Jude 24-25
Now that Jude has described all the evil ones, angelic and human, who are trying to destroy God's church, he signs off with a wonderful promise.
(24) Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,
Our Lord God is able to keep us from stumbling over all these seductions. He has washed us pristine clean, white as snow, completely blameless. And His presence in us by His Spirit will strengthen us and keep our feet from tripping over all the enemy's traps. And after it all, we will still be standing in joyous victory with Him.
(25) to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
The Father, the Son, and the Spirit all work together in perfect unity and harmony as our one God. We see this in both creation and redemption. God the Father gave the Lordship over creation to the Son, and He works in the power of the Spirit.
So all the credit, the glory goes to Him, all the royal majesty belongs to Him. His dominion is the territory of the whole universe, all of creation, over which His rulership holds sway. And His authority is His right and power to rule it all sovereignly. He is God, there is no other.
O my Father, You truly are great! You do everything You want to do, and You accomplish everything You plan. You have made all of this creation for Your pleasure, and You are working out all of Your purposes in it and in us.
Father, You made this Earth to be a paradise for us to build our world upon it, and You granted us the choice to love You back. O Father, we've really made a mess of it, haven't we! But it's not beyond Your ability to redeem, and You sent Your Son to take care of that. And He sent the Spirit to strengthen and encourage us to do our part, the job You gave us to do until He returns.
O Father, help us to recognize the evil people who are doing the enemy's bidding in trying to destroy Your church, the body of Christ, His bride. Keep us in Your hand, protect us in the attacks of the minions of the devil, allow us to show them Your love in our gentle and compassionate responses to their vitriol.
Father, show us how to keep Your congregations true to Your Truth, and give us the strength and boldness to leave when we find that they refuse to honor You.
Grow Your family, Father; help us to mature spiritually, and to increase numerically, until Your house is full, and every place at Your great banquet table is occupied. I am eager for the return of Your Son, and to enjoy sweet fellowship with one another and with You forevermore.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Hating The Dirty Clothes
Jude 22-23
This is how we are to proceed, in keeping ourselves in the love of God that we saw yesterday.
(22) And have mercy on some, who are doubting;
Those who are doubting are the "easy" ones to convince, because it is God who will convince them when they hear His good news for them. But we must be telling them because we love them, not for any other reason.
(23) save others, snatching them out of the fire;
These are those who are being licked by the very flames of Hades. We are to storm the very gates of Hell to rescue these. So we must be strong in the Lord, wearing the armor of God, wielding the sword of the Spirit in the battle.
and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.
This is an example of hating the sin while loving the sinner. These people are the victims; they have been trapped by seductive lies that have imprisoned them in chains of addictive lifestyles.
The fear involved here shows the serious danger of these endeavors. We must be protected in these battles. We must keep ourselves regularly washed in the water of the Word to remove the dirt and grime of walking in the wasteland of this world, and strengthened in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He it is who calls us to go into all nations, starting with our own neighbors (Matthew 28: 19-20). It's up to us, brothers and sisters; Jesus left us here after He saved us in order to grow His family. We are to individually grow up, and we are to go out to witness to others to grow His Kingdom numerically.
It is our job to make sure we are growing and loving and working His works, making a difference in our own little worlds where we live, and extending our boundaries to increase God's glory to the best of the ability God grants each of us.
O my Father God, please help each of us, Your children, to be strong in the Lord, to daily nourish our spiritual life with the milk and meat of the Word. May we have our confidence in You, Father, to trust Your leading as You take our hand and will never let go.
Keep us in Your narrow path that leads to Everlasting Light, not turning to the right or to the left, not wandering away or falling into a ditch, not lagging behind or running ahead, but taking every step in Your footsteps.
Lead us to those in the greatest danger of hell-fire, Father; strengthened and protected and mighty in the power of Your almighty power, rescuing and snatching them out of the devil's hand and into Your glorious Kingdom!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
This is how we are to proceed, in keeping ourselves in the love of God that we saw yesterday.
(22) And have mercy on some, who are doubting;
Those who are doubting are the "easy" ones to convince, because it is God who will convince them when they hear His good news for them. But we must be telling them because we love them, not for any other reason.
