The Wolves Are Circling 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.



Jesus has spent some time teaching His disciples and in chapter 10 He tells them to go out and to begin to teach the people, preaching "the Kingdom of God is at hand." Jesus tells them that they are to go to the people of Israel and not to go to the gentile people at this point. One would think that this would be the place to begin their ministries. They would be around people that they knew. They would be talking about the long awaited Messiah; Israel would remember the scriptures and the prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah and they would respond to their preaching.

Jesus gives the disciples a word of warning. Some cities will not receive your message. Some people will resist your efforts. They may arrest you and take you before religious and civil authorities. Do not worry about what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will give you the words to speak. Brothers will be set at odds with one another and parents will be at odds with their children and "you shall be hated for My name sake."

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

The wolves are circling today. The world is growing more and more anti-Christian with each passing day. I read now of statements describing our world as the "post-Christian era." America is now in this era. The world is growing more and more tolerant of everything except Christianity. The day is fast approaching when men and women will be taken up before the courts and put into prison for their proclamation of the gospel. Men and women in countries around the world are accepting the claims of Christ in their hearts and their families are disowning them and they are even losing their lives.

We need the wisdom of the Lord and His strength as well to be as "harmless as doves." We need Jesus more than ever and we need to understand that we are going to be hated for His name's sake but we are to endure to the end because of our great salvation that He has given to us. Jesus died in our place so that we could live for Him and live for Him I will do; no matter how popular His message may or may not be. I believe that the Bible needs to be taught just as it is to people just as they are and that is what I will do until Jesus comes to get me and takes me home to be with Him in glory forever!

Prayer is the only way we will ever find the strength to persevere in days to come.