“When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” (Matthew 10:19-20)

If you are in the Tuesday Bible Study, then you know we are studying this passage in the Bible. It is part of the instruction that Jesus is giving to his twelve disciples as He is sending them out on their own to preach, teach, and heal. He is telling them that they will face persecution from all sides, including their own families. These are powerful words.

Even though Jesus has not yet officially sent the Holy Spirit as Advocate and Counselor, we know that the Holy Spirit has been at work alongside the Father and the Son since before the beginning of time. In this passage, Jesus is promising that the Spirit will be at work within us even when Jesus is not physically present. What a comfort!!

This passage gives me confidence when I find myself in challenging situations and do not know what to do or to say, and this happens more than you might think. In fact, it is good advice even when we think we know what to do or say. Remembering these instructions should be part of our daily preparation as we face all the challenges that confront us.

This passage calls to mind the story of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:1-30.  He found himself as King of Judah at a time when three of the surrounding countries had declared war on Judah. There are parallels for us as we prepare for challenges:

1. He resolved to call on the Lord: “Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.” (v. 3).
2. He acknowledged God for his power and might: “Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you”(v. 6).
3. He admitted that he was powerless and in need of God: “For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (v. 12).
4. He showed up for the battle when the Lord told him to: “Tomorrow march down against them” (v. 16).
5. He led his people to praise God before the confrontation: “After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever’” (v. 21).

I encourage you to read the remainder of this passage. You will learn that God caused the three countries to slaughter each other. “The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another” (v. 23). And then all the other surrounding countries decided to also leave them alone. “The fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side” (vv. 29-30).

“For the battle is not yours, but God’s…. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.” (1 Chronicles 20:15, 17). 

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, ‘for our God is a consuming fire’” (Hebrews 12:28-29; Deuteronomy 4:24).

There are several worship songs that include reference to God being a consuming fire. Have you stopped to think about what this means? We have studied the attributes of God: He is all-knowing, all-powerful, ever-present, never changing, loving, just, merciful, to name a few. But what I have not read in the Bible is that God is our friend. I cannot find it. What I do find repeatedly is that God is holy. In fact, the angels sing that he is HOLY, HOLY, HOLY. FYI, repetition for emphasis. His holiness means that he is perfect and cannot tolerate sin.

Everyone who has ever lived will stand before God in judgment. We speak of longing to see God, to meet him face to face. But are we ready for that?

• When God revealed himself to Moses at the burning bush, God told him to take off his shoes because he was standing on holy ground. When Moses sought his presence again, God agreed but assured him that Moses would not be able to stand seeing His Glory. God allowed Moses to see his back as Moses waited in the cleft of the rock covered with God’s hand, and even then, Moses was so filled with God’ s glory that he glowed. (Exodus 33:18-23, 34:29-30).
• I cannot even begin to imagine Job as God spoke to him out of the whirlwind (Job 38:41). Just imagine the power of God’s voice as he speaks these words, as some say the most intense in the Bible. Think about that for a minute! Or a lifetime!! (Recommendation: Listen to this passage on the YouVersion Bible app).

God is a consuming fire because he is holy, pure, and cannot tolerate sin. His consuming fire burns up anything unholy. As our deliverer, He allows us to witness his power as He subdues our enemies.

• Moses to the Israelites as they are about to enter the Promised Land: “But be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you” (Deuteronomy 9:3).
• Elijah at the showdown at Mt. Carmel, destroying the altar of Baal: “’Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.’ Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they feel prostrate and cried, ‘The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!’” (1 Kings 18:37-39).
• Isaiah: “See, the Name of the Lord comes from afar, with burning anger and dense clouds of smoke; his lips are full of wrath, and his tongue is a consuming fire…. The Lord will cause people to hear his majestic voice    and will make them see his arm coming down with raging anger and consuming fire, with cloudburst, thunderstorm, and hail.” (Isaiah 30:27, 30).

The more I think about it, the more I tremble. Where is my hope?

It did not start out that way. God walked with Adam and Eve, until they sinned. Then he banished them from the Garden, yes as punishment, but also as mercy. He had to separate himself from them so that they would not be consumed; through their sin they also brought death to mankind.

