Coach Sam's Favorite Verses from Jude

Jude is one of my favorite books of the bible.   I like that I can completely read it in one sitting.  And I love the many messages and warnings it conveys.  Here are some of my favorite verses and my thoughts regarding those verses:

Verse 3  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.    We should earnestly contend for the faith...   Friends, 'the faith' is God's holy WORD.  It is the TRUTH.  We have to fight for the Truth.,  If anyone or anything is messing with the Truth, we MUST oppose it.   And HOW are we supposed to oppose it?  ~ EARNESTLY.   What does 'earnestly' look like?    Well 'earnestly' would be trying VERY hard, with the best of our energy and effort.  The opposite of 'earnestly contending' would look something like:  'passively contending', not trying very hard at all, exerting very little or no effort.

Verse 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.  Crept in unawares...   We must be on guard for wolves...  Wolves are enemies of shepherds and sheep.  They will sneak in and surprise you.  .Of course, Jude was writing of false teachers.  There were many in Jude's day and there must certainly be more false teachers some 2000 years later. They are subtle, and use schemes and devices that would deceive the very elect.  That is how our enemy works.

Verse  5  I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.  Destroyed them that believed not...   In this story, it wasn't just that the people did not believe, it was also that they went after false gods and idols.   Jude is referring to the story of God parting the Red Sea and saving the people from an impossible situation.  And later, some of those same people still went after false gods.  Sadly, such is the nature of man.

QUESTION:  Has God ever parted the Red Sea for You...?  

ANOTHER QUESTION:  Are you facing a 'Red Sea' situation, now...?

If you can't think of a situation or circumstance in your life where God has showed up in a dramatic fashion such as the parting of the Red Sea, don't forget Romans 5:8:  that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Friends, I believe God will allow us to get ourselves into an impossible situation, so that we will have no other choice but to turn to Him.   If we do not turn to Him, the consequences are steep.

I think I will close here for the sake of brevity, but will visit this topic again because I am not finished studying the book of Jude, yet.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your precious holy Word. It is alive and it breathes life to all who take it in.  Lord I pray a blessing over my house this morning. I stand in the gap for Elijah, Connor and Monica today and every day. 

Father I also lift up my friends and extended family in the body of Christ today.  I pray that we all draw close to You and stand strong in this evil day.  Lord I love you.  I pray a hedge of protection around my day today, also. 

 I pray You would go before me and order my steps.  Help me to be a blessing and an encouragement to those around me.  And I pray these things in the power of the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, AMEN.