Wolves & WIGs

By Bro. Robert Green – October 25, 2025, Saturday Evening Revival Service

The world offers distractions at every turn, but Christ calls His people to clarity. Before I shared my title with the congregation, I asked for something unusual: attention without distraction. Just as passengers seated in the exit row of an airplane must be ready in case of emergency, I asked every soul to be ready to act on truth, not just hear it.

Our service began in gratitude. Gratitude for the fellowship of saints, for the warmth of God’s Spirit, and for the shared miracle that the same God working in my life is also working in yours. That fellowship—both in the sanctuary and around the table—is one of the most beautiful proofs of the family of God.

But the spiritual purpose of this message reached further: to call every believer to evaluate what we feed in our lives and what truly drives our devotion. For that, we turned to Christ’s words in John 15, where He said, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you.” Our calling is not casual. We have been chosen out of the world and appointed to bear fruit that remains. To live with that awareness is to live with a wildly important goal.

Called Out and Called Up

God’s calling pulls us from the world—and sometimes, from religion that has lost its power. Many know what it is to sit in a church pew and still feel empty, to hear Scripture read yet sense no nourishment for the soul. But thank God, there is still “another voice from heaven” saying, “Come out of her, my people.”

That call is not a criticism of others; it is an invitation to experience the fullness of Christ. The miracle of salvation is not merely the moment our sins were forgiven, but the transformation that follows. God’s deliverance moves us from hearing about truth to living in it. It replaces emptiness with substance, ritual with relationship.

I shared the testimony of a man who told me he often left his church empty, but when he listened to our services online, he felt filled. Not by eloquence or emotion, but by the Spirit. That is the difference between religion that entertains and truth that liberates.

Jesus prayed in John 17 that His followers would be “kept through the Father’s name.” That is the root of our identity as the Church of God—we are kept in His name, not our own. The Christian life is not an escape from the world; it is the power to live holy in the middle of it.

Christ didn’t just issue commandments—He lived them. His was not “do as I say,” but “follow Me.” His holiness wasn’t theoretical; it was incarnate. In the same way, parents must model the faith they want their children to inherit. It is not enough to teach righteousness; we must embody it.

The experience of forgiveness—the moment the burden of sin lifts—is unmatched. I spoke of a man who promised God his life if spared in Vietnam. Years later, on an Easter morning, the Lord reminded him of that vow. When he repented, his testimony was simple but profound: “The sky was bluer than I ever remembered, and the grass was greener.”

That is what salvation does—it transforms how we see the world. Many saints have said, “I didn’t know how hungry I was until I began to be fed.” Another testified, “I didn’t know how thirsty I was until I drank of the Word.” This is what it means to come to Mount Zion, “to the spirits of just men made perfect.”

Yet salvation is not the finish line—it’s the starting line. The monumental step is not only being saved but continuing steadfastly. As James 1:25 reminds us, “Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein… this man shall be blessed.”

Many believers live trapped between yesterday’s pain and tomorrow’s worry. But the Christian life is lived only one day at a time—today. You can’t drive forward while staring in the rearview mirror. God has new heights for us to gain and fresh victories to claim, but He cannot lead those who won’t stop looking back.

Even trauma, betrayal, and spiritual wounds must be faced, acknowledged, and then released to Christ. He does not ask us to ignore the past, but to surrender it. You can’t live in yesterday’s bitterness or tomorrow’s uncertainty and still walk in victory today.

Our success in God depends on faithfulness in the present moment—being a doer of the Word today.

Which Wolf Are You Feeding?

An old Cherokee once told his grandson that two wolves war within every man—one good, one evil. The boy asked, “Which one wins?” The elder replied, “The one you feed.”

The same is true spiritually. Every attitude, every conversation, every influence is food for one of those wolves. The people we associate with, the conversations we entertain, even our browsing history—all reveal which wolf we’re feeding.

Are we feeding bitterness, pride, and resentment—or humility, compassion, and gratitude? Both wolves are hungry. One grows when we indulge gossip, pride, or vanity; the other grows when we forgive, bless, and serve. What you feed, you strengthen.

