Why spend time with God?

This week, as a collection of believers in Hope Church, we are enjoying a week of prayer. As part of this I had the privilege of commencing it by producing a short video (1-2mins) encouraging people to enter into the presence of God, so i thought i would share my thoughts and reflections here with you. The inspiration came from the following Psalm;

 *God Is My Strength and Portion Forever*

# 73

A Psalm of Asaph. 

*1* Truly God is good to Israel, 

to those who are pure in heart. 

*2* But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, 

my steps had nearly slipped. 

*3* For I was envious of the arrogant 

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 

*4* For they have no pangs until death; 

their bodies are fat and sleek. 

*5* They are not in trouble as others are; 

they are not stricken like the rest of mankind. 

*6* Therefore pride is their necklace; 

violence covers them as a garment. 

*7* Their eyes swell out through fatness; 

their hearts overflow with follies. 

*8* They scoff and speak with malice; 

loftily they threaten oppression. 

*9* They set their mouths against the heavens, 

and their tongue struts through the earth. 

*10* Therefore his people turn back to them, 

and find no fault in them. 

*11* And they say, “How can God know? 

Is there knowledge in the Most High?” 

*12* Behold, these are the wicked; 

always at ease, they increase in riches. 

*13* All in vain have I kept my heart clean 

and washed my hands in innocence. 

*14* For all the day long I have been stricken 

and rebuked every morning. 

*15* If I had said, “I will speak thus,” 

I would have betrayed the generation of your children. 

*16* But when I thought how to understand this, 

it seemed to me a wearisome task, 

*17* until I went into the sanctuary of God; 

then I discerned their end. 

*18* Truly you set them in slippery places; 

you make them fall to ruin. 

*19* How they are destroyed in a moment, 

swept away utterly by terrors! 

*20* Like a dream when one awakes, 

O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms. 

*21* When my soul was embittered, 

when I was pricked in heart, 

*22* I was brutish and ignorant; 

I was like a beast toward you. 

*23* Nevertheless, I am continually with you; 

you hold my right hand. 

*24* You guide me with your counsel, 

and afterward you will receive me to glory. 

*25* Whom have I in heaven but you? 

And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 

*26* My flesh and my heart may fail, 

but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 

*27* For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; 

you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. 

*28* But for me it is good to be near God; 

I have made the Lord God my refuge, 

that I may tell of all your works. 

We can see how the psalmist has been on a journey of discovery. He has realised that he doesn’t understand how the world works, and it concerns him; the good suffer, the wicked prosper, and he himself is diligently following God, but coming under attack and he is feeling jealous and annoyed about these things - It doesn’t make sense, it is hard to understand. Do you ever have the same kind of thoughts? 

You may have questions over; why there is suffering, why do some get healed, others don’t, why don’t things seem to go the way you expect/want them to yet you see other people of questionable character seeming to get whatever they desire? As humans, it is natural for us to question as we want to know and understand. Yet being consumed by these questions can be overwhelming, confusing and tiresome as this writer admits in verses 16-17, ‘But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, *17*until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.‘ Trying to understand the world and figure out solutions to all the problems is wearisome and burdensome, even when you have the best worldly knowledge to hand and even then you probably will not find the answers you seek anyway! 

The only thing that helped this psalmist was going into the sanctuary of God. 

Getting into God’s presence helps. It does not mean that by spending time with God the world will change, but being in the presence of God will change you. The psalmist recognises that God is continually with him, that he is held by God, guided and strengthened. You too can receive; peace, hope, guidance, reassurance, companionship, help, love and strength when you spend time with God. You may not get the answers you seek, but you will get what you need. Life can be hard and overwhelming at times, like this psalmist found, but do you notice that when he stopped and went to God he stopped fretting about the issues of the world and he was able to manage what he was facing? Nothing else seems to have outwardly changed, but his mindset did. This led to him appreciating that, 'for me it is good to be near God'. The same can be true for you too. If you are struggling to understand things and life is becoming overwhelming and wearisome, i encourage you to take some time to consider this psalm and spend some time with God. It doesn't matter how you do that or when, it could be; through being still, whilst gazing at nature, listening to music, praying with others, or quietly contemplating who God is. The psalmist's viewpoint and thoughts are transformed by being with God - notice how what he speaks of has changed after verse 17. I am sure that the things he was noticing and getting annoyed at previously are still going on, but spending time with God helped him see what he really has, and what is really worthwhile considering in life. Then he felt equipped to continue to face the difficulties because he remembered who God really is, and the value of what he has through that relationship. You can have the same experience too because spending time with God may not change the world, but it will change you. Then maybe you will also be able to say, ’but for me it is good to be near God’ (v28)?

