Lord, and my King, Amen’

Whose voice are you listening to?

1 Corinthians 14:10

There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.

Voices, voices, voices all vying for our attention.

The incessant babble and conversations of people, buying, selling, sharing, teaching, asking for you to listen…and obey.

Its all about who is in charge, power and control, for is it not written?

Romans 6:16

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Then there can come the voice of angels, messengers of God from heaven into the earth, yet there is One that promises to speak, One that is gentle, kind, loving, and the only one that must be obeyed.

 In the clamor of conflicting counsels, comes His promise:

John 10:27 (King James) ²⁷ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

 Day by day, month by month, there comes His unfolding plan for our lives, as  deeply, simply, we seek Him daily, carefully tuning the antenna of our hearts unto His frequency, His still small voice.

Yet, leadership responsibility can lead to complacency, and former passionate pursuit can become apathy.

Hearts on fire, become dull, burning embers.

 Crystal clear reception becomes initially static, then, if we are not very careful, tuned to another station, and another voice is heard.

 This is what happened to king David, mighty ruler of Israel, the man after God’s own heart.

 Read with me 1 Chronicles 21 as David Takes a Census….

21 Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census of the people of Israel. ² So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, “Take a census of all the people of Israel—from Beersheba in the south to Dan in the north—and bring me a report so I may know how many there are.”

³ But Joab replied, “May the Lord increase the number of his people a hundred times over! But why, my lord the king, do you want to do this? Are they not all your servants? Why must you cause Israel to sin?”

So we see, David listening to another voice…

Obeying that voice brought great destruction to Israel…

Much can be said, and I have written much along these lines, but today, I’m asking, if you will, for the privilege of praying with you, for your heart, to hear Him, accurately…

Let’s Pray:

‘Father, there have been seasons of great, passionate pursuit of Your will and calling upon my life, but today, I would ask that again You might speak to me again, clearly, accurately. Deliver me from the will of devils and people who fight to thwart Your will for my life, may my heart again burn with passion for You and Your Kingdom. I ask this, knowing I am heard and answered, for I ask in Your name Lord Jesus. Amen’

Thoughts for deeper study:

2 Samuel 24 (AKJV)

24 And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.

Ex 30:¹¹ And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, ¹² When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. 

What do you think about these verses?

If you need some more material along these lines, read these articles:

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/10/test-the-spirits-love-truth/

Spirit Led Living

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/02/seven-ways-to-hear-the-voice-of-god-part-one/

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/03/seven-that-ways-god-speaks-to-you-part-2/

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/05/seven-that-ways-god-speaks-to-you-part-3/

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/05/seven-that-ways-god-speaks-to-you-part-4/

Vision – Testimony https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/06/seven-that-ways-god-speaks-to-you-part-5/

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/07/seven-that-ways-god-speaks-to-you-part-6/

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2015/03/11/seven-that-ways-god-speaks-to-you-part-7-prophesy/

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2015/06/24/what-is-god-speaking-to-you-today/

Hungry?

Desire the Sincere Milk of the Word!
1 peter 2:2 Like newborn babies you should crave (thirst for, earnestly desire) the pure (unadulterated) spiritual milk, that by it you may be nurtured and grow unto [completed]
salvation,
I had a pastor say to me one time, that pastoring is kind of like a nurturing a new born baby. First thing a newborn wants to do, is nurse. There is this innate ‘sucking mechanism’ that every healthy baby exhibits.
When I asked him how to decide, as a young pastor, where best to spend my time, when there are so many obviously hurting people in the world, I heard some wise counsel.
“Spend your time with those that want to be fed!”
While at Bible school, I had an instructor read this verse, that answered my question quite clearly:
Acts 20:28
Take care and be on guard for yourselves and the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you bishops and guardians, to shepherd (tend and feed and guide) the church of theLord or of God which He obtained for Himself [buying it and saving it for Himself] with His own blood
Amplified says it fairly plain, but good old King Jimmy English makes my point clearly:
Acts 20:28
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
He said: Chris, are the people you are counseling and pouring your life into attending church regularly?
The Word of God is clear, people need to be part of a local Body.
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching.
He said, ‘Although I understand the good shepherd left the ninety-nine to go after the one, that one was still part of the flock. Chris, the Bible says to feed the flock of God. If they will not even attend church, they are not part of your church.
Again, I remembered the thoughts of that newborn infant, hungry to nurse.
If someone is hungry, they will eat. My job is to serve hot, fresh out of God’s oven, bread of life from the Word.
Yet, here, I don’t get to see all of you face to face. People stumble across this post, hungry for a Word from heaven, and I, in obedience to the Holy Spirit, am breaking the bread of God’s Word for you, daily, trusting that through this, Holy Spirit is feeding, leading, and ministering to you, just because He loves you, and I do too!
There are many verses on spiritual growth; we took an entire course on it at Bible school, and this is not the purpose of this teaching today, rather, to put before you a good meal from the Word, that will help you to be all you can be in Jesus.
With respect to church attendance though, the way I see it, we need to be either in attendance at a local church, or out pioneering or pastoring one.
Even if we are evangelists, prophets, teachers whose primary ministry is outside of the local assembly, we still need to bring our families into the house of the Lord.
Let’s pray:
‘Father, we desire to do only you will. Please show me clearly, what church I am supposed to be attending, supporting, serving in, or providing leadership to, at this point in my life and ministry. May I continually be in Your perfect will, intimately hearing Your voice, and moving fully obedient to You Holy Spirit, in Your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen’