Jude 20-23
Verses 17-19 of Jude (Part One) warns Believers to watch for false teachers. Now, in verses 20-23, we are exhorted to demonstrate the edifying practices of building, praying, keeping, wating, showing mercy, and saving.
"But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit." v. 20
How do we build ourselves up in holy faith? We build upon the foundation of our salvation through Jesus Christ. We shelter the faith that God has apportioned to us and build on that faith through reading the Word, communicating with God every day, assembling with Believers in fellowship, praying in the Spirit, and living in a spirit of agape love...just to name a few. This may read like a legalistic list of to-do's; however, these activities are not meant to be strivings and strainings. When we are in a growing relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, these acts become a joyous manifestation of our love for Him.
"Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life." v. 21
God's love...His unconditional, unchanging love...has always, is always, and will always attend to us. His love does not change like ours does. This is why Jude challenges us to keep ourselves in God's love. We Believers must be diligent and intentional in guarding our lives under the fullness of God's love. Sometimes I lose focus and step out of His fullness because I get impatient in the waiting, or I believe I can handle it myself, or I am just acting out as a rebellious child who want to test her boundaries. We all do this at times. This is why Jude commends us to attend to God's love as we wait (expect and look for) the fulfillment of His promises.
"Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear -- hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh." v. 22-23
Is it easier to show compassion to someone who is struggling with doubt or someone who outright denies God? In our human condition, it is easier to have mercy on those who are searching for answers and thirsting for Living Water. These are the ones we minister God's unconditional love to; in sharing God's kindness, they are more inclined to be led to repentance and snatched from the path to Hell. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, we have the responsibility and the privilege to throw others the life-line that was tossed to us. We show mercy to the soul, reverence to the Father, despise the things and desires of flesh (those things opposed to God).
Father, I ask that You would increase our holy faith and cause us to pray in the Spirit on all occasions. You are the One Who grants us discernment to stay in the boundaries You have set for each of us to protect our lives and witness as we eagerly watch for the fulfillment of Your soon-coming promises. Keep our eyes upon you, Lord, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. May we know Your mercy in our lives, so that we may share the overflow of that mercy with others. Stregthen our spirit-man that we may live in victory over the strong-man. You deserve all the glory and recognition and authority, Jesus. May You be seen clearly through Your body of Believers. Amen.
Showing posts with label Encouragement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Encouragement. Show all posts
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Call to Persevere, Part One
Jude 17-19
Jude, brother to Jesus and James...a man of few words...a man with powerful words. This letter, though comparably short in length, is not short on depth. It bears much to chew on and digest in our spirit. In these verses, Jude boldly offers a firm exhortation...
"But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold." (v.17)
We are compelled to read the Word, study the Word, know the Word, remember the Word. The Bible does not just reveal factual, historical accounts; it is living and active...it is effectual...it is eternal. In order to remember the Word, we must first know it and fix our minds upon it. When we abide in the Word, it is sown into our spirit-man.
"They said to you, 'In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." (v. 18)
In numerous verses in the Scriptures, the disciples warn of false teachers and heretical teachings that will permeate the body of Christ. (2 Pet. 2:1-3; 1 Tim. 4:1-2; Titus 1:15-16; 2 John 1:9-11; Romans 16:17-18; Col. 2:8, just to list a few) False teachers do not likely come in appearance and with messages flagged with flagrant warnings. They are extremely subtle and appealing to the eyes and the ears. They will weave in a sprinkling of Truth to season their lies. False teachers will flirt with desires of the heart that come from broken places and false belief systems. They will work into minds that are not being conformed to the mind of Christ.
"There are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit." (v. 19)
Once they have their followers' divided attention from God, false teachers seduce people into spiritual adultery. One common indicator is that the teacher is worshiped above Jehovah God, and the teacher's words are held as authority before and above the Word of God. Instead of offering a list of heretical teachings and themes, I encourage you to know the Word...to test every spirit of teaching (even mine) against the Word of God (I John 4:1-6).