Ephesians 4 commands us to “put off the old man” and “put on the new.” Paul details the contrast: the old nature lies, steals, and tears down; the new one speaks truth, works honestly, and builds others up. The measure of our speech is not how clever it sounds, but whether it ministers grace to the hearer.

It’s not enough to stop doing wrong; we must learn to do right. Salvation is not the end of learning—it’s the beginning. Each believer enters God’s school of holiness at a different level, and the curriculum continues as long as we live. The key is to keep learning.

WIG - The Wildly Important Goal

In leadership literature, a “WIG” stands for Wildly Important Goal. That concept fits perfectly in the Christian life. Every believer must have one defining aim that governs all others: to make it to heaven and bring as many souls along as possible.

This goal keeps us from drifting into distraction. It demands that we be willing to look “foolish” to the world. We can’t afford to care more about appearances than obedience. Every choice—career, relationship, entertainment, conversation—must align with that singular aim. Without a WIG, life fragments into scattered priorities. But when heaven becomes the goal, everything else finds its place.

Jesus warned against laboring “for the meat which perisheth.” The things of earth—career, possessions, even reputation—are temporary. The bread of life, however, endures. When Christ is our WIG, our work, our influence, and our efforts find eternal meaning.

The Lord promised, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” That is not a poetic idea—it’s a spiritual law. The order matters: the kingdom first, everything else second. Young or old, we all face competing priorities. But the believer with a WIG sees through them. Making it to heaven isn’t an aspiration—it’s a non-negotiable.

The Great Commission: Our Shared Responsibility

The purpose of salvation is not self-preservation but proclamation. Mark 16:15 commands, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Every saved soul shares this commission. This isn’t limited to pulpits. It includes classroom conversations, workplace invitations, and neighborly kindness. A smile can cross a language barrier; compassion is a universal language of the Spirit. Many hesitate to witness because it feels awkward or uncertain—but we must remember: Christ bore the shame of the cross for us. The least we can do is bear a moment of awkwardness for Him. Parents, your witness matters most in your home and community. Young believers, your courage to invite a classmate may be the only gospel they ever hear. Let our WIG include the Great Commission—that others might see Christ in us and join the journey home.

Jesus said in John 4, “Lift up your eyes… the fields are white already to harvest.” Every soul reached is a cause for eternal rejoicing. Whether we sow or reap, all laborers share in the same joy: the salvation of souls. One day in heaven, we may meet people who found Christ because of a quiet act of faithfulness—a prayer, an invitation, a word fitly spoken. That is what makes the wildly important goal worth every sacrifice.

The Christian life isn’t about blending in; it’s about standing apart with purpose. Let the world see a people with clear direction, unshakable focus, and hearts set on the glory of God.

Scripture Reference List

1. John 15:16–19 – Christ chooses and ordains believers to bear lasting fruit.

2. Revelation 18:2–6 – God calls His people out of false religion and spiritual corruption.

3. John 17:11–19 – Jesus prays for believers to be kept in the Father’s name and sanctified by truth.

4. Hebrews 12:22–25 – The Church of the Firstborn is gathered to God, the Judge of all.

5. James 1:25 – Blessing comes to those who continue in the “perfect law of liberty.”

6. Ephesians 4:17–32 – The contrast between the “old man” and the “new man” in Christ.

7. Galatians 5:16–26 – The war between flesh and Spirit; the fruit of each revealed.

8. Matthew 6:25–33 – Seek first the kingdom of God; all other needs will follow.

9. Mark 16:15 – The Great Commission to preach the gospel to every creature.

10. John 4:34–36 – The harvest is ready; the reward belongs to every faithful laborer.

Reflective Questions

1. Which “wolf” am I feeding most often through my words, habits, and associations—and what small changes could I make this week to strengthen the right one?

2. Have I allowed my past pain or future worries to distract me from being faithful to God today? What would living fully in the present look like for me?

3. Do I have a clearly defined “wildly important goal” in my spiritual life—or have I let comfort and comparison take its place?

4. When others see my life, do they recognize a person driven by eternal purpose—or someone merely trying to “blend in” with the world I was called out of?

5. How actively am I participating in the Great Commission right now—in my workplace, neighborhood, or home—and what one step could I take this week to share Christ more boldly?