• “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” (Isaiah 64:6).
• “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment…” (Hebrews 9:27).
• “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).

Enter Jesus.

• “…so, Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:28).
• “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Everyone who has ever lived will stand before God in judgment. I tremble at the thought. I am so thankful for my Lord and Savior. God, in His mercy, sent a way for us to be reconciled to him.

Praise God we know where our Hope is. God may not be our friend, but he is our Father. God may not be our friend, but he sent His Son to be our friend. Out of His perfect love for us, in keeping with his Just nature, he extended Mercy to us by giving—in the sacrificial sense—His son to take the punishment for our sins that we rightfully deserve. Not only that, he raised His Righteous Son from death to lead the way for all of us to also experience the Resurrection, eternal life in Him.

This gift is free. We do nothing to deserve it. In fact, it is because we do not deserve it that it is a gift, a gift of mercy. However, we must receive it. If I offer you a free ride to work and you tell me you do not need it, you might find another way to get where you want to go. But not in this case. If you do not accept God’s offer of Jesus’ life in payment for your sins, then you will only get as far as Judgment, then your destination will be eternal separation from God.

As wonderful as eternity with God is the fact that once we accept Jesus as our Savior, he covers us with his righteousness. That means that immediately, when God looks at us, he does not see our sin. He sees the righteousness of his Son. He can look at us, and we can more fully experience his majesty. God wants this for you. I want this for you. Your brothers and sisters in Christ want this for you. I hope that we all want this so much for all our friends and family that we will look for opportunities to share this truth.

In Christ,

Judy

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24).

Would you believe that when I wrote the first Chaplain’s corner in this series that I did not plan on it being a series? I thought it would be stand-alone. Then, because of some Bible studies I am currently participating in, I felt led to write the second one published last week, thinking that would be the final one. And then, because of these continuing Bible studies and my pastor’s sermon this past Sunday, all of which are based on the same scriptures, this devotion just presented itself to me as a natural next in the series. God’s Word is like no other, and the continuity of the message and what we can learn about God through His Word continue to amaze, delight me, and transform me, as I hope it will you.

In the first of the series, we learned about God’s provision for Elijah during a famine that was prophesied by God through Moses all the way back in Deuteronomy 11. In the second of the series, we learned how Elijah, like Moses before him, met God on Mt. Sinai, and how God graciously revealed himself to him. Both Moses and Elijah had been frustrated because of the idolatry of the Israelites. This message is a fitting example of the beautiful and meaningful threads that God weaves through the Scriptures, helping us to learn more about God and the big story of the Bible – Creation, the Fall, Redemption, and Restoration.

Now we fast forward to when Elijah is nearing the end of his ministry and will be passing the baton to Elisha, who has been his servant/prophet-in-training for about eighteen years. Elijah and Elisha are coming from Jericho, preparing to cross the Jordan River. “Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground” (2 Kings 2:8). Elijah was taken, and Elisha succeeded Elijah and the lead prophet. Does that sound familiar? Maybe similar to when, upon reaching the banks of the Jordan River, Moses died, and Joshua who had been his second-in-command took over as God parted the water (Joshua 3:14-17).

Not only that, but we also read in the New Testament that John the Baptist, as foretold by the Prophet Isaiah, began his ministry of baptism for repentance, proclaiming Jesus. Jesus then came to him at that same Jordan River to be baptized and to begin his ministry, to which John explained “I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him. The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:28b-30).

• God called Moses to lead his people. He died and no one even knows where he was buried (Deuteronomy 34:5-8). Joshua assumed the responsibility of leading the people of Israel. “Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So, the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses” (Deuteronomy 34:9).
• God called Elijah to speak out against idolatry. He was taken to heaven by a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11). Elisha then assumed the cloak of Elijah and continued his ministry. “Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. ‘Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?’ he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.” (2 Kings 2:13-14).
• God called John the Baptist to prophesy about the coming Messiah. “The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God,as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way—a voice of one calling in the wilderness, “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.”’ And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” (Mark 1:1-4). While we know where John the Baptist is said to be buried, Jesus rose from his tomb and at the appointed time, “When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven” (Luke 24:50-51).