Here is the short video i made on this topic, if you wish to watch it.

The armour of God

Our family has been going through tough times recently and so a fellow believer  challenged me to read about the armour of God everyday for a week. They felt it would be a source of encouragement and of guarding against what the enemy was trying to destroy in my life, and that of our family. So I thought I would take up the challenge and document my thoughts each day as I read this section of scripture daily for the week. Some days I may spend 5 mins reading, others may be more like half an hour of reading and contemplation, so join me if you will on my adventure of delving into these verses from Ephesians 6;

*The Whole Armour of God*

*10*Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. *11*Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. *12*For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. *13*Therefore take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. *14*Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, *15*and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. *16*In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; *17*and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, *18*praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, *19*and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, *20*for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. 

Ephesians 6:10–20.

Day 1

The first thing that stood out to me was the word ‘stand’. Sometimes, there is nothing more to do in life other than stand. When it feels like the battles of life are raging around you, you just need to stand. No movement required, God will give you the strength to do just that, stand. This ability to stand does depend on the strength of faith you have built beforehand. When you can do nothing else, you need to rely on what you know to be true about yourself and God when the warring season comes. There are often no indicators that it’s on it’s way, so you always need to be ready. To be building your faith through prayer, fasting, Bible reading, meeting with other believers and praying in the Spirit. 

Day 2

“Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might’. It is ok if we are not strong in ourselves. Before this section talks about putting on the armour of God, it speaks about God being our strength. We need to have strength in and through God because, this suggests that it is not for us to be strong. It is for us to depend on God being strong for us. 

It is an invitation or a command that we ‘be strong in the Lord’. This requires work on our part to depend on Him - to rely on God to be strong for us. Therefore it is ok to be weak, because then we can rely on his might and strength. 

Day 3

Today as I read these verses I see how important it is to be ready. Before you can stand firm, before you can stand and fight, you have got to be ready. As a soldier, equipped for war, before you get dressed and collect the appropriate equipment, you need to know what you are facing. This passage shows us that we face, everyday, ‘the schemes of the devil’. This is why you need the armour, this is why you need to fight, because you are daily battling, ‘the spiritual forces of evil’. This is why it is important to have the armour of God. That is why you need to pray, fast, read the Bible, declare the truth, belong to church. As this is how you can learn to stand when tough times come, and how you gather and realise the strength and might of the Lord. Are you getting yourself ready for the battles you will come to face in life? You do not need physical training, military schemes, but you do need a relationship with the God of heaven who will strengthen and hold you as you prepare to stand in the storm. Are you getting ready?

Day 4

No matter what you face in life, ’take up the shield of faith’. Faith can protect you and cover you ‘in all circumstances’. Without faith, you’d be unprotected and vulnerable. Therefore it is important to know what you believe. What are the foundational truths that you hold onto? If everything else falls apart in life, what happens to what you believe? Is your faith shaken, shaped or solid when troubled times come? The shield of faith needs to be taken up - are you working on your faith, are you losing it or are you taking it for granted? This sentence tells us to ‘take up the shield of faith’ it is your choice whether you pick it up or not. Are you developing and trusting in the faith you have?

Day 5

Prayer is essential. Is it part of your armoury?

‘praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints’. The armour of God is not complete without prayer. Praying in the Spirit, worshipping and requesting of God, praying to be prepared and praying for others of faith - all are covered in v18. 

Praying in the Spirit allows your spirit to connect with God’s Spirit - no wonder we need that! When we connect with God we connect with His power, His love, His strength, His mercy… 

We are invited to pray, which is a form of worship and to ‘supplicate’ - we are allowed to ask God for things. Not only asking, but asking as well as covering all the other things prayer is for.

