OUR DAILY BREAD : A DONKEY IN LION'S CLOTHING

[cimi]

July 18
Saturday


A DONKEY
IN LION'S
CLOTHING

READ:
Matthew 7:15-23
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Beware of false
prophets...in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly
they are ravenous
wolves. __Matthew 7:15
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In the final book of C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia, The Last Battle, a devious ape named Shift finds an old lion's skin and persuades a simpleminded donkey to put it on. Shift then claims that the disguised donkey is Aslan (the Lion who is the rightful king of Narnia) and forms an alliance with Narnia's enemies. Together they set out to control and enslave the subjects of Narnia. Young King Tirian, however, can't believe that Aslan would actually be involved with such brutal practices. So, with the help of the real Aslan, he defeats Shift and his counterfeit lion.

The Bible tells us that the devil is in the business of imitating God. His goal is "to be like the Most High" (Isa. 14:12-15). Through deception, Satan tries to replace Christ with a substitute. Jesus Himself warned us of false prophets and false christs: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the christ,' and will deceive many" (Matt. 24:4-5).

How can we tell the real Christ from the counterfeit? The only authentic Christ is the one described in Scripture. Anyone or anything that portrays a different Jesus than the One presented in the Bible is promoting "a donkey in lion's clothing." __Dennis Fisher
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``````````````````````Beware of anyone who claims``````````````
`````````````````````To speak directly from the Lord``````````````
`````````````````````If what he says does not agree``````````````
````````````````With everything that's in God's Word. __Sper```````
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God's Word gives wisdom to discern what is false.

***************Today's Bible Reading __ Matthew 7:15-23**********

15 Beware of false
prophets, who come to you
in sheep's clothing, but
inwardly they are ravenous
wolves. 16 You will know
them by their fruits. Do
men gather grapes from
thornbushes of figs from
thistles? 17 Even so, every
good tree bears good fruit,
but a bad tree bears bad
fruit.

19 Every tree that does not
bear good fruit is cut down
and thrown into the firs.

20 Therefore by their fruits
you will know them.

21 Not everyone who says
to Me, "Lord, Lord, " shall
enter the kingdom of
heaven, but he who does the
will of My Father in
heaven. 22 Many will say to
Me in that day, "Lord,
Lord, have we not
prophesied in Your name,
cast out demons in Your
name, and done many
wonders in Your name?"

23 And then I will declare to
them, "I never knew you;
depart from Me, you who
practice lawlessness!"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Our Lord's warnings against false prophets (Matt. 7:15-23) are
echoed by Paul as he exposes heretical teachers in the church: "For
such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves
into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms
himself into an angel of light" (2 Cor. 11:13-14). The prince of
darkness is very skilled in posing as a proclaimer of God's truth.
In reality he sets a pattern for human false teachers who also use
half-truths, deceptions, and lies to deceive the saints (Gal. 1:8).
__DENNIS FISHER