“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

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

Is it wrong to fear, to be afraid? It certainly sounds like it. There are more than one hundred times when the Bible seems to command us “Do not fear” or “Do not be afraid.” However, fear is a natural human response. How well can I remember when I would cry as a child, and my dad would tell me to stop crying. Hard as I would try, I just could not. My throat would hurt because I tried so hard, but I just cried even more. It is the same with fear. Just being commanded to not fear will not take the fear away. So why would the Bible tell us not to be afraid?

Edward Welch has authored an article, “Fear Is Not Sin,” in which he addresses this very subject. He contends that Jesus’ intent in saying “Do not fear” is more of an expression of care and compassion. It meant that he was going to offer comfort and healing, such as when he approached the widow of Nain in Luke 7:13.

Welch also writes that Scripture expects us to be afraid. We read how David goes to the Lord with his fears, and this pleases God. David sets an example for us in this way. We know that he is not sinning, and he is not confessing a sin when he cries out to God “My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen on me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me” (Psalm 55:4-5).

We learn from Scripture that fear is not weakness. Joshua, second in command to Moses, the great commander of the Israelites, was certainly not a weak man. However, Moses passed along God’s word to Joshua that he himself had been told, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:7-8).

What are we to do, then, when these feelings of fear and dismay come upon us? I know that you face many life-or-death situations while working on the front lines at the Mission—guests who are out of control, mentally ill, overdosing. Guests and program participants come to you with unique needs you may not feel equipped to handle. What are we to do when faced with something insurmountable, or when we are just overwhelmed with self-doubt; when we are afraid of the unknown, or afraid that “it” will happen again? First, we can take our cues from David and see them as opportunities to turn to God. God absolutely wants the absolute best for us.

It is not so much a matter of repentance for having little faith, but an opportunity to grow the faith that we have. We also call this maturing in faith. Courage is not the absence of fear, but it is what enables us to persevere despite being afraid. We may feel like the people Jesus describes as “You of little faith.” But note that is not a criticism; it is a starting point. Jesus says that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. The task of someone with little faith is not repentance, it is instead growth. We pray, “increase our faith.” We stay the course and grow.  

We realize that the things that cause us to fear may be tests that God has intentionally set before us to provide opportunities under God’s leadership to grow. We are so blessed to live in the time of the Holy Spirit, whom God has specifically sent to be our counselor and guide during these trying times.

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17).

So, it is not wrong to fear. But it is wrong not to use our fear to mature our faith by trusting God and calling on the Holy Spirit to guide us through every situation we encounter.

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? “(Psalm 56:3-4).

In Christ,

Judy

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

This verse is toward the end of Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount. We have been studying this sermon the past few weeks in our weekly Tuesday Bible Study. Try to put yourself in the audience. This teacher, Jesus, is preaching a radical message, a new way of life to his listeners. His audience has been waiting for the Kingdom of God to set them free. Jesus is telling them that the Kingdom of God has arrived! They are being challenged to rethink their entire way of life.

Friends, as believers we are living in the Kingdom of God. Jesus poses a simple yet difficult challenge to us as well.

It is like this. If you live in Tennessee, you might be a Titans Fan. You wear a Titans jersey, a Titans ball cap. You watch the games and know all the stats and everything about the players. You might eat, breathe, and sleep Titans. And if you live in Pittsburgh, you might be a Steelers Fan and carry your Terrible Towel like a badge of honor. But what if you live in Tennessee while your heart is in Pittsburgh? Then, you should be a Steelers Fan because that is where your heart is. So, if you are Steelers Fan, you will collect Steelers memorabilia, you will watch them play whenever you can, and you will cheer them on, even when you live around Titans Fans who may not appreciate your allegiance to the other team.

The analogy is this:  As believers, our hearts are in the Kingdom of God, even though we are physically living in the earthly realm. The earthly realm calls us to earthly desires and to earthly ways of life. But Jesus tells us that we cannot serve two masters. “Either (we) will hate the one and love the other or (we) will be devoted to the one and despise the other“(Matthew 6:24).

Our human tendency is to try to have it both ways—to serve God when it is convenient, and to serve the earthly material realm any other time. We might even say that we are Steelers Fans except when they play Tennessee. But that will not work in our allegiance to Jesus. The Amplified Bible puts the second part of Matthew 6:24 this way: “You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].” It does not say you should not. It says you cannot.

The Bible is clear on the command to be focused on God. Jesus says in Matthew 12:30 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” James equates double mindedness with instability (James 1:8).

This is a simple yet challenging command. It requires prayer and thoughtful discipleship; it requires making good choices about everything we think, do, or say. As humans, we are not perfect. We will fail in this. So, it also requires confession, repentance, and trying again.

The Apostle Peter quotes Leviticus when he says, “for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” (1 Peter 1:16). He is writing this to the exiles who have been dispersed from Jerusalem in the persecution following Jesus’ ascension to heaven. They are away from their home, but he is assuring them that they are already experiencing the Kingdom of God. He goes on to say:

“Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For ‘All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.’ And this is the word that was preached to you. (1 Peter 1:17-25)

In Christ,

Judy

“Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstonein the hand of Zerubbabel?” (Zechariah 4:10).