Yes, every pastor and teacher who serve the Living God is going to mis-speak, misinterpret, misstep on occassion. I have inadvertently done this myself...and work to correct it as soon as it is discerned. However, the false teacher has an established pattern or progression of denying the work and power and authority of Christ, minimizes the Scriptures, and dillutes the working of the Holy Spirit.
Our guard against this prevailing work of the enemy is to have God's Word so richly cultivated in the tender soil of our hearts that as soon as false teaching leaves the lips of the false teacher, our very spirit will quicken within us and rise up with Truth to cast down the lies. My prayer is that we would take personal responsibility to grow and abound in the knowledge of the Lord, the depth of His Word, the increase of discernment, and the fullness of His authority...in the precious and most Holy name of Jesus.
Gloriously in Him ~~
Tammy
Jude, brother to Jesus and James...a man of few words...a man with powerful words. This letter, though comparably short in length, is not short on depth. It bears much to chew on and digest in our spirit. In these verses, Jude boldly offers a firm exhortation...
"But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold." (v.17)
We are compelled to read the Word, study the Word, know the Word, remember the Word. The Bible does not just reveal factual, historical accounts; it is living and active...it is effectual...it is eternal. In order to remember the Word, we must first know it and fix our minds upon it. When we abide in the Word, it is sown into our spirit-man.
"They said to you, 'In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." (v. 18)
In numerous verses in the Scriptures, the disciples warn of false teachers and heretical teachings that will permeate the body of Christ. (2 Pet. 2:1-3; 1 Tim. 4:1-2; Titus 1:15-16; 2 John 1:9-11; Romans 16:17-18; Col. 2:8, just to list a few) False teachers do not likely come in appearance and with messages flagged with flagrant warnings. They are extremely subtle and appealing to the eyes and the ears. They will weave in a sprinkling of Truth to season their lies. False teachers will flirt with desires of the heart that come from broken places and false belief systems. They will work into minds that are not being conformed to the mind of Christ.
"There are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit." (v. 19)
Once they have their followers' divided attention from God, false teachers seduce people into spiritual adultery. One common indicator is that the teacher is worshiped above Jehovah God, and the teacher's words are held as authority before and above the Word of God. Instead of offering a list of heretical teachings and themes, I encourage you to know the Word...to test every spirit of teaching (even mine) against the Word of God (I John 4:1-6).
Yes, every pastor and teacher who serve the Living God is going to mis-speak, misinterpret, misstep on occassion. I have inadvertently done this myself...and work to correct it as soon as it is discerned. However, the false teacher has an established pattern or progression of denying the work and power and authority of Christ, minimizes the Scriptures, and dillutes the working of the Holy Spirit.
Our guard against this prevailing work of the enemy is to have God's Word so richly cultivated in the tender soil of our hearts that as soon as false teaching leaves the lips of the false teacher, our very spirit will quicken within us and rise up with Truth to cast down the lies. My prayer is that we would take personal responsibility to grow and abound in the knowledge of the Lord, the depth of His Word, the increase of discernment, and the fullness of His authority...in the precious and most Holy name of Jesus.
Gloriously in Him ~~
Tammy
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Sit Down and Be Quiet
" 'Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.' The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."
~~Psalm 46:10-11
Get the kids up for school. Coffee. Get to work on time. More coffee. Teach middle schoolers who are more interested in socializing and talking and texting than they are with sentence structures and editing and literature. Still more coffee. Grading papers, state testing, parents. Grocery lists, grocery shopping, grocery cooking. Baseball games, dance class, prom preparations, graduation announcements...((graduation announcements)). Church on Wednesday, church on Sunday, Bible study, women's ministry. Family time, family talk, family taxi. Grandbabies, girlfriends, good night. {Just to name a few...}
We live...abundantly. Our time and our thoughts are consumed with the present and the next obligation...some even with the past. Lately, God has been impressing upon me that He is about to do something new in my life and ministry. I have been "working" to find what that is. Praying, studying the Word, seeking...beneficial disciplines. However, this weekend, God has brought this Scripture (and two others) to me three times through three different venues.