(23) save others, snatching them out of the fire;
These are those who are being licked by the very flames of Hades. We are to storm the very gates of Hell to rescue these. So we must be strong in the Lord, wearing the armor of God, wielding the sword of the Spirit in the battle.
and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.
This is an example of hating the sin while loving the sinner. These people are the victims; they have been trapped by seductive lies that have imprisoned them in chains of addictive lifestyles.
The fear involved here shows the serious danger of these endeavors. We must be protected in these battles. We must keep ourselves regularly washed in the water of the Word to remove the dirt and grime of walking in the wasteland of this world, and strengthened in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He it is who calls us to go into all nations, starting with our own neighbors (Matthew 28: 19-20). It's up to us, brothers and sisters; Jesus left us here after He saved us in order to grow His family. We are to individually grow up, and we are to go out to witness to others to grow His Kingdom numerically.
It is our job to make sure we are growing and loving and working His works, making a difference in our own little worlds where we live, and extending our boundaries to increase God's glory to the best of the ability God grants each of us.
O my Father God, please help each of us, Your children, to be strong in the Lord, to daily nourish our spiritual life with the milk and meat of the Word. May we have our confidence in You, Father, to trust Your leading as You take our hand and will never let go.
Keep us in Your narrow path that leads to Everlasting Light, not turning to the right or to the left, not wandering away or falling into a ditch, not lagging behind or running ahead, but taking every step in Your footsteps.
Lead us to those in the greatest danger of hell-fire, Father; strengthened and protected and mighty in the power of Your almighty power, rescuing and snatching them out of the devil's hand and into Your glorious Kingdom!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
Beware Mockers Who Cause Divisions
Jude 17-21
Now Jude is turning more toward the brothers and sisters to whom he is writing this letter of warning.
(17) But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,
(18) that they were saying to you that in the last time there will be mockers, following their own ungodly lusts.
Jude felt the urgency to tell these people he loves, brothers and sisters in the Lord, to warn them about the false teachers that disguise themselves as "ministers of righteousness," when they are only concerned for their own physical pleasures and financial benefits and having the power of authority over others.
The apostles who laid the foundation for the church had a wide ministry of which we have very little written down. But they warned ahead of time, from the very beginning of the church, that there would be evil men who would mock and scoff at the Gospel.
(19) These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.
Right now there is a great split in one of the Christian denominations over a misunderstanding of the picture of marriage God gave us to demonstrate the relationship He wants with us. People who don't have God's Holy Spirit of Truth living in them have no understanding of God's Word, so have introduced "other gospels" of "damnable heresies" into the institution of the church.
This is just one example today of how the devil has disrupted God's church. Many of our Christian congregations have only a religion, not that intimate relationship with God that He wants with us. So they have been deceived by their worldly-minded leaders. They may have never yet heard the Gospel of Christ. Those of us who know God are to share His good news with our neighbors and coworkers, so they can make an informed decision to receive the Truth that will set them free.
(20) But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
(21) keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
We who are God's children are to be consistent and persistent to keep ourselves separate from the views of the world, focused on our Father God and His inspired Word of Truth. We need to "practice the presence of God" (Brother Lawrence) in continuous conversation with Him, always remembering that He will guide us and strengthen us.
As we are living in the love of God, we will see ourselves and others as He sees us, as treasured valuables, worth the highest positions in His family business, His Kingdom. Realizing His great mercy to us in placing the wrath due us on His Son, the Lamb of God; eager for the return of our King, bringing with Him the rewards He will grace us with for doing His works, and the eternal spirit-body that will swallow up our mortal body.
O my Father, please help us, show us how You would have us approach these deceived people, how to love them so much that we will be able to share Your Gospel with them in a compassionate and gentle way.
Father, it's so easy for us to react in anger at the harm that our enemy has wrought, bringing slander upon Your reputation!
But the people who have been duped by him are the victims, Father; help us to see this. Show us Your ways, Your words to speak to them in gentle, compassionate tones of voice that they will be able to hear and accept.
Lead us to all of Your lost sheep, the children who have yet to be born into Your family, Father. Grant us to have good success in sharing Your message, Your wonderful good news that You have met their needs to be freed from the bondage they suffer.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Now Jude is turning more toward the brothers and sisters to whom he is writing this letter of warning.
