QT 30 Apr 19, Jude 20-21, We live in a godless age

Jude 20–21 (ESV) — 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.

NOTE: Four things we need to be doing in this wicked age. One, we need to be building up our faith. We need to study the things we don't understand or the issues that others raised. There are logical, scientific answers to the objections to faith. Norman Geisler's stuff is a great. Ravi Zacharias (rzim.org) is another good resource to listen. Two, we need to pray in the Holy Spirit. Too many believers talk a good story, but don't really pray. We need to pray. That requires finding a consistent time and place every day to meet with God outside of interruptions. I find my time in the half hour drive to work in the morning -- no radio, music, or talking -- just God and I conversing. Three, we need to love those around us, even the unlovely or those who we perceive have mistreated us. Servers, attendants, employers, employees, neighbors, and those opposed to us -- we need to love them. Fourth, we need to wait for the mercy of our Lord. He will save those who do not deserve to be saved, like us. He will restore justice.

PRAYER: Father, my spirit aches in my heart like Lot's as I view the sickness around me. Give me the grace, mercy, and strength to love a world in chaos and wallowing in the pig pen. They are unlovable, but so was I. And you loved first. Give me some of that love for others.

QT 29 Apr 19, Jude 19, The need to really know Jesus

Jude 19 (ESV) — It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.

NOTE: These people are in our churches. Some are teachers, some are members, some are just attenders. I welcome those who are not members and those who are searching. My concern is with the ones who are absolutely convinced that they are believers, but are worldly and devoid of the Spirit. They cause divisions and are often at the center of controversies and disagreements. It is not because they have such a great understanding of the scripture, it is because they are not applying the word of God practically to their life.

PRAYER: Open the eyes of the deceived in our church. Help them to see the real gospel. I pray they would repent. I pray they would seek to know you personally. I pray they would apply the word of God to their life in a daily manner. Show your grace to them. I saw one, a long time attender, come to Christ a couple of months back -- I pray for more.

QT 25 Apr 19, Jude 17-18, We are becoming a nation of scoffers

Jude 17–18 (ESV) — 17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.”

NOTE: I don't know if there has ever been a time when there were more scoffers than there are now. Some of them exist in the so-called church. Some of them attend our church. They don't really believe the scriptures are the word of God--well, at least their actions don't communicate it. In our country, more people identify as atheists than as any other religious group -- we are becoming, if not already, a godless nation. We are following our own ungodly passions. We look a lot like Sodom and Gomorrah. What is wrong is celebrated; what is right is ridiculed. The only question left is, how long O, Lord? We are certainly not beyond revival and we are certainly candidates for grace. But, I think with 61M aborted babies since 1973 in the US and 1,500M aborted babies worldwide, God's judgment is more likely.

PRAYER: Father, I don't feel the desire to pray for us or mercy. I do pray you might open the eyes of those who will become elect and save them from the ungodly way of life they are living. And I pray for those who truly are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, may we live as we SHOULD!

QT 24 Apr 19, Jude 16, The deadly deceived

Jude 16 (ESV) — These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

NOTE: This verse describes church members, but not believers. These people attend our church but do not have saving faith and are destined for hell. They are characterized as people who are grumblers -- always complaining about something the church does or is doing. They are malcontents -- they are never satisfied, they are always looking for that perfect church, not realizing that they ruin it when they start attending. They do what they want to do, their sinful desires rule over the church. They don't serve unless it is on their terms and is something they want or like to do, They are loud, not humble. They boast but really have nothing to boast about. And they only associate with people like themselves or people who can reward their service to them. They live in a world of quid pro quo. These people are not believers but they think they are Christians.

PRAYER: Father, I pray for your Holy Spirit to open the eyes of these self-deceived persons. I realize that they have hardened their heart to your message, but break the hardened heart. Help them to see their need for a relationship with Jesus. Change them. Transform. O how I wish we would stop playing church.

QT 23 Apr 19, Jude 14-15, Arrogance and pride is believing absolutely certain our idea is the correct one

Jude 14–15 (ESV) — 14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

NOTE: I find this comment interesting since Enoch is not considered scripture or part of the cannon. Although, that does not mean it can't be cited. Paul cited a Greek poet when he was in Athens. So while the book of Enoch is not scripture, that does not mean it is wrong in every respect. And case in point, at least one passage (1 Enoch 1:9) is correct. Having spent some time in Job recently, it is amazing how developed the theology of Abraham's time was (assuming it was Abraham's time). I believe pre-flood was also more developed than just the creation story. In Romans, Paul says that the law is written on human hearts. Additionally, not all prophets had their messages recorded and we can probably assume that prophets existed even in the times before the giving of the law, Melchizedek being another example.