Zechariah was the prophet during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, men who led the exiles as they returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and the city wall. If you have ever done construction work, you know that it is a series of small things, done well and in order, that lead to the construction of a large thing. In this case, a series of mundane tasks of hauling away debris, recycling usable construction materials, laying stone to rebuild the temple and city wall. When Zerubbabel placed the final capstone on the temple, the LORD rejoiced, and said, “who dares despise the day of small things.”

I admit that sometimes my tendency is to despise the small things. It seems much more glamourous and exciting to be part of something grand. But that is not usually our reality. The reality is that those grand and glamorous things are usually built on the small and ordinary. The question is, then, what is one small thing, that if you did it, it would change everything?

Daily decisions determine our path. Every path leads to a destination, and every destination leads to a destiny. And our destiny determines our legacy. The law of the harvest prevails—we reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7).

And these changes do not have to be big ones. God gives us a will, and with our will we can determine our decisions—decisions about what we think about, who and what we look at and listen to, what we say, and what we do. Sometimes, it is being faithful to a daily discipline. Here is an example of what John Wooden, an extraordinarily successful basketball coach, says about the importance of small things.

“I think it’s the little things that really count. The first thing I would show our players at our first meeting was how to take a little extra time putting on their shoes and socks properly. The most important part of your equipment is your shoes and socks. You play on a hard floor. So you must have shoes that fit right. And you must not permit your socks to have wrinkles around the little toe–where you generally get blisters–or around the heels. It took just a few minutes, but I did show my players how I wanted them to do it. Hold up the sock, work it around the little toe area and the heel area so that there are no wrinkles. Smooth it out good. Then hold the sock up while you put the shoe on. And the shoe must be spread apart–not just pulled on the top laces. You tighten it up snugly by each eyelet. Then you tie it. And then you double-tie it so it won’t come undone–because I don’t want shoes coming untied during practice, or during the game. I don’t want that to happen. I’m sure that once I started teaching that many years ago, it did cut down on blisters. It definitely helped. But that’s just a little detail that coaches must take advantage of, because it’s the little details that make the big things come about.” John Wooden, quoted in Newsweek.

I love to play dominoes with my grandkids. They humor me by playing the game, but what they really love to do is to line them up and start the chain reaction by pushing the first domino over. (video). Dominoes are a type of metaphor for the path of our life. Have you ever considered that each of us is only one change away from our destiny, one small thing? What is one thing—one change, that if you did it, it would change the path of your life?

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).

In Christ,

Judy

 ^“So, in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12).

In the recent series of devotions, we looked at the communicable attributes of God, and how the spirit empowers us to emulate them: love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, kindness, and self-control. As I studied these fruits of the spirit in preparation to write about them, the one that I could not seem to fully describe was faithfulness. We know that faithlessness is being without faith. So, by contrast, being faithful must mean being full of faith. Specifically, how do we as believers demonstrate our faithfulness.

James says that faith without works is dead, so clearly, faith is not just a feeling we have about God or a belief we have about Jesus. Faith is something we live out; but how? In studying behavior change, there are several theories—one is that if you change your behavior, you will change how you think. The other is that you must change your mind before you can make sustainable behavior changes. The latter is true, but I also believe that in changing our mind, we must practice this behavior to support the sustainable change.

All that to say: there are behaviors we must identify and seek to demonstrate to receive the blessing from Jesus: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21).

So, what are these behaviors that constitute faithfulness? This is where the Scriptures can become daunting. There are so many commands in the Bible that it is easy to get all wrapped up in following the letter of the law without regard to the reason for why we are doing so. And then there is the guilt issue when we fall short because we undoubtedly will. And there is the blame issue for when we see others falling short. So, are the commands counterproductive?

Jesus stressed obedience to the law. In fact, he said in his Sermon on the Mount: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17-20).

However, Jesus confounded the Pharisees, and in fact, many of us, with his teachings in his sermons and parables where he goes beyond the letter of the law to the heart of the matter. For example: “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sisterwill be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” (Matthew 5:21-22).

This passage in The Sermon on the Mount gives us our best clue to faithfulness. Every thought, word, and action should be motivated and carried out with our love for Christ and with love for our fellow man. If we let our love for Christ guide us, we will be in His will.

The Bible is clear that God desires our obedience to His will–because of our love for Him. There are apparently at least 52 verses that stress that “to obey is better than sacrifice.” This means that He is not interested in thoughtless adherence to a set of rules, but instead loving and respectful obedience. Think about your relationship with your children—you do not want them just going through the motions. You want their loving and respectful obedience because they trust you and genuinely want to please you.

So, rather than being overwhelmed with memorizing and adhering to the multitude of commands, we can instead be guided by the following advice, as well as the Golden Rule at the beginning of this devotion:

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

“…and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12).

“The end of all things is near. Therefore, be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sin” (1 Peter 4:7-8).

In Christ,

Judy