DESPERATE FOR GOD AND HIS WORD
SONG
You are worthy to be glorified.
You are worthy, Jehovah. You are worthy to be glorified;
you are worthy Lord
TEXT
- Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.-Jude.1.3
In lieu of all that is happening around the world today and especially in the Christiandom, one needs to take deliberate effort to ensure one's stand is squarely in Christ Jesus.
Jude was desperate for the church and his readers to hold on to God’s TRUTH and not to be led astray by false teaching:
Jude encourages his readers to stick to the teaching, (that is the TRUTH) they were originally given, and to ‘contend for the faith.The TRUTH matters a lot, and we have been entrusted with it. We must contend for it – against false teachers and false teaching. Why?
First, because we know that God’s judgment is on the false teachers, and that is very serious. Second, because we know the harm they cause in the Church is also very serious. They split churches, thinking only of themselves, not the flock, and so much more.
Jude wrote, "that we fight with everything we have in us for this faith entrusted to us as a gift to guard and cherish."
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:" - 2 Corinthians 10:3
And though we walk in the flesh, or live in the body, and in the common affairs of life, act as other men do, yet in our work and warfare we must not go by the maxims of the flesh, nor should we desire to please the flesh which must be crucified with its affections and lusts. It must be mortified and kept under control with the help of the Holy Spirit.
He then reassures his readers that they are ‘called’ and ‘loved’ by God the Father ‘and kept for Jesus Christ'. This is true of every Christian. What he wants for his readers is ‘mercy’, ‘peace’ and ‘love in abundance’. If these were the only verses we had in the whole Bible, we could meditate on them for the rest of our lives and we would be sure of their wonderful influence in shaping our lives in line with God's thoughts, plans and purposes.
"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" - 2Cor.10.5
First foremost, we have to submit to God so that we can resist the Devil. Here, Paul was talking about a believer taking charge of his or her heart against false teachers and their teachings.
God is not looking for fair whether children. He wants children who can stand the test of time, even like the time we are today.
PRAYER
Lord, I am desperate to know your word, hear your voice, and do your will. Lead me into your presence, I pray. Draw me close to you, that I do not stray from your TRUTH, in Jesus name.