But the real point of the passage is that the ungodly will be judged at the end of time. In the meantime, be very careful who you listen to. And never insist on knowing all things--be humble. Only fools think they are absolutely right.

PRAYER: Father, protect me from the sin of arrogance and pride. Continue to teach me. Continue to open my eyes to new ideas. May I never read into your word. May I never exclude what I don't want to believe from your word. Let you word be the lamp unto my feet.

QT 22 Apr 19, Jude 12-13, False teachers are worthless! Watch out!

Jude 12–13 (ESV) — 12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

NOTE: Jude 13 continues the description of the false teachers in the church. They are called wild waves of the sea casting up the foam of their own shame. On many beaches, garbage comes up onto the beach because of the waves and tide. It was true back then as well, although maybe a little less of the man-made garbage, but certainly there was some. For all the magnificence of the waves, garbage is the result as they recede. That is the value of false teacher, they leave garbage in their wake (pun intended).

Wandering stars are the planets which would not have been clearly known in Jude's time. These "stars" appear to wonder from one constellation to another. The constellations were important because this was how the ancients identified groups of stars. This information was useful for navigation and also determining the seasons. But "wandering" stars just confused the constellations and made things more difficult. Plus, since they didn't hold their position, there was no information to be gained by their location or appearance in the skies. They seemed useless.

Finally, these false teachers are not true believers, They will spend eternity in the gloom of utter darkness. They are probably church members and do-gooders, but Jesus will say to them, "away from me, I never knew you."

PRAYER: Father, help us to identify false teachers. Keep us away from their teaching. Judge them for their sin. And open their eyes that may see that they do not know Jesus in the hope that they still may repent before it is too late.

QT 18 Apr 19, Jude 12, These false teachers in our churches are deadly

Jude 12 (ESV) — These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted;

NOTE: Wow, hidden reefs at their fellowship meals--hidden reefs will destroy the hull of a ship and could sink the ship. Lookouts and low draft ships were very important when sailing near the coast. These people can sink your faith. They don't even fear. That is sad, because they may even think they know God, but they are not concerned that what they are teaching is wrong. That is extremely sad. I have to doubt the veracity of a person's salvation if there is no fear in what they teach. They are waterless clouds. They get your hopes up thinking that rain is near, but nothing comes. They do not water the crops. They do not nourish the faith, they are a desert masquerading as an oasis. And finally, fruitless trees in late autumn--during the time of year that you most look for fruit, they give nothing. Even worse, they are dead, in fact twice dead. Wow, these people are in our churches and they are destroying the faith of the elect.

PRAYER: Father, expose these false teachers. Root them out. Show them their error. I pray that they would truly repent and come to know the real Jesus.

QT 17 Apr 19, Jude 11, Compromising for personal gain

Jude 11 (ESV) — 11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.

NOTE: I think all these are examples of people who sought to gratify the flesh. Cain did not give the first fruits, because that might have required him to sacrifice. The line of Cain is characterized by people who sought happiness through material things. Balaam wanted the gold and was struggling to compromise in such a way as to be faithful to God but helpful to Balak. In the end, he counseled Balak on how to  defeat Israel by using their women to seduce Israel away from their God. And Korah's rebellion against humble Moses was because he wanted the power, and the corresponding ability to gain wealth by ruling the nation. He really cared little for God, choosing to decide for himself what rules he could or could not follow. This is a microcosm of the Christian community today, the pursuit of selfish desires and compromises with truth to gain wealth and power and to feed the flesh.

NOTE: Father, forgive me for my own personal failures. Forgive me for seeking to gratify the flesh above serving you. I want to serve you first and foremost. Give me a witness and the opportunities and the courage to do just that.

QT 16 Apr 19, Jude 10, We are choosing to destroy ourselves

Jude 10 (NASB95) — 10 But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed.

NOTE: I thought the NASB was clearer in the translation. This is a good description of the world today -- they revile the things they do not understand. They revile personal faith in the God of the universe. They revile the creation. They revile the idea of right, wrong, and sin. The things they think to understand, pleasure, sex, money, relative morality, emotional arguments -- these are the things that are destroying them. And yet they do not see it. Atheists are now the largest religious block in America, having grown by 266 percent over the last few decades. And yet, we now have the highest rates of suicide, drug use, and hopelessness that we have ever experienced. Are we so dumb not to understand that our ideas of a great society are not working?

PRAYER: Father open the eyes of many to their deception. Help them to reason, not just feel. Let them see the sewer they have fallen into.

