Tag: pray in the Spirit
Contend for the Faith!
Scripture reading for December 20: Jude
“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.” Jude 3
Jude was the half-brother of Jesus Christ. His letter was written to the church as a wave of false teachers were enticing believers to sexual immorality and idolatry. (Jude 4) He planned to write about their common salvation, but instead wrote a letter of encouragement and warning about the need to contend earnestly for the faith! We are in a spiritual conflict and the enemy of our souls is trying to steal our faith!
Jude points God’s people back to God’s past dealings with His redeemed people. God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. They all experienced God’s grace but not all believed and they were destroyed in the desert. (Jude 5) Lot and his children were delivered from Sodom, but God destroyed these towns because they refused to repent of sexual immorality and perversion (homosexual behavior). (Jude 7) They were destroyed by fire and serve as examples for us today of eternal fire that will consume the enemies of God.
Jude’s strong warnings were meant to help those in the church to resist these false teachers and stay on the path of righteousness. Jude gave positive instruction to the church to help them. They were to remember the teaching of the Apostles who had warned about the scoffers of the last times who would seek to divide the church. (Jude 18-19)
The best way Jude suggested to build yourself up in your faith was to pray in the Holy Spirit. By doing this, a believer could keep himself in the love of God and wait patiently for Jesus Christ to come. While waiting, each believer should be merciful to those who are doubting or weak in their faith and show mercy to others by snatching them from the fires of hell. They must be careful to keep their faith and focus on Jesus. He alone could keep them from falling.
“To Him who is able to keep you from falling and 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 24-25
Ready for battle!
Scripture reading for September 28th: Ephesians 6:1-24
Paul gives some more practical instruction and pastoral counsel on how to live in the fullness of the Holy Spirit and imitate Christ. He encourages children to obey their parents, citing the fifth commandment. He counters that with a word to fathers: “Do not exasperate your children, instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:1-4) Paul understood fathers tendency to over-react or come down hard on children who were disobedient. Fathers should spend adequate time in instruction and explanation of the truths of God’s word.
Slaves and masters are also addressed. Each one was to remember that God was their true Master and that they were working for Him. Proper attitudes and treatment of employees and their bosses in the workplace was a spiritual and moral requirement for Christians. Being a true Christian affected home life and business.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:10-13)
The real battle was not with people, either in the home or the workplace. The real battle was spiritual and the enemy was spiritual. The forces arrayed against the Christian were demonic and evil spirits who sought to scheme against Christians and get them to abandon their faith. This battle requires God’s power and armor, used each day in the battle to stand our ground and take new ground! We must put this armor on and stand.
In reality, each piece of armor listed by Paul speaks of Jesus Christ. He is the author and finisher of our faith. Jesus is the truth. Jesus Christ is the central message of the Gospel of peace. Jesus is our righteousness and our salvation. He is the sword of the word of God in human flesh! When we are ‘in Christ’, we are ready to stand in the daily battle! We are more than conquerors!