In church this morning, we hosted a guest evangelist and his wife. Imagine the quickening when - at the end of his message - he invited the people who were struggling with a decision or were at a crossroads to come forward for prayer. I moved to the front of the sanctuary and received their prayers over me, then his wife offered some counsel. To paraphrase, she said, "God will reveal the details to you in a way that you will not mistake it. Stop striving to find your answer." This advice...for this season...resounded in my spirit.
Prayer is beautiful communion with God. Studying the Word strengthens our spirit. Seeking God's will is prudent. Sometimes, though - like God is saying to me now - it is time to be still and know that He is God. In the language that my cluttered mind and stubborn heart understand, He is actually saying, "Sit down and be quiet." This is a much more difficult discipline than praying, studying, and seeking. He wants me (and you) to withdraw to our prayer closet, sink into His presence, relax our minds from external distractions, and quiet our mouths. When we are still in spirit, we will more readily perceive and discern His voice. This, precious sisters, is the springboard for obeying His personal will for our lives. How can we obey what we do not hear?
I am caused to consider an old argument my kids have presented...ohhh...at least 5,000 times. It's a result of selective hearing...you know, when I tell them to do something, they don't do it. As they are being discipled for not doing what they were told, they protest, "I didn't hear you." Well, the fact that they didn't hear me does not negate the fact that I gave the command. They often do not hear because they choose not to listen.
It is often the same way with God: He has revealed this to me in a profound manner this weekend. He has my quiet attention. I will continue to pray, to study, and to seek His will...but for this particular matter in this precise season, I will stop striving and practice stillness in His presence. As a result of being still and knowing God, He will be exalted.
Most Joyfully,
Tammy
~~Psalm 46:10-11
Get the kids up for school. Coffee. Get to work on time. More coffee. Teach middle schoolers who are more interested in socializing and talking and texting than they are with sentence structures and editing and literature. Still more coffee. Grading papers, state testing, parents. Grocery lists, grocery shopping, grocery cooking. Baseball games, dance class, prom preparations, graduation announcements...((graduation announcements)). Church on Wednesday, church on Sunday, Bible study, women's ministry. Family time, family talk, family taxi. Grandbabies, girlfriends, good night. {Just to name a few...}
We live...abundantly. Our time and our thoughts are consumed with the present and the next obligation...some even with the past. Lately, God has been impressing upon me that He is about to do something new in my life and ministry. I have been "working" to find what that is. Praying, studying the Word, seeking...beneficial disciplines. However, this weekend, God has brought this Scripture (and two others) to me three times through three different venues.
In church this morning, we hosted a guest evangelist and his wife. Imagine the quickening when - at the end of his message - he invited the people who were struggling with a decision or were at a crossroads to come forward for prayer. I moved to the front of the sanctuary and received their prayers over me, then his wife offered some counsel. To paraphrase, she said, "God will reveal the details to you in a way that you will not mistake it. Stop striving to find your answer." This advice...for this season...resounded in my spirit.
Prayer is beautiful communion with God. Studying the Word strengthens our spirit. Seeking God's will is prudent. Sometimes, though - like God is saying to me now - it is time to be still and know that He is God. In the language that my cluttered mind and stubborn heart understand, He is actually saying, "Sit down and be quiet." This is a much more difficult discipline than praying, studying, and seeking. He wants me (and you) to withdraw to our prayer closet, sink into His presence, relax our minds from external distractions, and quiet our mouths. When we are still in spirit, we will more readily perceive and discern His voice. This, precious sisters, is the springboard for obeying His personal will for our lives. How can we obey what we do not hear?
I am caused to consider an old argument my kids have presented...ohhh...at least 5,000 times. It's a result of selective hearing...you know, when I tell them to do something, they don't do it. As they are being discipled for not doing what they were told, they protest, "I didn't hear you." Well, the fact that they didn't hear me does not negate the fact that I gave the command. They often do not hear because they choose not to listen.
It is often the same way with God: He has revealed this to me in a profound manner this weekend. He has my quiet attention. I will continue to pray, to study, and to seek His will...but for this particular matter in this precise season, I will stop striving and practice stillness in His presence. As a result of being still and knowing God, He will be exalted.
Most Joyfully,
Tammy
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