(17) But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,
(18) that they were saying to you that in the last time there will be mockers, following their own ungodly lusts.
Jude felt the urgency to tell these people he loves, brothers and sisters in the Lord, to warn them about the false teachers that disguise themselves as "ministers of righteousness," when they are only concerned for their own physical pleasures and financial benefits and having the power of authority over others.
The apostles who laid the foundation for the church had a wide ministry of which we have very little written down. But they warned ahead of time, from the very beginning of the church, that there would be evil men who would mock and scoff at the Gospel.
(19) These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.
Right now there is a great split in one of the Christian denominations over a misunderstanding of the picture of marriage God gave us to demonstrate the relationship He wants with us. People who don't have God's Holy Spirit of Truth living in them have no understanding of God's Word, so have introduced "other gospels" of "damnable heresies" into the institution of the church.
This is just one example today of how the devil has disrupted God's church. Many of our Christian congregations have only a religion, not that intimate relationship with God that He wants with us. So they have been deceived by their worldly-minded leaders. They may have never yet heard the Gospel of Christ. Those of us who know God are to share His good news with our neighbors and coworkers, so they can make an informed decision to receive the Truth that will set them free.
(20) But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
(21) keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
We who are God's children are to be consistent and persistent to keep ourselves separate from the views of the world, focused on our Father God and His inspired Word of Truth. We need to "practice the presence of God" (Brother Lawrence) in continuous conversation with Him, always remembering that He will guide us and strengthen us.
As we are living in the love of God, we will see ourselves and others as He sees us, as treasured valuables, worth the highest positions in His family business, His Kingdom. Realizing His great mercy to us in placing the wrath due us on His Son, the Lamb of God; eager for the return of our King, bringing with Him the rewards He will grace us with for doing His works, and the eternal spirit-body that will swallow up our mortal body.
O my Father, please help us, show us how You would have us approach these deceived people, how to love them so much that we will be able to share Your Gospel with them in a compassionate and gentle way.
Father, it's so easy for us to react in anger at the harm that our enemy has wrought, bringing slander upon Your reputation!
But the people who have been duped by him are the victims, Father; help us to see this. Show us Your ways, Your words to speak to them in gentle, compassionate tones of voice that they will be able to hear and accept.
Lead us to all of Your lost sheep, the children who have yet to be born into Your family, Father. Grant us to have good success in sharing Your message, Your wonderful good news that You have met their needs to be freed from the bondage they suffer.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Monday, February 3, 2020
Ungodly Deeds And Ungodly Ways Of Ungodly Sinners
Jude 14-16
(14) It was about these men that Enoch, the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying,
These are more characteristics of the false teachers Jude has been warning us against.
Stay away from these people, they will be judged by the Lord. Depart from them, so that you won't be influenced by them, and suffer their punishments with them.
O my Father, You are so good to describe all the sundry and varied traits of these evil people who have sneaked into Your church, the tares that the enemy has sown with the good seed. Please help Your children to identify these wicked people, to call them out and stay away from them.
Father, help Your children to be strong in the Lord, and to strengthen one another against these evil, wicked men and women.
Gather all of your lost sheep, Father; help us to rescue them from the brambles and the pits and the very fire of Hell!
Fill Your great house with Your children, and may every place at Your grand banquet table be occupied; that we all will spend eternity in sweet fellowship with You and one another!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King of all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
(14) It was about these men that Enoch, the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying,
"Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, (15) to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." (From non-Scriptural writings.)(16) These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.
These are more characteristics of the false teachers Jude has been warning us against.
Stay away from these people, they will be judged by the Lord. Depart from them, so that you won't be influenced by them, and suffer their punishments with them.
O my Father, You are so good to describe all the sundry and varied traits of these evil people who have sneaked into Your church, the tares that the enemy has sown with the good seed. Please help Your children to identify these wicked people, to call them out and stay away from them.
Father, help Your children to be strong in the Lord, and to strengthen one another against these evil, wicked men and women.
Gather all of your lost sheep, Father; help us to rescue them from the brambles and the pits and the very fire of Hell!