QT 15 Apr 19, Jude 9, Respectful no matter who

Jude 9 (ESV) — 9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”

NOTE: Michael knew Lucifer as an archangel. Michael did not follow Lucifer when he led one-third of the angels in a revolt. Michael had every reason to be angry with Lucifer. Michael had the stronger force on his right. Michael was in the right. And yet Michael's words and reaction toward Lucifer are restrained and respectful, "The Lord rebuke you." We would have taken the opportunity to blast Lucifer and make him know who is really boss. But that is not the way the children of God are to act. God is the judge, not us. God can stand up for himself. Our job is to calmly and respectfully tell the truth, the word of God. How people deal with the word is an issue between them and God, provided we are not living in such a way to give them pause. We are to live upright and holy lives. We are to be prepared to give a gentle and respectful answer to anyone who questions our faith. Michael did the right thing. We need to learn from his example.

PRAYER: Father, believers today seem so uptight and angry. Give us love toward one another and also love toward those outside the kingdom. Our future is assured. We don't have to be angry. Yes, like other saints of the OT, our hearts can be moved by the painful mess the world is rushing into, but we don't have to be angry toward others. Change us, change me to be more like Jesus in his response to his accusers at the cross.

QT 11 Apr 19, Jude 8, The word of God is our ultimate standard of authority

Jude 8 (ESV) — Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.

NOTE: This is a fascinating revelation. These spiritual people rely upon their dreams as their authority. They do not rely on the word of God, but have placed dreams above the word. Actually, Mohammed did the same thing in creating the Koran. They reject the traditional authorities and assert themselves as authoritative. I do not doubt that God can and still does speak to people in dreams. I believe it is very rare. And I believe a true dream from God will never violate the word of God. God is consistent. His prophecies are consistent. He is always consistent with his entire nature. Everything must be tested against the word of God. We don't need a new revelation today, except the revelation that the word of God, written 2000 plus years ago, is still authoritative in our lives today. It never grows old.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for the word. It is the lamp to my feet and the hammer and fire to my stubborn soul.

QT 9 Apr 19, Jude 5-6, We need to be serious about our faith and how it impacts our personal lives

[Jde 1:5-6 ESV] 5 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day--

NOTE: So what is Jude's point, since he uses two examples? One, God took the nation out of Egypt, baptized so-to-speak in the Red Sea, and then destroyed then entire adult population, minus two. In this case, I would argue that many who died did not lose their salvation, but were punished for disobedience. This is the same thing that the writer of Hebrews argues as well. Just being a Christian is no protection from the physical judgment of God in this life. Now, I would also argue that physical judgment in this life does not equate to experiencing God's wrath as will occur in the tribulation (but not to the church). 

The angels started out in the presence of God, but upon exercising their free will, one-third turned from God and followed Lucifer. Some are imprisoned now, some will be released for a time, and all are awaiting their future judgment (lake of fire). Those who did not follow Lucifer are experiencing a creature-holiness based upon their original free-will choice. He did not spare his original creation, but I believe he does spare/protect those who chose to remain obedient to him.

In scripture, there does always seem to be a test, whether you accept a dispensational view of the world or not. Adam had a choice but chose to eat from the tree of life. Cain had a choice but the sin crouching at his door won. The people of Noah's time before the flood had a choice, and behaved wickedly. The people after the flood had a choice to spread out, and chose not. People always have a choice. I'm very simple in my understanding of predestination. I think God's foreknowledge is the key. But all people and beings have a choice.

PRAYER: Father, how I pray we would not neglect so great a salvation that we have. I pray we would not take for granted the incredible mercy that was shown for us. I pray we would recognize the unbelievable cost that was paid for our salvation and the immeasurable grace that is bestowed on us. Oh, we so desperately need to know and appreciate the love of God toward us.

QT 8 Apr 19, Jude 4, Those who take away the word (the birds) are right there in the church

[Jde 1:4 ESV] 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. 

NOTE: The church is not all it seems. Jesus made a similar comment that the seed would grow into such a big tree that even the birds would rest in its branches. The only problem is that in context, the birds were the ones who would take the seed (the word) from the path so that it could not grow. There are certainly many false believers in our church. There are also many who are simply deceived. They truly think they are believers but have never experienced a radical change by the entry of the Holy Spirit into their life. They mimic the philosophy of the world or maybe even some religious sounding conservative philosophy, but that does not indicate they have been born again. Lord, open their eyes if possible, and open our eyes to see their false teaching. 

PRAYER: Father protect me from the philosophy of the world. I want to hold true to truth. I don't want to fit the world view into my faith. I want to fully stand up for truth. Help me to understand truth and to be bold with truth. 