God created us to be in relationship with Him. But then, beginning with Adam and Eve sinning in the Garden, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2). And it is not just Adam and Eve. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). So, God in His justice must punish our sin. “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27a). “For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23a).

But praise God that is not the end of the verse! “…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23b). God in love and mercy wants to pursue and reconcile us back to him. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24).

Adam and Eve sinned. God pursued their idolatrous descendants in the wilderness through Moses; he pursued their idolatrous descendants amid pagan worship through Elijah; and he pursues us today through Jesus Christ, our Savior. All we must do is believe.

“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:27-28).

In Christ,

Judy

“Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress; I will not be shaken” (Psalm 62:6).

Last week we learned about God’s provision for Elijah, a famous Old Testament prophet. Elijah lived through an especially difficult time–during the reign of Ahab, the most wicked king of Israel. We do not know anything about Elijah except that he was from Tishbe (I know, I have never heard of it either). And we know that God called him to be his mouthpiece to Ahab. His first assignment was to tell Ahab that there would be no dew nor rain for the next few years. That was not a good assignment. Then God sent him into hiding as we read about last week (1 Kings 17).

While in hiding, God miraculously provided for him, first by being fed by ravens (yuck) and then by a pagan widow woman who herself would have starved had not God used her to sustain Elijah through the miraculous jar of flour and jug of oil that did not run dry for about three years. During that time, the woman’s son died, and Elijah brought him back to life, the first instance in the Bible of someone brought back to life. There was no precedence for this; there was no way that Elijah could fail to see God’s miraculous power.

Then, God told Elijah to go to Ahab to tell him that rain was coming; so, Elijah went, only to be greeted by Ahab as “the troubler of Israel” (this being Elijah, not Ahab). 1 Kings 18 is where we find the fantastic showdown on Mt. Carmel where Elijah, prophet of God, challenges the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah to see who had the power to bring fire to consume their sacrifice. Elijah even sabotaged his own altar by flooding it with water before calling down fire from God. The pagan prophets did everything including cutting themselves, to no avail. However, when Elijah called upon his God, “the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench” (v. 38). And guess what: rain came!!! Elijah was so excited that he ran all the way to Jezreel (about 31 miles) to tell Queen Jezebel (Ahab had been at the showdown and had seen it for himself). Elijah told Jezebel what had happened, and she threated him with his life. Unbelievable!

Elijah then told wicked Queen Jezebel exactly what he thought of her death threat. NOT. No, Elijah, who had been encouraged by God to confront the most wicked King Ahab, who had experienced multiple life-giving miracles, and who had been empowered to show up 950 pagan prophets at Mt. Carmel, “was afraid and ran for his life.” He ran all the way to Beersheba (more than 100 miles) and sat under a broom tree praying to God to take his life (1 Kings 19:3-4). And what did God do? God again met him in his need. God sent him food and water, allowed him to sleep, then brought him to Mt. Horeb. And there, Elijah went into a cave and spent the night (v.9).

Here is where we see beautiful threads that weave throughout the Bible, showing God at work with his people. Mt. Horeb is another name for Mt. Sinai, where God brought Moses after he led the Israelites out of Egypt heading toward the Promised Land. Moses had already been to the top and had received the Law, only to go down and find that the people had given up and were worshipping a golden calf. Moses was extremely frustrated and told God that they could not journey on without the LORD’s presence.

God called Moses and Elijah to meet him on the top of the mountain to reveal to them his glory.

Here is the passage from Exodus 33:19-23; 34:5-9 – ^“And the Lord said, ‘I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,’ he said, ‘you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.’ Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’ Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. ^‘Lord,’ he said, ‘if I have found favor in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance.’ Then the Lord said, ‘There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.’”

Here is the passage from 1 Kings 18:11-13 – “The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.”

Moses was hidden in the cleft of the Rock. Elijah was hidden in the cave, hewn out of Rock. Is it any wonder then, that Jesus, the Rock of our salvation, at his Transfiguration, “…took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.” (Matthew 17:1-3).