Fill Your great house with Your children, and may every place at Your grand banquet table be occupied; that we all will spend eternity in sweet fellowship with You and one another!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King of all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, February 2, 2020
Don't Listen To Seducing Deceivers!
Jude 12-13
Jude gives us some more characteristics of these false teachers:
These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves;
A reef will sink your boat. You can't see it, it's hidden below the surface, but it's deadly. And here they are, freely enjoying the dinner service, stuffing their faces without a care.
They are the ones you wouldn't suspect, unless you looked below the surface to see what their motivations are. So we need to get to know our leaders, to discern why they're really there.
clouds without water, carried along by winds;
Clouds bring the promise of rain, but these are empty. They are carried along by every wind of gossip or worldly idea that blows.
autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted;
It's by their fruits you shall know them, but they have no fruit that is not withered and dead, and their roots cannot drink up the spiritual nourishment that will give them life. They are dead these two ways.
wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam;
wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.
The word wandering is planetes, which means "an erratic teacher" who "wanders;" this word comes from planos, "an impostor or misleader, deceiver, seducing." So these teachers are trying to seduce their hearers into deceptive ideas, that lead away from knowing God.
And since they have refused God's Light, then they have chosen darkness, which will last forever.
We must be able to recognize these teachers who are in our churches today. We need to call them out on their misuse of Scripture in taking verses out of context. And we are to deal with these erring teachers in a gentle and caring manner, to set them aright with God's Truth that will set them free.
And if your church has already lost its way, then you must have the courage and strength to leave it and find another congregation that is true to the purity of God's Word. This takes much prayer and leaning on our Lord's leading here.
O my Father, may Your children be strong in Your grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. May we seek Your face and Your pure Truth of Your Word, connecting the dots to understand Your ways and Your plans for each of us, in our place in Your grand Plan of the Ages.
Strengthen us, Father, in the power of Your might through Your Spirit in us, to follow You in Your footsteps in the path You have placed our feet upon; that narrow road that leads to Light and Life eternal.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King of all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Jude gives us some more characteristics of these false teachers:
These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves;
A reef will sink your boat. You can't see it, it's hidden below the surface, but it's deadly. And here they are, freely enjoying the dinner service, stuffing their faces without a care.
They are the ones you wouldn't suspect, unless you looked below the surface to see what their motivations are. So we need to get to know our leaders, to discern why they're really there.
clouds without water, carried along by winds;
Clouds bring the promise of rain, but these are empty. They are carried along by every wind of gossip or worldly idea that blows.
autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted;
It's by their fruits you shall know them, but they have no fruit that is not withered and dead, and their roots cannot drink up the spiritual nourishment that will give them life. They are dead these two ways.
wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam;
(The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. Isaiah 57: 20.)Wild sea waves are a picture of chaos, that works against God's order. And what these teachers cast up out of their own lifestyles is shameful.
wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.
The word wandering is planetes, which means "an erratic teacher" who "wanders;" this word comes from planos, "an impostor or misleader, deceiver, seducing." So these teachers are trying to seduce their hearers into deceptive ideas, that lead away from knowing God.
And since they have refused God's Light, then they have chosen darkness, which will last forever.
We must be able to recognize these teachers who are in our churches today. We need to call them out on their misuse of Scripture in taking verses out of context. And we are to deal with these erring teachers in a gentle and caring manner, to set them aright with God's Truth that will set them free.
And if your church has already lost its way, then you must have the courage and strength to leave it and find another congregation that is true to the purity of God's Word. This takes much prayer and leaning on our Lord's leading here.
O my Father, may Your children be strong in Your grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. May we seek Your face and Your pure Truth of Your Word, connecting the dots to understand Your ways and Your plans for each of us, in our place in Your grand Plan of the Ages.
Strengthen us, Father, in the power of Your might through Your Spirit in us, to follow You in Your footsteps in the path You have placed our feet upon; that narrow road that leads to Light and Life eternal.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King of all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, February 1, 2020
Who Were Cain, Balaam, and Korah, And Why Be Concerned?
Jude 11
Woe unto them!
Now Jude is going to tell us of some more of the characteristics of these false teachers.
