December 27, 2019 – Jude 1:20-23

But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. Jude 1:20-23.

The last two verses of this chapter is a benediction prayer.  We travel through this life, stumbling and groping in the darkness without the Light of the World.   Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  John 8:12.

Whom do we trust in this world? The Creator of all the World and All that is in it, or another such as we, created by God Himself?  Standing firm in faith, brings us to ‘where the rubber meets the road’ as my Dad loved to say.  This is the bottom line of living. Possessing a faith unmoved by every wind of doctrine.

Once I walked in a field of wheat, ready for harvest, watching with wonder as the wind bent the stalks this way and that. We, too, can be torn away from faith in God when we listen to the world.  Ephesians 4: 15 gives the way. Rather, speaking the Truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ…”  

Give thanks to the Lord, for His steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 136.

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 1:24-25.