Prayer can help us get ready for what’s coming, even if we don’t know what is, and it can help us persevere.

We are also encouraged to pray for one another. We are in these battles together, this is teamwork, therefore we need to work together in prayer too. 

So, today, I shall pray, being grateful for what I have, asking for what I need and praying for the grace to persevere as well as praying for friends of faith to have the same. We are in this together, and God wants us to talk to Him about what is going on, He wants to share His Spirit with you, it will help. How can you pray today?

Day 6

Paul writes that he is an ambassador in chains for the gospel. I know that he was imprisoned for his faith, tortured and persecuted for preaching that Jesus is the son of God. Many still are today. 

Yet for most of us, do we see the seriousness of this? Do you feel as if you are chained to the gospel? I think that is the point that is made here, not so much that Paul is in prison, but that he is chained to the gospel and that has led to his whereabouts. Do you live your life chained to the gospel? Wherever you go, does the gospel go with you? Are you acutely aware that the gospel is with you whatever you are doing? For Paul, and for others imprisoned and punished for their faith the gospel being chained to them is a reality. Can you live your life recognising that if you believe in Jesus, then you too are permanently connected to the good news of who Jesus is? If so, this will effect the way you walk, talk, work, play and rest. 

God, help us to realise that we are chained to you, and allow it to effect and influence us everyday no matter where we are or what we are doing. Amen

Day 7

Speaking boldly about who Jesus is is a real challenge, Paul found it so otherwise he would not have asked for the Ephesians to pray for him to, ‘boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel’. Therefore do not feel bad if you struggle with feeling nervous, or even terrified about sharing about your faith - you are in good company! Yet, there is something you can do about it. Like Paul you can ask people to pray for you to have courage. If you are someone that finds this easy, then please pray for those of us who find it difficult. 

Doxology - a word of praise to God

The final couple of verses from Jude are entitled ‘doxology’. This basically means that it is a word of praise to God. There are several doxologies throughout the Bible, we will look at a few of them today to compare them with this one from Jude;

*24*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, *25*to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. 

Jude 24–25.

As you can see these verses are no longer addressed to the reader of Jude’s letter, but are aimed towards God, like a prayer of praise. They serve as a reminder to those that read this that God is worthy of worship because of who He is and inspire further praise from those that read these verses.  This is common for the other doxologies in the Bible, here are a couple more for us to consider today;

*10*Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. *11*Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. *12*Both riches and honour come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. *13*And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.

1 Chronicles 29:10-13

*25*Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages *26*but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— *27*to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Romans 16:25-27

What inspiring verses! All three of these examples give glory to God which means that they hold God in high honour, they esteem Him and declare His majesty. All of these doxologies, although written thousands of years apart, by different authors, have similarities. They all honour the majesty, power, dominion, glory and eternal nature of God. These qualities of God have always been present, and are always worth praising. It doesn’t matter what culture you’re in, the state of your country, or your life; God still is majestic, powerful, in charge, glorious and eternal! That will never change. That will be true beyond our graves. This is God’s nature, and He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow as these different texts prove. This one God is surely worthy of praise, of recognition, of extolling, of trusting in. It doesn’t matter if you’re having a bad day, week, month, or life, God is still the same. It doesn’t matter if you’re sick or well, rich or poor, God is still the same. God is still the same to you and everyone else - have you taken some time to look at Him rather than your circumstances? 

When you look at God, which these doxologies encourage us to do, rather than what’s going on around you, you cannot fail to be inspired to hope. These words of truth give strength and inspire awe. Even as mere humans, we can appreciate something of the; magnificence, power, might, glory, significance, and never-ending nature of Father God. He surely deserves an outpouring of us declaring ‘glory’ to Him as these other writers have done. It is too easy to get caught up in the day to day routines, trials and temptations that they carry. That is why we need verses like these to remind us of what this life is all really about. The letter of Jude for example has spent most of the content warning its readers of the perils of living a life not wholly dedicated to God, and helps us look out for the danger of not living a life set apart for God and being swallowed by sin. Therefore these words at the end that remind us who God is, and encourage us to extol Him are a welcome reminder to put into context what is really happening, who we really are, and who God really is. If you want to live a life honouring God, you do need to get your life straight, you do need to be aware of what you are doing, but it is all in the context of knowing who God is.;

‘the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.’