For they have gone in the way of Cain,
Cain and Abel were Adam and Eve's first children. And we're told that God accepted Abel's sacrifice of a lamb, but He didn't acknowledge Cain's offering of his vegetables (Genesis 4: 3-5.) And Cain murdered his brother, Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous (I John 3: 12.)
So these false teachers may be trying to get rid of the those who are teaching righteousness.
And ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward,
Balak, the king of Moab was afraid of the Israelites, and hired Balaam to curse them for him. But God told him not to go, for these were God's people and were not to be cursed, because they were blessed (Numbers 22: 12).
But Balaam went anyway, because he was greedy for the reward Balak promised him. God put blessings in his mouth for the Israelites, which made Balak angry, so Balaam conspired to make the people sin so that God would curse them.
So we need to discern if the teacher we're considering to hire is overly concerned about the remuneration he or she would receive.
And perished in the gainsaying of Korah.
Korah was a Levite of the family of Kohath (Numbers 16: 1). The Kohathites had a very high position in the handling of the Tabernacle in the desert--they had the responsibility for the holy items inside the tent (Numbers 4: 4). They were not allowed to look on them, but after the Priests would cover them and pack everything for moving, then the Kohathites would be permitted to come in and carry out all the sacred furniture to the next place of the camp (Numbers 4: 15).
Korah teamed up with Dathan and Abiram, who were not even of the tribe of Levi, but of Reuben. And they gathered two hundred and fifty of the princes of Israel, and confronted Moses and Aaron (Numbers 16: 1-2).
They accused them of lording their power over the people, and that the people were just as holy and had as much authority as Moses and Aaron (Numbers 16: 3). They didn't consider God's order of authority at all, but wanted as much status as the top guys.
Because of the disrespect they showed God and His ways, the ground opened up and swallowed them and all they had (Numbers 16: 32-33), and fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred fifty who were offering incense (Numbers 16: 35).
So they all perished. God is serious about His order of authority. And when there are people in the church who are reaching above their position, we need to take note of who they are, and speak out. We cannot allow the Truth of God's Word to be diluted or twisted or discounted in our churches.
Too many have already gone down this path, and are no longer God's church, but are just Christian in name.
We need to be alert to discern who would be displaying these characteristics: if they seem overly concerned about their paycheck more than caring for the people, or if they don't seem to respect God's order of authority in the church, or if they seem like they're against others who are righteously teaching God's Word faithfully and accurately.
O my Father, please help us to keep the purity of Your Truth as You have given it to us in Your written Word. Teach us how to deal with people who err in this, to set them aright, or remove them from having influence in our congregations, with gentleness and firmness.
And Father, when Your children realize that their local church has strayed from Your righteousness, give them the strength and courage to leave those congregations and lead them to Your faithful assemblies.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Woe unto them!
Now Jude is going to tell us of some more of the characteristics of these false teachers.
For they have gone in the way of Cain,
Cain and Abel were Adam and Eve's first children. And we're told that God accepted Abel's sacrifice of a lamb, but He didn't acknowledge Cain's offering of his vegetables (Genesis 4: 3-5.) And Cain murdered his brother, Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous (I John 3: 12.)
So these false teachers may be trying to get rid of the those who are teaching righteousness.
And ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward,
Balak, the king of Moab was afraid of the Israelites, and hired Balaam to curse them for him. But God told him not to go, for these were God's people and were not to be cursed, because they were blessed (Numbers 22: 12).
But Balaam went anyway, because he was greedy for the reward Balak promised him. God put blessings in his mouth for the Israelites, which made Balak angry, so Balaam conspired to make the people sin so that God would curse them.
So we need to discern if the teacher we're considering to hire is overly concerned about the remuneration he or she would receive.
And perished in the gainsaying of Korah.
Korah was a Levite of the family of Kohath (Numbers 16: 1). The Kohathites had a very high position in the handling of the Tabernacle in the desert--they had the responsibility for the holy items inside the tent (Numbers 4: 4). They were not allowed to look on them, but after the Priests would cover them and pack everything for moving, then the Kohathites would be permitted to come in and carry out all the sacred furniture to the next place of the camp (Numbers 4: 15).