Moses and Elijah were great men, but they were only men, with fears and frustrations just like you and me. Mountaintop experiences followed by the gutter. But, just like Moses and Elijah, when we seek His face, when we call on His name, He will be found by us, He is faithful to provide for us and sustain us and is gracious to show us His glory and allow us to join with Him in His work.

“But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul” Deuteronomy 4:29).

In Christ,

Judy

“Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: ^‘Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.’” (1 Kings 17:2-4)

Many of the Old Testament books are narrative history, meaning that they tell of a particular time in actual history. When we read these narratives prayerfully, we can learn so much about God and how He works. I am currently in a Bible study of 1 Kings which covers the reign of the evil King Ahab of Israel. Elijah and Elisha are prophets during this time.

Back story: after King Solomon’s death, Israel was divided into the northern (Israel) and southern (Judah) kingdoms, and the kingdom of Israel strayed further and further into sin. All the kings of this subsequent nation of Israel were evil, and “Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him” (1 Kings 16:30). You can find out more about his sins in 1 Kings 16, but I will mention that the fuel for his worst sins was that he worshipped Baal. He had married Jezebel, a princess of Sidon (an enemy nation), who brought with her the worship of Baal.

As a result of the sins of Israel, God sent a famine. This was not an arbitrary act by God; it was, in fact, the fulfillment of a prophecy more than five hundred years before: “Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut up the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you.” (Deuteronomy 11:16-17).

That could have been the end of the story. But we know that God, who does make and keep promises, also promised that he would redeem his people from sin. “Therefore say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign Lord’” (Ezekiel 12:28).

So, even as God was fulfilling his promise to punish Israel with a famine because of their sin, he was also pursuing them to return to him. God called Elijah to be his voice to Ahab; but first, he had to prepare Elijah. God told him to go to the Kerith Ravine to hide where he could drink from the brook and be fed by a raven.

First, remember they are in the middle of a severe famine, so the birds and animals were hungry, too. There was water in the brook, but no food. Everyone, including the animals were starving. Yet this raven was going to forgo its own hunger to bring food to Elijah, twice a day!

Second, ravens were dirty birds. They were considered unclean because they were scavengers–think crows and buzzards eating roadkill. Now Elijah was not going to be eating a raven, but a raven would be bringing him food. “The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.” (1 Kings 17:6). Elijah was learning total dependence on God who could make anything happen.

Then the brook dried up, and God sent Elijah to Sidon (remember that is where Jezebel, the Baal worshiper was from). God told him to find a widow there who would give him room and board. Okay, it is still a famine. And who in that day was more destitute than a widow, yet God chooses this woman–a foreign, pagan, widow–to be the means for sustaining Elijah. And while sustaining Elijah, she herself would be sustained. She followed Elijah’s instructions. “So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.” (1 Kings 17:15-16).

God truly works in mysterious ways. There is more to this beautiful story which we will cover another time. For now, let us talk about the take-aways from what we have just learned:

1. God keeps his promises. “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).
2. When you are obedient to God’s call, God will sustain you. It may not be how you expected; it may not be pleasant, but he will NOT abandon you. “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
3. God can and will use the most unlovely, unlikely of us to carry out his will. From the raven to the pagan widow, God will accomplish his purposes. “Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” (Luke 12:34).
4. Be ready to be used. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).

In Christ,

Judy

“But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37).

 I don’t know about you, but I do know that this verse gives me tremendous concern. I am wondering what this will look like on Judgment Day. I am assured of my salvation; however, that does not excuse me from having to stand before God accountable for my thoughts, words, and actions.

Wisdom from Proverbs tells us “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.” (Proverbs 6:16-19). Lying and slander are counted same as murder!!! And this is repeated in the New Testament by James: “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless” (James 1:26). We discredit our testimony when we speak obscenities, lies, gossip, slander, and dissension.

Certainly obscenities, lies, gossip, slander, and dissension are bad and to be avoided, but what are empty words? Adam Clarke said that the sense of the ancient Greek word used for idle or empty is “a word that does nothing, that neither ministers grace nor instruction to them who hear it.”

