Matthew 10:16
Behold, I (Jesus) send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: So be wise as serpents, and innocent as doves.
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When sin entered the world through Adam and the woman, Eve, it was accompanied by death, hatred, pain and sorrow along with every other bad and evil thing that you can possibly imagine. You can see the entire list written in today's newspapers! You and I live in an evil and corrupt world and you need to know that it cannot be fixed! It has to be replaced. As the apostle Peter wrote, “The day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.” {2Pt.3:10}

Even sinful man cannot be fixed. He has to be replaced! So, Jesus said, 'You must be born again.' {Jn.3:16} Emphasize the word 'must' dear reader. With that second birth we are no longer of the world, we are then in Christ! “Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” {2Cor.5:17} That fulfills the prayer of Jesus as He said in that prayer to His Father, “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” {Jn.17:15-16)

It is a certain truth that one of the most notorious 'wolves' desiring to devour the saints of God was a Pharisee named Saul. Trained by the famous Rabbi Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, {Acts 22:3} he was dedicated to destroying the growth of believers in Christ Jesus. That is what he (correctly) saw as the greatest threat to the way religion was practiced in Israel. The Lord's most magnificent and powerful teaching which is found in the Sermon on the Mount {Mat.5-7} had the same purpose. Over and over He said 'You have heard it said...but I say to you...' as He brought the new, true and correct understanding of the Scriptures. He IS the Word.

Saul was blinded by Jesus while on the road to Damascus on his way to persecute the saints there. He then continued on, now as a new man, as Paul the apostle—a bond-servant of Christ. He was now on the road to glory. And he would spend the rest of his days on earth sharing what he had found on that road; the incredible love of God!

That 'new man' will not love the world nor the things of the world. {1Jn.2:15} Thank God because this old world is doomed to pass away, destroyed by fire {2Pt. 3:7} but only to be replaced by a new, holy and glorious one. {Rev.21:1-2} That place where even the animals will have perfect peace and the lambs will dwell with the wolves just as it was prophesied by Isaiah so long ago. {Is.11:6}

So don't be surprised if the world and the wolves hiding in sheep's clothing hate you. It is really only Christ in you they hate. And yet Jesus died on the cross because of God's love for them! “Do not marvel, brethren, if the world hates you.” {1Jn.3:13) “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” {Jn.14:27}

“But now, thus says the Lord (YHWH), your Creator, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I have given Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place.”  (Isaiah 43:1-3)

LIVE THE FULNESS OF NEW LIFE IN CHRIST