QT 5 Apr 19, Jude 2, Mercy, peace, and love -- the best things in life

Jude 1:2 ESV — May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. 

NOTE: Mercy, peace, and love -- are these the best gifts someone could ever receive? Certainly mercy is important. I am so stupid at times and deserving of nothing good and everything bad, and yet, God in his mercy does not give me what I deserve -- thank you Lord! Peace is something we all so desperately want to retreat to at times. I know I created an area in my back yard that is pretty, quiet, and calming. It is my mini-vacation spot. I can go there to get away. I can be a peace. But also can experience peace in pain when I believe that God is in working for my best. Love -- the greatest gift a person can have is to love and be loved. That is why I Iike the story, "It's a wonderful life" so much, because love is more important than travel or riches or status. To be loved is of immeasurable value. 

PRAYER: Father, I pray Jude's prayer for myself. May you multiply mercy, peace, and love to me, a sinner saved and loved by Jesus. 

QT 4 Apr 19, 2 Pet 3:17, Preach the word, God's word and not man's word

2 Peter 3:17 ESV — You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 

NOTE: In context this verse is referring to people who twist Paul's word, which Peter clearly implies are the words of God. There is a lot of error out there in the world, masquerading as intelligence or knowledge, but are neither because they deny God as creator or as lawgiver or as judge and ruler of the universe. Anyone taking any one of those three positions is gravely in error. We need to avoid, and I mean seriously avoid these teachers. There are wrong and are gravely wrong because they are misleading the people, the church, the bride of Christ. 

PRAYER: Father protect me in my teaching. May I never shrink back from teaching some unpopular topic. Keep me aware. Continue to wash me in your word. May I be a blessing to the church. 

QT 3 Apr 19, 2 Pet 3:12-13, I live today not for the future

2 Peter 3:12–13 (ESV) — 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

NOTE: A new heavens and a new earth will occur after the millennial period, after one last rebellion at the end of the thousand years. God will recreate everything. I find it interesting that Peter awaits, what we refer to as the "eternal age." I await the rapture, which precedes the tribulation, which precedes the millennium, which precedes the eternal age. But in a very real sense, those are far away. God gave me life, and that life is happening right now. I hope for the days in the future, but I live in this day. I don't want to miss the life I have now. I don't want to wish away my life waiting for the next big event (Friday, the weekend, the summer, football season, a promotion, etc). What I need to be waiting for is, what will God show me today and how will he use my life today for his glory today?

PRAYER: Father, I pray today would be my focus and not things in the future. I will live right now and enjoy my salvation right now. Open my eyes to your work and the good works you have prepared for me.

QT 2 Apr 19, 2 Pet 3:5-7, Judgment is coming and what are we doing?

2 Peter 3:5–7 (ESV) — 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

NOTE: The phrase "the heavens existed long ago" is suggestive of much more time than human existence. Also, separating the earth from the creation of the heavens tells us that earth's creation took place after (and probably well after) the heaven's creation. At one time, and probably still true today, there was enough water to blanket the earth. God moved the water and created our planet surface. Later, he used the water to destroy our planet surface. Peter, says that the same thing is going to happen again, but this time with fire. Looking at the sun and other stars, it is obvious that the heavens were created with fire. And that element will be the new weapon of judgment upon our planet for our continued rebellion and sin.

PRAYER: Father, it seems like a lot of messages lately have been about a coming judgment. I hope I am hearing the right message. It is either a message to me to live a holy life and / or a message to me to be more concerned with those around me who do not know the savior. Both is probably true. Open my eyes to my own unholiness and open my eyes to the lostness of those around me. May both move me to greater action.

QT 1 Apr 19, 2 Pet 3:3, Chosen ignorance and willful rebellion

2 Peter 3:3 (ESV) — knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.

NOTE: This is truly the description of my world. And I'm sure in history past, there have been times like this, possibly worst. But I suppose I am arguing that in the past they were not aware of  God's plan to the same degree as today. Men lived in ignorance. But today, despite the spread of the gospel to nearly the whole world, men live in chosen ignorance and willful rebellion. I think the degree of this lifestyle is at its highest in history. We want to do what we want to do. We will not be told it is wrong. We will not be told that we are in rebellion to God. We will not be told! To make it easier on our consciences, we scoff at truth. We deny God's existence. We deny the historical record. We do everything possible to justify our own existence and freedom to live as we choose. We are a foolish people.

PRAYER: Father, open the eyes of those who truly are seeking. In others, bring them to the point where they have nothing left but to seek out you. Break our pride. Amen.