How can we even begin to comply with this instruction to avoid empty words? It starts on the inside with our relationship with God.

1. We need to get our hearts right with God. “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness (Mark 7:20-22). Yes, what we say is evidence of what is in our hearts. There is simply no good excuse. “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.” (Matthew 12:33-35).

• We can then replace the negative and obscene with the positive and edifying. What if we could successfully adhere to the Apostle Paul’s teaching: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29).

• Know that you are not in this alone. “…for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” (Luke 12:12). “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26).

Wouldn’t you love to be one of those people whose every word is an “apple of gold?” Wouldn’t you love to be one of those people who pours wisdom, love, faith, and hope into every conversation? I know I would. That is a high bar, but one that is worthy to strive for. Let’s strive for this together. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Philippians 4:13).

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” (Proverbs 25:11 ESV).

In Christ,

Judy

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” (1 Peter 3:15).

How many times do we hear someone say something “biblical” that is just slightly off, or maybe it sounds godly, but it is far from the truth. Something like “God is good, he would never send anyone to hell.” Or we are talking to someone who has anxiety and fear and is worried that they can never do enough or be good enough to be saved. Sometimes we rationalize what is true, and sometimes we inadvertently fall under false teaching. I have been reading in 2 Peter and in Jude lately, and both writers address the prevalence of false teachers distorting the gospel back in their day. Jude calls their response “contending for the faith.”

This topic was introduced in the Chaplain’s corner last week. The message in these two letters was not a popular one for their audience, but it was the truth. Peter and Jude spoke with the authority of the Scriptures by using examples from the Bible. Who is it who shows more love for Jesus and for others? The one who tells people what they want to hear or the one who tells people the truth?

Fortunately for us, both writers give us instructions on how to express our faith. Sometimes we are talking to those who have not heard the gospel, but more frequently, we are talking to those who have a faulty or incomplete knowledge of the Bible.

I. First, we must strengthen and prepare our hearts. James (brother of Jude and half-brother of Jesus) says “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). What he means is that as we minister “in” the world, we must build ourselves and each other up so that we will not be corrupted “by” the world. Peter and Jude, as well as Paul and Luke, give us foundational and essential instruction:

A. But in your hearts set apart (revere) Christ as Lord. (1 Peter 3:15)

B. But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit… (Jude 1:20)

C. …keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. (Jude 1:21)

D. Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. (Acts 17:11)

II. Second, we strengthen our physical and mental selves. We see contending for the faith as our true vocation, our calling, and we are diligent to strengthen our minds and bodies for the work.

A. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15)

B. I (Paul) discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:27)

III.  Third, we must guard our reputation so that we will not compromise the message by our behavior. That does not mean we are not worthy to witness to one other because of past behavior from which we have repented. It means that we now practice radical hospitality toward those we serve, and that we now hold ourselves accountable to God’s moral standards.

A. …keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:16)

IV. Fourth, after preparing our hearts, bodies, and minds we begin the process of building the relationship foundation for sharing the true gospel. Even though it is not Scripture, I think this “habit” of Stephen Covey “Seek first to understand, then to be understood” is critical to presenting the gospel in a way that it will be received. Not distorting the truth, but like Paul, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians 9:22b-23).

A. …do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15)

B. Be merciful to those who doubt… (Jude 1:22)

C. …save others by snatching them from the fire… (Jude 1:23)

D. … to others show mercy… (Jude 1:23)

I hope you will take these teachings to heart as we contend for the faith during the course of our days, and most especially here at Nashville Rescue Mission where the fields are white with harvest.

In Christ,

Judy

“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people” (Jude 1:3).

I usually write out these devotionals weeks ahead of time. My mind will be full of ideas, and I am eager to get them down on paper. But sometimes an issue arises, and I feel compelled to write about something else more urgent. It appears as though this is what happened with this book. Jude was eager to write about the salvation shared with his believing friends, but then felt the need to write instead about contending for the faith.

What happened? It seems that “…certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago (had) secretly slipped in among you. They (were) ungodly people, who pervert(ed) the grace of our God into a license for immorality and den(ied) Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord” (Jude 1:4).