‘Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.’ 

‘to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ!’

As you consider your life, don’t neglect to consider who God is in it and the place you have given Him in your life.

How does that inspire you to express your praise and worship today?

How to bring joy to Jesus

 24*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, *25*to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. 

Jude 24–25.

These verses are quite a different  tone to the rest of the letter and bring about a positive conclusion. It seems that as Jude is signing off he is reminding his readers exactly why all the other stuff he has written about is important. Keeping away from inaccuracies and sin and ensuring that your mind, heart and flesh are in line with God’s order is in light of who God is. If you can see your life in context, and remember that He is; your Saviour, your sustainer, your help, Lord, glorious, majestic, powerful and ruling for all eternity, then why would you get caught up with anything else? 

Being able to remember that God has a never-ending plan, and that He wants to save, preserve and sustain you even though He is full of glory, majesty and holiness must surely give you enthusiasm to live a life honouring and obeying Him.

This God, this holy, mighty, eternal God is also the God 'who is able to keep you from stumbling’. Quite simply put, God cares enough about you to keep you from stumbling. This incredible, worship-invoking God, also wants to help you out. You don’t have to put up with living a life enshrouded by sin, compromise and temptation - you can be free - because God can steer you away, He can teach you and give you strength to resist. Lets be honest, you do not have the strength or capacity to be able to do it on your own, but God can keep you from stumbling. So why not ask for His help - what will be able to stop you if you trust God to take care of you and help you? Are you willing to ask God for help for the things you struggle with, the big, the small, serious or silly things? God is willing and able - are you willing to ask and trust Him? 

The next part of verse 24 says that Jesus can, ‘present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy’.  So, not only can God prevent you from stumbling, but because of Jesus, you can also be seen as blameless! Isn’t that incredible?! At the very same time you can be forgiven of sin, helped to overcome it and be considered sin-free. 

Then, do you know Jesus' response to be able to do that for you? He considers it a ‘great joy’! Now isn’t that remarkable?! You can be helped to resist temptation, prevented from sinning, forgiven when you do, classed as blameless, helped to overcome, and this all makes Jesus elated! Inviting God to help you in your struggles, and relying on Him to help you overcome them not only gives you freedom and relief, but it causes joy in heaven - what an incredible thought! 

So, today, know that whatever you're struggling with, you can get help. It is freely available, and it’s name is Jesus - you just need to ask. Then he can, ‘keep you from stumbling’ and, ‘present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy’. What a hope and delight to look forward to! 

So, as a response to these verses and these thoughts today, consider if you need to call out to Jesus today for his help - he is only too happy to do so. On the other hand, if these words remind you of what you have been forgiven and helped through - then thank God. Be grateful that you can be forgiven and accepted by God, grateful that by repenting you cause joy in heaven as well as having the opportunity to walk free from what holds you back. 

Thank you Father God for your complete forgiveness, mercy and help. It seems incredible that we can cause joy in heaven by allowing you to help in our difficulties, but it says it right here in your Word! What amazing love and mercy you have for us. Help us never to take it for granted Lord. Also, for those things that we are battling against right now, please give us strength and confidence in you to invite you in. You can change any situation and take away all sin and temptation. Sorry that we so often try to do it on our own and end up in a mess realising that we can’t do it. But you can. So God, help us and strengthen us. Help us avoid the things that tempt us and cause us to go astray and help us to acknowledge and appreciate your forgiveness and joy when we rely and trust in you. You indeed are glorious, magnificent and full of love.

Amen 

Have mercy whilst saving others

Following on from the instructions of how to live; to build your faith, pray in the Spirit and keep in God’s love, Jude now tells us what we should do about these erroneous teachers and those swayed by them;

 *22*have mercy on those who doubt; *23*save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. 

Jude 22–23.

Do you notice that Jude, surprisingly, does not tell us to kick those living an unclean life out of the community of believers? Neither does he advise us to ignore them, or tell them off. Instead Jude tells us to, ‘have mercy’. It is so easy to judge or berate people when they get it wrong, yet Jude, as Jesus would, instructs us to have mercy. Even though they have got it wrong and are enticing others to do the same and it may seem right to punish them or berate them, the instruction here, is to have compassion and show forgiveness. Isn't that quite radical? Jude is quite clear, as he twice repeats the need for mercy. Payback, punishment or a good tongue-lashing are not the answer to help these people. Instead we should have compassion on them - why? For one thing, the reality is that each one of us are susceptible to sin. It could be any one of us that goes astray. Plus, we have all already been shown significant grace and mercy by God. Isn't it then our duty to extend that to others? 

Jesus instructs his followers, "in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12). Or, as we often say at home, treat others as you would like to be treated. So, think about it, how would you like to be led back to Jesus if you go off path? Would a good telling off do it or a punishment turn you back? Or would a merciful chat, guidance and demonstrations of love help you more? 

As you seek to restore those that have wandered away from God's best for their lives; Be warned; it isn't easy. Jude says, ‘Save others by snatching them out of the fire, to others show mercy with fear’. This verse shows the danger, 'snatching', fear'. It could be scary for you. You will be putting yourself in a dangerous situation where the enemy is at work, you are seeking to save those blinded by satan and you could be harmed too. So be aware and be careful. Jude purposefully put his instructions for how you should live your life before how to help those in error - your connection and dependence on God will be essential for you to come through this yourself. That is why you need to continue to; build your faith, pray in the Spirit and keep in God’s love, You must have that as an embedded part of yourself and your faith before you can attempt to help others out of the fire. 

It is also good to be aware of your own responses and temptations. If others are being led astray by things that you have been caught up with before, are you now in a condition to help or will it still be a temptation for you? You need to continue to build your faith remember, so do not get involved in things that may cause it to topple - satan would like nothing more! 

The first way to help those that are going awry, is to have mercy on those that are doubting. Don't tell them off, or spout of loads of verses, but listen with compassion, and then ask them what they thing the Bible says about it - get their view and then encourage them as to the truth. This situation is a need for discipleship and encouragement and hopefully they will follow. The next set Jude refers to are those that you can 'snatch' out of the fire. The warning here for you is not to get too close - getting too near fire burns, and can cause you damage.So, be quick, don't spend lengths of time in that environment, but remember it's a smash n grab situation. Get in, get out. You may need to repeat this, but don't spend too long otherwise the fire of sin will hurt you. ' to others show mercy with fear,' there are other situations that can't just harm you, but can also cause you to become embroiled in things that you really don't want to be. Getting close to those that sin can cause you to be tempted into it yourself, or in some way, to be lead to think,'oh, i'll just do this, this isn't so bad', and then a spiral can form in your own life. That is why, when seeking to help those out of their messes you too need to be concerned for yourself. It is a dangerous place to be, and the enemy is sneaky and inviting, so keep the fear of losing what you have. This doesn't mean that you should avoid trying to rescue people, but you do need to prioritise looking after yourself. I have seen people really come very close to those who are stuck and wandering off, seeming to be at their beck and call, but here Jude is telling us that it is a snatch n grab job. It is not an intense, sit in and smoulder situation - you will get damaged if you do that, even though you are trying to do something good. Remember your priorities;  build your faith, pray in the Spirit and keep in God’s love. This comes first. If you are finding that you do not have time for these things, or that you cannot be as bothered to do them when you are trying to help others, then return to building up yourself first, because you cannot be much help to yourself or others otherwise. 

The positive things that i see about these instructions are that;

1) God wants to protect us

2) God has mercy on everyone

3) We are able to help those that others may consider a lost cause by showing mercy

How incredible, that once we have developed strength and faith in ourselves, we can be invited into helping others who have gone off piste, and return them to relationship with God. 

So, based on these thoughts today, what is it you need to do or change?

keep yourself in God's love

 God is kind. He has warned us that such things as Jude writes about will happen. God allows us to know that there will be people that try to take His ‘beloved’ ones off task. That there will be false teaching and people professing that they are believers leading ungodly lives stuck in sin. God shows us this in different books of the Bible, through different people because He wants us to be aware. Not scared, but prepared, and ready for what is going to happen. God is kindly preparing us and showing us how to live, and He uses authors such as Jude to explain these things to us. 

Jude tells us that this we will see these people living irreverently as the ‘last time’ approaches. A reminder that the world we live in will not last forever. Jude is reminding us that the world is finite, not to cause you to be afraid, but so you can get prepared for not just living in this world, but so that you're ready to live for eternity. He has already mentioned the destination of those who lead others astray by their teaching and untamed sin- where do you want to end up? This is an opportunity for you to assess your life and refine your behaviours and beliefs as necessary. We all make mistakes and can fall into believing things that are not true, being swayed by tempting talk and inviting actions. Today is a chance to put some things right as Jude has shown what the consequences of living a false life of faith are. Therefore be aware of how things can creep in and distance you from God. Be on guard for what is un/helpful in your life and use today to make a change.

*17*But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. *18*They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” *19*It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. *20*But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, *21*keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 

Jude 17–21.

Again, Jude reminds his readers how important and how loved they are as he reminds them that they are, ‘beloved’. He repeats this because he wants them to recognise that they are dear to him, this is why he is instructing, guiding and warning them in the way he is. The contents of this letter would seem pretty scary if it wasn’t enwrapped with love. It is from this affection that Jude is asking the readers to remember their faith, remember the past, remember the prophecies. So that they can all come into right alignment with God's will. So that their eternal destination and treatment by God is what they wish for and expect. In order to help them live a life of faith and help them avoid the inviting instructions of those that have led people of faith astray, Jude here gives three instructions to keep them, and us, on the right path as believers in Jesus;

I) ‘building yourselves up in your most holy faith’

In this world where we lean on the understanding of others and seek the opinions and expertise of one another, here, Jude is telling us to figure it out ourselves. You are responsible for how you learn and grow in faith, not anyone else. Jude tells you and I to build ourselves up. It is not the job of a leader, pastor, speaker or writer, but you yourself are responsible for the faith you have. Therefore make an effort to learn about it; read, pray, interrogate the scriptures, discuss with others, listen - know what the Bible says, and what it doesn’t. Don't just trust others and their understanding, but figure things out for yourself. Research, ask, and consider what this faith in God, through Jesus and with the Holy Spirit is about. Through that you will gain a better understanding of who God is and will gain confidence in what you believe. Jesus did. So that when he faced temptation in the wilderness he was well equipped to face it and succeed. You too will face temptation, are you well equipped for when it comes? Have you built up your confidence in God and understood how He wishes you to live?  You are responsible for building your faith. How are you doing that?

2) ‘praying in the Holy Spirit’

Praying in the Spirit bypasses the brain, we may start off with an idea of what we want to pray for but then get carried to pray for something else, or end up praying in tongues. Both are guided by the Spirit. Prating in the Spirit and having the gift of speaking in tongues is a great thing that makes no sense to others not of faith. It is something inside of us that communicates with God, it connects us with His heart and strengthens our own faith and resilience. If you do not currently pray in the Spirit, then give it a go. It strengthens the connection you have with God and strengthens you. Romans 8:26-27 says, 'the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.' Allow the Spirit to help you to pray.

3) ‘keep yourselves in the love of God’

 Once you have recognised and accepted the love of God, do all you can to remain mindful and accepting of it. We are told and convinced of the fact that God loves us throughout the Bible and since the creation of the universe, but have you ever considered that you have to be mindful of keeping yourself in God's love? keep yourselves in the love of God’ is a command. This is telling you that despite what comes your way, God's love is always available, but are you keeping that in mind and is your heart still focussed on following God? Life happens, you make mistakes, you have desires, you may get bored, fed up, lose the passion you once had, encounter tragedy, feel burnt out. Yet, when you encounter these things ensure you remind yourself of the truth, and that how you live, what you do and think matters. Do not turn your back on or wander away from God. It will not go well for you - look at the previous verses for how that pans out - for humans and angels alike. Even if you don’t feel like it, stay obedient. Keep reminding yourself of who God is, keep meeting and talking to other believers, keep praying and keep going. Keep yourself in God's love - lead a life that makes it easy for God to love you. We all see the different moods, characters and behaviours of children. Sometimes it is so easy to see things to love in them, when they are kind, generous, supportive, fun. Then there are other times! Times when it is easy to dislike them, and it takes work to love them. It is the same for us in our relationship with God. Are you acting like His loveable child, or are you making it difficult for God to love you? Keeping a loving relationship with God alive is your responsibility as well as God's. God will do His part, will you do yours? Jesus says, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.” (John 15:9–10). Jesus, the Son of God tells us how to keep in the love of God -through obedience. Children show love and trust when they do as they are told. It is not something any of us probably like, but it is still true. As God's child, are you remaining in His love and doing as He asks? 

'you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, *21*keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.'

Woe to them

 Still continuing to speak about false teachers, Jude leads on from how to spot them, to this;

*11*Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion. *12*These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; *13*wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. 

Jude 11–13.

Well, as Jude writes this he seems really sad and distressed. The many connotations he uses as well as the first exclamation - ‘Woe to them!’ all build together to build a sad, derelict picture. Jude is expressing great distress and sorrow for these people that have gone off track. Jude is showing that false teachers, these people leading irreverent lives are to be pitied, not judged. Jude knows that they are not living in the freedom they could have and he knows what awaits them so that prompts him to express deep sadness over them. Jude shows what the outcome will be for the people who are living a false life of faith and lead others to do the same - he explains it in this letter. Jude sees it is an awful thing to see others follow the desires of the human nature rather than God’s way and he is full of sorrow about it. 

Is that your response when you see others going off track? 

It can seem that it is easier to judge others than to express 'woe' over them. When you see others going awry, what is your response? Do you wish to reach out and help them or give them a good telling off?  These people are lost, they are in error, they need help. If you were going wrong, what would help you? Let us treat one another well and do our best to lead others into truth. 

Verses 12-13 are full of oxymorons that demonstrate the contradictory lifestyles of these men and women swayed by incorrect teaching. It shows the unnatural way the false teachers are living; ‘waterless clouds’, ‘swept along’, ‘shepherds feeding themselves’.  These are all contradictory, and describe what does not occur naturally. How can clouds be waterless or shepherds only feed themselves? Surely they cannot be classed as shepherds If they do that? These phrases are showing that the false teachers are living contrary to the natural way. This way of life should not be. It is contrary to the design of God and His natural order. No wonder Jude declares 'woe' over them. They have got something wrong and they cannot see it, they believe they are forgiven and free but instead of living in the freedom of God which separates us from sin, they are continuing in sin whilst saying they believe in God. It seems that the false teachers declare with their mouths that there is a God that has changed their lives, whilst continuing to live a life unchanged in some areas. They are still being ‘swept along’ with the desires of the body, living life as the rest of the world does; unboundaried and untamed. Not living in the full realisation of complete freedom and forgiveness through Jesus which leads to a life of repentance, forgiveness and unbounded love. (Not continuous sin, excuses and immoral behaviour). No wonder Jude is distressed by this; some people are going along thinking they are living a life with God, but they are not aligning their words and actions with God’s expectations, desires and plans for their lives. Therefore they do not fully know the love and freedom that Jesus has won for them. 

You may now be asking yourself, well, what can i do about it? 

Well, firstly, double check your own life. Consider what you are demonstrating about a life of faith. Are you really living as God wants you to? Or are you stuck with things that are holding you back but you are not letting go of? Today, God offers you a new chance to align your life with the life He intends for you - are you going to accept it? The people Jude is speaking about may not have intended to lead people astray, but they have got something wrong and got carried away with their own thoughts and desires and taught others to do the same. So keep a check on yourself. Be mindful of what you express and model to others about a life of faith. Deal with the sin that so easily entangles and get help to get out of it.

Secondly, are you confident in spotting false teaching? Are you mindful of what are you exposing yourself to? Are you good at aligning what you read, hear and watch with the Bible as your plumb line of truth? Do you just listen to what you want to hear or whatever is popular? Do you read your Bible? Unless you know what it says, how do you know if anything else lines up with it?

Thirdly, do you know people that may be going astray? If so, pray about how to speak to them and guide them into knowing God more fully in their lives. It is a deeply sad thing to see people not grasping the reality of the freedom and forgiveness they have in Jesus, there is no need to judge them, but there is reason to feel sad about it - so pray and speak as the Holy Spirit leads.