Jude 3<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0Dear friends,\u00a0although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share,\u00a0I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend\u00a0for the faith\u00a0that was once for all entrusted to God\u2019s holy people.<\/i><\/p>\n
Jude intended to write about \u201cthe salvation we share.<\/i>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0He was instead directed by the Holy Spirit to write to \u201ccontend<\/i>\u201d for the faith by which we receive the gift of salvation.\u00a0\u00a0So, it seems that though Jude wanted to joyfully encourage those in the faith, he was instead directed to work to defend it.\u00a0\u00a0It would have been more pleasant to write a nice letter speaking of the faith.\u00a0\u00a0Contemporary pastors of the Word, will agree that it is easy to give a sermon on the love of God.\u00a0\u00a0They will get plenty of pats on the back.\u00a0\u00a0But to talk about the righteousness of God, well, the reactions can be very different.\u00a0\u00a0Both are necessary to understand what it is to be a believer in Christ, yet to speak the whole biblical truth is not what many want to hear.\u00a0\u00a0When speaking on living a righteous life that is the result of truly being transformed by God, well, pastors are obedient to speak the word but they brace themselves for the backlash of some in the congregation.\u00a0\u00a0Praise God for pastors who honor God by presenting the entire Gospel.<\/p>\n
God led Jude to write about the error that had crept into the church.\u00a0\u00a0Speaking of error does not make one popular.\u00a0\u00a0But the disciple of Jesus first seeks to please God.\u00a0\u00a0In love to God and of others the Truth is spoken.\u00a0\u00a0The Apostle Paul needed to correct error and so he wrote extremely strong against the error, and concluded in\u00a0Galatians 1:10<\/b>\u00a0\u201cAm I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people?\u00a0If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.<\/i>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Recently I listened to a strong sermon by a beloved pastor who spoke the truth.\u00a0\u00a0Many supported him but I wonder how many did not appreciate it?\u00a0\u00a0Nevertheless, he spoke the truth.\u00a0\u00a0Praise God!\u00a0\u00a0Praise God for all pastors who share the unmitigated and unadulterated Word.\u00a0\u00a0They are those who release the Word itself because it is more powerful and effective than anything man can say.\u00a0\u00a0They are the one who truly love the flock.\u00a0\u00a0If a message from the Word stings, we most likely ought not to blame the messenger.\u00a0\u00a0We need to do some self-examination and pray to God that, if necessary, He will change and lead us.\u00a0\u00a0We must apologize to our God who gladly receives our repentance.\u00a0\u00a0If we are convicted by God that is good and will bring healing.\u00a0\u00a0It is for our good.\u00a0\u00a0If a messenger is speaking condemnation that drives one away, that is not from God.\u00a0\u00a0God draws us to Himself.\u00a0\u00a0Still we need to be sure that our hearts are right and we are open to hearing Truth.\u00a0\u00a0The difference between whether we think something convicting or condemning most often is reflective of our own heart and not a problem with the message.\u00a0\u00a0Let us desire, even crave correction from God.\u00a0\u00a0(Hebrews 12:6<\/b>) Of course, obedience is the goal so that correction isn\u2019t necessary.\u00a0\u00a0Obedience is both an outward response of an inner change happening.\u00a0\u00a0What pleases God is living as God calls us to as something that flows from a heart changed by God the Holy Spirit.\u00a0\u00a0Not an outward act but evidence of the state of one\u2019s soul.\u00a0\u00a0God works from the inside out.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Lord will lead and help us.\u00a0\u00a0Praise God!\u00a0\u00a0In all things and at all times, with all actions and words, and with a loving and thankful heart, let us thank and praise God.\u00a0\u00a0To God be the glory!<\/p>\n
Psalm 150:6<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.\u00a0 Praise the Lord!<\/p>\n
Micah 7:7<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0But as for me, I watch\u00a0in hope\u00a0for the\u00a0Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
Micah 6:8<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0He has shown You, O man, what\u00a0is\u00a0good; And what does the\u00a0Lord\u00a0require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.<\/p>\n
Numbers 6:24-26<\/b>\u00a0\u201cThe\u00a0Lord\u00a0bless you and keep you; 25\u00a0the\u00a0Lord\u00a0make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26\u00a0the\u00a0Lord\u00a0turn His face\u00a0toward you and give you peace.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Jude 3\u00a0–\u00a0Dear friends,\u00a0although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share,\u00a0I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend\u00a0for the faith\u00a0that was once for all entrusted to God\u2019s holy people. Jude intended to write about \u201cthe salvation we share.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0He was instead directed by the Holy Spirit to write to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1192],"tags":[1969,104,2188,94,1874,17],"class_list":["post-2335","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-devotion","tag-galatians","tag-hebrews","tag-jude","tag-micah","tag-numbers","tag-psalm"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2335","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2335"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2335\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2336,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2335\/revisions\/2336"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}