Dear Foundations Family,
While we have taken a short detour away from The Book of
Jeremiah, which we will be getting back to soon, the subject
of Well-Intentioned Dragons has been eye opening and an
excellent review. I know many have read Dr. Shelly’s book
previously or recently. Yet, there is always a need to go over
things related to how others see us and to cover subjects like
these more than once. Every time one reads something, rereads

something, goes over it together, even being taught
and retaught on a subject, we are reminded of principles and
learn more than we knew before. I for one have learned a
great deal more than I have in the past by taking the teaching,
including additional material from my studies and then putting
them into message form. Not only does it create a common
learning experience, it develops an collective awareness necessary

to disciple leadership qualities within the body of
Christ. It may even reveal areas of dragon-esq attitudes or
actions we were blind to in ourselves or behind the scenes we
did not recognize before.

Not that I think we have a lot of this kind of thing, but it sure
helps one to see what it is like ‘on the other side of me’. It
also helps us to not put the dragon label on every little thing,
after all – sometimes we need a mirror and proper reflection
to see things in a different light, so we don’t get to being too
nitpicky. That whole ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ thing –
Jesus meant it, Paul agreed and James reiterated it (Matthew
22:39, Mark 12:31, Romans 13:9, James 2:8). I do not know
anyone that likes to be picked at for to long. Song of Solomon
2:15 is pretty clear that ‘the little foxes ruin the vineyards’….

Maybe your asking – WHY? Why are we covering this?
WHAT? What are you thinking? Well, the Bible tells us the
following:

2Timothy 3:1-5 But understand this, that in the last days
there will come times of difficulty (through the idea of reducing
strength, perilous, dangerous, by implication furious) . For
people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant,
abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
heartless, unappeasable (disagreeable, hostile, unpersuadable),

slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,

treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure

rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness,

but denying its power. Avoid such people.
In simple terms, self-centeredness and unreasonableness
will rule the day…. Likewise, the Bible also states:

1Timothy 4:1-2 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later
times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves
to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity

of liars whose consciences are seared.

Again in simple terms, lying, deceitfulness and demonic spirits will

increase and cause a great amount of trouble in the
church.

When one couples the two passages together, dragon like
behavior (remember the devil is called the dragon in Scripture)

will be part and parcel even in congregations, both in
leaders and congregants. That means it is essential to be
able to discern the differences, recognize the sources, so as
to not be overcome or disheartened in the days ahead.

One thing I have learned, maybe you know this and maybe
you don’t, but whenever things in the dark are brought into
the light, it is as though the ‘demons’ aka ‘dragons’ come out
of the woodwork for a time. The hiding places are exposed,
and the attitudes are not concealable. It is like Paul what
Paul expressed when he learned about covetousness:

Romans 7:712 What then shall we say? That the law is sin?
By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not
have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet

if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an

opportunity through the commandment, produced in

me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies
dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment

came, sin came alive, and I died. The very commandment that promised

life proved to be death to me. For
sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me

and through it killed me. So, the law is holy, and
the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

Did you catch that, even Paul, once he heard and learned
about coveting, it rose up in him and it was a war for the ages
inside of the man. I am sure all of us have had this fight internally in

our heads and hearts. Well, it is true when we are
confronted with something in teaching. It sometimes rears up
until it is seen for what it is. Then when it is seen, the work
begins, and the transformation starts…. But it is not always
instantaneous, it does not happen overnight, it does eventually happen.

What is the big take away from all this? Dragons exist. Anyone can exhibit

dragon-like characteristics. When knowledge
and truth are imparted, sometimes it riles things up for a bit.
Eventually, those who belong to the LORD come around and
are changed from the inside out…. However, it is a process
and as individuals we have to be honest with ourselves about
what we are learning, what the LORD is showing us, and let
the Holy Spirit lead us and transform our thinking process, our
attitudes and our actions.

Know You are Loved, Know You are Prayed for, Know that
the LORD will Bring You to Completion!