TEXT: ‘Building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life’ (Jude v20-21) THOUGHT: Part 1 focussed on “Building”. Jesus said He would build His church and nothing can stop Him from doing that. Part 2 was on “Praying in the Holy Spirit”. When we pray under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, we are praying according to the will of God. That can mean only one thing, prayers that will be answered! Part 3 is about God’s love. We will study this under three main headings. Our Responsibility – ‘keep yourselves’ God will do His part and keep us. Jesus prayed, ‘Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are’ (John 17:11) The Father has answered Jesus’ prayer for Peter made this clear in his epistle, ‘You who are kept by the power of God’ (1Peter 1:5). God will do for us what He promised Jacob, ’I am with you and will keep you wherever you go’ (Genesis 28:15). Now we have to do our part. No one can do this for us. We have to do it ourselves!...
Learn MoreTEXT: ‘Building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life’ (Jude v20-21) THOUGHT: Part 1 focussed on “Building”. Jesus said He would build His church and nothing can stop Him from doing that. 1 As the New Testament teaches Christians are now the temple, 2 we can make sure the temple within is in good condition and not full of rubbish that needs to be cleared out. Part 2 turns our attention to prayer and “Praying in the Holy Spirit”. Someone once said, “Seven days without prayer makes one weak!” But the reverse can be true. Seven prayerful days can make one strong. Prayer needs both the desire and discipline to do it. Ask a group of Christians, “Who feels they should pray more?” and almost every hand will be raised, but it is much harder to discipline that desire and actually do it. Jesus wants us to pray He set the example Himself 3 and that created a desire in His disciples, for they asked Him to teach them how to pray. 4 Jesus made it clear that prayer can not only bless us when our desires are...
Learn MoreTEXT: ‘Building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life’ (Jude v20-21) THOUGHT: Jude’s epistle is one of the smaller books in the New Testament but no less significant. The last book before Revelation, (which describes the end-time scenes this world will experience), Jude’s exhortation can help us to be ready for tough times ahead, whenever and whatever they may be. Jude was one of Jesus’ brothers. 1 It’s interesting to realise that he started out with his own doubts about Jesus, just like many people do. The Bible says, ‘For His own brothers did not believe in Him’ (John 7:5). Similarly David’s brothers were dismissive of his calling and anointing to be king, yet they ended up relying on his protection and served in his kingdom. The same happened with Jesus’ brothers. Overcoming doubts, they were filled with the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost, 2 and went on to serve Jesus in His kingdom. This fact should encourage every one of us that doubts are not necessarily a barrier to serving God, for as we keep our eyes on Jesus, we can...
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TEXT: ‘Then he said, “The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard”’ (Acts 22:14-15) THOUGHT: In his epistle Peter refers to Christians as, ‘A chosen generation’.1 Jesus said, ‘You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit’.2 Also He said, ‘Many are called but few are chosen’.3 What a wonderful privilege to be chosen! Remember that when the world rejects you and what you stand for, Jesus has chosen you! Our text reveals four reasons why God has chosen you. To Know His Will What is the first thing God wants us to do? To believe in Jesus and to follow Him! God’s ways are not our ways, so His will has to be revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. God’s will does not make sense to our carnal mind but it does to our born again spirit. Christianity is a battle of the wills, ours and God’s. Who will come out on top? ‘Not my will but Yours be done!’4 To See the Just One Saul of Tarsus may have seen Jesus die as a young onlooker. He certainly saw Stephen...
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TEXT: ‘So Lot rushed out to tell his daughters’ fiancés, “Quick, get out of the city! The Lord is about to destroy it.” But the young men thought he was only joking’ (Genesis 19:14 NLT) THOUGHT: Have you ever tried telling someone something important only for them to think you are joking? This was the scenario Lot found himself in, trying to warn his sons-in-law of the impending destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. God’s judgment on these wicked cities is something people find hard to equate with a ‘God who loved the world so much that He gave His only son’ (John 3:16). Yet this event was referred to by Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Jesus. If the One who said, ‘I am the truth’, referred to it on at least three separate occasions, then it must be true, for Jesus cannot lie. Today’s Teaching is about Lot and his efforts to try to save himself and his family from God’s judgment. There are three key points to consider. Someone was praying for Lot Abraham, Lot’s uncle, had been a father figure to him when he came with him to Canaan.1 Abraham was not only caring but gracious too, for he allowed Lot first choice of the land when prosperity meant...
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