cwcinternational.org - On the Twilight Series

Twilight, an intermediate state not clearly defined; gray area, light hindered by dust and the beginning of darkness.

I’ve been concerned, worried in a good sense, mournful, and most of all prayerful since realizing a lot of my “Christian” friends have opened themselves up to demonic entertainment and it seems they are loving it. Not long ago someone said something to me about “Twilight.” I don’t watch or intentionally read demonic stories whether on television, in books or at movies. I refuse to open my heart up to such things. There’s enough going on in our daily lives that are real and destructive and devastating to the human soul. So, I’m certainly not going to “entertain” myself with such things.

“Twilight,” for those of you like me who know nothing about this, is a series of books written by Stephanie Meyer about a vampire who has fallen in love with a human. Interesting to me is that cover of the first book aptly entitled, “Twilight,” has a woman’s hands holding an apple. Can anyone say Eve? And, I hate to bring this up, BUT can we think for a moment about the deception that began in the garden through her? I know there will be plenty of “Christian” critics who say it’s okay to read, watch and entertain such things, after all we live under the dispensation of grace. BUT I must respond to them with this, “Deception is a slippery, subtle thing that ensnares and entraps our mind as slowly and as seductively as “Twilight” itself.

Case in point, throw a frog in lukewarm water and it will lull him to sleep. He will never know until it is too late that the whole time he was being cooked to death, he could have jumped to safety. But, the frog went on slumbering in the warm and cozy water until death took his breath away.

It’s just like the man who went the wrong way in Proverbs 7, he went the way of the immoral woman and in the end it cost him his life. If only he had chosen God’s wisdom and His ways, he would have never been enticed.

Further, Paul was clear with Timothy when he told him what would happen in the last days. In first Timothy 4:1, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons…” Check it out in The Message, “The Spirit makes it clear that as time goes on, some are going to give up on the faith and chase after demonic illusions put forth by professional liars. These liars have lied so well and for so long that they've lost their capacity for truth.”

Do we realize the hour we live in? Or do we just want to justify our actions thinking we are strong enough when the bell rings to be ready for the ride to heaven? Or, is this our response, “I know the difference between fantasy and reality, and I can separate the two.” Really? The Scripture is very clear about opening up our eyes and ears to such things, in fact there is warning after warning after warning about allowing immorality, demonic, destructive things to have a place in our life and ultimately our heart. Maybe you think you are too strong spiritually for these things to have an impact on you. I can’t help but wonder, if we “Christians” look just like the world and act like it too, then of what benefit is the Gospel to anyone. When we choose to live a set apart life, away from the world, then the world will see our Christ and want the goodness of God demonstrated through Him. Otherwise, all we are doing is condoning and agreeing with behaviors, mindsets, and supposed entertainment and by doing so telling new born Christians they can go on living just like they did before and it won’t make any difference.

Just because it is permissible to do something does not mean it is the best thing for our lives. The absolute worst thing that could result from our dalliances is that we will assist the devil in leading people straight to hell, all the while trying to convince everyone around us that it’s okay to do such things because of our freedom and liberty in Christ. Paul said clearly in 1 Corinthians 8:9, “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” Read on in that part of Scripture and find out that Paul said, “if meat causes my brother to stumble, then I will stop eating meat.”

This is a word especially to those of us in the ministry who have been given much and entrusted with much for God, we should make sure that we walk circumspectly and understand our accountability before the Father. When we entertain doctrines of demons and allow seduction/lust to be a pleasure to us, then we have miserably failed the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

What does the Scripture teach us to give our eyes, ears, hearts and mind to? Paul told the Philippians to meditate on these things: whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.

Twilight is the beginning of darkness, the gray of night. With God, there is no gray; it’s light or dark, good or evil. It’s right or wrong, His Word or the world’s word, hot or cold… Lukewarm, my friend, won’t make it!

I want whoever reads this to know, I don’t judge you I love you and I love you enough to tell you the truth. I love you enough to be the kind of friend who refuses to condone behavior that will ultimately hurt you or someone else. And frankly, this is the kind of friend I want for myself. I trust God I’ll always have plenty of them.