THE CRY WOLF PROJECT.
THIS INSIDIOUS EFFORT BY THE DEVIL HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE IN DESTROYING MORE LIVES THAN ALL THE WARS OF MANKIND PUT TOGETHER.
Several years ago, weathermen were predicting hurricanes to bring disaster to Florida. One report after another proved to be false. Eventually, people didn’t react to it anymore. They became numb.
I’ve been seeing this kind of thing happen more and more everywhere I turn. This week, my wife and I were in a restaurant having breakfast. We both ordered eggs and when they came they were cold. Other foods that we had ordered came cold too. Only one dish was hot, all the rest were cold. Years ago, we would have told the waitress to take it back and get it right. In fact, almost everyone would have done the same years ago. But, something has happened over time. We have become accustomed to food that is not prepared right and have given up objecting to it. This has spread to other areas as well. As a society, we have given up objecting to what is wrong in all areas of life. How did this numbness happen ?
This even applies to TV programs that 20 years ago would have been banned from being broadcast. If they appeared in the theaters, Christians would have stood outside to discourage people from paying money to encourage perversion. In Christian homes years ago, if a person used a word of profanity on TV, they would stop watching that program. Well, soon most programs used profanity. Then immoral behavior. Drug use began to be seen sympathetically. Drinking was seen as normal. Now there is hardly a single program where homosexuality is not being portrayed as a wonderful thing to be embraced. Soooooo. . . when a program comes along where there is no drinking, the Christian rejoices. . . even though it may encourage immorality. What has happened to us that things we expected perverts and evil people to watch, we now invite into our homes because it has less vices than another program ?
Years ago, I preached a message on the fact that on TV and in moves then, a person couldn’t tell much difference between the hero and the villain. It is much worse now. Viewers have become much more permissive of evil.
Today we not only tolerate lying, stealing, corruption, ungodliness, but don’t even notice it. We watch programs which would have been banned 20 years ago. Then, we feel good when something of perversion – but less perversion – comes along.
This has made it much harder to raise a family or keep a marriage together. Sin is so prevalent or accepted that we don’t even see what it is doing to us.
This has affected our nation as a whole. The elected officials in our country would have been tarred and feathered and driven out of town on a rail years ago. Today, everyone votes on the basis of the “Lesser of two evils.”
1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
HOW DOES THE DEVIL SEDUCE ?
WHAT PROGRAM DOES HE USE THAT IS WORKING SO WELL IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW ?
I CALL IT THE DEVIL’S “CRY WOLF PROJECT”.
WHEN A HUNTER SETS A SNARE, HE CAPTURES HIS PREY BY LETTING THEM GET USED TO THE SAME WRONG PATH. HE GETS THEM WALKING OVER THE SAME GROUND TILL THEY GET USED TO SEEING THE SNARE THERE TIME AFTER TIME. WHEN THEY SEE THAT NOTHING HAPPENS AND THEY AREN’T HARMED BY THE SNARE WHEN THEY GO AROUND IT, THEY DON’T SPOOK. THEY AREN’T AFRAID ANYMORE. THEN, WHEN THE GIVE IN AND GO ALONG THAT PATH AGAIN, HE SNARES THEM.
2 Timothy 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
THE WORLD WANTS MATERIAL WEALTH. THE CHURCHES HAVE BOUGHT INTO THIS PROPSERITY GOSPEL. THE RESULT IS THAT MANY PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE PUTTING MATERIAL NEEDS ABOVE SPIRITUAL NEEDS.
1 Timothy 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
PEOPLE NO LONGER FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE WITH SIN. THEY DO LITTLE ABOUT IT. THEY SEE THE SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT THEY BECOME USED IT IN OTHERS AND EVENTUALLY IN THEIR OWN LIVES.
Ephesians 4:19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
CHRISTIANS START MAKING UP THEIR OWN STANDARDS, THINKING THEY CAN BE CLOSE TO GOD WHILE DISOBEYING SCRIPTURE. YEARS AGO, CHRISTIANS WERE KNOWN AS PEOPLE WHO CAME TO CHURCH EVERY TIME THE DOORS WERE OPENED. TODAY, THEY MAKE UP THEIR OWN RULES AND IGNORE THE BIBLE. WHAT DO YOU THINK GOD WILL SAY ABOUT MAKING UP YOUR OWN BIBLE ?
Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
STAGES OF CRYING WOLF:
- OFFENDED BY SIN. First a Christian is offended by sin, and will not permit it in their lives nor are they willing to be around it.
- AFTER SO MUCH OF IT… TOLERATES IT. The Christian is confronted with sin on all sides, and while they see it and are upset by it they say “What can you do ? It is all over the place.”
- OBSERVES IT IN OTHERS . . .but can no longer see it in himself.
- NUMBNESS SETS IN. After so long of being surrounded it becomes common. They have given up trying to change the culture around them so say “I can’t do anything about it, and it is all around, so why bother ?”
- PERMITS IT IN HIS OWN HOME. Without noticing, once a Christian stops actively fighting sin, it easily creeps in to their own lives.
- EMBRACES SIN. Once sin has crept into a Christian’s life, they justify and excuse their sin and that of those around them by pointing out that so many “good people” are doing it, he assumes it must be OK.
PEOPLE ACCEPT BEING AN OFFENCE TO GOD, BUT WANT TO GET ALONG WITH MANKIND, REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME.
Matthew 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
NO WONDER JESUS SAID HE WOULD VOMIT MANY IN THE CHURCH UP IN THE LAST DAYS.