This is serious, and Jude feels the need to address it right away. Contending for the faith is no small thing. The definition of contend is “to strive or vie in contest or rivalry or against difficulties.” Jude is not going to take a chance of letting these false truths corrupt his church.

Who is this fellow named Jude, anyway? Jude is the half-brother of Jesus and brother of James, who authored the beautiful book of James which is also in the New Testament. As half-brothers of Jesus, they were sons of Mary and Joseph and grew up in the same household as Jesus. We do not know much about Jesus’ siblings except that John the Apostle says of that time “…even his own brothers did not believe in him.” (John 7:5).

How sad for all of them—what a missed opportunity. I have heard many a Christian lament not being alive when Jesus walked the earth, and here his own brothers were living in the same house and did not see Jesus for who he truly was.

That changed for both after Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to heaven. James became a pillar of the church in Jerusalem, and when he authored his book, he introduced himself as “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (James 1:1).

We are not sure what Jude he did during the time after Jesus’ ascension and before authoring his book in about A.D. 67, but we know from his letter than he had become a strong believer, passionate about the truth. He was living in a time of persecution of Christians (this was near the time that Peter was martyred by Nero). There were all kinds of false teachers telling people what they wanted to hear (does that sound familiar?).

In this case, the false teachers were telling people that they would not be punished for their sins. That was certainly a great selling point for their cause. Jude had to tell them the truth, that we will be accountable for our sins. If we are saved, we will go to heaven, but there will be a reckoning. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10). Jude offered example after example of how God executed justice.

Jude’s message was not a popular one, but he was telling the truth. He was speaking with the authority of the Scriptures by using examples from the Bible. Who is it who shows more love for Jesus and for others? The one who tells people what they want to hear or the one who tells people the truth?

Jude closed out his short letter with a beautiful message and helpful instructions for us (verses 17-23):

But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

And he closed with this doxology to Jesus, his brother in the flesh, our Father in heaven, our King of Kings and LORD of Lords:

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude)

In Christ,

Judy

“But about THAT DAY or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36).

My family including my sons and their families have busy calendars, so it becomes a project just to set a date for our family to gather. Can you relate? I do love for our families to gather, and we try to get together for major family events like birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter. I love planning for these events—setting the date, putting together the guest list, planning the menu, the theme, the décor, and then preparing the food and the house for company. Of all of that, really the only challenge for me is setting the date. I usually do most of the planning, but a couple of times my husband has totally surprised me for a birthday and an anniversary. I am in the middle of planning our annual cookout for one of those big birthdays for my husband, and it will be especially sweet because he was recovering from shoulder surgery this time last year. I am looking forward to this big day.

There is another big day coming up. The date has already been set, and we are all invited. The thing is, that while we know it is going to happen, we will not know when because God in His wisdom has not revealed it. Even Jesus did not know. “But concerning THAT DAY and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” (Matthew 24:36). This will be the most important event of our lives, but the timing is a surprise. It could literally be any time.

Jesus spoke of THAT DAY, and he taught in parables to emphasize the need to not put off the preparation just because we do not know when. We need to accept the invitation in spite of the fact that we do not know the date, because it is the most important invitation we will ever receive.

Paul also referred to THAT DAY when he preached to the Greeks among their idols to tell them about the One True Living God. “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:29-31).

Several Scriptures even compare That Day to a surprise invasion. Paul puts it like this:“For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2).

Typically, we ask for the date before we commit to an invitation. That is understandable, because we may have made other plans that would conflict. However, for this big day, it does not matter what other plans have been made. This day will supersede every other plan, event, need, status, or situation. So, do not wait to commit, because it might be too late.

All this means there is one other date that is as important as THAT DAY, and it is TODAY. Today is the day and now is the hour to make your peace with God, to accept His invitation to eternal life in glory, and to begin laying up treasures in heaven. TODAY is the day to begin living every day in the light of THAT DAY, in the light of our Kingdom eternal home.

“God again set a certain day, calling it ‘TODAY.’ This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: ‘TODAY, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.’” (Hebrews 4:7).

In Christ,

Judy