Korah teamed up with Dathan and Abiram, who were not even of the tribe of Levi, but of Reuben. And they gathered two hundred and fifty of the princes of Israel, and confronted Moses and Aaron (Numbers 16: 1-2).
They accused them of lording their power over the people, and that the people were just as holy and had as much authority as Moses and Aaron (Numbers 16: 3). They didn't consider God's order of authority at all, but wanted as much status as the top guys.
Because of the disrespect they showed God and His ways, the ground opened up and swallowed them and all they had (Numbers 16: 32-33), and fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred fifty who were offering incense (Numbers 16: 35).
So they all perished. God is serious about His order of authority. And when there are people in the church who are reaching above their position, we need to take note of who they are, and speak out. We cannot allow the Truth of God's Word to be diluted or twisted or discounted in our churches.
Too many have already gone down this path, and are no longer God's church, but are just Christian in name.
We need to be alert to discern who would be displaying these characteristics: if they seem overly concerned about their paycheck more than caring for the people, or if they don't seem to respect God's order of authority in the church, or if they seem like they're against others who are righteously teaching God's Word faithfully and accurately.
O my Father, please help us to keep the purity of Your Truth as You have given it to us in Your written Word. Teach us how to deal with people who err in this, to set them aright, or remove them from having influence in our congregations, with gentleness and firmness.
And Father, when Your children realize that their local church has strayed from Your righteousness, give them the strength and courage to leave those congregations and lead them to Your faithful assemblies.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Friday, January 31, 2020
Respect And Boldly Leave!
Jude 8-10
(8) Yet in the same way
These false teachers who have sneaked into the church are just like the angels who did not keep their own domain that we saw yesterday, that were imprisoned in eternal bonds for their gross immorality.
these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh,
The KJV calls them "filthy dreamers" indicating that they have dirty dreams that they act out, by using their bodies in grossly immoral ways.
and reject authority,
It seems that almost everyone who is worldly thinks that they are their own authority, that they don't have to listen to anyone else, they're smart and can decide for themselves. This attitude is pervasive in every human society. Thinking this way makes us our own gods.
and revile angelic majesties.
This refers to a command given by Moses in a list of commands concerning the laws of human relations. Exodus 22: 28 says,
(9) But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"
Michael the archangel is a member of the angelic hierarchy, and is called "the first of the chief princes," and "your prince," in the book of Daniel 10: 13, 21.
This is another glimpse into the spiritual activity that is going on around us all the time. Michael is the "prince" over the nation of Israel, and as such, we are told here, that he argued with the devil over Moses' body when he died. Deuteronomy tells us that the Lord buried him, and that no one knows where the grave is (Deuteronomy 34: 6).
It is commonly believed among theologians that if the people knew where Moses was buried, that they would have worshiped him. So the devil wanted the people to be drawn away from God, as he always does, and Michael argued with him about it.
But Michael had respect for even the devil's authority, and didn't accuse him, but just left him to the Lord to deal with.
(10) But these men revile the things which they do not understand;
These false teachers have no idea of the authority and power these spiritual beings in the hierarchy of the angelic principalities have. They have no respect, and they endanger themselves in their treatment of them.
and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed.
Animals have only their physical life, so these men are only looking at the physical, and by using their bodies in grossly immoral ways, they are contracting and spreading serious diseases and disorders, destroying themselves physically as well as spiritually.
God is the Designer and Maker of this universe, and the Earth we live on, and He fashioned it all to run according to His rules, the Natural Laws. And He set in order the moral laws, also, to guide our decisions. Everything in order.
When we take something and use it for what it's not made for, to misuse it, that will damage or destroy it, like using a screwdriver to pound a nail.
We need to see these people for who they are, and not listen to them, or even allow them to remain in our congregations; a little leaven (sin) leavens the whole lump (church) (see I Corinthians 5: 5-6). We have whole denominations today that have been taken over by unrighteous, evil people, who have spread their sinful thinking processes to their whole church.
People of God need to be strong in the Lord and reject these ideas and reasoning. We need to leave these congregations that have fallen.
We walk the line here, beloved. We respect all authority, both good and evil, and we fight the good fight, knowing that our Lord has already won the war!
