Warnings and Exhortations

One little chapter.
The book of Jude.

Written, most likely,
by the brother of Jesus
who was also the brother of the
author of the book of James.

Full of heaviness and hope.
Warning and exhortation.

Contend earnestly for your faith.
Why?
Because there are godless men in your midst
who turn the grace of God into lewdness
and deny the only Lord God
and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Godless people
like those children of Israel who did not believe.
Destroyed.

Godless
like the angels in heaven who did not keep their place.
Reserved in everlasting chains under darkness
for the darkness of that final day.

Godless
like Sodom and Gomorrah
full of sexual immorality and perversion.
Suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Dreamers
defiling the flesh
rejecting authority
speaking evil of what they do not know
corrupting themselves in the natural.

Their deeds give them the same end as Cain,
who murdered his brother instead of caring for him.
And as Balaam, who was tempted to curse Israel
for a monetary reward.
And as those who perished in the rebellion of Korah-
Korah led a prideful uprising against Moses and Aaron.
"Who are you that you should tell us what to do?"
The earth swallowed them up and they were no more.

Confusion follows these false teachers.
They are self-serving, seeking
to overthrow the faith of God's people.
Clouds that promise refreshment but fail to deliver.
Fruit trees that bear no fruit.
Raging waves of the sea,
bringing up their own shame
in the surfacing foam.
Wandering stars who do not follow
the laws of the universe.

Their reward?
The blackness of darkness forever.
Doomed.

These apostates also
Grumble.
Complain.
Are sensual- gathering around themselves
a faction within the church;
an elitist group who are deceived into
thinking they are more spiritual
than those around them.
Mockers, who walk according to their own lusts.
They speak swelling flattering words
in order to advance themselves.
They cause divisions and
do not have the Spirit of God.
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Scary business.
Makes me uneasy.
How then shall we live?

Oh.
Thank God.
Here it is.

But you,
beloved,
building yourself up on your most holy faith,
praying in the Holy Spirit,
keep yourself in the love of God,
looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ
unto eternal life.

Have compassion and bring those who have
strayed back into truth.
With some you can be gentle
and with some you'll need to be a bit rough,
jerking them back from the fires of judgment
without getting contaminated from their sin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And so, we must grow up.
We must pull our heads out of the sand
and be aware of our surroundings.
We cannot tolerate every wind of doctrine
in order to keep the peace.
(Sometimes, we are more concerned with keeping peace
than we are with keeping truth.)

Judgment has already been spoken against false teachers.
Their fate is already decided.
They are pursuing falseness
as a way of life.
They haven't just gotten a little side tracked accidentally.
We've all done this at one time or another.
That's why we need each other to guard each other's
blind spots.
That's why we are exhorted to pull each
other back to our common salvation;
the gospel of grace.
That's why we pray, "Lord, defend what You
can in me and cleanse me from those things
you cannot defend."
That's why we humble ourselves when we are accused
and ask God to show us if there is any truth
in the hurtful words.

On the other hand, it is best if we don't jump on
the accusation band wagon
and get all hot and bothered,
ugly and mean.

We can be so 'right' that we are absolutely wrong.
We Christians have given ourselves a bad name
by the way we attack our own.

It is possible to refute a teaching without
destroying a teacher.
And we haven't thrown out Proverbs
because of Solomon's unwise decisions
made later in his life.

We must be aware of what is false but we must not
let it distract us from our pursuit of truth.

And we must warn those who are being
swayed by the false, humanistic philosophies
that are prevalent today.
This is our defensive action.

Our offensive action is to contend for the faith
which is rooted in our common salvation.
Build yourself up in this faith.
Don't wait for someone else to do it.

You, yourself, read and study the Word of God
You, yourself, pray in the Holy Spirit.
You, yourself, keep yourself in the love of God
and look for His mercy in every situation.

These are the things that we, ourselves, do.

And this is what God, Himself, does.

"Now unto Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
before the presence of His glory
with exceeding joy.
To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen."

Keep yourself in the love of God.
God keeps you in His.
And love one another
as He has loved you.

Debra's Iced Coffee

My sister-in-law, Debra, introduced our family to a new, cool treat. Put several Tablespoons of the following mixture into milk, stir, and add ice cubes, and there you go!

Boil together:
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup instant coffee

Take off heat.

Then add 2-3 T. Vanilla

Store in fridge.

Options:
Add 1/2 cup caramel sauce to boiling mixture
for a coffee caramel treat.
You could also add cocoa or chocolate syrup.
Why not chocolate syrup and coconut extract
for an almond joy kick?
Or mint extract and chocolate syrup for a chocolate-
mint delight?

You could make up several different kinds,
put them in pint jars and label them,
and help yourself several times a day,
especially if you use decaf coffee.

I have been using a bit of half-and half and water instead of milk.

It's a wonderful treat on these hot summer days!

Strengthen what Remains

I have been thinking 'topically' lately, when it comes to themes in the Bible. I want to post verses on these themes in such a way that they can be printed out and slipped into a plastic sheet cover and hung on the wall. These are areas of my life that need strengthening and reassuring. I absorb these words from the inside out, with the life of God living in me, rather than outside in, like a set of rules to 'make me righteous.' Today, I am wanting to be careful with my words, for much is entrusted to me, and I want to honor the trust and not be a part of any kind of destruction. No one is perfect in regards to the tongue. Most of my regrets in life are because of things I said or did not say. And so I am hiding these verses about 'words' in my heart, that I might not sin against Him.
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The Words of My Mouth

Psalm 141:3~"Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips."

Proverbs 18:4~"The words of a man's mouth are deep waters;
The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook."

Proverbs 2:23~"Whoever guards his mouth and tongue
Keeps his soul from troubles."

Proverbs 31:26~"She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness."

Isaiah 41:6~"Everyone helped his neighbor,
And said to his brother,
"Be of good courage!"

Isaiah 50:4~"The Lord GOD has given Me
the tongue of the learned,
That I should know how to speak
A word in season to him who is weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
He awakens my ear to hear as the learned."

Hosea 14:2~"Take words with you, and return to the LORD.
Say to Him, 'Take away all iniquity;
Receive us graciously,
For we will offer the sacrifices of our lips.'"

Matthew 12:34b-37~"...For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

Colossians 34:3-5~"...pray for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time."

1 Timothy 4:12~"...be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity."