Keep Yourselves In God’s Love

The Book of Jude is a very short letter in the Bible right before Revelation.  It is only one chapter with 25 verses, but it is a beautiful letter of calling believers to perseverance in their faith.  It is also a warning regarding ungodly people, and Jude wasted no time getting right to the point.

Jude is warning the believers about certain ungodly men that had slipped in among them and were causing trouble for the Gospel and the church.  Here is how he started his letter:

“Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James,

To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ:

Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.

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.  For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you.  They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immortality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”

Jude 1:1-4

Here is what he had to say about these trouble makers:

“Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”  These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.”

Jude 1:14-16

“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 men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.”

Jude 1:17-19

That is why Jude wrote what he did in verses 20-21.  Take another look at the Scripture pin.  He was encouraging the believers to stay strong in their faith and he gives them three practical ways to do this:

Build yourselves up in your faith!

Pray in the Holy Spirit!

Keep yourself in God’s love as you wait for Jesus to bring you home to Heaven!

There are many ways we can build our faith up and the biggest one is to read God’s Word!  Jesus is the vine and we are the branches, and our faith is rooted in Him!

“I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Jesus speaking in John 15:5

So, be in God’s Word every day!  That will also help you stay in God’s love.  Fellowship and serving others are also great ways to build your faith up.  Jesus came to save us and He also came to serve in love, so when you enter into the same kind of work that He did, your faith will be built up!

“On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’  For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 9:12-13

Praying in the Holy spirit is a big one and that will most definitely build up your faith and keep you in God’s love until the day we see Jesus in all His glory!  The Holy Spirit is powerful and God’s Spirit is our direct link to conversation with Him!

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”

Ephesians 6:18

God wants a deep relationship with each one of us, so build up your faith, pray in the Spirit’s power, and rest in God’s love!  This world is going to throw all kinds of problems and challenges at us, even people within our churches that wish us harm at times, but we can overcome them all through Jesus!

Check out how Jude ends his short Holy Spirit power packed letter!  It is God who will see us through and He will be faithful to the very end!  The Gospel has been entrusted to us and He will empower us to contend for the faith as we stand up for Jesus in our time!

“To him who is able to keep you from falling 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 1:24-25

Jesus will usher us into the presence of God where we will stand before Him without fault and with great joy!  Jesus is Lord!!!  Give Him praise!!!  Hallelujah!!!

Grace and peace to you all!