O my Father, we need Your wisdom in discerning what words we are to say! We need Your strength for the boldness to speak out! We need Your protection in storming the very gates of Hell!
Father, please help us! Strengthen us in our weaknesses, give us success in our failings, grant us Your victories in our losses! Give us Your eyes to see Your spiritual reality in our physical world.
And use us, that our lives of peace and wisdom and gentleness will show Your Love to those in the world around us, to draw them to You, Father, in our Lord Jesus Christ, through His precious blood shed for our cleansing.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus of Nazareth is our Christ Messiah, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
(8) Yet in the same way
These false teachers who have sneaked into the church are just like the angels who did not keep their own domain that we saw yesterday, that were imprisoned in eternal bonds for their gross immorality.
these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh,
The KJV calls them "filthy dreamers" indicating that they have dirty dreams that they act out, by using their bodies in grossly immoral ways.
and reject authority,
It seems that almost everyone who is worldly thinks that they are their own authority, that they don't have to listen to anyone else, they're smart and can decide for themselves. This attitude is pervasive in every human society. Thinking this way makes us our own gods.
and revile angelic majesties.
This refers to a command given by Moses in a list of commands concerning the laws of human relations. Exodus 22: 28 says,
"You shall not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people" KJV.The "gods" mentioned here is the same word that is used to refer to all the pagan idols that surrounded the Israelites in the land. So it is telling the people to have respect for all authority, whether it is their local governor or the spiritual power behind the pagan god.
(9) But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"
Michael the archangel is a member of the angelic hierarchy, and is called "the first of the chief princes," and "your prince," in the book of Daniel 10: 13, 21.
This is another glimpse into the spiritual activity that is going on around us all the time. Michael is the "prince" over the nation of Israel, and as such, we are told here, that he argued with the devil over Moses' body when he died. Deuteronomy tells us that the Lord buried him, and that no one knows where the grave is (Deuteronomy 34: 6).
It is commonly believed among theologians that if the people knew where Moses was buried, that they would have worshiped him. So the devil wanted the people to be drawn away from God, as he always does, and Michael argued with him about it.
But Michael had respect for even the devil's authority, and didn't accuse him, but just left him to the Lord to deal with.
(10) But these men revile the things which they do not understand;
These false teachers have no idea of the authority and power these spiritual beings in the hierarchy of the angelic principalities have. They have no respect, and they endanger themselves in their treatment of them.
and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed.
Animals have only their physical life, so these men are only looking at the physical, and by using their bodies in grossly immoral ways, they are contracting and spreading serious diseases and disorders, destroying themselves physically as well as spiritually.
God is the Designer and Maker of this universe, and the Earth we live on, and He fashioned it all to run according to His rules, the Natural Laws. And He set in order the moral laws, also, to guide our decisions. Everything in order.
When we take something and use it for what it's not made for, to misuse it, that will damage or destroy it, like using a screwdriver to pound a nail.
We need to see these people for who they are, and not listen to them, or even allow them to remain in our congregations; a little leaven (sin) leavens the whole lump (church) (see I Corinthians 5: 5-6). We have whole denominations today that have been taken over by unrighteous, evil people, who have spread their sinful thinking processes to their whole church.
People of God need to be strong in the Lord and reject these ideas and reasoning. We need to leave these congregations that have fallen.
Come out of her, My people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues. Revelation 18: 4We are in the last days, people! My dear brothers and sisters, we must be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might, wearing the whole armor of God! (Ephesians 6: 10-17.) We must be bold to speak out against these damaging and diseased attitudes and ideas.
We walk the line here, beloved. We respect all authority, both good and evil, and we fight the good fight, knowing that our Lord has already won the war!
O my Father, we need Your wisdom in discerning what words we are to say! We need Your strength for the boldness to speak out! We need Your protection in storming the very gates of Hell!
Father, please help us! Strengthen us in our weaknesses, give us success in our failings, grant us Your victories in our losses! Give us Your eyes to see Your spiritual reality in our physical world.
And use us, that our lives of peace and wisdom and gentleness will show Your Love to those in the world around us, to draw them to You, Father, in our Lord Jesus Christ, through His precious blood shed for our cleansing.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus of Nazareth is our Christ Messiah, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
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